Mr. Chairman:
I am pleased to have the opportunity to address this 57th session of the Commission on Human Rights on behalf of the United States. Our discussion today is on Item 7, the right to development. Development is a topic of considerable importance to United States and to me personally. I’ve spent a good part of my 36 years in the foreign service living in and working with developing nations. Over that time, I have had a chance to observe first-hand what does -- and what does not -- promote development.
I do know this: the U.S. commitment to economic growth and international development is longstanding and sincere. I know that development is one of the keys to a stable, secure, and prosperous world. And I know that helping nations achieve sustainable economic growth is a major goal of our foreign policy.
Over the years, we have learned what are some of the obstacles to sustainable development. While I don’t pretend to have all the answers, I think we can agree on the following:
First, the protection of basic civil and political rights is indispensable to sustainable growth. This all-important link between human rights and economic development is sometimes missing from the discussions on Item 7 here at the Commission on Human Rights. Some governments see no connection between civil society, political freedom, and national development. We do.
Second, a government that seeks growth and development without respecting these core rights is unlikely to succeed for very long. Development cannot precede human rights; it can only proceed in harmony with human rights.
Third, individual liberty unlocks the creative and entrepreneurial spirit. Protection of private property and the freedom to contract give individuals the confidence to invent, innovate, and invest. Without confidence in the laws that govern them, people simply will not devote their energy and genius in any system. Any government that hopes to achieve sustainable, long-term growth, therefore, must nurture the atmosphere in which individual talents can flourish.
Finally, we know that government-controlled economies never seem to work over the long-term. There is no substitute for free markets, transparent financial institutions, and respect for the rule of law. This is why our assistance programs increasingly focus on promoting democracy, good governance, fighting corruption, and developing a free and independent media. These are all vital components of civil society, and any development strategy that ignores them runs a strong risk of failure.
Abraham Lincoln understood the linkage between free markets and free men. Nearly 150 years ago, he said: "You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."
It was in this spirit that our delegation participated in the Working Group on the Right to Development. It is important to seek common ground where we can, and to air our differences when we cannot. We actively participated in the Working Group in hopes of building a consensus around fundamental prerequisites of development.
We value the contributions made by members of the Working Group, which we believe have helped to advance our discussions. It is clear, however, that significant differences remain among the participants in this important debate and that we still have a considerable distance to go before it can be said that a genuine consensus exists regarding the definition of the right to development. We regret that the Report of the Chairman of the Working Group fails to capture the richness and diversity of our exchanges. It does not, for example, reflect the real differences expressed regarding the Independent Expert’s proposal concerning a so-called "development compact."
We were especially disappointed to note the absence of any reference to the importance of good governance, democracy, and the rule of law, and the protection of basic human rights from the Chair’s closing observations. It was less than a year ago, right here in Geneva, at the 5-year review of the Copenhagen Social Summit, that member states reaffirmed their understanding of the centrality of these concepts to the process of human development.
Accordingly, Mr. Chairman, it is at best premature to suggest that there is an emerging consensus regarding the meaning and content of the right to development. Consensus is something that must be forged, not forced. No one’s interest is served by an effort to submerge real and legitimate differences of perspective. Ultimately, progress toward a meaningful definition of the right to development, and requirements for its realization, can only emerge from a genuine process of give and take, one that respects the views of all participants and is motivated by a sincere desire to achieve mutual understanding.
Mr. Chairman, I believe it is important to stress that, whatever the course of our deliberations here, the commitment of the United States to the practical agenda of development will continue undiminished. We will continue to subscribe fully to the principles affirmed in the Vienna Declaration regarding the obligation of states to cooperate with each other in ensuring development. In particular, we will do all that we can to support and assist those who understand that, again in the words of the Vienna Declaration "the human person is central subject of development," and who recognize that the highest responsibility of governments is to promote the conditions that are most likely to enable every member of society to realize his or her full potential.
In the meantime, the United States will remain open to proposals as to how, together, we might advance our understanding regarding the right to development. We are prepared to support further discussions in the proper fora to address the best strategies for achieving sustainable growth and national development. With a substantial majority of other UN members, we share the hope that such discussions might help accelerate our common goal of alleviating the scourge of poverty and making it possible for every individual everywhere to realize his or her full, human potential.
Thank you.
[End.]
