Ex-UN Adviser Urges Korea’s Greater Role in Aid

from The Korea Times

By Lee Jin-woo

Jeffrey D. Sachs, professor of sustainable development at Columbia University, said in Seoul on Wednesday that South Korea should play a more active and aggressive role in helping poor countries in the world.

Sachs, who served as special adviser to former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 2002 to 2006, visited Seoul to attend a one-day international conference on official development assistance (ODA). The MDGs are the internationally agreed goals to reduce extreme poverty, disease, and hunger in the world by 2015.

Sachs, who has been at the forefront of the challenges of economic development and poverty alleviation for more than 20 years, cited several reasons why Koreans should no longer be reluctant about giving economic aid and provide other types of assistance to the outside world.

In a press conference in Seoul, the professor said South Korea has a lot to teach the world due to successful and fast economic development.

He said increasing South Korea’s contribution to poor countries will be also good for South Korean businesses, enabling them to play a more leading role in emerging markets in Asia and Africa.

He also recommended young South Koreans get involved in development work. ``It’s both interesting and fun to be involved in helping the poor countries because it’s also rewarding to learn more about the international community.’’

As for the situation in North Korea, one of the most reclusive and poorest countries in the world, he stressed Pyongyang should eventually open its economy to achieve economic development.

He said the North with its closed system cannot achieve economic development. The North has to be part of the world economy, he added.

``It will have to be able to export and earn foreign exchange in order to import modernizing technology,’’ he said. ``In many areas like agriculture even the most basic inputs are often not available such as fertilizer, which South Korea provides now to North Korea to help to grow food.’’

He emphasized that without basic imports, the country is destined to go hungry.

Asked about Afghanistan and the role of the United States’ war on terrorism, Sachs said a war cannot solve the problems of poverty.

``I’m afraid that so far core reasons for poverty in Afghanistan have not been fully addressed,’’ he said. ``To solve this problem in one of the world’s poorest countries, a war cannot solve the problems of poverty. Only investment can solve the problems.’’

The key architect of the MDGs said the goals are still achievable everywhere.

He praised the MDGs as being globally accepted, specific and with a specific time limit to achieve goals.

``Many developing countries are making quick progress especially in Asia, but there is still more (that) needs to be done in the areas of nutrition, maternal survival and child survival. In Africa, the situation is more difficult,’’ he said.

He leaves Seoul on Thursday, according to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which organized the conference.