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Copyright 2000 InterPress Service, all rights reserved.
Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.
*** 27-Jun-0* ***
Title: /SOCIAL SUMMIT 2000/ DEVELOPMENT: NGOs Denounce Kofi Annan's
Poverty Report
By Gustavo Capdevila
GENEVA, Jun 27 (IPS) - United Nations Secretary General Kofi
Annan's report on poverty, presented at the Social Summit underway
here, known as Copenhagen Plus Five, set off a wave of protests
by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) against the inclusion of
multilateral financial institutions in the preparation of the
document.
Civil society groups represented at this special General Assembly
of the United Nations (UN) held a parallel meeting Tuesday in
which delegates voted to draft a declaration to criticise the UN
chief's report. They predicted protests against the document would
spread.
The NGOs' negative reaction is due, in part, to the fact that
Annan signed the report alongside the leaders of three
international financial organisations that are dominated by the
world's industrialised countries.
The civil society groups interpret that Annan has shared the
document with ''the perpetrators of the problems of poverty and
inequality in the world,'' said Meena Raman, a Malaysian activist
in charge of the committee to draft the declaration to censure the
UN secretary general.
Annan drafted his report in collaboration with the Organisation of
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a forum of the
world's 29 wealthiest nations.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank also
participated. Both institutions are controlled by virtually the
same countries as the OECD through a selective voting system based
on total national assets.
Annan presented the report at the opening session of the General
Assembly on Monday. The delegates gathered in Geneva are to spend
this week assessing progress made on commitments to eradicate
poverty, unemployment and social exclusion, signed by the
international community in 1995 at the Social Summit in
Copenhagen.
The document, known as ''A Better World for All,'' is more
propaganda than a report, charged Roberto Bissio on Monday, co-
ordinator of Social Watch, a coalition of NGOs that monitor work
done towards compliance with the Copenhagen commitments.
At an assembly of NGO delegates held Tuesday at the UN
headquarters in Geneva, some activists questioned the right of the
UN secretary general to sign a document of this type without
consulting other sectors of the institution.
Chilean diplomat Cristian Maquieira, president of the special
session organising committee, explained before the NGO delegates
gathered that Annan is not required to consult with others before
emitting reports on issues of this sort.
The NGO leaders, however, pointed out that there are
contradictions between the content of the document in question and
the commitments made in Copenhagen five years ago.
Atila Roque, of the Brazilian Institute of Social and Economic
Analysis, said these contradictions are even broader because they
involve ''our perspectives on what we expect of the UN.''
Maquieira said the issue could be taken up at the ordinary General
Assembly to begin its annual period of sessions in New York in
September, acknowledging that several countries would likely have
reactions to be expressed about Annan's report on poverty.
The Chilean diplomat stressed that the problem with the report is
it ''is focused solely on what actions have to be taken at the
national level by developing countries.''
''Whereas the whole process of Copenhagen look towards commitments
and obligations to be adopted by industrialised countries and
developing countries, and not solely focused only on the latter.
And in that in that approach, their report is imperfect,''
commented Maquieira.
The NGOs emphasised that the report was presented without any
consultation with civil society or even leaders within the UN
itself.
At a meeting Monday, an IMF official acknowledged that the report
had been drafted originally for a meeting of the Group of Seven (G-
7) most industrialised nations.
Which is exactly why, Raman pointed out, ''there must be a voice
of the South, a voice of the developing countries must be present
there. The report is highly unbalanced and controversial,'' and
lacks the consensus required for an international document, she
said. (END/IPS/tra-so/pc/mj/ld/00)
Origin: Montevideo//SOCIAL SUMMIT 2000/ DEVELOPMENT/
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[c] 2000, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS)
All rights reserved
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