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New York (Agenzia Fides)- Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, addressing the second committee of the 61st session of the UN General Assembly, which is considering: "Follow-up to and implementation of the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development," said “There is a need to create new forms of solidarity at bilateral and multilateral levels through a more decisive commitment on the part of all, with the complete conviction that the well-being of the peoples of Africa is an indispensable condition for the attainment of the universal common good”.
The Holy See Observer intervened with regard to item 62 (a) NEPAD: New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in implementation and international support. NEPAD was founded in Abuja (Nigeria) in October 2001, by heads of state and government of South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria and Egypt.
“Since its adoption five years ago, NEPAD has stood as a guide for the various initiatives that have been implemented in order to fulfil the promises that were made to the people of Africa.” The Holy See represenative recalled. “NEPAD has been particularly welcome because it has been an African-owned and African-led process that reflects a common African vision and shared commitment to eradicating poverty and to placing countries, both individually and collectively, on the path to sustainable growth and development. Those objectives are in line with the international commitments to achieve the MDGs, and in particular to halve extreme poverty by 2015. ”.
“Achieving this goal - Archbishop Migliore said - calls for a new political culture, especially in the area of international cooperation. The slowness in honouring ODA commitments, the still unresolved question of some foreign debt and the reluctance to give countries concerned special consideration in international commercial relations all need to be addressed urgently”,
“Today, more than ever, a decisive condition for bringing peace to the world is an acknowledgement of the interdependence between wealthy and poor countries, so that development will be understood as a task common to us all; otherwise, it may undergo a process of regression even in zones marked by progress until now” the Nuncio said.
“As a means to help build international cooperation and strengthen solidarity, my delegation again calls upon governments to honour the promises that they made with regard to debt relief or forgiveness as well as the timely fulfilment of the pledge of devoting 0.7% of GNP as ODA” Archbishop Migliore concluded, underlining other “essential in achieving development goals” including educational opportunities. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/10/2006 righe 41 parole 447
