worsened dur inq the 1980s as commodity prices have fallen, debt obliqations have risen, trade opportunities have evaporated, investment flows have diminished. Domestically, POIPUlation Pressure on scarce resources has nounted, and some key domestic institutions have collapsed under the pressure of political and social instability. Most of the ooorest countries are in this qroup of countries with staqnatinq economies, and there is little that can crediblv relieve the desoair of their oooulations. For these countries, economic revitalization is a necessity, and it is our cl4~ar duty to help them to build a different future for themselves. Listeninq to economic debates in this forum over the years one has found it easy to become depressed. However, there are now siqns that the world is chanqinq faster than we could imaqine -and for the better. Political chanqes, based larqely on economic frustration, are leadinq to the establishment of more JP/ASN A/S-18/PV.6 108 (Mr. Wilenski, Australia} Participatory forms of Government, and people are respondinq by willinqly makinq sacrifices to meet their lonqer-term oolitical and economic aspirations. At the United Nations we have perhaps laqqed a 1i ttle behind our technical colleaques, but opinion is converqinq in support of those ool icies, incentives and institutional structures which, by mobilizinq the potential, initiative and creativi tv of the citizens of developed and developinq countries, actively work to promote development. There is broad aqreement that allevia tinq poverty must be q iven a new priority on national and international aqendas. We must work towards achievinq social justice for the poorest of our world and economic growth which respects environmental constraints. The importance of social and institutional factors in development is now also becoming more widely recoqnized. It has lonq been recoqnized that its people are a country's nost imoortant economic asset, but in the past it was less readily 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the challenges faced by developing countries and the importance of addressing poverty, social justice, and economic growth. It mentions the decline of commodity prices, debt obligations, and trade opportunities, which suggests an economic focus. However, it also touches on political and social instability, and the need for participatory forms of government, which hints at a broader development context.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade, Humanitarian aid and relief