A United Nations-sponsored commission has called for a rethink of globalisation, saying that although it has generated economic growth, it has also deepened the misery of many.
The World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation was chaired jointly by Finland's President Tarja Halonen and President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania.
The report found that if "wisely managed", globalisation could deliver unprecedented
material progress, create more and better jobs, and contribute significantly to reducing world poverty.
It found that, in its current form, there was a growing polarisation between winners and losers from globalisation.
The report found that East Asia saw dramatic economic growth over the past decade, with some 200
million people being lifted out of poverty. But over the same period, sub-Saharan African became poorer.
It called for "better governance" both at country level and within the multilateral system, which has the United Nations at its heart.
The recommendation that decision-making of the UN and multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund should become more democratic, was also made, with more weight being given to the needs and views of developing countries.
It called for a number of economic reforms, including changes to trade rules to give greater access for the goods of Third World countries to the markets of the richer states.
The international financial system should be reformed to reduce the volatility of capital flows across borders, which could destabilise the economies of developing economies, and more money should go to programmes to reduce poverty.
Among the 26 leading figures from international politics, business, economics and workers' organisations, who spent two years investigating the effects of globalisation, were Nobel economics laureate Joseph Stiglitz and Francois Perigot, head of the International Organisation of Employers.