Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-03-Speech-3-253"
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"en.20030903.10.3-253"2
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"Mr President, in all the EU’s key documents, combating poverty is held up as the primary goal of development policy. It is undisputed that the EU spends substantial sums of money on development assistance and makes every effort to conclude a variety of partnership and cooperation agreements in the different regions of the world, for both sides’ benefit. What is also undisputed is that despite all these efforts, poverty in the world has increased, especially during the last decade, and there appears to be no imminent prospect of any change in this trend. This is especially worrying in light of the fact that this rising poverty is one of the sources of terrorism.
Parliament has before it a number of reports covering extremely important aspects of development policy. What is at issue is no more and no less than the use of increasingly scarce global resources. Today, wars are still being fought over oil, as in the Gulf, but violent conflicts are already emerging on the horizon over water. The USA and other industrial powers declare those areas of the developing world where there is oil and gas and other strategically important resources to be part of their sphere of interest, which apparently even gives them the right to wage war, but it is primarily among the developing countries that water is a problem – either because the resources are inadequate or because access to water is denied.
There is still time to prevent the impending catastrophe with a careful strategy and targeted expenditure. Mr Lannoye’s report identifies possible constructive approaches which deserve to be given greater attention.
The situation in the health sector is no less precarious. Already, in some countries of the EU, the motto seems to be that if you are poor, you die earlier, because the reforms aim to establish a two-tier system, but the situation in the developing countries is far more acute. Millions of people in Africa are dying every year of diseases capable of being treated with drugs that have existed for years in the industrialised countries. The newly-negotiated WTO compromise on the import of cheap generic drugs comes too late, for a start, and, secondly, it is so hedged about with formalities that it has doubtful prospects of success. Mrs Morgantini’s report highlights problems concerning this aspect of trade in particular.
The rapporteur and, indeed, the entire Committee on Development and Cooperation are seeking to bring their experience and authority to bear in order to combat growing poverty with all its manifestations and impacts. We expect the same and more from the Council and the Commission.
The twenty-first century has only just begun, yet the signs point to storms ahead rather than peaceful co-existence based on solidarity. Development policy must be redefined with greater depth and scope, and a new approach is also needed if humankind is to have any chance of life and survival on earth."@en1
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