UN chief seeks speedy action from G-20 over economic crisis

Dharam Shourie

United Nations, Nov 15 (PTI) U.N. Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon carried his concern for the poor to the G-20 leaders,
asking them to take speedy action to ensure that current
financial crisis does not deepen the human suffering.

"We cannot allow it to become a reason for neglecting
other critical issues: unacceptable levels of poverty and
hunger, the food crisis and climate change," Ban said in a
letter to the world leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, who are in Washington for the G-20 summit.

This will be the first time that the G-20 summit –
aimed at promoting dialogue between advanced and emerging
countries on key issues regarding economic growth and
stability of the financial system – has been organised at the
level of heads of State, as well as the first time that the
United Nations Secretary-General has been invited to attend.

The cost of inaction is too great, the U.N. Secretary
General stressed, warning that the "already fragile political
and security situation" in many of the hardest-hit countries
could take a turn for the worse.

During his discussions with the U.N. member States, he
said, he gleaned some key messages – need for "truly global"
stimulus package underpinned by "green growth," ensuring
access to liquidity for poor nations and curbing
protectionism.

The Secretary General also said that part of the stimulus
package must come from aid commitments and welcomed the latest
International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.) and World Bank
initiatives.

Lastly, Ban said in the letter released by the world body
said that "inclusivity must be our watch-word on financial
reform," backed by a new multilateralism that is "fair,
flexible and responsive."
"History will judge us sharply if we fail to live up to"
the Millennium Development Goals (M.D.G.s), eight anti-poverty
goals with a 2015 deadline, Ban cautioned.

He appealed for countries to "do what needs to be done"
at the upcoming conference in Doha, Qatar, to review the
implementation of the 2002 landmark anti-poverty agreement
known as the Monterrey Consensus, as well as the next round of
U.N. climate change negotiations in Poznan, Poland.

"These great challenges are inter-related –- the global
economy, climate change and development," Ban said. "We
need solutions to each that are solutions to all."

In the letter to the G-20 leaders, he wrote that
institutional reforms cannot be restricted to financial sector
regulation, but must deal with the broader challenges for
human security, including climate change, conflict prevention
and the eradication of poverty.

"It is essential that the G-20 meeting signals an
unmistakable common resolve to overcome the crisis, to act
together, to act with urgency and to show solidarity towards
the neediest," the Secretary General said in the letter
earlier this week.