*{Making the Voice of the Developing Countries Heard [http://www.weforum.org/site/knowledgenavigator.nsf/Content/Making%20the%20Voice%20of%20the%20Developing%20Countries%20Heard?open&topic_id=300350000&theme_id=300]

            21.06.2000

            Southern Africa Economic Summit 2000}

            Trevor Manuel, Minister of Finance of South Africa, began the discussion with some questions: "Who has the moral right to talk? At which forum do we talk and whom do we talk to?" These are some of the key issues that need to be addressed if one wants to be heard, he said.

            He went on to say that there has to be some counterbalance and it is quite noticeable that everyone in the developed world wants to be architects and few want to be builders. The issue of African debt and policy for poverty reform and development takes place without Africa as a key player and this presents some awkward problems. He reminded the participants that there is a perception that Africa does not gather as member states but as debtors. It is difficult when Africa represents 43 countries and possesses a shareholding of 4.7% while the G-7 countries control 57%. The global institutions constrain the African voice. It was mentioned that some of the codes as laid down by the Bretton Woods institutions are archaic and need to be changed. He noted that their voices have to be coherent and uniform when addressing the issues of Africa. Although it is accepted that each country in Africa differs greatly in their needs, debt alleviation and poverty reduction coupled with development need one big voice. The issue of being grateful to the developing world for their assistance receives due regard but the rules concerning Africa need to be changed. Africans should play a key role in ensuring that the change would maximize the benefits it derived. Manuel ended by highlighting the crisis of the African voice and questioned whether global governance really gave a damn.

            Mike Moore, Director-General of the WTO, Geneva, noted the significant changes the WTO has undergone over the last year. He suggested that Africa should look more at itself than to global institutions. He urged governments within Africa to do more to promote themselves because of the exposure to the global economy and the fact that investors always act in their own selfish interests. 

            John D Battersby, Editor, The Sunday Independent, South Africa questioned how to level the playing fields. He added the writing off of Africa's debt, the need for the beneficiation of resources in order to keep the natural wealth within the African continent and the need to restructure global trade are salient issues in the field of play. His table emphasized that the answers to the fundamental questions raised by Trevor Manuel, Minister of Finance of South Africa, lay within Africans themselves if they wish to get the developed world to listen attentively.

            Elvis Musiba, President of the Tanzanian Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Tanzania, stressed that the WTO's rules regarding Africa are unfair and suggested that Africa be helped to build their supply capacity to address the issues of global entry.

            Odour Ong'Wen, Executive Director, Eco News Africa, Kenya, answered the question, who should hear the African voice? He suggested that the governments of African countries themselves, bilateral countries and the international Institutions should be the target audience. He stated that one should coordinate before one could communicate. The issues that need to be coordinated range from sending out the right signals by selecting the best practices from the whole of Africa and selling these to the developing world. He added that the solutions lay within the African continent.

            Vasundhara Raje, Minister of State for Small Scale Industries and Agro and Rural Industries of India, added that developing countries need to create their own road map if they are to speak for themselves. She said that there must be a restoration of the dignity of developing countries and that it is not only about money. She believed that the solution to the voice of the developing countries lay within the countries themselves if they coordinate themselves into regions and enhance effective strategy for development.                  

                  *{Contributors:       Battersby John D.
                  Manuel Trevor
                  Moore Mike
                  Musiba Elvis A.
                  Ong'Wen Oduor
                  Phiri Gideon M.
                  Raje Vasundhara
                  Rhodes William R.}