The 38th floor.

• Position: Javier Perez de Cuellar statement to Pledging Conference - Transcript

The 38th Floor

This Conference brings hope at a time of mounting political tension and economic difficulties. The voluntary participation of over 150 countries in the development activities of the United Nations is a very meaningful reaffirmation of the purposes of the Charter to employ international machinery for the promotion of economic and social development.

While we are all heartened to see such widespread participation, it must nevertheless be recognized that we meet at a time of acute crisis in much of the developing world. While developing countries are of course primarily responsible for their own advancement, external support is often decisive in turning the tide. Yet development can be said to be at a standstill.

The stagnation in development resources, which we have seen now over several years, has not only caused critical problems in developing countries but has had a detrimental effect on developed countries as well. It is our collective task to ensure that this slowing of the development process is a temporary phenomenon.

The Pledging Conference has been successful in attracting financial support from all quarters of the world. This is hardly surprising, given the effectiveness of operational activities in sustaining the development process. I have myself seen the practical results of the 1982 Conference in many developing countries.

Operational activities provide developing countries with essential support to train human resources, strengthen institutions, provide basic services to disadvantaged groups and foster self-reliant development. Resources for investment are scarce at the present time: increased output and productivity in the short term can best result from more efficient use of existing capital. It is this, together with a heavy concentration of activities in least developed and low income countries that constitute a raison d'etre for operational activities of enduring value.

I must, however, emphasize my deep concern at the growing gap between the needs of developing countries for operational activities, and the resources available to meet them. Most funds and programmes of the Pledging Conference experienced no growth in contributions last year. Organizations, faced also with losses in anticipated income because of exchange rate adjustments, have thus been unable to respond to the pressing needs of developing countries, especially the least developed, which thereby suffer further deterioration in their economic situation.

I cannot fail to mention the unconscionable growth of expenditure on arms and armaments. It is worth considering that the annual financial requirements of the Pledging Conference are equivalent to a mere 15 hours' worth of current world-wide expenditure on armaments. The linkage between such expenditure and the lack of availability of resources for development purposes has been highlighted recently. It requires still more attention.

I am fully aware of the difficult economic circumstances in many donor countries and the resultant constraints on public expenditure and the aidbudget thereof. But the developing countries, many of which are desperately poor, are facing even greater difficulties.

May I therefore appeal once again to all Governments, and particuarly to the developed countries and others in a position to do so, to contribute generously to the funds and programmes participating in this Pledging Conference as a symbol of your commitment to development and to the United Nations.

For those Governments unable to announce their pledges at this Conference, may I earnestly request them to do so...