UN General Assembly
1999

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. Mr. President, I would like to congratulate you upon your election as President of the General Assembly. The European Union gives you its full support and cooperation throughout this session. Your predecessor, Minister Opertti, also deserves our appreciation. I would also commend the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for the skill with which he has steered this Organization. The European Union pledges its support also to him, as well as its full commitment to the United Nations. 20 I should like to welcome the three new members of the United Nations, the Republics of Kiribati and Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga, into our global family. In overall terms substantial progress has been made in human development. However, its speed and extent have been uneven. The United Nations has a primary role in the advancement of human development. Implementation can be carried out only through close cooperation among different actors: the United Nations, its Member States, its specialized agencies, international financial institutions, regional organizations and civil society.