    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [November 26, 2008]
    [Pages 1400-1401]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the United Nations International Conference on Financing for
    Development in Doha, Qatar
    November 26, 2008

        I send greetings to those gathered for the UN International
    Conference on Financing for Development in Doha, Qatar. Six years ago, I
    joined leaders from 50 countries at the United Nations Conference on
    Financing for Development at Monterrey, Mexico to forge a new
    partnership for development. That partnership was based on a consensus
    among the world's nations that development is in the common interest of
    humankind. The most effective way to raise the living standards of the
    world's poorest people is to create economic growth by using all forms
    of development finance--including trade, investment, grants, and
    lending--in countries that govern justly, invest in their people, and
    encourage economic freedom. Today in Doha we should reaffirm our
    commitment to the development principles agreed upon at Monterrey.
        The world's economic growth is currently threatened by a global
    financial crisis. The world's poor are the most vulnerable to the
    crisis, with low or no savings or assets to weather the turmoil. In many
    countries, the financial crisis is leading to rising unemployment,
    business failures, and economic hardship.
        The United States will not abandon its commitments to people in the
    developing world in the midst of this financial crisis. The United
    States calls on other economies, both developed and emerging, to
    similarly reaffirm and fulfill their commitments to development and
    assist the world's poorest, consistent with their roles in the global
    economy. The United States pledges to assist developing and emerging
    economies in gaining access to finance and pledges to help ensure that
    the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and other multilateral
    development banks have the resources to assist countries in crisis.
        The nations of the world are increasingly interdependent. With
    interdependence comes mutual responsibility and accountability. Our ties
    of trade, finance, and development should be strengthened, not weakened
    by the current market turmoil. The development principles of Monterrey
    provide us with a proven path to prosperity and partnership. Let us join
    together today in reaffirming that partnership.

                                                              George W. Bush

    Note: An original was not available for the verification of the content
    of this message. This message was released by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on December 1.

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