UN General Assembly
2014

nor is there a single model in that area. Indeed, every country follows a path of its own, taking into consideration its historical development, cultural heritage, human and natural resources, specific political circumstances, as well as its economic choices and the obstacles and challenges facing it. What applies to the West should not be used as the sole criterion for determining the efficiency of other development models; nor should one make comparisons between countries, however similar their circumstances may be, even when those countries belong to the same geographical area. “As a result, the first call I should like to make from the rostrum regards the need to respect the characteristic values and principles of every country as it builds its own development model. That is particularly true for the developing countries that are still suffering from the consequences of colonialism. Colonialism caused severe damage to colonized countries. For many years, it hindered their development process, exploited their resources, as well as the energies of their sons and daughters, brought about profound change in the customs