I also wish to express my warm congratulations to Nigeria which has been endorsed by us for the chairmanship of our Group for the year 2000. We are confident that under the stewardship of Nigeria, the effectiveness and solidarity of the Group will be further enhanced. Mr. Chairman, We are meeting at a time when there has been a significantly greater understanding and awareness of the key development issues. In these conferences, we have discovered new directions of development, drawn up our economic and social agenda and established many goals and time-bound targets. There has been a wider recognition of the interplay of the multitude of factors that impact in development and a realization that no one policy will suffice.
Some factors appear more important than others.
Investment in physical and human capital should encourage economic growth. There is now a much greater awareness and acceptance of the role of civil society and the private sector in development. We have before us a clearer picture of the responsibilities at the national, regional and international level for the pursuit of development. The LDCs and African countries are indeed hard-hit by the globalization process. There is a general recognition that special measures are needed, but few have been taken yet.