Facilitating Third World Development: The Role of States under International Law

Abstract

Besides individual affairs, States, under Article 1(3) of the United Nations Charter, owed obligations, under international law, to co-operate in solving problems that affected others, whether of economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, without distinction or discrimination on any grounds. Accordingly, the degenerating and despondent status of the third world
development required the concerted efforts of citizens and States. This called for an examination of the roles of Statesn thereto. We sought in the study to identify some components and qualities of the Third World States, and to ascertain the contemporary challenges and solutions to their development. We applied the New Development Thinking and Self-reliance theories, and content analyzed our data which were purely based on secondary materials. It was found, among others, that the Third World comprised the poor countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, fundamentally underdeveloped due to weak economy, low technology, corruption, poor infrastructure, bad governance, worsening environmental issues and Euro conspiracy, among others. We recommended for a reversal of all such odds that stunted these countries’ development, through good governance, balanced internationalism, requisite laws and strict enforcement of the New World Order, among others. We concluded that, with the concerted efforts and cooperation of States, development would be more evenly and sustainable.