Humanitarian needs highlighted

The emerging new world order would be far more powerful if based on meeting humanitarian needs to the same extent that it is now based on the use of military might, the Church of Ireland Primate has said.

Archbishop Robin Eames, speaking at the annual dinner of the British Institution of Civil Engineers in London last night, called for a world order where compassion compelled prosperous nations "to strive for higher standards of living for those denied the basics of life".

The connection between world terrorism and poverty could not be ignored, he said.

"War is not the only way of exercising influence in places of potential danger. The new world order has got to be a place where compassion, relief and realism compel those who have to strive for greater equality of opportunity, higher standards of living - above all hope for those denied the basics of life."

Much more than the conflict in Iraq was behind this new order, Dr Eames said, and humanity was being increasingly asked "about power, world institutions, justice and compassion" as never before.

"Hope is still a rare commodity in our world," he said.

Last night's event was presided over by Prof Adrian Long of Queen's University, Belfast, the first Northern Irishman to be president of the British Institution of Civil Engineers.