Poverty is a consequence of unfair structures and political decisions, and therefore it can and must be overcome

Poverty “is not inevitable; it is a consequence of unfair structures and political decisions, and therefore can and must be overcome.” This was stated by Mons. Arnaud du Cheyron de Beaumont, head of the Delegation of the Holy See, during his speech at the Third International Conference on developing countries without coastline, held in Awaza, Turkmenistan this Saturday.

The appointment – organized by the United Nations (UN) – concluded with the political commitment to accelerate sustainable development and strengthen the resilience of the 32 countries without direct access to the sea, including Bolivia and Paraguay.

As reported Vatican NewsDuring his speech, the Vatican representative defended an economic exchange model “with a healthy vocation”, based on “the principle of universal destiny of goods” and capable of guaranteeing “development and dignity.”

He also warned that forms of “unfair trade” persist that impose “unfair international rules” to the most vulnerable countries, which “often suffer a lack of capital, frequently aggravated by the weight of external debt.”

Mons. Du Cheyron de Beaumont pointed out that countries without exit to the sea are among the most harmed by these practices, which in many cases cause “an intense excess of environmental exploitation” with direct consequences of “hunger and poverty”.

Faced with this reality, he requested that international trade “be governed by the demands of justice and solidarity”, since “duly oriented, it promotes development, it can create new employment opportunities and provide useful resources.”

The prelate recalled that these nations, despite their historical, cultural and economic differences, “face the same systemic challenges, including unsustainable loads of debt, high costs of transport and vulnerability to climate change and external shocks.”

Poverty, he stressed, “derives from various forms of cultural deprivation and the denial of cultural rights.”

In his final call, Monsignor du Cheyron de Beaumont insisted that “the human person must continue to be the center of all development strategies” and that both trade and economic growth “are not ends in themselves, but means to promote the integral human development of each person and the progress of the common good.”

Under the motto Promoting progress through alliancesthe four -day forum brought together heads of state, senior UN officials, development partners and private sector leaders to address the challenges facing these nations: high commercial costs, poor infrastructure and vulnerability to climate change.