Fighting poverty
The meeting on development taking place in Monterrey, Mexico these days may have been attended by a large number of world leaders, including US President George W. Bush, but like all previous ones it has met with the reluctance of the wealthy states to tackle the issue in a decisive fashion so as to curb the problem of poverty on a global scale. The debate over the yawning North-South divide has been going on for many decades and it should be pointed out that the 1960s and the 1970s saw many serious proposals and ambitious programs. In practice, there were few positive results, but at least there was a degree of sensitivity which kept the issue on the agenda. With the end of Communism, the political motivation which drove the West to display some theoretical interest in the problem withered as well. Over the last decade, US governments, blinded by triumphalism at the defeat of the enemy camp have sunk ever deeper into an egoistical approach to the poverty issue. The same, though to a lesser extent, applies to the EU as well. At the Monterrey summit, many pointed out a connection between underdevelopment and terrorism that is primarily to be seen in the Islamic world. Although it would be a mistake to attribute terrorism to this cause alone, it is clear that poverty is a breeding ground for terrorism. It is no coincidence that terrorists find strong support among the impoverished masses. However, terrorism is not the only problem connected with under-development. The waves of migrants trying to reach the rich countries in hope of a better life are another consequence of global economic asymmetry. Even if we excluded the moral dimension, there are many reasons of self-interest that should urge the developed world to adopt a different policy that would aim to bridge the existing gap. Unfortunately, Western leaders approach this major problem in a self-interested and narrow-minded manner. It is indicative that self-styled free-traders put tariffs on products coming from developing countries. Furthermore, economic aid toward these countries is minimal, only for the sake of keeping up appearances. It is a fact that much of the funds which were targeted at specific goals, such as fighting AIDS, were channeled elsewhere. This, however, is not a sufficient excuse. It merely confirms that there is need for a comprehensive program that will not only include funding but also monitoring and administrative mechanisms.
