Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear colleagues,

Allow me to remind you that on September11, 2001 we did not only have to deplore the close to 4.000 causalities caused by the horrific attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania but also a number of other tragic deaths around the world, namely:

• 24.000 persons died from hunger,
  
• 30.000 children died from mal-nutrition and diseases of poverty,
  
• 1.410 women died from complications of pregnancy or childbirth,
  
• 548 children were slaughtered in conflict
  
• and some 34 million are facing death from HIV/Aids.
  (figures from UN annual reports)

Most of the deaths were caused directly or indirectly by poverty.

The Human Development Report 1998 of UNDP tells us

• that the 225 richest people in the world have a combined wealth of over 1 trillion $US which equals the annual income of the poorest 47 % of the worlds people (= 2.5 billion),
  
• that the 3 richest people have assets that exceed the combined GDP of the 48 least developed countries,
  
• that the 15 richest people own more than the total GDP of sub-Saharan Africa,
  and
  
• that the 85 richest people have assets which exceed the GDP of China with 1.2 billion people

(quoted from Forbes Magazine 1997).

"The acute social ills of today - crime, drugs, disease, disaffection, urban decay and declining standards of education - all have crucial consequences for human security in its largest sense. These social problems, which once could be confined within borders, now spread across the world. Once considered to be the exclusive responsibility of national governments, these problems are now of global scale and require global attention". said Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the former Secretary General of the United Nations, in 1995.

On the other hand we learn interesting things from the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development, signed by 117 heads of States and Governments, as

• they stated that they are convinced that democracy and transparent and accountable governance and administration in all sectors of society are indispensable foundations for the realization of social and people-centred sustainable development
  
  
• they stated that they recognize …. that poverty, unemployment and social disintegration too often result in isolation, marginalization and violence,
  
  
• they stated that more than one billion people in the world live in a abject poverty, most of whom go hungry every day. A large proportion, the majority of whom are women, have very limited access to income resources, education, health care or nutrition,
  
  
• they stated that they acknowledge that people are at the centre of our concourse for sustainable development and that they are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with the environment,
  
  
• and they stated that they launch a new era of international cooperation between Governments and peoples based on a spirit of partnership that puts the needs, rights and aspirations of people at the centre of our decisions and joint actions.

These 117 Heads of States and Governments declared that they are committed to creating a framework for action:

• to promote democracy, human dignity, social justice and solidarity, at the national, regional and international levels; ensure tolerance, non-violence, pluralism and non-discrimination, with full respect for diversity within and among societies
  
  
• to promote the equitable distribution of income and greater access to resources through equity and equality of opportunity for all
  
  
• to promote universal respect for, and observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, including the right to development; promote the effective exercise of rights and the discharge of responsibilities at all levels of society, promote equality and equity between women and men, protect the rights of children and youth; and promote the strengthening of social integration and civil society
  
  
• to support progress and security for peoples and communities whereby every member of society is enabled to satisfy his or her basic human needs and to realize his or her personal dignity, safety and creativity
  
  
• to recognize that empowering people …. to strengthen their own capacities is a main objective of development and its principal resource. Empowerment requires the full participation of people in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of decisions determining the functioning and well-being of our societies.

"True and lasting success in putting the Copenhagen (commitments and) agreements into action will require a coalition of all societal actors, working together towards the same objective. Governments will need to act in partnership with experts, parliamentarians, grass-root and religious organisations, trade unions, business and non governmental organisations, harnessing their talent and enthusiasm. Together we must continue our collective efforts to help shape a better common future for all nations, communities and people"
(Boutros Boutros Ghali, 1995)

These are ground breaking goals and principles. However, Governments seem to have short memories and forget quickly their commitments - if they have to make a major and difficult effort and particularly when they have to share wealth and opportunities. And so do individuals, by the way.

May I remind you of the following: Another striking aspect is the wealth of the 225 richest people in relation to what is needed to achieve universal access to basic social services for all.

The estimated additional cost of achieving and maintaining universal access to basic education for all, basic health care for all, reproductive health care for all women, adequate food for all and safe water and sanitation for all is roughly 40 billion $ US per year. This represents less than 4 % (= 1/25th) of the combined wealth of the 225 richest people in the world.

Now what should the Council of Europe do? What can we suggest to this important intergovernmental organization. Let me make some practical proposals:

1° The Council should encourage and support member states to fully implement the Copenhagen commitments and the Programme of Action - and this nationally, regionally and internationally.

2° The Council of Europe should strengthen the concept of democracy beyond political and civic rights towards the full recognition, enforcement and protection of social, economic and cultural rights of all.

3° The Council of Europe should make the ratification of the central elements of the European Social Charter a prerequisite for membership in the Council of Europe as it is the case for the European Convention of Human Rights.

4° The Council of Europe should promote the creation of a European Social Rights Court which guarantees Social and Economic Rights.

5° The Council of Europe should help to build up and forcefully join an International Anti-Poverty-Pact to be negotiated by governments through the UN and implemented and achieved over the next 10 to 15 years with clear specific, time-bound goals and commitments in relation to mobilization of resources.

6° The Council of Europe should become a world wide best practice example for an open, enabling, effective and efficient cooperation between governments and civil society, in the framework of a regional intergovernmental organization, as an alliance for the promotion of advanced democracy and sustainable social development.

This all certainly requires a lot of innovative and creative thinking, lots of courage and political will and, definitely also, financial resources as well as strong leadership. But considering what is at stake and considering the future of the values of the Council of Europe, I believe that the orientation suggested is necessary, reasonable and promising.

Thank you for your kind attention.