Business Times (Malaysia) | February 7, 2002
THE annual gathering of world political and corporate leaders, called the World Economic Forum, has ended in New York City. While the venue might have been switched from the traditional Swiss ski resort of Davos, the matters discussed remained largely the same. Then there was the closing speech by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. To the heads of government, and chief executives of corporations with revenues that exceed many a nation's gross domestic product, Annan issued a grim warning; significantly with the ruins that were the World Trade Center twin towers only about 3km from where he was speaking, while thousands are still grieving over the loss of loved ones. Like most people, Annan regretted that the new millennium had to be ushered in by September 11 2001 and basically asked if it could have been avoided.There was no better forum for him to make the point that the world would be neglecting the needs of the poor at its own risk. It is not unexpected that much of the discussions this year centred on the terrorist attacks on the US, the heightened threat of terrorism generally, and the fallout on the global economy. Against this backdrop, the participants took note that there was growing resentment towards globalisation, and also of the West's possible alienation of the Muslim world. The posh Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan and the Alpine splendour of Davos are in truth hardly the kind of environment and atmosphere that encourage sympathy for and empathy with victims of the unfettered twin process of liberalisation and globalisation. Surreal as the discussions were to the poverty-trapped countries in Africa, Asia, South America and East Europe, Annan found it necessary to point out the indefensible disparity of income in the world community, that far too many people are condemned to lives of extreme poverty and degradation.
Way south of New York, meanwhile, in the city of Porto Alegre in Brazil, a World Social Forum was held to coincide with its more illustrious counterpart. Here, the call to stop exploiting the poor was even more forceful. Participants demanded that the globalisation process be reformed, as in its present form, the exercise is designed, executed and driven by the global elite and for the benefit of the elite. The world's mega corprations should pay less attention on making money, and more on their social obligations, they said. Are the rich and privileged listening? Maybe. Microsoft chairman William H. Gates, in his address, said there was a need to discuss whether the rich are giving back what they should to the developing world. The world's richest man felt there was a legitimate question whether that was so. Will there be a follow-up on the noble sentiment? Unlikely.
It is significant that the question is raised by probably the most powerful man in the world. His company's computer software, and of late hardware too, has come to be a key factor of economic capacity and capability, and productivity and competiveness. That he should be urging for a change in mindset is only right, given that his company is in no small measure directly responsible for the widening divide in information and communications technology and access to knowledge and resources, and ultimately between the have and have-not. The protestations in Porto Allegre are but the mildest of manifestations of a seething dissatisfaction and disaffection among the world's poor over the global wealth generation and sharing equation. However, boil over such emotions will if nothing is done, or at least looks to be done, to take into account the interests of the developing countries. In the extreme, more of the likes of the horrific attacks of last September cannot be ruled out otherwise. While in the immediate term, governments may be preoccupied with the politics of terrorism, in the longer term it is the economics of terrorism that they have to address in a sustained and comprehensive way. In this light, Annan's warning ought to serve as a call to arms of a different nature, one directed at making sure all countries and communities retain and also increase their stake in a common future.
Copyright 2002 New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) BerhadBusiness Times (Malaysia):
