His Highness the Aga Khan is the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims. This is adapted from a speech he delivered April 23 at the Global Philanthropy Forum in Washington, D.C.
Globe and Mail Update – April 29, 2009 at 2:00 AM EDT
The essential goal of global development has been to create and sustain effective nation states – coherent societies that are well-governed, economically self-sustaining, equitable in treating their peoples, peaceful amongst themselves, and sensitive to their impact on planetary sustainability.
This is a complex objective, a moving target, and a humbling challenge. Sadly, the response in the places I know best has often been “one step forward and two steps back.” Today, some 40 per cent of UN member nations are categorized as “failed democracies” – unable to meet popular aspirations for a better quality of life. The recent global economic crisis – along with the world food crisis – has sharply accentuated these problems.
Ismailimail 