UN General Assembly
1994

In this brief overview of some of the major issues in the world, I wish to stress the importance of peacekeeping operations. I consider it useful to rethink the problems of such operations, whose motives and procedures for implementation seem very often to involve double standards. We believe that in order to give them the desired legitimacy and effectiveness these operations should be the subject of coordination and dialog in which all United Nations Member States take part, for collective security is the business of all nations of the world, be they large or small. Africa's keen interest in the quest for ways and means to guarantee peace, security and stability on our continent is reflected in the mechanism for the prevention, settlement and management of conflicts established by the Organization of African Unity. This instrument is already functioning; it deals with all forms of crisis that might jeopardize African peoples' efforts at economic, social and cultural development. A peace fund has been set up to give financial support to the actions undertaken by this mechanism.