DELEGATES; MR. OMABOE SPEAKING; DELEGATES LISTEN; MR. OMABOE SPEAKING (SOF); DELEGATES.



OMABOE: "I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN TO YOU THE REGIONAL ECONOMICAL CO-OPERATION AS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE POOR COUNTRIES. IT IS NECESSARY THAT THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES INITIATE ACTION WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE HARMONISATION OF THE IDEAL ECONOMIC POLICY. RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN THIS FIELD IN OUR COUNTRIES GIVES US HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. BUT THERE IS NEED FOR GREATER EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN THE SUB-REGION AND ALSO IN THE REGION TO ENABLE OUR HOPES TO BE TRANSLATED INTO ECONOMIC REALITY. WE ALL APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN THIS REGIONAL ...(INDISTINCT)... AND FOR ECONOMICAL CO-OPERATION AT REGIONAL AND SUB-REGIONAL LEVEL. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO PLACE ON RECORD MY GOVERNMENT'S EXTREME APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO THE ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA FOR THE ACTIVE PART IT HAS PLAYED IN OUR WEST AFRICAN REGIONS IN THE SEARCH FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION, AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRAISE THE ECONOMICALLY ADVANCED COUNTRIES WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO THE PATH OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE HOPE WE CAN ALL HAVE A BETTER WORLD TOMORROW."




Initials PK/VS/BHH/PC



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Background: PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURE, THE EXPORT MAINSTAY FOR MOST AFRICAN COUNTRIES, HAVE COME UNDER SCRUTINY BY INTERNATIONAL ECONOMISTS FROM ASIA, AFRICA AND SOUTH AMERICA AT A UNITED NATIONS SEMINA BEING HELD IN THE GHANAIAN CAPITAL OF ACCRA. THE CONFERENCE OPENED ON WEDNESDAY (4 DECEMBER) AND WILL CONTINUE FOR TWO WEEKS. IT WAS LAUNCHED BY GHANA'S COMMISSIONER FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, MR. EMMANUEL OMABOE.

MR. OMABOE TOLD THE DELEGATES THAT RAISING THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF POOR COUNTRIES WAS THE MOST PRESSING PROBLEM FACING THE WORLD TODAY.

HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE CURRENT OVERALL DEVELOPMENT RATE OF THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES APPEARED ENCOURAGING, IT WAS DISAPPOINTING THAT, ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, SOME DEVELOPING STATES APPEARED TO BE STAGNATING, RATHER THAN IMPROVING.

HE TOLD THE DELEGATES THAT THE INDUSTRIALISED NATIONS' INTEREST IN THE ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES APPEARED TO BE WANING.