I am honoured
to deliver this statement on behalf of Prime Minister
Peter O’Neill and the people of Papua New Guinea. I
also wish to congratulate you, Sir, on your election as
President of the General Assembly. We welcome your
overarching theme of “The post-2015 development
agenda: setting the stage”, advocating a solid global
foundation for a results-oriented partnership that is
people-centred and inclusive in our common pursuit of
sustainable development. Papua New Guinea pledges
its support to you as you take on that important task.
We acknowledge the contributions of your predecessor
and wish him well in his future endeavours.

I take this opportunity to address the Assembly
on the state of our economy, highlight the challenges
before us and put forward the policies and development
plans of my Government.

Papua New Guinea continues to be a vibrant and
thriving democracy. However, as experienced by other
developing nations, the road has not been easy in
terms of the political, economic and social challenges
that have confronted us domestically and globally. In
the past, our development efforts have been littered
with missed economic opportunities. My Government
is therefore determined to reset the development and
wealth-creation direction for our nation.

We have set a transformative agenda for our
country and people under our long-term Papua New
Guinea Vision 2050 policy framework and five-year

medium-term development plan. We are determined to
achieve those development plans, as they continue to
reinforce our work aimed at achieving the Millennium
Development Goals and making progress on the post-
2015 development agenda.

Our economy continues to record unprecedented
growth levels, which can be attributed to a stable
Government with responsible and sound monetary
and fiscal policies. Such positive economic growth
complements the Government’s long-term development
policies aimed at stimulating the economy and
achieving our development aspirations. Strategies to
strengthen economic growth include reinvesting in key
enablers, such as infrastructure, health and education,
so as to maximize opportunities and improve the lives
of our citizens.

My Government is harnessing that positive
economic growth to address and improve our social
indicators, including low literacy levels and high
maternal and infant mortality rates. We have also
embarked on a major strengthening of law-and-order
enforcement infrastructure. This year, 50 per cent of
our budget has been allocated to education and basic
health care, law-and-order enforcement, and critical
infrastructure improvement.

My Government is committed to a public-private
partnership model as an important catalyst for national
development. We are also committed to strengthening
existing programmes and networks with the private
sector, churches, donor agencies and non-governmental
organizations through cooperative and mutually
beneficial arrangements.

We are equally committed to investing in provincial
and local-level government so as to improve service
delivery for the majority of our population living in
rural areas. We firmly believe that such partnerships
will create an enabling environment and empower our
people to take ownership of their lives and be proactive
in nation-building.

My Government has also embarked on investor-
friendly policies, supported by public-private
partnerships and prudent economic management, so
as to promote growth in key non-mining sectors. In
that connection, my Government is reviewing taxation
policies with a view to providing incentives and
concessions and encouraging strategic investments in
areas that are critical to driving our economic growth.
Exporting our raw materials is not an option. We
therefore encourage downstream processing through
genuinely joint ventures and other acceptable economic
cooperation.

My Government is committed to strengthening
governance at all levels by combating corruption. We
have adopted the principle of zero tolerance. To that end,
the Government has adopted a national anti-corruption
strategy and established an independent task force with
powers to investigate and prosecute. An independent
commission against corruption will be established to
enhance the implementation of the United Nations
Convention against Corruption.

Given the importance of cross-border security
and related issues, a national security policy is in the
final stages of completion. The focus of that policy is
on dealing with national security issues as contained
in pillar 4 of the Vision 2050 policy framework. In line
with our national security policy, we are committed to
rebuilding our disciplinary forces and institutions as
well as continuing our participation in United Nations
peacekeeping operations.

My Government is committed to addressing some
of my country’s unflattering international human
development indices, including those regarding
human rights issues. We recognize our development
challenges, including gender-based violence, sorcery-
related deaths, access to social services and the low
level of representation of our women in the public and
private sectors. In our assessment, many of those human
rights and human development reports are exaggerated
and insensitive, with scant attention paid to the positive
efforts by the Government to promote and protect basic
rights for all our citizens. Over the past six months,
my Government has enacted the Family Protection
Law and repealed the Sorcery Act of 1971, effectively
making domestic and sorcery-related violence criminal
offences.

I am pleased to announce that my Government has
ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities. The instrument of ratification has been
deposited with the United Nations at this session.

In recent months, there have been many reports
about Papua New Guinea’s bilateral agreement with
Australia on the regional resettlement arrangement for
asylum-seekers. Papua New Guinea, as a State party
to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the
Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, recognizes
the importance of addressing that international

humanitarian issue. Our two Governments are jointly
working on the issue and call upon the international
community to support our efforts. Furthermore, we call
upon like-minded Member States and other stakeholders
to assist our efforts to address the root causes of the
displacement and dislocation of people, as well as to
combat human trafficking and people smuggling.

As an emerging economy in the Pacific region,
Papua New Guinea will enhance its level of engagement
on issues of mutual concern, both within the region and
globally. In the spirit of friendship and neighbourly
South-South cooperation, we are committed to sharing
the benefits of our natural resources development with
our Pacific island neighbours. We have embarked on
that path by providing development assistance to our
neighbours, including the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tuvalu,
Marshall Islands, Tonga and Samoa.

Through the Melanesian Spearhead Group, we
are forging dynamic and strong bonds in areas that
include trade and investment, education and training,
judicial support, sporting and cultural exchanges and
visa arrangements to facilitate the movement of skilled
persons. To further consolidate such very important
partnerships at the regional level, we are collectively
reviewing the relevance of the Pacific plan in relation
to regional integration. Papua New Guinea is playing a
leading role in that review exercise.

Papua New Guinea supports the outcome document
of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development (Rio+20), entitled “The future we want”
(resolution 66/288, annex), as the basis for the post-
2015 development agenda. That agenda addresses
balanced human development, including issues relating
to eradicating extreme poverty and improving living
standards for humanity. We also support inclusive
economic growth, while preserving the environment
for future generations. We welcome the work of the
High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015
Development Agenda and the creation of the High-
Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development,
which succeeded the Commission on Sustainable
Development. Both serve as a good starting point for
driving the agenda forward.

Papua New Guinea and the Pacific small island
developing States call on the international community
to support the inclusion of the oceans as a stand-alone
sustainable development goal. We are now in the initial
stages of preparing a sustainable development policy
and strategy for our country, which is to complement
our long-term Vision 2050 policy framework. We
welcome support from the international community to
enhance that work.

Papua New Guinea is pleased to note that the
sustainable development issues of small island
developing States are a priority on the General
Assembly agenda, further reaffirming the importance
of the Rio+20 outcome document and the relevant
General Assembly resolutions. Your two visits this year
to our Pacific region, Mr. President, underscore your
commitment to small island developing States, for which
we applaud you. We look forward to the strengthening
of that important work during your presidency.

As the global community prepares for the third
International Conference on Small Island Developing
States in September 2014 in Apia, Papua New Guinea
reiterates the call for small island developing States to
remain a special case for sustainable development. The
adverse impacts of climate change continue to be of
serious concern to the global community, but especially
for small island developing States. While contributing
the least to that threat, small island countries are not
only suffering the most from the serious impacts of
climate change but also run the risk of being submerged
by rising sea levels.

We support the Majuro Declaration for Climate
Leadership, recently adopted by Pacific Island Forum
leaders. We therefore reiterate the challenge to the
international community to accept its responsibilities
and its leadership role. We also urge the international
community to renew its political commitment to
prioritize the sustainable development issues of small
island developing States in the post-2015 development
agenda. As part of our continued efforts, I am pleased
to note that Papua New Guinea has now become a
member of the Governing Council of the Global Green
Growth Institute.

Papua New Guinea agrees that the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), despite their
shortcomings, have galvanized the international
community’s development efforts to shape the post-
2015 development agenda. We agree with the view
expressed in the Secretary-General’s 2013 annual report
on the work of the Organization (A/68/1) that we should
remain focused and redouble our efforts to consolidate
the implementation of the Millennium Development
Goals for improved outcomes. We also welcome the

outcomes of the recently concluded high-level special
events on the MDGs and on disability and development
during the sixty-eighth session.

Papua New Guinea is unlikely to achieve most of
the MDGs by 2015. However, my Government remains
committed to implementing the goals beyond 2015.
We have tailored our Millennium Development Goals
targets and indicators in accordance with our 2011 to
2015 medium-term development plan and the Vision
2050 policy framework. We are making progress in
the areas of universal primary education enrolment,
poverty reduction, reduced infant and maternal
mortality rates, combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and
other health issues and strengthening gender equality
and empowerment.

Papua New Guinea expresses its appreciation for
the support it has received from United Nations agencies
and other development partners complementing
our efforts to accelerate the implementation of the
Millennium Development Goals.

I am pleased to report on the continued progress
in the implementation of the Bougainville Peace
Agreement and the successful scaling down of the
Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands.
We thank the United Nations, regional partners and the
international community for their continued assistance
in both instances.

On international peace and security issues, Papua
New Guinea remains concerned about conflicts and
tensions in various regions of the world, including in
the Middle East, North Africa, the Korean peninsula
and the South China Sea. We urge all parties involved
to defuse the situation through peaceful dialogue.

We join the international community in condemning
the use of chemical weapons in Syria and urge full
compliance with the provisions of the Chemical
Weapons Convention. We therefore commend the
Security Council for adopting resolution 2118 (2013)
with a view to dismantling and eradicating Syria’s
chemical-weapons programme.

Since October 2011, Papua New Guinea has
been contributing to United Nations peacekeeping
operations in the Sudan and South Sudan. Earlier this
year, we became the 148th State Member of the United
Nations to join the Special Committee on Peacekeeping
Operations. We are now looking at expanding and
increasing our troop contributions. We also pay tribute
to the United Nations peacekeepers serving around the
world, often in very trying conditions, and especially
those who have made the ultimate sacrifice with their
lives.

We express our concern over the lack of progress
on disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. As a
strong supporter of a nuclear-free world, Papua New
Guinea calls on the United Nations and the international
community to address that serious lack of progress. We
also need to revitalize United Nations disarmament
work so as to foster international peace and security.
Papua New Guinea welcomes the adoption of the Arms
Trade Treaty, which will regulate the trade and transfer
of conventional arms, including small arms and light
weapons.

Finally, Papua New Guinea welcomes the leadership
of the Secretary-General in reforming the United
Nations system. We encourage robust and constructive
reforms in the context of the growing budgetary
constraints faced by the United Nations in recent years.
A lean, effective and responsive United Nations is
imperative so that it can better deliver on its mandate.
We also call for the Security Council to be reformed in
order to reflect today’s geopolitical realities.


On behalf of the people and Government of Nicaragua,
Comrade President Daniel Ortega Saavedra and
Comrade Rosario Murillo, I want to begin by paying
tribute to the Commander of the revolution of our
America and the Caribbean, leader of the free men and
women of the world, Hugo Chávez Frías, who has left
us a legacy of strength, hope and certainty of victory
in defending the inalienable rights of humankind, such
as sovereignty, justice, freedom, democracy, solidarity
and peace.

On behalf of the people and the Government of
reconciliation and national unity of Nicaragua, led
by Comrade Daniel Ortega Saavedra, I congratulate
you, Sir, on your election as President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-eighth session. We are pleased
that a representative of a brother country and member of
the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America,
Petrocaribe and the Community of Latin America and
the Caribbean States will guide us in the activities of
this important organ so that our efforts may contribute
to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the
United Nations, which must be implemented by the
Organization.

The United Nations continues to require profound
reform that cannot be delayed any longer. The position
of some permanent members of the Security Council on
the issue can no longer be an insurmountable obstacle.
We continue to support the proposed reinvention of the
United Nations proposed by our colleague Father Miguel

d’Escoto Brockmann. The power of the Organization
must rest completely with the General Assembly.

The economic and financial situation imposed by
global capitalism continues to rapidly dismantle the
welfare State in developed countries and seriously
affects developing countries. Now more than ever, it
becomes essential to establish a new global economic
model that is sustainable, based on justice, solidarity,
complementarity and committed to the defence of the
Earth and the environment.

International democracy cannot exist without
respect for international law. Nicaragua continues
to demonstrate with reliable facts its adherence to
international law and its respect for the principle of
resolving our differences through dialogue, negotiation
and recourse to international bodies such as the
International Court of Justice to settle territorial and
other types of disputes.

We welcome the central theme selected by you,
Mr. President, for the Assembly’s sixty-eighth session,
namely, “The post-2015 development agenda: setting
the stage”. It is important, therefore, that we agree to
launch an intergovernmental process for that new phase.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, we are
deepening our political, economic, social and cultural
integration process, all the while respecting our
diversity and building unity. Our Community of Latin
American and Caribbean States has been achieving a
shared vision of social development, education, health,
the environment, energy and financing, among other
sectors. It is now preparing to work collectively on
cooperation, nuclear disarmament, fighting corruption,
agriculture, science and technology.

In the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our
America and in Petrocaribe, Nicaragua has found a
model of integration to overcome poverty, hunger and
inequality, while strengthening the Central American
Integration System , the Mesoamerican Integration and
Development Project and its economic and commercial
relations with the international community and its
organizations.

In this difficult context, Nicaragua continues
to make progress. We have opted for a development
model that produces results. Despite the difficulties
and limitations, the Millennium Development Goals in
Nicaragua are being realized in a tangible manner that
demonstrates our Government’s respect and promotion
of the human rights of its citizens and its deep ethical
commitment to the common good.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations has recognized our country’s remarkable
progress to ensure the food security of our citizens and
to reduce the prevalence of undernourishment.

Our Government guarantees the right to universal
primary education. Major programmes are under
way — the “battle for ninth grade”, the intercultural
bilingual education programme, the inclusive education
programme and the comprehensive school nutrition
programme.

UN Women ranks Nicaragua among the leading
countries in the world with the highest percentage
of women in the executive, legislative and judicial
branches. Today 42 per cent of the deputies in the
National Assembly are women. Women hold 54 per cent
of positions in the executive branch, 60 per cent in the
judicial branch and 50 per cent in municipal councils.
We established a Ministry of Women to promote gender
equality and to empower women, while our laws ensure
that women enjoy human rights.

Nicaragua received the Americas Award
of the International Training Centre for Local
Actors/Authorities (CIFAL) Atlanta and the United
Nations Institute for Training and Research for
achieving its goals in reducing maternal mortality and
in recognition of the national strategy called Maternal
Homes. In 2006 the national maternal mortality rate
was 92.8 per 100,000 live births. In 2012 the rate was
nearly half that, reduced to 50.9, and we continue
fighting to reduce it further.

We continue our efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.
Preventive measures are being disseminated and
supportive care is provided to patients. In 2012 Nicaragua
received recognition from the Pan American Health
Organization for its contribution to the community
vigilance programme against malaria. Campaigns are
being developed to curb dengue fever, leptospirosis
and influenza. We have successfully carried out the
campaign “Live clean, live healthy, live a good life, live
well”, which aims to clean and beautify communities,
provide preventive health measures against epidemics
and pandemics as well as to maintain a harmonious and
respectful relationship with one another and with the
environment.

All of those projects are made possible by the
enormous efforts our people, who have made a social,
economic and political model of dialogue, alliances and
consensus, recognized by all. Our people’s inexhaustible
capacity for hope and essential relationship with the
Christian, socialist and solidarity model that we have
built together, in which all sectors of the country
participate, has meant that our people continue to move
ahead while promoting peace, serenity and the full
exercise of their rights.

Our defence of peace and international security
remains unwavering. Similarly, we continue to fight
against drug trafficking and the various manifestations
of transnational organized crime. Our retaining-wall
strategy produces positive results. We are committed at
the regional level to implementing the Central American
Security Strategy. It is urgent that the international
community give more support through additional
financial resources to the efforts and investment the
Central American countries are making against those
scourges. Despite its limitations, Nicaragua invests
considerable resources from its budget to ensure an
optimal environment for public safety. Its successes
are internationally recognized, and Nicaragua is seen
as one of the safest countries in Latin America and the
Caribbean.

We are committed to the struggles of other peoples
for their full independence and sovereignty. Therefore,
we demand once again the immediate and unconditional
termination of the economic, trade and financial
embargo imposed against Cuba by the United States of
America and the immediate and unconditional release
of the Cuban patriots imprisoned in that country. The
United States must also stop its arbitrary and capricious
inclusion of that brother country in its unilateral list of
State sponsors of terrorism.

We reiterate our full support for the legitimate
rights of the Argentine Republic in the sovereignty
dispute relating to the question of the Malvinas Islands.

We recognize and welcome the progress in
the political process of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela and reject international campaigns aimed at
weakening it.

We condemn, once again, the arbitrary conduct
of the Government of the United States in preventing
the aircraft of our colleague, Nicolás Maduro Moros,
President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, from
flying through Puerto Rico’s airspace. We condemn
that act, as well as the refusal of the United States to
grant visas to our Venezuelan brothers so that they
could attend this General Assembly plenary.

We reiterate our support for the brotherly people
of Puerto Rico in their struggle for self-determination,
independence and social justice. Puerto Rico is one of
the last colonial enclaves in our continent. Its brave
people deserve our full support and solidarity in order
to take their place within the United Nations and in our
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States,
thereby eliminating colonial situations from the region.
We express our solidarity with comrade Oscar López
Rivera and demand that he be freed immediately.

We express the hope that the peace process in
Colombia will come to fruition, bringing peace and
social progress to the people of that country.

We support the efforts being made to achieve lasting
solutions to the conflicts in the Middle East and North
Africa. Nicaragua continues to support a negotiated
solution to the bloody conflict in Syria. The proposal
of the Russian Federation to put an end to the war has
received broad international support, including from
countries that are members of the Security Council
with the right of veto.

We reiterate our commitment to the cause of
the Palestinian people in their struggle for self-
determination and their legitimate right to establish
their own State. We consider the resumption of talks
between Palestine and Israel to be a step in the right
direction. The talks must be accompanied by the
suspension of the construction of Israeli settlements in
the occupied Palestinian territories.

We reiterate our solidarity with the struggle of the
Polisario Front and the Sahrawi people, which this year
marks its fortieth anniversary.

We welcome the fiftieth anniversary of the African
Union under the banner of pan-Africanism and the
African renaissance.

Furthermore, Nicaragua continues to support the
just aspirations of the Republic of China on Taiwan
for greater participation in the various bodies and
specialized agencies of the United Nations.

Much has been said and heard in recent days about
the Grand Canal of Nicaragua. With that project,
our Government intends to take advantage of the
unprecedented transformation in global maritime trade

that has taken place in the first decade of the twenty-
first century. Maritime trade is expected to continue
to grow, particularly between Asia and the Americas,
and our project is designed to complement the Panama
Canal expansion. We are planning a canal for peace, for
the development of all peoples, constructed with a sense
of responsibility as a world heritage site — a canal open
to international investment in a reliable and transparent
fashion, a canal that is the fulfilment of the dreams of
the General of Free Men, Augusto C. Sandino, and of
the people of Nicaragua, for their greater progress.

Climate change continues to be a grave problem.
“Our environmental, economic, political, social, and
spiritual challenges are interconnected”, states the
Earth Charter. In that statement lies the essence of
our vision and our duty — to save Earth’s vitality and
ourselves as the human race.


At the outset, I wish
to congratulate President Ashe on his election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth
session and express my confidence that under his able
and wise guidance, the Assembly will successfully
accomplish its many tasks. I would also like to pay
tribute to the tireless efforts of last year’s President, His
Excellency Mr. Vuk Jeremi., and extend my appreciation
for the effectiveness with which he directed the work of
the Assembly at the previous session.

Fiji reached a pivotal moment in its history earlier
this month, when His Excellency the President of
the Republic of Fiji promulgated the nation’s new
Constitution. This Constitution introduces the first
genuine democracy that Fiji will enjoy since we gained
independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. Forty-
three years and three Constitutions later, we finally
have a Constitution that is worthy of the Fijian people.
It is a Constitution that meets the test of a genuine
democracy, that upholds the legal and moral basis of a
common and equal citizenry without denying anyone’s
individuality or culture.

The 2013 Fijian Constitution enshrines principles
that are at the heart of all the world’s great liberal
democracies: an independent judiciary, a secular State
and a wide range of civil, political and socioeconomic
rights. It recognizes the indigenous peoples of Fiji and
their customary practices, protects the rights of the
predominantly indigenous landowners and those of their
tenants, demands accountability and transparency from
Government officials, builds strong and independent
institutions and replaces our old weighted electoral
system with one based on the principle of one person,
one vote, one value. That historic achievement is the
culmination of a path that Fiji embarked on in 2007
to establish a modern and stable society that can be a
proud and responsible part of the global community.

For years we struggled to be a nation under a system
that created different classes of citizens and in which
the votes of some Fijians counted more than others.
How could we be one nation when our fundamental law
said that we were not one people? The very idea of a
just and equal society, of an accountable Government
and of loyalty to the nation State was being eroded from
within. There were too many elites who thought the
best way to entrench their own privileges was to sow
the seeds of division and undermine our independent
institutions. The removals of the Government in 1987
and 2000 were the most radical expressions of that
dysfunction.

As a result, tens of thousands of Fijians suffered,
and many made the decision to leave their home
forever — to leave Fiji. As I have said before, that is
one of the most shameful episodes of our history, and
I am determined that it must never, ever happen again.
We must never allow a fellow citizen to be second class
or to be less than an equal of his neighbour. Surely, such
a basic principle as that deserves the full support of all
nations that would never accept any less for their own
people.

So we have set out to make a change for the good, a
permanent change that would set the nation on a straight
course and allow Fiji to finally reach the potential
it had when we so enthusiastically embraced our
independence. It has been a long journey, and we have
faced numerous challenges along the way. But it is with
great pleasure and deep honour that I stand here today
and say: our national compass has finally been reset.
Under the new Constitution, we are heading towards
Fiji’s first genuinely democratic elections by September
2014 and a much brighter future as one nation.

With every month that passes, we are building
the foundations of our new parliamentary democracy.
Unlike in the past, we are building a credible and fair
system that will guide that process. Four political
parties have registered thus far under the new laws,
which create transparency and accountability, and

close to 540,000 Fijians — out of an estimated 620,000
eligible voters — have registered for the 2014 election.

Many modern, stable democracies have gone
through their own turbulent periods. Some have gone
through decades of instability and bloodshed, while
others have had a single defining moment. Those
events changed the course of history. They turned
their countries from bastions of elitism and oppression
into nations of freedom, equality and true democracy.
The United States has its Bunker Hill and Civil War.
France has the storming of the Bastille and the French
revolution. Australia has the Eureka Stockade, and
Britain has had a bloody history as it struggled to
establish a constitutional monarchy. We Fijians have
also had our share of turbulence.

Regrettably and to our great disappointment, some
of our oldest friends had no faith in us. They abandoned
us and sought to punish us with sanctions. We sought
their assistance and understanding, but they turned
their backs on us. They chose to support a form of
democracy, governance and justice in Fiji that they
would never have accepted for themselves. We hope
that they see now that we were true to our word. All
nations struggle over time to overcome their unique
challenges, to correct historic sins and to be worthy of
the principles on which they were founded. We in Fiji
are no different. Our isolation led us to seek out new
relationships, which have proven fruitful. Now, our
standing in the world has never been stronger.

A key principle that has guided Fiji’s political
development and foreign policy and is soundly
grounded in the Charter of the United Nations is
that we determine our own destinies as sovereign
States. At the same time, we recognize the necessity
of collaborating with all Member States of the United
Nations with the aim of supporting sustainable world
peace, substantive justice, dignity and respect for all. It
is that spirit of collaboration that has inspired us to go
beyond parochial interests and reach out to help others.
That spirit enjoins us to be loyal to common ideals,
goals, values and principles. They remain our guiding
beacons as we navigate our way in this millennium.

The theme set by the President to guide the general
debate at this sixty-eighth session, which is “The
post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage,”
is most fitting for the juncture at which the United
Nations stands. In the midst of increasing poverty and
underdevelopment and during an era of unprecedented
wealth accumulation and technological advances, the
rift that divides the rich and the poor zones of the world
ever widens. We must therefore not lose focus on one
imperative of our time: equality among nations, big and
small, is central to the relevance, credibility and even
survival of this global Organization.

In that regard, we are encouraged by the progress
made thus far in the General Assembly towards
expeditiously launching the follow-up mechanisms
agreed at the Rio+20 Conference in 2012. Throughout
the course of this year, the Group of 77 and China
has emphasized that the road map towards a post-
2015 development agenda needs to address the
implementation gaps of the Millennium Development
Goals, with poverty eradication remaining an
overarching goal. The new development agenda must
be universal, applicable and relevant to all Member
States. Let me also stress that the new development
agenda should be centred on economic development
that supports both social inclusion and environmental
sustainability.

Our common desire for a transformative global
development agenda beyond 2015 can best be achieved
through collective efforts and an enhanced global
partnership. Such efforts must place the development
and well-being of people at its core. If the international
community and national Governments seriously
commit to an agenda for meaningful transformation
at the structural, institutional and normative levels,
the post-2015 development agenda has the potential of
achieving a paradigm shift in global conditions.

Fiji’s commitment to being a good global citizen
is manifested through our ongoing engagement with
the United Nations and its associated agencies and
secretariats. Our decision to take on the mantle of
chairing the Group of 77 and China for the year 2013
was informed by the fact that Fiji embraces its rights
as an equal Member of the United Nations and that we
must therefore also carry all the due responsibilities
expected of us within this great family of nations.

Fiji’s commitment to United Nations peacekeeping
remains unwavering. It is a source of great pride
that, for a nation of our size, we are able to make a
meaningful and significant contribution. For the past
three decades, we have always responded to the call
of the United Nations to serve, including in the most
difficult circumstances around the world. While we
fully recognize the risks involved, Fiji’s confidence in

its peacekeepers prompted us to provide troops to the
Golan Heights this year to assist the United Nations in a
time of need. The many years of service of Fijian troops
in the Middle East region, particularly in Lebanon,
Iraq and Sinai, are an asset that our troops take with
them to that mission. Fiji also sees police peacekeeping
and contributions in the corrections and justice sector
as important in building local State institutions that
can be run by local authorities once peacekeeping
missions end, and we are building on our many existing
commitments in that regard in Liberia, Darfur and
South Sudan.

It is up to us in the General Assembly to ensure
that all support possible is given to troop- and
police-contributing countries serving on the ground,
including through clear and appropriate policy
guidance. For the good of the countries concerned,
we must not abdicate that responsibility. I urge us
all to work together in the United Nations to provide
such concrete policy guidance, particularly as we see
peacekeeping missions evolve into multidimensional
and complex missions that differ greatly from early
United Nations peacekeeping missions.

As a Pacific island nation, Fiji reaffirms its support
for the efforts of small island developing States (SIDS)
to achieve sustainable development. Not only are SIDS
acutely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such
as sea-level rise, ocean acidification and the increased
frequency of extreme weather events, but for some of
us the threat is to our very existence. Our response
to the plight of those most at risk must therefore be
characterized by a requisite sense of urgency.

The convening of the third International Conference
for Sustainable Development of SIDS in 2014 will be
critical to addressing, in a very specific and concrete
manner, the many challenges faced by SIDS. It is
an opportunity for the international community to
renew its commitment to the implementation of the
decisions and agreements pertaining to SIDS. As
the international community discusses the post-2015
development landscape, including a successor to the
Hyogo Framework for Action, we must ensure that a
new model accounts for and addresses the risks we
face. This is particularly relevant for SIDS, where
hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses
occur as a result of so-called natural disasters every
year. Protecting development gains and investing in
disaster resilience is vital to sustainable development.

The United Nations efforts to eradicate colonialism
must forge ahead within the context of the Special
Political and Decolonization Committee, of which
Fiji is a member. Through the Pacific regional body
known as the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Fiji works
together with other members of the Fourth Committee
to accelerate the process of decolonization.

In reforming and developing its information and
communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, Fiji
has adopted a comprehensive approach by combining a
national framework for ICT development with effective
and pragmatic policies and initiatives to deliver results
directly to the Fijian people. That approach is bearing
fruit. Fiji has achieved 95 per cebt mobile coverage,
including 3G; concluded one of the region’s first open
auctions for the 4G spectrum; and is implementing a
number of innovative initiatives to increase affordable
access and improve services, including in the most
remote parts of our country.

The International Telecommunication Union, in its
annual review of more than 150 countries’ delivery of
ICT infrastructure and services to their populations,
gave special recognition to Fiji as a developing country.
Fiji tied for the third largest improvement of any
country and is ranked fourth globally in percentage
terms, having improved by 14 per cent.

As the first country to ratify the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea, Fiji has kept its
oceanic obligations at the core of its foreign policy.
While some disconnect exists between what is
contained in international instruments and what is or
is not implemented, we need a commitment to clear
steps to turn words into actions in order to facilitate the
sustainable management of ocean resources and make
equitable the share of benefits from their utilization.

Fiji hosted the inaugural Pacific Islands
Development Forum (PIDF) last month. Its formation
makes the PIDF the only South-South organization in
the Pacific region that provides for a multi-stakeholder
platform where Governments, the private sector and
civil society can discuss what we Pacific Islanders need
to do to achieve sustainable development.

We look forward to a productive sixty-eighth
session of the General Assembly. Let me reiterate our
full support and cooperation with President Ashe and
all members with a view to advancing the objectives
of the United Nations and the aspirations of the global
community.


At the very outset, allow
me to congratulate Mr. Ashe on his well-deserved
election to the office of the President of the General
Assembly. I assure him of my delegation’s full support
and cooperation during his tenure of office. I also
wish to commend his predecessor for the exemplary
leadership he demonstrated during the previous session.

From the humble beginnings of a fledging
organization more than six decades ago to a massive
expansion in membership today, the United Nations
has undoubtedly stood the test of time. Its worth as an
indispensable entity in shaping the world of our time is
a matter of common cause. Some of the great strides the
United Nations has made span the peaceful settlement
of disputes, restoring calm in many countries through
peacekeeping, raising awareness of human rights and
eradicating diseases. Nevertheless, much still needs to
be done.

Much of the world remains mired in poverty and
disease, while peace, security and stability continue to
be fragile. Economic development continues to be the
greatest challenge in our history. As we ushered in a new
millennium 13 years ago, we adopted the Millennium
Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) in order to focus the world’s attention on ending
extreme poverty in all its forms. The 2015 deadline for
the achievement of the MDGs is fast approaching, yet it
is clear that not much progress has been made in many
countries in achieving the Goals. Alive to that fact,
the United Nations is engaged in various processes in
preparation for the post-2015 development era. It is in
this context that we welcome the theme for this session,
“The post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage”.

One of the key outcomes of the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) was
that we launched a process to develop a set of sustainable
development goals (SDGs), which would build upon the
MDGs and converge with the post-2015 development
agenda. We note the progress that has been made in that
regard and hope that the letter and spirit of the Rio+20
outcome document, “The future we want” (resolution
66/288, annex), will be upheld. It is our hope that we
will develop SDGs that are simple to implement, while
also paying attention to the reality that no one size fits
all.

The post-2015 development agenda must be an
integral framework that will build upon the successes
and failures of the MDGs. We need to reflect on the
experiences and lessons learned in implementing the
MDGs, the results achieved and opportunities missed.
It is time for this body to come together and exercise its
collective responsibility to finalize this one shared goal
of articulating and shaping a development agenda that
is inclusive and people-centred. A new development
agenda, premised upon the sovereign equality of all
States while recognizing their interdependence and
mutually reinforcing roles, should be our goal. To
achieve that, a renewed spirit of solidarity, cooperation
and mutual accountability must underpin our efforts.

It is equally important, in our view, to pay special
attention to the perils of climate change for our physical
world, as well as its destruction of ecosystems, all of
which result in land degradation and contribute to the
decline of agricultural productivity. Agriculture is the
mainstay of our small economies. In order to address
that challenge, agriculture and food security have to
be given the necessary prominence in the envisaged
development agenda.

Similarly, sustainable mountain development
should be our ideal. To a country such as Lesotho, with
over 60 per cent of its land area covered by mountains,
sustainable mountain development is imperative for the
people to survive. Mountains are valuable water sources
with rich biodiversity. As such, international support
for conservation programmes and the protection of

mountain ecosystems should be at the forefront of our
plans.

The state of peace and security in the world is
gradually getting worse. The possession of nuclear
weapons and other weapons of mass destruction
remains the principal threat to the survival of
humankind. The widespread sectarian strife in the
Middle East and elsewhere and xenophobia are some
of the great challenges to global peace. Sadly, discord
remains among Member States on how to overcome
those problems.

Of particular concern to my delegation is the
situation in Syria, which poses a serious and growing
threat to international peace and security. Scores of
civilians continue to be the principal victims. Women,
children and the elderly are bearing the brunt of the
conflict. The use of chemical weapons in Syria is not
only abhorrent, but also a crime against humanity. We
condemn it in the strongest terms, as it threatens to
undermine the norm against the use of chemical weapons
universally embraced by the international community.
We welcome the partial report of the United Nations
chemical weapons inspectors investigating the use of
those weapons in Syria, and hope that the culprits will
face the might of international law and justice.

The crisis in Syria has the potential to engulf the
whole Middle East region, with global ramifications.
We call on the international community to find a quick
and lasting solution to the conflict. Whether in Syria or
anywhere else, perpetrators of crimes against humanity
must be held legally accountable for their actions.

History has revealed that human societies can
enjoy peaceful, orderly progress only if the rule of
law obtains. The conviction that peace and justice
are inextricably intertwined has always underpinned
the efforts of the United Nations in the area of the
maintenance of international peace and security.
Indeed, the International Criminal Court (ICC), created
in 1998, is a beacon that speaks to that truism. We must
use institutions, such as the ICC and other international
legal tribunals, as a reflection of the international
community’s increasing rejection of impunity and
evidence that there is a rising tide in favour of the
rule of law. At the same time, we need to ensure that
institutions, such as the ICC, are adequately insulated
against politicization. Selective prosecutions must be
avoided.

A decade has passed since the initiation of
the notion of the responsibility to protect. Yet, the
operationalization of that concept has not become a
reality. The fact that crimes of mass atrocity continue
to be committed around the world is a stark reminder
that the time for a collective approach to protecting
populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic
cleansing and crimes against humanity is now. Most
mass atrocities often do not occur spontaneously, but
rather as part of a planned process. Over the years, we
have learned the important lesson that the Organization
cannot stand on the sidelines when challenged to take
preventive action. In so doing, we should guard against
the misuse and abuse of the norm of the responsibility
to protect by infringing on the national sovereignty or
altering the legal obligation of Member States to refrain
from the use of force except in conformity with the
Charter of the United Nations.

From the Horn of Africa and across the Sahel
region to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the
African continent is facing a rise in lawlessness and
conflicts. As we celebrate the jubilee of the formation
of our continental organization, the Organization of
African Unity, we are resolved, as leaders of Africa,
that Africa must open a new chapter going forward and
extricate itself from the conflicts that have so soiled its
reputation and compromised its development. We are
determined to build a safe, secure and peaceful Africa
from here forward.

With the presence of extremist groups and
terrorist entities in the Middle East and elsewhere,
terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to world
peace, security and development. The ugly face of
that scourge has once again resurfaced in Kenya. We
condemn the barbaric killings of innocent people in the
Westgate mall in Nairobi, committed by Al-Shabaab.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families that
have lost their loved ones. We all know that solutions
to these problems cannot be through military means
alone. We have to invest more in creating a holistic and
integrated approach that targets, among other things, the
improvement of economic development, the promotion
of the rule of law, the protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms, and good governance.

In the face of the numerous global challenges
existing in the world today, promoting more effective
global governance should be at the forefront of the
international agenda. We, the membership of the United
Nations, should strive for an international Organization

with improved efficiency and effectiveness. In our
efforts to reform the United Nations, emphasis needs to
be placed on enhancing, inter alia, its accountability and
that of all its organs and bodies and the programmes of
Member States, irrespective of their size and influence.

It would be remiss of me not to express solidarity
with the people of Cuba for having endured sanctions for
so many years. We also want to express our unwavering
solidarity with the people of Western Sahara, who have
languished under the yoke of colonialism for far too
long. In the same vein, we express our unwavering
support for the people of Palestine. As a small country
that was surrounded by apartheid South Africa for
almost a century, we understand the pain that others
who still languish under that kind of situation feel.
Those situations are a challenge that this body can
easily remove from our agenda simply by doing what is
right. In true brotherly solidarity, we appeal to this body
to remove those final vestiges of colonial oppression.

In conclusion, I need not emphasize that our
peoples do not necessarily look at this Organization as a
mirror reflecting a divided and troubled world. Rather,
they yearn for progress and solutions to the problems
besieging their world. They want ideas, leadership and
concrete hope for the future. Our actions and decisions
should embody themes of peace and development that
look far beyond the immediacy of the moment. The
challenges that confront us today must be, more than
ever before, addressed with the candour and decision
that the present global economic and political situation
dictates to us all.


With an end to the global crisis
finally within reach, it is imperative to make growth
and development our first priority today. In the past
10 years, remarkable progress on the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) has been made. But we
have to work harder. We need to empower individuals
and communities and increase the capacity of economic
and social systems to adapt to the rapid changes of our
complex world.

With regard to the post-2015 development agenda,
we should address the root causes of the ills afflicting
our world rather than limit ourselves to the side effects.
Sustainable development, in line with the outcomes
of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development, is the best possible antidote. In that
conviction, Italy co-facilitated the establishment of the
High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development,
with universal membership. We are also in favour of
reinforcing the Economic and Social Council and of
a partial reform of the United Nations Environment
Programme.

The promotion of sustainable development goes
hand in hand with the spread of democratic principles.
We are in favour of the convergence of the sustainable
development goals and the MDGs after 2015. But
development cannot be simply reduced to economic
growth and statistics. We must go beyond gross
domestic product and pay adequate attention to the
more comprehensive notion of “quality of life”.

Special attention should be paid to the role of
women’s rights and gender equality. Although women

cultivate more than half the food grown in the world, they
represent two thirds of the people who live in poverty
and suffer from hunger. More female participation in
the global economy means more equality and growth.

As the Secretary-General’s report on the work of
the Organization (A/68/1) notes, in the past 13 years
gains have been made in the fight against poverty,
but despite these tangible improvements one in eight
persons worldwide still suffers from malnutrition. Food
security should be a priority area of action. It combines
the need to act locally and globally. It incorporates
some of today’s most crucial issues: a sustainable
relationship between consumption and production,
energy efficiency, and more.

Italy is making a specific contribution to the issue
of food security through Expo 2015 in Milan. The theme
is “Feeding the planet: energy for life”. More than 130
countries have so far agreed to participate. Italy will
use Expo Milan as an opportunity to exchange best
practices on global sustainability in the area of food
security and nutrition. We intend to promote new
partnerships between the private and public sectors. As
I underlined to the heads of the United Nations agencies
based in Rome at a recent meeting, Italy feels that the
time has come to launch a new global initiative on
food. The United Nations participation in Expo 2015
is consequently of great importance. An integrated
approach to development also involves a focus on its
social dimensions.

The projected rise of the world population highlights
one of the most serious problems today. I am referring
to global unemployment, particularly among young
people. This phenomenon affects every part of the world,
including Europe and my country. We want to combine
the measures taken at the national and European levels
to launch our war against unemployment.

Italy deems it important to focus on small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a true driver for
employment. Such enterprises are well placed to create
jobs for young people and contribute to social stability.
In Europe, 85 per cent of new jobs in the private sector
are created by SMEs. In the employment sector, great
attention must also be given to people with disabilities.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world
become immigrants in a phenomenon that affects
both developed nations and countries of origin. Italy’s
geographic location makes it a port of entry for thousands
of immigrants. At the national level, we respect the
fundamental human rights of immigrants and prosecute
criminals who engage in human trafficking. At the
same time, we have fostered international cooperation
with the countries of origin and of transit.

On this crucial subject, I wish to quote Pope Francis,
who decided to visit the small island of Lampedusa
this summer. He brought a message of support for the
thousands of immigrants who arrive there from Africa
every year. We should all fight what he called the
“globalization of indifference” and feel the suffering of
migrants as our own.

Recognizing that more needs to be done at the
national and international levels, we look forward
to the second summit of the High-level Dialogue on
International Migration and Development, to be held in
New York this October.

Achieving sustainable development requires
stability, security and peace. Since the outbreak of
the conflict in Syria, the Italian Government has
underlined the importance of preserving the role of the
United Nations as the ultimate guardian of peace. At the
same time, we strongly condemn what has taken place
in Syria with regard to chemical weapons. We cannot
be indifferent to blatant violations of fundamental
international rights.

Italy invites all members of the Security Council
and other relevant international stakeholders to spare
no effort in the search for political solutions. That is
why the Italian Government welcomed the Geneva
framework for the elimination of Syrian chemical
weapons. We strongly support the work undertaken
in the Security Council aimed at inducing Syria to
participate in the Chemical Weapons Convention.

We cannot accept the continuous deterioration of
the humanitarian situation in Syria and in neighbouring
countries. Once again, we invite all the parties
involved in the conflict to fully respect international
humanitarian law. There must be effective protection
for humanitarian assistance.

Italy has intensified humanitarian assistance,
particularly for refugees. Italy confirms its pledge
of $30 million for 2013 and intends to provide even
more support to expand the reach of humanitarian
assistance. At the Group of 20 Summit held in Saint
Petersburg, we announced our intention to implement
new humanitarian and emergency initiatives, for an
additional $50 million. On Friday, upon my return to
Rome, I will enact that measure.

We will continue to keep Somalia high on our
agenda. As I confirmed to President Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud a few days ago in Rome, Italy is willing to
help the Somali authorities in their efforts to lay the
foundations of an effective and united federal State.
Together with Ethiopia, Italy has convened a ministerial
meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development Partners Forum tomorrow, 26 September,
here in New York, to discuss Somalia.

As the top contributor to Libya, Italy is supporting
the country in its stabilization and democratic transition,
and we remain fully committed to cooperation with the
United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
Before the end of the year, Italy will host the second
international conference on Libya in Rome, which we
are preparing together with the Libyan authorities,
UNSMIL and other partners.

Italy reiterates its strong commitment to the
stabilization of Mali and the Sahel region. At the
national level, we are currently funding training for
border police in Mali and the Niger. We welcome the
holding of the next high-level meeting on the Sahel.
The strategy presented by the Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General, Romano Prodi, is a good example
of increasing efforts and resources.

Italy is the seventh-largest contributor to the general
budget of the United Nations. Since 2006, despite
financial constraints, we have been the top contributor
of United Nations peacekeepers among Western
countries. We are demonstrating our commitment
to peace and stability through our participation in
10 different United Nations peacekeeping missions
worldwide, from the Mediterranean and the Middle
East to Africa and Afghanistan.

Italy is engaged in international initiatives
related to peace and security, such as the Arms Trade
Treaty, which we have already ratified. Other relevant
initiatives include the United Nations Global Counter-
Terrorism Strategy and the United Nations Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime.

Italy believes that respect for human rights is
fundamental to peaceful coexistence among nations.
Our foreign policy will continue to focus on social
and humanitarian affairs and the protection of human
rights. Wherever human rights are at risk, global peace
and security are also at risk.

Italy will continue its efforts to better defend those
most vulnerable to violence and discrimination. Our
actions and our thoughts must focus on the categories
most at risk: women, children, religious and ethnic
minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
persons, human rights defenders and humanitarian
workers.

The recent atrocities in Pakistan once again
illustrate the importance of the issue of religious
tolerance. The General Assembly should never stop
acting to counter religious hatred and fundamentalism.

At the same time, Italy will continue to support
the campaign for a worldwide moratorium on the death
penalty.

In the second half of 2014, Italy will assume the
presidency of the European Union (EU). We want the
EU to be more open to the world. That means more
European foreign, or rather global, policy. It also means
more trade exchanges with the rest of the world. In that
connection, we will host the next summit of the Asia-
Europe Meeting, in Milan in October 2014.

I am convinced that a well-governed Europe
can act as a global player. A good example is the EU
enlargement policy, which succeeded in bringing
stability to the Balkans in a very short time. It is high
time for the EU to rise again to assume a leading role
on the world stage. We in Europe must act now for more
unity and for more effective governance.

On the theme of adapting to a changing world, allow
me to conclude by referring to reform of the Security
Council. As a leading member of the Uniting for
Consensus group, Italy strongly believes that Security
Council reform is absolutely necessary. The adoption of
any such reform, however, will require the consensus of
a large majority of the membership. We need to update
the Security Council to today’s world, increasing its
accountability, transparency and effectiveness. To
bridge the gap between the different models of reform,
all Member States should be ready to engage in the next
round of negotiations with a higher degree of flexibility
and openness to compromise.

We have many challenges ahead. Italy will
contribute to addressing those challenges as an active
member of the international community within a
framework of reinforced global governance. We make
that commitment before the General Assembly, and
we make that commitment before the international
community.


Allow me,
at the outset, to congratulate the new President of the
General Assembly, Mr. John Ashe, his predecessor,
Mr. Vuk Jeremi., and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
for the work they have carried out since the previous
session.

The theme of this session, “The post-2015
development agenda: setting the stage”, is very much at
the heart of our concerns. The 2015 deadline we have
set for ourselves will soon be upon us. The general
impression is that a number of countries continue
to fall short in terms of funding the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), official development
assistance and debt relief. It is unfortunate to note that
all of the commitments made to boost economies and
development efforts have not achieved the expected
results, despite major international mobilization.

There is a strong possibility that the 2015 deadline
will fall well short of many countries’ expectations,
especially in Africa — since poverty persists, despite
the development and implementation of national
poverty eradication strategies. That is why — drawing
on lessons learned from the shortfalls in setting and
implementing the MDGs — the African continent
intends to establish a post-2015 development agenda
that is capable of meeting its expectations and it calls
upon the international community to support it.

On top of the development challenges come
other security challenges. New hotspots and wars are
emerging all over the continent. Coupled with that, the
terrorism phenomenon has taken a heavy toll, as was
the case earlier in Mali and now in Kenya.

Terrorism is a scourge that knows no borders.
It feeds off of the blood of the poor, spreading its
recruitment tools of ignorance, poverty and fanaticism.
No good can ever come from violence carried out
against peaceful populations while using supposed
religious considerations or doctrines as a pretext.
Such violence is totally contrary to the principles of
international law, in terms of human rights and the right
to freedom of religion and opinion. Our profound belief
is that the fight against terrorism must continue to the
last breath, in order to curb proliferation and eradicate
it definitively.

Chad, for its part, has made its strategic choice.
It has decided to make its modest contribution to
the establishment of peace, security and stability
wherever necessary. That fundamental position is the
key motivation of its candidature for non-permanent
membership in the Security Council for the period
2014-2015. To that end, my country expects friendly,
active and enthusiastic support from the Assembly, to
encourage its valiant people to continue to provide their
utmost effort in supporting the cause of international
peace and security, which are indispensible to
establishing a world based on stability, development
and democracy.

Since restoring its stability, Chad has remained
mindful of all crisis situations in Africa and in the
world. It intends to fully cooperate with the United
Nations on all positive initiatives aimed at peace and
security, wherever the need may arise.

My country provided a clear indication of its
unshakeable resolve through efforts with the United
Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and
Chad (MINURCAT) in the eastern part of Chad, from
2008 to 2010 protecting Sudanese refugees from Darfur
and Chadian internally displaced persons and ensuring
the security of humanitarian personnel and associated
United Nations personnel.

True to its philosophy, Chad sent the largest armed
contingent to Mali, with more than 2,000 men, and 900
to the Central African Republic. Some 1,800 Chadian
soldiers will join the new United Nations force in Mali.
Chadian peacekeepers are now present in Côte d’Ivoire,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti as part
of United Nations peacekeeping missions.

We take this solemn opportunity to formally
commend the successful completion of the transition
process in Mali, with the holding of free, regular
democratic elections unanimously hailed by the
entire international community. Our wish is for that
fraternal country to restore peace, unity and stability
so that its sons and daughters can focus their energies
and intelligence on progress and the well-being of the
population.

However, the situation in the Central African
Republic remains alarming. The insecurity and the
political, economic and financial difficulties that
continue to face the transitional Government represent
major challenges of concern to everyone. The countries
of the region, through the Economic Community of
Central African States, have made their utmost effort
to mobilize military, financial and human resources to
support peace and security in that country.

I wish to welcome the establishment of the
Mission internationale de soutien à la Centrafrique
sous conduite africaine, of which the Central Africa
Multinational Force comprises the core. Its troop
level will increase from 2,000 to 3,600, thanks to
the participation of Central African States and other
friendly countries that have shown an interest in joining
that noble cause. In spite of all those efforts, we must
recognize that the needs on the ground clearly highlight
the need for swift intervention, admittedly in the spirit
of regional solidarity but also with the vital support of
the international community. To that end, we expect
the Security Council to adopt a firm resolution that
provides for logistical and financial support modalities
for the mission.

Turning to the Sudan, as the Assembly knows,
we signed a peace accord on 15 January 2010 and
established a joint force that has allowed us to stabilize
our common borders. As a result, my country will
continue to actively strive for peace in the Sudan, as
a member of the follow-up committee for the Darfur
Peace Agreement.

Nevertheless, I think it would be timely to draw the
attention of the Assembly to the humanitarian situation
in Darfur as a result of the new hotbeds of tension that
are emerging and which lead to a constant flow of other
refugees and internally displaced persons towards
eastern Chad. Currently, there are more than 400,000
refugees and 200,000 internally displaced persons,
compared to 290,000 and 180,000 in past years. All
efforts made since the outbreak of that crisis to foster
the return of refugees and internally displaced persons
to their regions of origin have been in vain thus far. It is
our duty to advocate from this rostrum for the energetic
pursuit of assistance from the international community
to all those people as political and ethnic tensions
continue to divert them from their path to return.

Chad condemns the rampant instability in the
eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
We urge the Government and the members of the
rebellion to reach a negotiated solution to their dispute
to allow that great African country to focus on its
development.

Our profound belief is that the solution to all
the crises I have just listed cannot be military. A
lasting, definitive solution to the ills that are hobbling
the development of Africa requires a constant
struggle against poverty, marginalization and youth
unemployment. It also requires the establishment of
constructive dialogue among the various sectors of
a country, on the one hand, and permanent dialogue
among different cultures and religions, on the other.

Addressing the situation outside Africa, I must first
mention the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which persists
and for which the international community has not yet
found the appropriate solutions. We urge and encourage
the efforts made by the Organization and the United
States Government to conclude a peace agreement that
allows for the peaceful coexistence of two sovereign
States.

The situation in Syria troubles us all since it has
reached a particularly grave stage. We have no right
to allow a whole people to be cast adrift. The use of
chemical weapons, which marks a dramatic escalation
of the civil war in that country, is an affront to the
human conscience and to the ideals present at the birth
of the Organization. While welcoming the agreement
between the United States and the Russian Federation
on the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons, my
country wants to see the perpetrators of those crimes
identified and brought to an international tribunal.

However, we are greatly saddened to see Syria tear itself
apart and Syrians killing each other. The international
community must do its utmost to stop that tragedy.

Allow me to turn to Cuba. The embargo against
Cuba, which has been in place for decades, unjustly
penalizes that country. We call for the lifting of the
embargo in order to allow the country to resume the
place it deserves in the comity of nations.

At the national level, Chad, which has definitively
turned the painful page of wars and divisions, is now
fully devoted to its development by exploiting its
mineral and energy resources through daring strategies.
To do that, it has just adopted a national development
plan that will soon be the subject of a round table
on its funding and implementation. At the political
level, we give pride of place to dialogue. We have
established a permanent political dialogue framework
that brings together the majority and the opposition and
has the power, inter alia, to create structures for the
organization of future elections. With the assistance of
Chad’s partners, in particular the United Nations, we
have taken all the necessary steps to prevent and put
an end to the recruitment and use of children in armed
conflict.

In conclusion, allow me to reiterate a major concern
for my country. It is our ardent wish to finally see the
long-awaited reform in the United Nations, particularly
the Security Council. That reform, which has become
an issue of justice and equity, is a top priority for
Africa. Keeping Africa, as well as other key actors on
the international scene, outside that universal forum
appears shocking today to hundreds of millions of
human beings throughout the world. The awakening of
the peoples of Africa, the role of the continent in the
world and its indispensable contribution to preventing
and settling conflict means that our continent can no
longer be sidelined from the prestigious institution that
is the Security Council.


The three pillars of the
United Nations — peace and security, sustainable
development, and human rights — are interlinked and
mutually reinforcing. Respect for universal human
rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law is a
cornerstone of international peace and stability.

Fragile, conflict-affected and least developed
countries face the biggest difficulties in ensuring
sustainable development. Growing evidence shows that
progress on the Millenium Development Goals in those
States is impossible without first achieving peace and
security. That leads us to one of the cornerstones of
the new post-2015 vision: peace and security are basic
conditions for a decent life and for the enjoyment of
human rights.

The priorities of the Assembly’s sixty-eighth
session are topical and very pertinent. The new
development framework for post-2015 will remain high
on the United Nations agenda for the next two years
and beyond. It should set out a comprehensive and
coherent framework around a single set of global goals,
driving action in all countries. A set of peacebuilding
goals should be high on the post-2015 agenda, in which
the United Nations should continue to play the leading
role in promoting the settlement of disputes by peaceful
means.

The Middle East stands at a crossroads. Events there
have global impact, and the international community
must take decisive actions.

We deplore the continuing humanitarian
catastrophe in Syria. The easing of human suffering
is the immediate goal, and we commend international
efforts to that end. I would especially like to thank the
neighbouring countries for hosting Syrian refugees.
The detailed report by the United Nations inspectors
confirms the use of chemical weapons against civilians
on 21 August. Those who committed war crimes
and crimes against humanity in Syria must face the
International Criminal Court. The agreement reached
by the United States and Russia on the framework to
eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons should be reflected
in a Security Council resolution with the clear indication
that Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations
would be invoked in case of non-compliance.

We encourage the new Iranian leadership to
address the concerns of the international community.
We welcome the stated determination of the new
Iranian Government to resolve the nuclear issue, thus
building confidence in the peaceful nature of its nuclear
programme.

Latvia welcomes the reopening of direct Middle
East peace negotiations. Latvia praises the role
of the United States as the mediator. Negotiations
should demonstrate the commitment of both parties
to a peaceful settlement. We anticipate a two-State
solution — Israel and Palestine living side by side in
peace and security.

Latvia is convinced that the resolution of protracted
conflicts in Moldova, Georgia and Nagorno Karabakh
should remain high on the international agenda. Efforts
to resolve the conflicts should be increased.

Latvia accumulated extensive experience during
its transition to a free, just and democratic society. As
a European Union member State with that extensive
experience, we share it with countries in the European
Union’s Eastern Partnership and Central Asia. Latvia
will continue to offer its expertise in such areas as
the rule of law and fundamental freedoms, thereby
contributing to good governance and further economic
development in those countries. However, it is essential
to keep in mind that national ownership is fundamental
in any reform process, .

Latvia is stepping up development assistance for
Afghanistan and the Central Asian States, particularly
in the areas of transportation and customs. We see
potential for the further integration of those countries
into the global economy by developing international

trade routes. The Northern Distribution Network already
connects the region with Europe through Latvia. We
are confident that it can also become a commercially
viable long-term transit corridor after 2014.

We are approaching an important turning point in
Afghanistan. In order to secure the progress achieved,
the international community must remain committed
to the country’s long-term development. Latvia will
continue to support civilian policing and to train
military personnel. We will also provide financial aid
to the Afghan National Security Forces as of 2015.

Sustainable development and prosperity go hand
in hand. During times of recession, structural reforms
and budgetary discipline, accompanied by economic
stimulus, bring results. While we can observe signs
of global economic recovery, there is no room for
complacency.

To ensure robust economic growth, we need to
ensure that the young generation contributes to it.
Quality education is the key to empowering people;
it should reach all. Everybody should have lifelong
learning opportunities. Quality education is the
foundation on which peaceful, prosperous and dignified
societies are built.

Following the economic downturn in 2008, Latvia
has been the fastest growing European Union economy
for the past two years. We expect to maintain that strong
growth trend at the level of at least 4 per cent annually
for the coming years. Latvia is now ready for further
integration into the global economy by introducing
the euro in 2014 and by joining the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development.

An empowered civil society is a key engine of
sustainable development. We are proud that the people
of Latvia are actively engaged in the decision-making
process at all stages. In the twenty-first century the
public involvement’s must be ensured both directly and
on line. Latvia has been working actively to protect
and promote Internet freedom as an important element
of freedom of expression for an open and democratic
society.

Latvia stands ready to contribute to the most
fundamental goals that should figure on the post-2015
agenda, namely, promoting peace, human rights and
fundamental freedoms. Therefore, we have put forward
our candidacy for the elections to the Human Rights
Council in 2014 and the Security Council in 2025.
Latvia counts on the support of Member States and
gives its assurance that it will contribute to the work of
those bodies in a responsible manner.


At the outset, I would
like to join previous speakers in congratulating the
President of the General Assembly on his election to
serve at its sixty-eighth session. I am confident that
his experience in international affairs will contribute
to the success of this session. I would also like to take
this opportunity to commend his predecessor, Mr. Vuk
Jeremi., for his wise leadership during the last session,
and to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his
staff for their tireless efforts to promote global peace,
security and development.

The United Arab Emirates continues to firmly
believe in the purposes and principles of the United
Nations, as enshrined in its Charter, calling for the
protection of international peace and security, the
promotion of peaceful coexistence among nations and
peoples through the peaceful resolution of international
disputes, respect for the provisions of international
law, and non-interference in the internal affairs of
States. Those goals also call for us to foster a climate
favourable to international relations based on tolerance,
non-violence and recognition of others. My country
has followed such an approach in its regional and
international relations.

However, we cannot conceal our deep concern at
the recent events in the Arab region associated with
sectarian strife, an escalation in terrorist attacks
and growing incitement to violence, which, in turn,
have given rise to extreme polarization in the region
and among its peoples, severely impacting stability
and development. In the Arab Gulf, we see how
extremism and terrorism in the Kingdom of Bahrain
are threatening to undermine security and stability and
destroy a history of tolerance in which sectarianism has
never played any role. The situation has been further
aggravated by the politicization and exploitation of
the religion of Islam by those seeking to use it as a
tool to exclude and marginalize other segments of
society, which, until now, had all lived in constructive,
harmonious and peaceful coexistence.

All of this has led to widespread fears about the
fate of the national State and what that implies in
terms of the undermining of the pillars of the State,
the wasting of its resources and the weakening of its
economy. As members may be aware, such difficult
conditions have put the young people of the region in
jeopardy of falling into the clutches of extremism and
violence, especially in a climate of growing despair and
lack of opportunities.

That is why the United Arab Emirates gives
paramount importance to its efforts aimed at promoting

a culture of moderation and non-violence and fighting
extremism in all its forms. In that regard, I refer in
particular to my country’s initiative to fight extremism
through the Hedayah International Centre of Excellence
for Countering Violent Extremism. The United Arab
Emirates actually proposed the Centre’s establishment
at a meeting held here at the United Nations, and today
the Centre is seeing the light.

In that context, I can only condemn in the strongest
possible terms all cowardly attacks, but particularly
the terrorist attack committed at the shopping centre
in Nairobi, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of
innocent victims.

The United Arab Emirates is deeply disappointed
at the international community’s inability to put an
immediate end to the worsening tragedy of the brotherly
Syrian people caused by continual military actions and
indiscriminate and systematic bombings by Syrian
forces in Damascus. So far, more than 100,000 people
have been killed and millions of people have been
injured or displaced. This is an extremely dangerous
violation of international law and international
humanitarian law.

We are deeply concerned at the increasingly serious
implications of the conflict in Syria and the entire region.
We strongly condemn and reject all crimes against
humanity committed by the Syrian regime, especially
the chemical attack against Ghouta, Damascus, which
killed thousands of civilians, including children.
We therefore call upon the international community
to take all measures necessary to punish the Syrian
regime for its massacring of civilians. The Assembly
should be aware of the frustration that we and the
majority of countries in the region feel with respect
to the dysfunction of United Nations mechanisms that
could have prevented the Syrian regime’s aggressive
acts against its own people. The Organization’s failure
to act is directly responsible for exacerbating the
humanitarian tragedy that we are witnessing in Syria
today. It is also responsible for the threat to the Syrian
State, Syrian society and the Syrian people.

The United Arab Emirates has fulfilled its
responsibilities with respect to ongoing relief operations
for the Syrian people and continues to provide all kinds
of aid — building hospitals, providing medical supplies
and staffing medical teams. It calls for concerted
international and regional efforts, directly or through
international organizations, to meet the humanitarian
needs of Syrians displaced inside Syria and across
the country’s borders, with a view to alleviating their
suffering.

In that context, we are seeking in these meetings
to address the issues of our region, its stability and
its future. That the issues and events that take place
in Egypt are very important and cannot be overlooked
is beyond question. Egypt is a pivotal State whose
stability and civil peace signify that the region is
beginning to recover. Accordingly, the United Arab
Emirates is following with great interest the positive
developments that are occurring in Egypt, as we firmly
believe that Egypt plays a key role in ensuring stability,
development and prosperity. There is no doubt that a
stable and calm Egypt is vital to security and peace,
not only in the Arab region, but in the world as a whole.

On 30 June, Egypt experienced a second wave of
revolution, when tens of millions of Egyptians expressed
their resolute will to draw up a road map for a better
future for their country. In it the ground is laid for an
inclusive democratic path based on the participation of
all segments of society without any exceptions, within
the framework of a policy characterized by moderation,
centrism, non-violence and the non-use of religion as a
means to exclude or classify or to foment sectarianism or
hatred. The United Arab Emirates therefore believes that
the sovereign measures implemented by the Egyptian
Government to protect national security and the steps
it has taken to implement the road map supported by
the people give grounds for optimism and enhance the
Egyptian Government’s credibility. I would also take
this opportunity to urge the international community to
stand behind Egypt at this critical juncture and support
the sincere efforts of its interim Government to lay
the foundations of stability, development and civilian
constitutional rule.

The United Arab Emirates recognizes the suffering
of the Arab region caused by the interference of others
in its internal affairs and the ensuing threats to national
statehood generally. We therefore wish to warn of the
danger of interfering in the domestic affairs of Egypt
and call on everyone to refrain from disrupting the
country’s march towards stability and democracy.

The issues that the Arab region faces are all
interconnected. Everyone in this Hall realizes that
peace emerges as a central and relevant issue to all
that is occurring there. Although many decades have
passed, the Palestinian people continue to look forward

to realizing their right to self-determination and the
establishment of an independent State, with East
Jerusalem as its capital, based on international legal
instruments that recognize their right to establish a
State, in line with the 4 June 1967 borders, as confirmed
by United Nations resolutions and in accordance with
the Arab Peace Initiative.

In that regard, I wish to take this opportunity
to welcome the relaunching of peace talks under the
auspices of the United States. We hope that those
talks will lead to positive results in the form of the
establishment of a Palestinian State. We also welcome
the European Union’s constructive position consisting
of non-recognition of the legitimacy of the Israeli
settlements and the decision to cease its dealings with
them. The United Arab Emirates is ready to contribute
to a successful outcome of the new initiative in order
to achieve security, peace and economic growth in that
important part of the world.

Security and stability in the Gulf region represent
a high priority in the balanced policy that we have
derived from principles found in the Charter of the
United Nations and the provisions of international law,
especially those that call for peaceful coexistence,
confidence-building, good neighbourliness, mutual
respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of States,
and the pursuit of peaceful means in the resolution of
conflicts and disputes. Based on those principles, my
Government expresses, once again, its regret at the
continued Iranian occupation of our three islands — Abu
Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb — and demands
that the undiminished sovereignty of the United Arab
Emirates over those islands be fully restored.

We emphasize that all actions and measures taken
by the Iranian occupation authorities are considered
null and void and are contrary to international law
and all norms of common human values. Therefore,
we call upon the international community to urge Iran
to respond to my country’s repeated peaceful, sincere
request for a just settlement of the dispute, either
through direct, serious negotiations between our two
nations or by referring the case to the International
Court of Justice, in accordance with the principles of
the Charter of the United Nations and the provisions of
international law.

Acting from our firm principles in regional and
international relations, we welcome the declared
approach of Mr. Hassan Rouhani, President of the
Islamic Republic of Iran. We affirm that our country
will sincerely cooperate with him in the interest of
promoting security, stability and prosperity in the
region.

There has been considerable debate about Iran’s
nuclear programme. Many suspicions revolve around
it. Therefore, we urge Iran to constructively cooperate
with the International Atomic Energy Agency, defuse
all scepticism about the peaceful nature of its nuclear
activities, and act with full transparency and clarity
to avoid any negative consequences that could arise
from the absence of such cooperation. The United Arab
Emirates does, however, believe that the peaceful use
of nuclear energy has become an urgent requirement to
meet today’s growing demand for energy.

We are proud that we are a nation that has pioneered
peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which are surrounded
by all possible security and safety guarantees. The
United Arab Emirates has opened the way for the
introduction of renewable energy and the development
of clean-energy technologies as its contribution to
humankind in protecting the planet from the negative
effects of climate change.

The United Arab Emirates firmly believes in
the necessity of achieving human development at the
national and international levels. That goal can be
achieved only when a number of conditions are met,
including respect for human rights and for the equality
of all without discrimination on the basis of gender,
ethnicity, religion, language or any other ground. That
requires due regard for human dignity, the renunciation
of violence and the prohibition of torture and abuse.
The United Arab Emirates has been encouraged by the
positive response to its periodic report by the members
of the Human Rights Council, who commended the
country’s achievements and progress.

Achieving overall human development requires the
creation of an environment conducive to tolerance and
moderation, free of any incitement to hatred. In that
context, it is necessary to support and promote dialogue
among different countries and religions, without
arrogance or superiority on the part of any culture over
another, because each culture has something to give
and something to gain with respect to another’s culture.

The empowerment of women, the recognition
of their vital role in communities and the protection
of women against discrimination in various fields
are imperatives for the international community.

The United Arab Emirates is proud of the significant
measures it has taken in that respect, which have won
the United Arab Emirates a high ranking among the
countries in the region. Our country has also made
significant strides in combating human trafficking,
and it has developed national legislation to stand firm
against that inhumane crime.

Achieving sustainable development for all people
is a major priority for the United Nations and its
Member States and one which will require scientific
and technical cooperation, as well as the transfer
of technology between developed and developing
countries, to further the common good of all peoples
and countries of the world.