New Delhi, September 25
Even as President Pratibha Devisingh Patil underlined the need for a bigger role for developing countries in global financial institutions to tackle intertwined issues of democracy, sustainable development, terrorism and mass poverty, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stressed that the Commonwealth is a storehouse of experience and knowledge and “We must pursue these to good use to banish mass poverty in our lifetime.”

“In the international financial institutions, the developing countries should have a greater role in the decision making processes to better address the issues at the global level. The global partnership now needs to deliver,” said Patil while inaugurating the 53rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference here today.

Noting that the conference will send a powerful message about the fight against poverty, a more equitable world coupled with the development agenda, the country’s first woman President called for greater participation of women in politics and economic life to make development gender sensitive. “Women constitute nearly half of the world population, and their participation in elected bodies is fundamental for the effective functioning of democracy,” she said.

Dwelling on the importance of building democratic institutions to achieve sustainable development, she said Indian democracy could serve as an example in this regard.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose message was read out by parliamentary affairs minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi also drew attention to other issues of global concern such as terrorism, threat of climate change and preservation of the environment.

The PM could not attend the CPA conference as he was recuperating from a surgery he had undergone last Saturday.

Referring to the unique composition of the Commonwealth, PM said it had the opportunity of creatively addressing the great challenges facing humankind today. “The most important of these challenges is that of poverty, and the social, economic, political and ecological consequences of poverty,” he added.

The PM said in the 20th century, the Commonwealth symbolised the peaceful transition from colonialism to freedom and had no doubt that it (Commonwealth) would come to symbolise the hopes and aspirations of all humanity to live in an open society and open economy.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari told the parliamentarians that the greatest challenge today is how to make parliamentary institutions relevant in this era of globalisation.