Reforms needed in multilateral bodies - Says C'wealth Heads of Govt

Business page June 13/2008

Story&Pic: Charles Benoni Okine, London

THE Commonwealth Heads of Government have called for reforms of the Bretton Wood institutions and the United Nations to enable them to respond adequately to the challenges of the 21st century.
According to the Heads of Government which included Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice President of Ghana, since the world has witnessed continued financial turbulence, record levels of high prices of crude oil and food, there was no longer time to waste to surmount the challenges for the present and future generations.
The Heads of Government who made the call at a news conference shortly after a two-day mini summit of Commonwealth of Heads of Government at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London today said "We intend, individually and collectively to carry forward our reform agenda to relevant international for a. We will seek to enlarge the breadth of international commitment to our Commonwealth reform agenda, and call on others to join us in this endeavour".
The Heads of Government, representing one third of humanity and more than one quarter of the world’s sovereign governments, collectively expressed the concern of the 53 member states at Kampala in November 2007 that the current architecture of the international institutions no longer responds adequately to the challenges of the 21st century.
The Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Mr Kamalesh Sharma who made the call in a statement after the mini-conference said "the institutions that were established in the mid-20th century enjoyed strong political agreement at the time on the ends to be achieved them and the means of doing so, underpinned by a commitment to multilateralism."
The food crisis, soaring prices of crude oil have created many problems for all the countries of the world including the most powerful such as the United States and Britain to the extent that strike actions have become the order of the day.
Outside the secretariat were placard bearing demonstrators mostly from Asia who chanted and sang as they protested and called on the Heads of Government’s to do something about the looming crisis.
He however noted that "that commitment is now at risk"; The majority of independent sovereign states today are politically subordinate and inadequately represented in these institutions."
Mr Sharma said since the 20th century, the world had witnessed continued financial turbulence among others and indicated that these challenges had further illustrated the fundamental weaknesses of a number of today’s international organisations that are charged with promoting economic stability and sustainable development.
"We recognise that sovereign states must have the capacity and freedom to determine national goals and implement national policies and strategies; Equally, we achieve reform of international institutions and lead to new institutions where necessary", he said.
He said well designed international institutions have a fundamental role to support all countries to meet heir economic, political and humanitarian and security challenges.
"Through collective cooperation, embodied in international institutions, the global community will foster the conditions for a fully-inclusive and equitable global society", Mr Sharma added.
He said it was the believe of the Commonwealth that the strength of multilateral co-operation founded on consensus amongst countries with diverse backgrounds, interests and cultures and added that ;"We believe that reform and construction of new international institutions should be built on the guiding principles.
He mentioned the principles saying"; Institutions must enjoy the legitimacy not only for their member states but also of the wider international community in other to command confidence and commitment".
"It is essential that all countries have equal voice and fair representation"; "A voice for all countries is only valuable if it is listened to and reflected in decision making".
"It is important that institutions are responsive with the interest of all members, especially the smallest and poorest being taken into account.
He said the activities and governance of institutions must be flexible, responding to new challenges, national priorities and specific circumstances of member states and changing global realities.
Mr Sharma said institutions must have clear responsibilities and the conduct of their business must be transparent and accountable to the entire membership and the wider public.
He said the Commonwealth believed that is was essential the institutions be effective and capable of addressing today’s global challenges.
Earlier, the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr Gordon brown who chaired the conference also emphasised the need for reforms of the Bretton Woods and the United nations saying "all they do must now be reflective of modern and future times".
He said the challenges of today were enormous and the principles that guided the formation of these institutions in the past needed to be reviewed to reflect what pertained now.
Mr Brown said the Commonwealth was committed reform that created an effective multilateral system and that supported a more democratic global society with greater equity and fairness.