As Benjamin Barber puts it: "If there cannot be equity of justice, there will be equity of injustice; if all cannot partake of plenty, impoverishment - both material and spiritual - will be the common lot. That is the hard lesson of interdependence." This is the challenge that we must meet. It is in our own interest.

Guy Verhofstadt is the Prime Minister of Belgium and can be reached on e-mail address: guy.verhofstadt @globalisationdebate.be

Published in conjunction with The Financial Gazette, Southern Africa’s leadimg independent business and financial newspaper:
http://www.fingaz.co.zw

Photo of Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, courtesy of the Belgian Government:
http://belgium.fgov.be/en_index.htm