Wednesday, January 26, 2005

[IWS] WEC: INTERNATIONAL TAX to Fight POVERTY--CHIRAC [26 January 2005]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies                 Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations          Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor                  Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016                      Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________


World Economic Forum (WEC)

Press Release-
Chirac Warns Poor Could Revolt If Left No Hope For Future - And Proposes International Tax To Fight Poverty [26 January 2005]
http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Chirac+Warns+Poor+Could+Revolt+If+Left+No+Hope+For+Future+-+And+Proposes+International+Tax+To+Fight+Poverty

See actual Speech at -
http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Special+Message+by+French+President+Jacques+Chirac

Summary at -
http://www.weforum.org/site/knowledgenavigator.nsf/Content/_S14317?open&event_id=1204&year_id=2005

26 January 2005 - Davos, Switzerland

President Jacques Chirac of France warned on Wednesday that the young people of the developing world could rise in revolt if the rich countries do not provide hope for a better future by offering them a clear way out of the grinding poverty in which hundreds of millions live in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Speaking liveby satellite on the first day of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, he called on all developed countries to take action rapidly to meet pledges made two decades ago to devote 0.7% of the value of their annual output or GDP to aid for poorer nations. He also urged them to consider levies on cross-border financial transactions, taxing fuel used in air transport and shipping, and levying a charge of one dollar on every air ticket sold to fund the fight against AIDS.

The divide between rich and poor has widened to a frightening degree,Chirac told participants in the Annual Meeting 2005 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, speaking by video-link from Paris. In Africa and many other regions a majority of the population, living in shanty towns and rural areas, are waiting to see promises of progress take concrete shape.

He declared this is a situation fraught with danger. It is morally unacceptable.The difference in per capita income between the worlds poorest and richest countries has more than doubled over the last 25 years even though globalization has brought greater prosperity to many in more developed nations, as well as in larger emerging economies like China and India.

The youth of Africa, Asia and Latin America is rightly demanding its entitlement to a future. These populations will put their energy and talent at the service of the future, if they are given the means to do so. If this prospect is denied them, however, then let us beware of the risk of revolt. & Development is both the greatest challenge and the most urgent issue of our time.

President Chirac had planned to attend the Annual Meeting in person, but was forced to make the address via video link after the threat of bad weather forced him to cancel his attendance. He had planned to fly straight from Davos to the Auschwitz for the memorial ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camp.

In his speech, Chirac told business, financial, political and civil society leaders participating in the Annual Meeting 2005 that they should aim to overcome poverty through a partnership between market forces and solidarity, ensuring that globalization is tailored to everyones benefit. Only 3% of the annual increase in the worlds wealth is needed to win the battle.

Left to their own devices, economic forces are blind and contribute to the marginalization of the weakest,he observed. But if supported by the appropriate rules, trade liberalization and opening [nations] up to investment are powerful stimulants to development.

International aid is vital to help fund basic infrastructures, access to healthcare and education to make possible economic take-off. The demands of ethics, peace, security and economic interests converge,the French leader said.
_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                 *
Director, IWS News Bureau               *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School                      *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor            *
New York, NY 10016                      *
                                        *
Telephone: (607) 255-2703               *
Fax: (607) 255-9641                     *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                *
****************************************






<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?