Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECDI last Decenber. Substantial aid efforts will continue to be required. But official aid is only one factor among many affecting development. For many countries, private flows are equally, if not more, important. But the best contribution that the industralized countries can ne.ke is to maintain policies that provide for stable growth in the world economy. This growth has been sustained by focusing policies on improving the efficiency and flexibility of the major industrialized economies and by strengthening their co-operative efforts. A supportive international economic environment will strengthen the efforts of Governments tackling painful but necessary adjustment measures. It is therefore vital that all oountries should work together for a successful conclusion to the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade neqotiations. Difficult decisions will have to be faced, but the goal of a strenqthened trade system underpinned by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) will work in everyone's interest, and we have to make GATT work as it should. Real economic BHS/ASW A/S-18/PV.4 38 (Mrs. Chalker, United KinQdoml recovery and co-operation can be sustained only throuqh an open tradinq system. Protectionism is a common problem aqainst which we must all fiqht. We are not indifferent to the pliqht of those poorer countries that are carryinq heavy debt burdens. Far from it. In recent years, Britain has taken the lead in debt -relief proqrammes, particularly for the poorest countries. The value of old aid debts we have cancelled has now passed £1 billion. We shall continue to co-ordinate our assistance to indebted countries with our partners in the international financial institutions. The forms of multilateral and bilateral assistance have become more varied and flexible. I am thinkinq not only of major initiatives such as the Toronto terms for reschedulinq the official debts of the 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the importance of economic aid and cooperation among countries, highlighting the need for stable growth in the world economy and a strengthened trade system. It also mentions debt relief programs and the importance of open trade. These themes suggest that the text is primarily focused on economic issues, rather than natural resources, environment, or other non-economic topics.

**Category**
International trade, Economic development