The Emir of Qatar opens the Second South Summit

In the Name of God,
The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful
Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses
H.E. The Prime minister of Jamaica and
Chairman of the Group of 77 & China,
H.E. The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Chairman of
The Non-Aligned Movement,
Honorable Audience,

Assalamu Alaikkum Warahmatullah Wabarakatoh.

I welcome you all to Doha and would like to thank H.E. Mr. Percival James Patterson the Prime Minister of the Republic of Jamaica, for his country's good efforts during its Chairmanship of the Group 77 and China in 2005. I would also like to express our appreciation to H.E. Carlos Lage Davila, Vice President of the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba, for the role his country played, in collaboration with H.E President Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in making the first South Summit held in Havana in 2000 a success.

I must also thank H.E. Mr Abdullah Bin Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, and Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, for his participation in this important conference and his continued support for the Group's stands. And I extend thanks to H.E Mr. Jean Ping, President of the UN General Assembly for participating with us in this Summit, which reflects his interest in, and support for, the work of our Group.

The State of Qatar, which since its independence, joined the Group of 77, shares with the G77 member states the same visions and aspirations. It has welcomed hosting this Summit out of its belief in the objectives of the Group and the necessity of bearing the responsibility of making the joint action a success.

Honorable guests

There have been radical changes in the world over the past years. Interdependence among nations has increased due to globalization. The problems facing the international community became interlocked, which requires a comprehensive universal vision that would enable our countries to face the challenges more effectively, and help them to realize the balance between the requirements of security and prerequisites of development, which are closely linked since collective security is tied to collective solidarity.

The importance of this interrelation is proved by the current fragile state of the world economy. Though globalization has opened new opportunities, its benefits have not yet covered the vast majority in the developing world, and in particular the least developed countries. The developing countries are entitled to the flexibility that qualifies them to design the development strategies that suit them so that they can adapt to globalization and benefit from it.

Honorable guests
Development is one of the most important issues of our area; it is the basis for eliminating poverty and realizing the welfare of peoples. At the Millennium Summit, and major UN conferences, we agreed on a vision to implement the development Program of Action and committed ourselves to that end. Our Group was an active partner in that process. In this context, we countries of the south have to do our duty when we review the Development Goals agreed upon at the high level meeting to be held next September by the UN General Assembly, and specify the causes obstructing the realization of those goals, and agree on practical arrangements to accelerate implementation and give a strong push that leads to translating the Millennium Goals into concrete reality.

Moreover, it is our duty to draw an integrated Development Program of Action. Since the Doha Round must be finalized by the end of next year, it is necessary to act and to make trade a vehicle for accelerating growth and combating poverty, and that it integrates in the national development strategies. In this context, there is an urgent need to halt deterioration of the price of raw materials.

Honorable Audience
While we welcome the improvement in the cash flow into the developing countries in recent years, yet many of them have not benefited much of it, since such flow is still at its lowest levels. Hence, direct foreign investments become a major factor in building stronger productive capabilities. If the developing countries were to benefit from world economy controlled by globalization, such investment must be encouraged in addition to the necessity to facilitate the acquisition of technology, including information and communication technology, and transferring it to the developing countries.

The same applies to the Official Development Aids, the levels of which are by far lower than the prescribed percentage which is required for realization of the MDG's by the year 2015.

The state of Qatar has given special attention to the question of aids because it believes in the importance of supporting the efforts and initiatives aimed at economic and social development and addressing famine and poverty in the world. It pleases me to announce the State of Qatar's commitment to give prescribed percentage of its GDP as development aid, which allocating 15% of that percentage to the least developed countries, effective to the year 2006. Therefore, I would like to urge the countries of the North and the capable countries of the South to raise the level of their aids.

Addressing the dept problem that many countries of the South suffer from, we contribute to the success of the international effort for development. The ability of those countries to bear the burdens of their debts in the long run depends on the growth of their productive capabilities and the increase of their exports, which calls upon the development partners of the countries of the South to contribute to alleviating the latter's dept problems.

Ladies and Gentlemen
It is also our duty to set up and continuously support programs for social and educational development, and be prepared for facing up to unexpected challenges such as new diseases and natural disasters.

I would also like to point out that the process of reforming UN structures should aim at strengthening the power of the organization and its effectiveness in implementing the development Program of Action by empowering the General Assembly in this respect.

Honorable Audience
The importance of cooperation among the countries of the South has increased in a way qualifying the Group of 77 and China with their economic weight to be an active partner in the world economic order. The countries of the South altogether have a share of one third of the volume of trade in the world due to the increase in their purchases and their demographic growth.

Trade among the countries of the South is not a substitute for trade between the North and the South but it complements it. More inter-South trade, which concentrates on the modern and active sectors, in addition to encouraging the transfer of technology and dealings among companies are steps that open the way for the participation in world trade by a larger number of developing and less developed countries. Moreover, the conclusion of agreements for free trade exchange may help set up Free Trade Zones. Therefore, we propose a feasibility study to set up three Free Trade Zones for exports of countries of the South to countries of the North, establishing one zone in each of the three continents, in addition to studying the possibility of concluding a number of free trade agreements.

The main factors for the success of cooperation among the countries of the South do exist; we only need to activate and benefit from them as is the case in the comprehensive system of preferential trade among the developing countries.

Honorable Audience
Your being here indicates that we have the political will to achieve our common goals and adhere to dialogue and peaceful means to attain them. It is about time to fulfill the hopes and ambitions of our peoples. To that end, we propose that the Summit approves the setting up of a fund for economic, social, health and educational development, and to address the problems of hunger, poverty and human catastrophes that may called "The South Fund for Development and Human Circumstances". The State of Qatar is pleased to announce its willingness to donate 20 million Dollars to this fund. I hope that the able countries in the North and the South would contribute to it.

Your Majesties, Excellencies and Highnesses,
Honorable Audience,

I wish you a pleasant stay in Qatar and success for our Summit.

May peacem the mercy and blessing of God be upon you.