In Conclusion

The actions taken today by the international community will have a tremendous impact on the shape of the future. Whether support for international development continues will be a key determinant in deciding if the remarkable momentum toward prosperity and democracy can be maintained around the globe.

Can we afford to squander this opportunity to improve the lives of future generations? Having seen the dramatic changes development has made in the last 30 years, is there any real excuse not to make the very modest commitments that improve the lives of tens of millions of people?

It is important to remember that development is much more than an opportunity, it is also a global imperative. In a world where markets are truly global, and economies are increasingly interdependent, how can we ignore the more than 1 billion people who live on less than one dollar a day? Will the citizens of industrialized nations come to fully appreciate that on issue after issue - whether it be combating infectious diseases, dealing with pollution or preventing conflict - that active international engagement improves their own domestic conditions?

Will future generations look back and celebrate our vision?

Development has been successful, and can be successful, because people everywhere are deeply committed to improving their own lives and realizing their shared dreams. International collaboration, the people of the developing world and a great deal of hard work helped avert the dire predictions of 1968. Now, it is our turn to help realize the next generation of successes.

Today, the world enjoys a greater wealth of skills, expertise and technology than ever before. By utilizing this incredible body of knowledge, we can achieve what today's skeptics think impossible. By working toward a common and more prosperous future, we can continue to make a world of difference.