NGHO

Promoting a New Global Human Order
by Odeen Ishmael

In November 2002, the fifty-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously approved a resolution on Athe role of the United Nations in promoting a new global human order." This resolution, introduced by Guyana and co-sponsored by 41 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, followed up on an earlier resolution approved by the General Assembly in November 2002.

The call for a New Global Human Order was first made at the World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1995 by the late President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan of Guyana. Since then, it was raised at a number of international forums, including the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth, the Movement of Non-Aligned countries, the South Summit and the Organisation of Islamic Conference. At the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) held in Georgetown, Guyana, in July 1995, CARICOM heads expressed their support for a New Global Human Order. In the Declaration of the South Summit held in Havana in April 2000, Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China stressed, inter alia, "the need for a new global human order aimed at reversing the growing disparities between rich and poor, both among and within countries, through the promotion of growth with equity, the eradication of poverty, the expansion of productive employment and the promotion of gender equality and social integration."

The concept of the New Global Human Order gives serious consideration to the problems of developing countries. As is well known, globalisation has significant negative consequences on a large number of these countries. In response, many developing countries have to face up to these challenges by adopting a range of coping mechanisms that have increasingly proved unsustainable.

The high-level panel report on financing for development, chaired by former President Zedillo of Mexico, articulated one of the many gaps indicating that ". . . . despite recent worthy efforts, the world has no fully satisfactory mechanism to anticipate and counter global economic shocks . . . . and that . . . . global economic decision-making has become increasingly concentrated in a few countries. Tensions have worsened as a result. For a range of common problems, the world has no formal institutional mechanism to ensure that voices representing all relevant parts are heard in the discussion."

The fundamental dilemma in the governance of international affairs is that markets are being articulated as the final arbiter to address environmental, legal, social and political issues. These difficulties are further compounded by the claims that the economy should dictate its rules to society and not the other way around.

The proposal for a New Global Human Order is intended to promote a re-examination of international cooperation and partnerships and to explore the prospects of a viable consensus on people-centred development as a central pillar of the work of the United Nations and other international institutions in the development process in the twenty-first century.

The General Assembly resolution of 2000 sought the views of member states and agencies and organisations of the United Nations in promoting the New Global Human Order. In response to this resolution, the UN Secretary-General's report on the New Global Human Order, issued in 2002, indicates that the concept requires greater precision as to its constituent parts particularly on the questions of inequalities in the process of global decision-making and access to resources.

The New Global Human Order takes into consideration the importance of multilateralism. Currently, the international system for multilateral cooperation continues to undergo deep changes with the challenges for development, peace and security being principal themes. The fervent hope for lasting peace, stability and universal prosperity all around the world remains a powerful driving force for progress. In the past decade, governments and people of all countries enhance changes and cooperation which led to the mapping out of the United Nations Millennium Declaration issued in 2002. The Millennium Declaration indicated not only that global integration poses the greatest challenge for the new millennium but that democracy, fundamental freedoms, and access to basic services are as essential to reducing poverty and promoting human development as economic growth. In this context, the government of Guyana is of the view that to maintain the momentum of the Millennium Summit it is necessary to ensure that the commitments made by the Heads of State and Government are translated into action.

It was tragic that while the Millennium Summit had given rise to new hopes and motivation, the events of September 11, 2001 in the United States and their repercussions have taken the global economy into greater uncertainty and fragility. However, the international community’s response so far in the fight against terrorism demonstrates the importance of multilateral cooperation in pursuing a common cause. It also confirms the importance of a comprehensive approach and symmetry by which governments have acted both nationally and internationally designing specific measures for concrete actions.

At the centre of the government of Guyana's proposal of the New Global Human Order is the call for the establishment of a just and humane system of international relations. These should be based on a comprehensive people-centred sustainable development policy and program, aimed at the eradication of poverty and for the full development of the human potential to make globalisation beneficial for all countries and peoples. A people-centred development approach will rely heavily on the potentially rich heritage and home-grown skills of each community as the strength for the foundation of sustainable development. In this regard, globalisation is viewed not merely as the flow of goods, services and capital, but as a means to strengthen institutions and other structures in society to participate and benefit in the global economy.

Establishing such benchmarks will enhance capacity building and the establishment of solid foundations for open trade, investments and more reliable sources of capital flows. The New Human Global Order recognises the tensions in the current international system of multilateralism between the "agenda for development" and the "agenda for peace" and suggests common solutions to address those issues in the broad areas of human development, human rights and human security. The proposal seeks to promote a strong political consensus and a broad-based global partnership to combat poverty and promote human development throughout the world through a long-term and integrated approach to development.

At the United Nations, Guyana has taken up the issue of advancing the concept of the New Global Human Order by building on the recommendations in the Secretary-General's report with a view to promoting a more effective system for international development cooperation. On this basis, Guyana is seeking the continued active support of all states, and particularly those of CARICOM, on the proposal for a New Global Human Order. Guyana continues to seek the support of all states in other international bodies.

But not only Governments have to be involved in this process. It is, therefore, very important for the academic community and civil society on the whole to directly participate in this enterprise. Their proposals are imperative for nourishing the idea and their suggestions on programmes to be applied will certainly help to give it the momentum it needs. It is necessary for such involvement since the proposal for a New Global Human Order is aimed at ensuring all round human development. Civil society therefore has to form a partnership with governments to help bring about such a result.

February 9, 2003

REMARKS BY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS CLEMENT ROHEE ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCHING OF MANIFESTO 2000 FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE. NATIONAL CULTURAL CENTRE - OCTOBER 1, 1999

The event which we are gathered here today to launch is one that is of great relevance and importance to us all as Guyanese men, women and children. As you are aware UNESCO - one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations has launched a world wide appeal to the peoples of the world calling upon us to embrace each other in our respective countries in an effort to promote a culture of peace and non-violence at all levels of society.

It is not perchance that, in today's world, characterized by ethnic wars, intra state violence, unspeakable crimes against humanity, gross and systematic violations of human rights and the emergence, of humanitarian crises with the concomitant "humanitarian interventions" that Guyana, a long standing member of United Nations has committed itself to actively participate in this global quest for peace and non-violence.

In this regard, it would not be out of order if we ask ourselves what do the events in Bosnia, Rwanda, Kosovo and East Timor means to us? Are these events simply European, African and Asian dilemmas? Do they have any relevance to our situation here in Guyana. Have we learnt any lessons from these events if so, what?

Moreover, it is apposite to note that this launch comes at a time when the political fortunes of our country have taken a further turn in the direction of positive change given the fresh and youthful presidential dispensation obtaining in our country.

The promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence in Guyana must be placed in the context of our national realities and peculiarities, that is why when the Preparatory Committee sat down to plan a programme of activities to observe the twin objectives of peace and non-violence, it was unanimously agreed that these activities must be fashioned to reflect our hopes and aspirations as a people and to take into account our own political history and experiences as well as our unique cultural diversity. We also agreed that these activities must reflect our world view on questions of peace and non-violence.

The pursuit of these twin objectives, looked at in the context of the current situation obtaining in the world today, must be a source of great concern and deep interest to all peace loving and progressive-minded people the world over. It is for this reason that we Guyanese must think globally and act locally.

The Government's appeal for the establishment of a new Global Human Order is consistent with the call for the peoples of the world to promote a culture of peace and non-violence within there respective countries.

The establishment of a New Global Human Order envisages the pursuance and the implementation of policies human development that is, development which puts people first and to facilitate growth with equity and social justice.

Peace and non-violence cannot be sustained without human development and human development must mean adherence to participatory, creating jobs, reducing poverty, sharing wealth and constant growth in the standard of living of all the people.

Nowadays there is must talk about globalization, a phenomenon that has brought in its wake more question that answers for countries such as ours.

Globalization of the world economy offers a mix of opportunities and challenges, but for developing countries such as ours there is bound to be more challenges than opportunities, it is for this reason that as we seek to interpret events as they unfold at the global level we must at the sometime make every effort to place in a local context these global development and effect appropriate changes and measures that will bring sustained social and economic security to the Guyanese people.

The opportunities offered globalization and trade liberalization must not be squandered because of political instability, violence and the constant threat to our fledgling democracy that is why the question may well be posed, how best can we Guyanese assist in promoting a culture of peace and non-violence in our society?

After all, it is time for real and sustained action not more talk.

Given the socio-political and economic realities obtaining in our country, there is every justification for joint actions and confidence building measures if we are to create a climate of peace and non-violence in our country.

In this respect, experience has shown that much can be achieved by working together in the Community Policing Groups, the Community Development Councils, Parent/Teachers Associations and the Local Government Bodies; by participating in producer and consumer cooperatives, in women's and Youth Development Councils and Sports Organisations as well as in established bodies such as the Trade Unions, the Religious and other Non-Governmental Organisations.

At the political level, we need to engage each other in more energetic and open dialogue, formally and informally and in sometimes brief, sometimes prolonged dialogues at all levels, at the parliamentary, the Inter-Party and between the Government and Social Partners. To give life to the promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence we need to take a fresh look at what we understand by dialogue. In this regard, creative and innovative approaches to the whole question of dialogue should be examined and if needs be adopted by all the actors who have a vested interest in working for the common good of Guyana.

In a national dialogue for the promotion of peace and non-violence, there should be no winners or losers. In fact, in any real dialogue all participants make a contribution to the achievement of shared objectives.

The promotion of a culture of dialogue in our society could play an important role in making our efforts at promoting peace and non-violence a success. But dialogue must be a process leading to successful relationships and building of confidence among the parties concerned.

Dialogue should not be viewed as an instrument for decision making, moreover, it should precede and be distinguished from formal negotiations. The purpose of the dialogue must be to remove long standing stereotypes, overcome mistrust, achieve mutual understanding, to shape and ground visions with shared objectives to discover new common ground, to gain new perspective and insights, to stimulate new level of creativity and to strengthen existing relationships on the ground.

This launching therefore, presents each and every one of us with a splendid opportunity to contribute in our way, individually and collectively to the lofty endeavour of promoting a culture of peace and non-violence through dialogue and understanding at all levels of our society.

We should grasp this opportunity with every ounce of strength at our command with greater determination, commitment and enthusiasm as we move as a nation into the 21st century with one common goal: to make Guyana a land of peace, progress and prosperity.

I thank you.