Holy See: Solution to global poverty cannot be left to market forces alone
(Vatican Radio) The Holy See has reminded the international community many countries are still facing enormous challenges in order to fully participate in the global economy.
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said some countries have “fallen further behind and may continue to do so” unless the international community help them find solutions for what is constraining them.
Archbishop Auza is the Head of Delegation of the Holy See to the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“As Pope Francis said in his recent Encyclical Laudato Si’, development efforts cannot make significant progress if countries continue to emphasize their national interests to the detriment of the global common good,” said Archbishop Auza.
“The solutions to global poverty and hunger cannot be left to market forces alone,” he continued. “To eradicate poverty and hunger, in particular extreme poverty and chronic hunger, the sharing of science and technology, the acceptance of ethical values like solidarity and social justice to influence the market, and joint political will must all align themselves.”
The full text of Archbishop Auza’s intervention can be found below
Statement by H.E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza
Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN,
Head of Delegation of the Holy See to the
Third International Conference on Financing for Development
Addis Ababa, July 15, 2015
Mr. President,
My delegation is pleased that the global community has joined hands and has come together for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development and the adoption of its Outcome Document, The Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
Since the adoption of the MDGs in 2000, the Monterrey Consensus in 2002 and the Doha Declaration in 2008, the global community has had opportunities to assess the progress made and the challenges that still remain in ending poverty and hunger. These collective efforts have helped shape the present Outcome Document, in support of a transformative post-2015 development agenda.
Mr. President,
Overall, the world has made significant economic progress. More and more countries are participating in the global economy than ever before. Global economic activity and financing flows have increased and advances in science, technology and innovation have enhanced the potential to achieve sustainable development for all.
However, a large portion of the world’s population continue to be excluded from the benefits of such progress and the gap between the haves and the have-nots has grown rapidly and never been greater. Many countries are still facing enormous challenges in order fully to participate in the global economy. Indeed, some have fallen further behind and may continue to do so unless the international community help them find solutions for what is constraining them.
While acknowledging that progress has been made, we must also recognize that developing countries, in particular the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), still need support. For that reason, both financial and non-financial development commitments should remain, be enhanced wherever necessary and be fulfilled. As Pope Francis said in his recent Encyclical Laudato Si’, development efforts cannot make significant progress if countries continue to emphasize their national interests to the detriment of the global common good (LS 169).
Mr. President,
Taking into account the progress made and the challenges that still lie ahead, the Holy See supports the overarching goal of this Outcome Document, namely, to end poverty and hunger and achieve sustainable development, while promoting peaceful and inclusive societies and an equitable global economic system that cares for the environment. My delegation is convinced that this multi-dimensional approach is indispensable. The solutions to global poverty and hunger cannot be left to market forces alone. To eradicate poverty and hunger, in particular extreme poverty and chronic hunger, the sharing of science and technology, the acceptance of ethical values like solidarity and social justice to influence the market, and joint political will must all align themselves.
Similarly, we welcome that the Outcome Document has a strong focus on people in vulnerable situations, especially women and girls, and stresses the importance of their participation, contributions, and leadership roles in the economy and in society at large.
My delegation would like to highlight three aspects of the Outcome Document that are closely linked to the achievement of sustainable development: first, financial resource mobilization; second, the creation of an enabling international economic environment; and third, an effective monitoring and follow-up mechanism to review implementation of the Outcome Document, especially in support of the post-2015 development agenda.
First, every effort should be made to mobilize financing for human integral development from all sources: domestic, international, private sector, and official development assistance. We would urge that particular attention be given to the financing needs of countries in special situations, particularly the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as well as countries in conflict or post-conflict situations. For their special or greater needs, the global community may have to mobilize new stakeholders and create new specific financing mechanisms to enhance the prospects that these countries will achieve sustainable development.
Second, while every country has the primary responsibility for its own economic and social development through nationally owned, coherent, and sustainable development strategies, a supportive international economic environment must undergird development strategies, in the spirit of global partnership, shared prosperity and intergenerational solidarity.
Third, my delegation welcomes the attention given to an effective monitoring and follow-up mechanism, which would provide the means to assess progress and identify obstacles to the implementation of the Financing for Development (FfD) Outcome Documents. In this regard, the global community must pay special attention to countries that may need assistance to review and assess their own progress.
Finally, Mr. President, as we embark upon this pivotal year, let us once again remind ourselves of our responsibility to ensure that the commitments made here in Addis Ababa meet our overarching goal to end poverty and hunger and to ensure sustainable, equitable, and integral development that leaves no country and no one behind. It is no longer enough for us to declare our desire to end poverty and hunger and to achieve sustainable development; we must embrace a transformative shift to translate declarations into actions, and commitments into achievements.
In closing, my delegation profoundly thanks the Government and the people of Ethiopia for hosting this Conference.
Thank you, Mr. President.