UN General Assembly
2009

power. At the same time, we should ensure that our elections are credible and that they reflect the sovereign will of the people. Governments should not be allowed to conduct elections and then tamper with the outcomes in order to suit their interests. People must be allowed to freely choose their leaders. Botswana reiterates its position that it is fully committed to respecting the integrity and impartiality of the International Criminal Court so that it can freely carry out its judicial mandate. We equally support the principle of universal jurisdiction under international law and practice. However, we object to situations wherein its abuse becomes blatant. In conclusion, I wish to reiterate that the daunting challenges facing our world today, as stated previously, cannot and should not be tackled by any one country or by a group of countries alone. They require a strong multilateral approach that needs the commitment and unyielding support of the international community as a whole. Let us join hands together in an effort to address those complex challenges. Our timely,