an integrated national strategy to reduce poverty was critical, but not sufficient in itself, unless strengthened by international support.

Indonesia, she said, was one of the developing countries that had adopted such efforts. It had experienced major challenges, including the economic crisis of 1997/1998, a political transformation and the recent tsunami. Despite that, the first successful direct election in history was held and had laid a solid foundation for addressing the challenges faced. Several important good policies had been established. The country’s stable macroeconomic conditions, with a modest inflation rate and a flexible exchange rate to sustain its competitiveness, had become an important anchor for the upward trend of its economic growth. Indonesia was also developing a more open regulatory framework and was promoting a policy of good governance.

Thetarget in the next five years was to reduce the poverty rate to 8.2 per cent from 16.6 per cent in 2004 and cut unemployment, she continued. While the main responsibility to mobilize adequate resources for development lay with respective countries, for many developing countries, the role of external financing was indispensable. She supported the international call for increased ODA, deeper debt forgiveness and the elimination of systemic inequities, but also supported developing a reliable international system to help those developing countries that display strong momentum and ownership of the reform process to eradicate poverty and to sustain development.

MOTEE RAMDASS, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection of Mauritius, said his continent lagged behind in all areas of development. Africa was at the epicentre of the crisis and continued