A/RES/54/231 Page 2 Expressing its grave concern over the generally widening technological gap between the developed and developing countries, particularly in the area of information and communication technology, which is shaping the contours of globalization, Mindful, in the process of trade liberalization, of the diminution of trade preferential margins for developing countries, particularly the least developed countries and small island developing States, and of the need for countries to take measures, as appropriate, in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organization, to address that diminution with a view to offsetting it, Underlining the need to continue to work on a wide range of reforms in order to create a strengthened international financial system, Recognizing the importance of appropriate policy responses at the national level by all countries to the challenges of globalization, in particular by pursuing sound macroeconomic and social policies, noting the need for support from the international community for the efforts of the least developed countries, in particular, to improve their institutional and management capacities, and also recognizing that all countries should pursue policies conducive to economic growth and to promoting a favourable global economic environment, Underlining the importance of promoting the integration of developing countries into the world economy in order to enable them to take the fullest possible advantage of the trading opportunities arising from globalization and liberalization, Underscoring the urgent need to mitigate the negative consequences of globalization and interdependence for all developing countries, including landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and, in particular, African countries and the least developed countries, Convinced of the need, in the context of globalization and interdependence, to develop and to implement policies to promote equity, transparency and inclusion, with the goal of promoting development, particularly of developing countries, Reiterating that the United Nations, as a universal forum, is in a unique position to achieve international cooperation in addressing the challenges of promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence, Convinced that the United Nations has a key role to play in fostering greater coherence, complementarity and coordination in addressing economic and development issues at the global level, Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General,1 Taking note also of the Human Development Report, 1999,2 which focuses on globalization with a human face, 1 A/54/358. 2 United Nations publication, Sales No. E.99.III.B.43. /...