Leaders from Developing World Vow to Win Struggle to Ensure Democracy, Peace, Development with Help of United Nations, as Assembly Debate Continues
Championing their struggle to rebuild strife-torn nations and secure peace and long-term development, several leaders of the global South today appealed to the General Assembly for broad support to help them staunch terrorism, further entrench democracy and ensure that hard-won electoral gains would not be lost.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Championing their struggle to rebuild strife-torn nations and secure peace and long-term development, several leaders of the global South today appealed to the General Assembly for broad support to help them staunch terrorism, further entrench democracy and ensure that hard-won electoral gains would not be lost.
The meeting, a wide-ranging and often impassioned examination of the merits of lasting peace, security and democracy, was interrupted by a late-day procedural debate that led to a ruling by the 192-member Assembly to block the participation of the self-proclaimed President of Madagascar’s High Transitional Authority.
Ahead of that action, a point of order was raised by the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community ( SADC ) and Comoros. Those delegations objected to the participation of Andry Nirina Rajoelina, whose Transitional Government had come to power in Madagascar following a military-backed coup in March.
Although General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki had ruled earlier to allow Madagascar to take the floor, he put the matter to a vote after African delegations challenged that decision, decrying Mr. Rajoelina’s presidency as illegitimate. His participation in the debate today was denied by a recorded vote of 23 against to 4 in favour ( Denmark, Ecuador, Jamaica, Madagascar ), with 6 abstentions ( Cameroon, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Mali, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu ). ( See Annex )
Earlier in the day, Laurent Gbagbo, President of Côte d’Ivoire, offered a view from a country emerging from conflict. That West African nation had resorted to internal methods to help usher the Government -– as well as former rebels -- towards a peace process, which had led to the end of conflict and the beginning of preparations for general elections. Acknowledging the support of the United Nations and others in helping the country return to peace, he said presidential elections would take place on 29 November 2009.
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, said his Government, which had come to power following the Djibouti Peace Process, outlined priorities of improving the security situation, promoting reconciliation and delivering humanitarian assistance to displaced persons. At the same time, however, rebels, many of whom were foreign extremists, were working to bring down his Government through a “violent insurrection”, which only compounded the effects of 18 years of violence and hopelessness.
Nonetheless, the Government was determined to continue political dialogue with all stakeholders, including the armed rebels, with a view to ending the conflict and laying the basis for a transparent system with institutions that reflected the will and cultural values of Somalis. He said such a system would seek to promote the genuine Islamic principles of individual freedom, respect for equity and equal rights, irrespective of gender or ethnicity. With international support, he was confident that Somalia could make genuine, concrete progress.
Similarly, Asif Ali Zardari, President of Pakistan, said his country had suffered greatly from terrorism and extremism that exploited Islam in the name of jihad. But the country also had seen a profound democratic change and had entered a new era of democracy, rule of law and human rights. Democracy had begun to successfully fight militancy -- the challenge now was to make the positive changes sustainable and irreversible.
To that end, he said political ownership of the fight against terrorism was essential, and Pakistani authorities had, within a short period of time, cleared militants from large areas of Malakand. Further, most of the 2.5 million people displaced from that region had returned home and the Government was helping them rebuild their lives. Calling the early return to peace in Afghanistan similarly “critical”, he appealed for global support in reintegrating Afghan refugees, 3 million of whom had been sheltered on Pakistani land for three decades.
On that point, Michel Sleiman, President of Lebanon, said Palestinian refugees similarly could not be denied their natural right of return to their homes and lands, a position that was in line with the Constitution and the national pact of Lebanon, and which would “neither be compromised nor reversed”. He urged the global community to compel Israel to fulfil its obligations. If not, he wondered how the wider region could convince its peoples it was able to achieve comprehensive peace.
Indeed, the Middle East had become a place of tensions, conflicts and wars, and he exhorted that regional peace be realized on a “predetermined and integrated scheme”, and include basic elements that had been mapped out in internationally legitimate resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. He expressed hope that the United Nations, which had originally been established to prevent wars and resolve conflicts through peaceful means, would continue to work through active and unbiased international efforts.
Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, said that, while all had agreed on the need to achieve Middle East peace, counter extremism and establish a regional nuclear-weapon-free zone, the deeper tragedy remained the suffering of Palestinians for more than 60 years, a scene to which the United Nations had borne witness, with its archives of unimplemented resolutions. Israeli settlement policies were undermining the goal of creating a geographically contiguous Palestinian State, and contraveningvarious resolutions, including the Road Map.
Palestinians were also keen to end internal divisions and restore their national unity, which Egypt, Arab countries and others were making “commendable” efforts to achieve, he said. Palestinians had made progress in building institutions and promoting socio-economic development despite the harsh conditions of occupation. Notably, they also would be “resorting to the ballot boxes”, with presidential and legislative elections to be held under the supervision of Arab countries and the United Nations. He was confident that Arab countries would adhere to the Arab Peace Initiative as a foundation for safeguarding Palestinian rights and a way forward for peaceful relations once an independent State of Palestine was established.
Also speaking today were the Presidents of Zimbabwe, Nauru, Palau, Estonia, Burkina Faso, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Dominica, Kiribati, Mauritius, Serbia, Federated States of Micronesia, Congo, Mongolia, Cameroon and Viet Nam, as well as the King of Swaziland.
The Vice-Presidents of Suriname and Liberia also participated in the debate, as did the Prime Ministers of Antigua and Barbuda, Kuwait, Kenya, New Zealand, Montenegro, Central African Republic and Vanuatu.
The Deputy Prime Ministers of Luxembourg, Bahamas, and Solomon Islands also spoke, as did the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Kazakhstan, Benin, Philippines, Azerbaijan and Gabon.
The Assembly will reconvene at 9 a.m. Saturday, 26 September, to continue its general debate.
Background
The General Assembly reconvened today to continue its general debate.
Statements
ROBERT MUGABE, President of Zimbabwe, recalled that his Government, through the years, had underlined the need for the United Nations to truly serve the interest of all States. It was his unchanged belief that all global bodies should abide by the universal principles that underlie multilateral decision-making processes, particularly that of equality among States and the right to development. He hoped to have a candid and holistic debate on the global responses to today’s crises.
Noting that Zimbabwe supported revitalization of the General Assembly to make it more effective, he said that, as the United Nations’s pre-eminent, deliberative and policymaking body, it should play a more active role in mobilizing action against such challenges as peace and security, the financial and economic crisis, economic and social development and climate change. He was greatly concerned at the encroachment of other United Nations bodies on the Assembly’s work, and thus, reiterated the need to strengthen accountability of all the Organization’s principal and subsidiary organs.
He expressed hope that negotiations on Security Council reform would break the deadlock that had prevented progress in an area of strategic interest for Africa. Reform was “imperative” if the Council was to ensure successful implementation of its mandate to maintain international peace and security. That Africa remained underrepresented and without a permanent seat was a serious and antiquated anomaly, whose time for address was overdue. It was clearly a violation of the principle and practice of democracy in international relations. Council reform should urgently take full notice of Africa’s position, which demanded two permanent seats, with complete veto power, plus two additional non-permanent seats.
Continuing, he said the devastating effects of the financial and economic crisis had exposed the “folly” of leaving management of the global economy in the hands of a few self-appointed countries. He fully supported the creation of a follow-up working group under the Assembly’s aegis, saying it should reach an early agreement on immediate international policy actions to support developing countries, including a global stimulus plan.
Such measures, however, would not achieve desired goals without comprehensive reform of the Bretton Woods institutions, which should include representation of sub-Saharan Africa on their Executive Boards. While pleased that the International Monetary Fund had finalized the reallocation of Special Drawing Rights on the basis of the $250 billion pledged by the Group of Twenty ( G‑20 ), he regretted that only $18 billion of those funds had been allocated to low-income countries. Developed countries, which had caused the crisis, received the lion’s share.
On food security, he reiterated his call for a substantial increase in investment in agriculture in developing countries, and it was critical that provisions of agricultural inputs –- seeds, fertilizers and chemicals –- be available to small-scale farmers, particularly women. As such, he called for channelling support towards agriculture, which had “dwindled” in recent decades, and for developed countries to lift or reduce agricultural subsides and open their markets to developing nations.
Turning to the area of health, he said efforts to reduce maternal and child morality, and combat HIV/AIDS, among other diseases, had fallen short of targets. While Zimbabwe had made great strides in its fight against HIV/AIDS –- with a drop in the adult prevalence rate to 11 per cent this year, from 20 per cent in 2000 -–the global community, in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, had to assist in increasing access of affordable essential drugs. For sub-Saharan Africa, malaria also presented a formidable challenge and he urged strengthening national and international commitments to eradicate that scourge.
Welcoming renewed “enthusiasm” of the Russian Federation and the United States to pursue a nuclear-free world, he urged other nuclear-weapons States to do the same. Zimbabwe had chaired the Third Preparatory Committee for the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference and was hopeful that, having secured agreement on the Conference agenda, members would produce renewed commitment to the three pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: nuclear disarmament; non-proliferation; and peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Describing developments in his country, he said that since its formation in February, the inclusive Government had expressed an unwavering commitment to chart a “new vision” for the country and improve people’s lives. Priorities included the maintenance of peace and stability, pursuit of economic recovery and development, promotion of human rights and improvement of conditions for women and children. However, while Southern African Development Community ( SADC ) countries had given Zimbabwe financial and other support when it too had been reeling from the effects of global crisis, the United States and European Union imposed illegal sanctions against his country and refused to remove them. “What are their motives?” he asked.
Similarly, he called for an immediate end to the coercive and illegal 50-year embargo against Cuba, which had lost an estimated $96 billion. He joined the Non-Aligned Movement in its condemnation of the use of coercive measures as a violation of international law and international relations. In closing, he reiterated the need for effective multilateralism to promote global partnership for peace and development. The United Nations and other international bodies should play a lead role in directing the course of events, taking into account the interests of the majority of its members. He expressed hope that through unity, solidarity and cooperation, the challenges could be addressed. “Let us rise to the occasion,” he said.
MARCUS STEPHEN, President of Nauru, said the new millennium had been no stranger to crisis. The world had seen how ideological extremism could foment turmoil, learned that financial instability could quickly spread across global markets, and been reminded that, “We disrespect the environment at our peril.” While global challenges might shock, they should not surprise: most stemmed from problems that had been allowed to fester for years, if not decades and all were inextricably linked to the global community’s choices about commerce and development. As they were global in nature, they required a global response, and he called for revitalizing international systems of governance.
Large countries tended to dominate international fora and drown out others. “In the case of climate change, I mean this quite literally,” he said, urging that States consider the impacts of activities on the most vulnerable.
In addition, he said the global community should renew its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, explaining that after success in the 1990s, progress had slowed. In the Pacific, where nearly 40 per cent of the population lived on less than $1 a day, the Asian crisis devastated many regional economies, while the recent spike in food and energy prices strained limited resources.
The Pacific confronted unique challenges in reaching the Goals, as the region’s remoteness made it difficult to access world markets and increased the costs of doing business. By way of example, he said that for most countries, the food crisis had eased, as commodity prices had fallen, but in Nauru, the price of a bag of rice increased by 80 per cent in the past year, hovering now at above $60. The rest of the world paid less than $25. The time had come for the global community to deliver on its promise and dedicate 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income to helping developing countries meet their goals.
In addition, it was vital that the United Nations boosts its engagement in the Pacific, he said, noting that Nauru had requested the Organization to open an Office there for the past four years. It was critical that United Nations agencies work more closely with national Governments to ensure that accurate data was available for planning and policymaking. The temptation to add “layers upon layers” of new programmes also must be avoided.
Continuing, he said the international community also had to reform the world financial system so that developing countries could equitably share in economic prosperity, explaining that reforms should aim to facilitate growth in developing nations and increase their resilience to abrupt economic fluctuations.
Calling for swift steps to mitigate climate change, starting with a bold agreement in Copenhagen, he said climate change presented the greatest threat to small island developing States such as his. Flooding was already eroding Nauru’s shores and contaminating its water supply, while ocean acidification was damaging the marine ecosystems it depended on for food and livelihood.
While science called for reducing greenhouse gas concentrations to 350 parts per million, most developed nations had proposed targets that would result in far higher concentrations, he said. That was not acceptable. If an engineer said eight columns were necessary to support a building, would any responsible person recommend using only four? “Then why are the most vulnerable countries asked to accept proposals that would surely lead to our extinction?” Developed countries must also provide the financial, technical and human resources necessary for developing nations to address a problem not of their making.
Continuing, he said Taiwan could contribute to cooperation on climate change and should be invited to play a larger role in the United Nations system, particularly in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process. It was also vital that the Security Council monitor developments and pay special attention to the most vulnerable groups in the world’s poorest countries, including women and children and indigenous persons.
As for Security Council reform, he said the Council should become more representative in permanent and non-permanent categories, to reflect current geopolitical realities. Japan, India, Germany and Brazil should be made permanent members and he called on the Assembly to accept Taiwan’s participation in its specialized agencies.
Discussing national developments, he said that, in cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum, Nauru outlined key governance and development priorities in the Pacific Regional Assistance to Nauru, which included re-evaluating fiscal policies, reviewing the Constitution and reforming the education sector. Such efforts were an example of how country-focused development aid could quickly lift a nation out of crisis and back onto the sustainable development path. In that context, he expressed appreciation to Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan and the Forum Countries.
In closing, he said the United Nations system was born at a time of great crisis and ushered in over a half century of peace and prosperity. However, the benefits were not equally shared and two thirds of humanity was largely lest behind. The time had come to take up the project begun 64 years ago, so that future prosperity could be shared by all.
JOHNSON TORIBIONG, President of Palau, said his country, a new and young Member of the United Nations, remembered and honoured the legacy of the Organization. He went on to list a number of challenges facing the international community, including climate change, environmental degradation and the global financial crisis. “We are now confronted with several looming threats to our continued peaceful way of life, and indeed, to our very existence,” he said.
With regard to climate change, he applauded the commitments made by members of the Assembly and outlined a joint regional policy –- “Green Energy Micronesia” -- adopted by Palau and its neighbours in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, that sought to make renewable energy a pillar in the area’s collective energy security. Palau had also signed the statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency ( IRENA ) and expressed hope that the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen would yield results.
He lauded the vision and commitment in this area shown by Yukio Hatoyama, Prime Minister of Japan, and said that was just one reason Palau supported Japan obtaining a permanent seat on the Security Council. He also noted that Palau and the Pacific small island developing States had initiated resolution 63/281 “Climate Change and Its Possible Security Implications” and he looked forward to the Security Council’s action on the issue.
On the subject of the environment, he said that the people of Palau had always lived in symbiosis with the sea. “We are seeing now, though, that the sea, which has long been the source of our sustenance, is both rising in rage to destroy us, and becoming barren,” he said. “This fury was caused by the abuses of humankind and we, therefore, need to take every action necessary to allow the oceans to heal themselves,” he added, and called for an international moratorium on deep-sea bottom trawling, which contributed to the rapid loss of coral reefs, a critical ecosystem.
He also advocated an end to the destructive practice of “shark-finning” to save sharks from extinction; Palau, for its part, would become the first national shark sanctuary in the world. With that move, Palau would end all commercial shark fishing in its waters and provide a sanctuary of some 237,000 square miles of ocean to live and reproduce unmolested. Finally, he decried overexploitation of tuna stocks and called for the establishment of the Organization of Tuna Exporting Countries to give island States fair value for the threatened resource and to make tuna fishing sustainable.
As for the economic crisis, he expressed gratitude for the development grants his country had received from allies and partners. But he implored those States to help create international partnerships to advance the economy of Palau so his country could move away from taking handouts. In conclusion, he said: “We have heard the voices of world leaders from countries large and small, powerful and vulnerable. We have heard the voice of science. Let us heed these voices, fulfil our obligations to our people, and work for a strong economy and a healthy planet.”
TOOMAS HENDRIK ILVES, President of Estonia, said that even if the financial crisis was connected to issues of peace, security, human rights and development, it should not be allowed to overshadow all other global challenges. At the same time, however, while the world economy seemed to have stabilized, the crisis was not over, and there was still a need to restore confidence and repair the financial system, he said.
On the subject of climate change, he thanked the Secretary-General for hosting the Climate Change Summit earlier in the week, which had finally brought home to all Member States the magnitude of the task ahead. “Time is running out,” he said, adding: “Melting glaciers, frequent and abnormally large hurricanes, floods and heat waves –- this is not the planet Earth we want to leave to our children.” He called for binding goals to be set at the Copenhagen Climate Summit, and underscored that the “polluter pays” principle would have the greatest effect.
Regarding international security, he reiterated his country’s support for Georgia and its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Next, he expressed concern about the situation in Afghanistan and noted that Estonia was one of the countries that had steadily increased military and civilian contributions to that country. Finally, on that issue he warned about new challenges, such as the increasing number of cyber attacks, which endangered vital information technology systems, as well as whole communities, and called for the creation of a universal cyber culture –- “a universally accessible, secure and safe environment for all”.
Turning to humanitarian affairs, he said the international community must provide a more predictable, equitable and consistently effective response to complex emergencies, an effort that required more assistance and better coordination. While many countries had suffered due to the global financial crisis, it was important to keep up commitments to humanitarian relief. “Today’s short-sighted financial decisions or fading political will may, in the end, become much more expensive and entail severe long-term consequences.” He went on to laud the efforts by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs towards more efficiency and coordination, and said that the launch of the Central Emergency Response Fund ( CERF ) had helped in this regard.
In conclusion, he spoke of the need for reform within the United Nations, particularly regarding the Security Council, and warned that there would be “severe consequences” if the reform process wasn’t completed. Estonia was a dedicated supporter of United Nations initiatives that fostered gender equality. The various challenges ahead called for a united response, he said. “This is why we -– the leaders of all nations -– once again have gathered here this week: to remind ourselves to keep our eyes on the horizon of peace and prosperity, and to make sure that we are in the same boat.”
LAURENT GBAGBO, President of Côte d’Ivoire, said his country had resorted to internal methods to help usher the State, as well as former rebels, towards a peace process, which had led to the end of conflict and the start of preparations for general elections. Acknowledging the support of the United Nations and friendly nations in helping the country return to peace, he said presidential elections would take place on 29 November 2009.
He said the 2008 energy crisis had been unprecedented, citing that the price of a barrel of crude oil had shot up to more than $140. Furthermore, the food and financial crises had rapidly escalated into a deep economic crisis. The world had recognized the effect of those three simultaneous crises on the social and political situation, creating a wave of panic and uncertainty. Consequently, international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) mobilized on behalf of the international community, to rise to those unbridled political and social challenges, even in Europe.
Nonetheless, he said, the financial crisis had, contrary to the world’s timid or even diffident reaction, impacted Africa more than anywhere else. Indeed, the continent’s economic and social fragility had been exposed. No country, in Africa or elsewhere, had escaped the economic upheavals, proving it was high time for reforms in the global financial and monetary systems.
The United Nations had to undergo reform to continue playing a key role in multilateral diplomacy, he said, noting that the Organization must take important steps to curb the growth of extremism, through intercultural dialogue. Recalling the High-level Interreligious Dialogue for a Culture of Peace that had taken place in November 2008, he said that event reinforced the need to sensitize the world to the importance of preventive diplomacy, among other things. Member States might consider creating a mechanism for a permanent dialogue among civilizations.
On global peace and security, he said the only way to ensure sustainable peace efficiently was to ensure a democratic Security Council that would treat conflicts and situations equitably. At the same time, while more countries should be represented among the Council’s membership, that body should do more to bolster its tools for conflict prevention, management and resolution. The Council could also consider passing such tasks along to regional and sub regional bodies.
He also stressed that world peace and security relied on the eradication of poverty, which his country was concerned about and, to that end, welcomed the results of recent meetings on the Millennium Goals and development in Africa. Indebted countries were bound to sink and the world would sink with them unless swift action was taken to shore up the global economic system, reduce debt burdens, and ensure the achievement of the Millennium Goals.
Deserts in West Africa were advancing towards coastlines, wiping out towns in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, he warned. Floods and expanding deserts were now common in West Africa. While Africa wanted to do its part to combat the evolving scourge of climate change, it felt abandoned by the wider international community. Also troubling was that in the near future, clean water would be difficult to find and that not all countries had the resources to transform sea water into potable water. He called for a United Nations meeting that would lead to decisive action on such maters.
BLAISE COMPAORÉ, President of Burkina Faso, said that due to their weak and fragile economies, African countries had borne the brunt of the economic and political consequences of the financial crisis. It was not fair for them to pay the price for a crisis in which they had played no real role in generating. He urged the creation of development partnerships that would rectify the wrongs of a failing global economic system.
In the aftermath of post-crisis talks, he welcomed the prospects of a more virtuous system of global governance that would lead to sustainable development for all States. It was crucial to boost aid to developing countries in order to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals were reached. On climate change, he said floods were becoming more frequent, citing a deadly and destructive event that had inundated Burkina Faso in September 2009.
It was crucial for States to take action as a matter of necessity to find appropriate solutions to climate fluctuations and global warming. In this regard, he thanked the international community for mobilizing to tackle those menacing issues and stressed that the upcoming Climate Summit in Copenhagen would be a prime opportunity to take bold decisions to protect people and the planet. He announced that next month, his country would host the Seventh World Forum of Sustainable Development, focused on “Climate Change, Mobility and Sustainable Prospects of Development”. That event would allow Africa, which had weaker means to adjust to the ramifications of climate change, to bolster its contribution to the global debate on the matter.
Turning to other matters, he said recurrent global conflicts posed a veritable threat to peace and international security, and hindered social and economic progress. Burkina Faso was gravely concerned at the situation in the Sudan’s western Darfur region, and reaffirmed its willingness to help the Sudan reach a peaceful settlement. The international community’s effort to pave the way for dialogue leading to a peace agreement between the two sides was indispensable. On Somalia, he said States must support that country’s Transitional Federal Government in its bid to restore security throughout the war-ravaged peninsula.
On Guinea and Madagascar, he called on political players to engage in constructive dialogue in order to return to constitutional order swiftly. He commended the African Union in its efforts to find solutions to troubled hot spots around the world. Elections in Guinea-Bissau were an example of how far the international community had succeeded in its bid to foster peace. In Côte d’Ivoire and Togo, the commitment of political actors meant that peace deals would be applied effectively.
He went on to say the proliferation of nuclear arms had posed a huge divisive threat to the international community for some years. Thanking United States President Barack Obama for successfully organizing and leading a Security Council meeting on disarmament and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, he said that event could jumpstart the movement towards a world without nuclear weapons, whereby nuclear power would be more for civil purposes. He urged for a cautious but determined approach to reforming the United Nations in general and the Security Council in particular, with a fairer representation of Member States, which would bolster the work of the Council and revitalize the General Assembly.
MICHEL SLEIMAN, President of Lebanon, began his statement by expressing hope that his country would be elected to a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for 2010-2011. Lebanon approached that election with “great confidence”, as the country had been a founding Member of the Organization and had significantly contributed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He reaffirmed Lebanon’s willingness to participate in the Security Council and to the resolutions of international legitimacy, especially those which aim to ensure peace in the Middle East.
However, the Middle East had become a place of tensions, conflicts and wars. He urged that Middle East peace should be achieved on a “pre-determined and integrated scheme”, with basic elements that had been mapped out in resolutions of international legitimacy, such as the Madrid Peace Conference and the Arab Peace Initiative. The key to peace was political will, but the Israeli side lacked it. He added that “Israeli threats of attacks and wars persist as a means to impose control and hegemony, as well as to impose a fait accompli.”
Thus, he urged the international community to resort to appropriate means of pressure to compel Israel to fulfil its international obligations towards the peace process. If not, he wondered how the wider region could convince its peoples that the international community was capable of achieving a just and comprehensive peace, including Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories. He noted that people have a right to retrieve their occupied territories “through all legitimate and available means, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and its relevant resolutions.”
Then, he turned to the issue of Palestinian refugees and noted that addressing that situation required a political solution and that the Palestinians could not be denied their natural right of return to their homes and lands. That position was in accordance with the Constitution and national pact of Lebanon. “Let it be known that such a position will neither be compromised nor reversed,” he said, expressing his gratitude to the countries that supported that position.
Turning inward, he noted Lebanon’s accomplishments: maintenance of internal stability, dismantling “Israeli spying networks” and terrorist cells, while striving to implement Security Council resolution 1701 ( 2006 ). Lebanon had also reinforced bilateral relations with friendly countries, and had recently carried out transparent parliamentary elections. Lebanon was looking forward to forming a national unity government “very soon”, in the hopes of launching the political, administrative and judicial reform processes in line with the wishes of its people.
He was resolute in the fact that Lebanon had been able to boost its credibility, avoid the aftermath of the global financial crisis and raise its growth rate to almost 6 per cent and attract tourism and investment. He ended by recalling the situation in the Middle East, and expressing hope that the United Nations, which was originally established to prevent wars and resolve conflicts through peaceful means, would continue to work “through the active and unbiased international efforts”.
SHEIKH SHARIF SHEIKH AHMED, President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, thanked all those who had promoted peace and stability in his country, as well as those that had delivered aid to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He expressed condolences to those who had lost their lives in defence of those principles.
Describing priorities of his Government, which came to power following the Djibouti Peace Process, he said it would be imperative to improve the security situation, promote reconciliation and deliver humanitarian assistance to displaced persons. Unfortunately, rebels were working to bring down his Government and were conducting a “violent insurrection” against Transitional Authorities, which only compounded the negative effects of 18 years of violence and unemployment.
Foreign elements had joined the rebellion, he explained, some of whom had become leaders. Reminding the Assembly that his Government had overcome an attempted coup d’état, that success had been due, in part, to efforts of the Government and people, and assistance from the global community, especially the African Union. For its part, Somalia was working to create new naval forces, including a new Coast Guard, and to tackle piracy, which threatened shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. However, there was still a long road to travel to that end.
In that context, he said there was a new type of rebellion under way in Somalia, one conducted by foreign extremists and which was against Islam, peace and security. The extremists were “spoilers” who had taken advantage of the anarchy that had prevailed over the past 18 years. The situation should not be taken lightly and the global community must take “prompt and decisive steps” to ensure that Somalis were not held hostage by those working against their destiny. The consequences of inaction risked creating trouble in neighbouring countries. However, he stressed that terrorism was not confined to Somalia and should be tackled at the international level.
Similarly, he said that if Somalia’s security situation remained unchanged, piracy would continue. While that scourge had slowed, thanks to international efforts, among others, more attention was needed. In addition, activities like illegal fishing and pillaging of national wealth not only violated Somali sovereignty but damaged the environment.
Nonetheless, he was determined to continue political dialogue among all stakeholders, including the armed rebels, and “sit at the table to negotiate” an end to conflict. Indeed, he would spare no effort in finding a lasting solution to ensure the security of all Somali people and territory. Though the rebels did not believe in dialogue, he was ready to lay the basis for a transparent system, notably by establishing institutions that reflected the will and cultural values of Somalis.
Such a system would be based on the protection of human rights and rule of law, and would seek to promote the genuine Islamic principles of individual freedom, respect for equity and equal rights, irrespective of gender or ethnicity.
In addition, he said the Government would work to establish an economic system, based on market economics, which would encourage foreign direct investment and individual ownership. Institutions to combat corruption would also be created.
“At this difficult moment in history, we need assistance and support,” he said, particularly in terms of security and humanitarian aid. It would be difficult to protect human rights without achieving security. Outlining Somalia’s needs, he said measures should be taken to promote police services, and judicial and administrative services. African Union troops should be increased. The refugee situation continued to deteriorate, and more than 3.8 million people needed humanitarian assistance.
Regarding the resolution adopted by the Security Council on the arms embargo, he urged that body to reconsider that matter and help Somalia build its security forces, without which, efforts to reconstruct the country would be impossible. He also asked donors attending the Brussels Donor Conference to make further funding available.
In closing, he expressed his firm belief that security advances would likely help counter the economic and social impacts of the “offensive” that had occurred for the last 18 years. In that context, he called for relaunching the enterprising spirit of Somalis. With remittances from those living abroad, tangible progress had been seen and he believed the economy could progress “reasonably” in coming years. As the economic crisis had placed an additional burden on Somalis, there was a need for joint and urgent action for Somalia. With international support, he was confident that Somalia could make genuine, concrete progress.
GJORGE IVANOV, President of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, emphasized the necessity for the United Nations to help resolve the financial crisis and prevent future crises. He stressed that current economic problems should not shift the focus from what he called “the absolute priority”, the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Equally pressing was dealing with one of the biggest challenges for humanity, climate change. “Our children, the generations to come, oblige us to preserve our planet.” The last minutes were being counted down and coordinated and serious measures could no longer be postponed. His country had been a party to the Convention on Climate Change for a decade and had had great expectations for the Copenhagen conference. He pledged his country’s commitment to related global efforts.
In meeting those challenges, as well as achieving what he called the “primary goals” of peace, democracy and human rights, he said effective multilateralism was crucial. In that effort, he strongly supported efforts towards improvement of United Nations system coherence. He said that dialogue was also important, pointing out that his country represented an example of successful multi-ethnic and multi-confessional cohabitation, and hosted the Summit on Dialogue among Civilizations in 2003, which in turn had become an annual meeting organized in the South-East Europe region, under United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) auspices.
His country, he said, was also committed to the promotion of democracy, to the improvement of the standard of living of its citizens and to essential reforms in all spheres, and had achieved impressive progress in those areas. It, therefore, expected the start of accession negotiations with the European Union. It had also fulfilled all foreseen conditions for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ). It was an active supporter of regional cooperation, so integration with those groups was a strategic priority.
However, the actions of its southern neighbour, he said, prevented his country from NATO membership and were contrary to the obligations undertaken in the 1995 Interim Agreement. Those actions had been taken to influence the outcome of negotiations held under the auspices of the United Nations. He stressed that his country was “sincerely dedicated” to resolving differences with its southern neighbour within the mechanisms set forth in United Nations resolutions. Despite the absurdity of the dispute, his country sincerely hoped that the only obstacle preventing it from joining the Euro-Atlantic family would soon be removed.
He wanted to state clearly that his country was prepared to discuss the issues foreseen in the United Nations resolutions only, and was prepared for a solution that was a reasonable and fair compromise, which should not touch upon, nor deny national, cultural and linguistic identity in any way. At the same time, there was no more sovereign right than the right of self-determination and self-identification, “A right cherished by many generations before us.” He hoped that Greece would abandon its policy of taking actions from positions of power in order to unfavourably influence the outcome of the disputed issue and that, “We can reach a solution that will have no winners and no losers.”
NICHOLAS LIVERPOOL, President of Dominica, said the world was experiencing a period of “unprecedented crises”, which had the potential to bring social and political instability. “The citizens of the small vulnerable States among us will be the worst hit and, therefore, continue to warrant the special attention of this body”.
He went on to outline regional responses to the crisis, and collaborations under the auspices of the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ), but also said that small island developing States and least developed countries still needed practical assistance and financial support from the wider international community.
With regard to the ongoing food crisis, he reminded the Assembly that more than a billion people went to bed hungry every night. While praising the United Nations System High-level Task Force on Global Food Security as a timely and welcome initiative, and lauding the Group of Eight ( G-8 ) pledge of $15 billion towards food security, he warned, however, that harmful agricultural subsidies in developed countries could curtail the desired objective.
Climate change, he continued, was one of the leading generational challenges. Dominica supported biodiversity conservation and he announced the country’s intention to become a model for sustainable development. Further, Dominica was already promoting energy efficiency domestically, and was already generating 40 per cent of its electricity by hydropower. With further development of geothermal resources, Dominica should be able to reach the target of generating 100 per cent of its electricity through renewable energy by 2015.
Regarding international relations, he voiced concern about the current economic situation in Haiti and called for development assistance to that country to ensure the success of peacebuilding efforts. Wrapping up, he reiterated his plea for a sound climate agreement to be reached at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change summit in Copenhagen to “protect the inhabitants of this planet, particularly the most vulnerable, from one of the most serious challenges ever to confront humanity”.
ANOTE TONG, President of Kiribati, declared that climate change was the greatest moral challenge of our time, and the world could not afford the consequences of inaction. The people of his country were already feeling the impacts of climate change, which he said would only worsen with time. “We, together with those of other low-lying States, are the human face of climate change.”
He advocated pragmatic adaptation strategies, and stressed that it was the Government’s desire to “maintain our homeland and our sovereignty”. However, with the island’s ever-shrinking ability to support life, its growing population and rising sea levels, the Government also wanted to provide opportunities for those who wished to migrate to do so, on merit and with dignity. While calling for assistance with adaptation measures, he also asked those nations that might need his country’s labour to open their doors.
Urging international support for relocation strategies, he referred to strategies, in cooperation with New Zealand and Australia, such as the Kiribati Australia Nursing Initiative and the Australia Pacific Technical College, which he believed could be implemented more broadly and could become win-win options for all concerned.
Turning to the international community’s work on climate change, he said it would be important to reach consensus in Copenhagen, and asked: “If we can mobilize trillions of dollars to address the challenges to the global economy, then we are capable of taking the actions necessary to deal with the challenges of the global environment.” The key was to capitalize on collective political will, he said urging delegations not to waste time on “diplomatic-speak, posturing and empty platitudes”.
He said that everyone knew what needed to be done and stressed that the Copenhagen summit provided an opportunity to enter into a global compact for action on climate change –- between developed and developing; North and South; East and West. “This is perhaps our last chance. If we do not act now, who will?”
Moving on to graduating from least developed country status, he said Kiribati’s vulnerability as a small island developing State should be taken into account when considering it for such graduation. Indeed, losing the international assistance provided the least developed countries would be detrimental to Kiribati’s development efforts.
ASIF ALI ZARDARI, President of Pakistan, said his country would work to fashion a better and safer world in which everybody lived in peace and harmony. Pakistan had witnessed profound democratic change and had entered a new era of democracy, rule of law and human rights. Democracy, for which Pakistan had struggled hard, was not only crucial for his country but also for the region and the world. He recalled his late wife Benazir Bhutto’s tireless efforts in her fight for democracy, which led to her tragic death, and hailed international efforts to investigate her assassination.
Democracy in Pakistan had begun to successfully fight militancy. The challenge now was to make democracy sustainable and irreversible, and to give people peace and stability, progress and prosperity. Following decades of conflicts, he said Pakistan had suffered greatly from terrorism and extremism, which was based on exploiting Islam in the name of jihad, allowing warlords and criminals to destroy civilizations to come.
“The virus [spread] and affected the world. We must strike at its roots. Surgery alone will not be enough.” he declared, adding that Pakistan stood fully united in that struggle. Democracy and political ownership of the combat against terrorism were key weapons in the fight against militancy and extremism. Indeed, Pakistan’s law enforcement authorities had, within a short period of time, cleared militants from large areas in Malakand. Further, most of the 2.5 million people displaced from that region had returned to their homes, and the Government was currently helping them rebuild their lives.
He went on thank those that had supported Pakistan’s efforts to defeat the militants, and urged the international community to reinforce its help and support in that regard. And while Pakistan was determined to wipe out terrorism and extremism, the early return to peace and stability in Afghanistan was critical. He called for international support during the reintegration of Afghan refugees, 3 million of whom had been sheltering in Pakistani territory over the past three decades.
Continuing, he said the flow of weapons across the region must stop, and the funding of drug barons and other criminal elements must also cease. Pakistan believed regional efforts could ensure peace and stability and combat terrorism and extremism. He urged world democracies to do more for peace and development in areas where militancy and terror had struck, stressing that it was necessary to create more economic opportunities for people.
He expressed his country’s wish to be on amicable terms with neighbouring India, citing that he looked forward to resuming the composite dialogue process, and finding a peaceful solution to pending disputes such as the Kashmir issue, to ensure lasting peace and stability in South Asia.
On other global issues, he called for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as for the full implementation of United Nations resolutions guaranteeing the rights of the Palestinian people. Noting that all States sought peace and security, he called for equal security among all nations, saying that was fundamental to ensuring arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. Pakistan would carry on playing a role in promoting conflict-resolution in South Asia and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation initiatives, he added.
MAHMOUD ABBAS, President of the Palestinian Authority, said there was a full agenda before the Assembly and the world’s peoples were looking for what could be done to save the planet from climate change, address the international financial crisis and reform the United Nations, including the Security Council, to reflect the current global situation. Such common concerns must not hide or ignore that there were serious problems in the Middle East, the foremost of which was the lack of commitment to the United Nations Charter.
While all agreed on the need to achieve Middle East peace, counter extremism and violence, and establish a regional nuclear-weapon-free zone, the deeper tragedy remained the suffering of Palestinians since Al-Nakba more than 60 years ago, to which the United Nations had borne witness, as its archives held hundreds of unimplemented resolutions.
Palestinian suffering resulting from Israel’s colonial occupation was clear, he explained. Since the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including East Jerusalem, in 1967, Israel had continued its settlement policy on Palestinian land, especially in Jerusalem, where it had been accelerated through seizure of Palestinian homes. New settlement neighbourhoods were being built and Jerusalem was growing completely isolated due to settlements and the “apartheid wall”.
“We are facing a unique situation,” he said. If international law did not allow the acquisition of territory by force, how would the current situation be addressed? Israeli settlement policies were undermining the goal of establishing a geographically contiguous Palestinian State, contraveningvarious resolutions, including the Road Map, which was based on land for peace.
While many conferences had been held since the signing of the 1993 Oslo Accords, conflict persisted, he said. United States President Barack Obama had given hope to Palestinians with his vision of a peace agreement on the basis of a two-State solution and the end of settlement activities. He welcomed such active United States diplomacy to revive the peace process and efforts of the international Quartet.
Such efforts had been confronted with Israeli intransigence, and refusal to adhere to requirements for re-launching the peace process. How could one conceive of holding negotiations without agreement on the terms of reference, and the objective that the whole world had unanimously agreed upon, namely ending Israeli occupation of the territories occupied in 1967, establishing a State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital, and reaching a just solution to the question of Palestine refugees on the basis of resolution 194 ( III ) ( 1948 )? In that context, he expressed deep appreciation for President Obama’s recent speech, in which he had reaffirmed the need to end the 1967 occupation and the illegitimacy of the settlements. He also stressed the need for addressing final-status issues, including Jerusalem, refugees, borders and water.
Reaffirming his interest in achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, he cautioned that the settlement policy and building of the separation wall would abort opportunities to re-launch the peace process. “Time is running out and the risks are becoming greater as a result of the continued suffering of the Palestine people under the last occupation in the world,” he said. With that, he called on the global community to exert pressure on Israel to cease its settlement activities, comply with agreements, end occupation policies, release some 11,000 prisoners and lift the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, which had caused thousands of casualties.
Palestinians were also keen to end internal division and restore their national unity, which Egypt, Arab countries and others were making “commendable” efforts to achieve. Palestinians had made progress in building institutions and promoting economic and social development despite the harsh conditions of occupation. Notably, they also would be “resorting to the ballot boxes”, with presidential and legislative elections to be held under the supervision of Arab countries and the United Nations.
“Hope will remain alive in our souls,” he said, and Palestinians would not despair to regain their rights on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions. Reaffirming his commitment to the Road Map, the Arab Peace Initiative and all terms of reference of the political process, he called on all parties to abide by those strategies with a view to re-launching a successful peace process. He was confident that Arab countries would adhere to the Arab Peace Initiative as a foundation for safeguarding Palestinian rights and a way forward for peaceful relations once an independent State of Palestine was established.
WINSTON BALDWIN SPENCER, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda, began by quoting a 1920 speech by former United States President Calvin Coolidge, who had said “[…] the benefit of one is the benefit of all, and the neglect of one is the neglect of all.” Those words were just as timely today, he said, as humanity was being tested by the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Additional challenges included the increased incidence of pandemics, worsening poverty, the adverse consequences of climate change and tensions over peace and security.
For small island States like his, the impacts of such issues had been exacerbated by ill-conceived interventions, and while many had spoken of a globalization that that would lift all boats on a sea of economic opportunity, it was now clear that such tidescould turn into an economic tsunami that washed away development gains that had taken decades to be realized. Stronger economies had to be aware that their welfare was inseparably bound to that of the weakest nations.
In the pursuit of new strategies, he encouraged exploring alternative models, like that of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, which promoted complementarity as an alternative to competition; solidarity as opposed to domination; cooperation as a replacement for exploitation; and respect for sovereignty rather than corporate rule. He commended the IMF decision to limit conditionalities to those critical to achieving goals of country programmes.
Turning to international financial governance, he called on developed countries to ensure their response strategies involved better international cooperation on tax issues, notably through inclusive frameworks that ensured the equal treatment of small jurisdictions, as stated in the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis. He urged the Assembly to follow up on the Conference’s outcome and to take an inclusive approach that allowed for participation of those nations that were not members of the G-8 or G-20.
Continuing, he said traditional Western-based models of development cooperation had failed, stressing the need to promote partnerships that supported sustainable development, based on principles of mutual respect, equality and a genuine desire to effect social and economic development. Trade arrangements with the European Union, among others, would work in the interest of the parties, and a focus on development would ensurethose arrangements produced positive results. Further, he called on the United States to unequivocally end its embargo on Cuba.
On climate change, he said the parallels between the global economic crisis and the climate change crisis “are both stark and dire” for small island States. Antigua and Barbuda had joined others at a recent meeting of the Alliance of Small Island States ( AOSIS ) in sending a strong message on the need for bold and ambitious action. Those States were profoundly disappointed at the lack of action within the Climate Change Convention negotiations to protect their nations. As such, he fully supported China’s call for developed countries to provide new, additional and adequate support to developing nations.
Describing how Antigua and Barbuda had made gender equality and women’s empowerment central to the national development strategy, he also said that gun violence had escalated significantly in recent years, and he requested greater cooperation and United Nations support to eliminate that threat. He fully supported a legally binding arms trade treaty to prevent the illegal international transfer of arms. Also, the threat posed by non-State actors acquiring weapons of mass destruction was shared by countries large and small, and he supported extending the mandate of Security Council resolution 1540 ( 2004 ). He forcefully rejected the continued use of the Caribbean Sea for the trans-shipment of nuclear waste.
Finally, he said Antigua and Barbuda looked forward to the erection of a permanent memorial to the victims of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery, and to the start of serious dialogue on the issue of reparations. In closing, he urged all to demonstrate –- in word and deed -– the belief that the welfare of the weakest and the mightiest were inseparably bound.
NASSER AL-MOHAMMAD AL-AHMAD AL-SABAH, Prime Minister of Kuwait said that with the myriad of complex and diverse problems facing the global community, a strong, effective United Nations was needed now more than ever. He encouraged Member States to uphold their responsibilities in supporting the Organization and urged the United Nations, for its part, to improve its own administrative structure and “rise to a level which would match the dangers of the times in which the world lives”, while engaging regional and specialized organizations as well. In its own capacity, Kuwait would be participating in the upcoming Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen, and in December would be hosting the thirtieth Summit Conference of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States, where the agenda would focus on building a framework to integrate those States, commencing with the linking of the electrical power grids between States of the Cooperation Council. He hoped that strategic step would be the start of many others, including monetary unification.
Kuwait was proud to top the list of Arab States and hold the thirty-third position globally in the Human Development Report issued the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ), he said. It was also proud to be in the third place globally in the field of combating illegal drugs. At the same time, Kuwait would continue to contribute to development projects through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which, since its establishment in 1961, had provided some $14.5 billion in assistance in more than 100 countries. Although a developing country, Kuwait’s contribution of 1.31 per cent of its gross national product to humanitarian development exceeded the .45% of GNP of OCED member States. He also noted that Kuwait had hosted the first Economic Development Summit Conference for the Arab States, which focused on economic cooperation, trade exchange and the raising of living standards for Arab citizens. In Kuwait’s parliamentary elections this year, a “quality transformation” had taken place, with four women obtaining the trust of voters, continuing the expansion of women into public service and private enterprise.
Addressing the question of Palestine, he expressed concern for the deteriorating political, economic, social and humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, despite international and regional efforts and initiatives to the contrary, and condemned the Israeli military aggression on Gaza last year where homes, property and civilian infrastructure facilities had been demolished and 1,400 Palestinians, mostly children and women, were killed. In light of the United Nations fact-finding mission documenting war crimes, he called for the Security Council to take the necessary measures needed to stop Israel’s violation of international humanitarian law. Its own contributions and pledges for both relief aid and support for the Palestinian Authority exceeded $200 million. Kuwait had also donated $34 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East ( UNRWA ) to cover the costs of urgently needed relief aid.
Speaking on Iraq, he commended all efforts to achieve peace and security, while preserving Iraq’s sovereignty, its national unity, its territorial integrity and the non-interference in its internal affairs. He pledged Kuwait’s continuing assistance for the building of a unified and peaceful Iraq through dialogue and national reconciliation actions. He then encouraged Iran to resolve outstanding issues regarding the occupied Emirates Islands through direct negotiations or through the International Court of Justice.
He noted with great satisfaction the recent Security Council summit focusing on nuclear disarmament and creating a world free of nuclear weapons. To that end, he applauded the unanimous adoption of resolution 1887 ( 2009 ). However, endeavours to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons were of utmost importance and he urged Israel to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty and subject all of its facilities to the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ). While supporting the rights of all States to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, he encouraged negotiations between Iran and IAEA so that a peaceful solution for all involved would be realized. He concluded with hopes that the international community woul
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