It is an honour for
me to deliver this statement on behalf of Mr. Surakiart
Sathirathai, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Allow me to join all previous speakers in expressing
our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of
those who lost their lives or suffered from the tragic
incidents of 11 September 2001. The people and
Government of Thailand share the feelings of sorrow
and outrage caused by those acts of terrorism. Our
condolences go to the people and Government of the
United States.
I wish to extend my congratulations to the
President on his election to the presidency for the fifty-
sixth session of the General Assembly and express my
full confidence that, under his guidance, we shall be
able to build upon the United Nations Millennium
Declaration and accomplish our goals of bringing
peace, prosperity and well-being to this world.
I also wish to express our warmest
congratulations to Secretary-General Kofi Annan on
his being conferred the Nobel Peace Prize, together
with the United Nations, as well as on his re-election as
Secretary-General. This prestigious recognition has
been made because of the tireless efforts of the
Secretary-General himself and of the dedicated United
Nations staff. The achievement of the Secretary-
General is noted in his Millennium Report, which
encapsulates the United Nations activities ahead,
outlines the framework for the tasks and focuses on
people as the centre of development, both at the
international and national levels.
After the events of 11 September 2001, the shared
destiny of the world will depend greatly on how we
manage to cope with these emerging new realities and
growing complexities. No country is truly safe from
terrorism and no one is capable of fighting it alone.
Now is the time for every nation to contribute and
participate in the joint efforts to combat terrorism.
In Thailand, we resolutely condemn all forms of
terrorism and are fully supportive of all the
international community’s efforts to combat this grave
threat to global peace and security. Thailand supports
all actions against terrorism in the framework of the
United Nations and in accordance with the relevant
resolutions of the United Nations and international law.
We have extended cooperation to the international
37

community through existing laws, such as those on
mutual assistance in criminal matters in the form of
information exchange and intelligence sharing. The
Thai Government is amending existing domestic
legislation and regulations to enable the country to be
party to relevant international conventions, especially
the International Convention for the Suppression of the
Financing of Terrorism.
At the regional level, Thailand has participated
actively in the recent regional gatherings at the highest
level, where international terrorism received a high
priority, namely the recent Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting in
Shanghai. We joined other APEC leaders in expressing
grave concern over the threat to world peace and the
stability of the world economy caused by terrorism and
in reaffirming a renewed sense of urgency to restore
confidence to the global economy.
At the 7th Summit of the Association of South-
East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 5 November 2001 in
Brunei Darussalam, ASEAN leaders issued a
declaration outlining specific measures to further
strengthen cooperation to deal with the threat of
terrorism in the region. Measures proposed include the
enhancement of intelligence exchange and the
deepening of cooperation among law enforcement
agencies. ASEAN leaders also stressed the need to
strengthen cooperation with ASEAN Dialogue Partners
and within the framework of the ASEAN Regional
Forum and affirmed that the United Nations should
play a major role in this regard.
My country, Thailand, supports a ministerial-level
international conference on international terrorism,
under the auspices of the United Nations, to be held at
the earliest opportunity. This should facilitate the
discussion of problems and cooperation on
antiterrorism, leading to possible concrete measures at
the global level. Terrorism should not be identified
with any ethnic group, faith, or nationality. Otherwise,
our efforts could result in greater danger for our
peoples.
International terrorism has also exacerbated the
slowdown in the global economy. This carries with it
significant social ramifications as well. Airlines,
tourism and related industries worldwide have felt the
impact of international tension. Countries already
struggling to recover from the recent economic
slowdown are preparing to safeguard their economies
from sliding further into sluggishness. Confronted with
the ever widening gap between developed and
developing countries, the United Nations and Member
States must work together to arrest and reverse this
trend.
The efforts to bridge the gap must not be confined
to the United Nations framework alone. The World
Trade Organization meeting in Doha, Qatar, which was
just concluded, was a timely opportunity in which
nations proved that they could work together and
achieve substantial progress in pushing forward the
global trade agenda for the common good of the world.
Since assuming office early this year, the present
Thai Government has been pursuing a new approach to
economic and social policy. The Thai Government has
introduced a series of economic and social schemes
aimed at promoting the capacity-building of the people
at the grass-roots level. For instance, it has established
the People’s Bank and microcredit schemes for both the
rural and the urban poor. This is to assist each
community by financing small, local projects so as to
develop and market a community’s own products based
on local know-how. In addition, more than 2 million
small-scale Thai farmers will benefit from the
Government’s debt suspension scheme and a
nationwide health insurance scheme.
On the issue of Afghanistan, the United Nations
and the international community, in collaboration with
the Afghans themselves, must move quickly to
formulate modalities that would help restore order and
stability. We should also render all possible assistance
to Afghanistan, starting with assistance of a
humanitarian nature at this crucial time and assistance
aimed at capacity-building in the near future. Thailand,
for its part, will provide a fairly large amount of rice —
approximately 3,000 metric tons — as food relief for
the Afghans. The Thai Red Cross has also donated
10,000 blankets.
Within our own region of South-East Asia,
Thailand has reinvigorated bilateral relations with our
immediate neighbours and has cooperated closely in
pursuing a common vision of opening borders. We
have also decided to establish joint production bases
and transportation linkages. These initiatives carry on
the momentum begun last year when the Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
adopted a resolution proposed by Thailand on the
“Decade of Greater Mekong Subregion Development
38

Cooperation, 2000-2009”. This subregion has been
placed at the forefront of the Asia-Pacific development
agenda. In addition, Thailand also has a role in keeping
peace in the region. We take special pride in the fact
that two Thai Generals have successively served as
Force Commanders of the United Nations Transitional
Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), the
successor operation to the International Force in East
Timor (INTERFET). This is part and parcel of
Thailand’s commitment to shouldering its fair share of
international responsibility, particularly in South-East
Asia.
We envisage the United Nations playing a major
role in strengthening the foundation for a future world
that will be peaceful, tolerant, and sustainable for our
peoples and future generations. Therefore, Thailand is
fully supportive of the United Nations Year of
Dialogue among Civilizations and participated actively
in the recently concluded World Conference against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa.
As we celebrate the fifty-sixth anniversary of the
United Nations, and as we congratulate the Secretary-
General and the Organization, we must ask ourselves:
what do we expect of the United Nations? I believe we
expect it to work even harder towards cultivating a
culture of peace, as well as improving the pace of
international social and economic development. In
these endeavours, we believe that rich and poor nations
alike must contribute in their varied capacities. These
national efforts must go hand in hand with those of the
United Nations.
Let us focus on the immediate priorities of
maintaining peace and harmony in the world. Let us
pledge to work together with even greater vigour for
the political, economic, social, and physical well-being
of our peoples. These are, and should be, the enduring
priorities for the United Nations and for all humankind.


As I begin my statement in the general debate, allow
me to express to you, Mr. Han Seung-soo, Minister for
Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, the pleasure
of my delegation at seeing you preside over the work
of this session of the General Assembly. Your personal
and professional qualities, with which we are familiar,
will ensure the success of our work. Your election is
also recognition of the sisterly Republic of Korea, a
country with which we have close links of cooperation
and friendship. You can be sure of the steadfast and
determined support of the delegation of Paraguay as
you carry out your duties.
Likewise, I would like to take this opportunity to
recognize the work being done by the Secretary-
General of our Organization, Mr. Kofi Annan, who was
recently honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize for his
dedication to the cause of the United Nations, which is
peace itself. We are certain that under his leadership,
the efforts of the United Nations will reach all peoples
and the Organization will adapt itself to the new reality
and important challenges imposed on us by the context
of international politics.
Allow me today, two months after the tragic and
condemnable events of 11 September, to reiterate the
solidarity of my Government and of the people of the
Republic of Paraguay with the Government and people
of the United States and state our unswerving
commitment to the fight against terrorism in all its
manifestations. The Republic of Paraguay is not neutral
in the face of such a cowardly crime, and it will
continue to support all the efforts of this Organization
and the international community to put a definitive end
to these crimes against humanity. We must not confine
ourselves exclusively to demonstrations of solidarity
6

and condemnation. We must make definite
commitments to the international consensus that has
been built in order to face this grave threat to humanity.
This general debate is taking place in
circumstances that would have been unimaginable to us
and that have reminded us of our vulnerability to
individuals and groups of individuals that commit
indiscriminate violent acts that are totally unjustified in
the minds or feelings of civilized human beings. We
must also recall that the theme of international
terrorism has been on our Organization’s agenda since
the twenty-seventh session of the General Assembly,
and since then to date we have not been sufficiently
diligent in taking the legal and collective security
measures necessary to prevent events such as those we
are belatedly regretting
The urgent fight against terrorism in all its
manifestations, which should not be interpreted as a
clash of civilizations or of religious beliefs, is the top
priority on our international agenda, and we cannot
assert that any country is free of the danger posed by
international terrorism. Rarely in history have there
been such grave challenges to international peace and
security like the one we face today — a fact which
forces us take clear and firm positions that are in
keeping with the provisions of the Charter and the
prevailing norms of international law. Not only is
international security at stake today, but so is the
democratic system itself, which represents victory and
universal good in its constant aspiration to and struggle
for freedom and justice.
Immediately after these events, my Government
strengthened internal measures required by the
circumstances so as to be able to exercise greater
control and security over movements into and out of
the country, while respecting the principle of the free
movement of persons.
Mindful of its responsibility and consistent with
the commitment made as a Member of this
Organization, the Republic of Paraguay, by a decree of
the executive branch of 24 October 2001, established
an inter-ministerial commission to implement
resolution 1373 (2001), recently adopted by the
Security Council. The Republic’s judicial and
legislative branches and the Attorney General’s office
were called on to designate various governmental
division representatives. The commission was installed
on 6 November 2001, under the coordination of the
Ministry for Foreign Relations.
A draft law is also currently under consideration
by the judicial branch, which defines and sets penalties
for the crime of terrorism, and it enjoys the full support
of the executive branch.
On 12 October 2001, Paraguay signed the
International Convention for the Suppression of the
Financing of Terrorism, which is being referred to the
National Congress for adoption. The national
Government has embarked on constitutional procedures
so that the other conventions on this matter to which it
is still not a party will be signed and ratified or adhered
to as soon as possible.
We also expect the early adoption by the General
Assembly of the two conventions on terrorism, which
are under discussion in the Ad Hoc Committee created
for this purpose in the Sixth Committee. We must not
wait for a replay of the events of 11 September in order
to accelerate our strengthening of the international
legal framework. The time we delay in strengthening
our legal framework will be an opportunity for the
terrorists to increase their capacity and expand their
criminal activities to other countries.
Within the framework of the Organization of
American States (OAS), we have participated with full
conviction in deciding on actions and formulating
decisions that were recently adopted during the
consultative meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
In the context of our regional association — the
Common Market Southern Cone (MERCOSUR) — on
28 September 2001, it was decided to undertake the
broadest possible cooperation among its members in
order to carry out information exchange, studies,
concerted actions against terrorist acts and the
establishment of an open-ended working group to
appraise and devise common policies in the fight
against terrorism.
In recent weeks we have experienced once again
a new terrorist threat, and I am referring particularly to
the use of biological agents, whose effects could reach
a planetary level and threaten humanity itself as a
whole. This new criminal practice compels us to react
as rapidly and energetically as possible and be
determined in all our efforts to uncover the perpetrators
and their sponsors, who are acting in anonymity.
7

International concern and actions generated by
the events of September must also prompt us to reflect
and evaluate other themes of transcendental importance
on our agenda, such as the fight against poverty, the
need to strengthen international economic cooperation
for development, access to markets and information
and communication technologies by the developing
countries so that the imbalances that still characterize
international relations may become less severe.
Achieving the goals set in the Millennium
Declaration, along with other commitments entered
into in the context of development in the various
forums of our Organization, must continue to be one of
our greatest and urgent challenges in coming years.
For this reason, we fully concur with the point
made by the Secretary-General in his report on the
work of the Organization that the most difficult battle
facing the international community is the eradication of
poverty — which is exactly why we must speed up the
economic growth of the developing countries. We trust
that the International Conference on Financing for
Development, to be held next year in Monterrey,
Mexico, will achieve the desired results. To this end,
we believe that consideration must be given to the
clear-cut differences among existing levels of
development, to the unevenness that prevails in the
capacity of countries to participate in international
processes and, in this regard, to the special situation of
landlocked countries, which, because of the nature of
their territory, face greater difficulties in engaging in
external trade, thus putting a brake on their economic
development.
It is our hope that the final outcome of that
Conference will not be confined solely and exclusively
to a mere political declaration or expression of wishes.
We hope that it will set clear objectives and goals to
ensure that the globalization process, rather than
widening the existing gap between rich and poor, will
promote the development of all nations within an
inclusive and equitable framework.
Given the new challenges and changes that have
arisen since the beginning of the new millennium, we
reaffirm our commitment to the urgent need to
strengthen our Organization, underscoring first and
foremost the central role that should be played by the
General Assembly as the most representative, universal
and equitable deliberative organ. We should not allow
the General Assembly to become a mere meeting place
where we participate in order to fulfil a routine
function within a pre-established timetable of work.
Speeding up reform of the Security Council is
another of the key aspects in strengthening the United
Nations. The Council should become a more
democratic, representative and transparent organ so
that it can strike a better political balance. This process
should provide for an increase in both permanent and
non-permanent members, so as to secure a better level
of participation for developing countries which, at the
present time, are under-represented. Likewise we
believe that, in the area of transparency of the
Council’s activities, it is appropriate to establish
interactive machinery involving the other Member
States of the Organization so that they will have greater
access to the Council’s work. For this reason, we have
welcomed the briefing meetings that the Chairman of
the Special Committee established pursuant to Security
Council resolution 1373 (2001) is giving to other
Members of the Organization.
Another outstanding issue that needs to be
resolved by our Organization, and one that gives us
utmost concern in view of the recent increase in
violence and loss of life, is the situation in the Middle
East. We believe that both the General Assembly and
the Security Council should redouble their efforts to
arrive at a solution that will respond to the rightful
aspirations of the parties concerned. It should include
recognition of Israel’s existence within secure and
well-defined borders and the Palestinian people’s full
enjoyment of the right to have its own homeland. We
need to tackle this issue firmly and resolutely, ensuring
that we work together with the necessary political will
to contribute to international peace and security.
My country, Paraguay, also hopes that other areas
of tension in the world may be settled. In this regard,
mindful of the principle of universality enshrined in
our Charter, we advocate a solution to the question of
the Republic of China and Taiwan within the
framework of the norms of international law.
The current economic and social state of affairs,
and its consequences, obliges us to mobilize efficiently,
with the greatest possible degree of responsibility and
solidarity, the cooperation required from the developed
countries and the international financial institutions to
tackle the challenges that we, as leaders, face when we
try to create conditions of equal opportunity for paid
employment, and when we seek to eliminate income
8

inequities that undermine social stability, and to
provide for basic care and services for our peoples and
for the sustainable development of our countries.
In conclusion, we are aware today, more than
ever, of the need to begin a process that allows us to
work together in a rational way to build a more
supportive and participatory new economic world
order, the ultimate purpose of which would be to
promote development and well-being for all of our
peoples, once and for all. In this regard, I wish to
express my Government’s utter conviction that the
current international situation underscores the
importance of this process beginning and ending within
the sphere of the United Nations, thus ensuring full
participation in it of all Member States.


I would like to begin by congratulating the President
on his outstanding election to the presidency of the
General Assembly at this session. His election reflects
the recognition by the international community of the
place and the role that the Republic of Korea, a great
friend of Gabon, plays in the world and particularly in
Asia. I would like to assure him of our full cooperation
during his period of office.
To his predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri of Finland,
I express the satisfaction of my delegation for the
excellent work done in the course of the last session.
And to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, I
would like to reaffirm the highest appreciation of the
Government and the head of State of Gabon, His
Excellency El Hadj Omar Bongo, for the dedication
and determination with which he has endeavoured to
make a reality of the ideals of peace, justice and
welfare contained in the United Nations Charter. The
Nobel Peace Prize, which has just been awarded to him
as well as to the United Nations, is eloquent testimony
to the work being done by the United Nations system to
promote peace and build a more prosperous world. He
can rest assured of Gabon’s support for his efforts in
the service of the United Nations.
It is little more than a year ago that the heads of
State and Government of the Member States of the
United Nations met here in New York at the historic
Millennium Summit. On that occasion, they laid down
the guidelines for the future work of the international
community and reaffirmed their commitment to the
purposes and principles set forth in the Charter of our
Organization. The Millennium Summit thus enabled
our nations to renew their commitment to act in unity
and solidarity in order to take up the numerous
challenges facing the world.
The tragedy which took place on 11 September
2001 in the United States of America has, more than
ever, strengthened our determination to combat
international terrorism. We must put an end to it by all
possible means — military, diplomatic and political. It
is for this reason that Gabon unreservedly supports
Security Council resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373
(2001) as well as the adoption of a comprehensive
convention on terrorism.
There is no possible doubt that the coalition
which has been created will be victorious in the fight
against terrorism. In this surge of solidarity, the
international community must, in parallel, find
appropriate responses to the world problems that can
serve as a pretext for certain radical groups. There is an
urgent need to act to find solutions to the conflicts and
economic and social problems of our time.
31

As far as armed conflicts are concerned, we are
convinced that if illicit trafficking in small arms and
light weapons could be ended, it would be easier to
arrive at a prompt and lasting settlement. The
implementation by everyone of the recommendations
of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in
Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, held
here in New York last July, would enable us to reach
that goal.
Faithful to the commitment of President Omar
Bongo, Gabon remains committed to and involved in
efforts to restore peace in the world, particularly in
Africa. Here, I would like to express our satisfaction at
the return of peace to Congo (Brazzaville) following a
national dialogue involving all parties, under the
auspices of the international mediator. The stability
which has been restored to this brother country has
made possible the voluntary return of the numerous
Congolese refugees from my country to their homes
since August, thanks to excellent cooperation between
the High Commissioner for Refugees, the Gabonese
authorities and the Congolese authorities. Similarly, we
welcome the significant progress that has been made in
the Burundi peace process, which on 1 November 2001
culminated in the establishment of a transitional
government.
I would like to pay deserved tribute to former
President Nelson Mandela for the dedication and
determination with which he conducted the process to
that important stage. For his part, the President of the
Gabonese Republic will, at the request of the members
of the Burundi Peace Initiative, pursue his efforts with
a view to consolidating the peace process in that
country.
Concerning the situation in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, we welcome the important
efforts already undertaken in establishing the United
Nations peacekeeping mission. We earnestly hope that
the Johannesburg phase will make possible the start of
an effective inter-Congolese dialogue.
The situation in the Middle East, because of the
threat it presents to international peace and security, is
also a source of deep concern. I therefore urge the
parties to resume negotiations, the only way to arrive at
a lasting peace.
At the very moment when the process of
globalization of financial markets and trade is affecting
every aspect of the life of our societies, one must
recognize that an ever-growing number of the world’s
peoples risk being marginalized if concrete measures
are not taken on their behalf. The international
community therefore needs to mobilize new and
additional resources to enable them to narrow
considerably the gap separating them from others. The
forthcoming International Conference on Financing for
Development, scheduled for March 2002 at Monterrey,
Mexico, accordingly arouses great hopes. If this
important conference is well prepared, it will help us to
satisfy these legitimate expectations.
Leaders have understood that Africa holds the
key to its own development. The creation of the
African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development are part of this logic. Much remains to be
done for development to blossom, but the foundations
have already been laid. To achieve full success,
however, Africa needs the assistance of the United
Nations and the international community.
Another question vital to our planet’s future at the
beginning of the third millennium is that of the
protection and preservation of the environment. The
World Summit on Sustainable Development, which is
to be held in Johannesburg from 2 to 11 September
2002, will provide us a further opportunity to evaluate
the progress made in implementing policies reflecting
the commitments we undertook in Rio de Janeiro 10
years ago. What conclusions will we be able to draw as
to the implementation of Agenda 21? What chance of
success will we be prepared to give the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change and the
Kyoto Protocol, the United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification in Those Countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification,
and the Convention on Biodiversity? In other words,
what we must do is to respond more simply and
directly to the issue of the choices and concessions we
are prepared to make to be able to pass on to future
generations a preserved environment that is similar to
the heritage we ourselves received from our fathers.
Any efforts made by the countries of Africa to
ensure better economic growth will be in vain if no
large-scale effort is mounted against such diseases as
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and, not to be
forgotten, arterial hypertension, which is another of the
main causes of death in Africa. There is therefore an
urgent need to implement the United Nations
recommendations on AIDS, particularly with regard to
care, support and treatment. There is also an urgent
32

need to make operational the special Trust Fund
created for that purpose.
At a time when the United Nations, and in
particular the Security Council — the body primarily
responsible for the maintenance of peace in the
world — is increasingly called upon to take on the
numerous challenges posed by the third millennium,
the matter of reforming that body continues to be
highly relevant. Indeed, it is difficult to conceive how a
continent like Africa can be without permanent
representation on the Council.
The reality of today’s world, divided between
universalism and particular interests and identities,
clearly illustrates that humanity is still searching for
harmony and unity. That is why we are firmly
convinced that a solution to the concerns I have just
mentioned is to be found in the international
community’s promotion of the virtues of dialogue and
solidarity, which are the pillars of the new humanism.
Without respect for those values, the dream cherished
by the founders of our Organization to build a peaceful
and united world will remain a chimera. Working
towards establishing a new humanity free from
selfishness, hatred, passions and injustice must
constitute our common concern.


This session is taking place amid feelings of sadness
and grief that prevail following the terrorist acts of 11
September that befell the United States. They
victimized the thousands, from more than 80 countries,
who were working in the World Trade Center in the
City of New York when the vicious attack took place,
and also resulted in great material and economic
damage.
My country, the State of Bahrain, moved quickly
to condemn the terrorist attacks in New York, just a
few kilometres from the Headquarters of the United
Nations, and in Washington, D.C. The Emir of Bahrain,
Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, expressed to
Mr. George W. Bush, President of the United States of
America, and to the friendly people of the United
States of America the deep condolences of the Emir,
the Government and the people of the State of Bahrain
for the victims of these wicked attacks, which run
counter to the teachings of all divine religions as well
as the basic tenets of humanity and the standards of
cultural values.
The State of Bahrain has supported the
international alliance against terrorism. It has offered
its cooperation as a participant in efforts and measures
to eliminate terrorism and terrorists as well as their
havens and financial resources. We have done so out of
our firm and principled position against terrorism and
our rejection of all forms of violence and extremism.
Such violence and extremism contradict the teachings
of true Islam and its tolerant values, as well as all lofty
cultural and human values in which we believe and
which we support.
The State of Bahrain also followed and
participated in the debates on combating terrorism
during this session of the General Assembly. It shares
the opinion of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan,
that the shocking events of 11 September have united
the world against terrorism, as demonstrated by the
condemnation of those horrific attacks expressed by
millions of people from all societies. We also share the
Secretary-General’s opinion that, because of its unique
structure, the United Nations has an important role to
play in mobilizing the international community in
countering and combating terrorism.
As part of its policy of cooperation with
international efforts, the State of Bahrain welcomed
Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), which dealt
27

with the issue of terrorism, in particular operative
paragraph 6, which requests Member States to report to
the Security Council Committee within 90 days on the
steps taken to implement the resolution.
While expressing our feelings of sadness at the
horror of the events of 11 September, we must also
warn against the danger of exploiting the events to link
terrorism to Islam. Islam is a religion of amity and
tolerance, and we would like to warn against the
danger of stirring up hostility against Muslims and of
igniting a conflict between religions and civilizations,
instead of dialogue and interaction among them for the
good of all societies and people of different races and
beliefs. In this context, we are pleased to welcome the
position taken by the United States of America and
other friendly countries in calling on their citizens to
refrain from harming their residents or citizens of Arab
and Muslim descent and reaffirming the spirit of
tolerance, interaction and dialogue among religions and
cultures.
The United Nations, which is the ideal tool for
confronting international terrorism, faces other
challenges that stand in the way of cooperation for
prosperity, economic and social development and the
building of a world in which justice, peace and equality
prevail.
In this regard, this year the United Nations held
several special sessions of the General Assembly, one
on human settlements and the other on HIV/AIDS, as
well as a Conference on small arms. The Economic and
Social Council also convened conferences on
information technology, the eradication of poverty and
financing for development, as well as the World
Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, which was hosted
by the Republic of South Africa.
The State of Bahrain endorsed the United Nations
Millennium Declaration, and today — on the basis of
its deep-rooted civilization and sustained revival aimed
at strengthening the foundations of the modern State,
attaining comprehensive development, further
invigorating the mechanisms of civil society and public
institutions in order to enable its citizens to understand
current issues and the need for further advancement —
it reaffirms its determination to continue shouldering
its national, regional and international responsibilities,
with a view to achieving the common purposes and
principles set out in the Charter of the United Nations
and the Millennium Declaration.
In this context, His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin
Isa Al-Khalifa, Emir of the State of Bahrain, took the
initiative to establish a national committee that
includes representatives from all sectors of Bahraini
society. This committee prepared a draft Charter for
national action, which was approved in a free
referendum by a majority of 98.4 per cent of the people
of Bahrain, and was ratified by His Highness the Emir
in February this year. This Charter is part of a
comprehensive plan to develop Bahraini society,
update its systems and institutions and transform it into
a modern State capable of participating effectively in
the new world order and of facing the challenges and
requirements of the era.
This historic step was coupled with a number of
measures to improve and update constitutional and
democratic institutions, reaffirm the rule of law,
achieve justice, equality and equal opportunities and
enhance popular participation. Foremost among these
are developments in the field of human rights, which
have confirmed the participation of women and
enhanced their role in civil society, including their
right to vote and to run for elected office, as well as the
establishment of the Human Rights Committee of the
Shura Council and the establishment of the Supreme
Council for Women. The Council’s mandate includes,
inter alia, proposing public policies in the field of
development and enhancing the role of women in civic
and constitutional State institutions. Proud of its
accomplishments in the political, economic and social
fields and reiterating its determination to press ahead
with its comprehensive development plans to build a
modern State capable of reaffirming its international
position and consolidating its relations with various
countries of the world, the State of Bahrain would also
like to express its thanks and appreciation for the
support given by many States of our Organization to
the worthy steps taken by His Highness the Emir.
Bahrain’s determination to imbue its relations
with others with a spirit of friendship and cooperation
is evidenced by its fraternal, amicable and close
relations with brotherly and friendly States. Such
relations are based on mutual respect, non-interference
in the internal affairs of others and the promotion of
good-neighbourly relations and cooperation among
States. In this respect, it is worth noting the position of
both the State of Bahrain and the State of Qatar on the
28

judgement handed down by the International Court of
Justice on 16 March this year, which brought to an end
the border dispute between the two brotherly countries.
The statements issued by the leaders of both countries
said that the judgement, which was accepted by the two
countries, had opened a new page in relations between
them, based as they are on agreement and cooperation
aimed at achieving their common interests, and that it
represented the triumph of international legitimacy and
the principles of international law.
It is regrettable that the ramifications of the
dangerous events witnessed in the Gulf region over the
past 20 years constitute an ongoing threat to the
security and stability of the region and an obstacle to
its development and growth. The State of Bahrain,
which would like to see regional and international
security prevail, especially in the Gulf region, which
has strategic importance and in which various countries
of the world have vital interests, calls once again upon
Iraq to cooperate with the United Nations and to fully
implement the relevant Security Council resolutions, in
particular those relating to weapons of mass
destruction and to the release of Kuwaiti prisoners of
war and detainees and those of other nationalities, so
that efforts to lift the sanctions and to end the suffering
of its brotherly people may succeed.
The State of Bahrain also hopes that, in the light
of the positive developments in relations between the
countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the
Islamic Republic of Iran, a peaceful solution can be
reached in the current dispute between the latter and
the United Arab Emirates over the three islands,
Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, all of which
belong to the United Arab Emirates. The State of
Bahrain approves of and welcomes the direct contacts
that have taken place between the two neighbouring
countries and hopes that the dispute will be settled by
peaceful means in accordance with the principles of
international law, including referral to the International
Court of Justice.
Since the current Israeli Government came to
power, the Middle East has experienced serious
developments that have brought back conditions of
hostility and confrontation such as engulfed the region
prior to the beginning of the Madrid peace process in
1991. This has come about through Israel’s aggression
against the Palestinian people and its oppression,
economic isolation and blockades of all the territory
under Palestinian authority.
The peace process based on Security Council
resolutions, in particular resolutions 242 (1967) and
338 (1973), and on the Madrid terms of reference —
specifically the principle of land for peace — is at an
impasse. The explosive situation in the Palestinian
Authority’s territories, with all its inherent risks,
including the threat to security and stability in the
Middle East and to the interests of the Authority and
other States, requires the international community, and
primarily the sponsors of the peace process, to shoulder
their responsibilities to put the peace process back on
track so that its objectives may be achieved.
This can be done only through the full
implementation of Security Council resolutions calling
for a complete withdrawal from the Arab territories
occupied by Israel in the Syrian Golan Heights up to
the boundaries of 4 June 1967 and from the remaining
occupied territories of the Republic of Lebanon, and
through full recognition of the legitimate rights of the
Palestinian people, including its rights of return and to
the establishment of its own independent State with
Jerusalem as its capital. In this regard, we welcome the
statement made by President Bush of the United States
of America on the right of the Palestinian people —
supported by the European Union, the permanent
members of the Security Council and the international
community — to establish a Palestinian State.
The role of the United Nations and the reform of
its machinery to enable it to face its challenges and
overcome them collectively are among the priorities of
the Charter that were reinforced by the Millennium
Declaration. The Declaration calls on us to uphold the
rule of law nationally and internationally, to respect
human rights and to conduct international relations in
such a way as to preserve world security, peace,
development and stability.
In praising the role of the United Nations, I
should also like to take this opportunity to convey my
warm and sincere congratulations to Mr. Kofi Annan,
whom the Member States have unanimously re-elected
as Secretary-General for a second term in office in
recognition of his tireless efforts to allow the
Organization to play its full role and to achieve its
objectives. Through those efforts, the Secretary-
General and the United Nations under his leadership
have fully deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for this year
in appreciation of their great contribution to
maintaining international peace and security. I
29

congratulate the Secretary-General and the United
Nations on that honour.
I also have the pleasure to extend to you, Sir, and
to your friendly country, the Republic of Korea, our
congratulations on your election as President of the
General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session. I express
the hope that you will succeed in carrying out your
tasks. I also thank your predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri
of Finland, President of the General Assembly at its
fifty-fifth session, and commend his invaluable efforts
in conducting the proceedings of that session and of the
special sessions held in conjunction with it.
We believe firmly that the destiny of the human
race is a common destiny, given that we all live in one
world. We are therefore duty-bound to preserve that
world and to protect it from the threats of war,
international terrorism, conflict, disease and poverty. It
is incumbent on us, the peoples of the United Nations,
as stated in the Charter, to choose to practice tolerance
and to live according to the will of Almighty God as
peoples that cooperate in the pursuit of friendship,
justice, peace and security.


My most sincere
congratulations go first to His Excellency Mr. Han
Seung-soo on his election as President of the General
Assembly at its fifty-sixth session. His outstanding
personal qualities and the consistently valuable
contributions of his country, the Republic of Korea, to
United Nations activities are clear guarantees that the
stewardship of the current session of the General
Assembly, which started under dramatic and sorrowful
circumstances, has been entrusted to a safe pair of
hands.
I would also like to renew my heartfelt
congratulations to our Secretary-General on the well-
deserved awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize and on his
election to another term in office. Romania will
continue to support his commendable endeavours
towards reforming the Organization in a way that
should enable it to cope effectively with the challenges,
old and new, of our modern world.
The horrific terrorist attack of 11 September was
a rude awakening for all of us. It brought into focus
both the abyssal evil we have to confront and the high
value of human solidarity in the international response
to it. It also shed new light on some problems that the
international community has been facing for quite a
while and accelerated certain processes, the far-
reaching consequences of which are still not easy to
predict.
There can be no ambivalence or half measures
when it comes to condemning and effectively
combating terrorism and militant, violent fanaticism of
any kind. The tragedy that befell the United States and
the United Nations host city affected all humankind
and created a new resolve to bring to justice the
perpetrators and those who support, abet or harbour
them. We share the views of the President of the United
States, Mr. George W. Bush, that what is at stake is not
just America’s freedom but that this is the world’s
fight, civilization’s fight, the fight of all who believe in
progress and pluralism, tolerance and freedom.
Belief in those fundamental values have inspired
the noble concept of the dialogue among civilizations,
so eloquently expounded by the Secretary-General in
his address to the Assembly. Indeed, it is only through
dialogue that points of convergence can be identified
and cooperation becomes possible on matters that
acquire significance once they become the object of
shared concern.
From the very beginning. Romania joined the
international democratic community in its ongoing
campaign against evil-doers and their supporters for a
safer and freer world. The consensual view of the
Romanian nation across the political spectrum was
unequivocally expressed in Parliament’s decision to
make Romania’s air, maritime and land space available
to the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization and to provide access to any other
facilities that our partners may require. This is tangible
proof of our commitment to acting as a de facto
member of the North Atlantic Alliance.
My country firmly supports the relevant
resolutions recently adopted by the General Assembly
and the Security Council, and we have already
undertaken the necessary steps to ensure their full
implementation in Romania.
Regional solidarity is also essential. At a very
recent conference on the common fight against
terrorism, held in Warsaw on 6 November, the heads of
State of Central and Eastern Europe reflected upon
their past common experiences and voiced their
determination to stand firmly united in the fight against
terror for as long as it takes. It is also appropriate to
18

highlight here the meaningful work done by the
Bucharest-based Southeast European Cooperation
Initiative Regional Crime Center for Combating
Transborder Crime, involving active inputs from 11
countries. The Center should build upon its current
activities in order to enhance its contribution to the
worldwide fight against terrorism by making good use
of existing liaison systems, intelligence-sharing and
joint task forces.
I fully agreed with Secretary-General Kofi Annan
when he recently said that we must not let the terrorist
attacks distract us from the rest of the work we have to
do. In no way do these tragic events make the broader
mission of the United Nations less relevant. Indeed, the
new focus on terrorism should not divert us from the
core business of the world Organization. The agenda of
this session is both comprehensive and substantial. We
share the view that a large portion of our work should
be devoted to seeking practical ways to implement the
broad agreement reached at the Millennium Summit
along the lines indicated in the Secretary-General’s
visionary road map report.
We support the Secretary-General in his efforts to
integrate human rights into the whole range of United
Nations activities. We encourage closer cooperation
between the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees, other United Nations
agencies and mechanisms and regional structures that
have extensive expertise in this field, such as the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
whose chairmanship-in-office is currently held by
Romania.
We regard the enhancement of the United Nations
peacekeeping capability as a top priority. Recent
experience in the Balkans and elsewhere has taught us
that proper policing can be at least as important as the
use of military might in modern-day peacekeeping and
peace-building operations. That is why Romania has
decided, in addition to its previous commitments in the
area, to contribute a significant contingent of military
policemen to the international presence in Kosovo to
assist the transition from conflict to stability.
The United Nations can become a focal point for
constructive interaction with regional or subregional
structures and specialized organizations of civil society
in dealing with concrete problems ranging from
conflict prevention to peace-building and post-conflict
rehabilitation, reconstruction and sustainable
development.
Probably the greatest challenge to the
international community is still how to reduce
economic and social disparities and to achieve
sustainable growth and poverty reduction within and
between all countries through appropriate policies and
well-focused institution-building. The world’s leaders
have pledged to engage political determination,
financial resources and innovative policies to reduce
global poverty by half before the year 2015. This is
most commendable, but it may prove to be more
difficult to accomplish than originally envisaged.
The 11 September attacks have affected not only
world security but also the global economy, which in
the preceding months was already showing signs of a
slowdown. The consequences are likely to be far-
reaching and much more dangerous than those of the
1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. The volume of
international trade, which increased by almost 13 per
cent in the year 2000, may decline by as much as 3 per
cent in 2001. People in developing countries in
particular are going to be hurt again.
The United Nations has an essential part to play
in promoting further integration of the world economy
in accordance with the principles of sustainable
development. But let us face the reality: we live in a
world where the developmental gap between the centre
and the periphery, between North and South, between
rich and poor, is still wide and growing wider. The
existing mechanisms for an orderly transfer of
resources appear to have been sadly inadequate. One
would expect that the recent shock, and the renewed
sense of global solidarity that it has triggered, would
prompt us into action to address the underlying causes
of blind anger: misery and hopelessness. The war
against terrorism can be truly successful only if it also
becomes a war against poverty, illiteracy, disease and
intolerance. I trust that the collective wisdom and
goodwill of responsible politicians everywhere will be
able to produce new and effective international
mechanisms meant to combine the vision of
sustainable, environment-friendly development with
good governance and the generalized observance of
basic human rights.
We see disturbing signs that the increasing
polarization with regard to wealth creation goes hand
in hand with a deepening knowledge divide. The
19

emerging knowledge economy has scarcely heeded the
injunctions of globalization. It still appears to the eyes
of many to be self-serving and parochial. However, it is
precisely the link between economic development and
the advancement of knowledge that should give the
laggards a chance to catch up through a more rational
utilization of resources, including intellectual
resources. We hope to see a new pattern of open
networking which will benefit each country —
especially those that are less developed — as well as
the international system as a whole. Again, existing
institutions do not seem creative or flexible enough to
address this challenge. The United Nations system may
become the catalyst for concerted action in public-
private partnerships to bring the “digital dividend” into
every community and every home.
The knowledge gap is compounded by the
ubiquitous phenomenon of brain drain from the
developing to the developed world. The problem is
almost as old as the United Nations itself. How to
reverse that trend, transforming it into a “brain regain”,
is another major challenge facing us all. To put it
simply, what we have here is a steady, not-so-hidden
flow of subsidies from the poorer nations to the richer
ones. After all, most of an education budget comes out
of the taxpayer’s pocket. Banish the thought of
regarding the individual as the property of the all-
powerful State: that notion is dead and gone. But it
may make sense to start thinking of some sort of
legally binding international instruments built on a
broader interpretation of the concept of intellectual
property to ensure a fairer distribution of the benefits
of knowledge.
The European Union has recently regulated the
transfer of players between soccer clubs. What about a
similar contractual arrangement between, say,
“Polytechnic University X Club” and “Microsoft
Club”? Some experimental domestic schemes have
worked well in linking industry to higher learning by
resorting to market mechanisms. Why should we not
consider international intellectual partnerships,
mutually beneficial for countries having advanced
technologies and infrastructure and those generating
creative human energies?
Romania supports the strengthening of the United
Nations through comprehensive institutional reforms
on the basis of the set of proposals now before us. As
the Secretary-General rightly noted, the United Nations
should turn from a culture of reaction to one of
prevention, aiming at the root causes of the prevailing
negative phenomena. We look forward to an
increasingly effective General Assembly regaining its
central position in the United Nations family, as called
for in the Millennium Declaration.
Experience shows that enhanced regional
cooperation can be both the engine and the result of
globalization. In a regional format, States can
implement innovative strategies for better access to
resources and markets. Regional organizations are
poised to become a significant factor in the global
community. Regional cooperation makes it possible to
capitalize on the advantages of globalization while
reducing its risks.
A set of policies can be successful only if it relies
consistently on the fundamental aspiration of ordinary
people to a peaceful and decent life. The current
unprecedented level of knowledge will, I am confident,
enable us to find the requisite resources, both in
ourselves and in society, for greater tolerance, mutual
respect and constructive dialogue, as opposed to the
primitive inclination to hatred and intolerance.
It is incumbent on the United Nations, the only
international organization of universal vocation, to
identify within itself the resources for the resolution of
problems of global concern. The United Nations should
keep working tenaciously to renew its structures and
improve its operational performance as we advance
into the new millennium. Romania is ready and willing
to add its contribution to that effort.


Mr. President, allow me to
congratulate you on behalf of the State of Sao Tome
and myself on your election to the presidency of the
General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session, which
testifies to the international community’s esteem for
and recognition of the Republic of Korea and you
personally. Please accept our wishes for every success
as you carry out your mandate. Let me also express our
thanks to your predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri, for the
exemplary way he led the work of our last session.
I should also like to pay tribute to His Excellency
Mr. Kofi Annan, our Secretary-General, both on his
resounding re-election and on the well-deserved and
just awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to him and the
6

United Nations, reflecting their major contributions to
the cause of peace and development.
This session is being held at a particularly
important juncture in the history of international
relations, when the entire international community is
mobilizing to confront the devastating phenomenon of
international terrorism, the scope and magnitude of
which were evident in the 11 September attacks on
New York and Washington, D.C., and in Pennsylvania,
which took the lives of thousands of innocent people.
At that time, Sao Tome and Principe expressed its total
indignation at the criminal and monstrous acts
committed against the American people, as well as its
full solidarity with the American authorities and the
families of the victims. We share the opinion that those
responsible for these barbaric acts must be
apprehended and punished, and that terrorist
organizations supporting them must be dismantled by
all necessary means.
We reaffirm our full readiness to cooperate
actively at both the regional and international levels in
the fight against terrorism, which is one of the major
evils threatening world peace and security today. We
hail all initiatives taken to contain the military action,
justly launched against those who sow terror as well as
those who shelter them in their territories, so as to
avoid having innocent victims among the civilian
population. We welcome the efforts of the international
community to adopt a juridical instrument to make the
fight against terrorism more effective in the context of
a global strategy.
No one can doubt that this act of criminal,
unacceptable and unjustified aggression, condemned
throughout the world, requires a new dynamic in the
fight against it, particularly within the United Nations.
We note with satisfaction that important measures have
been taken in that regard, notably by the Security
Council in resolution 1373 (2001), of 28 September.
Yet the manifestation of extreme violence in these
recent attacks alerts us to the need to understand in a
different and comprehensive way the great problems
faced by mankind throughout the world, without losing
sight of the merciless fight that must be waged against
international terrorism in all its manifestations.
Despite the considerable scientific and
technological progress recorded throughout history,
which has permitted high levels of development,
striking imbalances persist in a number of areas with
regard to social and economic development, both
within and among the countries, regions and subregions
of the world. Witness particularly the situation
prevailing in sub-Saharan Africa. A look at the
statistics of economic and social conditions in the
countries of that region is enough to reveal the urgent
need to develop a front that, acting concertedly and
collectively, can fight to eradicate their absolute
poverty.
Faced with this scenario — rich countries on the
one hand and poor countries on the other — one might
wonder whether the political will exists to reverse this
situation, which is dominated by selfishness and the
interests of individuals, groups and States. Only thus
can one explain the lack of cooperation, indifference
and, indeed, the lack of sensitivity shown by the
industries of developed countries in the face of real
scourges that devastate thousands of people, making
the countries of the South even more vulnerable. For
example, I am thinking of the HIV/AIDS pandemic as
well as other epidemics, such as hepatitis B and
malaria.
The efforts of international organizations —
notably the United Nations and its system, as well as
certain non-governmental organizations — to help
mankind cope with this painful situation must be
visible.
Moreover, beyond the economic data reflecting
the growth of poverty in Africa, the situation of our
continent is worsened by the persistence of armed
conflicts, particularly the crises in the Great Lakes
region, the Horn of Africa and Angola, to cite only a
few examples of the fratricidal war that afflicts us.
As to the situation in Angola, we reaffirm our
urgent desire to see an end to the war in that fraternal
country. We condemn the terrorist acts that have
claimed countless lives, particularly among the civilian
population, and we call for a renewed application of
the terms of the Lusaka Protocol for conflict resolution.
In the context of conflict resolution, we welcome
the efforts of the international community to find a
solution to the East Timor question, as well as progress
made in the process of emancipation of the Maubere
people under the aegis of the United Nations. It is our
great hope to see this brotherly people admitted to the
United Nations as a full-fledged Member and to see a
strengthened Community of Portuguese-Speaking
Countries.
7

We note with concern the escalation of violence
in the Middle East. In our view, it is essential that
Israel and the Palestinian Authority resume the
negotiations on the peace process, the only way to find
a just and peaceful solution that takes into account both
the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination
and the guarantee of security for the State of Israel.
Unfortunately, Sao Tome and Principe is still on
the list of poor, least advanced or underdeveloped
countries, despite the efforts of its people and the
determination of its leaders to place it on the track of
development. Today, my country is unquestionably a
place of freedom and democracy where fundamental
individual human rights are respected. The recent
presidential elections, held in July this year, which
brought Mr. Fradique de Menezes to the highest office
of the State of Sao Tome, are irrefutable proof of
democratic stability in our country. Nevertheless, the
constraints arising from the inequalities that prevail in
the new international economic order keep us from
attaining a state of well-being and from creating more
dignified living conditions for our people.
During the Millennium Summit last year, the
heads of State and Government adopted in this Hall a
very important text called the United Nations
Millennium Declaration. I take pleasure in citing a
portion of it:
(spoke in French)
“we have a duty therefore to all the world’s
people, especially the most vulnerable and, in
particular, the children of the world, to whom the
future belongs”. (resolution 55/2, para. 2)
(spoke in Portuguese; interpretation from French text
provided by the delegation)
This Declaration takes on particular importance
in the case of our country, where the future and well-
being of children seem badly compromised, bearing in
mind the atmosphere of terror, the horrors of war and
the abuses of exploitation, famine and poverty. We
must act now to protect our children. We must fight by
every available means to ensure full respect for their
fundamental rights. This is why we welcome with
much satisfaction the Second World Conference
against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children,
scheduled for next month, and the world summit on the
future of children, to be held in May 2002.
Sao Tome and Principe considers globalization to
be a phenomenon of interdependence, a unique
opportunity to bring peoples together, not a political
ideal driven by the dominant economic Powers. Thus
we enthusiastically welcome the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development and share the certainty that this
plan — based on our needs and the aspirations of our
people for the future, and designed to find practical
solutions to the economic and social problems
throughout Africa — will be favourably received by
our partners, notably those of the G-7/G-8, for
implementation.
The environment is a fundamental issue for the
survival of mankind, and it must continue to be the
focus of special attention by the United Nations. We
therefore stress the importance of the outcome of the
recent seventh Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,
held at Marrakesh. Every effort must be made to create
and disseminate technology that can minimize the
environmental impact of human activities and to
mobilize the resources needed to implement the
policies and strategies adopted in a range of
international forums.
Today more than ever before, it is obvious that
we need to change the working methods of the organs
of the United Nations so that they can better respond to
the demands of the day. As a universal organization,
the United Nations must be open to all States. Here we
are talking about international law, the sovereign
conduct of relations with other States, and active
participation, in a spirit of solidarity, in development
efforts through cooperation and international trade
relationships. That certainly applies to the Republic of
China on Taiwan. We believe in the right to disagree,
especially when disagreement is democratically
expressed by people. We also believe that dialogue is
the only way to ease tension wherever it is most acute.
The United Nations, which has always aimed to
support the development efforts of all countries,
especially the poorest, must play a key role in the quest
for solutions to the major problems facing the world. It
must do so through fostering determination and
adopting appropriate measures to create a fairer, more
human world: a better world.


At the outset, I would like to
convey the condolences of the people and the
Government of the Republic of Malawi to the
Government and the people of the United States of
America, as well as to the people and Government of
the Dominican Republic and other countries whose
nationals died in the plane crash that occurred in
Queens, here in New York, on 12 November 2001.
Similarly, I also wish to convey my condolences to the
Government and the people of Algeria, following the
recent flood disaster in which many lives were lost and
much property was damaged.
On behalf of the Malawi delegation, I feel deeply
honoured to join my fellow representatives in
congratulating Mr. Han Seung-soo on his assumption
of the presidency of the General Assembly. My
delegation looks forward to working closely with him
over the coming months in the pursuit of sustainable
solutions to the major global concerns and challenges
that continue to confront humankind and in the
promotion of international peace, security and
understanding.
Let me also take this opportunity to express
Malawi’s deep appreciation of and thanks to his
predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri of Finland, for his
exceptional skills, expertise and unswerving
commitment. We have noted with appreciation how his
tireless efforts and tenacity have resulted in progress
on most of the items of the agenda during his
presidency.
May I also take this opportunity to congratulate
our Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, and the United
Nations as a whole, for being jointly awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2001. This demonstrates
the world’s recognition of the great strides the
Organization and the Secretary-General have made in
carrying forward the mandate of the United Nations.
This achievement is a rare feat that we should be proud
of, and it should serve to encourage all of us to do
more for the good of humanity.
I would also like to reiterate the congratulations
of the Government of Malawi to Mr. Kofi Annan on his
appointment to the post of Secretary-General for a
second term of office.
It is appalling and extremely unfortunate that at a
time when we thought we were making progress in
human development, some people among us conducted
heinous and abhorrent acts of terrorism. The terrorist
attacks in this country on 11 September serve to remind
us that the global village we are living in is under
threat from people who do not value human life and
democratic values. The Government of Malawi
believes that no cause or rationale can justify terrorism
as a means of achieving individual or group goals, as
such acts result in indiscriminate destruction of human
life and property. Clearly, it is evident that no nation
will be spared the far-reaching, devastating impact of
the attacks of 11 September.
The Government of Malawi unreservedly
condemns those acts and pledges its support and
cooperation in the fight against such unjustifiable
criminal acts. It is our sincere hope that all those
responsible for the terrorist attacks on the United States
of America and, indeed, elsewhere in the world, will
speedily be brought to justice. As we all share
sympathy with the victims of the recent terrorist
attacks, let us also demonstrate our unanimous resolve
to deal with this problem in a decisive and conclusive
manner by ratifying or acceding to all conventions
aimed at combating terrorism. That will send a strong
message to all parts of the world about our common
purpose to remove this evil from our midst.
It is common knowledge that terrorist groups and
individuals or entities operate in sophisticated
networks throughout the world. No country, therefore,
can decisively deal with this problem alone. It is
imperative that we all pool our resources to resolutely
deal with the cancer of terrorism. Security Council
resolution 1373 (2001) forms a sound and clear basis
on which our cooperation should be anchored. It is
abundantly clear that, if this resolution can be seriously
implemented, it may effectively frustrate and check
terrorist activities.
It will be recalled that the strategic priority of the
Millennium Summit held last year was to find ways of
reshaping and reorienting the focus of the United
Nations that would inspire a renewed and shared sense
of universal mission, thereby enabling it to make a real,
quantifiable difference in the lives of “We, the peoples”
in the new millennium.
And yet, regrettably, one year after that watershed
event, the commitments of the Millennium Summit
already seem to be anything but what they are —
commitments — and to be mere platitudes on the part
of the developed countries. The Summit’s much-
trumpeted visions, goals and collective social
29

objectives already appear to have been consigned to the
same fate of non-fulfilment that has befallen similar,
previous commitments of the rich nations.
It is saddening that, at the height of a global
integration drive, a shockingly large number of
countries remains outside the globalization loop, while
a handful of economically powerful countries of the
North controls the pace and terms of participation in
the global economy, not least the skewed distribution
of its benefits. It is equally disheartening to note, in
particular, that the African continent is nowhere near
attaining even half as much of the benefit that it has
strenuously striven for in the global economy. Now
more than ever, our continent is fast sliding deeper and
deeper into a plight of deteriorating mass poverty.
This situation is aggravated by mounting external
debt, crumbling public infrastructure, marginally
functional social services, severe environmental
degradation, rising illiteracy and the rapid depletion of
human resources and the skilled labour force as a result
of endless armed conflicts and the devastation caused
by epidemics, such as those of HIV/AIDS, malaria,
tuberculosis and other transmissible infections. These
are some of the many issues that we have discussed
time and again in this Assembly and other forums, and
yet we seem to be getting nowhere.
Clearly, Africa is under the threat of imminent
virtual exclusion from the mainstream global
economy — more so if the underlying spirit, ideals,
goals and commitments of the Millennium Summit are
not faithfully upheld to ensure the concrete and
effective integration of the developing countries into
the global economic framework on terms that reflect a
shared future of promise of equality, equity, prosperity
for all and a just world.
In spite of all these apprehensions, my delegation
is still encouraged by the wide global consensus on a
range of major issues of critical concern to the least
developed countries of Africa. The positive
conclusions reached during the special session on
HIV/AIDS and the world Conferences that took place
this year — the Third United Nations Conference on
the Least Developed Countries, the United Nations
Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and
Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and the World
Conference against Racism and Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance — reflect a newly
emerging global recognition that there is an urgent
need to begin concretely addressing the issues that will
aggressively advance the economic and social progress
of the less developed nations. The declarations and
programmes of action agreed at those Conferences
must be the centrepiece of any genuine international
crusade to reduce social and economic disparities and
inequalities between the North and the South. Indeed,
the persistence of these inequalities and injustices, in
our view, is the root cause of the political, economic
and social turmoil currently tearing apart the African
countries and some parts of the world. Malawi would
like to reaffirm its steadfast commitment to the
declarations of commitment, actions and programmes
agreed at these Conferences.
What the developing countries need is a chance
for a fresh start, which can come about only through a
comprehensive package of total debt forgiveness that
cuts across the existing initiatives for debt relief,
including the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries Debt Initiative. We also need increased
technical assistance, enhanced official development
assistance and much greater flows of capital resources
and foreign direct investment from developed
countries.
We would also like to insist on the genuine
commitment of the North to the full integration of our
economies into globalized markets through the removal
of technical obstacles placed in the way of our exports.
The United Nations ought to play a leading role in
breaking down the walls of protectionism and to
sustain the search for measures that can help the poor
nations wriggle out of their poverty and vulnerability.
This is in line with the spirit of the resolutions and
decisions taken at last year’s World Summit for Social
Development.
I take this opportunity to pay special tribute to
Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the numerous
initiatives that he has undertaken to prevent violent
conflicts in Africa and other troubled regions of the
world. The recent release to the Security Council of his
special report on conflict prevention, which addresses
in depth the many issues that arose from the Brahimi
report, is one practical demonstration of the Secretary-
General’s overpowering resolve to ensure that the
international community addresses political disputes
and tensions before they degenerate into all-out armed
confrontations and violent conflicts. These pose a
major challenge and real threat to international peace
and security.
30

In the same vein, to effectively tame violent
conflicts, the United Nations needs to deal decisively
with the problem of the illicit trade and trafficking in
small arms and light weapons. Their easy availability,
transfer and proliferation remain at the centre of the
intractability of violent conflicts, rising insecurity and
instability in some parts of Africa.
My delegation is most thankful for the success,
albeit measured, achieved during the recent United
Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms
and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. In spite of a
spirited bid by others to water down the agreed global
consensus and programme of action, Africa takes heart
in the holding of the Conference itself as a good
starting point for putting in place effective measures to
curb the immeasurable damage caused by these deadly
weapons.
Many evils such as slavery, the slave trade,
colonialism, apartheid, genocide, the HIV/AIDS
pandemic, poverty and starvation have afflicted the
continent of Africa and its people. These evils have
been entrenched to such an extent that even the
international media only look forward to reporting on
the tragedies befalling the continent. However, despite
these ills, Africa deserves a special place in the
economic, political and social spheres of the world. It
is in cognizance of this fact that our leaders, in their
quest for a prosperous and dynamic Africa, resolved to
transform the Organization of African Unity into the
African Union.
The birth of the Union has ushered in the New
African Initiative, now renamed the New Partnership
for Africa’s Development, which seeks to pull Africa
out of stagnation and put the continent on a new
footing for economic recovery and prosperity as well
as for the promotion of human rights and good
governance. As a developing region with very limited
financial resources, we shall rely on our cooperating
partners in order to ensure that our dream for a new
Africa is realized. Therefore, I wish to appeal for
global support for this noble initiative being espoused
by our leaders so that the people of the African
continent may see real social, economic and political
transformation for the betterment of their lives.
Malawi recently assumed the one-year rotating
chairmanship of the Southern African Development
Community (SADC). While SADC member States take
pride in the relative peace and stability that prevail in
much of the subregion, we still have serious concerns
about the persistent general economic slowdown and
the deterioration of human development in the
subregion. SADC is experiencing an unfair share of
problems and challenges which require the
international community’s enhanced generous
assistance and good will.
It is common knowledge that SADC is reeling
under the pressures of the untold devastation caused by
the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which is unravelling decades
of hard-earned economic gains. The subregion
accounts for 75 per cent of the world’s total number —
that is, 36 million — of people living with deadly
HIV/AIDS. SADC’s modest average economic growth
rate of 3.2 per cent becomes a cause for serious
concern when compared with its staggering population
growth rate of nearly the same level.
Apart from causing untold human suffering, the
continuing civil wars in Angola and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo — two of the subregion’s
potential economic powerhouses — have hamstrung
every genuine endeavour by SADC to promote itself as
a prime destination for foreign capital and investment.
Therefore, we call upon the United Nations to step up
its efforts to bring pressure to bear on the belligerents
in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
so that the ongoing peace initiatives can yield the rich
rewards of an early and decisive settlement. We also
call upon the international community to continue
rendering vital support and cooperation to the peace
facilitator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to
ensure that the inter-Congolese dialogue bears fruit and
serves to consolidate the gains achieved so far by the
United Nations peacekeeping operation and the Lusaka
peace process.
SADC would also like to see much more pressure
exerted on Jonas Savimbi in order to force UNITA to
return to the 1994 Lusaka peace framework. Only the
intensification of the United Nations sanctions against
UNITA and the punishment of those violating the
embargo would genuinely achieve that goal.
The attainment of durable peace and stability in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola and
the removal of tensions in the rest of the subregion
would put SADC on a stronger footing for economic
recovery and a firmer foundation for sustainable peace,
security and tangible economic growth and
development.
31

Time and again, Malawi has spoken in favour of
readmission of the Republic of China on Taiwan to
United Nations membership, which would grant to that
country a well-deserved opportunity for active
engagement in international affairs. Malawi finds it
grossly unjust that the hard-working and peace-loving
people of Taiwan should suffer diplomatic isolation so
unnecessarily. Therefore, Malawi would like to appeal
to the entire United Nations membership to look
beyond narrow political considerations and face up to
the geopolitical and economic realities that obtain on
both sides of the Taiwan Straits. The diplomatic
isolation of Taiwan remains both a curiosity and a
contradiction in terms. First, almost every country
deals with Taiwan in terms of trade and other forms of
bilateral cooperation. Secondly, the isolation of Taiwan
violates its people’s inalienable right to free association
within the framework of the United Nations Charter.
Lastly, let me reaffirm Malawi’s trust and
confidence in the leadership role of the United Nations
in making our world a better place in which to live. I
would also like to reaffirm Malawi’s unwavering
commitment to its obligations and responsibilities as a
member of the international community of nations.


I would first
of all like to express my outrage at the unacceptable
conditions that terrorism has imposed on us at the fifty-
sixth session of the General Assembly of our
Organization. New York has traditionally been a
welcoming and cosmopolitan city. But now, during the
Assembly’s fifty-sixth session, it and our Organization
have been forced to take on the appearance of a
besieged fortress.
No one knows what the terrorists have planned,
nor who their next victims will be. We are all on the
same side in the face of their diabolical enterprise —
on the side of this battered city; on the side of the
American people and their Government; and on the
side of all the innocent victims brought down so
cruelly and coldly in Pennsylvania, Washington and
New York on that tragic day of 11 September 2001. We
reiterate our profound condolences and sympathy to all
the bereaved families and to their countries and
Governments. At the same time, we reaffirm our
unreserved condemnation of terrorism. Terrorism
violates the principles of all religions. It blemishes all
the causes on whose behalf it claims to act, even the
most just among them. It is for that reason that it must
be combated by all of us without reservation.
The worldwide awakening aroused by the tragic
events of 11 September 2001 must cause us all — great
and small, rich or poor — to join in an extraordinary
effort to fight those who have decided to sacrifice us
without having ever consulted us about either their
objectives or war tactics. But it should also be said that
as wholly repugnant as terrorist practices are, they
cannot be eradicated definitively unless the fertile soil
that feeds the situations that serve as their pretexts is
removed. The strict respect for human rights and the
rights of peoples that are so rightly enshrined in the
Charter of the United Nations should today guide our
political practices more than ever before. It is urgent
for the United Nations to take its proper place in
international relations and for it to play the role
incumbent upon it. In that regard, the reform of the
Security Council is an urgent and imperative necessity.
Poverty, injustice, exclusion and marginalization
always result in creating total despair, thereby causing
extremism to flourish. And we know how easily
extremists sacrifice their own lives and those of others.
It is the duty of all of us, and particularly of the most
powerful among us, to provide the necessary support to
eradicate poverty, marginalization, exclusion and
injustice, and to bear that in mind at all times in the
just, legitimate and resolute struggle against all forms
of terrorism.
The current tragic events that I have just recalled
heighten our concerns and give greater weight to the
responsibilities of the President of the General
Assembly. But his personal talents and experience in
world affairs bolster our conviction that he will
successfully steer the ship of our Organization into port
in these particularly difficult circumstances. For some
years now, his country and mine have enjoyed friendly
and fruitful relations. He can count on the cooperation
and support of the delegation of Benin in the execution
of his noble mission.
I would also like to pay well-deserved tribute to
Mr. Harri Holkeri of Finland, who guided the United
Nations into the new millennium with great spirit. He
presided over the Millennium Assembly with
competence and discipline, and we extend to him our
congratulations and gratitude.
My congratulations go also to my brother,
Mr. Kofi Annan, on his well-deserved re-election to the
post of Secretary-General of the United Nations and on
the Nobel Peace Prize for 2001, awarded to him and
the Organization he leads with such competence and
dedication. The United Nations has gained a great deal
of credibility thanks in particular to the efforts of
Mr. Kofi Annan and his team in the Secretariat. Never
has there been a more well-deserved prize, and we take
pride in it. Indeed, it is all of Africa that is honoured.
On behalf of the Benin delegation and myself, I would
like to repeat our warm congratulations and
encouragement.
Let me take this opportunity to address the
international community and each Member of the
Assembly to convey the thanks of my country for their
massive participation at the Fourth International
Conference of New or Restored Democracies, held in
Cotonou from 4 to 6 December 2000. Indeed, the
Cotonou Conference saw record attendance, with 106
States, 20 international organizations and 51 non-
governmental organizations represented, not to mention
academics and other researchers interested in
discovering Benin’s experience of democracy. Benin
was honoured by the effective participation of three
20

heads of State. The Secretary-General of the United
Nations and the Administrator of the United Nations
Development Programme made a point of attending
personally in Cotonou. We welcome this gracious and
generous gesture on their part, and express our
gratitude to all bilateral and multilateral partners, those
from the new or restored democracies as well as those
from the older democracies who contributed to
financing this Conference.
To judge by its title, “Peace, Security, Democracy
and Development”, the Cotonou Conference was an
important stage in the progress of our century towards
a consolidation and expansion of democracy. It marked
a remarkable advance by its future-oriented approach
and the importance of the document that crowned its
work, entitled “Cotonou Declaration”. This Declaration
lays out brave and bold measures designed to build
democracy and allow to it survive in peace, security
and respect for diverse cultures. There can be no
democracy unless it is adapted to the soil in which it is
planted, even if the values of democracy are universal.
The Cotonou Conference was also an opportunity
to appreciate how genuine the march towards
democracy in Africa is. All peoples want liberty, but
the institutional and financial capacity to establish it is
weak in many cases, particularly in developing
countries. That is why my country hopes for more
substantial assistance for the strengthening of the
institutional capacities of our countries, because
democracy can function only if the leaders and their
peoples feel they are equal stakeholders. It is also
essential that within the United Nations system, the
structure recommended by the Cotonou Conference,
while following up the International Conference for
New or Restored Democracies, be established with a
view to increasing coordination among the different
initiatives and activities undertaken or contemplated by
the agencies, programmes and various institutions of
the United Nations system.
Indeed, the Fourth International Conference of
New or Restored Democracies strove to highlight the
link that exists between democracy and development.
The Conference clearly indicated that if democracy is a
force for stability, poverty is a major factor for
destabilization and a source of conflicts and war. The
decisions of the Fourth International Conference of
New or Restored Democracies should not be allowed to
remain dead letters. We must organize cooperation and
solidarity among all the democracies of the world.
In the course of the Millennium Summit, which
took place in this very Hall from 6 to 8 September
2000, major decisions were taken. Among them, pride
of place belonged to those relating to questions of
development, the elimination of poverty and the
particular needs of the least advanced countries. The
Millennium Declaration provides, in paragraph 15 of
chapter III:
“We also undertake to address the special
needs of the least developed countries. In this
context, we welcome the Third United Nations
Conference on the Least Developed Countries to
be held in May 2001 and will endeavour to ensure
its success.” (resolution 55/2, para. 15)
That Conference was held in Brussels from 14 to
20 May 2001 and produced a Programme of Action
that was the fruit of very arduous negotiation.
However, questions remain. Will the poor countries
someday know prosperity? Will they someday be able
to satisfy their basic needs? How will they finance their
development? Public development assistance is in
decline. Investment in poor countries remains weak,
and the burden of debt is becoming heavier. What is to
be done?
With regard to the question of debt, we think
particularly bold solutions are required. For the
creditor countries, it must be recognized these
solutions are neither simple nor easy. Some of these
countries have already adopted exemplary and bold
measures; others must follow suit. At stake are their
own interests: at stake is the interest of world peace.
This demand represents to us the symbol of
solidarity and shared responsibility. That is why the
Benin delegation recommends the urgent establishment
of an effective and highly visible follow-up mechanism
of the Third United Nations Conference on the Least
Developed Countries.
In the context of the search for peace and the
promotion of international cooperation, many
disarmament organizations and other related bodies
were created to reaffirm that questions of peace and
security and questions of development were
interdependent and inseparable. The creation of the
Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic
meets this need. Its goal is to protect the coastal States
of the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean from the
dangers of nuclear weapons and to create there a zone
21

of peace and strengthening of cooperation for
development.
Since the third ministerial meeting, held in
Brasilia, my country had offered to host the sixth
meeting, scheduled for the year 2000, but because of
the organization of the Fourth International Conference
of New or Restored Democracies, this meeting could
not take place. My country is looking forward to the
early meeting of this sixth meeting. That is why I
would like to announce here Benin’s offer to organize
the sixth ministerial meeting of the States of the Zone
of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic in the
second half of 2003.
A particularly important instrument of South-
South cooperation, the Zone of Peace and Cooperation
of the South Atlantic should lay the foundations in
Cotonou for its effective and regular functioning within
the new context of international relations. All of you
here are welcome to Benin, a marketplace and meeting
place, a land of democracy and peace.
It is more urgent than ever to establish such peace
in the Middle East by recognizing as a matter of
urgency on the part of us all the imperative necessity of
the Palestinian State — side by side, of course, with
the State of Israel — in peace with all its neighbours
within secure and recognized frontiers. This is the
same peace that Angola and all Africa long for.
We must ban all forms of the illicit traffic in
petroleum, diamonds and weapons. These types of
illegal traffic cause and sustain wars, and the
traffickers are genuine terrorists.
From 31 August to 8 September 2001, the
Republic of South Africa hosted in Durban the World
Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. That great
international forum, held under the auspices of the
United Nations, brought to light the desire for
rehabilitation, justice and fulfilment of the obligations
of memory and acknowledgement, which humanity’s
recent history has left in the subconscious of certain
peoples. The difficult debates on the thorny questions
raised during the Conference reflect the extent of the
difficulties in this undertaking that we all fervently
called for.
A collective spirit of openness, the impressive
abilities of the host country, the Republic of South
Africa, and particularly the receptiveness and ability of
my sister, Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, enabled us to
reach agreement on two encouraging documents: the
final Programme of Action and the final Declaration. In
our view, these documents represent the international
community’s renewed commitment to fighting and
eradicating the seeds of racism and racial
discrimination. The foundation has been laid. Now,
action must follow to make the two Durban documents
a reality of everyday life. This does not mean
reopening old wounds; rather, we must all now attend
to healing the wounds of the past.
The tragic events whose effects we are still living
through obliged us to postpone the General Assembly’s
special session in follow-up to the World Summit for
Children. My country hopes that a new date can be
decided on during this session so that we can assess the
situation of children in the world 10 years after the
World Summit, because much remains to be done to
improve the lot of children.
Allow me to recall that Benin, having ratified on
3 August 1990 the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child, is among the first 22 States of the
world consenting to be legally bound by this
instrument. Benin has also ratified the African Charter
on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Articles 12, 13
and 26 of Benin’s Constitution guarantee the right to
education and the protection of families, mothers and
children. Benin’s intentions in this area are also
apparent in the creation of a Ministry of the Family,
Social Protection and Solidarity, which will be devoted
essentially to the implementation of a cohesive and
aggressive policy to protect the family, particularly
children.
Encouraging results have been achieved at the
national level, but much remains to be done. We are
doing admirable work in this area in partnership with
the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations
Development Programme and several estimable non-
governmental organizations, such as Terre des
Hommes, and several other partners of good will.
Those who know Benin can testify to this.
These collaborative efforts have not stopped
certain misinformed or ill-intentioned circles in search
of scandals from using the Etireno affair to deceive
people into believing that the enslavement and selling
22

of children take place in Benin. But neither malicious
intentions nor misinformation nor this sort of
intellectual terrorism will prevent us from making
progress in terms of democracy, the protection of
women and the protection of children from the abuse
they still suffer in all the countries of the world,
particularly in poor, underdeveloped countries.
The Millennium Declaration gave special
attention to Africa under the heading “Meeting the
special needs of Africa”. One year later, the countries
of Africa are still waiting for action to begin to be
taken on those promises. However, Africans are no
longer willing to wait and have taken their fate into
their own hands by creating the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development. The partnership is a
consequence of the newly restored confidence of
Africans in their own abilities. It is aimed at placing
the historic initiative in the hands of Africans
themselves, without in any way renouncing
international cooperation. An important step has thus
been taken with this new African joint initiative.
Africans finally have hope that their continent
will cease to be the continent of disease, poverty,
misery and bloody conflicts and that a real partnership
can be created between us and the rest of the world. It
is our wish that this hope will become reality.