developing countries, adecedeofstruggling underunyielding- economic crisis, whichseriously hindered progress towards theimprovement ofeconomic andsocial conditions reaultlnq inincreasing andwidespread acutepoverty. Yettheglobal economy experienced increasing interdependence, increasing population, increasing environmental concerns, increasing tradeprotectionism, increasing development and application ofscience andtechnology endincreos1ng flowsoffinAnci&l resources. Whilethedevelopments onthepolitical scenehavegivenmankind 80muchhope forpeaceinthefuture, thereisanurgentneedtotranslate thatintoarealand durablegiftthrough improvement intheeconomic fieldinthe1990s. Itwasagainstthatbackground thatthedevelopinq countries tookan initiative atthespecial session oneconomic co-operation heldinAprilofthis yeartofindwaysandmeansofstimulating economic growthanddevelopment, particularly inthedeveloping countries. Thenobleobjective ofimproving the worldeconomy forthebenefit ofallmakestheDeclaration thatvasunanimously Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryBM/24Al45/PV.7 109-110 (MIC'.MoloAyah.Kenya) .. 'f•adoptedatthatspecial aession thebaSisforactioninthe1990s.ItisKenya's position thattheimplementation ofthisimportant Declaration, inparticular through theinjection ofpolitical willbymembers oftheinternational community, wouldconstitute asignificant step'towards thedevelopmental efforts ofdeveloping countries. Intherecentpasttheworldhaswitnessed majorchanges, 30meofthem extrao~diDary, somedramatic. The8coneoftheBechanges hasmainlybeeninthe political arena,buttheirimpactintheeconomic fieldistakingshapeandwill soon transfo~ internAtional economic relations amongnations. Amongthesechanges arethosethathavetakenplaceineastern European countries andtheongoing economic process ofmodernization, together withtheunprecedente41y quickresponse withregardtoassistance fromtheindustrialized countries. Tbedebateheldat thelastsummersession oftheBconomic andSocialCouncil confirmed thatthose chDDges haveapotential tomoveNorth-South co-operation totheperiphery of international relations andworsenthealready severesocialconditions in developing countries. Whiledeveloping countries welcome thechangesinEastern Burope, theyareapprehensive thatresources "illbediverted tothatregionattha expenseefthedeveloping countries. Itwasreassuring" however" thatdeveloped countries reiterated their cCh~l~~nts toassisttheScathandsaldthattheywould notreducethecurrent financial resources • Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryAB/camr A/45/PV.7 III& (Mr.NdolokM,Kenya) Sinceitsemergence in1982,theexternal debtcrisisofdeveloping countries hasbeenthemajorobstacle tothosecountries' development efforts, theirefforts toimprove thewelfare oftheirpeoplem, andhasbecomeamatterofserious concern totheinternational community. Despite thegraveconcerns thathavebeen expressed, themanystrategies discussed, andthevarious measures attempted so far,thecrisisperDists andcontinues tobeoneofthemajorobstacles tosocial andeconomic development indeveloping countries. Thetotaldebtofdeveloping' countries hasbeenincreasing, andnow~tandsatthestaggering figureofabout $1.3trillion, compared to$6billionin1980. Thecostofdebt-servicing hasbeengrowing rapidly asaresultoftheunjust ratesofinterest, whichincreased excessively inthe19808andhavenotshownany siqnmofimprovement. Thisproblem ha~beenexacerbated byapeculiar uneconomic ph.nomenon: that,fromtheirdesperately neededdomestic income, thedeveloping countries arenowtransferring moretocreditors indeveloped countries thanthe7 receive fromthosecreditors. Itisnoteworthy thatvarious measures towards solving thedebtcrisis- measures suchastheToronto scheme, theBradyplau,therescheduling ofbilateral loans,thecancellation of80meofficial development assistance (ODA)loans#and cODversion debt-equity swaps-havebeentaken. Thesearewelcome. Itis, however, evenmorenoteworthy thatsuchmeasures havecontributed tothecontrol of onlyaverysmallproportion ofthetotaldebtofdeveloping countries, thatthey havedonelittletoreducetheoverall burdenofexternal indebtedness andits impactoneconomic growthandsocialconditions indeveloping countries. Recovery andtheresumption ofsustained growthindeveloping countries demandthat immediate measures beagreedupontoendthedebtproblem. Wetherefore welcome
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the economic struggles of developing countries, the need for international cooperation to address these issues, and the impact of external debt on their development efforts. It also touches on the importance of science and technology in addressing these challenges. Given the focus on economic development, debt, and international cooperation, I hypothesize that the most fitting category is Economic Development.

**Category**
Economic development