Time to get rid of the term third world: Zoellick

Washington, Apr 15: World Bank President, Robert Zoellick said on Wednesday, Apr 14, that it is time to stop using the term 'Third World' to refer to developing countries and acknowledge that they are an essential part of a new, fast evolving, multi-polar international economy.

Referring to the global economic crisis in 2009, Zoellick said that the emergence of nations like China, India and Brazil as an increasing economic power clearly highlighted that the categorisation of First and Third Worlds, donor and supplicant, leader and led, is no longer applicable.

The World Bank head said that it is essential to involve developing countries in solving big international issues.

"We cannot afford geopolitics as usual," he said.

During his talk at Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, Zoellick said that developed countries fail to consider the need of the developing countries in their one-size-fits-all approach.

"While we must take care of the environment, we cannot consign African children to homework by candlelight or deny African workers manufacturing jobs," he said.

OneIndia News