His Excellency Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of the Congo, has bestowed on me the great honour of representing him at the Assembly. On his behalf and on behalf of the delegation accompanying me, I would like to take this solemn opportunity to sincerely congratulate His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session. I also pay tribute to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Sam Kahamba Kutesa, for his leadership. I recognize Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon’s tireless commitment in guiding the affairs of the Organization, and I renew the indestructible support of my country, the Republic of the Congo, for his constant efforts to bring about a world characterized by peace, freedom, democracy and development for all.
In creating the United Nations, the founding fathers did not intend just to preserve future generations from the scourge of war, but also — and this is stated in the San Francisco Charter — to promote social progress and better standards of life for the multitude.
In the past 70 years tremendous human progress, with spectacular scientific and technological advances in various areas, has opened up unexpected opportunities
for humankind. People everywhere have become thirsty for democracy and freedom. Many Bastilles have been stormed and the walls of totalitarianism have crumbled. There are many countries like mine that, since the beginning of the 1960s, have been able to enjoy their inalienable right to self-determination, shrugging off the yoke of colonialism and joining the large family of the free, right here in the concert of nations. The emergence of new Powers, a historic development of which we are privileged witnesses, has birthed a multipolar world. Since then, international cooperation has experienced a tremendous expansion through activities in varied areas.
Over the past 70 years, humankind has not experienced tragedy on the scale of that of the Second World War. This long period of peace since 1945 — quite similar to that which began following the famous Congress of Vienna in 1815, two centuries ago, and which lasted until the start of the First World War — is owed largely to the United Nations, the Organization that has often served as a catalyst and central forum for harmonizing the efforts of peace loving nations. When we draw up the balance sheet of the last 70 years, it can be said that the United Nations has more than kept its promise and given proof, if proof were needed, of how much it is needed and how relevant it is to history.
My country, the Republic of the Congo, welcomes the resumption of relations between Cuba and the United States. We believe that this easing of relations between the two countries goes in the direction of history. My country’s Government fervently hopes that this courageous and thoughtful process will lead fairly quickly to the lifting of the economic embargo that has had a stranglehold on the Cuban people for far too long. We call on that generous humanism that the American people have demonstrated in crucial periods of history, such as during the Second World War.
My country, the Republic of the Congo, welcomes the recent conclusion of the Iranian nuclear agreement because it represents a further step towards a world free of destructive arsenals, indeed towards a world of peace.
Along with this inarguable progress, we cannot ignore the weaknesses that have often characterized the actions of our Organization and that sometimes have reduced its ability to influence the course of events. We still have not managed to ward off the spectre of war or all forms of armed conflict — conflicts often fuelled by non-State actors, by nebulous networks that
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feed terrorism, by widely dispersed small groups that take religious proselytise to extremes, by reckless drug cartels or by pirates of misery who plunder the waterways.
Climate change and its dangerous repercussions for the environment, endemic poverty, migration crises, inequalities between States and within States, to stick with iconic and contemporary examples, are today real threats to the stability of States and world peace. Central Africa, the region that I hail from, has not been spared by these plagues, in view of the attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army and the unspeakable atrocities committed in Nigeria, the Niger, Cameroon and Chad by the sadly infamous sect called Boko Haram. Given the gravity of this new genre of terrorist threat, the States of the region have recognized the need to oppose it with a common response, which is why we in the Economic Community of Central African States have mobilized to fight that irredentist, terrorist and sectarian organization. To this worrying picture we might add the ongoing tensions in Mali and South Sudan, which continue despite the signing of several peace agreements.
With respect to the Central African Republic, His Excellency Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, as is well known, is steadfastly leading the international mediation in the crisis that this brotherly country has been facing for many years. The national reconciliation forum held in Bangui in May resulted in findings that demonstrate the willingness of Central Africans to turn the page on the recurrent crises that have marked the history of their country.
However, their legitimate aspiration for peace remains subject to the successful conclusion of the electoral process, for which the support of the international community as a whole remains necessary if we want to see that country achieve the transition, token of lasting stability, before 31 December. Unfortunately, the painful events of recent days, which have been punctuated with unheard-of violence, could jeopardize all the efforts to help the country recover lasting peace and stability. The serious incidents that shook Bangui recently and the recurrence of intercommunal violence can only reinforce the widely shared impression that the transition process as it stands today remains fragile. That is why our commitment to that country is so highly sought after.
In this decisive phase of the transition process, President Denis Sassou Nguesso, international mediator
of the crisis, is dedicated more deeply than ever to his mission. With the support of all partners, he will spare no effort to meet the Central African Republic’s innumerable challenges, almost all of which can be characterized as a high priority or an emergency.
I would like to pay tribute to the international community for the ongoing commitment of the International Contact Group, and also salute the tireless efforts of all the peacekeeping forces deployed in Central African Republic since the beginning of the crisis, first in the framework of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic, then under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, then under Operation Sangaris, and finally under the European Union-led peacekeeping force. At the same time, I wish to salute the memory of all the brave soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of peace and international solidarity.
Peace and stability, both at the national and international levels, as we know well, cannot be effective without a minimum of economic development that benefits the greatest number of people, especially in developing countries. As we celebrate the seventieth anniversary of our Organization, the adoption a few days ago of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) is in all respects a decisive step in building the brighter future we want for our planet, for our people, for posterity.
By establishing an effective strategy for funding and planning for sustainable development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, adopted in July at the third International Conference on Financing for Development, puts us squarely on track for cooperation for development for all. The Republic of the Congo completely aligns itself with this viewpoint and hopes to see significant progress in the implementation of that comprehensive new programme.
My country is among those that have a national strategy for sustainable development, which is an essential instrument for strategic planning. It is also one of those countries where the practice of democracy is being consolidated and strengthened every day, in particular through a continuous process of regular citizen consultations between opposition and majority parties, with a view to peaceful elections.
With the peace and stability it enjoys, and aware that sport contributes to the promotion of education, health,
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development and peace, our Government successfully organized, from 4 to 19 July 2015, the eleventh All- Africa Games, of which our capital Brazzaville is the historic birthplace.
At the 2005 World Summit our senior leaders clearly expressed their decision to see the United Nations reformed, starting with its spearhead, the Security Council. That decision demonstrates the steadfast collective will to put our Organization in a new historic perspective. We firmly believe that the United Nations vitally needs greater transparency, justice, equality and internal democracy, while strictly respecting the sovereign equality the dignity of each State. By defining and adopting a common position in the framework of the Ezulwini Consensus, Africa has clearly shown the way for the necessary reform that it resolutely calls for.
The Republic of the Congo here solemnly renews its commitment to the United Nations, in the footsteps of the founding fathers and in accordance with the Preamble of the Charter. On behalf of the Republic of the Congo, I exhort the community of nations gathered here to consolidate its efforts more than ever to definitively make manifest the noble ideals of freedom and equality, justice and peace, solidarity among peoples and human generosity.


Let me extend my heartiest felicitations to Mr. Lykketoft on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventieth session. I also commend His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa for his excellent leadership of the Assembly during its previous session.
This year is a transformative one for the United Nations and the world at large; it marks the seventieth
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anniversary of the founding of the global body. Our forefathers were inspired to establish the Organization based on the clear recognition that we share a common destiny. Since its inception, the United Nations has made remarkable strides in advancing peace and security, human rights and development. Seventy years on, it continues to inspire the shared dreams and aspirations of all humankind.
This is a critical year for sustainable development. The third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa and the recently concluded United Nations Summit on the post-2015 development agenda here in New York have ushered in new hope for the peoples of the world. With our drive to achieve a meaningful climate change agreement in Paris this year, we hope to transform our future by ending poverty, limiting climate change and preserving our planet.
Two global challenges pose the greatest threat to the sustainability of human civilization. First, terrorism and violent extremism remain major impediments to global peace and development. Terrorists do not subscribe to any religion. Terrorism and violent extremism are global challenges. All countries should unite to effectively address those challenges.
I, myself, am a victim of terrorism and violent extremism. My father, the father of the nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and my mother, Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, and three brothers, as well as other close relatives, were brutally assassinated on 15 August 1975. I, myself, have been subjected to terrorist attacks at least 19 times. My Government, therefore, maintains a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization. We remain steadfast in tackling the extremist and anti-liberation forces that remain active in their aim to destroy the democratic, progressive and secular ethos of our nation.
Secondly, climate change poses formidable development challenges. We will be unable to sustain our development endeavours without effectively addressing climate change. The new 2030 development agenda makes it clear that all our actions need to be underpinned by a strong commitment to protecting and preserving our planet, biodiversity and climate. With only a small window of opportunity, we must succeed in setting the world on a safer, greener and more prosperous course.
We realize that regional cooperation is critical in fostering sustainable development and achieving peaceful, stable societies. Bangladesh has taken the lead in building regional cooperation processes such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation and the Bangladesh-China- India-Myanmar Economic Corridor. We have also taken the initiative of developing infrastructure to enhance trade and people-to-people contacts in relations among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.
Today we are witnessing unprecedented migration and human mobility that is reshaping history and geography. Migration has been recognized as a key enabler of development in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1). Cooperation among our countries is essential if we are to harness the full potential of migration. With that objective, we have decided to lead the Global Forum on Migration and Development in 2016.
Over the years, peacekeeping and peacebuilding have emerged as United Nations flagship activities. Bangladesh is proud to be associated with those endeavours as a leading troop-contributing country. Our valiant peacekeepers have so far made their mark in 54 peacekeeping missions in 40 countries. We have the distinction of having the highest number of female police personnel participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions. Our contribution to United Nations peace operations has made us a reliable partner in United Nations peace initiatives.
Development efforts in many of our countries over the past 15 years have been largely guided by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The overall progress made in implementing the MDGs inspired us to adopt a bigger, bolder and more ambitious set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Given the ambition reflected in the SDGs, we surely will need to scale up the mobilization of resources from public, private, domestic and international spheres. It is essential that developed countries fulfil their official development assistance commitment of 0.7 per cent of gross national income to developing countries, and 0.2 per cent to the least developed countries. We also need to address the challenges faced by developing countries in accessing environmentally sound technology. Without such technology transfers and capacity-building, I am afraid that many development goals and targets will never be achieved.
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Over four decades ago, the father of our nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in his maiden speech before the General Assembly, envisioned “the building of a world order in which the aspiration of all men for peace and justice will be realized” (A/PV.2243, para. 2) and freedom from poverty, hunger, exploitation and aggression. That clarion call continues to guide our development pursuits and engagement in global affairs. We continue to transform Bangladesh into a land where the rule of law and social justice prevail over poverty, inequality, impunity and exclusion. I have presented the Vision 2021 initiative, towards a middle-income, knowledge-driven economy in what we are calling a “digital Bangladesh”. With our steady progress so far, I am confident that we will soon realize the dream of the father of the nation of building sonar Bangla, or “golden Bangladesh”.
Bangladesh is widely recognized today as a role model for the developing world. We have one of the fastest poverty reduction rates in the world, despite a modest resource base; our poverty rate has fallen from 56.7 per cent in 1991 to 22.4 per cent today. Bangladesh has already met or is on track to meet MDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. During the past six years, our average gross domestic product growth has remained at about 6.2 per cent, despite the global recession; from 2005 to 2015, our export earnings have increased more than threefold; during the same period, foreign currency reserves have jumped by a factor of 7.5, from $3.5 billion to $26 billion. Moreover, during the same period, Bangladesh has graduated from the United Nations Development Programme low human development category to the medium category, and from the World Bank’s lower-income country status to lower-middle income.
We realize that investments in human capital that target our large youth population would pay rich dividends. That is why our Government has placed particular emphasis on education and health care for all. We now offer stipends to 13.4 million poor students enrolled in sixth grade to the undergraduate level and free education for girls up to the higher secondary level in order to address the challenge of student drop-outs. On the first day of this year, we distributed over 326.35 million free text books throughout the country. Since 2010, nearly 1.59 billion text books have been distributed. This is perhaps the biggest such undertaking anywhere in the world. Our people living in rural areas receive over 200 services from over 5,275
digital centres. They have access to health-care services through more than 16,500 technology-connected health complexes.
We have seen the visible results of women’s economic and political empowerment by promoting their greater access to productive resources and representation at the national and local levels. Likewise, we attach priority to addressing the needs and challenges of the various vulnerable segments of our population. Our lead role in the United Nations promotion of the rights and well- being of persons affected by autism and other neuro- developmental disabilities arose from our efforts to build an inclusive society.
As we did during the MDG era, we would like to lead by example in implementing the SDGs in Bangladesh. Attaching due importance to the SDG framework, we are currently developing the next five-year plan for 2016-2020. My Government is determined to ensure that no one is left behind in our aspiration to build a resilient, peaceful and prosperous society. We believe that sustainable development cannot be achieved in the absence of durable peace and security. We remain committed, as ever, to upholding peace and the rule of law and to putting an end to the culture of impunity. In that spirit, we are pursuing the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, rape and genocide committed during our 1971 Liberation War.
Our Government attaches the utmost importance to preserving the religious harmony and tolerance that have nurtured our social fabric throughout the ages. We have recently settled maritime and land boundary demarcations and related issues with our neighbours India and Myanmar. At the stroke of midnight on 31 July, we exchanged 162 enclaves with India, whereby more than 50,000 stateless enclave residents obtained their much-cherished citizenship. That brought to a peaceful end the lingering humanitarian situation of the enclave residents. By so doing, jointly with India, we have set a unique precedent for the rest of the world.
In that spirit, I urge the comity of nations to renew our collective resolve to achieve a peaceful, stable and prosperous world free from poverty and inequality, violence and extremism, climate change and conflict, and oppression and injustice. Let us demonstrate foresight, moral courage and political leadership in building a better life and brighter future for all of our
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children. May Bangladesh live forever! Long live the United Nations!


First of all, I would like to congratulate His Excellency Mogens Lykketoft on his election as the President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session and wish him much success. I also extend my thanks to the outgoing President, His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, for his valuable contribution to the work of the Organization, as well as my best wishes for his future endeavours. I would also like to commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his able leadership, as well as the United Nations agencies for their active engagement with Member States.
It gives me great pleasure to be here as we commemorate together the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the Organization. This is indeed a historic occasion to celebrate our achievements, as well as to reflect on matters that require our urgent action.
The existence of the United Nations for the past 70 years is a testament to its relevance. It has become the world body that we look up to, our point of reference on all aspects of humankind, and it has no equal. It was established in 1945 in the wake of the mass destruction brought about by the Second World War, and the need to restore peace and security was its main focus. Today, its mandate has grown hugely to include emerging challenges and evolving threats, such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, climate change, pandemic diseases and terrorism and violent extremism. As part of a comprehensive global mandate, it has also been tasked with addressing multidimensional socioeconomic matters.
We recognize that the United Nations is not a panacea for all of the world’s woes, but that has not diminished its overall success. On that note, we commend the role played by all of the United Nations agencies and the Organization’s development work aimed at improving people’s lives around the world.
One profound achievement is in the containment of pandemic diseases, which pose serious threats to the world’s population. In 1980, the World Health Organization succeeded in completely eradicating smallpox and, more recently, it worked with affected countries to contain the breakout of the Middle East respiratory syndrome and Ebola.
Over the years, we have seen how our humanitarian workers and peacekeepers risk their lives to carry out the work of the United Nations, with some losing their lives in the course of their noble work. Those brave individuals will always deserve our highest respect for their commitment and sacrifice to make our world a safer place.
With a membership of 193 States, the expectations will inevitably be high for the effectiveness of the Organization in addressing the ever-increasing issues that affect the lives of the people we represent. I am therefore pleased that our new post-2015 development agenda, contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (see resolution 70/1), embraces most, if not all, of those concerns. Its inclusiveness signifies the trust and faith that we have in our Organization. It is therefore important that we fulfil our national and collective responsibilities to implement the new Agenda and realize our peoples’ hopes and dreams for a better life.
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In 1984, Brunei Darussalam’s admission into the United Nations signified a global endorsement of its sovereignty and territorial integrity as a fully independent nation. Since then, we have benefited extensively from that membership. The United Nations has provided us with a platform for enhancing our bilateral and multilateral relations with our friends and partners. Through the United Nations, we have also been able to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the maintenance of peace, stability and development. Brunei Darussalam firmly believes that tolerance, compassion and social harmony have been essential for the lasting peace and security that our close-knit community has been enjoying to this day. Such values have been the foundation of our country’s stability and prosperity, which has provided an enabling environment for development.
In our region, the shared principles of the member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely, territorial integrity, non-interference, consensus, the rule of law and good governance, guide our efforts to achieve closer cooperation for peace, stability and prosperity. That national and regional experience represents our contribution to the United Nations as part of the multilateral process. And it is through the United Nations that I envision the creation of a caring global community with similar values and principles that can unleash our potential to work and achieve greater things together. In order to bring us closer together and foster greater understanding and empathy with one another, we should nurture more cultural exchanges, which would enable us to live as a family of nations. In that way, we might be able to avert new conflicts and better utilize the resources of socioeconomic development.
According to the World Bank, the average cost of civil war is equivalent to more than 30 years of gross domestic product growth for a medium-size developing country. The cost of peacekeeping during and after a civil war is also extremely high and, above all, there is the loss of lives, which cannot be measured. Preventive diplomacy is therefore a cost-effective means of addressing conflicts, and certainly an integral part of conflict prevention efforts. It is a long-term process and a worthwhile investment, in which the United Nations has made some headway. We highly value the important work of the good offices of the Secretary-General, the Special Envoys and the resident political missions as
some of the key tools of preventive diplomacy. However, more can be done to enhance conflict prevention.
If we wish to move forward, the Secretary-General’s view — and I agree — is that we have to strengthen the partnerships between the United Nations and regional or subregional organizations. Such organizations have a unique influence and easy access to crisis situations in their respective regions, and the United Nations should be able to leverage that strength to defuse tension before it escalates into conflicts. Through the ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN member States, along with other member participants, have long worked together to create an atmosphere of trust and confidence. Two years ago, they adopted a workplan on preventive diplomacy, and its implementation has made significant progress and contributed towards the maintenance of peace and security in the region. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the United Nations for providing coaching and training programmes to help ASEAN implement that plan. I believe that our Organization is in the best position to promote the necessary cooperation and partnerships based on mutual respect, understanding and tolerance, which can prevent wars and conflicts, religious persecution, violent ideological confrontation and terrorism.
Since our last gathering, we have witnessed the tragic loss of life caused by inhumane terrorist acts in various parts of the world. Such acts are unacceptable, and we join others in condemning terrorism and in totally rejecting extremism and radicalism. We reiterate our support for all efforts by the international community to prevent and eliminate all forms of terrorism. In that regard, we also support intercultural dialogue among peoples of different religions, cultures and initiatives, such as the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, the Global Movement of Moderates, the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, World against Violence and Violent Extremism, and the Summit on Countering Violent Extremism.
It is crucial that we address the root causes of terrorism and extremism in a comprehensive manner. We need to ensure that irresponsible parties do not exploit the despair and suffering of others to fuel their own extremist agendas. That is why we need to resolve the plight of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, an issue that remains at the core of the conflict in the Middle East. For over 60 years, Palestinians have struggled to achieve self-determination. A lasting
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peaceful solution is long overdue. In that regard, I am pleased to see that Palestine has been accepted as a member in various international bodies. That has been reflected in the General Assembly’s historic decision to allow the flag of Palestine to fly proudly with the flags of other sovereign and independent nations of this world body. Those are all positive developments that should contribute to obtaining the recognition of Palestinian statehood.
I wish to reiterate our commitment to continuing to work with others to ensure that the United Nations remains a strong force for peace, security and human rights. After all, the success of our Organization lies in our own collective efforts, which constitute the true strength of this Organization.


His Excellency Mr. José Mario Vaz, President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, has honoured me with the task of conveying his congratulations to Mr. Mogens Lykketoft on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its historic seventieth session and wishes him great success. We would also like to commend his predecessor, Mr. Sam Kutesa of Uganda, for the wise and dignified manner in which he conducted the work at the sixty-ninth session. The President’s election to the General Assembly at the seventieth session takes place at a time when the nations of the world decided to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), thereby leading humankind in a new direction and promoting a more just world for all. We believe that with his extensive experience and under his leadership, we can begin effectively implementing the Agenda.
As we celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, which coincides with the forty-second anniversary of our country’s own independence, Guinea-Bissau continues to experience instability. That is reflected in its vulnerabilities and its difficulties in establishing the foundations necessary for the creation of a stable State. Those foundations are primarily geared to development, in fulfilment of the dream of Amílcar Cabral, the father of the nation. While other nations in the world are able to seize this moment to strengthen their statehood and consolidate their institutions, Guinea-Bissau continues to look for solutions to our various domestic problems. The current political situation in Guinea-Bissau shows that our country is still striving to move from fragility to stability.
Despite the recurrent instability, the people of Guinea-Bissau have never doubted the viability of our country, as we believe in our ability to overcome that challenge once again. Our determination to build the viable State we dream of is and will always remain intact. Our ability to overcome difficulties and perform great feats was gloriously demonstrated by our fighters for the freedom of the homeland, who brought about our independence 42 years ago in an exemplary manner, under the wise leadership of our much missed Amílcar Cabral and in the context of his minimum programme.
Today, more than ever, we are determined to achieve the maximum programme in that glorious struggle and to promote social and economic development and environmental conservation. Since our return to constitutional normality with the installation of the Government that emerged from the April 2014 legislative elections, together with the establishment of other institutions of sovereignty, we have striven to provide the basic conditions required to relaunch our country’s economy and to address the new challenges for peacebuilding and security.
To that end, the 2015-2025 Terra Ranka development strategy, presented in March 2015 in Brussels, was fully discussed and approved at the national level and strongly supported by the international community. It will provide continuity for the actions of the Government, which is currently led by Carlos Correia. That development strategy is also consistent with the Goals established in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted one week ago by the General Assembly. We are convinced that the full implementation of the Agenda will greatly contribute, not only to our country’s sustainable development, but also to establishing, once and for all, the necessary conditions for peace and stability in our country. In that regard, once again, from this rostrum, I appeal to the partners and friends of Guinea-Bissau to honour the commitments undertaken in Brussels and not to frustrate the enormous expectations of the people of Guinea-Bissau, who have mobilized around that strategy.
Conflict resolution was one of the primary goals that led to the establishment of our Organization in 1945. And today, that same goal continues to be a priority and one of our greatest challenges. Current conflicts have emerged for a variety of reasons and taken on ever more complex forms, making them even more difficult to resolve. There is no political or geopolitical justification for the United Nations to find itself in an impasse when addressing the tragedies caused by the conflicts in the Middle East and other regions of the world, which have created one of the greatest refugee crises ever recorded. We have the moral responsibility to find a solution. In that regard, I would like to commend the European Union and other countries for the solidarity that they have shown in providing the required humanitarian assistance and welcoming those refugees.
Issues related to the African continent continue to predominate on the agenda of the Security Council, and
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nine of the 16 United Nations peacekeeping operations are in African countries. Therefore, the views of that continent and its 54 countries must be heard and considered when decisions on the management of conflicts are taken. Our legitimate claim for two permanent seats and broader representation as non-permanent members on the Security Council must be heeded. We call again for a reform of the Security Council, based on our belief that the historical reasons for the establishment of the Organization are no longer valid as they do not reflect the current political reality in the world. We also express our support for permanent seats for Brazil, India, Japan and Germany.
We continue to believe that preventive diplomacy can be more efficient in preventing and resolving conflicts. We believe that the best way to prevent conflicts would be to invest more in combating poverty, promoting gender equality, education and the struggle against social discrimination, and preserving the environment.
The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is without a doubt a step in the right direction, and Guinea-Bissau reiterates its commitment to achieving the Agenda in accordance with its precise terms. To this end, the fulfilment of the commitments undertaken by our partners with respect to official development assistance and other funds for development becomes critical for the most vulnerable countries, including the least developed countries and small island developing States, such as Guinea-Bissau.
For many years, it has been a tradition for our country to appeal from this rostrum for the lifting of the economic and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba. Today, we would like to welcome the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which had been broken off since 1961. Since the Cuban people should be able to take full advantage of their potential and freely pursue economic and financial relations with other States and peoples of the world, we encourage the United States of America and Cuba to proceed with negotiations towards the normalization of their relations and the total lifting of the embargo.
We hope and wish that the main actors in the Israeli- Palestinian peace process can draw inspiration from that example and engage in diplomatic negotiations with a view to the peaceful coexistence of two States.
We welcome the nuclear agreement between the international community and Iran and hope that it will result in the normalization of relations with the rest of world and the international community. We firmly believe that the world will be totally secure only if there is general and complete nuclear disarmament.
Climate change is an undeniable reality and is a dangerous threat to the existence of humankind. In that regard, it is important that we all pledge to fulfil our responsibilities with respect to the environment and that we all commit to protecting the planet in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. The session of the Conference of the Parties that will take place in Paris in December will undoubtedly offer a new opportunity for the world to rectify its behaviour with respect to nature. We are looking for robust commitments on the part of Member States to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing the necessary funds for developing countries to address environmental challenges.
I cannot conclude my statement without expressing our gratitude to all our development partners, the United Nations in particular, for their continued follow-up on the situation in our country, and for the commitments they made at the Brussels round table last March on financing our strategic operational programme of development. Guinea-Bissau and its people are counting on all of you.


It is my honour to address the Assembly as President of the Transition of Burkina Faso. I wish to convey my warmest and most sincere appreciation to the General Assembly and to congratulate the President on his election to preside over the Assembly at its seventieth session. I should also like to pay tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Sam Kutesa, for his clear-sighted guidance of the work of the sixty-ninth session.
Since the transition that I am leading resulted from a popular uprising in October 2014, which said “no” to the arbitrariness, nepotism and injustice of an undemocratic regime, I have come here to promote liberty and democracy. Here, before the Assembly, I have come to extol the virtue of liberty, true liberty, the liberty that the French revolutionaries of 1789 dreamed about and an ideal that so many human beings today still aspire to. I want to call for liberty, plain and simple. As I was deprived of liberty for a time, I know how precious it is. I have come here to pay tribute to democracy, which today has become a universal canon — except in Burkina Faso, where praetorians of another age were trying to row against the tide of history and attempted to seize our democracy in order to serve their sordid ambitions.
Thanks to the international community, which is the defender of those values I just mentioned, I speak here freely before Member States. That was unthinkable only two weeks ago, when I was jailed during the military uprising. On 16 September, my country, Burkina Faso, was the victim of a heinous coup d’état perpetrated by officers bought by vengeful politicians. Moreover, that happened just before the launch of our electoral campaign. The wishes of the people of Burkina Faso were not taken into account. The national and spontaneous response of the people was impressive. They tried to block the path that those adventurers were attempting to take. Regrettably, that led to a tragic loss of life and many wounded. On that occasion, the people of Burkina Faso, and its youth in particular, showed an unprecedented level of patriotism.
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The international community also promptly came forward to unanimously condemn the coup and support the transition. From this rostrum, I wish to thank all the countries, without exception, and the international organizations, civil society organizations and journalists from around world that came together so quickly to frustrate the coup d’état, thereby enabling a return to normalcy and legitimacy. The people of Burkina Faso have asked me to speak to the Assembly, to the nations of peace, and to convey our deep appreciation to Member States. We ask them to continue to support our efforts to implant genuine democracy in Burkina Faso through the holding of free and transparent elections, which we will be organizing shortly.
I have spoken at length about my country, but now I wish to address some major concerns on the international scene.
First, the global economic situation continues to develop unfavourably and thus makes demands of us, particularly with regard to our common commitment to eradicate poverty, especially in developing countries. It is completely obvious that we are far from having successfully risen to the challenge of fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals, although several Member States have made significant progress. We must thus redouble our efforts and take robust action in order to improve the living conditions of our populations. “A new commitment to action” — the theme we have chosen for our session calls on us to act quickly to attain tangible results through programmes that are ambitious and, above all, pragmatic.
We should note, in that context, that the Addis Ababa Action Agenda adopted at the third International Conference on Financing for Development lays the groundwork for the effective implementation of the post-2015 development agenda that we have recently adopted (see resolution 70/1). We welcome the holding of that Conference, and we hope that the consensus forged around a new generation of Sustainable Development Goals will bring about social and economic well-being for our populations.
Climate change, a key parameter of development, merits particular attention. That is why the the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Paris in December, is so important. The environment pact that should result from that event should enable us to strengthen the protection of our planet against
climate disasters and environmental aggression arising from the abuses of a consumer society.
In 70 years of its existence, the United Nations has unflaggingly endeavoured to work for a world of peace, a world that is safe. Burkina Faso reaffirms its determination to resolutely support peacekeeping efforts around the world. We are already actively participating in peacekeeping operations, in our sister Republic of Mali, for example, where the mission is twofold: to ensure security in the country and to combat terrorism. We contribute to the international community’s efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism, as the eradication of those phenomena requires a global coalition.
On the issue of disarmament, we must continue our efforts to strengthen confidence among our States. Such confidence facilitated the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action of 14 July 2015 on the Iran nuclear issue, which reassured the international community with regard to its legitimate fears concerning nuclear proliferation.
We encourage the States Members of the United Nations likewise to move towards a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
With regard to Western Sahara, my country, which has always encouraged a negotiated political solution, reaffirms its endorsement the initiative of the Kingdom of Morocco promoting a status of autonomy for the Sahara region, as a credible and realistic alternative in the conclusion of that dispute.
With regard to the American sanctions imposed on Cuba, Burkina Faso favours its total lifting. We also welcome the recent positive developments between Cuba and the United States of America, which augur well for a definitive normalization of bilateral relations between the two countries.
A full Member of our Organization, Burkina Faso endorses the reforms aimed at streamlining the functioning of the United Nations. On Security Council reform, we reiterate our full support for the African position, which is based on the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.
Always respectful of the ideals of the United Nations, which are based on the principles of peaceful coexistence, dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes, we welcome and encourage a rapprochement
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between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan.
Before concluding, I wish to convey my appreciation for the international solidarity shown in eradicating the Ebola virus. We must not relax our vigilance. We must intensify international cooperation to maintain those results and ensure that the countries severely affected by that disease can recover. The virtues of international solidarity and dialogue among nations must continue to inspire the United Nations so that together we can meet the challenges of our time.
In the tremendous task before us of building an international society that is more democratic and humane, Burkina Faso can always be found in the front ranks. Burkina Faso wishes to reiterate its good will and deeply thank the Assembly, yet again.


At the outset, I would like to congratulate the President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session on his election and to express my good wishes for the success of the General Assembly’s work in the seventieth-anniversary year of the United Nations. I would also like to express my deep appreciation for the work of the Secretary-General. As ever, he can continue to count on Portugal’s support.
The establishment of the United Nations marked a unique time in the collective history of humankind. The pursuit of lasting peace, development and the respect for human rights, the founding purposes and principles of the Organization that we still look to today, after 70 years, are major achievements of the contemporary world. The Charter of the United Nations and the principles and values that it encapsulates remain a reference and a sign of hope for our collective future. I welcome the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), which is an unparalleled opportunity to usher in an era in which poverty is eradicated, leading to a world of justice and dignity for all.
The year 2015 is also key for negotiations on climate change. Seventeen years after Kyoto, the international community must be ambitious in fighting that particular threat to its sustainable development. It is imperative
that at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in December, we reach a lasting agreement that is global, fair and binding for all.
Closely related to climate change, the issue of the oceans holds a crucial importance for Portugal in the light of its history, its geography and its identity. In June, my country organized an international event on the use of the oceans, Blue Week, which brought together more than 70 countries and international institutions. It offered an occasion for open debate and strategic reflection on the challenges of global management of the oceans and the responsible use of their potential.
We continue to take a strong interest in deepening the multilateral dialogue on the sustainability of the oceans and enhancing the overall efforts of the United Nations. Portugal had the honour to co-chair the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole on the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects in setting up a reliable and detailed system of information on the marine environment. The issuance of the first global integrated marine assessment (see A/70/112) is a step in the right direction. Members can rely on the engagement of Portugal in the preparation of a legally binding instrument on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas that go beyond national jurisdiction.
Portugal’s course of action has been geared towards the defence of the universal and individual nature of all human rights — not only civil and political rights but also economic, social and cultural rights. Combating violence against women is a clear priority in that context. I draw attention to the alarming number of cases of domestic violence that span the most diverse societies and social strata, which cannot continue to go unpunished. I invite all States to step up their efforts to put an end to that scourge, and I hope that the relative indicator will be taken into account in the overall assessment of compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals. I also stress the importance that we attach to children’s rights, including the right to education and to youth policies.
At a time when we are witnessing the proliferation of violent clashes in a number of regions, it must be emphasized that no conflict, no matter how complex it may be, can possibly justify barbarism, whether by States or by non-State parties. Human rights are the common heritage of humankind that we all have
an obligation to defend, regardless of geography. The Security Council plays a key role in that context. In order to fulfil its mandate in the most effective manner, it should mirror the realities of our world. That will require extending membership in both categories and reviewing its working methods.
The tragic humanitarian situation in Syria, Iraq, Libya and many other conflict settings should prompt us to act in a supportive and responsible manner. Some of those crises, particularly in Syria, have already claimed many thousands of human lives and given rise to one of the largest flows of refugees since the Second World War. The resolution of those crises can no longer remain hostage to blockages that prolong and aggravate the misery and suffering of vast populations. In line with its consistently humanitarian tradition, Portugal has demonstrated dedicated solidarity from the very beginning, as demonstrated by its willingness to welcome several thousand people in need of international protection.
I take this opportunity to commend the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which has epitomized the humanitarian values enshrined in the Charter. The dignity of human life is an absolute value that we have an obligation to respect and protect. On the other hand, for some years we have found ourselves facing the threat of terrorism, which continues to assume increasingly barbaric and worrying forms. That threat and its protagonists require strong, concerted responses and a determined fight on the part of the international community. Such responses should also address the underlying forces that lead to radicalization and violent extremism, which require the involvement of States, international organizations, religious communities and civil society organizations.
I must also express our concern about the deadlock affecting the peace process in the Middle East. There will be no lasting peace without a fair resolution of the Palestinian issue that also ensures Israel’s security. We urge the parties to resume the peace talks, as we are convinced that the only solution to the conflict will be the creation, based on United Nations resolutions, of two States, living side by side in democracy, peace and security.
I welcome the agreement reached on Iran’s nuclear programme. It is now up to all parties involved to ensure its full implementation.
Africa holds a special place in Portuguese foreign policy. My country has key partners in Africa, with which it maintains close relations in the most varied fields, ranging from political dialogue to economic links, from the approach to security issues to the establishment of mutually beneficial partnerships. A number of African countries where Portuguese is the official language — Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Sao Tome and Principe and Angola — are celebrating the fortieth anniversary of their independence this year, and Portugal and the Portuguese people are involved in that important historical event.
The situation in Guinea-Bissau deserves special mention. I trust its political leaders to recognize the essential value of political stability and the ability to work together in order to pursue the necessary reforms, including in the security sector, in the fight against impunity and in socioeconomic development projects. That would be the required framework for the international community to be able to fulfil its commitments to cooperation, made in March at the Brussels Conference. The democratic maturity that the people of Guinea-Bissau have demonstrated is sufficient reason for the international community to remain united and coordinated in supporting that country. We also remain engaged on matters concerning maritime safety, especially in the Gulf of Guinea. We have participated in the development of international support strategies and have strengthened our bilateral cooperation with the African States and the regional organizations.
Portugal is strengthening its relations with Latin American States. We have added a mutual willingness to know each other better and to deepen our political and economic relations to our historical and cultural ties. I very much welcome the positive developments surrounding the ongoing peace negotiations in Colombia and the normalization of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States of America.
The Portuguese language is a global, economically relevant communication vehicle. Some 250 million people from Asia to Europe and from Africa to Latin America express themselves in Portuguese in their everyday lives, in commerce and business and in cultural and social networks. It is also an official or a working language in several international organizations, including in some of the United Nations specialized agencies. The legitimate ambition of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries is to
see the Portuguese language recognized as an official language of the United Nations.
As we celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, I reiterate the commitment expressed here in 2008. Portugal, 60 years now into its membership in the United Nations, remains firmly committed to effective multilateralism. It participates in many peacekeeping operations, has been in the Security Council three times, is currently a member of the Human Rights Council and fiercely stands by the guiding principles of the Charter in its international actions. In a globalized, interdependent world such as the one in which we live, only strong multilateral institutions can ensure the fundamental values of peace, human rights, sustainable development, democracy and respect for international law.


We passionately support the proposal of our dear colleague and friend, President Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera of Costa Rica, that the next Secretary-General should be a woman. Our region is home to such exemplary women as Michelle Bachelet, Cristina Fernández, Dilma Rousseff, María Emma Mejía Vélez, Alicia Bárcena Ibarra and others.
It is nothing short of heroic for members of the Assembly to be sitting here when there were 18 speakers yesterday morning and 16 in the afternoon, for a total of 34, and we are two hours behind. I thank United Nations staff for working beyond the call of duty, but I think it is time for us to change our methodology, because this does not make much sense. This is the third meeting I have attended. It is 9.30 p.m. and I am speaker number 34. If I am unable to move hearts in three minutes then I am going to move chairs, because people are just going to get up and leave. So I thank everyone for being here. Things could have been worse. Evo Morales Ayma could have been next. I offer him my fond greetings.
The United Nations was born on 24 October 1945 from the ashes of the Second World War to maintain international peace and security. After the suffering of the Holocaust, we thought that peace meant only the absence of war, but in the twenty-first century, 70 years later, peace should above all mean presence — the presence of justice, the presence of dignity, the presence of development. As Gandhi said, “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States has proclaimed our region a continent of peace, but the offensive opulence of a few coexisting with the most intolerable poverty is a
daily assault on human dignity. Peace without justice is nothing more than pacification.
The 164 million people living in poverty in Latin America, of whom 68 million live in extreme poverty, are still waiting for justice, freedom and real democracy — not democracy reduced to holding periodic elections. Overcoming poverty is the greatest moral imperative for our planet, because today, for the first time in the history of humankind, poverty is the fruit not of scarcity of resources or natural factors but of unjust, exclusionary systems that are the product of twisted power structures. As far back as two centuries ago, the liberal French philosopher Frédéric Bastiat said as much when he denounced the fact that
“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.”
Let those who want to steal such sublime concepts as freedom understand that there can be no freedom without justice. And that is not all. In regions with the kind of inequality that exists in Latin America, only by seeking justice will we achieve true freedom. Therefore, we must not settle for minimalist goals, as we did with the Millennium Development Goals. A perspective based on bare minimums legitimizes our current reality, which places the beneficiary in a position of inferiority with respect to others and makes no attempt to remedy the distances or power relations between individuals and societies.
As Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said this morning, “our aim is not just to keep people alive, but to give them a life” (see A/70/PV.13) — a dignified, full life with conditions equal to those enjoyed by every other human being. We believe that the 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) come closer to that aspiration. We are setting shared Goals not only for life’s for minimums but social maximums — the sumak kawsay or well-being of our ancestral peoples, which represents a way of living with dignity, satisfying basic needs but in harmony with oneself, with one’s fellow human beings and with different cultures, as well as with nature.
However, as we said yesterday in this same Hall (see A/70/PV.10), the absence in the 2030 Agenda of a specific goal on freedom of movement is a highly regrettable omission. If, on the one hand, we promote the free circulation of goods in search of maximum

profit, while, on the other hand, we criminalize the free movement of persons in search of decent work, we have an immoral paradox that is simply intolerable and unsustainable from an ethical point of view. It is one of the biggest contradictions of neoliberal globalization, which seeks not to create global societies but merely global markets and exists only to benefit capital and not human beings. The solution is not more borders but solidarity and humanity, as well as the creation of conditions for prosperity and peace that remove the incentive for migration.
But there is great news. The Sustainable Development Goals, as their name indicates, place a major focus on caring for the planet. Generally speaking, there have been improvements in the efficiency of productive process, including a reduction in the intensity of global energy. In other words, the quantity of energy required for one unit of production registered a 1.2 per cent drop between 1971 and 2009. But despite technological advances and the dematerialization of the economy, there is ever greater consumption of global energy. Emissions have multiplied by a factor of 3.6 in 50 years, which translates into an annual average growth of 2.6 per cent. If that trend continues, in 28 years current emissions will have doubled. The evidence suggests that energy consumption and the generation of emissions are directly proportionate to income levels, which allows consumption to trump efficiency. The inhabitant of a wealthy country produces 38 times more carbon emissions than someone who lives in a poor country, all of which leads to the principle of shared but differentiated responsibilities.
Of course, there are also environmental effects linked to poverty, such as soil erosion and the lack of proper solid waste treatment, inter alia. Another problem is that the gap in energy efficiency between rich and poor countries remains abysmal and continues to grow over time, having increased by a factor of 4 to 5 between 1971 and 2010. Overcoming such gaps depends on access to knowledge, science and technology. Here, too, there is a huge disparity between rich and poor countries. Rich countries file 1,360,000 patents every year, while all the poor countries combined file only 9,170 patents.
Global inequities are reflected not only in the distribution of emissions, but also in the impact of global warming and climate change. Countries like Ecuador contribute less than 1 per cent of total carbon emissions, yet they suffer the effects of climate change.
For example, the only penguin that lives directly on the equator — spheniscus mendiculus, commonly known as the Galapagos penguin — is endangered due to the warming of surface marine waters. It is therefore vital to move towards a universal declaration on the rights of nature. The primary universal right of nature should be for it to continue to exist, but it should also be able to continue to provide our societies with the necessary sustenance to enable them continue to live according to sumak kawsay. That should be a core idea for avoiding certain forms of fundamentalism. The human being is not the only important being in nature, although he remains the most important.
Nevertheless, in spite of those common but differentiated responsibilities and the role played by access to knowledge, science and technology, paradoxically, there is now a new unjust international division of labour. Rich countries generate knowledge that they privatize, and many poor or middle-income countries produce environmental goods that are consumed for free. Knowledge in general is a good that enjoys free access — in other words, exclusion is technically impossible or very costly. To avoid free access, to privatize that good, institutional barriers are raised, namely, intellectual property rights.
The countries of the Amazon Basin also produce free-access goods, in this case environmental goods that regulate the global climate and without which life on the planet would worsen considerably. Despite that, the big global polluters pay nothing for consuming those environmental goods and services. Sometimes it is thought that the generation of environmental goods has no cost. The reality is that it can be very costly, not in terms of direct costs but in terms that what we are renouncing to continue those environmental goods: the opportunity cost.
By the way, today many demand that we should not exploit the oil in the Amazon, without citing any moral grounds for that assertion. But that involves a huge cost in terms of non-received income, and for every passing day it means a child is unable to go to school, a community goes without drinking water or people are dying due to perfectly avoidable illnesses, true pathologies of misery. If we were compensated for the consumption of environmental goods, we would no longer need financing for development.
Conservation is another fundamental idea for any debate on sustainability. In poor countries — or in countries with poor people — conservation would

not be possible if it did not generate clear, direct improvements in the standards of living of the population. As Pope Francis said in his encyclical Laudato si’, a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach. Access to science and technology is vital for poor countries in their struggle against climate change and poverty. As Paraguay’s President, Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara, said moments ago, it is vital to declare technologies that mitigate climate change and their respective effects as global public goods and to guarantee their free access.
The new international division of labour is a complete paradox. The goods of free access should have no rival in terms of consumption; they should have no marginal cost if they are consumed by an additional person. As a result, when more people use that good, the better. That is normally the characteristic of knowledge, science and technology. As George Bernard Shaw once said very rightly, if you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples, then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.
Contrariwise, when a good becomes scarce or is destroyed little by little as it is consumed, as is the case with environmental goods, that is when the consumption should be restricted to avoid what Garrett Hardin called the tragedy of the commons. Why is not the obvious being done? Indeed, why is the complete opposite being done? It is not a technical problem, but a political one. The unjust new international division of labour is nothing other than the distorted logic of privatizing the benefits and socializing the losses. Nothing justifies that approach, just power.
Just imagine for a moment that the situation was reversed: the generators of environmental goods and services were the rich countries, and the poor or middle-income countries were the polluters. Is there any doubt that by now they would not have invaded us to demand from us “fair compensation”? This is an impressive difference, but the problem of climate change only be controlled with simply more justice, in this case environmental justice. Unfortunately, as Thrasymachus said more than 2,000 years ago in his dialogue with Socrates, justice is nothing other than the advantage of the stronger.
At the end of 2015 we will meet in Paris for the twenty-first Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. If we fail at that meeting and do not reach binding agreements to protect the only planet that we have, our civilization could start to be buried. But if we gain a victory we will celebrate twenty-second conference with an environmental manifesto that was first written in 1225 by Saint Francis of Assisi, who expressed gratitude for Brother Wind, for the air, the sky, the clouds, the serene heavens and all time.
Ecuador looks on with hope at the restoration of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States of America. We hope that that process leads to the lifting of the embargo and the closing of the base at Guantánamo. It will not be a concession of any power, rather it will be a triumph of justice and dignity of the Cuban people. I was saddened to hear President Obama say that he proposed ending 50 years of embargo not because it was a violation of international law, of the rights of the Cuban people, of human rights, but because it had not functioned. There is no concession on that: what we are talking about is the justice and dignity of Cuban people after 50 years of heroic resistance.
Our peoples will never again accept trusteeship, interference or intervention. Seared into our memory are the abuses and violence of the past, even though we are asked to forget them and to look only to the future.
Ecuador supports Argentina in its sovereign right to the Malvinas Islands, a disgraceful and completely unacceptable vestige of colonialism in the twentieth century.
We recognize the State of Palestine. It should be a State Member of the Organization, a fully fledged Member within its 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
We welcome the recent agreements reached between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Ecuador hopes for peace for Colombia, and we support them in that endeavour.
Ecuador also expresses solidarity with the Syrian people, the victim of a conflict that has destroyed families, goods and people. Certain Powers ignored the principle of non-interference in foreign affairs and have only exacerbated the violence. We hope that peace will be restored for the Syrian people, and we reiterate that only they can decide on their own future.
Ecuador profoundly values its relationship with Africa and will

America Summit in May 2016, to which all the countries of the two regions have been invited. In October 2016 we will be hosting the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, which is held only every 20 years. A new urban agenda will be drafted at that meeting, and we firmly believe in the right to inclusive cities with sustainable urban growth.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to condemn once again before the world an environmental disaster that was 85 times worse than the British Petroleum spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, and 18 times worse than the Exxon Valdez spill off the coast of Alaska in 1989. I am referring to the contamination left behind by the Texaco oil company, which maintained operations in the Ecuadorian Amazon until 1992 and was bought by the multinational oil company Chevron in 2001. Chevron, the third-largest company in the United States, was sued approximately 20 years ago by indigenous communities of the Amazon who had been affected by the pollution. It is a strictly a private civil case, Amazon Defence Coalition vs. Chevron-Texaco.
Chevron spent the previous decade fighting to keep the case from being tried in New York, where the company has its corporate headquarters, preferring to have it adjudicated where the offence was allegedly committed, in the province of Sucumbios in Ecuador. Nevertheless, as Chevron lost the case and was ordered to pay a large sum, it has spent 10 years destroying the reputation of the same courts that it had enthusiastically defended when it thought that it could buy them off, while spending hundreds of millions of dollars in a global campaign to discredit Ecuador.
Transnational corporations must cease their abuses against the States and peoples of the South. Ecuador calls upon Member States to participate in drafting a binding treaty to sanction transnational corporations when they violate human rights or pollute the environment.
We invite those present to visit Ecuador and put their hands into the hundreds of pools left by Texaco, so that they can feel for themselves the oil waste that was left behind, 20 years after the oil company left our country. That is the dirty hand of Chevron.
Faced with Chevron-Texaco’s arrogance, its billions of dollars and the infamy of this corrupt and corrupting company, Ecuador will fight back with the most lethal of any weapon ever invented: the truth.


Just 70 years ago, an earlier generation fought heroically and secured victory in an anti-fascist war, thereby ending a dark chapter in the annals of human history. That victory was hard won. Seventy years ago, humankind, acting with vision and foresight, established the United Nations. That universal and most representative and authoritative international Organization has carried humankind’s hope for a new future and ushered in a new
era of cooperation. It was a pioneering initiative never undertaken before. Seventy years ago, that generation pooled their wisdom to adopt the Charter of the United Nations, laying the cornerstone for the contemporary international order and establishing the fundamental principles of contemporary international relations. It was an achievement of profound impact.
On 3 September, the Chinese people, together with other peoples of the world, solemnly commemorated the seventieth anniversary of the Chinese people’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression and fascism in the Second World War. In the main theatre in the East, China made a national sacrifice, suffering over 35 million casualties in its fight against the main troops of Japanese militarism. China not only saved itself and its people from subjugation, but also gave strong support to the forces fighting aggression in the European and Pacific theatres, thereby making a historic contribution to the victory in that anti-fascist world war.
History is like a mirror. Only by drawing on the lessons of history can the world avoid repeating past calamities. We should review history with respect and in full conscience. The past cannot be changed, but the future can be shaped. Bearing history in mind is not to perpetuate hatred. Rather, it is necessary so that humankind does not forget history’s lessons. Remembering history does not mean being obsessed with the past; rather, in doing so, we aim to create a better future and pass the torch of peace from generation to generation.
The United Nations has survived the test of time. Over the past seven decades, it has witnessed the efforts of all countries to uphold peace, build homelands and pursue cooperation. Having reached a historic new starting point, the United Nations needs to address the central issue of how to better promote world peace and development in the twenty-first century. The world is experiencing a historic process of accelerated evolution. The sunshine of peace, development and progress will be powerful enough to penetrate the clouds of war, poverty and backwardness. The movement towards a multipolar world and the rise of emerging markets and developing countries have become an irreversible historical trend. Economic globalization with the advent of the information age has unleashed and greatly boosted social productive forces that have both created unprecedented development opportunities and given rise to new threats and challenges that we must squarely face.
As an ancient Chinese goes, “Our greatest ideal is to create a world truly shared by all”. Peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom are the common values of humankind and the lofty goals of the United Nations. Yet those goals are far from having been achieved, and we must continue our endeavours to meet them. In today’s world, all countries are interdependent and share a common future. We should renew our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, so as to fashion a new kind of international relations with win-win cooperation at its core and to create an international community that realizes a shared positive future for all of humankind. To achieve that goal, we need to make the following efforts.
We should build partnerships in which countries treat each other as equals, engage in mutual consultation and show mutual understanding. The principle of sovereign equality underpins the Charter of the United Nations. The future of the world must be shaped by all countries. All countries are equals. Those who are big, strong and rich should not bully the small, weak and poor. The principle of sovereignty not only means that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries are inviolable and that their internal affairs are not subject to interference. It also means that the right of all countries to independently choose social systems and development paths should be upheld and that the endeavours of all countries to promote economic and social development and to improve their people’s lives should be respected.
We should be committed to multilateralism and reject unilateralism. We should adopt a new vision of seeking win-win outcomes for all and reject the outdated mindset that one’s gain means the other’s loss or that the winner takes all. Consultation is an important form of democracy, and it should also become an important means of exercising contemporary international governance. We should resolve disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation. We should forge a global partnership at both the international and regional levels, and embrace a new approach to State-to-State relations, one that features dialogue rather than confrontation and seeks partnership rather than alliance.
Major countries should follow the principles of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation in handling their relations. Big countries should treat small countries as equals and take the right
approach to justice and interests by putting justice before interests.
We should create a security architecture featuring fairness, justice, joint contributions and shared benefits. In an age of economic globalization, the security of all countries is interlinked and has a mutual impact. No country can maintain absolute security by its own efforts alone, and no country can achieve stability on the basis of other countries’ instability. The law of the jungle leaves the weak at the mercy of the strong; that is not the way for countries to conduct their relations. Those who adopt the high-handed approach of using force will find that they are only lifting a rock to drop it on their own feet.
We should abandon the Cold War mentality in all its manifestations and foster a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. We should give full play to the central role of the United Nations and its Security Council in ending conflict and keeping peace, and adopt the dual approach of seeking peaceful solutions to disputes and taking the actions required to turn hostility into amity.
We should advance international cooperation in both the economic and social fields and take a holistic approach to addressing traditional and non-traditional security threats, so as to prevent conflicts from breaking out in the first place.
We should promote open, innovative and inclusive development that benefits all. The 2008 international financial crisis taught us that allowing capital to blindly pursue profit can only create a crisis and that global prosperity cannot be built on the shaky foundation of a market without moral constraints. The growing gap between rich and poor is both unsustainable and unfair. It is important for us to use both the invisible hand and the visible hand to create synergy between market forces and Government function and strive to achieve both efficiency and fairness.
Development is meaningful only when it is inclusive and sustainable. Achieve this goal requires openness, mutual assistance and win-win cooperation. In today’s world, close to 800 million people still live in extreme poverty; nearly 6 million children die before the age of 5 each year; and nearly 60 million children are unable to go to school. The just-concluded United Nations sustainable development Summit adopted the post-2015 development Agenda (resolution 70/1). We must translate our commitments into action and work
together to ensure a bright future in which everyone is free from want, has access to development and lives with dignity.
We should increase inter-civilization exchanges so as to promote harmony, inclusiveness and respect for differences. The world is simply more colourful as a result of its cultural diversity. Diversity breeds exchanges, exchanges create integration, and integration makes progress possible. In their interactions, civilizations must accept their differences. Only through mutual respect, mutual learning and harmonious coexistence can the world maintain its diversity and thrive. Each civilization reflects the unique vision and contribution of its people, and no civilization is superior to any other. Different civilizations should have dialogue and exchanges instead of trying to exclude or replace one another. The history of humankind is a process of active exchanges, interactions and integration among different civilizations. We should respect all civilizations and treat one another as equals. We should draw inspiration from one another to boost the creative development of human civilization.
We should build an ecosystem that puts Mother Nature and green development first. Humankind may utilize nature and even try to transform it, but we are, after all, a part of it. We should care for nature and not place ourselves above it. We should reconcile industrial development with nature and pursue harmony between man and nature to achieve the sustainable development of the world and the all-round development of humankind.
To build a sound ecology is vital for humankind’s future. All members of the international community should work together to build a sound global eco-environment. We should respect nature, follow nature’s ways and protect nature. We should firmly pursue green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable development. China will shoulder its share of responsibility and continue to play its part in this common endeavour. We also urge developed countries to fulfil their historical responsibilities, honour their emission-reduction commitments and help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change.
The more than 1.3 billion Chinese people are endeavouring to realize the Chinese dream of great national renewal. The dream of the Chinese people is closely connected with the dreams of the other peoples of the world. We cannot realize the Chinese dream without a peaceful international environment, a stable
international order and the understanding, support and help of the rest of the world. The realization of the Chinese dream will bring more opportunities to other countries and contribute to global peace and development.
China will continue to participate in building world peace. We are committed to peaceful development. No matter how the international landscape may evolve and how strong China may become, China will never seek hegemony or expansion or to establish a sphere of influence. We will continue to contribute to global development and to pursue common development and the win-win strategy of opening up. We are ready to share our development experience and opportunities with other countries, and we invite other countries to board China’s express train of development, so that all of us will achieve common development.
China will continue to uphold the international order. We will stay committed to the path of peaceful development through cooperation. China was the first country to put its signature on the Charter of the United Nations. We will continue to uphold the international order and system, underpinned by the purposes and principles of the Charter. China will continue to stand together with other developing countries. We firmly support the greater representation and voice of developing countries, especially African countries, in the international governance system. In voting at the United Nations, China will always side with the developing countries.
I take this opportunity to announce China’s decision to establish a 10-year, $1 billion peace and development fund to support the work of the United Nations, advance multilateral cooperation and promote world peace and development. I also wish to announce that China will join the new United Nations peacekeeping capabilities readiness system and has therefore decided to take the lead in setting up a permanent formed peacekeeping police force and a standby peacekeeping force of 8,000 troops. I also wish to announce that China will provide a total of $100 million of free military assistance to the African Union over the next five years to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the development of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis.
As the United Nations enters a new decade, let us unite even more closely to forge a new partnership of win-win cooperation and a community of shared future for humankind. Let the vision of beating our swords
into ploughshares and building a war-free world with lasting peace take root in our hearts. Let the aspirations for development, prosperity, fairness and justice spread throughout the world.


On behalf of Algeria, I would like to warmly congratulate Mr. Mogens Lykketoft on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventieth session. I would also like express my thanks and gratitude to Mr. Sam Kutesa, the Assembly’s President at its previous session, for the many achievements realized during his presidency, which we hope to build on and strengthen.
The current session coincides with the commemoration of the seventieth anniversary of the creation of the United Nations. It is taking place at a time when the international community is facing multiple challenges and opportunities that are the result of seven decades of profound changes and collective efforts, which have had their share of both successes and failures. Peace and stability have been restored in many parts of the world that were once ravaged by destructive wars; people have liberated themselves from the yoke of colonialism in Africa, Asia and Latin America; and the world has seen a qualitative leap
forward and significant development in the past seven decades.
That situation is in sharp contrast to the colonialism and foreign occupation that persist in some regions, along with the worsening poverty and hunger that remain the biggest challenge for the United Nations today. There are also new threats posed by terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking and human trafficking. In this context, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the images that the media have brought us of the massive influx of refugees into Europe as a result of the war- and crisis-induced humanitarian tragedies that unquestionably denote a collective failure to deal with conflicts and their consequences in several regions, particularly the Middle East.
The outcome document of the Summit on the post-2015 development agenda (resolution 70/1), held a few days ago, has both confirmed that failure and at the same time renewed the universal commitment to tackling the challenges facing humankind on the economic, social, security and environmental fronts, above all the need to unite our efforts to fight poverty and take new approaches to advancing development and improving the living conditions of people, who should be the focus of those efforts. At the same time, scarce natural resources must be safeguarded and the environment protected.
From this rostrum and at this pivotal meeting, Algeria once again affirms the validity of the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and renews its commitment to continuing to work to ensure the triumph of the values that unite us and that have made the United Nations a mirror of the concerns of the peoples of the world, their ambitions and hopes.
I would like to stress once again the need to continue United Nations reform, adapting its mechanisms and modernizing its tools, to enable it to fulfil its mission more efficiently. It is a question, on the one hand, of reaffirming the central role of the General Assembly as the conceiver and mouthpiece of international cooperation for development and the implementation of its resolutions and approaches, and, on the other hand, of the necessary reform of the Security Council dictated by the new challenges and threats to international peace and security. This principal organ no longer mirrors the composition of the international community, particularly the African continent.
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Algeria is participating in this historic session having achieved, before the deadline, most of the Millennium Development Goals adopted at the 2000 Summit. Under the programme of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algeria has implemented an ambitious development policy and development plans whose purpose is to relaunch the economic growth and to provide for the social needs of all citizens, while continuing to strengthen the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and equal opportunity for men and women.
Because of its central location in the Maghreb and Sahel areas and guided by the principles of its foreign policy, Algeria has continued to work for peace, security and harmony in its immediate neighbourhood and to bring political and economic support to its neighbours so as to strengthen Maghreb and African integration, convinced that this is an investment for the future of all and for the establishment of peace and stability at the regional and international levels. That is reflected in the steady approach of the international mediation team in Mali, led by Algeria, that resulted in the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement for peace and national reconciliation. We encourage all parties signatory to this agreement, and more generally, all political and social forces in Mali, and we invite the international community, particularly donor countries, to endorse this process and to back it politically and financially in an ongoing manner.
Algeria, which has stood by the fraternal Libyan people since the outbreak of the crisis in that neighbouring country, spares no effort to help it restore peace and stability and maintain its national unity. Algeria renews its support for the efforts of the United Nations in Libya to achieve an inclusive, comprehensive solution that involves all stakeholders in Libya with a view to immediately creating a Government of national accord.
In that regard, the efforts of the African Union in conflict resolution and peacekeeping in Africa are noteworthy. Indeed, the African Union has several achievements to its credit, with the continent contributing over 45 per cent of the world’s peacekeeping personnel. I would recall that the latest African summit, held in Johannesburg, took important decisions reflecting the will of the countries and peoples of the continent to work towards finding African solutions to African problems.
In Western Sahara, after a quarter century of ceasefire between the two parties to the conflict, the Kingdom of Morocco and the Frente Polisario, and the adoption of the United Nations-African Settlement Plan, the Saharan people continue to live under occupation and the resultant suffering. Procrastination and attempts to flee responsibilities are ongoing and have prevented the achievement of a solution to this conflict, thereby undermining the credibility of the United Nations.
Algeria, which supports with conviction and firmness the right of the Saharan people to determine their destiny in complete freedom, appreciates the sustained efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, Mr. Christopher Ross. We call on the United Nations to set a firm date for the holding of a referendum in accordance with relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, as was expressly requested by the African Summit in June 2015. Algeria will spare no effort to assist the parties to the conflict and the United Nations, with a view to an early implementation of the solution for which the fraternal Saharan people and other peoples of the Maghreb have been insistently calling.
With this same conviction of the necessity for settling disputes by peaceful means, Algeria has been following with great attention and concern the developments of the situations in Syria and Yemen, and the suffering of the two fraternal peoples in those two countries. Algeria therefore urges the protagonists to commit resolutely to the search for a peaceful solution to the crises in their countries. There is no other solution.
Algeria notes with satisfaction the growing global awareness of the need to fight international terrorism and to address its root causes and repercussions. That is why Algeria calls for comprehensive approaches to fighting transnational organized crime, including human trafficking and drug trafficking. We call for drying up the sources of funding for terrorist groups, especially by prohibiting and criminalizing the payment of ransoms. In this context, Algeria recently organized an international conference on deradicalization, whose recommendations stressed the need to promote the values of tolerance and moderation.
Algeria, which paid a heavy price to regain its sovereignty and rejoin the community of nations, understands the true value of the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people to recover their national rights
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and shares their hopes as the Palestinian flag is now flying at Headquarters for the first time. This symbolic victory, which came after the international recognition of the Palestinian State, supports a just and definitive solution to the Palestinian issue designed to ensure the creation of a sovereign State, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Given the importance of the issue of climate change and its impact in the economic, social and environmental spheres, and even in political and security concerns, we express the hope that the outcome of the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held soon in Paris, will meet the ecological challenges that now threaten to make countries and entire regions disappear and that seriously jeopardize life on Earth.
I must also say that we need to admit that in spite of the achievements we have accomplished together at the United Nations and beyond, the instruments and procedures set up by the founding fathers seven decades ago no longer meet the requirements of the day, nor the aspirations of the world’s population, which now exceeds 7 billion people. In other words, the new and multiple challenges generated by globalization and the profound changes and transformations that have affected international relations for decades demand that we make bold reforms capable of conferring the credibility and transparency needed by the multilateral system of cooperation.
The commemoration of the anniversaries of institutions, like people’s birthdays, are ideal opportunities for introspective assessments and forward-looking projections. Therefore, we harken back to the historic results of the twenty-ninth session of our Assembly, held in 1974 under the presidency of Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, on South Africa, Palestine and the new international economic order, to express the hope that the current session will derive inspiration from that memorable time in our Organization’s life and will rise to meet the current challenges with a qualitative, collective and courageous leap forward to promote a humankind at peace with itself and free from fear and want.