Voices on the UN financial summit in New York

* Head of South Centre: Most collateral damage in developing world
The United Nations should be the place that “educates the innocent and the victims” on how to deal with the world economic and financial crisis, Martin Khor, Executive Director of South Centre, said at a press conference in the run-up to the UN conference on the impact of the global crisis on developing countries in New York. He said that, having played no role in causing the crisis, the developing countries had suffered the most “collateral damage”, with losses averaging 6% of gross national income as their economic growth was expected to fall from 8.3% in 2007 to 1.6% in 2009.
>>> Full text

* ITUC: Global crisis needs global coordination
As the United Nations kicks off a major three-day Conference in New York, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is drawing the attention of world leaders to the severe human costs of the deepening slowdown in the global economy. This is most evident in the jobs crisis, with increasing income inequality, rapid increases in unemployment, and growing hunger and poverty in developing countries. Women are bearing a disproportionate share of the hardships brought on by the global crisis.
>>> Full text

* CIDSE: Global crisis requires global reform
According to CIDSE, an international alliance of Catholic development agencies working together for global justice, the worlds’ poor risk being let down once more as no leaders from developed countries are expected to attend. Their constructive engagement in inclusive fora like the UN is needed for structural changes like a Global Economic Council, to address economic issues the way the Security Council addresses security-related ones, and in keeping promises like the development finance agreements made in Doha.
>>> Full text