It is a great
honour for me to take the floor at the sixty-eighth
session of the General Assembly, which is being held in
the context of some rather disturbing developments in
terms of peace and security — developments that, very
appropriately, we have an opportunity to consider and
to deal with under the provisions of the United Nations
Charter.

As I begin my statement I should like to congratulate
Mr. John Ashe on his election to the presidency, without
forgetting the team that is helping him. I should also
like to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his
tireless efforts in areas such as sustainable development,
peace, security and counter-terrorism, particularly in
our region of the Sahel.

The theme of the sixty-eighth session, “The post-
2015 development agenda: setting the stage”, leads us
to ask what measures to take, in the spirit of solidarity,
once we have established that many countries will not
achieve the Millennium Development Goals within the
time frame, as is the case with my country, the Niger.

This session of the General Assembly gives me an
opportunity to review the ongoing efforts in our country
in that area. The renaissance programme established
since President Mahamadou Issoufou was elected to head
our country makes agriculture, health and education
absolute priorities, so that we can substantially improve
our human development index performance. Resources
expended for that purpose have enabled our country
to make significant progress. We have, in particular,
reduced the proportion of the population living in
extreme poverty and chronic undernourishment. I
should like to welcome the significant assistance from
bilateral partners and from international organizations,
including non-governmental organizations, which are
assisting the Government of the Niger in its policies
and programmes for a harmonious socioeconomic
development. It is for that purpose that the Government
launched an ambitious socioeconomic development
programme. A round table of donors was held last
November in Paris, at which pledges totalling more than
$4.8 billion were announced. That amount exceeded
the expectations of my Government.

We call for the effective mobilization of those
commitments, so that we can take action in five
strategic areas:, namely, building the credibility
and effectiveness of public institutions; establishing

conditions for sustainable, balanced and inclusive
development; food security and sustainable agricultural
development; a competitive and diversified economy
designed to promote accelerated and inclusive growth;
and the promotion of social development.

Given the particular interest accorded to rural
populations by our President, we have developed
and launched the “three N’s” initiative — Nigeriens
feeding Nigeriens — with the goal of promoting
food security and food sovereignty, in order to end
the food shortages caused by recurring droughts.
The programme is intended to improve agricultural
productivity by promoting irrigation through the
judicious development of the substantial water potential
of our country, by improving production techniques
through the substantial use of inputs and machinery,
by reorganizing the farming sector, by rationalizing
distribution channels for agricultural products and by
building roads in rural areas.

Always bearing in mind the Millennium
Development Goals, our Government is paying
particular attention to the vital question of education,
including the construction of schools, the delivery of
school supplies, the extensive recruitment of teachers
and the improvement of teachers’ working conditions.
It is determined, too, to pursue a bold, consciousness-
raising policy aimed at controlling population growth,
which is currently negating the impact of the remarkable
economic growth that we have experienced in the past
two years.

As I said at the beginning of my statement, this
session is taking place at a time when the purpose and
role of the Organization are being sorely tested, owing
to an international situation characterized by persisting
or new crises and conflicts. Now more than ever, we
need to rise to the challenge, bearing in mind the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United
Nations.

We call upon the General Assembly, and in
particular the Security Council, to continue to work
resolutely to arrive at negotiated and lasting solutions
to situations where lethal crises have the potential to
cause desolation and displacement and compromise
socioeconomic development.

For us in the Sahel the major concern in 2012 and
2013 has been Mali. The Niger is pleased with the
positive outcome in that country and the follow-up
machinery put in place by the Organization through
the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated
Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), whose
establishment was possible thanks to a considerable
mobilization of the international community. That
mobilization was driven by the Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS), which dedicated a
number of very high-level meetings to the subject of
Mali, and was effectively relayed by the African Union
through its Peace and Security Council. It was followed
up on a regular basis by the United Nations, whose
Security Council has adopted many resolutions on the
subject.

But today, as we take stock of that joint action, we
are duty-bound to recognize that we owe the health
of Mali more especially to the far-sighted decision of
President Hollande to launch Operation Serval, which
was able to put an end to the terrorist coalition in early
January 2013, thanks to the sizeable means put at its
disposal, making it equal to the task.We must recognize
also that, while ECOWAS rightly and promptly opted
for a military intervention, most of the States that were
supposed to mobilize troop contingents were slow
to make them available and operational. The United
Nations, for its part, sought to differentiate between
terrorist organizations, so that, against all the evidence,
it could promote a dialogue with some of them. We
who were facing the threat were made very anxious by
some of the debates at the United Nations, which could
have been avoided if only the facts had been faced and
the straightforwardness of the evidence noted. The
unjustified stalling by the international community
encouraged the terrorists to press their advantage by
adopting a new agenda and new goals, enabling them to
envisage total victory over Malian territory, and even
beyond.

If I dwell on this it is, first, because I know how
close we came to disaster, and, secondly, because it is
my deep conviction that just because our enterprise
is complex it does not necessarily mean that we are
doomed to inaction at best and to mistakes at worst.

In spite of what I have just said, the action of the
international community in Mali yielded very positive
results, thanks to the support of all. Mali, in addition
to being free, on 11 August chose its President in
an election that was in every respect remarkable. I
should like to extend once again my congratulations to
President Keita.

The international community should continue
to support Mali, adding to the troops and capacity of

MINUSMA, so that it can complete the job of eradicating
the terrorist groups. These are now in difficult straits,
but are far from having, as it were, uttered their final
word.

It is also urgent to put in place regional and
international coordination, the job of which would be
to provide security for all of the Sahelo-Saharan area.
Vigorous measures of a general nature need to be taken
against drug trafficking and cross-border organized
crime. In that regard, I wish to express my sympathy
for the plight of the hostages held by terrorists in the
Sahelo-Saharan area. I convey my condolences to
their families and call for more efforts to achieve their
prompt release.

The problems of the Sahel are not just security
problems. That part of the world is among the most
afflicted. It is subject to the effects of climate change,
desertification and recurring droughts, as well as
the resulting food shortages and malnutrition. It
needs significant investment as part of a sustained
global strategy, supported by the entire international
community, to ensure the economic progress that is
vital for its stabilization and its deliverance from the
clutches of violence.

Terrorism in Africa affects not only the Sahel, but
also the Horn of Africa. It struck the Kenyan people on
23 September in the form of the bloody and murderous
attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi. I should like to
take this opportunity to express my condolences to the
Government of Kenya.

The populations in the Central African Republic
are, tragically, experiencing an unprecedented level
of violence. The Niger calls for an international
intervention, as in Mali in January 2013, to put an end
to the martyrdom of the people of the Central African
Republic.

With respect to Palestine, it is heartbreaking to
think that in today’s world, so characterized by highly
sophisticated technology and so imbued with modern
values, a people could be deprived of its most elementary
rights. The Niger is hopeful that the current initiative of
the United States Government will be successful and
will lead to the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian
State beside and in harmonious coexistence with Israel.

What is happening in Syria is a veritable tragedy,
even in this topsy-turvy world. A millennial civilization
is crumbling before our eyes. We condemn the use of
chemical weapons, as occurred on 21 August, and call
upon the United Nations to reach a political solution at
the upcoming “Geneva II” conference.

For a number of decades now, the Cuban population
has endured a trade, economic and financial embargo.
We call for the lifting of that embargo.

In conclusion, I express my fervent hope that our
deliberations will help advance the cause of peace,
security and progress throughout the world.


Every day, the peoples of
the world whom we are privileged to represent in the
General Assembly look on in helpless horror at the
slaughter in Syria. They can see gassed children lined
out, dead, on their television screens. They can access
online the facts about the 100,000 Syrians who have
been killed; the 4 million who have been displaced;
and the 2 million or more who have been driven into
refugee camps in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.

The peoples who have sent us, Government leaders
and diplomats, to speak for them in this Hall are
asking, “Why can we not stop this slaughter and this
suffering?” They see the conflict in real time. It is not
taking place in a remote part of the planet. Its brutality
is made more visible by modern technology. The utterly
callous attack in Ghouta on 21 August marked a new
low in the endless litany of horrors.

From the very outset, Ireland has consistently
argued that the United Nations and the Security Council
must be central to any efforts to resolve the crisis and
ensure that international law and basic human rights
are upheld. And while it has taken much longer than we
would all have wished, I welcome the decisive action
the Security Council has now taken on Syria.

Security Council resolution 2118 (2013) marks a
watershed in the international community’s engagement
on the crisis. It offers renewed hope and confidence
that the United Nations is capable of discharging
its responsibilities and meeting the aspirations and
expectations of the peoples of the world. The resolution
builds on the vital breakthrough achieved by the United
States and Russia in agreeing to a framework for the
complete elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons. Full
compliance by the Syrian regime with its obligations
is imperative. Ireland has already pledged €200,000 in
funding to support the vital role of the Organization for
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, assisted by the
United Nations, in implementing those arrangements.

Crucially, the Security Council has called for
the early convening of an international conference to
address all aspects of the conflict. The inescapable
reality is that the crisis can be resolved only politically,
not militarily. I am greatly encouraged by the
indications that the “Geneva II” conference could be
held within a matter of weeks. Peace can come only
through all Syrians engaging in a genuinely inclusive
process aimed at agreeing a new political dispensation
in their country.

The Security Council has expressed its conviction
that there must also be accountability for what has
occurred in Syria. The International Criminal Court
exists precisely for that purpose. We owe it to the Syrian
people to ensure that those responsible for the war
crimes committed against them are brought to justice.

There is also an urgent need to remove impediments
to the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Violence
against civilians must cease. All parties must facilitate
unimpeded access to people in need throughout Syria
and guarantee the safety and security of humanitarian
personnel who perform their duties at enormous
personal risk.

The humanitarian efforts being made by Syria’s
neighbours, including Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon,
are remarkable and deserve far more support from the
international community. We should not underestimate
the strain being imposed on those countries and the
threats being posed to refugee populations. Ireland has
contributed $15 million to the humanitarian operation,
and we stand ready to do more within our means.

Elsewhere in the Middle East, we also see the
prospect of progress. In Ireland, we know what it takes
to make peace after a protracted conflict. I want to
acknowledge the work being done in the current direct
talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators,
which all who wish for peace must welcome. I want
to commend in particular the determination and

engagement of United States Secretary of State John
Kerry, who has done so much to bring that about, and
the leadership of President Abbas and Prime Minister
Netanyahu, who have had to accept difficult choices to
begin the process of negotiation. We all know, and they
know, that many more difficult choices lie before them
if they are to succeed and to secure a comprehensive
peace settlement. They deserve all our support.

We are also encouraged by the stated determination
of the new Iranian Government to address the
concerns of the international community and build
confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its
nuclear programme. We look forward to Iran’s serious
engagement in meaningful negotiations, leading to full
compliance with all of its international obligations, and
hope that that will also contribute to the creation of a
positive dynamic in the Middle East region.

Ireland currently participates in seven United
Nations peacekeeping missions, including each of
the three missions in the Middle East. In response to
a request of the Secretary-General, we are deploying
Irish personnel to reinforce the United Nations
Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan
Heights. We are doing so to help ensure that UNDOF
can continue to implement its mandate at a difficult
time. Ireland’s deployment to that challenging mission
is a signal of our deep commitment to the peacekeeping
role of the United Nations. The Irish people are rightly
proud of these soldiers and of the record of our Defence
Forces, members of our police service and Irish civilians
deployed in the cause of peace.

I join other speakers at this rostrum in condemning
the recent attack in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, which
left dozens of innocent people dead and almost 200
injured. It was a chilling reminder that well-organized
and ruthless international terrorist groups and networks
are constantly searching for new locations and targets
for atrocities. My profound sympathy and that of the
people of Ireland go out to the victims of the attack and
their families. We must be vigilant against terror and
resolute in refusing to compromise our values in the
face of such threats.

Many factors contribute to human suffering.
Violent conflict, such as that in Syria, is one — and
the toll of casualties there is escalating daily. But there
are many parts of the world where underdevelopment,
malnutrition and disease exact an even greater toll.
Around the globe, 870 million people — almost 200
times the entire population of Ireland — are living in
extreme poverty and hunger. Every single day, 18,000
children die needlessly from preventable causes in the
poorest and least developed regions of the world; 7,000
of them are children under the age of 5, who die because
they are undernourished. One in every four children is
stunted, most of them in the poorest countries. And
every day, 800 women die because of complications
during pregnancy and childbirth, for basic reasons that
could have been prevented.

Reversing those trends and creating a better future
for the countless millions of impoverished people on
our planet is, perhaps, the greatest moral and practical
challenge we face today. We can, of course, draw
inspiration and hope from our successes. And there
have been successes. Thirteen years ago, at the United
Nations, world leaders committed to taking tangible,
measurable action to tackle global poverty. Huge
progress has been made since then under the framework
of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Significant numbers of people have been lifted out of
poverty. Millions of children are receiving primary
education. Two billion people have access to improved
water supplies, and HIV/AIDS and other diseases and
pandemics are being tackled.

Nevertheless, fresh global challenges, such as
climate change, are beginning to undermine the
progress made. Communities in developing countries
that have contributed least to the causes of climate
change are suffering most from its effects. That is
an injustice — clear and simple. It is a matter of
fundamental human rights and equity. And it is critical
for the future of all of our children, in a world which is
reaching the limits of environmental sustainability, that
this injustice be reversed.

I had the privilege of taking part in this week’s
special event on the Millennium Development Goals
and co-chairing one of the round-table sessions.
Ireland is proud to have co-facilitated the special event
with South Africa and to have achieved an outcome
document that will guide negotiations over the next two
years on completing the MDGs and crafting the post-
2015 development agenda.

I believe that when world leaders gather at the
United Nations in 2015, we can and should be ready
to adopt a new set of global goals aimed at achieving a
sustainable, just and secure world for the future. I want
to see a clear commitment to ending extreme poverty

and hunger in a generation. I want to see specific
commitments in relation to the empowerment of women
and girls. And I want to see an integrated approach on
climate change and a strong focus on climate-sensitive
agriculture.

In our own aid programme, my Government
has prioritized hunger and malnutrition, a theme
that resonates with Ireland’s own history. We have
a very simple message about the vital importance of
investment in nutrition for mothers and babies. We
are leading supporters of the Scaling Up Nutrition
movement, and we are committed to doubling our aid
spending on nutrition by 2016.

Ireland is today emerging from several years of an
economic crisis that will soon be behind us. After many
tough decisions and a lot of hard work, we are about
to safely exit an international bailout and our economy
is back on track. I am proud to say that despite the
extremely difficult circumstances many Irish people
find themselves in, we have sustained our commitment
to the provision of development aid. I know that we are
ready to play our part in a new global partnership, and
that it is only through this body, the United Nations,
that it can be achieved.

It is a matter of great pride to my country that
Ireland was last year elected for the first time to the
Human Rights Council. I warmly thank the Member
States for their support in the election and the
confidence they have placed in us. Ireland played a lead
role in the adoption of two important resolutions by the
Human Rights Council this week — one on preventable
mortality of children under five; the other recognizing
the important role played by civil society at the local,
national, regional and international levels.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
adopted by the Assembly states that recognition of the
inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights
of all members of the human family is the foundation of
freedom, justice and peace in the world. It also states that
those human rights should be protected in law. Today,
instead of offering protection, we increasingly see
legal measures being adopted to discriminate against
people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender
identity. I welcome the courageous leadership shown
by the Secretary-General when he promised in April to
lead a global campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender rights. Ireland pledges its full support to
the efforts of the Secretary-General, both here in the
General Assembly and in the Human Rights Council.

Ireland is a small State that is deeply committed to
the United Nations and to the principles enshrined in
its Charter. We are proud to contribute to the important
efforts of the United Nations in peacekeeping, in conflict
resolution, in development aid and in humanitarian
action. There can be no doubt that the United Nations
is the unique and indispensable forum where the
peoples of the world share their collective concerns and
determine to take action to make the world a better and
a safer place.

The membership of this Organization has
conferred primary responsibility for the maintenance
of international peace and security on the Security
Council. Accordingly, we look to the Council to
show leadership in response to international crises.
Membership of the Council is a privilege for any State,
and Ireland has been honoured to serve on it on a
number of occasions.

But the permanent members of the Security
Council have a special responsibility to work together
in a way that enables the United Nations to live up
to the commitments made in its Charter. When the
United Nations fails, or delays action, we are all the
poorer for such setbacks. But when the United Nations
works, we can achieve great things together. And
those successes, such as the definition of a post-2015
development agenda, should serve as an inspiration
and a springboard for the international community’s
responses to the other great challenges of our time.


It is an
honour for the United Nations to act everywhere where
the freedom of peoples is denied. It is an honour for
the United Nations to act where fundamental rights are
compromised. It is an honour for the United Nations to
intervene where extremism threatens the security of the
world. It is an honour for the United Nations to act on
behalf of peace.

In Syria, the situation is becoming urgent because
120,000 people have died over the past two and a half
years — 90,000 in the past year alone. One-fourth of
the population is displaced. Millions of Syrians have
become refugees and the country has been destroyed.
The worst happened on 21 August in Damascus,
when chemical weapons were used against civilians,
including women and children. United Nations
inspectors, sent officially on behalf of the Organization
have, established unequivocally and with certainty the
use of these weapons.

In the face of this horrifying crime, France sought a
strong reaction to punish this violation of international
law and to dissuade Bashir Al-Assad’s regime from
committing new massacres. This pressure exerted by
my country, along with others, in particular the United
States, has seen some initial results. Negotiations are
under way as we speak to ensure the verification and
destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons.

However, if these negotiations are to attain their
ultimate end, I have set out three requirements. The
first is that any text must clearly make it possible for
the Security Council to become seized of this issue of

chemical weapons at any given moment. The second
requirement is that the draft resolution we are preparing
provides for coercive measures under Chapter VII in
the event that the Syrian regime fails to respect its
commitments. Since the agreement signed between the
United States and Russia has the same provision, that is
all the more reason to include it in the draft resolution.
The third requirement is that those who have committed
these crimes must be held accountable before justice.

But we cannot limit ourselves to this draft
resolution, which must be adopted soon. We must
end this war, the deadliest since the beginning of the
century. The solution is political. Too much time has
been squandered, and I will not refer again to the
blocking of action in the Security Council. During this
period, not only has the regime increased its violence,
but terrorist groups have also taken advantage of the
international community’s inertia, to the detriment of
the democratic forces found within the Syrian National
Coalition.

This is why the “Geneva II” conference must be
held as soon as possible. For France, however, Geneva
II is not just a talk shop. It must be a conference to
define the objective for putting in place a transitional
Government with full executive powers, mandated to
re-establish civil peace, to protect all communities and
to organize elections in due time. I am sometimes asked
about participants in this conference. My response is
simple. All countries — and I repeat, all countries — that
accept the goal of installing a transitional Government
and clearly acknowledge their commitment to a political
solution will be welcome at the conference.

Of equal urgency is the humanitarian situation. In
Syria, the displaced are in the millions, and there are
now more than 1.5 million refugees in Turkey, Jordan
and Lebanon. The prolongation of the crisis poses
a direct threat to the unity and security of Lebanon,
nearly 20 per cent of whose population is now of Syrian
origin.

I would like to thank Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon for having organized the first meeting of the
International Support Group for Lebanon. France is
committed to that country because we know how much
it has suffered in recent years from disturbances in the
Middle East and how much it needs to be supported
today in its efforts to host refugees.

There are serious concerns in that part of the
Middle East, but there are also glimmers of hope.
The first is the resumption of negotiations between
the Israelis and the Palestinians. Only that will enable
peace to be achieved. It requires the coexistence of
two States, both with safe and recognized borders.
We must do everything to ensure that the opportunity
that now exists for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire
region is seized to finally bring an end to a conflict that
whose regional and international repercussions are well
known to us all. Negotiating peace between Israel and
Palestine would be an historic act.

The second glimmer of hope is found in the
statements of the new Iranian President, which reflect
an evolution. I will not exaggerate them, but the question
now is to know whether those words will be translated
into actions, in particular concerning the nuclear
issue. For the past 10 years, our discussions have not
progressed, leading the the international community
to adopt increasingly severe sanctions. The situation
is dangerous, as we all know. Therefore, France
expects from Iran concrete gestures reflecting that
country’s renunciation its military nuclear programme,
although it clearly retains the right to pursue its civilian
programme. That is why I have chosen to engage in
direct and open dialogue with President Rouhani. I will
also say from this rostrum that while I am in favour of
dialogue, I remain firm on the serious issue of nuclear
proliferation.

The Middle East is not the only region of the
world that is of concern to us. Africa has fallen prey to
terrorism, and the barbaric attack in Nairobi confirms
that to us once again, tragically. Victories are possible
against terrorism. In Mali, with the clear mandate of
the Security Council, African and French forces, with
the support of Europe, intervened in response to the
appeal of the authorities in Bamako and brought an end
to a broad terrorist offensive. Today we see the results.
Mali has regained its territorial integrity. It has ensured
the security of its population, and it has even been able
to hold, on the scheduled date, a presidential election
that has been recognized as incontestable. I welcome
the new President of Mali, Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar .eita.
His election is evidence of a great victory for West
Africa against terrorism.

However, the threat continues to weigh heavily on
the Sahel and in Libya, where weapons are uniquitous
and where terrorist groups have found refuge. We must
assist the Libyan authorities to ensure the security
of their territory and of their population. France is
prepared to do so.

I would like to sound an alarm, as I did last year
with respect to Mali. The warning here is about the
Central African Republic — a small country that has
been ravaged by coups and conflicts for years. Today,
chaos has taken root and civilians are yet again its
victims. We must bring an end to the abuse, which is
also sectarian in nature. That is why I would like the
Security Council to issue a mandate and provide the
logistical and financial means to create an African
force, with its first mission to re-establish stability in
the Central African Republic.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, women
and children are victims of violence every day in the
Kivu region. Again, it is essential that we continue
to strengthen the United Nations Organization
Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, to implement the Addis Ababa agreement, and
to reject all external interference.

We must learn from the experience of recent years.
Everywhere chaos reigns, terrorism takes root and
grows. That is the case in Somalia, and the horrific
attack against Kenya reminds us that Al-Shaabab-
affiliated groups, while they have been defeated, have
not yet been eradicated. That is why the international
community must help African States to protect
themselves.

France will convene, late this year, a meeting on
peace and security in Africa. France has invited all
African countries; Europe will be represented, as will
the United Nations. The purpose of the meeting is to
enable the establishment, training and equipping of
African armies to ensure the security of the continent
and combat all traffickers, particularly drug traffickers,
and piracy. Africans themselves must ensure their
security, but we cannot leave them to face the terrorist
threat alone.

The best weapons we have are our development
policies, because poverty, unemployment and inequality
provide fertile soil for violence and insecurity. Again,
France calls for the mobilization of the international
community through new funds that we must create to
finance the necessary infrastructures and to enable
access to essential public services.

France is fighting, along with Europe, for the
introduction of innovative financing. My country’s tax
on airline tickets, which helps finance the International
Drug Purchase Facility (UNITAID), has brought in
more than €1 billion since 2006. My country has decided
to increase that tax by a further 10 per cent to enhance
our fight against the great pandemics: HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria. With Europe, France has
also established a tax on financial transactions. I have
decided to allocate 10 per cent of that income towards
such development-related actions as access to water
and renewable energy, because with development
assistance we can help the poorest countries to ensure
their future, and thereby their security, and to respond
to global warming, which concerns us all.

France is available to host the 2015 climate
conference. This matter, too, respresents a threat to
our own security, because one report after another
states that if we do nothing, by the end of this century
the temperature of the planet will have increased by
three or four degrees Centigrade, with the well-known
consequences of flooding in some places, droughts in
others. Those direct threats would in turn endanger
peace throughout the world. We must therefore seek an
agreement at the 2015 climate conference.

The foundations of the commitment are well known.
The agreement must be equitable. Each country must do
its part. The developed countries obviously must make
he greatest effort. Emerging countries must protect their
development, but they must also understand that they
are directly threatened by global warming. The least
developed countries, those that are the most fragile and
vulnerable, must be aided in the transition. That is the
purpose of the fund that was created in Durbin. The
agreement must also be binding; it cannot simply be a
reiteration of principles. It cannot simply be wording in
resolutions that are not translated into concrete actions.
If there is no assessment and there are no sanctions,
there will be no progress and global temperature will
inexorably rise.

My message is simple. In any domain, whether
international security, nuclear proliferation,
development or climate change, the worst threat is
inaction, the worst decision is to take no decision,
and the worst danger is to not see any. And the United
Nations bears the responsibility to act. Each time the
Organization appears powerless, peace is the first
victim. That is why I am proposing that the permanent
members of the Security Council define a code of
conduct such that in cases of mass crimes, they may
collectively decide to renounce the right of veto.

It is also my hope to see the Secretary-General’s
powers of inquiry strengthened to enable the United
Nations to ensure — as it has done in Syria — that

the truth is established in all instances, carry out
investigations and act on the results. The Assembly has
the sovereign right to take such a decision. Our credibility
depends upon our capacity to intervene quickly and
effectively in ensuring respect for international law,
punishing violations and promoting development to
preserve future generations. Our legitimacy flows
from the Charter of the United Nations. We must be
worthy of it. Within that framework, France will always
assume its responsibilities in all domains.


Allow me at
the outset to convey to President Ashe the heartfelt
congratulations of the delegation of Mali on his election
to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-
eighth session. His election is quite clearly a recognition
of his qualities as a seasoned diplomat, as well as a
tribute to his country, Antigua and Barbuda. He may be
assured of the full readiness of my delegation to work
to ensure the successful outcome of our efforts.

I should like to take this opportunity also to
congratulate his predecessor, Mr. Vuk Jeremi. of
Serbia, for the outstanding manner in which he led the
work of the Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. Allow
me also to reiterate to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban
Ki-moon, our deepest appreciation for the praiseworthy
efforts he has made to achieve the lofty objectives of
our Organization.

A few weeks after my accession to Mali’s highest
office as the third elected President of the Republic
since the advent of democracy, it is for me a badge of
honour to address the Assembly.

At the outset, let me assure the Assembly of my
unshakeable determination to defend the ideals of our
Organization, which are based on the values of peace,
security, justice and development, all values contained
in the oath that I swore to the people of Mali.

I come here before the Assembly to express the
gratitude of my people to the whole of the international
community for the invaluable support it showed to my
country, Mali, which today has recovered its sovereignty
over the whole of its territory. From this lofty rostrum,
and on behalf of all the people of Mali, I pay tribute to
the work of the United Nations, and especially to the
Security Council, which through four resolutions and a
number of statements condemned the jihadist terrorist
aggression suffered by my country and reaffirmed its
attachment to the unity and territorial integrity of my
country. The Council authorized the deployment of
international forces to assist the armed forces of Mali in
the difficult task of recovering the areas of its territory
that were controlled by terrorist groups.

Allow me to convey my gratitude to UNESCO
for formally condemning the destruction of the
global heritage sites and mausoleums in Timbuktu
and Gao. At that time, Morocco was President of the
Security Council. I would therefore like to thank His
Majesty King Mohammed VI for the very significant
contributions made by the Kingdom of Morocco, which
right from the start of the occupation of Mali condemned
the act of aggression to which we had fallen victim, and
offered our people emergency humanitarian assistance.
This is also the right time and place to thank France
and its President, François Hollande, for launching
Operation Serval, a life-saving operation, that halted
the advance of jihadists towards the south of Mali. Had
it not been for that intervention, I would not be standing
here before the Assembly today.

Allow me to also convey my gratitude to the
Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS), the African Union and to the Organization
of Islamic Cooperation for their concern and continuing

commitment to seeking a lasting solution to the Malian
crisis. In particular, I would like to commend the
leadership of Mr. Alassane Ouattara, President of the
Republic of Côte D’Ivoire and current President of
ECOWAS, for his ongoing commitment to supporting
the Malian people. I also thank President Blaise
Compaoré of Burkina Faso, mediator during the Malian
crisis, as well as Mr. Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria,
co-mediator during the crisis, for their ongoing efforts
aimed at finding a solution to the crisis that struck our
country. We also thank President Boni Yayi of Benin,
who during his mandate as head of the African Union
devoted all his energy to resolving the Malian crisis.

I would also like to thank the President of Chad,
our brother Idriss Deby Itno. His country deployed
2,000 men in Mali, many of whom died. Our thoughts
and sympathy are with all the sons and daughters of
Chad who died in Mali. They sacrificed their lives
for Mali. I would also like to pay tribute to President
Mahamadou Issoufou and the brave people of the Niger
for extending a fraternal welcome to our people, which
eased a great deal of suffering. I would also like to take
this opportunity to pay my respects to the memory of
all of our Nigerien brothers who died in the battlefields
during savage attacks on Agadez and Arlit in the Niger.

I also pay tribute to the President of Algeria,
Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and to our brothers the
people of Algeria, who have always stood by Mali.
There is a long-standing history of friendship between
our peoples, something that was confirmed again when
Algeria recently helped Mali during the humanitarian
crisis. I would like to take this opportunity to state that
Algeria and Mali are two brotherly States. They are
linked by a solid friendship and a shared history.

To the people of Mauritania and President
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, I would like to express
my gratitude for their troops, who stood by us in our
pursuit of the jihadists who ran amok in the north of
Mali for so long. To Mauritania, which has also been in
mourning because of jihadist attacks, I would also like
to extend our heartfelt condolences and our sympathy
to those who perished fighting for our country. Many
of our Mauritanian friends and brothers died in the
Timbuktu region.

Finally, to the European Union and all bilateral and
multilateral partners, I would like to say that the people
of Mali are grateful for the wonderful international
mobilization to help our country, which enabled us to
overcome the crisis, making it possible for me to stand
here today. I also believe that the restoration of peace
in Mali today allows us to look to the future in a calm,
reasonable and confident way. Furthermore, I would
like to assure them that the fight against drug traffickers
and jihadists, in all their guises, is an ongoing struggle,
one to which we are committed. I thank you very much
for standing by us in this continuing fight.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thoughts to all
those friends of Mali who perished on the battlefields
to safeguard the future of our country and the future
of our children. There were many heroes, anonymous
civilians, men and women alike, who suffered in Mali.
Our thoughts are with all the injured, the women who
were raped, those who were maimed, those who suffered
under the yoke of barbarity, enduring endless months of
suffering yet remaining steadfast, standing up for Mali
despite all the intimidation rained down upon them.

It would be heartless of me to move on without
a thought of compassion for all the families of the
Algerian, French and other hostages still held by jihadist
groups in the Sahel region, including northern Mali. I
can assure the Assembly that we will spare no effort in
working to speed up their release, in close cooperation
with the States concerned, of course.

Mali is back. Yes indeed, with the support of
friendly States, Mali stands tall, ready to turn a page
on the darkest periods of its history, one marked by
nine months of grave human rights violations, looting,
the destruction of unique historical and cultural
monuments and sites, and its cultural heritage. Mali has
recovered its sovereignty and national integrity, backed
by its cultural diversity, and now is setting off on the
path towards national reconciliation.

A process of dialogue for peace and national
reconciliation has been launched through the
preliminary Ouagadougou Agreement signed on
18 June. The transition, which was launched in March
2012, following the coup d’état, ended last August,
following presidential elections that were deemed
credible and transparent by the entire international
community. Through that exemplary election process,
Malians recalled and demonstrated their commitment
to democracy and constitutional order. To finalize that
process, my Government has made a commitment to
holding, without any further delays, the first round of
legislative elections on 24 November and the second
round on 15 December.

As a President who enjoys the trust and confidence
of the Malian people, I understand the huge scope of the
challenges. Malians have a deep-seated yearning for
peace and national reconciliation, as well as economic
and social development. As soon as I became President,
I took the initiative to meet with the heads of armed
groups from the north of the country in Bamako to
remind them of the sacrosanct principles of respect for
the territorial integrity of Mali and the secular nature
of our State. I made them aware of our readiness to
organize candid, inclusive political dialogue where
everything, except for any form of independence or
autonomy, could be discussed openly. Our message
has been heard, and we will commit to dialogue in the
future in order to find a lasting solution to the crisis in
northern Mali.

At this point, we would like to revive the inter- and
intracommunitarian dialogue to recreate conditions
conducive to enabling all Malians to live together. A
general meeting for decentralization will be convened
to create the conditions necessary for an effective
transfer of governance and resources to local authorities
throughout the country. Thereafter, the Government
will hold a national review conference on the north of
Mali.

In preparing for future decisions with the armed
groups and in order to create the conditions for pacifying
the situation, confidence-building measures have been
taken, as called for in the preliminary Ouagadougou
Agreement. In that connection, it is hard to understand
why the rebel elements have decided to suspend
negotiations, which represents a flagrant violation of
the Agreement. We will have to discuss that. In that
regard, the Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission
will be turned into a commission for dialogue on truth
and reconciliation to deal with the remaining wounds of
war within Malian society.

The cyclical crisis in the northern regions of Mali
is rooted in the precarious living conditions of the local
population and poverty. I established the Ministry
for National Reconciliation and Development of the
Northern Regions upon my arrival at the helm in
order to accelerate development in the areas of health,
education and infrastructure.

I am pleased to note that the international
community has understood what is at stake, and I
take this opportunity to express my deep-seated
and heartfelt gratitude to all the friends of Mali who
committed themselves on 15 May, in a wonderful show
of exceptional solidarity to backing the implementation
of the plan for the sus,tainable economic recovery of
Mali.

With the support of the international community,
Mali is working resolutely to address peacebuilding,
national reconciliation and the reform of the national
defence and security forces, to rebuild the northern
regions devastated by the terrorist and jihadist forces,
to improve institutional governance and to launch
the economic recovery of our country. Within the
framework of good governance, pride of place has been
given to our national justice system. After the Prime
Minister, the Minister of Justice is the most senior
Minister in my Government, which clearly shows our
dedication to turning Mali into a State where the rule
of law truly prevails.

Mali has come a long way, but it has arrived. It
is here and it wishes to play its full role. However,
the situation that our country is facing, I must say, is
symptomatic of the challenges that all the countries
of the Sahel region are facing, including the worst
possible forms of transnational organized crime,
including trafficking in drugs, human beings and
weapons of all kinds, of which some very sophisticated
types have come from the Libyan arsenals since the
fall of the Al-Qadhafi regime. Despite the hope raised
following the successful military operations through
the combined efforts of Operation Serval, the troops
of the African-led International Support Mission
in Mali, now the United Nations Multidimensional
Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, and Malian
armed security forces, small armed terrorist groups
continue to make themselves felt in our subregion and
to move from one territory to another — we know
that they are present in the southern territory of one
of our neighbours — which represents for us and
the international community a serious threat to the
stability and territorial integrity of Mali and to peace
and security in the Sahel region as a whole.

It is in that context that the United Nations Mission
for the stabilization of Mali was deployed. That Mission
was successful, and we wish to congratulate the United
Nations, especially the Security Council, for that
outstanding initiative.

Our country stands at a crossroads. Just a few
months ago, no one could have thought that I would
stand in this Hall before the General Assembly. I take
this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to working
unstintingly for the implementation of the United

Nations strategy for the Sahel region. We familiarized
ourselves with the strategy yesterday at a high-level
summit on the situation in the Sahel. As a result of the
complexity and seriousness of the situation in the Sahel,
my delegation welcomes the report presented in June
by Mr. Romano Prodi, Special Envoy of the Secretary-
General (S/2013/354), which we believe accurately
reflects the regional dimension and should enable us
to extricate ourselves from the situation prevailing
throughout our country.

This is the right time for me to forcefully underscore
that finding a lasting solution to the Sahel crisis will
require a strengthened and dynamic cooperation
between all the States in the Sahel and Saharan regions
to fight against religious extremism and organized
crime. Under my leadership, Mali is determined to work
to give a new impetus to the subregional cooperation
mechanisms that we have. In that regard, the assistance
of the international community will be indispensable
in the fight against transnational terrorism in the Sahel
region as a whole.

The stakes are high and the terrorist threat is of
alarming proportions, to the point that no country is safe
from violent and barbarous acts. The attacks that took
place in Nairobi, Kenya, are the most painful examples
of that. My country, which is slowly recovering from
the atrocities carried out by jihadist terrorist groups
and the allied drug trafficking groups, reiterates its
firm condemnation of terrorism of all stripes and in
all its manifestations. On behalf of Mali, I present
my most deep-seated and heartfelt condolences to the
Government and the people of our brother country,
Kenya.

The delegation of Mali is particularly gratified by
the central theme of the general debate of the sixty-
eighth session of the General Assembly, “The post-2015
development agenda: setting the stage”. The relevance
of that theme lies in the uncertainties being faced by the
world today, uncertainties resulting from economic and
financial instability at the international level, from an
accentuation of the scourge of poverty, the continued
deterioration of the environment and the increase in the
number of natural disasters. Just a few months ago, we
suffered flooding that claimed at least 50 lives in my
country alone.

Indeed, 10 years after the adoption of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Heads
of State and Government gathered here at the General
Assembly in September 2010 in the framework of a
mid-term review and expressed their serious concerns
about the insufficient results. It is clear at this point that
the path to be travelled to achieve the MDGs remains
a lengthy one. In that regard, it is crucial that we cast
a critical glance at the shortcomings noted in order to
pave the way for sustainable development.

One shortcoming of the MDG programme that
caught our attention was the lack of commitment
regarding MDG 8, on the setting up a global partnership
for development. Without setting up open and equitable
financial and trade systems that would respect the
promises made to least developed countries, small island
States and landlocked States — our Samoan colleague
has just referred to that — and faced with a shortfall of
assistance to those countries, we run the risk of failing.
Faced with that situation, Mali encourages the adoption
of a unique consolidated development programme for
the post-2015 period whose priority objective will,
in the long run, be the eradication of poverty and the
promotion of economic, social and environmental
sustainability. That is a vision that has resulted from
the pressing nature of the challenges and the shortage
of resources available to deal with them.

In line with my predecessors, I would like to
reaffirm here and now my firm determination to defend
the ideals of peace, security and justice that mark the
Organization. In Africa, Mali is extremely concerned
about the situation in the Central African Republic, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt and Libya,
and expresses its firm condemnation of violence as
a means of political expression. Mali welcomes the
progress achieved on the path of reconstruction and
national reconciliation in Liberia, Sierra Leone and
Guinea-Bissau.

With respect to the Middle East, we remain
concerned by the ongoing deadly violence in Syria, with
its daily lot of humanitarian disasters. Accordingly, we
condemn with the utmost firmness the use of chemical
weapons in the country. Mali urges all parties to favour
negotiated political solutions under the auspices of the
United Nations.

We encourage the Israeli-Palestinian talks currently
under way and urge all parties to take the steps
necessary to establish a climate of trust and launch
direct negotiations to achieve a just, comprehensive
and lasting peace based, in particular, on the relevant
General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. I

take this opportunity to reiterate the solidarity and full
support of the people and the Government of Mali for
the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle for
the exercise of their inalienable right to sovereignty.

I welcome the measures taken in recent years by
the United Nations to bring about qualitative changes in
the priority fields of development, peace and collective
security, as well as human rights, and to reform the
Organization. Despite the progress achieved, much
remains to be done, especially concerning the necessary
reform of the Security Council and the revitalization of
the General Assembly. We must continue our efforts to
ensure that the General Assembly, the main deliberative
organ of the Organization, occupies a central position,
with the means to implement its resolutions.

Turning now to the reform of the Security Council,
Mali reiterates its commitment to the Ezulwini
Consensus and the Sirte Declaration adopted by the
heads of State and Government of the African Union,
and supports the legitimate demands by Africa to have
two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats in
the Security Council.

The Security Council thus reformed would better
reflect the geopolitical realities of today’s world and
would repair the “historical injustice” done to Africa,
the only region of the world that does not have a
permanent seat on the Council.

Mali is back. Mali now takes back its place, its
rightful place in keeping with its rich history, in the
community of free and democratic States. The Malian
people stand ready to take part, to play a full-fledged
role in building a world of peace, tolerance, freedom,
justice and democracy. Malians remain convinced that
it is along that path that we, the leaders of the world,
will lay the milestones of sustainable development
for our peoples and will spare present and future
generations the scourge of war. That is our mission and,
God willing, we will accomplish it.


I stand
here today before the Assembly, soon after my country
has seen a new dawn. I come to this Hall in all humility
as the elected Prime Minister of Pakistan for the third
time. I feel exonerated, as my supporters and I have
stood firm in our commitment to democracy.

I am happy to inform representatives that we now
have a strong Parliament, an independent judiciary,
a free media and a vibrant civil society. But there
is no room for complacency. We cannot lower our
guard. Democracy needs constant vigilance and
strong institutions. It needs careful nurturing. More
importantly, it is not promises but good governance that
sustains democracy. My Government has put the people
at the centre. We will work to give them peace and
security, an environment of growth and development. I
am pursuing an inclusive approach for the entire nation.

Pakistan is an ardent supporter of the United
Nations, which is an anchor of peace and a beacon
of hope for all nations. The United Nations universal
character provides a forum to discuss, develop and
implement global responses to the pressing problems
of our times. Pakistan upholds international law and
promotes international consensus. The security of our
world is ensured and reinforced by friendly relations
among nations and respect for the sovereignty and the
territorial integrity of States.

The United Nations needs reform, but it should
be a reform that reflects the interests of all, not
just the ambitions of a few. We believe that the
Security Council’s composition should be made more
representative, democratic and equitable, and its work
more effective, transparent and accountable. The
intended reforms must, however, plan for a dynamic
future, not entrench or replicate outdated historical
patterns based on privileges. The role and authority
of the General Assembly must be fully restored and
revitalized. In the past few years, the General Assembly
has regained influence in responding to challenges in
regard to peace and security, development and climate
change. It is becoming a platform of choice. Yet, it has
to go a long way to acquire its full authority.

To save the world from the scourge of war, we have
to continue to strive for a fair and just international
order based on the rule of law. Festering disputes must
be resolved. In that regard, the United Nations has to
play a critical role.

The United Nations must, for instance, continue to
remain attentive to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir
and the full realization of the right to self-determination
of its people. The suffering of the people cannot be
brushed under the carpet because of power politics.
As in the past, Pakistan calls upon the international
community to give an opportunity to the Kashmiris
to decide their future peacefully, in accordance with
the relevant Security Council resolutions. The issue
of Jammu and Kashmir was presented to the Security
Council in January 1948, and yet the issue remains
unresolved after nearly seven decades.

I have aspirations for regional peace and
stability. I have shared that vision with leaders in
our neighbourhood. Shortly after assuming office,
I received a message of goodwill from the Prime
Minister of India, Mr. Manmohan Singh. I extended an
invitation to him to engage with us so as to address
all outstanding issues between our two countries,
and Prime Minister Singh’s response was positive.
Our two countries have wasted massive resources
in an arms race. We could have used those resources
for the economic well-being of our people. We still
have that opportunity. Pakistan and India can prosper
together; and the entire region would benefit from our
cooperation. We stand ready to re-engage with India
in a substantive and purposeful dialogue. I am looking
forward to meeting Prime Minister Singh here in
New York so as to make a new beginning. We have a
solid basis for doing that. We can build on the Lahore
Accord signed in 1999, which contained a road map
for the resolution of our differences through peaceful
negotiations. I am committed to working for a peaceful
and economically prosperous region. That is what our
people want and what I have long aspired to.

It gave me great pleasure to welcome President
Karzai in Islamabad last month. We reaffirmed our
shared goal of a peaceful, stable and united Afghanistan.
The people of Afghanistan are and should remain
masters of their own destiny. We support an inclusive,
Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, leading

to national reconciliation. I assured President Karzai
that we do not wish to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal
affairs; nor do we have any favourites in that country.
In fact, we hope earnestly that the Afghans themselves
will unite for the peace, prosperity and development of
their great country.

Pakistan encourages United Nations efforts to
stabilize Afghanistan. We will work together with
Afghanistan for regional and economic cooperation
aimed at establishing and reinforcing regional trade,
energy and communications corridors. Our solidarity
with the Afghan people has been demonstrated through
our willingness to host millions of Afghan refugees in
Pakistan for many decades. International support for
their repatriation to and reintegration in Afghanistan is
indispensable. We also look forward to United Nations
support for addressing other transregional challenges,
including the flow of narcotics.

Last year, the Assembly gave Palestine the status of
non-Member observer State. We hope that it will soon
join this body as a full Member State. We are glad that
the stalled peace process has started again. It should
lead to the consolidation of an independent, viable and
contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967
borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Pakistan
will continue to demonstrate its solidarity with the
people of Palestine.

Even as we meet here, Syria is in turmoil, with
Syrians killing Syrians. We appeal to the Syrian
Government and the opposition groups to move to
the negotiating table in Geneva to prepare a road map
for national reconciliation and the necessary political
transitions. More war will lead to more killings,
which must be stopped. As a party to the Convention
on the Prohibition of the Development, Production,
Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on
Their Destruction, Pakistan remains opposed to the
use of chemical weapons. We condemn their use in the
strongest terms.

We welcome the agreement reached between the
United States and Russia, and supported by the other
permanent members of the Security Council, to secure
and destroy chemical weapons in Syria. That crucial
step has facilitated consensus within the Council to
adopt resolution 2118 (2013), which not only addresses
the issue of chemical weapons but could start the
stalled political process in Syria, leading to national
reconciliation and solutions that are acceptable to the
people of Syria. Pakistan will support that resolution.
Acceptance of the Geneva communiqué (S/2012/522,
annex) and a decision on dates for convening a Geneva
II conference will be a big step towards ending the crisis
in Syria. I call on all forces to invest their political will
and capital in diplomacy to bring peace to that country.

As a responsible nuclear-weapon State, we will
continue to pursue the goals of disarmament and
non-proliferation and adhere to a policy of credible
minimum deterrence without entering into any arms
race. We cannot, however, remain oblivious to the
evolving security dynamics in South Asia, nor can
we agree to an arrangement that is detrimental to our
security and strategic interests. Our position on the
proposed fissile material treaty is determined by our
national security interests and the objective of strategic
stability in South Asia.

The safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear energy,
without discrimination, is essential for economic
development. Pakistan qualifies for full access to civil
nuclear technology for peaceful purposes in order to
meet its growing energy needs for continued economic
growth. By the same token, as a mainstream partner
in the global non-proliferation regime, Pakistan has
impeccable credentials for joining the multilateral
export control regime, including the Nuclear
Suppliers Group. Pakistan will continue to participate
constructively in the Nuclear Security Summit, which
is a laudable initiative.

As a country that has suffered grievously for many
years from terrorism, we condemn that phenomenon in
all its forms and manifestations. Over the past 12 years,
we have made huge sacrifices in blood and resources.
We have lost 40,000 precious lives of men, women
and children, including 8,000 defence and security
personnel. There has been colossal damage to our social
and physical infrastructure, too. Our economy has
been denied the opportunity to grow fully. That must
change now. I have tried to forge national consensus on
a cohesive policy to eliminate terrorism from our soil.
For that purpose, I convened an all-parties conference
that spoke out unanimously against terrorism. We are
resolved to oppose the forces of terrorism with every
means at our disposal. At the same time, we have offered
dialogue to end violence, wean young extremists off
extremism and integrate all segments of our society
into the national mainstream. Winning young people’s
hearts and minds is as important as using guns to deter
terrorism. But dialogue should not be seen as a sign of
weakness or a tool of appeasement.

The war against terrorism must be waged within the
framework of international law. The use of armed drones
in the border areas of Pakistan is a continued violation
of our territorial integrity. It results in innocent civilian
casualties and is detrimental to our resolve and efforts
to eliminate extremism and terrorism in Pakistan. I
have urged the United States to cease those strikes so
that we can avoid further casualties and suffering.

Terrorism knows no borders. It has no religion
or creed, which is why maligning a whole people or
a religion on that account is unfair and unwise. Islam
is a religion of peace, compassion and brotherhood.
And the yet most insidious form of contemporary
racism in the name of religion is on the rise. Peaceful
Muslim communities are profiled and subjected to
discriminatory practices. Their faith, culture, holy
personalities and scriptures are under attack. The
stereotyping of Muslims as extremists and terrorists
must stop. We must all use the influence and reach
of the United Nations to avert a clash of civilizations
and to promote harmony among followers of diverse
religions all around the world. Terrorism negates
Islam’s humanistic outlook and noble values. Those
who perpetrate terrorism are enemies of Muslims and
Islam itself.

Pakistan is the largest troop contributor to United
Nations peacekeeping. Since 1960, we have contributed
150,000 troops, and 135 of our peacekeepers have lost
their lives in the service of peace. That has been our
most tangible assistance to the United Nations efforts
to maintain international peace and security.

We fully support the United Nations effort to
finalize and implement a single, coherent post-2015
development agenda that identifies benchmarks for
poverty alleviation, sustainable development and
social inclusion. More importantly, we should prepare
ourselves to respond effectively to save our planet from
the ravages of climate change.

Our Government is undertaking an economic
revolution in Pakistan so that it, too, can become part of
the emerging markets. We have all the fundamentals and
human and natural resources for such a transformation.
In the immediate future, our challenge is to overcome
a volatile security environment, correct structural
imbalances in the economy and bring an end to energy
shortages. We are building a new Pakistan with a robust
economy. From the international community, we seek
not aid but enhanced trade, market access, investment
and strong economic partnerships.

We are creating a new framework for change
to provide equal opportunities and social justice
for everyone, eliminate the exploitation of the poor,
harness our human resources and restore the dignity
of our citizens. We intend to use education as a key
driver of the socioeconomic development of Pakistan.
We are introducing a national health service across
Pakistan with the participation of the private sector. We
have also made the eradication of polio in Pakistan a
matter of great importance for my Government, as we
are determined to make Pakistan a polio-free country.

It is our strong resolve to promote the full
participation of women in national development, while
protecting their political, social and cultural rights as
agents of change. More than 63 per cent of our population
is under the age of 25. By investing in their education
and skills, we aim to tap into the demographic dividend.
Minorities are equal citizens of Pakistan. They will not
only have complete freedom to worship, but also full
protection of their rights to education, employment and
political participation.

We are deeply saddened by the recent terrorist attack
on the members of a minority community in Peshawar.
That heinous attack has united the entire Pakistani
nation in support of our brothers and sisters of all faiths
in Pakistan. We share their grief and have declared
three days of mourning. The attack was carried out
by the same elements who have attacked our mosques,
shrines, innocent citizens and members of our security
forces. However, the attack has further strengthened
my Government’s resolve to deal with terrorism and
extremism in a resolute and comprehensive manner,
as I reiterated in my very first speech at the National
Assembly of Pakistan.

In conclusion, I wish to emphasize to the Assembly
that Pakistan is a strong supporter of multilateral
diplomacy, convinced that it is the most legitimate and
ultimate guarantor of peace and security, economic and
social development, and respect for universal human
rights. As a non-permanent member of the Security
Council, Pakistan has been making every effort to
strengthen the role of diplomacy to resolve conflicts
and to help build States in post-conflict situations. In
all instances, we have upheld the primacy of the Charter
of the United Nations. We need multilateral diplomacy
so that we continue to respect diversity while reaching

decisions that impact our fate as members of the
international community. Towards that end, the United
Nations — the virtual world parliament — is our best
hope.


It gives
me great pleasure, at the outset, to extend my warmest
congratulations to the President and his friendly
country, Antigua and Barbuda, on his election to the
presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth
session. We wish him every success in his endeavour
and assure him that the Sultanate of Oman stands ready
to cooperate with him and all delegations and Member
States to achieve the desired objectives.

We would like to take this opportunity to express
our thanks and appreciation to his predecessor, Mr. Vuk
Jeremi., of the friendly Republic of Serbia, for the
outstanding manner in which he conducted the work
of the previous session, as well as to thank Secretary-
General Ban Ki-moon for all his efforts to enhance the
role of the Organization and develop its operational
mechanisms to respond to current challenges and recent
developments and ensure optimal future preparedness.

The numerous achievements and successes of
the United Nations since its establishment, in 1945,
have contributed positively to increased security and
stability in the world. However, the rapid developments
witnessed today, including steady population growth,
rising global demand for energy and natural resources
and tremendous advances in communications and
new technologies, have given rise to numerous
difficulties. Joint efforts and greater cooperation
among Governments are required to address them and
find appropriate solutions. Such action requires that the
Organization and its various organs be empowered to
strengthen their capacity to respond to global demands
and developments, with a sharp focus on vital and
urgent issues.

Modernization, development and change constitute
the norms of life. However, they must go hand in hand
with increased security and stability, which should be
based on cooperation among all nations and should be
aimed at achieving sustainable development goals.

The recent events in various countries in the
Middle East resulted from genuine reactions to the
socioeconomic hardships faced by the peoples of the
region and to diminished institutional capacities to
respond fully to their needs and demands. Despite the
loss of lives and property in those countries, current
efforts are aimed at stability and restoring the economy,
and as such deserve our support.

My country welcomes the consensus achieved in
the Security Council on the issue of chemical weapons
in Syria and the unanimous adoption of resolution
2118 (2013). The “Geneva II” conference is of critical
importance in facilitating negotiations between the
Syrian Government and the opposition forces. We
believe that the goal should be a ceasefire and the
formation of a transitional authority with the necessary
power to overcome the enormous difficulties resulting
from a war that has been ongoing for approximately
three years.

The international community should prepare
to provide support and humanitarian assistance to
displaced Syrians and to all those affected by that
abhorrent war. My country confirms its continued
assistance to aid the displaced Syrians and expresses its
readiness to contribute to international humanitarian
aid inside Syrian territory.

We welcome the positive developments taking
place in Somalia thanks to the efforts of President
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to rebuild the Somali State.
It is our hope that our brothers in the Federal Republic

of Somalia will be able to implement the political
and economic reform programme that has gained the
support of the international community.

Among the important international issues that have
yet to be resolved is the Palestinian question, which
is considered the cornerstone of any possible peace
in the Middle East. Despite the efforts made and the
agreements concluded through direct negotiations
between successive Israeli Governments and the
Palestine Liberation Organization, no settlement has yet
been reached. In that regard, my country supports the
efforts of President Barack Obama and his Secretary of
State, Mr. John Kerry, as they represent an opportunity
for all the peoples of the region to establish peace.
That would lead to economic and social development
and revive the hope for peaceful coexistence among
the peoples of the region — all of which would ensure
a positive contribution by the Middle East to global
civilization.

My country continues to support the initiatives
aimed at transforming the Middle East into a zone
free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass
destruction, as it is fully aware of the effects of those
weapons on the security and stability of States, regions
and the entire world.

With our emphasis on the right of States to
benefit from the peaceful use of nuclear energy, it is
worth mentioning that the current dispute will not be
resolved through coercive policies and practices, such
as sanctions and other tough measures. Because those
measures are limited, their effectiveness is weakened.
Rather, creative diplomacy can help all States to benefit
from nuclear power for peaceful purposes.

On the other hand, we hope that the international
community, particularly the depositary countries of
the NPT, will be able to persuade other Middle Eastern
States to become parties to the Treaty and to subject
their nuclear facilities to the comprehensive system
of safeguards that exists under the supervision of the
International Atomic Energy Agency. That would
contribute to achieving the universality of the Treaty
and would make the Middle East a zone free of nuclear
weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. That
goal deserves the support of all countries, especially
the major Powers.

We express our regret at the non-convening of the
international conference on the Middle East mandated
by the decision of the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty
Review Conference, owing to the fact that some
parties did not support its convening. That reflects a
lack of understanding of the conditions, objectives and
aspirations of the peoples of the Middle East region.

In the light of our commitment to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals, we would like to
announce that we have attained the Goals and all their
indicators. In fact, we recently announced that we had
been 100 per cent successful in achieving Goals 4 and
5.

With regard to protection of the environment and
natural conservation, since the dawn of the renaissance
led by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, my
country, in line with the national strategy to protect the
environment, has consistently integrated environmental
issues into its plans and development goals, with a view
to achieving a balance between the aims of sustainable
development and the preservation of the environment.

My country has also sought to share its interests
in the environment and natural conservation with
the international community. We have participated
in many regional and international conferences on
the environment, including the eighteenth session of
the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, held
in Qatar in December 2012. We look forward to
participating in the nineteenth session, to be held in
Warsaw in November.

The right to science and knowledge should be
enjoyed by all humankind, and the great evolution
in the use and application of modern technology has
become an essential tool in our daily lives, thanks to
scientific and intellectual creativity. Consequently, my
country has sought to keep up with advances to meet
our current needs. To that end, we have established
many centres and councils that encourage research
and development, including the Scientific Research
Council, the Industrial Innovation Centre, the National
Centre for Enterprises and Commercial Activities, and
the Oasis of Knowledge. We also have a Middle East
Desalination Research Centre.

My country continues to develop the main
guidelines for a national strategy of research and
development and scientific knowledge. We are also
trying to familiarize ourselves with modern technology
and to encourage Omani youth to take part in different
science — and technology-based professions. In that
context, we welcome future constructive cooperation,

investment and partnerships with all other centres,
universities, institutions and specialized industries
in both the public and the private sectors and at the
national, regional and international levels. We also want
to take advantage of Oman’s geographical position as a
main gateway and bridge to knowledge and creativity
in regional and international markets.

In conclusion, we wish the President every success
at this session, and we hope that it concludes with a
realistic and renewed vision — an inspired vision and
one that also imparts new momentum for our times, a
vision that reflects the aspirations of every generation
and every people and makes every effort to achieve
them.


Allow me to first congratulate
Mr. John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda on assuming
the presidency of the General Assembly at this session.
Mongolia pledges its full support to him.

We gather here at the United Nations to collectively
assess the state of the world, share our thoughts and our
vision, and agree on common actions. I shall begin by
reviewing where we are today.

Over 70 million people around the world join the
middle class each year. The Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) have improved the lives of billions of
people. The world has attained poverty-reduction
targets — in some places, even ahead of the proscribed
deadline. Rather than seeing 2015 as the end, we should
view it as the beginning of a new era. In this era, we
should build on our successes, attend to gaps and meet
emerging challenges.

Sadly, we face many such challenges. Today, over
200 million people are jobless, over 50 million children
are not in school, and one in eight of our fellow citizens
still goes hungry. Yet over $900 billion dollars are
earmarked for military expenditures every year. Only
a fraction of that sum is spent on health care and
education. Such a state of affairs should not be tolerated.

When it comes to the climate, a temperature
increase of more than two degrees Centigrade would
be disastrous, if not catastrophic. Our environment
is changing rapidly. On the production side, global
consumption far exceeds our fragile planet’s capacity.
Resources are being exhausted. Humankind is gravely
endangered. We are running out of time. The world has
too many hungry people, too much violence and too
little commitment to human rights. We need to change
that.

I want to share with the Assembly Mongolia’s
views and experience. Mongolia is a great nation with a
rich history. It is an old nation with a young heart. We
are fortunate to have abundant natural resources, which
offer great growth prospects and a unique opportunity
for economic development and social progress. With
double-digit percentage growth, we are one of the
world’s fastest developing economies.

Mongolia has achieved many development goals
in areas such as universal primary education, reducing

child mortality and improving maternal health.
However, our fifth national MDG progress report
suggests that more needs to be done. To reach our
development goals, the Government is working closely
with all national stakeholders, including political
parties, the private sector, research institutions, civil
society and the media. Likewise, we invite investors
to work together for our common interests. Just a
few days ago, we hosted the World Economic Forum
Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Mongolia. That
event gathered representatives of multiple stakeholders
to explore future economic pathways for my country’s
development.

Mongolians care deeply for the environment. We
take seriously our shared responsibility to confront the
threat from climate change. That is why we are promoting
a green development policy. We have also created and
preserved national parks to curb desertification. At the
same time, these scenic parks form the backbone of
new ecotourism. They will generate both conservation
income and green jobs.

My country is creating an Asian super-network
for green development. It will produce renewable
energy and provide it to Asian consumers. Mongolia’s
first wind farm, which is privately owned, is now in
operation. Wind energy has the potential to produce
electricity well beyond the country’s needs.

We face many environmental challenges, including
land degradation, deforestation, natural disasters and
pollution. Those issues need to be resolved urgently
and collectively. Environmental education and wider
public participation are vital to resolving those
challenges. This year we hosted the United Nations
World Environment Day. Indeed, we are at the centre of
the green economy. The Mongolian people, particularly
our young people, are committed to building a better
environmental future.

Last year I spoke of the importance of Mongolia’s
battle to root out corruption at all levels. We are combating
corruption — the scourge of democracy — with a zero-
tolerance policy at every level of Government. As a
result, Mongolia moved up 26 places in Transparency
International’s rankings of States.

Transparency is the key to fighting corruption.
Citizens have the right to know how their taxes are spent
at every level of Government, from national agencies to
the local administration. Our “glass account” system
ensures that all funds are accounted for openly and
transparently. Citizens deserve access to information
and a say in how their communities are developed.
The best Government is the one based on strong civic
participation.

Mongolia believes in democratic development. Over
20 years ago, it was unimaginable that Mongolia would
one day chair the Community of Democracies. That
well-known and highly respected global democratic
movement is dedicated to promoting freedom and
democracy. Hundreds of human rights activists and
democratic leaders from many countries gathered in
Ulaanbaatar last April. The Ulaanbaatar Declaration
charts a future course for promoting democracy. Our
initiative, the Asia Democracy Network, and the
ministerial consultative meeting, have laid a solid
foundation for democratic development.

I believe that efforts to foster civic engagement
are more effective with democracy education. The
implementation of resolution 67/18, on education for
democracy, will strengthen democratic institutions
and improve the human rights situation for more of our
fellow citizens, because knowledge is power.

We all must focus on promoting human rights. In
the past two decades, Mongolia has been learning and
advancing democracy at home. With a view to supporting
emerging democracies, we initiated and established an
international cooperation fund and have already started
implementing several projects. We are actively sharing
the lessons of parliamentary democracy and conducting
legal reform with Kyrgyzstan. We organized training
for diplomats and public servants from Afghanistan.
We are also discussing the possibility of cooperation
with Myanmar and other emerging democracies.

I call on Member States to support our policy of
protecting and promoting democratic governance
and human rights. I humbly ask for States’ support of
Mongolia’s candidature for the Human Rights Council
in the elections to be held in 2015.

Peace and security remain a fundamental human
right.

Today people the world over are distressed by
endless cycles of conflict. Military forces and weapons
are being used to settle disputes. Thousands of human
beings are losing their lives, millions are displaced and
many more are suffering. The grave situation in Syria
is the latest example. We hope that the United States-
Russian initiative will bear fruit and lead to a peaceful
resolution of the Syrian conflict.

Mongolia firmly supports non-proliferation and the
complete elimination of weapons of mass destruction.
We cannot tolerate the use of chemical weapons and
strongly condemn any violation of universally accepted
international law.

This morning I participated in the High-level
Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament (see A/68/PV.11).
As a country with internationally recognized nuclear-
weapon-free-status, uniquely situated between two
nuclear-weapon States that are permanent members of
the Security Council, Mongolia has been working hard
on nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation of
nuclear weapons.

As a result of our efforts, the five nuclear-weapon
States, permanent members of the Security Council,
have issued a joint declaration recognizing Mongolia’s
unique status. They pledged to respect that status and
not to contribute to any act that would violate it. Their
joint commitment ensures that we will not be used as
a pawn in any future nuclear plans or strategies. That
is Mongolia’s contribution to greater confidence and
stability in the region.

Strengthening peace and stability in North-East
Asia is one of Mongolia’s national security priorities.
We firmly believe that dialogue and open discussions
foster confidence. We have therefore put forth an
initiative: the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on North-East
Asia Security. We invite the other States of the region
to jointly address various issues of common interest,
including security issues in North-East Asia.

Mongolian military officers and troops are
honoured to serve along with their fellow United
Nations peacekeepers to maintain international peace
and security. We are very proud of our peacekeepers
for their dedicated service and their invaluable
contributions to the cause of peace.

We all know the complexity of contemporary
conflicts. Our peacekeepers are serving in areas
with high security threats and risks. To support and
encourage our peacekeepers, last February I took a trip
to South Sudan and visited the United Nations Mission
there. During my visit, I met the President of South
Sudan and offered my support to him and to his nation,
the youngest member of the international community.

Let us make our world safer and more prosperous.
Let us be fearless when it comes to fighting for fairness,
transparency and the rule of law. Where there is the rule
of law, there is less corruption and more human rights.
Where there is transparency, there is less economic
disparity and greater accountability.

Where citizens are engaged and informed, good
things happen. We must be fearless in our efforts to
promote and achieve a fair, open and transparent world
community.