Kingsley Y. Amoako

Mr. K. Y. Amoako, the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Africa’s (UNECA) former Executive Secretary and a member of the International Task Force on Global Public Goods, presented the Task Force’s report entitled, "Meeting Global Challenges: International Cooperation in the National Interest". He focused on six categories of public goods which are urgently needed by the international community.

Citing tendencies of reluctance by nation states to initiate moves aimed at solving global problems, he explained the risk of inadequate global provision, if countries are left on their own to contribute to the global supply of public goods. He noted that in providing global public goods, the most enduring challenges are at the international level because, unlike the local and national levels, there is no real authority to regulate and ensure compliance with rules.

At the international level, actions by states are voluntary. Rooting his position on history, he called on developed countries to step up to the plate and provide the initial leadership required to supply global public goods, given that they have benefited the most from the rules-based multilateral system.