THIRD WORLD RESURGENCE #226 (JUNE 2009)

This issue’s contents:

COVER: Back to the UN: Historic conference addresses global economic crisis

UN sets big agenda for economic crisis action
By Martin Khor

The convening of the United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development on 24-26 June in New York was a reaffirmation of the UN’s role in the shaping of global economic policies envisaged by its founders. The path-breaking conference focused on the economic crisis and laid the groundwork for taking action, particularly to assist crisis-hit developing countries and reform the financial system. A new working group will follow up on the conference’s decisions.

Economic crisis: rich countries block reform at UN summit

The first major conference on the financial and economic crisis to involve all countries ended with rich countries blocking substantive reforms demanded by developing countries. The UN conference did, however, push key issues up the international agenda, such as the need for a better system of international reserves and for genuine policy space for developing countries.

UN finance conference adopts outcome document, but differences remain
By Bhumika Muchhala and Meena Raman

Although the outcome document of the UN finance conference was adopted by consensus, the reservations expressed by some Western and Third World countries on the text provide a valuable snapshot of the great divide between rich and poor nations on the critical issues relating to the global economic and financial crisis. Bhumika Muchhala and Meena Raman report.

South's leaders stress the UN's leading role in economic affairs
By Bhumika Muchhala

In their speeches at the UN conference on the economic crisis, developing-country leaders emphasised the importance and legitimacy of the UN as the truly democratic forum for initiating the larger process of reform and change in global economic development.

Conference panel calls for debt moratorium and arbitration system
By Meena Raman

Avoiding a new external debt crisis in developing countries was a high-profile issue at the UN conference on the economic crisis, with prominent members of a roundtable calling for a debt moratorium and the setting up of an international court for debt arbitration and restructuring.

North's bailouts destroyed trading system's playing field, says Stiglitz
By Bhumika Muchhala

Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz told the UN conference that the bailouts given to companies in developed countries have destroyed the framework of the multilateral trading system for a level playing field.

'Developing countries must lead process to realise conference goals'
By Yilmaz Akyűz

While the outcome document of the recent United Nations conference on the world financial crisis is a strong statement of commitment by all UN member states to address some of the critical issues facing developing countries, the realisation of real solutions to these problems will very much depend on how developing countries lead the process for change, says Yilmaz Akyűz.

ECOLOGY

A global land-grab
By Martin Large and Neil Ravenscroft

Wealthy countries and agribusiness want farmland, poorer countries need capital - but what happens to the locals?

WORLD AFFAIRS

Honduran coup: Same story, different stage, new reality
By Michael Fox

The recent overthrow of Honduras' lawfully elected president by the country's military has drawn worldwide denunciation. Although the new regime which replaced him is completely isolated, the country's traditional elite which backed the coup remain defiant.

Iran: A nation divided
By Alireza Doostdar

Alireza Doostdar provides an insight into the schism that threatens to break apart Iranian society.

The Israel Project's secret hasbara handbook exposed
By Richard Silverstein

A US political consultant and pollster, Frank Luntz, recently prepared an internal study for the Washington-based pro-Israel lobby group, The Israel Project, on how to shape US public opinion in favour of Israel. Richard Silverstein comments on this propaganda (hasbara) handbook, the contents of which were exposed by Newsweek magazine.

Forget the headlines: Iraqi freedom deferred
By Ramzy Baroud

On 30 June, US troops in Iraq redeployed to the outskirts of Iraqi cities as part of an exit strategy which is supposed to culminate in a complete US withdrawal by 2012. Despite a proclamation of independence by the pro-US Iraqi government, Ramzy Baroud questions whether Iraq is really on the road to recovering its full sovereignty.

WOMEN

Seasonal widows
By Mario Osava

Mario Osava highlights the wretched plight of the wives of Brazil's internal migrant workers who call themselves 'widows of living husbands'.                                            

VIEWPOINT

Why programmes fail
By Richard Levins

There has been no end to development programmes and yet they have mostly failed to deliver on their promise. A well-known scientist attempts to explain why.

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