Madam President, may I tell you how happy Paraguay
is to see you presiding over the sixty-first session of
the General Assembly. Your personal and professional
qualities ensure the success of this session.
 I wish to reiterate what I said at the earlier
summit meeting. For Paraguay, peace and security,
development with social justice, democracy and human
rights are the fundamental pillars on which the world
must be based, because they are interconnected
principles that mutually strengthen each other. We
cannot consider ourselves to be in an airtight
compartment, because if pride of place is given to one
over another, this Assembly will not be a pluralistic,
representative body. Rather, the single-voiced will of
Powers will continue to be imposed on others.
 My delegation thanks the Secretary-General,
Mr. Kofi Annan, for his detailed annual report on the
work of the Organization (A/61/1). Ideally, the

41 06-52737

Secretary-General would not travel only to those places
where barbaric warfare is destroying cities and killing
innocent, defenceless people. Perhaps something would
change if he were also to go to see the vast universe of
poverty and social exclusion resulting from worldwide,
profoundly unjust disorder, and then propose solutions.
We urgently need to build a global partnership of
solidarity to supplement the efforts made by our
countries. Only in this way will we be able to deal with
the problems of poverty, hunger and the lack of access
to education and health care. Clearly, every country is
responsible for achieving its own economic and social
development by applying the proper policies to
mobilize domestic resources. But those national efforts
should be supplemented by explicit commitments by
the developed countries to promote and facilitate
access to international markets and more balance in
economic relations and in the price of products.
 The experience of developed countries
themselves shows that, without external cooperation,
they would have had difficulty in prospering or in
restructuring their economies.
 The reciprocal increase in production and trade is
a driving force for development. However, the trend
towards more concentrated productive expansion and
insufficient participation in the benefits of world trade
condemn the majority of countries to marginalization
from development. For this reason, Paraguay calls once
again for the right of all nations to more even-handed,
equitable treatment, including the right to build a new
form of solidarity among States which are capable of
promoting progress on a global scale.
 Agricultural subsidies, protectionism, the lack of
technology transfers and the distortions in international
trade, together with ethnocentric control of
information, knowledge and science, postpone
development and punish countries on the periphery
with a pre-modern and wasted life. Because of those
recurrent circumstances, we are convinced that the
tariffs and non-tariff barriers that are applied not only
by developed countries but also by our own regional
partners must be removed. Only in that way can we
quickly overcome asymmetries and unjust
discrimination.
 Society expects more of democracy and of
politicians. It expects the system that guarantees liberty
and equality before the law also to be a system which
promotes and ensures the well-being of all and puts an
end to exclusion. Unfortunately, this basic conception
of politics is not reflected in the behaviour of many
actors. In practice, petty interests, selfishness and party
faction are considered more important and have greater
priority than the interests of the nation. Democracy as
government in the service of the common good is being
bastardized. That gives rise to the lack of prestige and
devaluation of politics and democracy, particularly in
Latin America.
 This erratic direction that politics is taking must
be corrected in countries which do not have a
democratic tradition: we have only just built low-
quality democracy, a pseudo-democracy laced with
conspiracies against good governance and the exercise
of power based on legitimacy and the will of the
majority of the people.
 In any event, in Paraguay, we are making a great
effort. School attendance is showing exponential
growth. Educational reform, now extended to higher
education, has practically universalized basic
education. The secondary school population is
following the same trend, while university enrolment
has doubled through the institutionalization of equal
opportunities and conditions. According to the United
Nations itself, Paraguay is in a position to achieve, for
example, the Millennium Development Goal related to
education. One of our key objectives here is to gain
certification of zero illiteracy for our country by 2008.
 Together with improving and significantly
expanding public and private health-care services, our
environmental policy is recovering the great ecological
sustainability which characterized Paraguay. This is
taking place in the midst of silent agrarian reform. In
addition to the massive purchase of land for orphan
peasants — which is still insufficient to alleviate the
unfair distribution of land in Paraguay — we are
implementing a policy aimed at rural settlement and
increased production and productivity as a way of
giving fresh significance to peasant life, its
sustainability and its dignity.
 Positive action is also taking place with a view to
modernizing the State through simplification,
transparency and making its services effective. We are
seeking to improve public safety, combat corruption
and eradicate piracy, drug trafficking and smuggling. If
one looks at the crime index, Paraguay has one of the
lowest rates. Nevertheless, we are obliged to improve
legal security, and to do that we must implement a

06-52737 42

policy of professional qualification and establish ethics
in the judicial system.
 Development financing continues to be limited in
terms of fulfilling national development plans and
programmes, both those which are the result of
international mobilization and those which result from
the domestic mobilization of financial resources. This
situation reflects the viability of various projects which
are directed towards expanding productive
employment, improving basic social services,
education and adapting productive infrastructure and
other areas of action which are essential for
development.
 We are aware that the main task begins within our
countries. It is we who bear the main responsibility.
However, with the increase in domestic savings, good
macroeconomic policies and a predictable country, we
in Paraguay are reducing poverty and are moving
towards development. Therefore, our country continues
to focus on rationalizing public expenditure and on
social and productive investment. This fiscal discipline
makes us worthy of increased support from
international financial institutions. But what we need in
Latin America, as the President of our sister Republic
of Bolivia said earlier today, are markets and partners,
not bosses or others who would continue to seize the
wealth and natural resources of the peoples of our
region.
 On the subject of human rights, we welcome the
fact that, through a process of focused consultations,
the General Assembly, in March, adopted resolution
60/251, which established the Human Rights Council.
That Council will have a mechanism for the periodic
and universal review of States’ compliance with their
obligations in this important area, a review based on
dialogue and cooperation. What we want is that the
criteria for assessing human rights be applied in the
same way and using the same principles both to
developing countries and to developed countries. The
assessment of human rights would thus not affect only
developing countries and countries with emerging
economies, which are making great efforts at
institution-building and at consolidating democracy
and freedom.
 The fight against terrorism should unite people
who love liberty and seek respect for human rights and
the rule of law. While it is true that fundamentalism of
all kinds is anachronistic and dangerous, terrorism
should not be the only item on the international
agenda, excluding or relegating to the back burner the
equally crucial debate on poverty and development in
countries with peripheral capitalism and those with
emerging economies. Civilization means respect for
diversity and differences. Combating terrorism thus
requires that any repressive action be carried out within
the jurisdiction of international law and not through
mere administrative procedures.
 With regard to the question of the representation
in the United Nations of the 23 million inhabitants of
Taiwan, Paraguay, consistent with the position it has
long held, confirms its support in favour of their
admission to the United Nations. Their inclusion is
consistent with the principle of universality embodied
in our Charter, as well as with the norms of
international law.
 To address the problems and conflicts now facing
the international community, it is necessary to create a
multipolar world and to make it function. The
equilibrium of our twenty-first-century universe replete
with uncertainty, depends on multipolarity. For that
reason, my country and the Common Market of the
South (MERCOSUR) place their hopes on that
approach, and in particular on the reform of the
Security Council. It is shameful that what occurs in the
Council should be seen as more important than the
United Nations as an Organization which promotes a
culture of peace, global development and the
universalization of science and technology.
 In Latin America, as was said by my friend the
President of our sister Republic of Bolivia, we have a
culture of peace and brotherhood. We seek harmony
with our fellow human beings and with nature.
Unfortunately, at other times in our history, we have
experienced warfare — not because our peoples
wanted it, but because of manipulation by imperialists
thirsting to destroy our wealth and fragment our
peoples. We have put that history behind us. Today we
look to the future to see how we in our region can pool
our efforts to deal with poverty and recover our
peoples’ political, economic and cultural sovereignty.
 In addition, the hierarchy and institutional
structure of the United Nations depend on a world
where equilibrium prevails, ensuring fairness in
decisions and action. We do not need sermons about
education for peace and the megamillions spent on the
arms build-up. We are not naïve and were offended to

43 06-52737

see that in 2004 alone, the super-Powers spent sums of
money on rearming that could have put an end to
poverty and ignorance in the world.
 Certainly military belligerence, which is so
destructive and so threatening, is not unrelated to the
scandalous rise in the price of oil today, which is
causing insecurity, economic slowdown and stagnation
in the developing countries. Inequality for our peoples
should not mean that we must take bread out of the
mouths of the poor in order to waste millions of dollars
on fratricidal weapons.
 Over and above the events that threaten world
peace are the daily lives of people. In our region, life is
good only for the minority and miserable for the
majority.
 Therefore, we urgently need a United Nations
that makes a contribution to the development, well-
being and freedom of all peoples. Likewise, it is our
duty to build an entirely prosperous, fair and united
society so that the countenances of our citizens reflect
their happy lives. May God illuminate our path, so that
there can be brotherhood among all nations and
individuals, and so that our history can truly embark on
the path of peace.


Madam
President, I should like at the outset sincerely to
congratulate you on your well-deserved election to
preside over the General Assembly at its sixty-first
session. Your election represents not only a mark of
considerable recognition for the Kingdom of Bahrain,
which has tirelessly worked to promote the purposes
and principles of the United Nations, but also, in
personal terms, the culmination of your long legal and
diplomatic career.
 Above and beyond the usual courtesies, I should
like to encourage you, Madam, and to assure you of
our full readiness to cooperate to ensure the success of
your lofty mission.
 I should like also to pay tribute to Mr. Jan
Eliasson for the talent, dedication and perseverance
with which he guided our work throughout the sixtieth
session. I should like in particular to acknowledge him
for his determination in leading the negotiations that
achieved considerable progress in implementation of
the decisions and recommendations of the 2005 World
Summit.
 Lastly, I should like to convey to the Secretary-
General, Mr. Kofi Annan, our deep admiration for the
wisdom and courage he has consistently shown in
discharging his difficult mandate, and in particular for
the ambitious measures he initiated throughout his two
terms of office to adapt the United Nations to current
realities.
 At a time when his tenure as Secretary-General is
coming to an end and many observers will be
reviewing and assessing his accomplishments, I should
like, for may part, to pay a well-deserved tribute to him
for having provided us with a clear vision of the work
of the United Nations in terms of the three pillars of
international peace and security, development and the
promotion of human rights worldwide.
 The consensus adoption of the 2005 World
Summit Outcome Document (resolution 60/1) was an
unequivocal recognition by our leaders of the General
Assembly’s central role as the chief deliberative,
policymaking and representative organ of the United
Nations. I welcome the fact that since the Summit,
most of the important recommendations of the
Outcome Document have already been implemented as
part of the United Nations reform process.
 Indeed, following the difficult negotiations, the
sixtieth session of the General Assembly established
two important bodies — the Peacebuilding
Commission and the Human Rights Council — both of
which, as we know, have been operational since June.
In addition, the Central Emergency Response Fund was
established, and a number of major resolutions were
adopted. I am thinking in particular about resolution

9 06-53329

60/42, on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on
the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel;
the resolution on development; and, most recently,
resolution 60/288, on the United Nations Global
Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
 During the present session, bolstered by that
major progress, we must continue our efforts to
complete the reform process. For example, we must
intensify our efforts to conclude the negotiations aimed
at adopting a comprehensive convention against
international terrorism and at reforming the Secretariat,
the Economic and Social Council and the Security
Council.
 The theme you proposed for this year’s general
debate, Madam President, “Implementing a global
partnership for development”, is very timely. That
theme, which echoes Goal 8 of the Millennium
Development Goals, will undoubtedly make it possible
to follow up and implement the decisions emanating
from the Monterrey Consensus and reaffirmed at the
September 2005 World Summit.
 It is extremely urgent that all development
partners honour all their commitments. Our appeal to
them takes fully into account the primary responsibility
of all States to plan and carry out their own
development. It also addresses the many constraints
hampering the developing countries, in particular the
impact of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other infectious
diseases on their populations and economies.
 Therefore, I cannot fail to welcome the fact that,
in the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS (resolution
60/262), adopted on 2 June 2006 at the end of the
High-level Meeting devoted to follow-up on the
implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on
HIV/AIDS, the international community stressed the
special situation of sub-Saharan Africa and recognized
the efforts made by African Governments to fight the
pandemic.
 Gabon, for its part, has undertaken ambitious
initiatives ranging from awareness raising to the
implementation of action plans such as the
multisectoral strategic plan to fight AIDS. The
Gabonese head of State and his spouse, Ms. Edith
Lucie Bongo Ondimba, are personally involved in that
initiative.
 Aware of the threat that the pandemic poses to
human development and security, we should advocate
more courageous measures aimed in particular at
increasing the contributions to the Global Fund to
Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, strengthening
prevention methods and improving access to treatment
for infected persons.
 However, the many challenges facing African
States are not inevitable. That is the strong conviction
that led African heads of State or Government to
launch the New Partnership for Africa’s Development
(NEPAD), a comprehensive vision in which African
countries have pledged, through good economic and
political governance, to take control of the social,
economic and political destiny of their respective
nations. While NEPAD’s main goal is development, we
are fully aware that there can be no development
without a framework that fosters peace, security and
respect for human dignity.
 Our world continues to be characterized by
tension and deep crises that aggravate the prevailing
instability and insecurity. Old and new conflicts
continue to threaten the peace and security of a number
of nations, and their effects have strong repercussions
at the regional and international levels.
 The violent conflict that has once again shaken
the Middle East — a conflict that has claimed hundreds
of innocent human lives and caused enormous material
damage — has shown how essential it is to do
everything possible to establish a lasting peace in that
part of the world. With specific regard to the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict, only collective and sustained
efforts based on the principle of two States, Israel and
Palestine, living side by side in peace and security can
make it possible to achieve a just, lasting and equitable
settlement of that conflict. Gabon, for its part, endorses
the idea of urgently holding an international conference
on the Middle East.
 In Africa, many hot spots of tension also remain
worrisome. While we should welcome the Darfur
Peace Agreement, signed at Abuja in May 2006, we
must acknowledge that the overall situation remains
fragile. The persistent divisions between certain parties
to the conflict even threaten to jeopardize the
Agreement, which was reached at considerable effort.
Here, I should like to pay a well-deserved tribute to the
international community, and in particular the African
Union, for their tireless efforts to achieve a peaceful
settlement of the Darfur crisis.

06-53329 10

 The situation in Côte d’Ivoire also continues to
be a source of concern for Africa and the rest of the
international community. In the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, a historic and crucial phase has begun
with the holding of general elections in that brotherly
country. Here, I wish to pay tribute to the international
community, particularly the European Union — whose
EUFOR peacekeeping troops are stationed in Gabon —
and to the United Nations. Its support, together with
that of EUFOR, has thus far made it possible to hold
smooth general elections in that country, particularly
the first round of the presidential election, which took
place on 30 July 2006.
 It is now essential that all Congolese political
actors continue, in a spirit of patriotic fervour, to
consolidate the gains of the democratic transition
process in an atmosphere of peace and harmony. In
order to do that, they will also need the active support
and sustained commitment of the international
community to ensure that the enormous sacrifices made
by all do not come to naught for lack of follow-up.
 In that regard, the establishment of the
Peacebuilding Commission is an appropriate
institutional response to the many needs of countries
emerging from conflict. I take this opportunity to
congratulate Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins of
Angola on his election as Chairman of the
Commission’s Organizational Committee. I welcome
the fact that two African countries, Burundi and Sierra
Leone — which have experienced many years of
war — have been chosen as the first countries to
benefit from the Commission’s attention.
 However, if our efforts to strengthen international
peace and security are to be effective, they must also
focus in particular on the area of conflict prevention.
The excellent report of the Secretary-General on the
prevention of armed conflict (A/60/891) offers us a
good foundation for our work as we consider this
important issue.
 We achieved a major breakthrough in 2001 with
the adoption of the Programme of Action to Prevent,
Combat and Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms
and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. We regret,
however, that the June and July 2006 review
conference for the Programme of Action ended in
failure. Despite this, we need to pursue the
implementation of the Programme, as well as the
adoption of an international instrument on the marking
and tracing of these weapons. We also need to move
forward with consultations in order to begin
negotiations leading to the adoption of an instrument
on brokering. Similarly, we have the moral duty and
shared responsibility to renew disarmament
negotiations, particularly in the nuclear sphere.
 One of the major trials facing our Organization is
the continuation and completion of negotiations on
Security Council reform, in accordance with the
recommendation made by heads of State or
Government at the September 2005 World Summit. We
also need to implement the resolutions regarding the
revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, the
most recent of which was adopted on 8 September
2006 as resolution 60/286. At the same time, major
negotiations in the Assembly over the past two sessions
have demonstrated, if such demonstration were needed,
how crucial a vitalized Assembly is for our
Organization. We also need to take the appropriate
measures to ensure greater transparency and
consistency in the functioning of the United Nations
system, ensuring improved implementation of its
missions.
 As you are aware, Madam President, we have a
particularly heavy programme of work. I am certain
that, under your able guidance, the General Assembly
will make progress in the various areas of its agenda.
We will therefore need to continue to work with a
heightened sense of our collective interest. The very
credibility of our Organization depends on it.


Few
women before you, Madam, have been elected to the
presidency of the General Assembly, despite the fact
that, as the Chinese proverb states, women hold up half
the sky. We are delighted by your election and
congratulate you and your country, Bahrain. Our
congratulations go also to the Group of Asian States,
which, happily, put your name forward. You can rest
assured that our delegation will always be ready to
support you as you carry out you lofty and challenging
task.
 We would also like to congratulate your
predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Jan Eliasson, on
having so successfully guided the work of the General
Assembly during the previous session, as well as for
his understanding of the capacity of Member States to
overcome their differences. Because of his
perseverance, the majority of the reforms resulting
from the commitments entered into at the 2005 World
Summit have been implemented.
 At the beginning of this debate we heard Mr. Kofi
Annan present his report on the work of the
Organization (A/61/1) for the last time. He clearly set
out for us his beliefs and accomplishments and his
recommendations for strengthening the United Nations.
My delegation associates itself with the numerous
tributes paid to the Secretary-General. We also wish to
convey to him our profound gratitude for his
courageous efforts over the past 10 years. Thanks to
the extensive experience he acquired at the
Organization, he was able to move the United Nations
forward — in an environment fraught with threats and
new challenges — to meet the expectations aroused as
a result of the upheavals caused by globalization. His
clear vision made it possible to establish the existence
of the nexus between peace, development and human
rights — Charter principles that have repeatedly
underpinned our common efforts.
 Guided by the watchful motivation of His Serene
Highness Prince Albert II, the Government of Monaco
has worked to increase its contribution to development
and international cooperation through a significant
increase in official development assistance (ODA). In
that connection, cooperation credits have increased by
30 per cent in 2006. The Principality will continue its
efforts to expeditiously reach the goals set and
reaffirmed last year at this very rostrum by His Serene
Highness the Sovereign Prince.
 The advancement of women, improving child and
maternal health and the alleviation of poverty are
among the Principality’s priorities on the international
sphere. The Sovereign Prince and his sisters, Princess
Caroline of Hanover and Princess Stéphanie of

06-53958 2

Monaco, are greatly involved in development efforts
intended to help the most destitute. In her capacity as a
goodwill ambassador for the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Her
Royal Highness the Princess of Hanover is helping to
promote programmes to educate girls and women. Part
of that effort includes a project undertaken by Monaco,
Andorra, Cyprus, Luxembourg and San Marino on the
theme of human rights and education in combating
poverty and promoting the independence of girls and
women.
 As President of the World Association of
Children’s Friends, the Princess has long led an
ongoing struggle to protect children. On the recent
occasion of being honoured by UNICEF-USA, the
Princess of Hanover stated that “today we are at war
against terror, especially against the terror in the eyes,
hearts and spirits of millions of children around the
world”.
 This session will provide impetus to the effort to
promote and protect the rights of children with next
October’s publication of a study by the independent
expert Paulo Pinheiro, to which the Principality is
proud to have contributed. Let us not forget that, as
Jean-Paul Sartre wrote, violence, regardless of what
form it takes, constitutes a failure.
 We hope that, following the Security Council’s
debates on the protection of children in armed conflict,
the effective implementation of Council resolution
1620 (2005) will lead to progress in this area of such
concern. It is unacceptable in human terms for the
perpetrators of such crimes to go unpunished.
 During her presence here last June to attend the
High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, Princess Stéphanie
of Monaco expressed her solidarity with all those
fighting the disease or otherwise affected. Through her
Fight AIDS Monaco association, the Princess is
working to promote prevention, research and assistance
to those affected by the virus — especially sero-
positive people, who are often victims of
discrimination. In that regard, the Princess has
expressed the wish that the dignity of every sero-
positive person be respected. Her association will
support the establishment of an entity to provide
psychological support for those ill with the disease in
an African country where many non-governmental
organizations from Monaco have already carried out
development efforts.
 The upcoming appointment of Princess Stéphanie
as a special representative of the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) will further
strengthen her commitment to the fight against this
terrible pandemic, which is increasingly affecting more
and more women. To address that situation, the
Government of Monaco has decided that, in addition to
the support it provides to UNAIDS, it will begin this
year to finance a United Nations Population Fund
project in Africa focusing mainly on sero-positive
women suffering from extreme poverty and
psychological distress and providing them with
medical, psychological and social assistance.
 Our heads of State or Government resolved to
take action when they accepted the responsibility to
protect. It is of course up to individual States to protect
their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic
cleansing and crimes against humanity. But when such
tragic events cannot be prevented, it falls to the
international community, working through the United
Nations, to be prepared to immediately provide
assistance to victims of such acts.
 Whether a catastrophe is natural or man-made, it
is crucial that we be able to meet the most pressing
needs of civilian populations. In that regard, we would
like to commend the Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief
Coordinator and his Office for their ongoing efforts,
especially as regards the restructuring of the Central
Emergency Response Fund. Monaco is a contributor to
the Fund and intends to continue its efforts to provide
financing for humanitarian assistance during the years
to come.
 Before the end of this year, His Serene Highness
Prince Albert II will once again visit the fishing village
of Sirombu on Nias Island, Indonesia, which has twice
been struck by natural disaster: first by a tidal wave in
December 2004 and, a few months later, by an
earthquake. The village has been rebuilt thanks to the
effective and generous action of the Monaco-Asia
Association.
 As the Sovereign Prince announced that it would
during the 2005 World Summit (see A/60/PV./6),
Monaco ratified the Kyoto Protocol last February.
 Our head of State has a personal and ongoing
commitment to protecting the environment. That
commitment was recently evidenced in the polar
expedition he undertook 100 years after the one made

3 06-53958

by his great-great grandfather, Prince Albert I, a
pioneer of modern oceanography. Having reached the
North Pole with his team on 16 April 2006, following
four days on an arduous course on dog sleds from the
Russian base of Barneo, Prince Albert II launched an
urgent appeal regarding the dangers of global warming,
unfortunately in evidence in the Arctic in the
significant shrinking of the ice shelf. Back in Monaco,
His Serene Highness established a foundation devoted
to environmental preservation and sustainable
development that will serve as a permanent source of
dynamic and innovative efforts in the areas of climate
change, biodiversity loss and water resources.  The
Principality is also pleased to have been elected to the
United Nations Commission on Sustainable
Development. We hope to contribute to improving the
United Nations environmental machinery.
 The Principality of Monaco believes that there is
a need to establish and strengthen dialogue among
civilizations in order to prevent conflict. We support all
efforts aimed at actively promoting a culture of peace
and mutual respect among the world’s various creeds,
cultures and languages. As Secretary-General Kofi
Annan stated in 1999, “The greater the appreciation of
diversity, the deeper the sense of identity and the
sounder the enlargement of the common denominator
of values” (A/54/546, para. 13).
 It is in that spirit that Monaco, aware of the
universal value of sport as one of the best tools to
establish inter-cultural dialogue, fully supports the
United Nations Action Plan on Sport for Development
and Peace.


I
am pleased to express my sincerest congratulations to
you, Madam President, upon your election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first
session. It reflects the international community’s trust
in your diplomatic abilities, which will help ensure the
success of this important session.
 I want to take this opportunity to extend my
deepest appreciation to all the countries that endorsed
the nomination of Shaikha Haya Bint Rashed
Al-Khalifa. The election of Shaikha Haya as President
of the Assembly is an honour for the Kingdom of
Bahrain, she being the third woman in the history of
this Organization, as well as the first Arab and Muslim
woman, to hold this prominent position. This election
confirms the significant achievements and progress of
women in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
 I take this opportunity to commend her
predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson of Sweden, for his
tireless efforts during the Assembly’s sixtieth session,
one that will be remembered for efforts to reform the
Organization.
 I would also like to pay tribute to Secretary-
General Kofi Annan for his devotion in promoting the
United Nations and strengthening its leading role in
upholding peace and security throughout the world,
particularly in our Arab region during his recent trip to
the Middle East.
 In addition, I wish to congratulate the Republic of
Montenegro upon its admission to the United Nations
as the l92nd Member State. Allow me to express the
hope that its joining this Organization will enhance
peace and stability in the world.
 The central force behind progress in developing
countries and among their peoples lies in the inching of
political reforms, economic liberalization and social
modernization. This is the platform that the Kingdom
of Bahrain has implemented in its reform process, led
for several years by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa
Al-Khalifa, to strengthen democracy, human rights and
economic growth. National gains have multiplied and
popular participation in the political, economic and
social fields has increased. This is reflected in many
areas.
 Democratic practices have been enhanced
through municipal and parliamentary elections, with
men and women participating as voters and candidates,
and by the establishment of the Institute for Political
Development to enhance democratic practices and a
culture of dialogue in the Kingdom. The Arab Charter
on Human Rights has been ratified and a counter-
terrorism law has been passed. We have acceeded to
the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights. The Kingdom of Bahrain has been
elected to membership of the United Nations Human
Rights Council. We are working closely with other
members to promote and protect human rights in all
areas. We have enhanced the role of women in society
to assume leadership positions in the Kingdom,
including the judiciary. In addition, a programme to
empower women, overseen by the Supreme Council for
Women, has been approved.
 We are forging a partnership with
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as was
evident in the Forum for the Future hosted by the
Kingdom of Bahrain last November. At that Forum,
NGOs worked side by side with Governments in
discussing human rights, the fight against corruption,
the rule of law and the empowerment of women.
Indeed, Bahrain takes pride in having the largest
number of NGOs in proportion to its population, with
approximately 300 registered NGOs.
 We are addressing negative phenomena in the
national economy, such as unemployment, by initiating
a national project to provide jobs for the unemployed.
Moreover, the Kingdom of Bahrain has consolidated its
pioneering economic role in the Gulf region through
laws to attract investment under the supervision of the
Economic Development Board.
 A high committee to reform education has been
formed to develop and modernize the education
system. Its recommendations were adopted in June
2006. The Kingdom of Bahrain has continued to rank
high in human development, as confirmed in the latest
United Nations Human Development Report. Positive
integrated development on the political, social, cultural
and economic levels was further evidenced by the
recommendations of the National Conference for
Social Policies in the Kingdom of Bahrain, held in the

06-53323 14

spring of this year under the auspices of the United
Nations, which aimed to promote integration and
cohesion of all aspects and components of
development.
 We in the Kingdom of Bahrain still view the
phenomenon of terrorism and terrorist acts in many
parts of the world as the most dangerous threat to
international peace and security. There must be greater
effort by the international community and more
coordination on all levels to confront and contain this
scourge. The Kingdom commends United Nations
efforts to fight terrorism. The Secretary-General’s
report issued last April entitled “Uniting against
terrorism: recommendations for a global counter-
terrorism strategy” (A/60/825) contains many
constructive elements that we embrace, along with
other points that need further examination and
discussion. It is important that any counter-terrorism
strategy not infringe on human rights or fundamental
freedoms, while complying with international law. One
of the positive aspects of that report is its call to
address issues that are exploited by terrorists and to
study the motives behind terrorism.
 The Kingdom of Bahrain has continued its
tireless efforts in this field. In fact, it has already
signed 11 of the 12 international agreements on
terrorism and hosts the Middle East and North Africa
Financial Action Task Force established in November
2004 to combat money-laundering and terrorist
financing. In addition, Bahrain continuously
coordinates efforts with its brotherly neighbours of the
Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), pursuant to the
GCC Counter-Terrorism Agreement adopted in May
2004. Implementation of the strategy proposed in the
Secretary-General’s report is just a beginning, as the
report states. What is more important is its full
implementation.
 The events in the Middle East in recent months,
especially in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territories
in the West Bank and then during the past few weeks in
Lebanon, have driven the entire region to the edge of
an abyss that could become even more dangerous. We
must all work more diligently to address the root
causes and repercussions of this struggle, which
frustrates hopes for peace and disappoints the
aspirations of the peoples of the region for peace,
stability and security.
 Resolution of this catastrophic situation, with its
dire consequences, must not be delayed. The
international community has special and multiple
responsibilities in this regard. Therefore the Council of
Arab Foreign Ministers called upon the Security
Council to meet at the ministerial level. That meeting
was held yesterday to discuss all tracks in accordance
with the terms of reference of the peace process,
relevant Security Council resolutions, the principle of
land for peace and the Arab Peace Initiative, which was
presented by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
and adopted by the Arab summits. A settlement should
be pursued through a new and developed mechanism to
resume direct negotiations among the parties under the
Council’s supervision, within a specified time limit and
with international guarantees.
 We wish to express our deep concern at the
bloody events and huge destruction that took place in
brotherly Lebanon this year caused by Israeli military
operations. On the basis of our concern for the
sovereignty and independence of Lebanon, we support
resolution 1701 (2006) and the need for all parties to
comply with it. We also affirm the importance of the
international community’s support for the seven points
set out by His Excellency Mr. Fouad Siniora, Prime
Minister of Lebanon, to complement that resolution.
We reaffirm that the Kingdom of Bahrain stands with
the Republic of Lebanon against anything that
endangers its sovereignty and territorial integrity and
support it with a view to preventing any act outside
Lebanese State authority that endangers its stability.
We also express our appreciation for the efforts of the
Arab Tripartite Committee on Lebanon, the State of
Qatar — the Arab member of the Security Council —
and all other States that have supported the Arab
position.
 The Kingdom of Bahrain realizes that Lebanon,
today, faces great challenges that require concerted
international efforts by the United Nations, the
European Union and all influential Powers. Such
efforts must be aimed not solely at keeping the peace
but also at rebuilding and reviving the economy with
the help of the Lebanese Government and people, so
that Lebanon can participate once again, as it has done
through the centuries, in the cultural and economic
development of the Middle East and the world at large.
In this regard, the recent Stockholm Conference was a
step in the right direction.

15 06-53323

 We reiterate our position that a just, lasting and
comprehensive peace in the Middle East necessitates,
first and foremost, that Israel withdraw fully from all
Arab territories occupied since 1967, including the
Syrian Golan Heights and the remaining occupied
Lebanese territories. It also requires the return of
Palestinian refugees and the establishment of a
Palestinian State on all occupied Palestinian lands,
with Jerusalem as its capital.
 The Kingdom of Bahrain welcomes the recent
positive developments in Iraq, including the election of
a national assembly and the formation of a permanent
Iraqi Government. The Kingdom of Bahrain also
welcomes the Iraqi Government’s steps to promote
genuine national reconciliation and accord and to
consolidate peace, stability, and dialogue among all
segments of society. Bahrain hopes that the
Government’s national reconciliation measures will put
an end to violence and the killing of innocent civilians,
restore stability and preserve Iraq’s unity and cohesion.
We also hope that these measures will lead to
renunciation of violence and to addressing the waves
of killing, sectarianism and extremism, so that a new
safe and unified Iraq can emerge and enjoy democracy
and the rule of law, an Iraq with close relations with its
Arab and Islamic brothers and one that adheres to its
international commitments and responsibilities. There
is no doubt that the Iraqi Government’s efforts in this
direction are supported by the pivotal role that Iraq’s
neighbouring countries have played in reinforcing their
good-neighbourly policies, through respect for Iraq’s
sovereignty, cooperation in controlling the borders and
non-interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.
 The Kingdom of Bahrain, together with the other
members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, calls for a
peaceful settlement of the dispute between the United
Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran
concerning the three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser
Tunb and Abu Musa, which belong to brotherly United
Arab Emirates. This dispute should be settled either
through negotiations or by referring it to the
International Court of Justice for adjudication.
 Within the framework of maintaining regional
security in the Gulf region, we confirm that friendly
relations among Gulf countries should be based on
respect for the principles of sovereignty, independence,
territorial integrity, good-neighbourliness, non-interference
in internal affairs and peaceful settlement of disputes.
This would create a positive atmosphere that would
help address issues in a spirit of conciliation and in
accordance with international law, particularly on the
issue of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful
purposes, in order not to threaten the security,
economic and environmental concerns of the countries
of the region and help them avoid the dangers of
confrontation and tension. To support the creation of
such a positive environment, we should work together
to make the Middle East, including the Gulf region, a
zone free of weapons of mass destruction. At the same
time, we affirm the right of States to use nuclear
energy for peaceful purposes, in accordance with the
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
and under the International Atomic Energy Agency
safeguards regime.
 Today, all of us need to join in efforts to achieve
the objective of a collective security system through
multilateral diplomacy, for which the United Nations is
the main arena. Through your presidency, Madam, we
hope that our efforts will yield new measures to reform
the Organization. In his report on the work of the
Organization (A/61/1), the Secretary-General states
that no reform of the United Nations will be complete
without the reform of the Security Council, which
should be more representative of today’s geopolitical
realities. This would make it more efficient and
transparent. Furthermore, we hail the establishment
this year of the Peacebuilding Commission and the
Human Rights Council.
 The gap between developed and developing
countries remains wide in the areas of economic,
human, scientific and technological development.
Developing countries must redouble their efforts to
bridge this gap and mitigate its negative impact. They
need to promote good governance, uphold human
rights, expand democratic participation, enhance
transparency, empower women and enhance their role
on the international stage. However, they cannot
achieve this by themselves: developed countries must
continue their commitment to offer support and
assistance by cancelling debts and supplying
developing countries with the knowledge, up-to-date
technology and expertise they need to achieve
sustainable development.
 The Millennium Development Goals are the best
road map towards sustainable development. Those
Goals can be reached only through an international
strategic partnership between developed and
developing countries, along with international

06-53323 16

organizations and agencies, in particular the United
Nations, and with the participation of civil society
institutions and the private sector, in view of the vital
national and international role they play.
 It is true to say that changes in the world situation
and great progress achieved by the international
community have brought human civilization to wider
horizons in which there is no excuse for excluding or
marginalizing others. We believe that there is plenty of
room for dialogue and positive diversity. This is
because we, as nations, are linked in a single
international civilization, one that is rich in religions
and cultures and within which we can explore
everything that can bring peace and stability to the
whole world.
 In conclusion, Madam, we hope that, under your
presidency, this session will be marked by the spirit of
reform that has pervaded the United Nations. We
confirm the need to unify our efforts and exercise
patience and flexibility in order to achieve reform and
development. The Kingdom of Bahrain is committed to
achieving those goals and will support efforts to
strengthen the United Nations and its position in the
world.


It gives me great
pleasure to congratulate you, Madam, on your election
as President of the General Assembly. The Romanian
delegation looks forward to a presidency which brings
to the world Organization excellent diplomatic skills,
while increasing our confidence in the prospects for
more balanced gender representation at the top. I
would also like to pay tribute to Ambassador Jan
Eliasson, President of the General Assembly at its
sixtieth session, for his outstanding performance and
for his commitment to the reform of the United
Nations.
 Romania subscribes to the statement made by the
President of Finland on behalf of the European Union,
and fully shares the views expressed therein. I would
like, in addition, to give a frank account of my
country’s keen and active interest in a strong and
effective United Nations.
 Let me say, in all modesty, that we strive hard to
practice what we preach. Romania has had to make up
for 16 years of lost time — decades of ideological
pandemics, economic mismanagement, lack of respect
for human rights and lack of democracy. I would like
to express the gratitude of my Government for the
continuing support that the United Nations has
extended during our transition in many helpful ways,
including the valuable work of its country team in
Romania.
 We have come a long way to now be in a position
to join the European Union, which is profoundly rooted
in the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for
human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule
of law. We have worked hard, that is true, and we have
had very good friends all along to help us prevail. I am
therefore proud to say that the United Nations has
been, and still is, foremost among those friends.
 Let me quote a recent statement by the Secretary-
General:
 “Our success in advancing the agenda will
depend on great part on forging coalitions for
change involving Government representative,
civil society, the private sector, philanthropic
foundations, academic institutions and all others
with contributions to make. I know that Romania
is strongly committed to this path of partnership
and has been working actively to cement
constructive ties with the United Nations and
with its neighbours throughout Europe as the
country moves towards formal accession to the
European Union.”
 I myself could not have put it better if I had
wished to characterize in a nutshell our genuine
commitment to effective multilateralism and to better
management of the rapid and multifaceted changes
brought about by the globalization process. That is why
Romania understands, and wishes to be an active
participant in, the current reform process, pursuant to
the guidelines we accepted as set out in the Millennium
Summit Outcome.
 We have made significant steps ahead as far as
institutional reform is concerned. We agreed to change
the Human Rights Commission, a body whose
historical mission had been accomplished. We created a
new Human Rights Council to help the United Nations
make a fresh start in the implementation of the
impressive corpus of international human rights
instruments built since the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. But let us not indulge in complacency.
If we do not fill this new box with the expected
contents, our intention to reform will remain
unfulfilled.
 The Human Rights Council should spare no effort
in order to do what it is meant to do: uphold, in the
daily work of Governments across all continents and
legal systems, the priority goal of ensuring that human
rights are widely and deeply known and observed. We
should not see the primary duty of the international
community to monitor the implementation of human
rights law, be it by a universal peer review or by the
expert work of the special procedures of the Human
Rights Council, as unfriendly gestures towards our
Governments.
 We are deeply honoured by the exceptional
opportunity we have as members of the first Human
Rights Council to contribute to the reform of the
United Nations human rights machinery. We have
already come up with a number of proposals aimed at
streamlining the work of the new Council and at
upholding its authority. We need to make greater
efforts to make human rights a fundamental pillar of
the United Nations, on an equal footing with security
and development, by will of its Charter.

06-53323 36

 There is a similar need with respect to the
Peacebuilding Commission. The history of the United
Nations involves the continuing trend of creating new
bodies to address new problems. That can be a virtue if
such bodies have a strong mandate and sufficient
resources to meet expectations. But it can also be a sin
if all we do is generate additional meetings and
documents without consequence. The Peacebuilding
Commission is a remarkable institutional and legal
innovation. Let us introduce new thinking and
resources, rather than old habits, into this framework.
 Considerable efforts have been deployed since
1993 to reform the Security Council. Romania is ready
to embark on a meaningful and pragmatic
consideration of the question of increasing the
membership of the Security Council while preserving
its effectiveness and credibility. We are aware of the
difficulties inherent in further Council expansion.
Recent debates have shown that all Member States
should benefit to a certain extent from the reform of
the most powerful body in the United Nations system.
An obvious case in point is the Eastern European
Group, which expects to receive its fair share in the
eventual outcome of negotiations on this matter.
 The issue of the revitalization of the General
Assembly is also on our agenda. The intensive efforts
made to expand the Security Council should not
obscure the need to genuinely reform the most
representative organ of the United Nations — namely
the General Assembly. There are many ways to do
much more within existing structures and available
resources in terms of time and money. We can make
simple reforms. We may choose to streamline the
agenda by confining it to essential and topical issues,
avoiding the annual repetition of texts which bring no
true added value, and using less rhetoric and more
pragmatism as the main thread of our decisions.
 The General Assembly can also do more in its
role of supporting democratization processes in various
countries. We know how shy the drafters of the Charter
were about the use of the idea of democracy. During
the cold war, the concept of democracy was merely
totemic at the United Nations. However, times have
changed for the better. I genuinely believe that the
United Nations has made considerable, if not truly
spectacular, progress in that area.
 My country is proud to have been an active
player in two international movements whose
fundamental task is to promote democracy: the New or
Restored Democracies process and the Community of
Democracies. We have taken dedicated action under
the auspices of both. Romania initiated a series of five
resolutions on different aspects of democracy-building
that have been adopted since the year 2000 by both the
Commission on Human Rights and the General
Assembly.
 There is no reason why the United Nations would
slow down this process. On the contrary, we take this
opportunity to encourage both the sixth International
Conference of New or Restored Democracies, to be
held in Qatar, and the third Ministerial Conference of
the Community of Democracies, to be held in Mali, to
dare to do more. The time has come for us to adopt a
universal declaration on democracy, a code of
democratic conduct or even an international covenant
on the right to democracy. Democracy works, despite
difficulties and temporary setbacks.
 Let me add that, if we have doubts about our
duty, we should ask our nations if they want to have a
choice, in a multiparty system, and to make full use of
fair elections, as opposed to not participating or having
to accede violently to power? Do they want to be
governed by dictators who work for themselves or by
Governments that work for the governed? We all may
find the answer to these queries quite obvious.
 In our deliberations about reform, one of the
questions that arose was how to undertake
constitutional reform and bring the Charter more in
line with the new challenges of our time. There is
much to be done here, in spite of our understandable
reluctance to reopen the sacred book. At the same time,
we could adequately make the most out of the existing
legal framework.
 We believe that Chapter VIII of the Charter is a
generous framework for increased and more efficient
cooperation between the United Nations and regional
organizations. During its tenure as a non-permanent
member of the Security Council, my country, Romania,
initiated a rewarding debate on this topic, which led to
the adoption of resolution 1631 (2005). We welcome
the report of the Secretary-General entitled “A
regional-global security partnership: challenges and
opportunities”. The report is a very valuable
contribution to the clarification of the possible
distribution of roles based on the competitive
advantages of regional organizations. I therefore

37 06-53323

support the recommendations made by the Secretary-
General aimed at passing from an “adhocracy” to the
gradual institutionalization of the operational
mechanisms of an enhanced cooperation.
 In this field, Romania practices what it preaches.
The proof lies in its determination to pursue regional
cooperation processes in Central and South-Eastern
Europe, in various fields: the South-Eastern European
Cooperation Process, the Central European Initiative,
the Stability Pact for South-eastern Europe, the Black
Sea Economic Cooperation and so on. The stability and
prosperity in the Black Sea region is the main priority
of our foreign policy at the regional level. We are
pursuing a new cooperation paradigm that is expected
to produce deliverable results. Romania is satisfied at
having promoted, during its chairmanship of the Black
Sea Economic Cooperation, two very important
initiatives: a Black Sea Euro-region, under the auspices
of the Council of Europe, and a Forum for Dialogue
and Partnership.
 We are a conscientious and responsible member
of the international community and ready to assume
our duties. The constant and robust economic growth
of recent years has now enabled my country to
consider acting as a donor, helping developing
countries in their long-standing pursuit of economic
prosperity. My Government has already taken measures
to define a legal framework for the financing of official
development assistance.
 Europe has peace on its borders. But that is only
half true if we take into consideration the continued
existence of frozen conflicts that seem to escape the
active attention of the United Nations. We are shirking
our duty if we turn a deaf ear to the unresolved
conflicts whose roots date back to the Soviet era.
Those conflicts affect small States that are working
hard to consolidate their independence, their
institutions and their economies. They need the
assistance of the United Nations and protection under
international law.
 One of the most striking examples is the situation
in Transdniestria, a separatist area of our neighbouring
country the Republic of Moldova. The lawless regime
there must not be allowed to become permanent.
Supported by heavily armed troops, that regime is
involved in smuggling and illegal trafficking and is
disrespectful of human rights; it is also ready to seize
schools manu militari. Relying on its weapons and
ammunition, the regime threatens its neighbours and
the legitimate Government of the Republic of Moldova
and cynically mocks democracy through unlawful
referendums.
 The United Nations must apply the provisions of
the Charter to put an end to the dark ages in
Transdniestria. What is needed is genuine will on the
part of all relevant actors — be they international
organizations or neighbouring countries. We also
believe that it is our duty to assist the courageous
efforts of Georgia to build a democratic society and to
regain full territorial integrity. There is hope. The
recent adoption by the General Assembly of a decision
to include on its agenda a new item on protracted
conflicts — which Romania has fully supported —
augurs well for a new attitude.
 Seven years after the United Nations took
responsibility for the future of Kosovo, that province
symbolizes the difficult legacy that the Western
Balkans is struggling to overcome. We support the
efforts of Martti Ahtisaari, Special Envoy for the future
status process for Kosovo, and of the Contact Group.
Both sides directly concerned should show greater
flexibility in order to find a lasting and mutually
accepted solution. In that regard, the United Nations
role remains extremely important until the future status
of the province is decided.
 Our interest in achieving peace, stability and
prosperity is not confined to our own region. Romania
is trying hard to make significant contributions to the
maintenance of peace throughout the world. Romanian
military, police and civilian personnel are present in
the United Nations peacekeeping operations deployed
in Afghanistan, Kosovo, the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Liberia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Haiti and the
Sudan. Together with other peace-loving nations, we
also contribute troops to other major peace operations,
including those in Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia.
Nearly 1,500 Romanian troops, civilian police, military
observers, staff officers and support personnel are
deployed in those areas.
 At the same time, we believe that more efforts are
needed to find lasting political solutions to existing
conflicts and tensions. Afghanistan has come a long
way towards becoming a stable State, free from
terrorism and the Taliban. However, many challenges
still lie ahead. Winning the peace in Afghanistan
requires even more enhanced and coordinated efforts

06-53323 38

by the international community — especially to fight
insurgents, to train the Afghan army and police and to
accelerate quick-impact reconstruction projects.
 Romania firmly supports the Government of Iraq
in its efforts to create an efficient and responsible
administration. Strong international support is needed
if the Iraqi people are to succeed in achieving lasting
stability and in going back to work for the country’s
prosperity. Technical and financial support is also
badly needed. It is essential not to weaken the
international presence in Iraq, without which the
progress made thus far would be put at risk.
 We take note with satisfaction of the latest
developments in Lebanon, particularly the progress
made in deploying an expanded United Nations force
in the area. We believe that we are witnessing a historic
breakthrough in a long-standing conflict. We are
confident that the full implementation of Security
Council resolution 1701 (2006) and of the future
mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon will build hope and trust for a lasting political
solution to the Middle East conflict.
 The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
has emerged as a major threat to global security and
international stability. We should never underestimate
the chances that such weapons will be used in terrorist
activities. We support new international efforts to
strengthen the existing international regimes, to ensure
the full and unconditional implementation of
obligations undertaken by the States parties and to
promote the universalization of multilateral treaties and
agreements in the field of disarmament and non-
proliferation.
 At the same time, we must continue to fight
terrorism, individually and collectively, in order to
eliminate it as a threat to the lives of innocent people
and to the daily life of our societies. If it is to succeed,
the international community must correctly identify
and overcome the factors that contribute to terrorism.
Romania is firmly engaged in the fight against terrorist
threats through its participation in the efforts of the
international community and in those undertaken by
regional and subregional organizations.
(spoke in French)
 Romania will soon have the honour to host the
eleventh summit of la Francophonie. This conference
of heads of State and Government of countries using
French as a common language will take place on 28
and 29 September 2006 in Bucharest. La Francophonie
definitely does more than promote multilingualism. At
the previous summit, la Francophonie acted as a
faithful partner by adopting a strategic framework
aligned with the Millennium Goals and the objectives
of the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development, held at Johannesburg. That
framework is fully in keeping with the fight against
poverty and the efforts to promote sustainable
development. It is based on a consensus that
emphasizes human rights, good governance and
democracy, as well as conflict prevention and
peacebuilding. This year, the summit will have the
theme “Information technologies in education”. That is
another complementary area on which la Francophonie
intends to focus in order to contribute to the objectives
agreed at the World Summit on the Information
Society. I hope that during the present session of the
General Assembly, Romania will be able to report
further actions taken by la Francophonie in keeping
with United Nations objectives.


As I have just been re-
elected, this is my first opportunity to speak to this
forum at the beginning of my second term. It is
therefore with great pleasure that I am here today for
this sixty-first session of the General Assembly.
 Please allow me to congratulate Mrs. Haya
Rashed Al-Khalifa on her election as the new President
of the General Assembly. We are fortunate to have as
our President a diplomat with such magnificent
credentials. In addition, this is a milestone for the
United Nations which makes us all proud. My country,
Sao Tome and Principe, is a firm believer in gender
equality. I am proud to say that we have a very high
percentage of girls in our schools. A woman has held
the presidency of our National Assembly, and the
current head of our Supreme Court is a woman. We
have had two female Prime Ministers, and today
women head half of our Government ministries. We are
therefore delighted by her election and wish her every
success.
 I thank also the outgoing President, Mr. Jan
Eliasson, for his remarkable work, especially in the
area of advancing reform of the United Nations. Words
are insufficient to pay tribute to outgoing Secretary-
General Kofi Annan. A very special son of Africa, he
has been an extraordinary leader of our Organization.
He has worked unceasingly, showing enormous vision
and great courage. No challenge has been too large or
too dangerous. My country and I owe a special debt of
gratitude to the Secretary-General, whose intervention

27 06-52885

during a 2003 coup attempt helped preserve democracy
in Sao Tome and Principe. My people and I thank him.
We can only hope that his successor will prove as
praiseworthy as he.
 We are meeting here today at a time of growing
international tension and of increased terrorist attacks
on innocent civilians on every continent. We see
unending conflicts, even genocide. Never have we
needed the United Nations more than at this time, when
life as we know it on our planet is threatened by
climate change. It is tragic that in the face of all these
challenges, the United Nations is often unable to act,
because internal politics and a lack of resources
constantly hamper its ability to respond as needed.
 No country can live in a vacuum in today’s world.
For better or for worse, we are together in deciding the
fate of our planet. We can no longer be only citizens of
our town, our region or our country. We also cannot
blindly think that our religion is the only religion,
when God created so many, all believing in a Supreme
Being but worshiping in different fashions. God also
painted us in a rainbow of colours and did not leave
instructions for one colour to be in charge of all the
others. Nor did He choose a special region or language
to rule over everyone else. We must pull together so
that no one is left behind. There is enough for
everybody, if only we would share. We all could live in
freedom and in peace, with work, health, education and
dignity, if only we would work together.
 While we must work together for certain common
goals, we must also respect our cultural differences.
One size does not fit all. The practice of democracy in
Latin America may not be the same as democracy in
Asia. What worked to create economic growth in
Europe may not work in Africa. Each country, each
people, each region, each town must have the freedom
to decide what is best for it, while also respecting the
rights of all and everyone’s responsibility as a world
citizen.
 The HIV/AIDS pandemic is still out of control. In
my own tiny, isolated island country, we were long
immune from it. Despite desperate efforts at education
and prevention, our tiny population is being laid waste
by a shocking increase in the number of HIV/AIDS
cases. We have only one hospital and a handful of
doctors. We are helpless in the face of this crisis, as we
cannot afford the antiretrovirals we need for all our
sick people, nor do we have the ability to police our
maritime borders to keep out the main source of
infection. Our women and children are among the
millions of other faceless victims around the world,
and, without help, we could one day face extinction.
 Climate change is already sabotaging many of the
efforts being made to achieve sustainable development
goals, augmenting poverty in developing countries,
especially in the least developed countries and the
small island developing States. There is new and strong
evidence that most of the warming observed is
attributable to human activities. As the polar ice caps
melt, my low-lying island country faces a second kind
of extinction, that of disappearing beneath the waves of
the ocean.
 I cannot continue without again asking the
Assembly why a country of 23 million people is not
represented at the United Nations, where every country
is supposed to have one vote. I refer here to Taiwan, an
established democracy whose people live in freedom
and in peace. Their dynamic and technologically
advanced economy is a model for creating wealth in
today’s global economy. Taiwan is also an excellent
world citizen, generous in humanitarian and
development aid.
 For centuries, the people of Sao Tome and
Principe were debilitated by endemic malaria, and
thousands died. Countless attempts to control the
mosquitoes carrying that disease failed, until Taiwan
brought the necessary know-how and resources to bear.
Today cases of malaria have been reduced by 60 per
cent. Our doctors and nurses say that there have never
been so few cases of malaria in living memory. Thanks
to Taiwan and also to the Global Fund to Fight
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, we are well on
our way to finally bringing this scourge under control.
 In addition to humanitarian and development aid,
Taiwan also maintains productive commercial ties with
many United Nations Member countries and is a
member of the World Trade Organization, the Asian
Development Bank and the Asia Pacific Economic
Group. The principle of universality is consecrated in
the United Nations Charter. Permanent members of the
Security Council should not continue to ignore the case
of Taiwan.
 Another issue that continues to require the urgent
attention of all of us is the embargo on Cuba. This is a
relic of the cold war that should be lifted immediately.

06-52885 28

 While mentioning the Security Council, I must
say that my country supports the calls that have
reverberated through these halls for more than a
decade. We must reform the Security Council. Its
membership and institutional structures reflect
outdated geopolitical realities and political thinking
that was shaped by the world of 1945. Giving only five
permanent members the veto power and special
privileges puts the Security Council out of touch with
the world. Africa, for example, does not have a single
permanent member. This is not acceptable.
 I will close by talking about poverty, or rather
what we are all seeking, which is the end of poverty.
The Millennium Development Goals are a noble
project. Sao Tome and Principe is grateful to Secretary-
General Kofi Annan and the Goals’ Director Jeffrey
Sachs for their tireless efforts to pull poor countries out
of what Professor Sachs so rightly calls the poverty
trap.
 But how did so many countries get into the
poverty trap? We are unlikely to get out, or stay out,
unless we know how we got there in the first place. I
think it is time we all faced some of the unspoken
truths about poverty. Why are we poor? Economists
traditionally told us that economic wealth comes from
a combination of man-made resources, such as roads,
factories, machines, telephone systems; human
resources, hard work and education; and technological
resources, technical know-how and technological
machinery. But if this were true, then poor countries
could simply build some schools, pave roads and buy
some computers, and we would quickly catch up with
rich countries.
 But there is something wrong here. While
Taiwan, South Korea and China have all been doubling
their incomes every decade, many poor countries
making these changes are not growing faster than rich
countries. In fact, they are growing more slowly, or
even getting poorer. So there is a new theory that says
the more you have, the faster you grow. This could
explain why rich countries stay rich, and poor countries
fall farther behind — except that it does not explain
how Chile, India, Singapore, Mauritius and Botswana
are catching up. These dynamic countries — not Japan,
not Switzerland, not the United States — are the
fastest-growing economies on the planet. Fifty years
ago they were trapped in poverty. That is no longer the
case.
 Why have so many other countries been left
behind? The newest theories tell us that the answer is
simple. With or without natural resources, with or
without human resources, with or without technology,
badly governed countries are poor countries. Bad
government causes poverty. When States do not protect
property and people; when national revenues benefit
self-interested political insiders who oppose any
actions that would lead to more equal distribution of
income and resources; when Government officials
waste funds; when people are hired on the basis of
being from the right family or region or political
grouping; when nobody monitors Government
spending; when corruption is noted but never punished;
and when illegal activities are not restrained by law,
the press or democratic opposition, then miserable
results follow.
 We have all heard of the “natural resource curse”,
which shows that large amounts of oil or diamonds, for
example, tend to make democracy and good
government less likely. But recent studies have also
found that there is also an “aid curse”. Without
meaning to do so, multilateral and bilateral donors can
actually make Governments worse. And just as badly
governed countries tend to be poor, so badly governed
aid projects, without transparency or accountability,
also tend to fail.
 Humanitarian aid has proven far more successful
than long-term development aid, because it is given in
highly targeted bursts. It is also usually given as
medicine, food, clothing or tents and taken directly to
the location of the tragedy, with doctors and nurses on
the ground rather than consultants.
 Of course, there have been some beautiful
successes in aid programmes, mostly in health care,
with victories over smallpox, drug-resistant
tuberculosis and river blindness. Adult literacy has
risen, as had life expectancy until the AIDS pandemic
wiped out that improvement.
 Aid gives hope to millions of people around the
world. We simply need to mend it, not end it. My own
country has certainly suffered from its own share of
bad governance — for the most part unwittingly,
because of our own inexperience. But we are learning
quickly in our short history, and we now have one of
the most stable and robust democracies in all of Africa.
 We have the prospect of oil in our waters and in
waters shared with our neighbour, Nigeria. We have

29 06-52885

already taken steps to ensure that any potential
petroleum resources are not wasted but are protected
for the benefit of all our citizens with an oil revenue
management law that was passed unanimously in our
parliament in 2004.
 We cannot let the past bury the future. We can lift
billions out of poverty. When I was first elected
President of my country five years ago, I lit a candle of
hope for the long-suffering people of Sao Tome and
Principe. We are not there yet, but the light is getting
brighter.
 If development were easy, everyone would
already be developed! We cannot sit in supine
indifference. Let us renew our efforts and work
together with respect, dignity and dedication for the
benefit of all the peoples of the world and for the fate
of our beautiful planet.


I am taking
part personally in this session of the General Assembly
in order to reiterate Benin’s commitment to the noble
purposes and principles of the United Nations, and to
express the readiness of the Beninese delegation to
cooperate and contribute, as best it can, to the success
of these deliberations.
 But first, allow me, to once again warmly
congratulate Ms. Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa on her
unanimous election to the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixty-first session, and to express our
appreciation for the remarkable way in which she
guided the work of the High-level Meeting on the
midterm comprehensive global review of the
implementation of the Programme of Action for the
Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010.
 I also wish to pay tribute to the remarkable
efforts of her predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Jan
Eliasson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom
of Sweden, who had the weighty task of leading the
sixtieth session of the General Assembly, which was
focused, essentially, on the implementation of the
major decisions taken at the 2005 World Summit.
 Allow me to pay a resounding tribute to my
friend Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who over the
past 10 years has wisely and skilfully led our
Organization at a time of new challenges and threats
created by changes unprecedented in the history of
humanity.
 My country, Benin, believes that the future
Secretary-General should come from the continent of
Asia. We hope that the new Secretary-General will be
able to take the measures necessary to lead the
Organization towards the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
 I am pleased to note that the Assembly is already
progressing in the preparation of this great endeavour:
the promotion of development is the key issue for the
general debate at the sixty-first session, focusing in
accordance with Ms. Al-Khalifa’s proposal, on the
establishment of a global partnership for development.
My country, the Republic of Benin, joins in this debate
with the conviction that we will make significant
progress in finding pragmatic ways of fulfilling the
commitments that have been adopted on many
occasions, for the promotion of economic and social
development throughout the world.
 The question of development is at the heart of the
mission of the United Nations. In the Charter, Members
proclaimed their belief in the equal rights of men and
women and of nations large and small. They made the
commitment to use international institutions in order to
encourage economic and social progress for all people.
 Hence, reform of the United Nations, if it is to be
viable and effective, must also help ensure that our
Organization can do better as a framework and an
instrument for development through the promotion of
the well-being of the poorest of our planet, ensuring
the economic growth of the most vulnerable members
of the community of nations, in particular the least
developed countries.
 Financing for development is a factor on which
genuine partnership needs to be built between donor
countries and developing countries. In this context, the
Monterrey Consensus, as members know, continues to
be relevant. It is good to note that some donor
countries have achieved the objective of allocating
0.7 per cent of their gross national income to official
development assistance (ODA) for developing
countries, with 0.2 per cent earmarked for least
developed countries. It is also important to encourage
those who have already established a specific timetable
for achieving those objectives. Given the inadequacy
of official development assistance, it is important to
examine new sources of financing for development
activities, and some are already doing so. I would like
to take this opportunity to welcome the proposals that
have been made by some countries, such as the French
Republic and President Jacques Chirac.
 Identifying new sources of financing thus
deserves special attention. We are pleased that
mobilizing the remittances of migrant workers can in
some respects also contribute to development action.
Nonetheless, it is important to facilitate those transfers
so that they can effectively contribute to improving the
living conditions of the beneficiary populations and
their impact on poverty reduction can be maximized.
But it should be stressed that the resources that come
from remittances by migrant workers cannot be

06-52885 14

considered part of ODA and should not be included in
ODA calculations.
 We must also mobilize resources through
microcredits for the poorest sectors. The support of the
international community should contribute to
strengthening microcredit systems, which could be
extremely useful in the context of efforts to counteract
unemployment among young people and to promote
the empowerment of women in order to improve their
living conditions and enhance their contribution to the
national income of the countries concerned.
 We must ensure the full insertion of developing
countries, particularly the least advanced, into
international trade so that they can be sure that,
through that mechanism appropriate resources for
financing their development are mobilized. Here we
express our disappointment at the failure of the
multilateral trade negotiations in the framework of the
Doha Round. Among other reasons, they floundered
because of the crucial question of agricultural
subsidies, which are stifling the producers in
developing countries. My country, Benin, will continue
to work with other affected countries to ensure the
abolition of those subsidies. or at least to get
compensations equal to the harm we suffer.
 In order to promote development, our countries
are seeking to implement democratic reforms.
However, as I said at the opening session of the
meeting of the least developed countries, any
democracy that does not go hand in hand with
development is doomed to fail. Also, our efforts to
promote development will not bear fruit if we do not
succeed in maintaining peace in our own countries and
throughout the world.
 That is why in 2005 Benin, while it was on the
Security Council, sought to contribute to the efforts to
enhance the effectiveness of that body in preventing
armed conflicts. We welcome the Secretary-General’s
prompt action through the inspired and wise
recommendations he recently submitted on questions
related to the prevention of conflicts. Resolving
various conflicts enables the affected developing
countries to resolutely get themselves back on the track
of reconstruction and national development.
 From this rostrum, my country pays tribute to the
decisive action being taken by the United Nations in
the area of peacekeeping, and we repeat that we are
willing to contribute actively to it. The Government of
Benin is ready to continue participating in
peacekeeping operations in order to allow peoples
affected by armed conflicts to overcome them and to
create the conditions for stability that are necessary to
ensure the reconstruction of their countries and their
economic and social development.
 For us in Benin, another word for peace is
development. This is the message that I wished to
bring, on behalf of the people of Benin and of the least
developed countries, during this general debate.


At the outset permit
me to congratulate you, Madam President, on your
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at
its sixty-first session, and to express Saint Lucia’s
appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson of
Sweden, for the excellent manner in which he
spearheaded the work of the sixtieth session. We wish
also to express our profound respect and gratitude to
Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his great vision,
committed leadership and tireless efforts in promoting
the noble ideals and values of our United Nations
under the most difficult circumstances. We wish him
and his family well in their future endeavours.
 When in September 2000 we took the
unprecedented step of pledging to meet eight
Millennium Development Goals by 2015, it
represented a belated admission that the development
of every nation is a collective responsibility.
 At that Summit we recognized that it was an
affront to our basic humanity that so many people on
our planet continued to live in conditions of abject
poverty and deprivation; that so many continued to
suffer the ravages of disease and war; and that basic
necessities of life, taken for granted by most of us,
remained unattainable by so many. We also recognized
that unless we developed appropriate partnerships to
deal with these problems they would persist, to our
collective shame.
 At this, our sixty-first session, we reaffirm our
commitment to this notion of partnership as a
significant modality for the attainment of our common
goals. Saint Lucia is satisfied that the idea of
partnership accommodates the spirit of multilateralism,
which is the defining principle of our relationship
within the United Nations. This multilateralist spirit
must constantly be safeguarded and fortified, and that
can only be accomplished by a strong and confident
United Nations.
 Saint Lucia takes this opportunity to once again
express its determined support for the programmes of
reform of the United Nations, designed as these are to
create the capacity and conditions for the exercise of a
strong central role by the United Nations within the
international community. We salute the achievements
to date, namely, the replacement of the moribund
Human Rights Commission with the new Human
Rights Council and the establishment of the
Peacebuilding Commission. We recognize that these
bodies are far from perfect and will require continued
attention by Member States. However, they reflect our
determination to translate talk into action. Saint Lucia
looks forward to continuing the discussions on the
remaining items on our reform agenda — in particular,
Security Council reform, strengthening and refocusing

06-53609 12

the General Assembly, the empowerment of the
Economic and Social Council and management reform.
 Saint Lucia continues to believe in the wisdom of
the words of our Secretary-General, who, in his March
2005 report “In Larger Freedom”, opined:
 “we will not enjoy development without security,
we will not enjoy security without development,
and we will not enjoy either without respect for
human rights. Unless all these causes are
advanced, none will succeed.” (A/59/2005,
para. 17)
 As we seek to develop partnerships for
development, utilizing the Millennium Development
Goals as the benchmark, Saint Lucia has been moving
steadily towards the attainment of some of the goals.
Universal primary education has been largely attained,
and we have gone further to introduce a programme of
universal access to free secondary education for our
young citizens. Saint Lucia is in the process of
establishing a universal programme of free health care,
and it has made significant progress in the area of
maternal and child health. We are also working
steadfastly in the battle against HIV/AIDS through
education, early detection and treatment programmes,
and also through the provision of free or subsidized
antiretroviral drugs.
 All these efforts have been bolstered in a
practical demonstration of South-South cooperation
through generous support and assistance from a
number of developing countries in the areas of human
resource development in the health sector and the
construction of new health facilities. South-South
partnerships are workable. We need to continue to
develop and widen them for the betterment of
developing countries.
 Saint Lucia applauds the return of Haiti to
democratic governance. This long-awaited
development has led to the readmission of that country
to the councils of the Caribbean Community. We
recognize that the road to normalcy in Haiti will be a
long and tortuous one, requiring a sustained political
focus by the international community. Saint Lucia calls
for the speedy release of development resources
promised to that country in order that its Government
and people may tackle in a meaningful way the
numerous obstacles standing in its development path.
 Saint Lucia also welcomes the Final Document of
the Fourteenth Summit Conference of Heads of State
or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement, held in
Havana. This historic meeting addressed a wide range
of regional and international issues, including the
sanctity of international law, the promotion and
preservation of multilateralism, the peaceful settlement
of disputes, the right to self-determination and
decolonization. The Final Document provides the
international community with a workable road map for
the development agenda far into this new century, with
achievable solutions to many of the issues facing us
today.
 Saint Lucia notes and welcomes the report of the
Secretary-General on the follow-up to and
implementation of the outcome of the 2005
International Conference on Financing for
Development (A/61/253). We call upon the developed
countries represented at that forum to honour the
commitments made there and at previous United
Nations summits and conferences on trade, debt and
finance, especially their promise to fulfil the goal of
0.7 per cent of gross domestic product going to official
development assistance. We believe it is imperative
that the international community increase its efforts to
address the indebtedness of poor developing countries.
It is also important that these countries address the
systemic deficiencies in the global economic and
financial system. These deficiencies all constitute
serious threats to the survival of developing countries
like Saint Lucia.
 Small island developing States, such as those in
the Caribbean, the Pacific and Indian oceans and the
Mediterranean, are extremely vulnerable to the impact
of climate change. We have already reached a
dangerous level of greenhouse gas concentrations in
the atmosphere, and urgent action is required to reverse
this situation.
 In this connection, the international community,
in particular our developed partners, needs to take
more aggressive action to promote the development
and distribution of renewable energy and energy
efficiency technologies in developed and developing
countries alike. To assist developing countries to play
their part in this connection there is a need to establish
a global renewable energy and energy efficiency fund.
Saint Lucia joins with its colleague members of the
Alliance of Small Island States, and with other affected
States, in calling for the international community to

13 06-53609

address the issues of sea-level rise and climate change
as a matter of urgency.
 The international community must honour its
responsibility for, and commitment to, the full
implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for the
Further Implementation of the Programme of Action
for the Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States. We insist on the urgent and proper
mainstreaming of the Strategy into the respective work
programmes of the United Nations agencies and other
bodies. Those who are the largest producers of
greenhouse gases must bear responsibility for the
damage they are causing to the global environment.
From our own regional perspective, Saint Lucia
welcomes the adoption of measures for the promotion
of an integrated management approach to the
Caribbean Sea area in the context of sustainable
development. We welcome initiatives taken to this end
by the Association of Caribbean States and the
Caribbean Community.
 Half a decade into the twenty-first century there
are still some 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories under
the review of the General Assembly. Most are small
island territories in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.
Their decolonization through a genuine process of self-
determination is the unfinished agenda of the United
Nations. In this connection, Article 73b of the Charter,
on the necessity of promoting genuine self-
government, should be respected. We call on the
administering Powers to increase their level of
cooperation with the Special Committee on
Decolonization, and call on the relevant bodies of the
United Nations system to assist the Non-Self-
Governing Territories in the development of their
capacity for self-government and in furtherance of their
process of self-determination.
 The year 2007 will mark the 200th anniversary of
the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, which
began the process of the abolition of slavery in the
British Empire. A number of international events are
planned throughout the globe to honour the memory of
the millions who died during the middle passage, and
those who subsequently perished under the horrors of
chattel slavery in the Caribbean and the Americas.
Saint Lucia joins with the countries of the African
diaspora in the Caribbean, and with other like-minded
countries, in supporting a United Nations
commemoration in 2007 of the abolition of the
transatlantic slave trade.
 I could not end without referring to the serious
impact of the rulings of the World Trade Organization
(WTO) in respect of banana exports to our preferential
markets in Europe. Few in the developed world can
appreciate the mass social dislocation that this decision
has caused, with thousands of independent farmers,
employers in their own right, left without a livelihood
through no fault of their own.
 Consider that for every banana farmer in Saint
Lucia who has lost his or her livelihood at least six
persons have also been excised from direct
participation in the economic system. The WTO has
become synonymous with pain and suffering for
farmers in Saint Lucia. In many instances the
implementation of some of the obligations has created
more hardship and poverty than previously existed.
Accordingly, while economic and trade policy reform
in principle holds much promise for small developing
countries, the international community must come to
grips with the fact that the one-size-fits-all approach is
inappropriate and impractical. In this connection, a set
of trading rules flexible enough to take into account the
concerns of small States must be enacted. The principle
of special and differential treatment must infuse all
aspects of the new trade rules that we seek to create.
 There is much unfinished business ahead of us. It
is our expectation that the members of the Assembly
will focus even more intently on the development of
appropriate strategies for its resolution. We are
confident that under your guidance and leadership,
Madam President, the development agenda of the
Organization will be advanced further. For its part,
Saint Lucia remains committed to the ideals of
multilateralism, and reaffirms its view that the United
Nations offers the best opportunity for the achievement
of peace, security and sustainable development for all.