UN General Assembly
1987

Of all those factors, it is the war of aggression being waged against us by the South African regime that most aggravates our economic and financial difficulties. Between 1975, the year we became independent, and 1981 we scored successes in our national reconstruction. During this period our gross domestic product achieved a reasonable annual growth rate. Our exports reached a peak of $OS 280.8 million. In the field of education, the illiteracy rate, which was 92 per cent at the time of independence, was reduced to 72 per cent by 1980. Our success in the field of health resulted in the establishment of 900 rural health posts. In 1981, for the first time in our country's history, every district had the services of a health professional able to provide diagnosis and treatment. Significant achievements were registered in many other economic, social and cultural fields. It is those successes that are being threatened by the escalation of South African aggression.