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HH THE EMIR
opens the Second South Summit
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In the Name of God,
The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful
Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses
H.E. The Prime minister of Jamaica and
Chairman of the Group of 77 & China,
H.E. The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Chairman of
The Non-Aligned Movement,
Honorable Audience,
Assalamu Alaikkum Warahmatullah Wabarakatoh.
I welcome you all to Doha and would like to thank H.E. Mr.
Percival James Patterson the Prime Minister of the Republic
of Jamaica, for his country's good efforts during its
Chairmanship of the Group 77 and China in 2005. I would also
like to express our appreciation to H.E. Carlos Lage Davila,
Vice President of the Council of State of the Republic of
Cuba, for the role his country played, in collaboration with
H.E President Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, in making the first South Summit held
in Havana in 2000 a success.
I must also thank H.E. Mr Abdullah Bin Ahmad Badawi, the
Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Chairman of the Non-Aligned
Movement, for his participation in this important conference
and his continued support for the Group's stands. And I
extend thanks to H.E Mr. Jean Ping, President of the UN
General Assembly for participating with us in this Summit,
which reflects his interest in, and support for, the work of
our Group.
The State of Qatar, which since its independence, joined the
Group of 77, shares with the G77 member states the same
visions and aspirations. It has welcomed hosting this Summit
out of its belief in the objectives of the Group and the
necessity of bearing the responsibility of making the joint
action a success.
Honorable guests
There have been radical changes in the world over the past
years. Interdependence among nations has increased due to
globalization. The problems facing the international
community became interlocked, which requires a comprehensive
universal vision that would enable our countries to face the
challenges more effectively, and help them to realize the
balance between the requirements of security and
prerequisites of development, which are closely linked since
collective security is tied to collective solidarity.
The importance of this interrelation is proved by the
current fragile state of the world economy. Though
globalization has opened new opportunities, its benefits
have not yet covered the vast majority in the developing
world, and in particular the least developed countries. The
developing countries are entitled to the flexibility that
qualifies them to design the development strategies that
suit them so that they can adapt to globalization and
benefit from it.
Honorable guests
Development is one of the most important issues of our area;
it is the basis for eliminating poverty and realizing the
welfare of peoples. At the Millennium Summit, and major UN
conferences, we agreed on a vision to implement the
development Program of Action and committed ourselves to
that end. Our Group was an active partner in that process.
In this context, we countries of the south have to do our
duty when we review the Development Goals agreed upon at the
high level meeting to be held next September by the UN
General Assembly, and specify the causes obstructing the
realization of those goals, and agree on practical
arrangements to accelerate implementation and give a strong
push that leads to translating the Millennium Goals into
concrete reality.
Moreover, it is our duty to draw an integrated Development
Program of Action. Since the Doha Round must be finalized by
the end of next year, it is necessary to act and to make
trade a vehicle for accelerating growth and combating
poverty, and that it integrates in the national development
strategies. In this context, there is an urgent need to halt
deterioration of the price of raw materials.
Honorable Audience
While we welcome the improvement in the cash flow into the
developing countries in recent years, yet many of them have
not benefited much of it, since such flow is still at its
lowest levels. Hence, direct foreign investments become a
major factor in building stronger productive capabilities.
If the developing countries were to benefit from world
economy controlled by globalization, such investment must be
encouraged in addition to the necessity to facilitate the
acquisition of technology, including information and
communication technology, and transferring it to the
developing countries.
The same applies to the Official Development Aids, the
levels of which are by far lower than the prescribed
percentage which is required for realization of the MDG's by
the year 2015.
The state of Qatar has given special attention to the
question of aids because it believes in the importance of
supporting the efforts and initiatives aimed at economic and
social development and addressing famine and poverty in the
world. It pleases me to announce the State of Qatar's
commitment to give prescribed percentage of its GDP as
development aid, which allocating 15% of that percentage to
the least developed countries, effective to the year 2006.
Therefore, I would like to urge the countries of the North
and the capable countries of the South to raise the level of
their aids.
Addressing the dept problem that many countries of the South
suffer from, we contribute to the success of the
international effort for development. The ability of those
countries to bear the burdens of their debts in the long run
depends on the growth of their productive capabilities and
the increase of their exports, which calls upon the
development partners of the countries of the South to
contribute to alleviating the latter's dept problems.
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is also our duty to set up and continuously support
programs for social and educational development, and be
prepared for facing up to unexpected challenges such as new
diseases and natural disasters.
I would also like to point out that the process of reforming
UN structures should aim at strengthening the power of the
organization and its effectiveness in implementing the
development Program of Action by empowering the General
Assembly in this respect.
Honorable Audience
The importance of cooperation among the countries of the
South has increased in a way qualifying the Group of 77 and
China with their economic weight to be an active partner in
the world economic order. The countries of the South
altogether have a share of one third of the volume of trade
in the world due to the increase in their purchases and
their demographic growth.
Trade among the countries of the South is not a substitute
for trade between the North and the South but it complements
it. More inter-South trade, which concentrates on the modern
and active sectors, in addition to encouraging the transfer
of technology and dealings among companies are steps that
open the way for the participation in world trade by a
larger number of developing and less developed countries.
Moreover, the conclusion of agreements for free trade
exchange may help set up Free Trade Zones. Therefore, we
propose a feasibility study to set up three Free Trade Zones
for exports of countries of the South to countries of the
North, establishing one zone in each of the three
continents, in addition to studying the possibility of
concluding a number of free trade agreements.
The main factors for the success of cooperation among the
countries of the South do exist; we only need to activate
and benefit from them as is the case in the comprehensive
system of preferential trade among the developing countries.
Honorable Audience
Your being here indicates that we have the political will to
achieve our common goals and adhere to dialogue and peaceful
means to attain them. It is about time to fulfill the hopes
and ambitions of our peoples. To that end, we propose that
the Summit approves the setting up of a fund for economic,
social, health and educational development, and to address
the problems of hunger, poverty and human catastrophes that
may called "The South Fund for Development and Human
Circumstances". The State of Qatar is pleased to announce
its willingness to donate 20 million Dollars to this fund. I
hope that the able countries in the North and the South
would contribute to it.
Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses,
Honorable Audience,
I wish you a pleasant stay in Qatar and success for our
Summit.
May peacem the mercy and blessing of God be upon you.
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