devoted to development matters. After the 1974 special session calling for the establishment of a new international economic order and the adoption of the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, after the 19 86 session devoted to the critical economic situation in Africa; after the Cancun, Venice and Toronto summits; after seven United Nations Conferences on Trade and Development; after the adoption by the international community of three United Nations Development Decades since 1961 -after all that, what do we see today? We see that the vast gap separating the prosperity of the developed countries from the unrelenting destitution of most developing countries is growing wider. We see that the various strategies adopted to date have not yielded the expected results for developing countries and that, on the contrary, the situation of many of those countries has become extremely precarious. We might explain this situation by noting that those great meetings were held in a tense international context. Today, the calmer international political climate should enable us to rethink international economic co-operation and various development strategies, taking an approach of greater solidarity that would reflect far more faithfully the de facto interdependence that exists among our nations. We cannot but hope that, thanks to that climate, the present special session will lead to a new international consensus in favour of world-wide growth and development in the years to come. JP6/jl A/S-18/PV.lO 11 (M.r;. · Essy; Cote d • Ivoirel It will be remembered that at the beginning of the 1980s, when tha crisis was really becoming entrenched, the question was whether we should foster a revival of growth in the developing countries, with beneficial effects on the economies of the industrialized countries, or, on the other hand, strengthen growth in the industrialized countries, thereby inducinQ a resumPtion of growth in the developing countries. 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the development of developing countries, the gap between developed and developing countries, and the need for international cooperation and solidarity to address this issue. It also references various international conferences and summits, highlighting the importance of economic cooperation and development strategies. The text does not specifically mention natural resources, environment, agriculture, forestry, fishing, industry, transport, communication, health, education, employment, humanitarian aid, or culture.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade