NewsWhore
09-28-2007, 04:20 PM
Speaking before the UN's 62nd General Assembly yesterday in New York City, President Leonel Fernandez warned that the increase in oil and food prices and the challenges that this poses to economies like the DR's, in comparison to the economies of industrialized nations, is creating a very dangerous situation that could lead to a major famine for developing countries. Fernandez also spoke about climate change, whose impact is already being felt in the DR through frequent flooding, droughts and hurricanes, which destroy the ecosystem, biodiversity and the country's infrastructure.
"Due to all these challenges presented by globalization, a country like the Dominican Republic, asks itself where is the international solidarity, where is the cooperation between countries, how are we going to collaboratively address all of these challenges, which affect many people around the world?" said the President.
Speaking about the DR situation Fernandez reminded the General Assembly of the 2003 crisis that devalued the peso by 100%, forced the working class had to work twice as hard to meet the basic needs to survive, drug trafficking and the crime gained a foothold, and the country's credibility at the world level decreased." Fernandez cited several reports that indicated that the 2003 crisis created 1.5 million "new poor people." Fernandez continued by saying that since he took office in 2004, the nation has done a turnaround. "Although we began like the Phoenix bird, emerging from our own ashes; negative international circumstances threaten to impede our prospects for future growth."
Speaking on increasing oil, milk and food product prices Fernandez said that it is a vicious cycle that has affected food prices, while government subsidies protect the products of the world's industrialized nations.
Fernandez also made the case for the DR to be elected to the UN's Security Council. The President said that the DR is looking to be "a voice in favor of the weak, the most vulnerable, the deprived, and the most condemned on the Earth."
Fernandez continued in his speech by criticizing the inequalities between countries and affirmed that you can't have equality when countries accumulate wealth on the backs of others. Directing his comments to UN General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim, Fernandez said, "There cannot be cooperation, Mr. President, when there are people that only think of conducting business without taking into account the pain and anguish of those who are suffering."
Fernandez also said that the current structure of the United Nations no longer represents the modern day. "The structure corresponds to the Cold War era still, although the world has advanced beyond the era that was dictated by the rivalry of two superpowers," he said to the world audience.
See http://www.dr1.com/news/2007/PresidentspeechUN2007.shtml
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)
"Due to all these challenges presented by globalization, a country like the Dominican Republic, asks itself where is the international solidarity, where is the cooperation between countries, how are we going to collaboratively address all of these challenges, which affect many people around the world?" said the President.
Speaking about the DR situation Fernandez reminded the General Assembly of the 2003 crisis that devalued the peso by 100%, forced the working class had to work twice as hard to meet the basic needs to survive, drug trafficking and the crime gained a foothold, and the country's credibility at the world level decreased." Fernandez cited several reports that indicated that the 2003 crisis created 1.5 million "new poor people." Fernandez continued by saying that since he took office in 2004, the nation has done a turnaround. "Although we began like the Phoenix bird, emerging from our own ashes; negative international circumstances threaten to impede our prospects for future growth."
Speaking on increasing oil, milk and food product prices Fernandez said that it is a vicious cycle that has affected food prices, while government subsidies protect the products of the world's industrialized nations.
Fernandez also made the case for the DR to be elected to the UN's Security Council. The President said that the DR is looking to be "a voice in favor of the weak, the most vulnerable, the deprived, and the most condemned on the Earth."
Fernandez continued in his speech by criticizing the inequalities between countries and affirmed that you can't have equality when countries accumulate wealth on the backs of others. Directing his comments to UN General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim, Fernandez said, "There cannot be cooperation, Mr. President, when there are people that only think of conducting business without taking into account the pain and anguish of those who are suffering."
Fernandez also said that the current structure of the United Nations no longer represents the modern day. "The structure corresponds to the Cold War era still, although the world has advanced beyond the era that was dictated by the rivalry of two superpowers," he said to the world audience.
See http://www.dr1.com/news/2007/PresidentspeechUN2007.shtml
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)