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Going beyond pledges

Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama's visit to Europe couldn't have been timelier. It comes at a time when some UN specialised agencies are discovering that the assistance pledged by the world for post-tsunami reconstruction and relief is not being received by them in full.

This is the case with, for instance, the UNDP, which is aiming at restoring hospitals to a degree of normalcy and providing work for tsunami victims and the UNHCR, which is striving to supply tents to the affected inhabitants of the devastated regions.

In short, pledges are remaining just pledges in the case of some would-be aid donors. The danger exists that the enthusiasm shown by some to go to the aid of the tsunami-affected regions, in the wake of the disaster, would eventually evaporate when confronted with practical realities.

It has, therefore, fallen to the Finance Minister's lot to rekindle this charitable instinct, if it is already dying. He will be best placed to do this because he will be meeting the G-8 group in France at the Paris High Level Forum and the EU in Brussels. Given the persuasive powers of the Finance Minister, it could be predicted that he would make an impression at these fora, pleading Sri Lanka's case.

However, it doesn't devolve on only the Finance Minister to maintain the momentum in campaigning for Sri Lanka. His efforts and those of the Government in general should be ably supported by our missions abroad. The change is very often made that these missions are embodiments of inactivity and inertia.

We hope this supposition is not entirely true. We do have some capable diplomats but they should be allowed to do their duty without let or hindrance. We call on the Government to ensure that capable personnel and not political henchmen are posted to our missions abroad.

Our diplomats, on the other hand, should prove that they are capable of sharing these responsibilities and more. They need to overcome any inner paralysis and prove their resourcefulness. Sri Lanka's case should be presented to the world with utmost dynamism and creativity.

The G-8 group comprises the world's mightiest economic powers. We should have their ears if we are to make some headway in efforts to swell our donations.

Perhaps, the G-8 and the EU could utilise this crisis to increase their Official Development Assistance to the developing countries, besides funding the rebuilding programmes of the tsunami-affected. For far too long, the Official Development Assistance from the wealthy countries has been allowed to remain static.

The result has been spreading poverty in the Third World which has rendered them vulnerable to disasters such as the tsunami. Poverty and deprivation have led to refugee migrations from the poor countries to the First World.

Needless to say, such refugee influxes have bred a plethora of problems for the wealthy of the earth. It stands to reason that a cooperative world will be more stable and peaceful.

The future of nuclear power

Cheap, pollution-free, accident-free nuclear power is still a dream, but several new initiatives are being taken to make it a reality. On Monday, representatives of five industrialised countries agreed on a long-range research plan for a new generation of nuclear power generation technology called "Generation IV" nuclear systems.

The United States, France, Britain, Japan and Canada signed the agreement, which aims to coordinate the development of new nuclear technologies for power generation decades from now.

The other six members of the forum expected to sign the agreement in the coming months are Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, South Africa, Switzerland and Euratom, the European atomic energy agency.

Many among us will live to see this technology enter the mainstream. The research will help address the rising global demand for energy and the need to diversify energy sources.

The 11-member Generation IV International Forum has identified six promising technologies for research and development: gas-cooled fast reactor systems, lead-cooled fast reactor systems, molten salt reactors, super-critical-water-cooled reactors and very high temperature reactors.

This complements Japan's and Europe's proposed International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a nuclear fusion based system. This would emulate the sun's nuclear fusion system to generate inexhaustible electricity. ITER will be a test bed for a clean, safe, inexhaustible energy source of the future.

It will take at least 30 years before the first reactor is built with these technologies. But it is a goal worth achieving, since today's nuclear reactors are inefficient and sometimes unstable, as proved by the Chernobyl disaster.

It is also heartening to note that several developing countries are in the Gen IV Alliance - with soaring populations, they already are among the biggest energy users and meeting the rising demand will be impossible unless new technologies are deployed.

As years pass by, we hope the projects would embrace more developed and developing countries, so that the eventual benefits can reach a greater segment of the world population.

Therein lies a caveat, however. There is only a thin line separating the good and bad uses of nuclear energy and given the chance, some countries would like to experiment on its destructive potential. This is why the International Atomic Energy Authority must keep a close eye on nuclear development projects worldwide.

The current oil crisis as well as environmental concerns have given the world another reason for looking at other energy sources including nuclear power. Thermal power is definitely on the way out as nations scramble to opt for more sustainable, renewable energy sources to fuel their economic growth. Nuclear power will become a viable alternative if they get together in earnest.

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