Helsinki Group began drafting work programme
Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja briefed the group on his visit to Mumbai at the World Social Forum and emphasised the urgency of the Helsinki Process to build a bridge and facilitate dialogue between the different stakeholders of the World Social Forum and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
In his presentation he outlined the following themes for the agenda of the Helsinki Group: failed states, terrorism, and global governance; poverty and the most vulnerable people; new security risks; the challenge of democratic governance in global issues; and new strategies of international cooperation.
Tanzanian Foreign Minister Jakaya Kikwete, the co-chair of the Helsinki Process, was represented by his deputy, Abdulkader Shareef who focused on the perspective of developing nations and proposed discussion on the following themes: enhancing national ownership of economic reforms; need for more robust safety nets; strengthening regional economic integration and cooperation; improving prospects for trade with extra-regional markets; overcoming the democratic deficit in globalisation; managing resource constraints; containing conflicts; and more just trade and less aid.
The Helsinki Group is scheduled to meet four times and to present its report to the Helsinki Conference in the latter part of 2005.