I think I flawed one of the cardinal ideas behind the making of this blog-to create a forum where we can all rub minds on the challenges of development in an atmosphere devoid of professional/technical jargons. The concept of “Northern and Southern states” is the centrepiece of a classification of the international political economy referring to the northern and southern hemisphere countries accordingly; emphasising the paradox of popular access to ‘quality living’-access to safe drinking water, health care, qualitative universal basic education, ignorance, extreme poverty and hunger, just think of it … Better still, developed countries (Northern) on one hand and the developing or under developed countries (Southern) on the other.

What is new?

In the past few days a number of events have occurred which have direct interrelatedness to the global fight against extreme poverty. I will talk about two of these developments.
First is the winning of the Nobel Peace prize by the Bangladeshi Banker, Muhammad Yunus. Prof. Yunus founded the Grameen Bank. According to the Nobel Committee;
“Muhammad Yunus has shown himself to be a leader who has managed to translate visions into practical action for the benefit of millions of people, not only in Bangladesh, but also in many other countries. Loans to poor people without any financial security had appeared to be an impossible idea. From modest beginnings three decades ago, Yunus has, first and foremost through Grameen Bank, developed micro-credit into an ever more important instrument in the struggle against poverty. Grameen Bank has been a source of ideas and models for the many institutions in the field of micro-credit that have sprung up around the world.”
I believe we can ‘steal’ from his idea to fight poverty where ever we are around the world.

The second is the election of the South Korean diplomat, Ban Ki Moon as the United Nations’ Secretary–General Designate.
Even though some people have reverenced him more as a “secretary than general”, the question raised is about his efficiency and effectiveness on his future role as the head of the world’s largest bureaucracy.

Nonetheless some keen observers have said judgments should not be passed on his competence before he assumes office just because he is less controversial, or because of his modest Korean civil service background.

However, he has made an open fierce criticism of the North Korean recent claim of a nuclear bomb test in his present capacity as his country’s Foreign minister. Most observers of the UN system are much expectance of his stance on other world issues like the MDGs.

Please view, make your comments and analysis.