| Development minister Bert Koenders emeritus member of the Stiglitz Commission |  |
Mr Koenders last year acted as Special Emissary of Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, the former President of the United Nations General Assembly. In the Commission’s final report, Mr D’Escoto Brockmann praised Koenders’ role as Special Emissary, which ‘was so effective and extensive that he deserves to be considered an emeritus member of the Commission’.
The Netherlands was thanked in particular for the ideas it had put forward for consideration at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh. It has prepared a paper for the G20 on the position of the poorest countries. The paper considers the need for adequate funds, development cooperation and fair trade. Shortly before Mr Koenders’ departure for Pittsburgh, the Netherlands will convene a special conference to discuss the impact of the financial crisis on developing countries and the role of the UN. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and UNDP Administrator Helen Clark will take the results to Pittsburgh.
The members of the UN met in June to discuss the impact of the crisis on developing countries. To prepare the substantive aspects of the conference, which was attended by Mr Koenders, Mr D’Escoto Brockmann established a commission of experts and politicians chaired by Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz.
The Commission’s report goes further than most. It specifically considers the need for a more just global monetary system, fair trade and reform of institutional structures. ‘The worst policy would be to go back to business as usual. The perverse bonus system that costs just as much as all development cooperation with Africa must be reconsidered. So must the perverse flow of capital from poor to rich that is currently financing the rich countries’ deficits,’ said Mr Koenders.
Now the Stiglitz Commission has completed its work, it is up to the politicians to take up its recommendations. Mr Koenders will continue to actively encourage them to do so.
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