Positive action for the world's poor. (Viewpoint).(UN World Summit for Sustainable Development )

Banker, The, August, 2002 by Mbeki, Thabo

In early September, as our autumn ends, the peoples of the world will gather in Johannesburg at the UN World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD). At its conclusion, its decisions will answer the question concretely, whether the season's breath has driven the dead leaves from the human presence, to quicken a new birth.

This massive event is one of the most ambitious attempted in the world, but undertaken with confidence by democratic South Africa. What is more, the Summit promises to complete a full circle if it can answer a number of questions practically.

One of these questions is whether it is possible for the rich and the poor in the world to share and pursue common objectives, for mutual benefit. Another is whether the rich are willing to...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Premium Content Partnership | HighBeam Research provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.