The Courier N°131 Jan-Feb 1992 Dossier The urban crisis- Country Report: Dominican Republic

AFRICA-CARIBBEAN-PACIFIC - EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

MEETING POINT

Issa DIALLO

In August 1991, Issa Ben Yacine Diallo, who I was born in Guinea in 1939, succeeded l Professor Adebayo Adedeji as Executive Secretary ad interim of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (better known by its initials ECA). Himself a former political opponent in exile with a distinguished UN career, he has been following closely the long march towards democracy in Africa. In this interview, he pleads for support during the difficult transition period. Pages 2 to 5.

COUNTRY REPORT

Dominican Republic: Country of contrasts where modernity and poverty exist side by side, the Dominican Republic hopes to pass from an archaic agrarian society to an export-oriented industrial economy. The nexus' of the social fabric are moving further and futher away from the institutional model, which makes the more important the role of the civil society. Community aid will contribute to the conservation of natural resources, support for the - _ social sector and the on-going process of economic adjustment.

DOSSIER:

The Urban Crisis

One of the most striking phenomena of the second half of the 20th century is undoubtedly the spectacular growth of the cities, and the development of conurbations with multi-million populations. These centres may generate pollution, criminality and delinquency but they are also very industrious.

NEWS ROUND-UP: ACP Council

Despite a low turn-out of Ministers at the ACP Council in Brussels on 18 and 19 November, there was a heavy agenda with substantive discussions on the entry into force of Lomé IV, the impending resumption of the GATT negotiations and the ACP Group's own budget. Two ministerial reports-on commodities and sugar - were also adopted, and the issue of STABEX was discussed in some depth. Pages I to II.