HYLTON
MINISTER OF Foreign Affairs and Trade Anthony Hylton has called for reform of the United Nations (UN), to give a greater role to developing nations in place of 'narrow political interests'.
The United States has called for developed countries to withhold funds, unless certain management reforms are enacted. However, Mr. Hylton wants to see the UN become more multilateral and the current spending cap lifted because it limits the assistance available to developing nations.
Spending for this year has been capped at US$950 million following a decision last year by the 191-nation UN General Assembly to approve a two-year US$3.8 billion budget to which developed countries contribute more than 80 per cent.
"When this matter comes up for decision, Jamaica is prepared to act accordingly," he told the Ministerial Meeting of the G77 and China, held in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Monday, which was convened to discuss the reforms.
Developing nations - which feared that developed countries held too much power over his office - recently stalled UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's plans to overhaul his management which would give him greater control over moving staff and programmes. It is also proposed that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) be merged, a move that Mr. Hylton said he opposed given
that it was established to serve the needs of developing countries.
