more than ten years have passed since that September when, with a consensus ever seen in history, the UN was against world poverty by signing the Millennium Declaration, signed a commitment by rich countries to implement effective interventions to combat poverty in developing ones. An ambitious program to achieve in 15 years. It lacks a little 'less than 5 and there is still time, perhaps too much to do because "we continue to face today's problems with yesterday's knowledge."
to support and Sandro Calvani, director of the ASEAN Centre of Excellence on the Millennium Development Goals at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand . Born in Genoa in '52, Calvani is a man of the institutions. He has held several important positions, and especially in developing countries, World Health Organisation in Africa, UNODC in Colombia (UNODC is the lead agency of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), to return to Italy in the role of Director of UNICRI, United Nations Institute for Research on Crime and Justice). Calvani, however, is primarily a citizen of the world, thanks to the experience of over thirty years of international efforts, which together with the passion for travel has taken him to more than 135 countries.
There are analysts who say the UN globalization see it as a social problem when in fact the skein should be routed from the first part of the economy and politics. You by Which side is?
"They are both real analysis. The UN has given operational priority to social development, the so-called Millennium Development Goals (ODM) focus on the development of people as the protagonists of the growth of their countries. But it is also true that the world is not making sound economic choices and did not find political leaders are able to ensure that any development that was promised to all humanity. They are unimaginable sums to rescue banks in crisis, but not to invest in food safety, health, labor and education. In some countries, key to development and rights, politics rather than the art of the possible is in fact the service of what it is desirable to bullies. "
In 2000, 192 countries, with a consensus not seen in the history of the UN, had agreed to call a halt to poverty. Five years after the finish line for the ODM, however, one often hears talk of broken promises and a few roadmaps respected. What went wrong?
"They were more things that worked and those that have fallen flat. But the mistakes were so big that now the goals are at risk. First of all there has been no leadership and governance suitable for the scale of the promise made to the world. Then he continues to face problems today with the knowledge of yesterday. Lacking a sense of urgency el 'application of rules to reduce risks and errors. However, the fact that in some countries there are a few goals already achieved by an advance of five years shows that the planned and decided it was not a Mission Impossible. The issues that bring into question the achievement of the ODM are not the feasibility but rather the desire, skills, tools. We are facing a high-speed racing with achievable goals. A sort of Formula One for human dignity. If the engines are few and are merged to three hundred per hour is only because we put on the track instead of the Ferrari 500 and no one has been careful to choose the drivers more able. "
Seen through the eyes of Italian development aid have always had connotations of solidarity. you what words to tie the significance of these projects?
"Rarely development aid are just solidarity. Remain a matter of justice, freedom and fundamental rights and dignity of the human race. In practice any form of restitution to poor countries is a word of wisdom applied to allow the kind of 'homo sapiens could evolve as quickly as possible into a new species of homo solicitus, capable of taking care of all humanity and around the Earth. Darwin said that it is not never the strongest species that survives or the most intelligent, but who knows how to change that. I say that the true "wisdom" of Sapiens is the "know how to change the" injustice to equality of opportunities, from bullying in the service, exploitation of resources for their conservation and protection of the right of future generations. "
But is not that the UN, or at least some of its leaders, are part of the solution of the problem?
"Almost certainly the UN is part of the problem and are certain of his leader. But the UN is also an administration building of a world where the tenants, that is Nations, argue over obvious things like water and energy, attributing the blame to the administrator, which also can not even force them to pay dues or to respect the house rules that countries themselves have voted for and signed. If the UN is a cog in the rusty machinery of global justice, certainly is neither the only nor the one that hangs around the engine. Rich countries have made efforts and limited almost exclusively in terms of aid, however limited, without thinking instead stuck to the gears as the openings of markets, the elimination of agricultural subsidies, the elimination of corruption, improving political leadership, the ' education global responsibilities, planning the migration. "
By Alberto Chiara and Giovanni Augello, Editor Social
