Der Vatikan hat die mangelnde Bereitschaft zu Entwicklungshilfe scharf kritisiert.
Vor einem UNO-Ausschuß in New York meinte gestern der Ständige Beobachter des Vatikans
bei der UNO, Erzbischof Celestino Migliore, die reichen Länder steckten an die 280
Billionen Dollar pro Jahr in ihren landwirtschaftlichen Sektor. Der Vatikan-Erzbischof
wörtlich: "Dieser Betrag ist zehnmal höher als die jährliche Gesamthilfe für Afrika."
Außerdem bestehe ein Teil dieser Agrar-Gelder aus Subventionen für Exporte, die den
Landwirten in den armen Ländern das Leben noch schwerer machten. (rv 18.10.06 sk)
Hier
ist das Statement von Erzbischof Migliore im englischen Original-Wortlaut.
The
current world situation presents inequalities which demand urgent reflection. It has
been observed many times that rich countries’ support for their own agricultural sector,
which comprises a very small percentage of their populations, amounts to $280 billion
per year. This amount is ten times greater than the total amount of aid destined annually
to Africa and is equivalent to the total income of the whole of sub-Saharan Africa.
Moreover, a fundamental part of this support is the direct or indirect subsidies for
agricultural exports, which end up undermining the agriculture of the poorest countries.Statement
by H.E. Archbishop Celestino Migliore Apostolic Nuncio Permanent Observer of the Holy
See - 61st session of the UN General Assembly Before the Second Committee, on
item 51 (a): Macroeconomic policy questions: International trade and development
New
York, 17 October 2006
Madam Chair, Today, the international community would
do well to reflect on the reasons why it has not been able to reach the goal that
it set for itself in 2001 at the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the WTO. In the
last five years, while several military initiatives and operations of vast proportions
have been undertaken, no substantial progress has been made in the reform of political
finances and international trade which continues to weigh upon developing States,
especially Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island
Developing States (LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS). It would seem that the interests of
some sectors of the more developed countries have prevailed over the common good,
increasing the already worrisome discrepancy that separates these countries from other
regions of the developing world and underlines the failure to make progress on the
Doha Development Agenda (DDA). Trade is not simply a complement to Official Development
Assistance (ODA) and debt relief. Trade is rather a priority for the general and sustainable
growth of the economies of many developing countries. This is one reason why there
is little hope of achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The current
world situation presents inequalities which demand urgent reflection. It has been
observed many times that rich countries’ support for their own agricultural sector,
which comprises a very small percentage of their populations, amounts to $280 billion
per year. This amount is ten times greater than the total amount of aid destined annually
to Africa and is equivalent to the total income of the whole of sub-Saharan Africa.
Moreover, a fundamental part of this support is the direct or indirect subsidies for
agricultural exports, which end up undermining the agriculture of the poorest countries. The
achievement of greater justice through fair trade continues to be a major concern
of the Holy See. ‘Freedom of trade is fair only if it is subject to the demands of
social justice’ (Paul VI, Populorum progressio, n.59). For the security and development
of all peoples, but especially the poor, it would be well for all parties to make
greater efforts to overcome the stalemate in multilateral negotiations and to respect
the spirit and commitments of Doha regarding the relations between trade, development,
responsibility based on solidarity and the overthrow of poverty. There are no
easy answers to these questions and we have all seen how it is not enough for developing
countries simply to open markets to trade and investments in order to foster development.
That is why the promotion of development must inevitably involve for a time the special
consideration of poorer countries. Governments of such countries need to be able to
maintain substantial margins of flexibility on the ways and the times to open their
markets to foreign competition, to the means necessary for harmoniously developing
their industrial and agricultural productions, and to the adequate protection of the
weakest economic sectors, found for example in small family agriculture. For their
part, the more developed countries must finally honour the commitment to open their
markets and to end the dumping of agricultural surpluses fuelled by subsidies. The
urgent need for agreement is clear when one considers that the effects of trade relations
have serious consequences for some of the most vulnerable people in the world and
ultimately for their dignity. This is a moral imperative that cannot be delayed. If
it is not taken seriously, grave consequences could result: uncontrolled movements
of populations, irreparable environmental damage, even the spread of terrorism and
armed conflict. Country groups, meeting recently in Rio de Janeiro, issued a joint
communiqué in which some common criteria were established for resuming the discussions
and bringing to completion the DDA. It is to be hoped that this initiative will spur
fresh, original thinking that will lead to the resumption of negotiations to the benefit
of all concerned. Some criticism has been aimed at the WTO for its shortcomings
in concluding negotiations that would bring additional benefits to developing countries,
but it is still able to combine multilateralism with a disciplinary framework. Its
rules cannot be ignored by any member country, large or small. Regional agreements,
while expedient, are hardly a replacement for a comprehensive settlement of trade
issues within the WTO. For this reason, the first commitment of the international
community in the face of the current crisis must be that of preserving and, where
possible, bettering the institution. The crisis in the Doha Development Round (DDR)
also hints at a possible slide towards the fragmentation of the current international
system. The work begun by the 2005 World Summit must continue if the UN is to establish
effective operating connections between the General Assembly, UNCTAD and the WTO. With
the resumption of activities in Geneva coinciding with our work here, the Holy See
hopes that States will return to the table ready to make a fresh start. Trade negotiations
can make a substantial contribution to the cause of peace and stability in the world
if all States are prepared to make the sacrifices necessary for the establishment
of more just trade relations. Thank you, Madam Chair.