UN General Assembly
1969

34. Madam President, slow me to extend the very warm congratulations of the Maldivian delegation to you on your election as the President of the twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly. Your election to that high office is the expression of confidence the Member States of the United Nations have in your indisputably high qualifications to guide us in the work of this session; it is an indication of the respect the Members of this Organization have for your country; it is also an expression of their recognition of the important role that Africa plays in the leadership of the world of today. 35. I now have the sad duty of recalling the memorable services rendered so skillfully to the General Assembly by the late President of the twenty-third session. It is with deep regret that the Maldivian delegation pays its respects to the memory of His Excellency Mr. Emilio Arenales, whose passing away was a great loss to his country as well as to the United Nations; for we have lost a great statesman of rare charm.