JOSEPH VARGHESE

DOHA THE Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani on Saturday inaugurated the the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development XIII at the Qatar National Convention Centre in the presence of a number of world leaders and dignitaries.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza attended the inauguration ceremony.

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al Thani also attended the event.

In his speech he urged the developed countries to maintain allocating a percentage of their gross domestic product for poor countries as previously agreed upon, and help to open money markets to finance investments in developing countries.

He expressed hope that Unctad XIII would meet the aspirations of the people around the world to achieve sustainable development for the whole world.

“I am pleased to point out here that Doha has become an important venue for conferences that seek to promote development at the global level, and this reflects the consistent interest of Qatar in development issues worldwide’’, HH the Emir said.

He stressed that the sustainable economic and social development, attracting and encouraging investment as well as promoting international trade, require domestic stability.

The recent instability witnessed in some Arab countries, was not caused by poverty, youth unemployment and disparity in regional development in most cases. The events had to do with policies of oppression and suppression, lack of popular participation, decisionmaking, corruption, lack of equal opportunities, and enriching a small group at the expense of the majority, he said.

Growth and international commercial cooperation require a global climate of justice, security and stability. Tensions, conflicts and lingering international issues hinder peace and development, he said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- Moon called for reformation of globalisation to achieve social equality for the poor nations.

“Globalisation must be inclusive..
Failure at this stage undermines the legitimacy of globalisation,” he said in a speech delivered on his behalf by his deputy, Asha- Rose Migiro. He also added that economic recovery (after the crisis) has at best been fragile and that inequality has reached a new high.

He echoed HH the Emir when he said protests in the Arab world that have so far toppled four regimes, show that “the lack of economic equality and political freedom is not sustainable.”