ISSUE 4

Dr. Richard Jolly, Chief Architect of the Human Development Report and Special Adviser to the Administrator, United Nations Development Programme

Shrinking time, shrinking space and disappearing borders are linking millions of people more closely than ever before - but billions of the world's people are left out in the cold. Globalization involves much more than trade and finance. The internet and interpol, pop culture and global crime, immunization and AIDS, new rules and new roles - are part and parcel of a world hurtling towards global integration.

Notwithstanding the problems of globalization, many countries have exploited the opportunities and controlled its costs with considerable success. The challenge is to improve governance, nationally and internationally, so that the power and potential of globalization works for people, not just for profits or capital.

Yet efforts so far to strengthen global governance have been too narrow - fixated on the economic, largely ignoring human consequences and human needs and working to an agenda heavily dominated by the industrialized countries.

Thus the recent Global Human Development Report calls for "Globalization with a Human Face" - and sets out proposals for national and international action to make globalization work for people in all parts of the world. On behalf of the UNDP, I welcome comment on the report and co-operation with COMNET-IT in promoting the use of IT for Development.

The full report can be found at www.undp.org/.