Thirteen years have passed since the adoption of
the Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2), and
the established deadline to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals is rapidly approaching. The world
has changed since then, and we anticipate that, in the
next 15 years, it will change a great deal more.

In that context, the main theme of the general
debate, “The post-2015 development agenda: setting the
stage”, is obviously very appropriate and relevant. We
are convinced that the new development agenda will
provide a clear vision for our post-2015 development. It
should be formulated in the best spirit of the Millennium
Development Goals, with special attention to the issues
of poverty eradication, education and health care, the
economy and employment, governance, agriculture and
food availability, energy, peace and security.

The need for a common agenda is unquestionable.
All countries must enthusiastically embark on the path
of sustainable development. The global challenges can
be effectively met if they are included as core priorities
in each country’s development strategy.

Kyrgyzstan has done its part. That is reflected
in the national sustainable development strategy of
the Kyrgyz Republic for 2013-2017, which identifies
five-year targets and plans for a transition to sustainable
development, culminating in 2017. Our vision is to
form a stable country where human rights, freedom and
security are guaranteed, where a multi-ethnic society
is governed with equal adherence to the rule of law,
and where all prerequisites for sustainable economic
growth and a decent standard of life are the norm. The
tasks ahead are complex, and we believe they should be
addressed in partnership with the United Nations and
the international community.

The main strategic resource for the green economic
growth of Kyrgyzstan is water. The role of water has
increased significantly due to the major challenge of
sustainable development posed by global climate change,
which is already affecting our region negatively. Most
importantly with regard to the state of water resources,
Kyrgyzstan’s glaciers have shrunk by 30 per cent as
a result of global warming. According to preliminary
expert forecasts, unless urgent measures are taken
there will be practically no glaciers or snowfields on
the country’s territory by the year 2100. Those melting
waters are the primary source of the rivers of Central
Asia.

This ongoing negative trend may well lead to a
substantial reduction of river flow in Kyrgyzstan,
and consequently to social and economic tensions in
the region as a whole. We must pursue our work in
the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change. The relevant
international financial and ecological organizations
must continue to assist the countries of Central Asia in
addressing the problem. That is particularly important
in the transition to a sustainable use of both water and
natural ecosystems resources.

The development of hydro-energy is strategically
important to the sustainable socioeconomic development
of the region. We are convinced that it would contribute
to an integrated solution of many current and future
challenges. We believe that the construction of large
hydroelectric power facilities should be considered one
path to clean development. Harnessing the hydropower
potential of the upstream countries should be considered
part of low-carbon development, and developing water
resources should be considered the core model for
green development in the economic progress of the
region. We are ready to participate in an exchange of

best practices in water management, water use and the
construction of irrigation systems.

More than 90 per cent of Kyrgyzstan is located in
mountainous areas, which play an important role in the
accumulation of water. In that regard, we support the
further promotion of the developmental goals of the
mountain regions, in accordance with the decisions
taken at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development. I am confident that a draft resolution on
the issue, to be submitted to the General Assembly at
this session with the co-sponsorship of Kyrgyzstan,
will enjoy the support of all United Nations Members.

Some mountainous landlocked countries have
special needs for development. High levels of poverty,
isolation, the burden of transportation costs and a heavy
debt are among the basic range of problems that many
mountainous countries face. In such conditions, it is
difficult to achieve the Millennium Development Goals
and to meet the commitments set out in United Nations
documents on sustainable development. We hope that
the special needs, problems and challenges of mountain
countries and communities will be properly reflected in
the post-2015 development programme.

It is well known that mountain ranges provide
valuable ecosystem services and serve as important
indicator of environmental health and a support system
for the snow leopard, a rare and endangered highland
animal. In that regard, Kyrgyzstan is developing a
10-year national protection strategy. We invite everyone
to the world forum on the snow leopard to be held on
22 and 23 October in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The rehabilitation and security of uranium tailings,
which today total more than 8 million cubic metres
on our territory, is very important in Kyrgyzstan. The
situation is aggravated by the fact that most are located
in seismically active mudflow and flood-prone areas
with high groundwater levels, as well near the banks
of rivers that form the basis of the Central Asian water
supply. The potential consequences of ineffective
solutions would have a very negative impact on millions
of people in Central Asia.

In order to raise the international community’s
awareness of the problem and to attract additional
assistance towards its solution, at this session the
Kyrgyz delegation will introduce a draft resolution
under agenda item 19 (j), “The role of the international
community in the prevention of the radiation threat in
Central Asia”. We call on members to support the draft
resolution.

It is well known that development and security are
closely interrelated. Unfortunately, the maintenance of
security and stability and the fight against international
terrorism, religious extremism, and illicit drug and
arms trafficking and trade remain on the development
agenda of Kyrgyzstan and our region. Those issues are
most acute in our region because of the current situation
in Afghanistan.

Despite some progress in the political process in
Afghanistan, the stability and security of the country
remain at risk. Furthermore, the Afghan drug-
production trade, being the largest in the world, is
generating a whole range of threats and destabilizing
both the political and military situation in Eurasia.
Those problems are more critical and significant in
our region than ever before, especially in view of the
upcoming withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in
2014.

Kyrgyzstan, in accordance with its commitments,
has fully complied with its mission in counter-terrorism
operations in Afghanistan. Over the past 12 years,
Kyrgyzstan has provided an important channel for
the supply of military and humanitarian goods to
Afghanistan through the transit centre at Manas
International Airport. We believe that the international
community’s efforts have contributed to the relative
stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan and helped
the Afghan authorities to assume their leadership role
and responsibility in the fields of public administration
and development. We are determined to continue our
strategic dialogue with partners on all issues of mutual
interest. We believe that in the fight against terrorism,
drug trafficking and other security challenges stemming
from Afghanistan, regional organizations have proved
their effectiveness and should be even more involved. I
am talking here in particular of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization. Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship of those
international and regional organizations this year has
once again confirmed the need to have comprehensive
measures in place to stabilize the situation as soon as
possible, both in Afghanistan and in the region as a
whole.

Along with other measures to combat security
challenges and threats, it is necessary to pursue a policy
of industrialization aimed at building a sustainable

Afghan economy in order to achieve socioeconomic
growth in the country. It is also important to involve
Afghanistan in the development of regional cooperation
and the implementation of major joint socioeconomic
and infrastructural projects such as the export of
electricity and the building of roads and railroad
networks.

In that respect, Kyrgyzstan stands ready to expand
its trade and economic relations and to implement
various infrastructural projects, including the export
of electricity to Afghanistan as part of the CASA-1000
project and the establishment of a tripartite — Kyrgyzstan-
Tajikistan-Afghanistan — agro-industrial consortium,
with the assistance of the United Nations.

Today we must take a fundamentally new approach
to solving Afghanistan’s problems, based on a new
philosophy and paradigm of social development: the
right to development.

I should like to take this opportunity to invite
representatives of Government and academia to
take part in the international research conference on
“Afghanistan — 2014”, to be held on 10 October 2013
in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek.

We are following developments in the Arab world
with special attention. The continuing two-year armed
conflict in Syria is of great concern. Kyrgyzstan
expresses its serious concern about the numerous
victims of the armed conflict, the humanitarian disaster
it represents and the further escalation of the crisis. We
call upon both sides to immediately call a ceasefire
and resolve the crisis peacefully through a dialogue
between all political forces of the country under the
mediation of the United Nations.

We support the initiative of the transfer of Syrian
chemical weapons and their subsequent destruction,
under international supervision, and Syria’s accession to
the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons
and on Their Destruction. We wish to see the restoration
of stability in the country and the preservation of the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, without
external military interference.

The changes occurring in the modern world and
its increasing diversity require the strengthening of the
United Nations so as to ensure that it continues to play its
central role of ensuring global security and the effective
implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
That can be achieved through reforming the United
Nations, which should be done in accordance with the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United
Nations and on the basis of a broad consensus on the
part of States Members of the United Nations.

We believe that all States Members of the United
Nations should strictly comply with the decisions of
the Security Council; we are in favour of expanding its
membership in order to make it more representative,
transparent and democratic.

We attach particular importance to the work of the
Economic and Social Council. Kyrgyzstan therefore
welcomed the adoption last week of resolution 68/1, on
strengthening the role and enhancing the effectiveness
of the work of the Council. We hope that a strengthened
Council will become an effective mechanism for the
implementation of the post-2015 development agenda
and continue to serve as an important platform for
multilateral political dialogue on global social and
economic issues.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the need
to move forward firmly and resolutely by means of joint
efforts and a common resolve on the part of all countries
in order to overcome threats and challenges, maintain
peace and well-being and promote development for
future generations. Kyrgyzstan is fully prepared to
engage in such constructive and effective international
cooperation.


 I would first
like to warmly congratulate you, Mr. President, on your
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at
its current session, and to express my full appreciation
to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban
Ki-moon, who has closely followed developments in the
situation in Lebanon.

I particularly wish to point out the presidential
statement issued by the Security Council on 10 July
(S/PRST/2013/9), which provides an effective road
map for what the international community can do to
help Lebanon in order to preserve its stability, promote
its institutions, support its economy and army and to
help it face the growing burden created by the refugees
entering from Syria. That is definitely the core objective
of the meeting of the International Support Group for
Lebanon, which will be launched tomorrow afternoon,
25 September.

Many countries represented here have witnessed
uprisings, civil wars or foreign aggression. Lebanon,
too, has experienced many wars, which have led to
influxes of numerous refugees in our territory. Against
all odds, the Lebanese have sought to assume the
responsibility for restoring the glory of our country
as a space for freedom and coexistence and to hallow
their presence in the East within the confines of a State
that embraced democracy from its very inception while
ensuring respect for diversity within unity as well as
personal and public freedoms.

Through dialogue, the Lebanese will continue
to develop their political system and improve their
democratic practices. They will have to remain
committed to the Baabda Declaration, which advocates
Lebanon distancing itself from regional crises and axis
politics. It is equally essential to reach an agreement
on a national strategy to ensure the exclusive defence
of Lebanon in the face of Israel’s hostility and ongoing
threats.

Nevertheless, however strong the Lebanese
commitment may be, we still require the care and
support of brotherly and friendly countries in order
to address the repercussions of external conflicts and
crises that threaten our security and stability and have
negative impacts on our socioeconomic situation. The
Lebanese look to assistance not only in the name of
brotherly solidarity and the shared responsibility of the
international community as a whole, but also in the face
of events that pose a threat to regional and international
security.

The first challenge is rooted in the repercussions
of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon’s security and
economy. An existential challenge has arisen, related
to the growing number of Syrian refugees on Lebanese
territory, which is far beyond Lebanon’s capacity to
assimilate them. The number of refugees has already
exceeded one quarter of the Lebanese population. As
the Assembly knows, Lebanon is a country of limited
geographical area and resources, as well as sensitive
balances.

Therefore, while we understand that it is not possible
to impose the impossible on nations, it is important
for me to reiterate my call on the States Members of
the United Nations to provide sufficient human and
financial resources to manage the presence of Syrian
refugees in Lebanon and meet their humanitarian
and essential needs, bearing in mind that the pledges
undertaken at the meeting of donor States hosted by the
State of Kuwait on 30 January have only been partially
fulfilled; to expand infrastructure and reception areas
for Syrian refugees within Syrian territories themselves
and organize an international conference on the issue
of Syrian refugees, with the aim of sharing the burden
among different countries in accordance with the
principle of shared responsibility while also assisting
the International Support Group for Lebanon; and to
garner support from all concerned States for the work
of the International Support Group. Of course, all of
that must take place while we work towards finding a
political solution for the Syrian crisis that will preserve
the unity of Syria.

Lebanon has called attention to the need to bring
to justice the perpetrators of the crimes that have been
committed. Solutions must be found to ensure that the
conflict does not spread to neighbouring countries.
Today, we have an opportunity to condemn all terrorist
attacks perpetrated anywhere in the world, particularly
in the Middle East.

I would like to comment on the attack that took
place upon the historic town of Maaloula. That attack
represents an assault on civilization and the tolerant
spirit of religions. That is why the international
community must adopt a firm stance in order to protect
such sites, in particular through the adoption of an
investigative mechanism that will assess the reality of
the situation on the ground.

We must work to encourage the countries of the
region currently engaged in conflict to ensure that the
logic of dialogue and negotiation prevails and to keep
Lebanon from getting involved in the Syrian conflict,
while encouraging those countries to contribute the
necessary assistance and support for the Baabda
Declaration, just as the Security Council has pledged
its support.

However, the main challenge that we face remains
the Arab-Israeli conflict and Israeli settlement policy
practices, not to overlook the difficulties created by it
in terms of refugee flows. The settlement policy has
fostered a sense of frustration and a tendency towards
extremism. Lebanon has been affected by the daily
Israeli attacks against Lebanon and its infrastructure
through the use of all sorts of prohibited weapons.
Lebanon has paid a high price for those acts of
aggression, with all that implies in terms of the burden
on human lives and destruction. It therefore falls upon
the international community to work to find a fair and
comprehensive solution to the conflict in the Middle
East, particularly with respect to the Palestinian cause,
pursuant to the terms of reference of the Madrid
Conference and the Arab Peace Initiative. Stability,
democracy and moderation will not prevail in the
Middle East unless justice is done in Palestine, based
on the belief that the security of the Arab region and
the preservation of its cultural diversity are of strategic
importance.

Lebanon calls for the adoption of an integrated
comprehensive approach that includes the participation
of all States concerned and addresses all aspects of the
Israeli-Arab conflict. At the same time, no solution
should be taken at the expense of its superior interests.
As a result, Lebanon will reject any compromise
attempting to force an influx of Palestinian refugees
on its territory.

In this transitional period where the Arab world
is undergoing major historic upheaval and deep-
wrought changes, the world as a whole is witnessing an
fundamentl structural transformation due to the amazing
scientific progress that has been achieved, in particular
in the fields of communication and information. That
progress will contribute to globalization in all aspects of
life. We must therefore convey a spirit of pluralism and
diversity within all societies as a necessary condition in
order to match the accelerating pace of change.

However, the regimes that run the affairs of peoples
and societies have unfortunately not undergone a
corresponding evolution at the intellectual level. On the
contrary, we have witnessed conflicts exacerbated by
extremist terrorism continue to spring forth fuelled by
isolationism that rejects dialogue, mutual recognition
and coexistence. That has even led some to call for
the return to religious emirates and racial segregation.
In order to do so, those groups have applied violent
methods that flout peace and public freedoms.

Amid those unilateral fundamentalist tendencies,
Lebanon remains a laboratory and a model of necessary
coexistence for the future. That model must be allowed
to benefit from support and stability because, as it has
for decades, it has led to the education of students in our
schools and universities and caused the security forces
to fulfil their national missions in military camps in a
spirit of unity. It is a model that is also experienced by
the citizens on a daily basis on the streets of our cities,
towns and in our capital, in the theatres, clubs, at the
movies, in public and private institutions and in civil
society organizations. The model, which has become
a lifestyle, is lived with the sound of the church bells
and the voices of the mosques’ muezzins ringing in
our ears, in particular at joint celebrations, the most
significant of which is the Common Religious National
Day, celebrated on the day of the Annunciation on
25 March of every year, when everyone is urged to seek
the common good.

The management of diversity and the building of
a culture of justice, peace and coexistence between
cultures, civilizations and religions requires that we all
make efforts at the following three levels.

First, we must work to improve the political,
financial and social systems that govern the affairs
of peoples worldwide, in particular the democratic
system, to make them more humane and better suited
to diversity. This must be done in such a way so as to
guarantee the involvement of all components of society,
in particular minorities, in political life and in the
management of public affairs in all States, regardless
of what ratio of the population such minorities may
represent, but, rather, on the basis of their capacity and
heritage.

Secondly, we must consider the preservation of an
active presence on the part of minorities worldwide,
with all the civilizations and specific characteristics
that they represent, to be an international responsibility,
especially in the Middle East. The Middle East is the
cradle of the monotheistic religions, whose peoples
have coexisted for centuries, forged civilizations
and enriched the history of humankind through their
culture and the values of tolerance, goodwill and
friendship. That shared responsibility cannot be based
on international interests in that part of the world while
ignoring the communities living there. Rather, it should
take into account the interests of all of those minorities
and their right to participate in all aspects of the life of
their nation, as they are an integral part of its fabric.

Thirdly, there is a need to intensify ongoing efforts
aimed at reforming and developing the United Nations
and its specialized agencies, so as to bring them into
line with current realities and restore confidence in their
capacity to resolve international issues, counter crime
and adopt the appropriate resolutions and implement
them without obstruction, free from selectivity and
the policy of double standards. That would be an
alternative to the logic of legitimate force that may be
used by peoples whose countries have fallen victim to
aggression and occupation, in the absence of a capable,
guaranteed international mechanism.

For its part, Lebanon will remain faithful to
the message of freedom and coexistence that are its
hallmark, reiterating its commitment to implementing
all decisions of international legitimacy and to upholding
the spirit of moderation and agreement upon which
Lebanon was founded. It will also remain an active
partner in the context of the promotion of a culture of
justice, peace and sustainable human development.


I bring you sincere
greetings and very best wishes from His Excellency
Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of
Sierra Leone. President Koroma regrets that he is unable
to participate in the general debate of the General
Assembly at its sixty-eighth session due to unavoidable
circumstances. He has, however, instructed me, as
his Minister for Foreign Affairs and International
Cooperation, to deliver to the Assembly this message
of goodwill:

“I congratulate Ambassador Ashe most
warmly on his election to direct the affairs of the
Assembly during this session and assure him of
my country’s support and cooperation during his

tenure. Let me avail myself of this opportunity to
also express the appreciation of my delegation to
his predecessor, Mr. Vuk Jeremi. of Serbia, for his
able leadership in directing the work of the General
Assembly during the past session. I wish him well
in his future endeavours. Let me also express
sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General,
Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his constructive and fruitful
leadership of the Organization. Sierra Leone will
continue to support the progressive implementation
of his five-year Global Action Agenda.
“Over the past two decades, global peace,
security and the economic environment have
evidently been radically transformed, to the point
where neither the problems nor their solutions are
simple. The international security situation has
become more complex. Regional hotspot issues keep
flaring up, and turbulence continues in many parts
of the world, in particular Asia and Africa. Human
trafficking, in addition to other non-traditional
security issues such as climate change, nuclear
safety, energy, food and maritime security and
financing for development are becoming more
significant.
“The use of chemical weapons in conflict poses
a renewed global security threat. There is therefore
a need for increased multilateral and collective
engagement and responses to those complex
challenges.
“As we all are aware, the target date for
achieving the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) is only two years away. While we
take stock of what have been achieved and the
challenges that continue to confront us, we should,
in keeping with the principles set out in the United
Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
outcome document, entitled ‘The future we want’
(resolution 66/288, annex), embark upon designing
a post-2015 development goals agenda in which the
specific needs and challenges of every Member
States are recognized. There is no doubt that failure
to capture those specific needs and commitments
would compromise the credibility of such an
agenda.
“We also note that important progress has been
made in many areas, such as reducing poverty
globally, improving access to primary education for
all children, reducing child and maternal mortality,
increasing access to HIV treatment and reducing
slum populations, to name a few. However, this
has not been uniform, as inequalities among many
populations are on the rise, particularly in southern
Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where food insecurity
and malnutrition are still prevalent. While access to
health and education may be expanding for us, the
quality of those services in many regions remains a
serious challenge.
“That is why the theme of this session, ‘The
post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage’,
is timely and appropriate. We are moving into
the phase of mapping out another development
framework that is expected to formulate universal
goals and responsibilities encompassing the
economic, social and environmental spheres. The
post-2015 development agenda should have at its
core the urgent need to address the causes and
consequences of conflict, violence and disasters.
These are universal issues of great concern to
the global community. Resolving and preventing
conflict and violence, creating jobs, providing
further incentives for foreign direct investment,
broadening human and financial resources,
ensuring gender equality and promoting human
rights and the rule of law are not only fundamental
to human progress; they are integral to sustainable
development.
“Sierra Leone welcomes the adoption of
the Arms Trade Treaty earlier this year. This
is a significant and historic achievement in our
collective efforts in pursuit of a safer and more
secure world. We therefore hope that the illegal
transfer of conventional weapons to the wrong
hands — a major source of the escalation of
conflicts in the developing world, particularly
in Africa — can now be largely regulated and
minimized.
“In that regard, we remain committed to
supporting international instruments aimed at
establishing peace and security in the world and an
economic order that is beneficial to the rich and the
poor, the weak and the strong, as well as to nations
big and small.
“In recent years, and despite being under post-
conflict rebuilding, Sierra Leone’s contribution
to the United Nations peacekeeping efforts
demonstrates our strong commitment to the
purpose and principles of global peace and stability.
We stand ready to increase our profile in the

peacekeeping landscape so as to ensure the success
of peacekeeping operations. To that end, we will
continue to actively engage in all new initiatives
for reform of the United Nations peacekeeping
operations.
“We applaud and acknowledge the human
resources and financial support that the United
Nations family and other development partners
continue to provide, especially towards the
successful conduct of our 17 November 2012
presidential, parliamentary and local government
elections, all of which were held in one day, for
the very first time. Those elections were widely
considered to be a critical benchmark for us,
signalling our preparedness to move into a more
developmental phase of peacebuilding. It should
come as little or no surprise that they were widely
acclaimed to be peaceful, free, fair and transparent
by the international community. Their successful
conduct clearly demonstrates the level that Sierra
Leone’s democratic process has attained, an
experience we are willing to share with other
countries in our subregion and beyond.
“Today, Sierra Leone is on the threshold
of transformation in its engagement with the
Peacebuilding Commission as well as in its
socioeconomic development. With support from the
Commission and the Peacebuilding Support Office
as well as other international and local development
partners, Sierra Leone continues to make
significant gains in the areas of good governance,
human rights, gender equality and the fight against
corruption and transnational organized crime. A
number of international treaties have been ratified
and national legislations enacted to address these
challenges, which have the potential to undermine
ongoing peacebuilding and peace-consolidation
efforts.
“Sierra Leone’s vision for transformative and
inclusive socioeconomic development was initially
encapsulated in my Government’s poverty-
reduction strategy, articulated in the ‘Agenda for
Change’ that we rolled out in my first term of
office. These have been encouraging achievements
and with residual challenges as well. In my current,
second term, we are poised to build on those
successes with renewed determination.
“With a sustained commitment to provide
improved standards of living for our people and
to raise the country to middle-income status, we
have rolled those residual challenges over to our
successor development programme, the ‘Agenda
for Prosperity’, which I launched in July this year.
This is Sierra Leone’s road map to our post-2015
development agenda. It aims to build a sustainable
future for all Sierra Leoneans, requiring sound
macroeconomic management and fiscal policies for
a society with strong institutions to facilitate good
governance, the social, economic and political
empowerment of women and young people, the
required social support for the disadvantaged,
increased transparency and accountability, and
justice for all.
“In taking up this huge challenge, Sierra Leone
will continue to welcome the strong partnership that
exists with the various United Nations agencies and
other international development partners for the
achievement of a well-planned, seamless transition
to a more developmental phase of peacebuilding
and for scaling up support to Sierra Leone’s
political and economic priorities, as outlined in
our ‘Agenda for Prosperity’. Sierra Leone, a nation
with good credentials as a post-conflict country, is
a deserving candidate for continued international
support.
“Sierra Leone continues to uphold its national
heritage of interreligious tolerance and peaceful
coexistence, as well as the principle of respect for
human rights and fundamental freedoms. In that
regard, we remain focused on, and committed to,
our reporting obligations to international treaty
bodies.
“In line with the relevant provisions of the
Disability Act 2011, we have established a National
Commission for Persons with Disability. The current
and first Chairman and Chief Commissioner is a
person with impaired vision. We have also enacted
the Sexual Offences Act 2012 to address the specific
issue of sexual violence against women and girls.
Sierra Leone will continue to collaborate with the
United Nations and other interested partners in
promoting the enactment of the Gender Equality
Bill so as to enhance women’s participation in the
decision-making process.
“We commend the support of the United
Nations and international partners for the work
of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, whereby
it has made meaningful contributions to the

advancement of the rule of law at both the national
and international levels. With our continued
support, the Special Court is expected to complete
its mandate by the end of this year.
“We are pleased to note that the Optional
Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights entered into force in May
2013. Sierra Leone pledges its continued support
to the work of the Human Rights Council and the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights as we strive together to maintain
universally accepted standards of human rights and
democratic governance.
“It is in that context that we have also
embarked upon a constitutional review process to
address major socioeconomic and political issues.
A constitutional review committee has been
established with a broad spectrum of membership,
drawn from all political parties, civil society,
women, youth, disabled persons and even the
diaspora. The process will be inclusive and guided
by a critical analysis in a broad national debate, with
the aim of strengthening democratic institutions and
promoting national unity. We expect the committee
to submit a draft review within two years.
“As the coordinator of the African Union
committee of 10 Heads of State on Security Council
reforms, let me once again emphasize the need for
urgent reform of the Council. The role of the United
Nations should be strengthened, not weakened. The
need for equitable geographical representation, with
all the privileges of membership in the Security
Council, cannot be overemphasized. Africa will
therefore continue to work closely with the relevant
stakeholders and Member States, particularly other
non-permanent members of the Council, for an
early and decisive reform of that organ.
“Let me therefore reiterate that Africa’s
participation in the ongoing intergovernmental
negotiations is firmly rooted in our steadfast
commitment to the African common position
articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte
Declaration on the reform of the United Nations.
“The Millennium Development Goals remain
a very lofty agenda in the history of our collective
efforts for global socioeconomic development,
although their full achievement has been thwarted
by a multitude of factors. The year 2015 is a
critical one for the United Nations as it marks the
Organization’s seventieth anniversary. It is also the
target date for the MDGs and the tenth year since
the World Summit was held in 2005.
“We are expected to agree on a post-2015
development framework. It is imperative that
we follow a pragmatic approach with renewed
vigour and commitment to providing our people
with a future that guarantees justice, peace and
security, accountable and democratic governance,
a transparent and equitable distribution of wealth,
a safe and sustainable environment and health and
education for all. Those are all essential elements
in setting the stage for the implementation of the
post-2015 development agenda.
“Let me join the family of the United Nations
in expressing our condolences and solidarity with
the people of Kenya, Pakistan and Nigeria for
the irreparable loss of valuable lives during the
recent terrorist attacks. Our thoughts and prayers
are strongly and firmly with the families of the
deceased.”


As a freshly minted Foreign
Minister, I am delighted to take part in this general
debate. Only a few weeks ago, Australia held national
elections and chose a new Government. Only nine
days ago, I was sworn in as Australia’s thirty-eighth
Minister for Foreign Affairs. A change of Government
is a significant national decision. It has happened only
seven times in our country since the Second World War.

Australia is an open, liberal democracy. We
recognize our good fortune in having an unbroken
record of peaceful democratic transition stretching
back to 1901. The United Nations offers that same ideal
of peace and order in relations among States. It gives us
a place to resolve our differences and to be heard on the
concerns that matter most.

There is an intrinsic connection between the
security and stability of Governments and economic
development. Good Governments understand that
providing a secure and stable environment for their
citizens is their most fundamental task, but that task
is tied inextricably to the strength of their economy.
Economic growth, development and trade are the key
drivers of national and international prosperity, and a
vital support for global security. That is why the new
Australian Government will put economic diplomacy
at the centre of our foreign policy.

We will promote responsible economic governance
and open trading systems that support export-oriented
economies. We recognize that a strong business sector,
open trading rules and liberal foreign investment policies
can foster economic growth and, with it, opportunities
to achieve prosperity and security. Strong economies
give nations and their people an environment in which
to build their lives — to make choices for the lives they
want to lead. Strong, open economies foster sustainable
growth. We understand that from our experience in
Australia and in our region.

Australia’s economic success and high standards
of living are anchored in reform efforts over many
years. We liberalized our economy and unilaterally
dismantled trade barriers and protectionist policies. In
our own region, as economies have opened, standards of
living have improved. We have witnessed the enormous
growth of the middle class in South-East Asia. Estimates
suggest that approximately 145 million people will be
considered middle-class in 2015, up from 95 million in
2010. In Asia more broadly, we expect a middle class
of over 3 billion people by 2030. Indonesia, currently
the world’s sixteenth-largest economy, is on track to be
the world’s seventh-largest economy by 2030. China
and India are projected to become the largest and third
-largest economies by 2030. Over 290 million people in
China were lifted out of poverty in the decade between
1999 and 2009.

The Secretary-General has rightly focused our
attention this week on the needs of the poor, the
commitment we made to them over a decade ago, and
our vision for the future. We need to finish the job on
the Millennium Development Goals. Beyond 2015, we
must prioritize sustainable economic growth in the
global development framework. We must provide the
opportunity for all people, including people with a
disability, to lead healthy and productive lives, leaving
no one behind. We must support women’s economic
participation and empowerment.

The future of peace will be built on economic
prosperity. Aid is an important part of delivering
sustainable economic growth around the world. It
plays a significant role in supporting economic reforms
and good governance, promoting the rule of law and
building the productive capacity of trade-related
sectors. But it is the effectiveness of aid delivery that
matters. For example, infrastructure deficiencies that
prevent developing economies from fully engaging in
the global markets need to be overcome. Estimates of
infrastructure financing needs, including for the roads
and ports required to facilitate trade, dwarf global
aid. According to the Asian Development Bank, Asia
alone will require $750 billion annually over the next
decade to meet its infrastructure needs. This compares
to annual global aid flows of $130 billion. Only the
private sector has the capacity to mobilize the financing
necessary for such massive infrastructure investments.

There is a role for aid in helping to overcome the
obstacles to investment. It must attract, but should
never replace, private-sector capital. The returns are
high. A joint report of the World Trade Organization
and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development estimates that every dollar invested in
aid-for-trade can lift exports from developing countries
by $8.

We firmly believe that the economic growth of
developing countries can be unlocked through trade.
Australia will continue to promote trade liberalization
through the World Trade Organization, through
regional and sector-specific deals, and through bilateral
free trade negotiations. The Australian Government
aims to build a network of bilateral and regional
free-trade agreements. We will work in the World
Trade Organization to rebuild the multilateral trading
agenda. Australia puts the highest priority on global
economic reform and trade liberalization as the best
way to secure jobs and economic growth. These will be
key themes for us as we chair the Group of 20 in 2014.

No one should pretend that the economic sphere
exists in isolation from other parts of our human
experience. Economic progress alone is not sufficient.
We need to ensure that all people around the world are
free to fully exercise their economic, civil and political
rights. Australia was one of eight nations involved in
drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
and in 1948 the Australian President of the General
Assembly, our Foreign Minister Mr. H. V. Evatt,
oversaw the adoption of the Declaration (see A/PV.183).

Since then, Australia has been at the forefront of
defending human rights globally and regionally in support
of equality and fundamental freedoms — freedom
from discrimination; freedom from slavery, torture,
arbitrary arrest, detention or exile; freedom of speech,
conscience and religion; freedom to work, to enjoy
health and education and to participate in the life of
the community. Importantly, these freedoms must
extend to all women and girls, including through equal
access to employment, resources, education and health
services, and they must be underpinned by robust and
independent legal systems to enforce economic, social
and political rights.

Australia will continue to promote and protect
human rights standards around the world. That is
why we are seeking membership of the Human Rights
Council for the 2018-2020 term.

The situation in Syria is an urgent security and
humanitarian crisis we must address. Left unchecked,
it will continue to cause great human suffering and
further destabilize the region. Along with the rest of the
world, Australia has condemned the horrific chemical
weapons attack on 21 August, as we have condemned
the Al-Assad regime’s use of conventional weapons
against its own people.

The first obligation of any Government is to protect
its own citizens. In 2005, leaders of all States Members
of the United Nations signed on to this principle in the
World Summit Outcome on the responsibility to protect
(resolution 60/1). Australia, as current President of the
Security Council, will therefore co-sponsor a draft
resolution before the Council that condemns in the
strongest terms any use of chemical weapons. The draft
resolution will make clear, for the first time, that the use
of chemical weapons is a threat to international peace
and security, and in doing so set a new international
norm that will help to deter future use. It will say that
those responsible for using such weapons must be
brought to justice — a call we strongly endorse.

We welcome the fact that draft resolution sets
out in no uncertain terms that the Al-Assad regime
must comply fully with the requirement to destroy its
chemical weapons. The Organization for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons now needs strong international
support for its role in the destruction of Syria’s chemical
weapons.

Australia will also continue to press for the Council
to take action to assist the humanitarian effort in Syria
and, of course, provide our full backing to efforts to
find a political solution in accordance with the Geneva
communiqué (S/2012/523, annex) that leads to a
cessation of violence and a political transition which
meets the aspirations of all Syrians.

But we cannot just focus on a single instance of
global security, for we are engaged on security challenges
around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific region.
Through our Security Council membership, we draw on
lessons learned from our experience in peacekeeping
and peacebuilding and take forward initiatives that
are meaningful to our region. We welcome the strong
support which the Security Council gave yesterday to
Australia’s resolution 2117 (2013) on small arms and
light weapons. These weapons are a major driver of
many conflicts that are brought to the attention of the
Council.

When Australia led the Regional Assistance
Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) 13 years
ago with our friends from New Zealand, Papua New
Guinea and other countries of the Pacific, one of the
first tasks the Mission faced was to restore peace and
security. RAMSI moved quickly to secure the surrender
of firearms — an early and decisive action that
underpinned the peace that was built and maintained
over the next 10 years. And women played a crucial
part.

That is why, throughout the Pacific, we are
supporting efforts to strengthen women’s participation
in policing, through recruitment, retention, training
and mentoring support. In the Philippines, Australia
is funding women’s participation in peace processes
that bring together Muslim, Christian and indigenous
women. And we continue to build on our record on
security, disarmament and peacekeeping. As co-author
of the draft resolution, we worked to secure the adoption
of the world’s first Arms Trade Treaty (resolution
67/234 B), which has now been signed by the majority
of the United Nations membership, with a further 18
signatories being obtained during the course of this
week.

Outside of the Council, we work directly with
countries in our region to build their security. Australia
commends the efforts of Timor-Leste and the Group of
Seven Plus countries emerging from conflict, including
Solomon Islands and Afghanistan, in their efforts to
promote the rule of law, civil and political institutions
and a strong private sector.

The United Nations is a vital forum for the security
and prosperity of our world. That is what Harry
Truman, President of the United States at the time the
United Nations was founded, imagined when he spoke
of a “world fabric of international security and growing
prosperity”. No community can build lives, families
and nations in the absence of stability, predictability
and security. No country can ensure the security of its
people without an economy that offers them the dignity
to pursue lives they value.

As you have made clear, Mr. President, the task the
United Nations takes on this year and next, setting the
stage for the post-2015 development agenda, is one that
could set the course of humankind for decades to come.
On behalf of the people of Australia, I wish all nations
well in taking on that task, and commit Australia to play
its part. Together, we will strive to build the prosperity
that underpins and supports international peace and
security.


It gives me
pleasure to congratulate Mr. John Ashe and his friendly
country, Antigua and Barbuda, upon his assumption
of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-
eighth session. I take this opportunity to express my
sincere appreciation to his predecessor, Mr. Vuk
Jeremi. of Serbia, for his efforts during the previous
session.

I reiterate our support to the Secretary-General as
he strives to realize the purposes and principles of the
Charter. I also welcome the choice of “The post-2015
development agenda: setting the stage” as the main
theme of this session, considering the high priority that
the United Nations and the peoples of the world accord
to the achievement of development in all its dimensions.

Allow me to deviate from customary practice for
a debate in the General Assembly by conveying to
the Assembly a message that comes not only from the
President of Egypt, Mr. Adly Mansour, but from the
people of my country — the Egyptians who laid the
foundations of human civilization and have recently
inspired peoples around the world.

Egypt holds a unique position in the history of
humankind, past and present. Its status, role and influence
derive essentially from its culture and civilization. It
would have been a historical inconsistency had the will
of the Egyptians remained shackled at the dawn of a
new century, and had our youth remained deprived of
the right to design their own destiny and future. It was
therefore natural for our people to take to the streets on
25 January 2011 to declare their determination to build
a democratic and modern State in which their children
could enjoy freedom, dignity and social justice.

This is the Egypt that millions of my countrymen
and women chose then — the same Egypt they yearned
for on 30 June 2013. In doing so, they showed the world
that the will of the people cannot be broken and that it
can grant authority, just as it can remove it from the
hands of those who abuse it.

The Egyptians have an ambitious vision for the
future that can be achieved by working systematically
in a reasonable time frame. Its success is based on a
society that is open to all peaceful political currents,
that pluralistically embraces the diversity of all its

members, and that inclusively ensures the equal rights
and duties of all citizens through the rule of law and
equality before justice. The principles and practices of
this vision are consistent with the fundamental rules
that govern democratic practices throughout the world,
in particular respect for peaceful dialogue, the rejection
of violence, the rule of law and respect for human rights.

Our conviction that Egyptians have the right to
fulfil such a vision underpins the road map that Egypt
has been implementing since 3 July. That road map
includes a national agenda to build the institutions of a
democratic State in a specific time frame. All Egyptians
are invited to participate in all phases of the political
process, as long as they are committed to renouncing
violence and terrorism or incitement thereto.

Work is under way, in line with the road map, on
several tracks. To date, it has succeeded in establishing
the principles of justice, freedom and democracy as
bases for governance. Work is under way on the new
constitution, to be followed by parliamentary elections
and presidential elections, bringing the transitional
phase to an end by next spring. We are determined to
fully implement the road map. This requires us to give
the utmost priority to preserving security, enforcing
the law and countering any attempts to intimidate
or humiliate us or hinder our efforts. Some parts of
Egypt were recently hit by desperate terrorist attacks.
Among their victims were Egyptians from all walks of
life — men and women, young and old, Muslims and
non-Muslims. Those hideous acts of terrorism sought
to undermine the democratic process and to destroy
our economy. I would like to emphasize and reiterate
in the strongest terms our full confidence that the brave
Egyptian people, who succeeded in imposing their
will, can eradicate terrorism within the framework of
the rule of law. I trust that the international community
will stand firmly with the Egyptian people in the fight
against those who commit or advocate for violence, and
will accept no attempt to justify or tolerate it.

I take this opportunity to convey my deep
condolences to the Government and the people of
Kenya and Pakistan on the loss of innocent lives as a
result of the latest terrorist attack.

The message I am carrying from Egyptians,
particularly our youth, who are joining me here today
and representing their ancient country, would not be
complete without mentioning Egypt’s aspirations to
enjoy more democratic international relations and
stronger ties of cooperation between our people and
the rest of the world. Those relations should be based
on the principles of independence, mutual respect
and non-interference in the internal affairs of other
countries and on a foreign policy founded on equality
and a constructive, civilized vision for the future.
Egypt’s foreign policy is now a reflection of the will
of our people, and it is formulated in line with our
national interests and security with no regard to any
other consideration.

We fully recognize that Egypt’s national security
is linked to the security and concerns of our Arab
nation. Given its geographical location, history and
identity, Egypt is committed to continuing to defend
the interests of its African continent, to address the
issues of importance to the Islamic world, to spread
the Islamic values of moderation and tolerance, and to
promote dialogue among divine religions. Egypt also
remains committed to tackling the challenges facing
the South at a time when the world is witnessing an
imbalance of power.

I would now like to briefly highlight Egypt’s
position on several issues of high priority in our foreign
policy.

In Syria, the tragedy has now extended to the resort
to chemical weapons. We strongly condemn their use
and support the agreement reached between the Russian
Federation and the United States, as well as Security
Council resolution 2118 (2013). While the humanitarian
crisis resulting from the fighting continues to intensify,
the Syrian State itself is on the verge of disintegration.
It is imperative to reach a political solution as soon
as possible that would establish the freedom, dignity
and democracy to which the people of Syria aspire
and preserve the unity of the State. We hope that can
be achieved through the holding of the “Geneva II”
conference, so that a transitional authority can be put in
place to end the civil war and the foreign interventions
that we have long warned against.

The Palestinian question remains the main source
of tension in our region. Palestine is still suffering
the effects of the ongoing Israeli occupation of Arab
territories and the intensification of settlement activities.
The hope for achieving a two-State solution was until
recently on the verge of fading away irrevocably.
Given that bleak scenario, we welcome and appreciate
the recent efforts of the United States to advance the
resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. The

commitment of both sides to engaging in a process of
time-bound negotiations is a significant development.
We should all support the ongoing negotiations so that
they may lead to the final settlement of the Palestinian
question, which has continued since the past century.

Egypt will continue to support the right of the
Palestinian people to self-determination and the
establishment of an independent and sovereign State,
with East Jerusalem as its capital, on all the territories
of the West Bank and Gaza and in accordance with the
Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant terms of reference.
I reiterate that the needs of the Gaza population must
be met. The failure to do so has become politically
and morally unacceptable. We therefore call on Israel
and the international community to shoulder their
responsibilities and ensure that the Palestinians in Gaza
have access to basic supplies. We are ready to cooperate
with the Palestinian authority and all concerned parties
to agree on appropriate arrangements that guarantee
the delivery of provisions in legal and transparent ways.

The Assembly will agree that a new Middle East
will not emerge until the right to equal security is
ensured and the threats posed by the existence in our
region of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass
destruction are eliminated. The situation threatens
the credibility of the non-proliferation regime and the
United Nations. For that reason, and to preserve that
credibility, I would like to introduce to the Assembly
today an initiative consisting of the following steps.

First, we must invite all countries of the Middle
East and the five permanent members of the Security
Council to deposit official letters with the Secretary-
General stating their support for declaring the Middle
East a region free from nuclear, chemical and biological
weapons of mass destruction.

Secondly, the countries of the region that have not
signed or ratified any of the international conventions
on weapons of mass destruction should commit, before
the end of 2013, to simultaneously signing and ratifying
the relevant conventions. They should also deposit
documentation of their accession to those conventions
with the Security Council. I invite the Secretary-
General to coordinate such steps so that they are carried
out simultaneously to ensure their success.

Those actions translate into the following. Israel
must accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear State, ratify the
Chemical Weapons Convention, and sign and ratify the
Biological Weapons Convention. Syria must ratify the
Biological Weapons Convention and take the remaining
steps it has pledged to take in relation to the Chemical
Weapons Convention. Egypt must ratify the Biological
Weapons Convention and sign and ratify the Chemical
Weapons Convention, provided that all countries of
the Middle East complete measures of accession to the
international conventions prohibiting weapons of mass
destruction and related arrangements and treaties.

Thirdly, we must pursue international efforts to
ensure that the delayed 2012 conference to establish a
Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction
is convened as soon as possible, preferably before the
end of 2013 and by the spring of 2014 at the latest.

Egypt’s roots go deep in Africa. We are proud of
the many positive changes that Africa has witnessed
and of the strides the continent has taken towards
democracy and development. Yet Africa remains in
need of concerted national, regional and international
efforts to enable the continent to resolve its conflicts
and challenges. Accordingly, Egypt will soon establish
an Egyptian agency for development partnership. Most
of its future resources will be directed to African
countries so that they can benefit from Egyptian
technical expertise and assets.

We cannot talk about democracy in current
international relations and the rule of law at the
international level unless comprehensive and
substantial reform of the United Nations takes place,
so that the Organization is better able to respond to
challenges and to meet the aspirations of peoples
worldwide. The only logical and sound way to achieve
that desired outcome is the reform and expansion of the
Security Council. Egypt therefore renews its call for
an end to the monopoly of permanent members over
the decision-making process in the Council and for
the rectification of the historical injustice inflicted on
Africa. The continent does not have a permanent seat
on the Council and is poorly represented in the category
of non-permanent members. Africa will not renounce
its demands to obtain the permanent membership it
deserves, as specified in the Ezulwini Consensus and
the Sirte Declaration.

In conclusion, I would like to highlight our
priority issues within the United Nations system. They
include strengthening the international human rights
framework, addressing the absence of democracy in
international relations, accelerating the achievement of

the Millennium Development Goals, realizing nuclear
disarmament and fighting corruption, including
recovering the assets stolen by key members of the
regimes recently brought down by our peoples. We
reiterate that we are determined to continue empowering
women nationally and internationally, to protecting
human rights, and to allowing our youth to contribute
effectively to the elaboration of Egypt’s vision for the
world and for its future.

I take this opportunity to welcome the appointment
a few months ago by the Secretary-General of a Special
Envoy on Youth who comes from the Arab world. We
must also exert concerted efforts at the international
level to combat terrorism and strengthen the capacity
of the United Nations to coordinate those efforts and
address the root causes of terrorism.

In conclusion, I truly hope that the message I have
delivered on behalf of the people and the President of
Egypt has been received by the Assembly today. I also
hope that the aspirations it identified will be realized so
that we may achieve progress, peace and development
and that next year we may reap the fruits of our labour.


Let me first join previous
speakers in expressing my delegation’s deepest
sympathies and condolences to the families of the
victims and to the people and the Government of Kenya
on the terrorist attack at Westgate Mall in Nairobi.

It is almost two generations now since Eritrea
first begun to lodge petitions for justice with this
body. Sadly, in all of those instances, the Assembly
has persisted in ignoring Eritrea’s pleas, shuttering
its doors as a “closed monastery”. Those setbacks
notwithstanding, Eritrea remains firmly convinced
that the promotion of peoples’ rights and interests and
mutual respect among the community of nations will
remain precarious without an international body that
upholds the supremacy of international law and justice.
As such, our choice, like those of other peoples, has
been and remains the funnelling of efforts towards
expediting the reform of the United Nations.

To focus exclusively on the harm done to the people
and State of Eritrea may convey the false impression
of an aberration in an otherwise effective and well-
functioning United Nations. As it is, the particularity
of our case only amplifies the wider backdrop of a
United Nations debilitated by chronic weaknesses

and shortcomings. In any event, my message today
will focus primarily on the urgency of reforming the
United Nations and redressing the injustices committed
against the people of Eritrea as well as other peoples of
the world.

The negative experiences during the first 50
years of the existence of the United Nations and the
paralysis and constraints under which the United
Nations had to operate in the context of the realities of
the Cold War in a bipolar world accentuated the need
for structural reform of the United Nations at that time.
In Eritrea’s case, our inalienable right to independence
was trampled at the onset of the Cold War, since the
country was perceived as a mere pawn in the overriding
strategic rivalry of both super-Powers. Our liberation
struggle was likewise suppressed by both super-Powers
in an alternating fashion because of the same strategic
considerations and shifting alliances.

Yesterday’s history is too fresh in our minds to
induce in us any nostalgia for the Cold War. Our call
for reform of the United Nations is thus not influenced
by some innate preference for the return of the old,
bipolar configuration to replace the prevailing unipolar
world order. The fact is that the United Nations should
have undergone incremental reform and revitalization
during the 50 years of the Cold War. The end of the
Cold War was certainly the most auspicious moment for
undertaking that belated task.

Indeed, it is now clear in retrospect that had such
reforms occurred then, the wars and destruction that have
unfolded in the past 20 years could have been avoided.
However, the major Powers that controlled the General
Assembly and the various institutions and agencies
of the United Nations, through partial hegemony, felt
after 1991 that they were better positioned to secure and
consolidate their total domination of the United Nations.
They blocked any reform of the United Nations, and
so that historic opportunity for international peace and
justice to prevail was lost.

In the past 20 years, we have witnessed excessive
control over global resources and the creation of
spheres of influence, which has triggered international
instability; the use of force and coercion as primary
instruments for controlling global resources while
preventing and denying others the opportunity to acquire
comparable military capabilities and technology; and
the deployment of international financial institutions,
including the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund, in order to control the global economy,
leading to an intractable global financial crisis with
lethal ramifications for the majority of the peoples of
the world. We have also witnessed the misuse of the
mass media and cultural centres in order to create
false images and to promote decadent value systems,
intimidate peoples and demonize any dissent; and the
employment of various subterfuges in order to control,
directly or indirectly, all international, continental,
regional, governmental and non-governmental bodies.
Those manifestations of the current world order can be
corroborated, beyond abstract analysis, by numerous
specific cases and evidence related to particular events,
places and time. That is precisely why the twenty-first
century requires a revitalized United Nations that
transcends a bipolar or unipolar world order, and that
is firmly rooted in the supremacy of, and respect for,
international law and justice.

As I have intimated, Eritrea, like other African
States that were formed during the colonial scramble,
should have attained its sovereign independence during
the process of decolonization that transpired in the
aftermath of the Second World War. The inalienable
national rights of the Eritrean people were, however,
compromised to serve the strategic interests of the
United States, which had emerged as a triumphant
Power. Eritrea was therefore doomed to colonial rule
by proxy. The people of Eritrea had to endure colonial
suppression for almost 40 years under successive
regimes, which were propped up, alternately, by the
United States for the first 23 years and by the former
Soviet Union for the subsequent 17 years. The Eritrean
people had to wage their liberation struggle under those
conditions, which exacted heavy sacrifices from them
to achieve their independence in 1991. That historical
truth, coupled with other similar phenomena, illustrates
the perils of a world order that is driven by the rivalry
of domineering super-Powers, and highlights the need
and urgency for an effective United Nations.

The Eritrean people were neither compensated
for the transgressions meted out to them nor given
respite in the subsequent years. As they embarked on
the arduous task of rebuilding their war-torn country,
they again became pawns in the broader Horn of
Africa/Middle East chessboard of domination and
influence and have suffered unjust and distorted policies
for the past 20 years. In that respect, border conflicts
that do not have political and legal justifications and
that were never raised prior to the independence of

Eritrea in 1991 were subtly fomented to ensnare Eritrea
in a spiral of crises.

Although the Boundary Commission had rendered
its final and binding decision in 2002, the spurious
border conflict that erupted under the Badme rubric
continued to simmer for 11 years due to obstructive
violations by the United States Administration. The
Eritrean people were also subjected to a sustained
human trafficking campaign and illicit measures aimed
at undermining economic growth and development,
as well as diplomatic and propaganda campaigns of
demonization.

Going even further, United States officials
imposed unlawful sanctions against Eritrea in 2009
through the Security Council. Four years on, they
insist on maintaining the sanctions, despite the lack of
any evidence or justification, by relying on the widely
discredited reports of the Monitoring Group on Somalia
and Eritrea.

Beyond Eritrea, the same approaches and policies
have exacerbated crises and further undermined
stability, development and cooperation in Somalia and
other parts of the Horn of Africa. Despite that massive
hostility and in the face of tremendous odds, the people
and Government of Eritrea have remained steadfast,
prioritized development efforts and the improvement
of citizens’ lives, and have worked persistently to
make their modest contribution to regional peace and
stability, including by fighting terrorism and piracy.
Their achievements, given the difficulties they faced,
have been remarkable, even though they fall far short
of their aspirations.

Looking forward, the people and the Government
of Eritrea are prepared to link hands with regional and
international partners, including the United Nations,
and to work for the betterment of their country for
peace, stability and regional integration in the Horn of
Africa and a fairer and more just world.

The transgressions that have been perpetrated
against the people of Eritrea and other peoples in the
past 20 years speak to the persistence of an unfair and
unjust global order and the absence of a strong and
representative United Nations. And yet, the telltale signs
of the advent of a new, promising era are discernible. In
that context, I add the voice of the Eritrean people to
other voices in the world to urge the General Assembly
to keep the flicker of hope alive in its current session
and to adopt timely resolutions aimed at a fundamental
reform of the United Nations. The fact is that the
Assembly has legal, moral and historical obligations
and responsibilities entrusted to it by the peoples of the
world that it cannot shrug off.

In conclusion, I urge the United Nations to adopt
practical resolutions that are commensurate with its
legal, political and moral responsibilities in order to,
first, uphold the rule of law; secondly, bring to an end
the invasion of our sovereign territories; thirdly, lift
the unlawful and harmful sanctions against Eritrea;
fourthly, terminate interventions that jeopardize the
peace and stability of the peoples of the Horn of Africa;
and, fifthly, deter all acts that breed crises, loss of life
and destruction.


I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Community
of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC),
over which Cuba currently has the honour to preside. I
reiterate our satisfaction at the election of Ambassador
John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda as President of the
General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session. I also
reiterate our willingness to cooperate with him for the
success of this session. It is an honour for CELAC to
see a representative from one of its member States,
in particular a Caribbean nation, preside over this
preeminent body of the United Nations.

Over the coming weeks, I will also speak to the
Assembly about the heroic struggles of Cuba, its
resistance and triumphs, the immense efforts of its
people, its fidelity to principles, its revolutionary
transformations and the perfection of Cuban socialism.

As the first genuinely Latin American and
Caribbean organization that includes all of the countries
in the region, CELAC was founded with the purpose
of making progress in the political, economic, social
and cultural unity and integration of our America, so
as to reclaim the dream of our liberators of a nation of
republics that, with its almost 600 million inhabitants,
its resources and its enormous human and economic
potential, can decide autonomously its own destiny.

The countries of our region share the conviction
that the political, economic, social and cultural unity
and integration of Latin America and the Caribbean
constitute not only a fundamental aspiration of our
peoples, but also a prerequisite for us to successfully
tackle the challenges we face as a region. However,
everything that has been achieved so far and the path
CELAC has chosen underscore the need for our region
to have a space of its own to consolidate and project
the Latin American and Caribbean identity based on its
shared principles and values and on the ideals of unity
and democracy for our peoples. It should also reaffirm
our commitment to building a more just, equitable and
harmonious international order based on respect for
international law and the principles of the Charter of the
United Nations, and to upholding the sovereignty and
the right of each State to build its own political system,
free from threat, aggression or unilateral coercive
measures and in an environment of peace, stability,
justice, democracy and respect for human rights.

Our Community is based on unrestricted respect
for international law, the peaceful settlement of disputes
and the prohibition of the use and threat of use of force;
on respect for the self-determination, sovereignty and
territorial integrity of States and on non-interference in
their internal affairs; on the protection and promotion
of all human rights, the rule of law, at both the national
and the international levels, and democracy; and on our
aim to work together for collective prosperity so as to
eradicate discrimination, inequality, marginalization,
human rights violations and transgressions of the rule
of law.

We reaffirm our region’s commitment to
international peace and security. We commit to
strengthening the climate of peace that prevails in
Latin America and the Caribbean and to consolidating
a zone of peace that encompasses our region as a
whole, whereby disputes between nations are resolved
peaceably through dialogue and negotiation or other
means, in perfect harmony with international law.

At the recent High-level Meeting on Nuclear
Disarmament (A/68/PV.11), CELAC reiterated its
profound concern at the threat posed to humankind
by the continued existence of nuclear weapons and
their possible use or threat of use, and the urgent need
to make progress towards the priority objective of
nuclear disarmament and achieve the total and absolute
elimination of nuclear weapons. In addition, CELAC
member countries presented for the first time a joint

initiative to the Human Rights Council on the right to
peace, which we hope will lead to a declaration on that
right for adoption by the General Assembly.

CELAC has expressed its support in the strongest
terms for the legitimate rights of Argentina in the
dispute over the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands.
The continuing position of our region is that the United
Kingdom should agree to reopen negotiations with a
view to finding a peaceful and definitive solution to
that dispute as soon as possible.

Our Community reiterates its support for the
dialogue under way between the Government of
Colombia and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias
de Colombia, which seeks to end the internal conflict
that has affected the political, social and economic
development of that sister nation for more than 50 years.
We hope that that initiative will succeed in reaching an
agreement in the interests of the Colombian people.

We would also like to underscore the Latin
American and Caribbean character of Puerto Rico
and, by taking note of the resolutions on Puerto Rico
adopted by the Special Political and Decolonization
Committee, to emphasize that that issue is a matter of
interest to CELAC.

We reiterate our absolute condemnation of terrorism
and reaffirm our commitment to fighting it in all its
forms and manifestations, in keeping with the United
Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. However,
at the same time, we strongly reject the unilateral and
illegitimate assessments, lists and certifications made
by some developed countries that affect countries of
our region, in particular those referring to terrorism,
drug trafficking, human trafficking and other similar
phenomena.

In recent days, as the situation in Syria has
deteriorated, CELAC has reiterated its vocation for
peace and its observance of the principles enshrined in
the Charter of the United Nations and in international
law, including international humanitarian law. It has
urged the creation of the conditions necessary for
moving towards a negotiated political solution to
the Syrian conflict, which has claimed the lives of
thousands of innocent people.

Similarly, CELAC is working to identify
independent concepts and mechanisms for cooperation,
urging the international community to continue to
contribute to the reconstruction and sustainable
development of our sister Republic of Haiti, in
accordance with the fundamental priorities and needs
defined by the Haitian Government and in full respect
for its authority and sovereignty and the principles of
non-interference in the internal affairs of countries.

We have defended the sovereignty of the region,
including that over our own natural resources,
and we have expressed our solidarity with States
members of CELAC in the face of harmful acts that
violate international law, such as that of 2 July, which
threatened the dignity and rights of the President of the
Plurinational State of Bolivia, Mr. Evo Morales Ayma,
as he returned to La Paz from a visit to a number of
European countries.

Taking into account the diverse processes that
have shaped Latin American and Caribbean identity,
the Community has also emphasized its intention to
become a space that protects the rights to live, thrive
and coexist enjoyed by all cultures, races and ethnic
groups of the region, as well as the multicultural nature
of our peoples and the plurinational character of some
of our countries, especially among native communities
that are promoting and recreating their historical
memory, ancestral knowledge and their experience.

Almost seven months after he passed away, CELAC
today pays a well-deserved tribute to one of its founding
members, President Hugo Chávez Frías, who presided
over the founding summit of the Community with his
vision and mastery. Similarly, CELAC expressed its
satisfaction over the election of Pope Francis as the
first High Pontiff of the Catholic Church from the Latin
American and Caribbean region.

The global espionage against CELAC member
countries violates human rights, the right to privacy, the
right of citizens to be informed, and the principles of
State sovereignty and international law. It has become
a source of concern, and we have taken due note of the
statements made in various forums by Heads of States
and Government and other leaders of Latin American
and Caribbean countries who have condemned and
rejected the use of such practices.

The member States of CELAC are proud of their
shared work in consolidating our regional sovereignty so
that the Latin America and Caribbean region can occupy
its rightful place in the world and renounce its status
as the most inequal region on Earth. In pursuing these
objectives, we have decided to offer the most vulnerable
countries of the region our cooperation and solidarity
and to draw attention to the special vulnerabilities

of the countries of the Caribbean Community, given
their status as small island developing States, which
limits their efforts towards sustainable development,
especially in light of the significant impact of natural
disasters and the negative effects of climate change.

With regard to the indispensable reform of the
international system, we have renewed our countries’
commitment to multilateralism, the comprehensive
reform of the United Nations system, and the
democratization of international decision-making
forums, in particular the Security Council. We shall act
accordingly on issues of equal importance, among them
the process of formulating the post-2015 development
agenda, which is the theme of this general debate and
to which all CELAC member countries attach great
importance.

The members of CELAC know that there can be
no lasting peace without development and without
combating poverty, hunger and inequality. We are
aware of the challenges that the current international
economic and financial crisis poses to the future of our
region and our legitimate aspirations to social inclusion,
equitable growth with sustainable development, and
integration. We therefore emphasize the importance
for the post-2015 development agenda to consist of
voluntary, universal, clear and quantifiable goals
that can be adapted to distinct national realities, with
the purpose of eradicating poverty and promoting
sustainable development. This new framework should
be inclusive and transparent on official development
assistance, prompt the developed countries to honour
their commitments, and encourage South-South and
triangular cooperation on cross-cutting issues through
the participation of all sectors of society.

With regard to climate change, we welcome the
formal adoption of the second phase of commitments
under the Kyoto Protocol, despite a lack of political
will on the part of a number of developed nations that
vetoed agreements on new, additional and predictable
resources and on mechanisms for the effective transfer
of technologies to developing countries. We will
continue to work together to cope with this scourge that
affects humankind as a whole today.

There are many difficulties, but the important
thing is that the countries of Latin American and the
Caribbean have come to the conclusion that the time
has come for the region, as José Martí said, to walk in
close ranks, like silver in the roots of the Andes. That is
why we created CELAC.