Al Rumaihi: Development gives peace a protective umbrella.

QNA DOHA Lack of development leads to economic insecurity and social unrest, Qatar asserted at the annual ministerial coordination meeting of the Group of 77 and China on the sidelines of the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly meetings. Qatari Assistant Foreign Minister for Follow-up Affairs His Excellency Mohamed bin Abdullah bin Mouteb al Rumaihi made this statement referring to the idea agreed upon during the Doha Summit held in 2005 that achievement of development provides a protective umbrella for peace. The minister said development aims at improving the quality of life of individuals and communities in intellectual as well as economic and social fields and at ensuring the rule of law, democracy and the concept of instituitional state. Similarly, international community efforts to establish global partnerships are necessary to ensure sustainable social and economic development, he said. "The international community has agreed to convene a conference on 'Financing for Development' to meet the challenges of globalisation and to make such financing an issue of participation instead of one that spurs conflict and confrontation. At the initiative of the Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, Qatar hosted several many high level conferences including the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the WTO in 2001," he said. This Conference resulted in the Doha Development Round negotiations which Qatar still hopes to complete as soon as possible, particularly in the light of the current international financial crisis. Qatar has also hosted in 2005 the Second South Summit of the Group of 77 and China, which resulted in an initiative aimed at establishing the South Fund Qatar will host the 3rd session of the Conference of the States parties to the Convention against Corruption from November 9 to 13 2009, he added. The minister further said, "The quest for achievement of Millennium Development Goals alone is not enough. As a matter of fact, we need to stand up to the food crisis, climate change, natural disasters and violent conflict that have a negative impact on development, whose fallouts are felt mostly by the most vulnerable groups in our countries, especially women, children and the elderly. The world is now suffering from the worst financial and economic crises since the Great Depression of the last century and since the creation of the United Nations 60 years ago. This threatens to hinder the modest progress made so far." The UN warned earlier this year of a steady increase in the number of unemployed and those living below the poverty line and suffering malnutrition, as result of the global economic and financial crisis. In partnership with the Switzerland and the Singapore, Qatar has announced an initiative for comprehensively revamping the global financial system, the minister noted. "Alongside these countries that are not great powers, and represent small states, we intend to submit proposals to reform the international global system in a formal conference to be held in Doha on April 28, 2010, with participation of Governments and other stakeholders, such as civil society organisations, parliamentarians and representatives of the business sector," the Minister said. "At the World Economic Forum held in Davos, we agreed to mange the initiative, to bring experts and researchers together and to gather suites and researches to guide the work of the conference. As the leader of the initiative, Qatar assumed all financial expenses, the minister added. "We must preserve our achievements so far and build on them. In the Doha Declaration, as well as in the UN Conference on Financial and Economic Crisis and its impact on development, convened by the President of the General Assembly last UN, we struggled to include the issues of external debt relief, investment, trade and finance, as well as theparticipation of developing countries in the process of global economic and financial decision-making. In this regard, I would like, from this podium to draw the attention of development partners to some observations. We should address the challenges of development as a package, and endeavour, at the same time, to enable these countries to access the market in conditions that are practical and useful. We express our support for the draft Ministerial Declaration of the group, and hope to follow up its implementation effectively and in a measurable manner, we look forward to the Third South Summit in Africa next year. ," the minister said.

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