The outline of such a system is to be found in the Charter, we need only to build upon it to ensure its practicability. Understandably perhaps, states that are militarily powerful may be reluctant to place their security under a broad UN security umbrella. Yet experience has shown that the new genre of conflicts with which we have to deal requires concerted multilateral responses. As far as possible therefore, we should strive to strengthen international machinery for conflict resolution and peace enforcement on bases that will command the confidence and respect of all states, both big and small. Mr. President, peace as has been so aptly said, is not the mere absence of war.
True peace can only come if it is built on a foundation of sound economic and social development.
The foremost obstacle to peace is poverty which, when it can be borne no longer, explodes with a vengeance it is imperative, therefore that the problem of poverty be squarely addressed by the United Nations with a view to halving its incidence by the year 2015. Reaching this target will require concerted action by both developed and developing countries. The developed nations have a vested interest in the economic prosperity of developing countries since they represent important markets for their exports. The assured provision of ODA, sufficient investment flows, technological transfer, and trade opportunities remain essential to the development of small economies such as my own. A renewal of the dialogue between the industrialised and developing nations is also urgently needed in order to lay a firm and reliable basis for future international cooperation.