A Fresh Approach to Meeting the Basic Needs of the World´s Poorest Billion

Abstract The problems of the world's poorest countries and the poorest people, some of whom reside in the more advanced developing countries, underlie the global issues on which negotiations are currently being launched between the industrial countries of the Northern hemisphere and the developing countries to their South. The strength of the case of the developing countries rests not only on their recently increased bargaining power but also, importantly, on grounds of justice and equity - on the need for the rich nations to undertake efforts that favor, rather than descriminate against, the poor countries. The justice and equity case for helping the vast numbers of the very poor is especially important if the publics in the countries of the North are to be persuaded that they should support the move toward greater sharing of power and income with the countries of the South.