A/39/PV.48 General Assembly

In recent weeks, it has been the image of dying infants- wasted to skin and bones-that has carried the story of hunger and starvation in Africa. But powerful as the media are, it will not be possible to portray the magnitude and depth of the actual crisis that has prevailed for so long on the Mrican continent. 2. For those of us who have dealt with the problem here in the United Nations, it was not a crisis that developed overnight. The spectre of hunger and starvation had repeatedly surfaced in varying degrees of severity at various times. Even for the present crisis, we had been alerted to the possibilities of famine that could result from the critical food shortages caused by persistent drought and other natural calamities. We were aware that desertifica- tion was stripping the land bare and reducing already limited areas available for food cultivation. 3. Perhaps the repeated stories of hunger and starvation on that vast continent had made the problem sound deceptively commonplace-until, once again, words are replaced by visual images of fellow human beings suffering the worst of depriva- tions. 4. The media have highlighted the situation in selected countries, but in fact the crisis extends over large parts of Africa. The Secretary-General, in his report in document Al39/594, has identified an unimaginable figure of 150 million people threatened with hunger, disease and starvation in 24 most- affected countries. These are Angola, Benin, Botswa- na, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritania, Mozam- bique, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Somalia, Swaziland, Togo, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 5. The extent of the effects of drought, desertifica- tion and other natural calamities that nave repeated- ly hit Africa is partly a result ofthe fact that sod.eties in many of these countries are basically rural, involved largely in agriculture. Income depends on the yields from the soil, supplemented by whatever livestock could be raised from sparse land. But even livestock died through lack of feed or fell victim to cattle plague. Exports of those countries' mineral natural resources, particularly copper, fetched unusu- NEW YORK ally low prices in the international market, and earnings from agricultural exports, such as coffee, bought less than was possible in the mid-l970s. 6. This drop in export income and purchasing power occurred against the background of the rising and urgent need to import more food to meet shortages brought about by drought and other calam- ities. Thus an already reduced income had to be diverted to urgent food imports, resulting in the neglect of other equally urgent areas of development such as water, transport, health and nutrition, energy, environment 'lnd other social aspects of develop- ment. All these factors, together with the internation- al economic recession of recent years, were some of the reasons for the zero or even negative growth experienced by many of the countries in Africa. 7. Malaysia views with the deepest concern this tragic and critical situation in Africa and stands on this rostrum to appeal for urgent and concerted action by the international community. Our response should not be evoked only by emotions aroused by the media. It should not be sustained only for a few days or weeks while these emotions last. It must be studied, planned and executed in a consistent and co- ordinated manner to face up to the problem, in both the short term and the long term. 8. Mrica and its people cannot be blamed for having deserts on their continent, nor for the effects of drought and desertification. Also, they should not be blamed if, as a result of past exploitations, their infrastructure, agriculture and industrial base are not fully developed. They are basically victims of an inhospitable and harsh environment and also of past manipulations. 9. The seriousness of the situat\on requires us to take immediate action. The weeks ahead should not be spent in finding fault, but rather in seeking agreement. 10. We are agreed that the media ~lave reawakened public awareness of this emergency. In the short term, a world-wide publicity campaign could be developed to build upon thIS renewed awareness. Emergency food aid and medical supplies should be mobilized from all available quarters. But ttIs ad- dresses only the emergency food situation. In ',he long term, the causes of structural weaknesses in affected economies should be addressed. The areas for action are well defined in the Lagos Plan ofAction. l What is needed is effectively to mobilize bilateral and multi- lateral assistance in critical areas ofnatural, technical and human resources development. 11. On our part, Malaysia pledges to continue to share our experiences and participate in development efforts directed at specific sectors ofthe economies of countries on the continent. Malaysia has ongoing programmes of co-operation, particularly on human be~alfof the European Com1l?-unlty by the represen- people are starving to death. Latest estimates place tatIve of Ireland [47th meetl~g] and to add some the probable deaths this year in Ethiopia alone at comments of my own delegatIOn. between half a million and 1 million. In many areas 14. This is not the time to mince words. There is co food production is declining while population in- item on the agenda of the thirty-ninth session of the creases, and it is only large supplies ofimported food, General Assembly more important than the critical some bought, some donated, which prevents wide- economic situation in Africa. We are not speaking of spread malnutrition. Less immediately obvious, but some abstract problem. We are not holding a routine no less important for the future, are all the other debate. Africa is in the grip of an enormously aspects of the development process from which destructive crisis, a crisis which has been building for resources have to be diverted to meet basic needs. s~veral years, a crisis whicp has already clai~ed the 21. What can we do? Obviously the first thing is to l!ves of th~u~ands cmd WhICh threatens to blIght the provide relief for those desperately in need. For my lIves of mIllIons. Government, as for many others, the humanitarian 15. I make no apology for speaking bluntly. Indeed, needs are the most urgent priority, and we have made I hope others will do likewise. If we retreat into over $40 million worth of food and emergency aid platitudes and bureaucratic evasions and ideological available this year for drought-related problems in flights of fantasy, we shall do a terrible disservice to Africa, together with $6 million for refugee problems. the people of Africa. If there was ever a time for the Additionally we announced last week, in response to General Assembly to face up squarely and honestly to the present grave situation in Ethiopia, the allocation a problem, it is now. of6,000 tonnes offood aid, together with two aircraft 16. Polite expressions of sympathy and handwring- for 3 month~ ~or reliefoperations in EthioI?ia, and an ing self-exculpation will not feed starving children; extra; $6 mIllIon for dl<?ught-related projects there nor will North blaming South, or South North, or a~d In other parts of Afnca. The l?uropean Co~~u- East West. We shall not find solutions if we indulge m!y has announced a new allocatIon of $25 mIllIon in the discredited device of blaming these problems thIS wee.k. Many other donors ~av~ .pledged food and on imperialism, neo-colonialism, transnational cor- other aId. The res.pon~e o~ mdlvldu~ls an.d non- porations and the like. I would ask instead that in governmental orgam~atIOns In the U~It.ed KIngdom this debate all countries, not just the traditional has been oye~~elmm~; some $10 mI.llIon has been donors, look for ways of co-operating in an interna- offered by IndIvIduals In my country In the last two tional programme ofpractical, effective and immedi- weeks. ate assistance to Africa. 22. The problems of co-ordination, of organizing a 17. In making this speech I do not seek to side-step supplies pipeline and monitoring the effectiveness of my own country's special relationship with Africa. aid, especially, but not only, in Ethiopia, have Indeed it is precisely that relationsrip which has become overwhelming. The United Nations system prompted the United Kingdom to pay particular has a vital role to play. I urge the Secretary-General attention over the years to Africa's economic and to appoint a lead agency within the United Nations social problems and has prompted my delegation to system to which other agencies, bil~tera;l donors a;nd speak today. Fifteen of our Commonwealth partners the many non-governmental organIzatIOns workmg are in Africa. Britain is linked to Africa by ties of in Ethiopia can turn. The co-ordinating agency must history and of culture, of commerce and above all of of course wor~ i~,close conj.unction with. ~nd. in people. Many of my countrymen have chosen to live support of EthIOpIa s own RelIef and RehabIlItatIon and work in Africa. Many sons and daughters of Commission. Africa are in Britain. When Africa s~~ers, so do we. 23. On the subject of immediate steps, the Assem- A~4 the respons.e of th~ people of BrItam to the !at~st bly should again ask itself whether the upgrading of CrISIS has been I~medlate and unprece.dented In Its the ECA conference facilities is the most appropriate scale. I say. thIS not for self-advertlse11?-ent, ~ut way of assigning over $73 million of United Nations because I behe~e th.at through our bonds WIth AfrIca funds at the present critical time. The proposal was we have a contrIbutIOn to make to the present debate. discussed in the Fifth Committee's 13th meeting, on 18. I do not wish to take up much time in diagnos- 18 October, wheu my delegation expressed misgiv- ing the crisis. It has been described expertly for us in ings. In our view it deserves to be reconsidered. the Secretary-General's report and by previous Would it not be better to concentrate expenditure on speakers. I would rather focus on the steps which the projects of more direct and immediate benefit to Assembly can take towards tacklin~ it. I would like in those in economic distress, deferring construction of 35 Th I b . h . . sary for food development programmes. . ere must a so e an emp aSlS on ensunng . that existing capacity is fully utilized before new 40. Co:-operatIon b~tween UNDP and ~he World programmes are undertaken. The ECA Memoran- B~nk w111 be of partIcular .b~ne~t. t.o Afncan c01.;1n- dum draws attention to this need. In his speech in the tnes, and we wel~ome th~ JOInt InItIatIves on whIch Economic and Social Council,3 Mr. Adedeji, appoint- they .are ~mbarklng. Dunng the IMF-IB~D annual ed by the Secretary-General as his Special Represen- meetIng In ~eptember we supported theu current tative for Africa's Economic Crisis, emphasized focus on Mr.lca, and the most recent.repo~ 0!l sub- many of the same points, including the necessity for Saharan Afn.ca ~y the W<?rld Bank 1~ a sIgnIficant better economic management. It is only with appro- fu~her co.ntnbutlOn to'pohcy formulat!on. We ~n.the priate domestic policies that external assistance can llnlte? Kingdom remaIn ready !o consIder partlclpa- start to become effective. tIon 1!l supplementary financl!lg f<:>r the. seventh replenIshment of IDA, m conjunctIon wIth other 36. As recognized at the International Conference donors. on Population, held. at ~exico City fr0!TI 6 to 14 41. Bilateral and multilateral aid are both impor- August .1984, there IS a duect relatIonS~lp bet~e~n tanto My own Government gave $370 million at p~pulatIon and development. PopulatIo~ I?o!lcles prevailing exchange rates last year as bilateral devel- tal1ore~ to the n~eds and resources of IndIvIdual opment assistance to Africa. This was 40 per cent of countnes are a vItal component.of the lon~-term our bilateral aid programme, which reflects the app!oach. The pressure of expand10g pOl?ulatIon on importance we place on the development ofthis area. fragll~ land resources a!ld food pr~ductIOn, not to We have contributed through the European Commu- mentIOn on health servIces, educatIon an4 employ- nity's Lom~ Convention, and are, incidentally, cur- !TIent, has accentuated th~ present hu~an dls~ress. So rently corcluding with our African, Caribbean and It?- ~ome cases has the dnft f~om agr~culture Int~ t~e Pacific GIOUp partners the third agreement in this cItIes. Even the mos! appropnate ag~lculturall?ohcles series. We have given through the European Devel- a.nd programmes WIll no~ succeed m stemmIn~ the opment Fund, the World Bank group, including IDA, tI~e of po~erty and famIne unless they C!-re hnked the African Development Bank [AjDB] and the ~Ith effectIve me~sures to prevent.or hmIt popula; African Developm.ent Fund and other bodies of the bon growth. In !hIS area, t~o, ~here IS an .u!gent neeo United Nations system. for more effective co-ord1OatlOn of pohcles. 42. It gives me great pleasure to announce here that 37. We recognize that even with appropriate poli- we have decided to contribute to UNDP an extra £1 cies what needs to be done may be beyond the million this year. We hope that this money will capacity of the countries affected, and this is where enable UNDP to devote more resources to its plans the role of the international community is vital. In for improving co-ordination and reinforcing the this respect, co-ordination is all-important. Once the general effectiveness of aid in Africa and le.ast Governments of African countries have identified developed countries. We do not impose any speCIfic their own priority areas, they need to ensure that they conditions on th~ l;lse of the. m0!ley. We hav~ a~ready can communicate these needs to donors so that announced a BntIsh contnbutIon of £1 ml1hon to appropriate aid can be provided. Here the mecha- UNICEF in respon~eto it~ app~al for its Africa work. nisms of World Bank-led consultative groups and We hope ot!J.ers WIll do hkewlse. UNDP and UNI- UNDP round tables are very important. They bring CEF are do1Og first-rate work and deserve support. t~e Governments. together with multilateral and 43. I have come to the end of my speech; but we bll~t~ral donors ~n forums v.:here the needs and have just begun to deal with the urgent problems of pohcles of countnes can be dlscu~sed. The .UNDP Africa. Cash and action mean more than words to plans to.strengthen round. tables WIll be partlcul~lfly dying people. As I have said, my Government is useful, s10ce they emphasIze the need for co-ord1Oa- contributing both cash and action now. But we also !ion as a ~ontinuing process <:>f dialogue rather than need to take thought for the future. We have all made just occasIOnal meet1Ogs. ThIS should make a real mistakes. We must learn from them. We must aim difference to the effectiveness of development assis- for co-ordinated development. We must set in hand tance. campaigns that combine action on population prob- 38. Donors must make their aid flexible and offer it lems with action on food. We trust that the interna- in ways which help Governments improve the effi- timnal community will respond generously to such ciency of their existing assets. They need to do this campaigns. It is possible to prevent famine, and it particularly in the vital areas of manpower and the must be done. development of human resources. Human resources 44. Mr. WOOLCOTT (Australia): There can be no are perhaps the biggest untapped resources in Africa. question of the importance and seriousness of the My ~overnment is therefore pu;tting i1?-creasing em- critical economic situation.in Afr!ca: Indeed, the very ;;::..o:~~:~;:wer .::~_t::I::= ass:ta~~:. . =_~ .f~ct t~a:_we .are addr:SI.ng thIS Iss~e_h_ere .t:~~~.~ se~ices, everything in Africa today leads to uncer- the African case, which must immediately be treated tamty. by giving it the famous dose ofpolitical will that is so 60. If We just take some of the most characteristic lacking just now in the international community on indicators, we see first of all that the overall per many problems. However, we express our thanks to capita income has been falling and was even 4 per the Secretary-General for having drawn the attention cent less in 1983 than it was in 1970. The deficit in of the international community to this matter. trade balances and balances of payment continues to 65. Clearly from now on the Africans themselves worsen, reflecting the inequality of the terms of must courageously carry out the necessary structural trade, the fall in the price of commodities and the reforms for sustained economic growth. As for our harmful effects of the protectionism that has been partners abroad, we urge them more than ever to adopted by the industrialized countries to the detri- collaborate ever better with the Africans and to take ment of the developing countries. Meanwhile, Africa maximum care not to resort to short-term benefit as has accumulated a foreign debt of $150 billion, a their sole criterion, but rather to engage in operations figure that could have been manageable on the that have a less immediate effect but are more continental level if the overall economic health had reliable in the long term. permitted it. Desertification and drought, with their 66. The Congolese Minister for Foreign Affairs and cortege of evils of all kinds, attack nature, animals Co-operation, Mr. Antoine Ndinga-Oba, was think- and human beings, providing an additional factor of ing of this kind of action when he said here on 27 concern. In the wake of this drought famine in- September that the present tragic circumstances creases, as do health problems, including disease and required "at the least, an overall review ofthe criteria redu~ing. the birth rate,. even. where the population 79. Africa needs serious support and commitment ~ensIt.y IS only a few lI.lhabItants o~ a fe~ dozen so as to carry out successfully certain specific activi- InhabItants per square kIlometre, as In fact IS often ties in trade and structural adjustments. Accordingly the case. there must be an increase in export earnings, particu- 72. As noted at the International Conference on larly those deriving from commodities, whose prices Population, held at Mexico City in August, there is should be stabilized within the context of the Com- no problem in that regard except in so far as one has mon Fund for Commodities provided under UNC- or has not committed oneself to the process of TAD. The generalized system of preferences must be economic and social development. Accordingly, pros- put into effect, and there must be a reduction of perity, education, health and raising the standards of interest rates so as to ease the burden of debt and living will help us to deal with this population debt servicing. Private and multilateral agencies ==~ti~.:::h more than sterilization or any other must provide to Africa on favourable and ,t.hlp ~aiting for in this most disturbing period in their resulting from the activities of the transnational hIstOry. corporations amount to $6 billion, and losses in 81. Mr. PLECHKO (Union of Soviet Socialist payment of interest on loans, because of the rise in Republics) (interpretation from Russian): In the eco- interest rates, amounted to $3.2 billion in 1982 nomic organs of the United Nations nowadays I am alone. This information is taken from document quite sure that there is not a single topic that is talked E/1984/110. about more frequently or with greater alarm than the critical economic situation in Africa. In the United 86. For this reason, the imperialist States bear full Nations and outside it vast amounts of statistical responsibility for the colonial exploitation of the d human and natural resources of the African conti- ata are being published about the difficulties of a nent in the past and for the continuing neo-colonial- number of African States in which for some years . Co now the national per capita income and agriculturalIst plunder of Atrica at present. Hence the demands production have been declining and the proces;) of that the culprits responsible for Africa's present development is virtually grinding to a halt. Behind difficulties pay compensation for the damage to its the dry statistics lie the hunger, disease and poverty development are perfectly justified. of millions of Africans. 87. However, many ofthose who have been making 82. The natural disasters which have befallen Africa enormous profits in Africa and are now on the in recent years and which have been unprecedented receiving end ofthose just demands are now trying to in their extent and severity have laid bare these represent their aid to the African countries as an problems and raised the question of the survival of exceptionally charitable act. They suppress the fact the populations of entire regions. It is a sad paradox that in reality the imperialist forces are trying to use that it is only the cruelty of the forces of nature that for their own purposes the disastrous situation of has led many to start talking about the need for many African countries that have been seriously urgent humanitarian assistance to the African coun- weakened by economic upheavals. They consider tries, as if the centuries-long history of suffering of that the present situation there provides a way of the peoples of that continent had not existed and holding back the economy offree Africa and keeping only hurricanes and drought were capable ofarousing thf. continent in a state of subjugation, delaying and humanitarianism in those who for so long remained reversing the process of its economic decolonization. indifferent to the devastating consequences of the To this end, they are using all available means, exploitation of the human and natural resources of including promises ofaid, declarations that individu- Africa. al regions of the continent are spheres of someone's "vital interests", and even threats to use sanctions 83. If we want to discuss seriously ways to over- . t th h h . d d l' f come the social and economic crisis in Africa it is ~~~~;t. ose w 0 c oose an In epen ent me 0 essential not only to understand it correctly but also to acknowledge the reasons which gave rise to it. In a 88. On the pretext of "enhancing the effectiveness" report of the Secretary-General we find a clear of assistance, attempts are being made to interfere in statement on this subject: "The crisis has a long the internal economic policies of the African States genesis reaching down to the colonial period." [see in order to compel them to renounce the public A/39/594, para. 143.] Colonial exploitation badly sector and national development plans and to impose mangled the economic structure of the continent and upon them recipes for the "magic of the market- brought it into contradiction with the fundamental place". It is no accident that in the Secretary-Gener- interests of the development of the African peoples. al's reportS it is observed, in paragraph 47, that However, at the same time it made it accessible to appeals by donors for "'policy dialogue' are a thinly the expan~ion ofprivate foreign capital and dug deep disguised attempt to enforce externally determined channels m that structure through which the imperi- economic and social policies." The New York Times, alist monopolies to this day extract from Africa vast in an editorial of 11 March of this year, was even material, financial and, in some cases, even human clearer on this point. It said that the so-called African resources. initiatives of the United States Administration "may 84. The consequences of the colonial period are be helpful if grants are conditioned"-I emphasize "conditioned"-"on political reforms". manifesting themselves today in particular in the continuing inability of many African countries hav- 89. African representatives addressing plenary ing won political independence, to break free' from meetings at this session ofthe Assembly have pointed the griP. of economic dependence on the capitalist out that it is possible to detect attempts to impose economIC system. In the West there are some who upon the continent the strategic interests of other -::o~:=:::~::=.~::::::,:~~,. c~:: ..::rde:.~::::e:==',, 91 R . f . W . ActIOn. . epresentatIves 0 certaIn estern countnes ... . . . are fond of talking about food assistance as an 97. WIth S~~I~t aSSIstance, m .countnes of Afnca example of their "hUInanitarianism". No one, of over 390 facIlItIes have been b:u~l~ and have sta~ed course, denies the great significance which food aid operatIons, al!d 268. other facIlItIes .are. now bemg for the immediate relief of the suffering of those who planned or. bemg bUllt. A~ of the begmnIng.of 1984, are starving has in today's world. One wonders, the. total I.nsta~led capacIty. of the. elect.nc power however, whether it is possible to find any compati- st~tIOns buIlt WIth SovIet .a~slstal!ce In Afncan coun- bility between the concept of humanitarianism and tn~s amounted to 4.1 .mIllIon kIl?watt~. The entt?r- the actions of those very countries, which, at the pnses that ,?-ave g~ne mto operatI0Il; 'Ylth our assl~- same time, proceed to destroy part of their own ~ance make It po~s~bleto smelt 2.7 mIllIon tons ofpIg stocks of foodstuffs merely in order tv support world Ir<?n. and 3.2 mIllIon tons of steel, to pr~d.uce 1.9 prices-and also of course to make large profits. mIl~lon tons ofrolled steel, to extra9t .3.5 mIllIon tOlJS of Iron ore and to process 2.8 mIllIon tons of oIl. 92. We are deli.berately going into some detail 98. Assistance to the development of agriculture about l?atters whIch must be well known to many and related sectors occupies a prominent place in delegc:'-tIOns pres~nt here, because all pt:oblems, and Soviet economic and technical assistance to countries espeCIally complIca~ed ones, must b.e dIscussed and of Africa. It is designed to enable those countries to solved ~omprehe!1slve~y, on the baSIS of a thorougJ'1 achieve self-sufficiency in staple foodstuffs by evaluatIon o.f theIr mam cause~. The outcome of thIS strengthening the material and technical basis for approach wIll lar~ely de~ermll!e the re~ul~s of the their own agricultural production. Co-operation emb- General Assembly.s c~n~lder8:tIon of thIS Item. At- races such areas as irrigation and conversion of land tempts to do a.nythlng m l.solatIon from the sources of to agricultural use, the establishment of State farms, the pr~blem SImply play.mto th~ hands of those who agricultural machinery, the storage and processing of ~re trymg to furthet: the~r own. Interests ~y speculat- produce and the provision of good-quality fresh mg on the economIC dIfficultIes of Afnca. water for the population, as well as the development 93. For the Soviet Union, co-operation with the of scientific research. We have been providing such countries of Africa and provision to them of surplus assistance to Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gha- assistance is not some kind of temporary campaign; na, Guinea, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan it is the consistent policy of our country which is not and other African countries concerned. subject to the e~b and fl~wof short-term trends. This 99. One of the most important tasks facing African pol~cy. was bem.g put mto. effect e~en before the countries is the training of national technically maJonty of Afncan c?untnes had IIberate~ them- qualified personnel. The very considerable assistance selves from the c~lomal.yoke. It was preCIsely t.he which the Soviet Union provides them in this field support of ~h~ SovIet Unl<?n and the other countnes closely ties in both with the concrete needs of their of ~~e SOCIalIst. commumty that was one of the economy and with the long-term prospects for their dec~slve factors m the success of the struggle of the economIc development. In Africa alone more than Afncan peoples for political independence. That 300 000 specialists have been trained with Soviet policy was pursued unswervingly throughout the assi;tance. years wht?n Africans were struggling, against all odds, 100. Trade relations between the Soviet Union and to es.tablIsh. autonomous statehood for themselves, countries of Africa have been developing dynamical- and It contmues to be pursued today. lYe The total volume of trade between the Soviet 94. Konstantin Chernenko, General Secretary of Union and States of the African continent amounted the Central Committee of the Communist Party of in 1983 to 3.3 billion roubles, while exports amount- the Soviet Union and President of the Supreme ed to about 1.6 billion roubles and imports to more Soviet of the USSR, has emphasized that: "Our than 1.7 billion roubles. approach to. A~rican problems is an open approach 101. The Soviet Union reaffirms its support for the based on pnnclple. We do not pursue 8:ny mterests Lagos Plan of Action for the economic development tha~ would be contrary to the yearnmgs of the ofAfrica. As in the past, we shall continue to provide Afncans themselves". . African countries with assistance in achieving their 95. A distinctive feature of the Soviet Union's co- ai~s for progress and in the implementatio~of their operation with African and other developing coun- natIOnal plans for the developJ!1ent of an m.depen- tries is assistance to the public sector, which bears the dent ecC?nomy and for the carrymg out of SOCIal and brunt of the struggle to build the foundations of an econ<?mlc changes for the benefit of the broad autonornous national economy. This co-operation is, workmg masses. as a general rule, based on long-term agreements, 102. Together with comprehensive assistance to which makes it possible to carry out the planned African countries in these key sectors in the establish- cost~ and chan.ges In clu!1atlc condItIons. rherefore, African countries that are critically dependent on the outsIde help.wI1! be reqUIred by the countnes of sub- export of a few commodities. Special attention will Saharan Afnca In order to enable them to overcome also have to be devoted to human resources and the crisis. We ~elieve that ~n~ country that has. the industrialization. There can be no lasting economic mean.s to co~tnb':lte !o Afnca s development-.Irre- progress unless the people who will have to bring it spectIve of hIston~ cI~cumstances or economIc sys- about possess the necessary information, training and terns-has the oblIgatIon to do so. motivation. Only then will they be able to make the 129. The joint programme of action for sub-Sahar- best use of the scarce available resources, capital and an Africa, proposed by the World Bank, appears to credit. Industrialization often is not feasible unless be one ofthe instruments that could help to meet this the products can be sold. Access to the markets of challenge. It has been noted with interest that the developed countries is therefore one of the essential proposals submitted by the Bank stress the need to pre-conditions for the n~covery of Africa's econo- link external support primarily to comprehensive mies. Trade, industrialization and development must programmes of major economic reform instead of be based on adequate infrastructures, such ~s trans- financing individual projects. Donor countries, port systems, communications and traffic lInks be- which have in the past, due to limited resources, tween countries. focused their s.upport ?n particular projects, may 135. The Austrian Government is aware of its ha~e to re~on~lder theu approach to d~vel?pment responsibilities towards sub-Saharan Africa. Aust- assIstance m vle~ of these broadened obJectIyes.. As ria's market is open to the products of African r~gards.the Bank Itself, ~e h~pe tha.t, beyond.I~StItu- developing countries. A large share of its bilateral tIonal l~prove~ent5, It WIll be. In a pOSItIon to technical assistance programmes is directed at least expand ItS ~endmg i>rogramme In favour of sub- developed and low-income countries in sub-Saharan Saharan Afnca. Africa. Furthermore, in addition to its regular contri- 130. Looking back, we see many reasons for frustra- butions to UNDP, UNICEF and other United Na- tion and bitterness. It seems that for decades all tions agencies, Austria is financing a number of ~reater co-ordination and coherence in the activities In Africa of the United Nations system was most important. Other international agencies too have been extending assistance to the African countries, as have some countries on a smaller scale and on a bilateral basis. These efforts have generally concen- trated on providing support for the implementation of the Lagos Plan of ActionI and the Final Act of Lagos6 for restructuring the African economy to enable it to generate self-reliant nd self-sustaining economic growth and development and gradually to reduce external dependence. That all these efforts have failed to yield the expected results is a reflection ofthe magnitude of the crisis confronting the African countries. 140. Today, the African continent is engaged in a heroic struggle for economic survival. The people and Government of Pakistan fully share the con- fu~ure l~vels o~ growth~ th~ collapse ,?f commodIty the national, subregional and regional availabiliti<?s pnces ~t.!,!l c:ontIn1;1es, WIth It~ adverse Impact o.n. the in terms of human and physical resources. For thIS efforts or the Afncan countnes to crea!e condItIo~s purpose progressive advantage should be taken of for reversing the downward trends In economIC technologies, equipment and services that have prov- activity and output. en capabilities for meeting the equivalent situation in 147. While increaseJ and additional concessional Africa. It is an imperative of such action that if the resources are essential to stem the declining trends in essential ingredients for development are available in the worst affected developing countries-and this is other developing countries then those should be an acknowledged fact-the unfortunate reality is that taken fully into account. the concern is not being translated into action. It is 151. Narrow consideration of immediate advan- evident that domestic efforts, including policy frame- tages to the more sophisticated economies should be works to meet the imposition of an adjustment relegated to the background. The advantage ofsimple process, need to be supplemented on a large scale by but appropriate technologies to ensure integrated concessional and official financial resources. This is rural and urban development, supplemental to but ev~n !D0re importa~t when it is realized t.h.at t?e first supportive of increased agricultural activity, ~a~ pnonty has to be m the area of rehabllIt~tmg the hardly be over-stressed. The parallels to such actIvI- ph):::dcal and social infrastructure,. and ~hat ItS fu~ure ties in development are available only in developing maIntenance and needs for operatIOnal funds, mamly countries like my own. We are ready to co-operate, as in foreign exchange, have to be assured. Further, the we always have been. It is in the interests of the priority attached to ~he improvement and accel<?rated African States to take advantage of such experi~nce. development of agnculture, both from the pOInt of It is also to the advantage of the donor commumty to vi~w of increased availability of food and for. s.us- encourage such interaction, as ultimately this would tamed growth of export volumes of commodItIes, lead to more sustained growth, to the advantage of req1;1ires additi~nal resour,ce transfers to sub-Saharan the global economy. Afn,c~n countnes. There IS t~us a cl~ar need for the 152. In conclusion, I should like to quote from the addItIonal r~so.u~ces essentIal to Imp~ement the Declaration on Collective Action for Global Prosper- Worl? Bank s Jomt programme of actIOn. for the ity that was adopted at the Seventh Conference of sustaIned development of sub-Saharan Afnca. Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned 148. We in India have never hesitated to extend, Countries: ~ithin our capacities, whatever ass!stance and exper- "Prosperity like peace on which it hinges is tIse we. have. Over the years, m ~ur effort.s at indivisible. The threat mankind faces today makes economIC ~evelopment we have attal.ned consIder- it necessary therefore to launch a concerted, reso- ab.le expenence and developed expertl~e largely ~p- lute and sustained effort by the entire international phcabl~ to the. ~evelop~ent proces.ses. m d.evelopmg community aimed at world economic recovery and countnes. IndIa s e~penence has, m grow~ng m<?as- accelerated growth on a sustained basis in develop- ure, been made ~vallable t~ our. b!eth~en m .Afnca. ing countries; in brief, the ushering-in of an era of All fields of SOClo-economlC actIVIty, m~ludmg hu- prosperity for all."8 man resources development, the establIshment of . . small-scale industries, irrigation and waterworks 153.. :rhese sentiments are c~early applIcabk ~o the technologies, {"'mmunication systems, agricuitural condItIons that w~ are debat~ng toda~. Such IS the research and application to achieve increasing pro- challenge to mankmd ~nd ~o ItS cons~I~nce. Can we ductivity, the establishment of methodologies for the not expect that the realIzatIon t~at ~lllhons stand on utilization of recoverable natural resources, assis- the ~erge of starvatIon and depnvatIOn, that a whole tance in efforts at improving and maintaining infra- cont!nent. f~ces suc~ acute proble~s, that h}lman structure, including health and educational resources survlyal IS m questIOn, s~~ll cr~~..e the desIre. to and so on, have seen a growing Indian involvement, contnbute t~ the efforts at Jomt actIo~, b~t~ multlla- both public and private. In the area of industrializa- teral and bIlateral, to ensure the avaIla~Ihty of t~e tion we have helped to build sugar and other agro- ~esources ~s well as the necessary expertise to a.s~lst industrial complexes and industrial estates and have m ~he reVIval. of the proces~es toward~ t~e pOSItIve promoted a large number of joint ventures in areas SOClo-economIC transformatIOn of Afnca. like steel, textiles, automobile parts, tractors and 154. Mr. de La BARRE de NANTEUI~ (F~ance) trucks. We have also been co-operating on an increas- (interpretation from Frenc~): The ec~nomlc tnbula- ing scale with the regional institutions, particularly tions of Africa are a subject of major concern for with ECA AtDB and SADCC. France. Therefore we are pleased that the General 149. We' have taken these steps because of our Assembly, following.th~ Econo~ic and Social Coun- strong belief in the need to support and emphasize cll, has mcluded thIS Item on Its agenda. the concepts of interdependence and the strengthen- 155. We are both worried and hopeful. We ~re very ing of economic co-operation between developing worried because as the days pass we see an mcreasp. ord~nated by the Second ~nterna.tional Conference on 181. We expect from future debates the World ASSIstance to Refugees m AfrIca, held at Geneva Bank to determine for itself and for IDA what from 9 to 11 July 1984. financing it will be able to provide for Africa in 173. We have also taken various measures to support ofthe orientations it proposes. But the donor increase co-ordination of aid projects at the internal countries must also provide further resources. As you level and also on the external level. We proposed to know, France proposed setting up a special fund for our European partners that we improve collaboration Africa. We are willing to see this project implement- in the field between donor and recipient countries. ed along with other countries that might wish it, and 174. Over the medium and long term, energies we have taken the necessary measu!es ~o that we must be mobilized so that Africa can regain the path sh~l! be able t~ make a first contrIbutIOn of 500 towards growth and development. The countries and mIllIon francs In 1985. neoples ofAfrica have a tremendous responsibility to 182. We must look at the situation clearly. Major 'Jhoulder here, and they are quite right to want to take financing will be required for adjustment actions, but it up. Recently more and more Governments have also for development policies. Official development recognized the need for austerity policies imposed by assistance is still expected to provide most of the the financial situation, and they have undertaken outside assistance required in Africa, even though those policies with a political courage and determina- direct investment is increasing-which is desirable- tion to which we must pay tribute. and the growth of bank credits is resuming, since 175. Agricultural policies are also a focus of con- !hose latter must be reserved for the most viable cern. The main point is to diversify production, Investments. organize marketing and promote exports. To arrest 183. We, for our part, in 1985 intend to devote 0.15 the increase in food imports, food crops must stop per cent of our gross national product to the least being subsistence agriculture. They must become as developed countries, and we are moving towards the remunerative for producers as export crops, and they 0.7 per cent target for official development assistance must be treated as seriously by Governments. in 1988. On the bilateral level, official assistance 176. But learning through crisis is painful. Over the provided by France to African States south of the short term it can involve worsening social tensions. Sahara in each of the last few years exceeded $1.5 The sacrifices made must not be in vain; success is billion. In the past it was concentrated in a few essential. It will depend to a large extent on the countries, but in the last few years it has been spread ability of the international community to support out to almost all of the continent, directed primarily this new trend in African policies. to the least developed countries. 177. The return to the main equilibriums without 184. It is in Africa south of the Sahara that you will breaking the springs of development requires close find all the instruments of our co-operation: grants co-operation between IMF and the World Bank. and loans for investments, technical assistance, the More stability is needed in the resources derived granting ofscholarships, financing ofresearch bodies, from exported commodities within the IMF frame- assistance in the balance of payments and, as a work and within the framework of commodity agree- matter of exception, contributions to budgets. ~ents financed by the Common Fund for Commodi- 185. One way of strengthening French aid would be tIes unde~ ~he UNCTAD I..ntegrated ~rogramme for to strengthen links with non-governmental organiza- CommodItIes or the Lome ConventIon Ill. tions with a view to close co-operation and pooling of 178. In addition to these contributions to establish ideas. Thanks to their excellent knowledge of the a favourable environment, multilateral organizations field, French non-governmental organizations can be must focus their attention on concrete and specific involved in the preparation and implementation of The meeting rose at 6 p.m.