State Information Service- Speeshes - <BR>President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak’s Address to<BR> The Group of 15 Summit,<BR> Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Monday, November 03, 1997

President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak’s Address to
The Group of 15 Summit,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mr. Prime Minister Dr. Mahather Ibn Muhammad,
Chief Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen;

It is my pleasure that we are meeting today in this sisterly country; a country that we take pride in having close ties with its people and leadership and do appreciate its significant role in serving the causes of developing nations.

We trust that the wisely-guided chairmanship of the Seventh Summit by Prime Minister Mahather Ibn Muhammad will actively contribute to its success in the way of consolidating our common forward progress and our sustained efforts for realizing growth and prosperity in our countries as well as all developing nations. This could also revive serious and active dialogue with advanced nations in the interest of the issues of man everywhere in the world, and allow huge opportunities of progress for humanity.

Gentlemen:
Allow me to seize this opportunity to welcome the presence of sisterly Kenya at this conference, to express our deep appreciation of the prompt and meaningful efforts exerted by brother President Robert Mugabi throughout the last year and to affirm our full agreement with his statement at the inaugural session, in the name of African Presidents.

I would like also to welcome the convening in Jamaica of the coming summit and announce my country's readiness to host the summit following after next, should such proposal be acceptable to you.

Mr. Chairman,
During the recent years the international community has witnessed several developments of great significance, which have been examined and discussed in our past meetings.

From this exercise, we have come to the conclusion that, concerted efforts are required by all advanced and developing countries alike to maximize the fruits of positive developments. These are also required to curb the impact of negative manifestations, particularly those arising from the widening gap between the conditions of both groups of nations and frustrated hopes for the emergence of an equitable economic world order that can ensure balanced and equal rights and obligations for various nations to make up for long periods of progress missed in the past due to reasons beyond our control and to cope up with forward progress and modernization in the interest of successive generations of our citizens.

We have particularly attended to the question of golobalization and its reflections on international conditions. Our attention focused in the first place on the impact of globalization - as presented and promoted - on the interests of developing nations, which could be marginalized and rendered almost incapable of being integrated into the new world order. It was therefore natural for us to insist on equal rights for our nations to participate in establishing values, criteria and controls for such new order.

This would guarantee that the required strict balance will not be undermined and that the developing nations will not bear obligations and responsibilities of an order, which they had no hand in making or developing.

On the other hand, recent events in Asia and Latin America have proved that, in spite of any advantages that could be gained by some developing nations as an outcrop of the trade liberalization policy, yet the instability and rapid movement of capital could certainly cause crises and convulsions to our nations economies. These could also make it difficult to control their negative complications. This situation probably can provide evidence to the advantage of adopting a gradual approach to development and liberalization, as a safeguard against a setback of reform and as a protection for the Third World nations, who are striving, with great difficulty, to stand on their own feet in this turbulent decade.

In this connection, you may find it appropriate to call for a meeting of the governors of central banks and heads of capital authorities in the countries of the Group, to exchange consultations on ways of addressing difficulties arising as a result of rapid flow of capital and methods of gradual liberalization in the field of financial services, portfolio management, foreign exchange and other economic activities.

Your Excellencies,
During the past years, we have talked much about developing and developed nations as partners to development. We have always taken partnership seriously and far beyond any sense of confrontation and conflict. We have attempted to arrange for a dialogue with the seven industrialized nations. Yet such initiative on our part has not received adequate response on the part of the said Group, in spite of the growing need for an effective dialogue that would tangibly push forward North-South cooperation and eliminate fears and concern arising from the unbalanced development of international economic conditions.

A true partnership between developing and developed nations really means mutual, equal and balanced rights and obligations. The developing nations had shown considerable cooperation and understanding to make the Uruguay Round a success. They committed themselves to a certain conditionally for economic reform that could have been, otherwise, unacceptable by them. Our nations have made good progress towards economic and trade liberalization; a fact which is recognized by international financial institutions as well as the World Trade Organization. It was expected, under the circumstances, that the developed nations would speedily extend support and backing to developing nations, thus enabling them to cope with the costs and burdens of liberalization. However, what did actually happen was a continuing decline in government aids provided by developed countries under the pretext that the inflow of investments to the developing nature was that best alternative for government aid. This presumption, apart from being contradictory through experiment, to be erroneous and unrealistic.

The latent UNCTAD report on trade and development for 1997, points out that the pattern of progress adopted in the liberalization of world economy does not take into consideration the prospects of growth for the developing nations, as it stops short of liberalizing such economic sectors that provide relative advantage to developing nations, like for example the commodity sector, particularly textiles, agricultural sector or the transfer of individuals.

The existing situation still constitutes a menace to certain national industries that are subject to ferocious competition. At the same time such nations find it difficult to introduce their products into the markets of developed countries because of applicable protectionist policies, the requirement by such countries that special standards and specifications be satisfied and radical changes to production systems in developing countries be introduced. This is an unsound intervention in our internal affairs.

The grave reflections of this situation is specifically evident in the African continent. The least-developed nations, of which one third lie in Africa, are still lying on the periphery of world economy . The prospects ahead of them even forebodes instability. According to some studies, average per capita income in such nations is expected to fall by 2030 to $ 325 per annum, while the corresponding average in OECD member-states is expected to hit $ 40,000.

The situation therefore requires that honest endeavours be exerted, necessary resources rallied and a rapid and decisive move made, in order to curtail further drift towards widening the existing gap between the developed and developing worlds, which forebodes outbreak of disturbances and conflicts.

It is these risks and fears that we should stand against with full might. This will not be accomplished by forging our way forward with steady steps, rather than backing away, in spite of all challenges facing us. We should also take part in developing controls and policies and formulating international provisions in such a way as to ensure that our concerns and interests are duly observed.

Mr. Chairman,
During the last seven years, the countries of the Group have managed to score tangible progress in enhancing economic cooperation among themselves and entering into joint projects. They have also succeeded in increasing the volume of trade exchange, investment and transfer of technology among the member-states. We have also agreed to institute mechanisms for further enhancing such cooperation through the investment and businessmen's forum and the investment, trade and technology committee.

During the last two years, we have started a realistic appraisal of the results of efforts exerted in this respect since the inception of the Group.

We have found out that the joint projects already completed were below our expectation. It is important, therefore, that the review and appraisal of cooperation between the countries of the Group should be continued, in order to ensure the enhancement of joint collaboration. You may find it appropriate to discuss the possibility of agreeing on specified targets for the volume of trade and investment exchanges based on practicable and realistic plans for boosting trade and investment amongst the countries of the Group.

Mr. Chairman,
The consultations currently conducted on ways and means of enhancing the performance of the United Nations are made in the context of keeping pace with successive developments occurring in the world of today.

From our point of view, such enhancement exercise should be basically meant to enable all countries of the world to address the requirements of today and challenges of tomorrow in the field of development. Accordingly, the reform of the United Nations should not be confined to the political aspects of the Organization's activity. It should be so extensive that the United Nations' message will be conveyed down to common citizens everywhere, thus making the Organization with all its various organs more expressive of the interests of the overwhelming majority of its member-states.

The organization should also be able to make tangible contribution to the improvement of the standard of living of such majority.

It is now time for joint international efforts to bear fruit, through a real commitment to eradicate poverty, involving the implementation of strategies for wide-spreading education and providing minimum health care for all citizens of the world. Failing this, reform and enhancement efforts will end up in failure and frustration.

Brothers, Presidents and Heads of Government,
It is the intention of Egypt to continue its efforts aiming at reinforcing the role of the Group so as to be an effective and influential power in such a way as to realize the legitimate interests and aspirations of the peoples of developing countries. This should pursued the industrialized countries that balanced development and growth in all corners of the globe are in the interest of all parties. It is by no means possible that, while fear, poverty and need reign supreme in one of the part of the world, other parts are enjoying the fruits of prosperity and security.

We had all been subject to one common destiny when we were facing the perils of nuclear devastation, that jeopardized human civilization. We are still facing one common destiny as we are addressing different challenges, which are no less perilous or damaging than war.

All nations, no matter how advanced or prosperous, should realize that unless they join forces and coordinate their action towards addressing new universal, environmental and health hazards, no body will remain secure from such hazards, regardless of his power or influence.

These are all relative circumstances, which can never stand against momentous historical challenges and events.

Looking forward into the distant horizon, we can see vanguards of progress building up lofty, well-grounded edifices, stimulating life all over the globe and fulfilling the message of man, already made by God as His successor on this planet. No power, however mighty it may be, will be able to stop or abort the progress of construction, peace and advancement. We, the peoples of developing nations should proceed ahead of the forward march, to set an example of self-denial, altruism and impartiality in serving sublime goals and noble aspirations. May Allah protect us and guide our steps along the path of overall human progress.

May Peace, Mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.


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