Allow me at the outset to convey to all present
the apologies of His Excellency Paul Biya, President of
the Republic of Cameroon, who wanted to participate
in the sixty-eighth session of the General Assembly
but was not able to owing for constraints relating to the
national political calendar. He instructed me to read out
the following message:

“As President Ashe takes the reins of the
General Assembly, the United Nations is entering a

critical period that should lead to the defining of the
international development agenda that will follow
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Aware of his vast responsibility and the tremendous
amount of work he will be facing during this
session, I would like to convey to him the sincere
congratulations of my country in connection with
his election to preside over the Assembly and wish
him every success in this challenging but rewarding
undertaking. His vast experience in the area of
diplomacy, which was made clear when he presided
over the Commission on Sustainable Development
and the Group of 77 and China, ensures a fruitful
outcome to our present deliberations and to the
work of the General Assembly for the 12 months
ahead.
“Those same qualities were the major strengths
of his predecessor, Mr. Vuk Jeremi., and I should
like here to commend his dynamic and effective
presidency of the Assembly at its sixty-seventh
session.
“Lastly, I would extend our sense of satisfaction
to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his efforts
in the service of peace and economic and social
development worldwide.
“This session is beginning in a context marked
by the bloody terrorist acts committed in a mall in
Nairobi, Kenya, several days ago. This is for me
an opportunity to strongly condemn those acts
of violence and to convey to the people and the
Government of that brotherly country the deepest
condolences of the people and the Government of
Cameroon.
“Let me, on a more optimistic note, welcome
the end of the crisis in Mali, which resulted in the
democratic election of President Ibrahim Boubacar
Keita. The end of that process, which had the
welcome support of the international community,
represents a milestone in peacebuilding, security,
national reconciliation and development in that
country.
“As I noted at the start of my remarks,
throughout this session we must reflect deeply
on the post-2015 development agenda. During
the 2010 high-level debate, we noted that while
progress made in achieving some of the MDGs,
significant disparities persisted between countries
and between regions.
“We noted that, despite the progress, at the
current pace of implementation very few countries
would achieve all the MDGs by the deadline.
With two years to go, we must point out that it
will be difficult for Cameroon to achieve some of
the Goals. Substantial progress has been made in
reaching some of the targets. In the area of health
care, which is considered to be the catalyst for
economic and social development, with a view to
reducing poverty, my country remains committed
to the effort to combat the AIDS pandemic. The
allocation of substantial resources to the fight
against that disease, the distribution of free
antiretroviral drugs, the effective care of the sick
and the implementation of an efficient prevention
programme, including the transmission from
mother to child, have led to a considerable decline
in the rate of HIV infection in Cameroon. From
10.5 per cent in 2000, the rate dropped to 4.3 per
cent in 2012, a decline of more than 50 per cent.
“Another genuine source of satisfaction for
Cameroon is the progress made in the area of
education. The Government has strived to continue
and strengthen the numerous efforts to ensure
primary education for all Cameroonians. I would
underscore that the national target is to provide
to all children — boys and girls — throughout
Cameroon, the resources to achieve a complete
primary schooling cycle. The implementation of
the sectoral strategy on education has led to clear
progress in the implementation of the education
policy. I can mention, among other things, the
expansion of school infrastructure, the improvement
in the teacher-student ratio, the reduction in the
number of students who repeat a school year and
the improvement of girls’ education. The result of
those actions is that the Cameroon today has one
of the highest literacy rates in sub-Saharan Africa,
with an enrolment rate of nearly 100 per cent.
“But the same progress has not been achieved
with respect to the targets of the other Goals.
That is the case for most developing countries,
including Cameroon. Hence the need to further our
thinking that began in Rio de Janeiro in the context
of the post-2015 development agenda and, as the
President wished, to set the stage for the post-MDG
development agenda. That thinking should be based
on a clear assessment of the challenges encountered
and lessons learned in the implementation of the

MDGs in order to consider the prospects for the
future international framework.
“The full implementation of the Millennium
Development Goals faces structural difficulties for
some and temporary difficulties for others. They
include climate change, the financial crisis and
food insecurity. Those difficulties raise a number
of important questions about how the MDGs were
formulated. Were we too ambitious? Was the 2015
deadline realistic? Would an effective follow-
up and support mechanism for States not have
been necessary? Did we give ourselves adequate
resources to ensure implementation? Clearly,
Millennium Development Goal 8 — ‘develop a
global partnership for development’ — was the
beginning of an answer to the last point. However,
that Goal will also be difficult to achieve by 2015.
“All the MDGs will probably not all be achieved
by 2015. We should, however, acknowledge that
the programme will enable the achievement of
clear progress in many areas. It has allowed us to
convey the very complex language of development
in clear objectives accessible to all and enabled
every one to articulate simple requirements and
needs to their Government. We should safeguard
those achievements in framework of the post-2015
agenda.
“The post-2015 agenda should also take into
account the viewpoint of developing countries,
which are the primary targets. In that regard, I
congratulate the United Nations for having initiated
a broad and inclusive process of consultations
to garner the views of all, in particular those of
academics and civil society organizations, with
respect to the MDGs and the framework that will
follow them. Consultations of that kind have been
held in Cameroon. They have enabled civil society
to issue recommendations for the post-MDG
framework. Those recommendations are in keeping
with the MDGs in terms of strengthening the
actions to undertake in order to provide universal
access to primary education, to reduce maternal
and infant mortality and to improve access to water
and sanitation.
“Furthermore, in the context of the next
programme, my country believes that particular
focus should be placed on creating decent jobs
as an engine of economic growth and sustainable
development. It is in that context that, in 2010,
Cameroon crafted a strategy document for
growth and employment. That document is part
of Cameroon’s shared development vision to 2035,
through which the economic performance of my
country will lead to concrete results in terms of
creating jobs, reducing poverty and significantly
improving the living conditions of our people,
especially for women and youth.
“While the creation of decent jobs should,
according to Cameroon, occupy a central position,
environmental issues should not be neglected. In
accordance with the spirit of Rio de Janeiro, those
issues will make it possible to determine the future
we want for humankind and to work seriously to
bring it about.
“To ensure that new development goals
will be achieved by the established deadline,
coherent national initiatives must be supported
by an effective global partnership. Therefore, in
addition to the provisions that may be taken at the
international level by donors — increased pledges,
concessional loans, debt swaps, debt restructuring
and debt cancellation — and at the national level
by developing countries, it is crucial that control
be better maintained over the financial and raw
materials markets in order to enable countries to
better withstand external shocks.
“We should also consider the possibility of
setting up a support fund for implementing the new
development programme, as well as regular follow-
up mechanisms at the international and regional
levels for achieving each goal.
“Beyond the difficulties I have already
noted, the MDGs, like the future international
development framework, can be optimally achieved
only if an appropriate security environment is
ensured. Unfortunately, developing countries, and
Africa in particular, continue to be a stage for many
conflicts.
“The situation in the Central African Republic,
that in the eastern part of the Democratic People’s
Republic of the Congo and the turmoil following
the crises of the Arab Spring in North Africa are
all sources of concern that could jeopardize the
development efforts undertaken by the States
involved. With respect to the political, security and
humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic

in particular, which has reached proportions
unprecedented in the history of that country,
Cameroon and other States of the Economic
Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
have shouldered their responsibilities by sending
troops to Bangui to stabilize the situation. Similarly,
we have actively contributed to the establishment
of a road map that should enable them to restore
normal constitutional order within 18 to 24 months.
“Cameroon calls on the international
community to support the efforts of the Central
African subregion, in particular in order to quickly
operationalize the international support mission
for the Central African Republic and to mobilize
humanitarian assistance commensurate with the
problems the country faces.
“Those political, security and humanitarian
crises are compounded by recurrent acts of banditry,
such as abductions of civilians and maritime piracy.
The development of the latter criminal activity,
which poses a threat to international trade, has
reached alarming proportions. According to the
International Maritime Bureau, the number of acts
of piracy identified along the coast of West Africa
in 2012 exceeded for the first time the number of
attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
“To deal with that problem, Yaounde,
Cameroon’s capital, hosted on 24 and 25 June, in
accordance with Security Council resolution 2039
(2012), of 29 February 2012, a joint summit of the
Economic Community of Central Africa States,
the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) and the Commission of the Gulf of
Guinea (GGC) on maritime safety and security in
the Gulf of Guinea. This was aimed at combatting
piracy, armed robbery and other illegal activities
perpetrated in the maritime space of the Gulf of
Guinea.
“The Heads of State and Government of
ECCAS, ECOWAS and the CGG, meeting together
for the first time since the establishment of those
three institutions, decided to set up an interregional
coordination centre to monitor anti-piracy efforts
in their common maritime space and to pool their
resources. The headquarters of the centre, whose
purpose is to implement a regional strategy to
combat piracy, armed robbery and other illicit acts
in the Gulf of Guinea, was given to Cameroon.
Everything is being done to make it operational as
quickly as possible. I would here like to commend
the assessment of the results of the summit by the
United Nations and other strategic partners and
their commitment to support the implementation of
the resolutions Yaounde meeting.
“As I pointed out on the occasion of the summit,
in order to achieve the desired security objective,
it will be necessary for all stakeholders to fully
assume their role in the effective implementation
of the instruments that the three organizations have
put in place. As with the MDGs, the support of all
of our strategic partners is crucial to effectively
fight against piracy and other forms of insecurity
in the Gulf of Guinea.
“Anything that will promote the development
of the region will contribute to improving global
growth and security and represent significant
progress towards ‘The future we want’ — a future
of peace and prosperity for all.”


I am honoured to
address the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session
on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia and
to extend my warmest congratulations to the President
and to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda on the
occasion of his election as President of the Assembly
at this session. I trust that he will bring his wealth of
experience to bear on the work of the current session. In
a similar vein, I congratulate his predecessor, Mr. Vuk
Jeremi. of the Republic of Serbia, for his leadership of
the Assembly at the sixty-seventh session and for the
initiatives he undertook during his tenure.

Let me also extend my special appreciation to
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his inspiring
leadership and his visionary initiatives that have
mobilized the international community around many
noble objectives. Those initiatives have engendered
hope among the people around the world, especially the
poor and marginalized.

We are deeply concerned about the growing
number of acts of senseless violence around the world,
as exemplified by the ghastly and cowardly murder of
innocent persons in a terrorist attack on a shopping

mall in Kenya. We commiserate with the families of all
victims and with the Government and sisterly people of
Kenya on such a terrible loss.

Because we know first-hand the profound destruction
and long-lasting hurt inherent in civil conflict, we
also agonize with the people of Syria, particularly
those innocent women and children who suffer most
from such tragedy. We unequivocally condemn the
use of chemical weapons in Syria and anywhere else
in the world, and we call for concerted and renewed
international effort to stem the rising scourge of
terrorism and other transnational crimes through action
to control and eliminate weapons of mass destruction.

We welcome the communications revolution that
has provided a broad cyber platform for the exchange
of information. However, that should not provide a
vehicle for the promotion of terrorism and the spread
of unfounded and irresponsible information through
unregulated cyber weaponry that threatens the security
of nations, particularly fragile States, and open societies
of freedom and democracy.

Colleague after colleague who will address
the Assembly will no doubt express pride at the
tremendous progress in Africa. Our continental growth
has averaged over 5 percent annually, surpassing
that of other regions. Moreover, our economies are
diversifying, our trade infrastructure is expanding, our
democracies are strong and maturing, and our regional
institutions strengthening and leading the processes of
cooperation and integration. But the new Africa story
is not just about growth. We see improvement in school
enrolment, health indicators, in trade and investment.
The share of people living in poverty is declining.
Democracy, while still needing room for improvement,
has become the norm rather than the exception, and
governance has improved significantly over the past
decade.

We are equally pleased with the progress made in
resolving conflicts in several of our countries, as we
welcome the international support that has set Somalia
on a trajectory of peace and development.

We appreciate the strong collaboration among
regional economic communities, the African Union
and the United Nations, joined by the international
community, that responded robustly in the Malian
crisis, thereby averting the threat posed to the peace and
security of the entire region. The recent inauguration
of a new, democratically elected President in Mali is
a clear indication that such cooperation is the surest
path to world peace. We congratulate the newly elected
President of Mali, Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, for
receiving the overwhelming endorsement of the Malian
people, and we commend all stakeholders for respecting
the outcome of the democratic process. We also salute
the former interim President, Mr. Dioncounda Traoré,
and all partners for working to restore constitutional
order within the stipulated time period.

Although Liberia still faces the residual challenges
of its own conflict, and despite our size and limited
military strength, I am pleased to report that a small
contingent of Liberian troops is currently participating
in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated
Stabilization Mission in Mali. We view our role in that
peacekeeping effort as a way of reciprocating, albeit in
a small way, the countless demonstrations of friendship
and goodwill that were accorded to us by Mali and
other members of the international community during
our dark days of war.

Once the epicentre of a regional war, I am pleased
to note that the neighboring countries of the Mano River
Union — Côte D’Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone and
Liberia — are at peace and engaged in consolidating the
gains of stability to accelerate national transformation
through regional integration. A new Mano River Union
initiative will facilitate connectivity in our power and
transport systems, thereby enhancing cross-border
trade, in which our market women are actively engaged.

I bring greetings from the Government and people
of Liberia, who are this year celebrating 10 consecutive
years of peace and progress. In those 10 years, our
nation’s pride has been restored and we have returned
to the community of nations as a respectable and
responsible partner. With the support of the international
community, especially the United Nations through
its peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts, we have
rebuilt a new ethnically balanced professional army and
increased the size and enhanced the professionalism
of our police, immigration and intelligence forces, in
line with our commitment to bear full responsibility
for security with in our borders as United Nations
peacekeepers execute a phased drawdown.

In that regard, we commend the Security Council
for its recent adoption of resolution 2116 (2013),
which extends the mandate of the United Nations
peacekeeping Mission in Liberia to 30 September 2014.
We fully commit to meeting all the expectations of the

resolution, including continuing to take concrete steps
aimed at developing and sustaining a self-sufficient and
competent security sector able to tackle violent crimes,
sexual and gender-based violence and the infringement
of the rights of the ordinary person.

Thanks to our commitment and the resilience
of the Liberian people, we have instituted a host of
reforms intended to improve governance, enhance
accountability and create an enabling environment
for the exercise of basic freedoms, including freedom
of speech and the press. That has put the country on
a path of irreversible progress, which has enabled us
to conduct two democratic presidential and general
elections and adjust our Vision 2030, while laying a
firm foundation for the transformation of our economy
towards moving our country to middle-income status
by the year 2030.

Liberia has come a long way, but we know that we
have an even longer way to go. We have done much
in restoring basic services and infrastructure, but
still have much to do, especially in reducing our huge
infrastructure deficits in power and in transport. We have
done much in improving governance and strengthening
our institutions of integrity, but still have much more
to do in consolidating the culture of integrity and
accountability in a society that is still beset by values
occasioned by years of conflict. We have adopted laws
and policies that eschew discrimination of any kind,
to ensure social equity and equal opportunity, but still
must do more in promoting natural reconciliation and
healing. We have done much in achieving an average
annual growth of over 7 per cent and attracted huge
multi-million-dollar direct foreign investments,
especially in our natural resource sector, but still have
much more to do in expanding growth and diversifying
our economy, making it more resilient to internal
and external shocks and more responsive to the ever-
increasing demand of our people for jobs and improved
livelihoods. We still have much to do in continuing the
reforms that will ensure equitable benefits from natural
resource capital to current and future generations.

All the policies and actions that we have pursued in
the past several years have enabled us to stabilize our
overall national condition. We must now, over the next
few years, take the hard decisions in addressing long-
standing structural systems. We know that the transition
from stabilization to transformation can be a long and
hard road subject to brickbats from vested interests. We
are bound to face criticism as we attempt to apply and
respect the rule of law and as we challenge entrenched
social habits, but we must change old mindsets and
attitudes. We remain strong in that resolve, for it is the
right thing to do.

I was honoured to have been selected by Secretary-
General Ban Ki-moon as one of three co-Chairs of
a 27-member High-level Panel of Eminent Persons
tasked with making recommendations for a new global
development agenda post-2015. The mandate of the
Panel was to advise the Secretary-General on a bold
and practical development agenda beyond 2015 that
builds upon, as well as goes beyond, the Millennium
Development Goals in establishing new goals that
are ambitious and yet achievable. Last May, the
Panel submitted its report to the Secretary-General
for his consideration. We are pleased that many of
the principles we identified are emphasized in the
Secretary General’s report (A/68/202), rightly titled “A
life of dignity for a11”.

Today more than at any other time, we have an
opportunity to transform our world; to pursue an
agenda that will eradicate poverty while at the same
time sustaining nature to secure natural resources for
future generations. The solutions of yesterday may
not apply today’s challenges, so we must muster the
courage to take bold steps. I therefore call upon the
Assembly to reflect on the emerging challenges we
face, to boldly seize new opportunities and to commit
ourselves to a new global partnership that promotes
economic and social transformations for inclusive and
shared prosperity for all.

In Africa we are working towards a continental
consensus that will convey an African position on the
post-2015 development agenda. I am pleased to have
been asked by the African Union Summit to chair a
high-level committee of 10 Heads of State that will
oversee and guide the process. We held our first meeting
yesterday here in New York, and agreed upon a road
map that will ensure a global development framework
that is not only brave and ambitious, but one that
reflects African priorities, a global agenda that creates
an enabling environment for Africa’s transformation
that includes infrastructure development, increased
productive capacities, resilience to external shocks
and enhanced statistical capacities that will result will
accelerate the reation of employment that is directed
particularly to our youthful populations.

I am pleased to report that on 2 September, I
chaired and launched the High-level Panel on Fragile

States, under the aegis of the African Development
Bank. Of the estimated 7 billion people in the world,
1.5 billion live in situations of conflict and fragility.
That data puts fragile States at the centre of the new
post-2015 agenda. We hold the view that international
partners should accommodate the peculiarities and
special circumstances of post-conflict nations. The
achievement of sustained economic growth and
development in those countries is critical to reducing
their vulnerability to new political and economic
shocks, fuelled in many cases by high expectation
gaps that need to be mitigated. We therefore call on all
our partners to renew their support to the New Deal
for Engagement on Fragile States, which calls for
stronger ownership, harmonization, results and mutual
accountability.

I would like to conclude by expressing our gratitude
to the United Nations family for sustaining our agenda
of peacebuilding and sustainable development. Since
its founding, the United Nations has had its share of
challenges, but it remains the beacon of hope for the
peoples of the world who thirst for peace; a world that
is fair, a world that is prosperous, a world in which the
uncommon dreams of all will have a fair chance of
realization; a world where the weak can become strong;
a world where no nation feels developed and powerful
until all nations have their share of global wealth. The
leaders of today must rise to those challenges. The
future begins today. We must commit to a new global
development trajectory that gives all of humankind a
world of peace, dignity and prosperity.


On behalf of
the delegation of the Kingdom of Thailand, allow me
to congratulate the Honourable Mr. John Ashe on his
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at
its sixty-eighth session. My delegation stands ready to
render our full support and cooperation.

I would also like to express our appreciation
to the outgoing President, Mr. Vuk Jeremi., for his
exceptional leadership during the previous session.
I am particularly grateful for his contributions to the
second Asia-Pacific Water Summit, held in Chiang
Mai, Thailand, earlier this year.

Thailand is committed to the United Nations.
Our faith in the principles and values it stands for has
never wavered. The United Nations three pillars of
security, development and human rights continue to

inspire and motivate us. When the 50 founding States
came together in San Francisco in 1945, the world had
high hopes for the United Nations. The United Nations
was created in response to the demands of a different
time, after millions of lives had been lost in a conflict
between States. Today, it is conflict within States that
takes the heaviest human toll, as we have witnessed in
the unfolding events in Syria.

As we look ahead to the post-2015 future, we must
not shy away from asking the hard questions. We must
ask ourselves whether multilateralism has lived up to our
expectations, be it in security, trade or the environment.
We must ask how we Member States can do better in the
face of critical challenges. That is because ultimately,
the success of the United Nations depends on all of us.
With such a diversity of viewpoints, it is all the more
important for us to work together to find the unity and
consensus we need.

The challenges facing us are particularly clear
in the case of Syria. On 21 August, we learned that
chemical weapons had been used against innocent
civilians in Syria. Despite widespread condemnation
and outrage, the United Nations was initially unable
to act and the Security Council was deadlocked. We
therefore welcome resolution 2118 (2013) on Syria,
adopted yesterday by the Security Council. We urge
Syria to ensure the full and effective implementation of
the resolution, and to allow monitoring and enforcement
by the international community. It is our hope that the
Security Council, especially its permanent members,
will continue to work to find a durable political solution
for the sake of the Syrian people.

In setting the stage for the post-2015 development
agenda, we must recognize that development cannot
take root without peace, security, democracy and
human rights. The three pillars of the United Nations
must be developed together and nurtured together. To
strengthen the United Nations, we need to seek ways to
achieve unity and consensus on the issues that matter
most. In the area of security, this means thinking of
new, creative ways to respond to the changing threats.
For instance, when States fail to protect their own
populations, or even cause them harm, all our words
will amount to little unless matched with action.

But what kind of action would make the most
difference on the ground? When and how is it most
effective? There are no simple answers. It is on such
issues that the world looks to the Security Council for
leadership. Too often, however, the Council is paralysed
just when action is most needed. Overcoming deadlock
and achieving consensus must be a central objective of
Security Council reform.

The United Nations is, of course, much more than the
Security Council. Unity and consensus are also needed
on development. Thailand believes that sustainable
development must be at the heart of the United Nations
agenda. The world has made great strides in tackling
poverty and hunger, thanks in no small part to the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), but all of
us still need to make a final push on the MDGs. That
would enable us to tackle the deep-rooted poverty that
still afflicts the so-called bottom billion.

Following the MDGs, the post-2015 development
agenda must provide both continuity and a new source
of hope. To build on the MDGs, Thailand believes
that we should place special emphasis on the needs of
the most vulnerable countries. That includes conflict
and post-conflict societies, as well as those of least
developed countries, landlocked developing countries
and small island developing States. If we fail to do so,
millions will be left behind.

The most pressing challenge to sustainable
development that demands our concerted action is
climate change. For a number of countries, particularly
small island developing States, climate change strikes
at the very heart of survival. For much of the world,
climate change is also linked to another important
challenge — food security. Extreme weather can cause
great damage to agriculture. The impact will be felt
not only in food-producing countries, but worldwide.
That is why we need to work together to put in place
systems — better weather prediction technology,
better storage silos and more resilient strains of staple
crops — that will mitigate the impact of climate change.
Those are areas where countries should help one another
by sharing their experiences and know-how.

Thailand believes that, if development is to be
sustainable, it must be people-centred. We welcome
the Secretary-General’s report “A life of dignity for
all: accelerating progress towards the Millennium
Development Goals and advancing the United Nations
development agenda beyond 2015” (A/68/202), which
puts people at the centre of the development agenda.
People need to be given the chance and the tools to
make the most of their potential. This can happen if we

focus more on promoting human security, for instance
through education and health care. On education, we
believe that the Secretary-General’s Global Education
First Initiative is an important contribution to the post-
2015 development agenda and deserves the support of
all stakeholders. Health is also very much a development
issue. When people are unhealthy, it imposes a cost on
State finances and can even undo development gains.

As we look to the post-20l5 future, we must not
limit our goals to specific health challenges. We should
now set our sights on the more general objective of
universal health care. Initiated by the administration
of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra 10 years
ago, Thailand has been implementing a programme
that charges only $1 per doctor’s visit. This universal
health-care scheme is universal in its coverage of
treatments, ranging from common illnesses and
chronic diseases to lifesaving surgeries. Statistics have
shown that through this programme, around 300,000
households have been saved from falling into poverty.
Even non-Thai nationals, especially migrant workers
from neighbouring countries are also benefiting from
universal health care, making it truly universal.

The socioeconomic impact of this programme has
therefore been tremendous. Those who benefit most
from our universal health care have been the poor
and the vulnerable. By working to empower the most
vulnerable among us, we ensure that development
is more inclusive. We believe that the model could
be adapted to other developing countries, and we are
willing to share the lessons we have learned from our
experience.

We also believe that women, children, the elderly
and persons with disabilities must be treated fairly and
encouraged to participate fully in all aspects of life.
Particularly in situations of conflict, vulnerable groups
are often at the greatest risk of violence. We therefore
support the United Nations initiative to end sexual
violence in conflict. We also commend the United
Kingdom for its leadership in realizing the Declaration
of Commitment on this important issue.

To provide an environment that facilitates unity
and consensus, the international community must
also forge a new global partnership. This new global
partnership must rest on a common agenda for action. It
will need to involve States — in particular like-minded
States — the United Nations, regional organizations,
civil society and other stakeholders. In South-East
Asia, the process is well under way. The Association of
Southeast Asian Nations is strengthening its partnership
to become a community of over 600 million people by
the end of 2015. Regional discussions on the post-2015
agenda are also complementing ongoing global efforts.
As a moderate, medium-sized country with an open
society, Thailand is ready to work with all countries
and partners. We want to do our part in helping
bridge the gaps in communication, understanding and
opportunity.

That is why we have put forward our candidacies to
the Security Council for the term 2017-2018 and to the
Human Rights Council for the term 2015-2017. We are
keen to help build bridges to connect all stakeholders
in a more cohesive, action-oriented global partnership.
Building a global partnership means forging a common
agenda for action on our most important challenges. It
means reaching out beyond our borders, beyond our
region and beyond our comfort zone.

Thailand has been building bridges not only within
Asia, but also with Africa and Latin America. We
believe that developing countries everywhere need
to come together in a spirit of partnership to make
their voices heard. What is more, that same sense of
partnership must also cross the development divide,
embracing developed and developing economies alike.

Since the beginning, the United Nations has been
a force for good. As its membership has grown and
the issues have become more complex, we have now
reached a crossroads. Whether the United Nations takes
the right path rests on our ability to achieve consensus
and to act together in a meaningful manner. Now is
the time for us to set aside our outdated assumptions
and our differences. Our common future depends on
our ability to come together to forge consensus on the
new realities before us. The way forward is not through
politics as usual, but through constructive dialogue and
mutual respect. With goodwill and common purpose,
the international community can once again rise to the
challenge. Together, we can fulfil the promise of the
Organization and the loftiest goals toward which we,
the Member States, have always aspired.


As
President of the Republic of Paraguay, I have the great
honour to speak in this global forum to address issues
that are relevant to my country and to today’s world in
general.

I extend a special greeting to the President of the
Assembly, Ambassador John Ashe, as well as to the
Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, in appreciation
of their work towards the noble goals that unite us.
Through their efforts, they contribute to the legitimacy
of the United Nations and help to ensure multilateral
cooperation and the international validity of the rule
of law.

It has been little more than a month since I took
office as President of the Republic of Paraguay, after
an exemplary electoral process that culminated on
21 April, when the Paraguayan people went to the polls
to freely exercise their guaranteed constitutional right
to elect their Government, with irrefutable results.
Electoral observer missions from various regional and
continental organizations, and from the United Nations
itself, were present and certified the legality, legitimacy
and transparency of the elections and the electoral
process, whereby the will of the people honoured me
with the highest office of our Republic. Those events
also represent the conclusion of a long transition
towards democracy in Paraguay. For the second, time
in our history, executive authority was consecutively
transferred from one political party to another with full
respect for the constitutional framework. That is no
small achievement in our 202 years of independence,
and it signals the true beginning of a new historic and
auspicious period for my country.

Republican institutionalism, the building of
consensus, the strengthening of the democratic system,
unconditional respect for human rights, and freedom
of speech and of the press are the cornerstones of
my Government, which aims to be an exemplar of
patriotism, honesty, inclusion and effectiveness, with
the capacity needed to propel Paraguay towards its
destined greatness.

The people of Paraguay have been waiting for a
great Government for a long time. I hope to be able
to deliver on that great vision, which will position my
country firmly on the global stage, where we want to
stand out by ensuring that we are a land of opportunity
for Paraguayans and foreigners alike. As has been said,
Paraguay is one of the most closely guarded treasures
of Latin America, and there are good reasons to hope
that it will have a promising future.

I have made combating poverty a priority for my
Government. It is incomprehensible that a nation so rich
in resources should have so many poor. We will give no
quarter in the fight to reduce our poverty indicators as
much and as quickly as possible. Change is coming, and
not through aid but by ensuring human dignity. Social
investment is at the forefront of my Administration’s
agenda. That is the new direction we want to take in
my country, with investment that is for the people, so
that they may live in dignity and become the engine of
our development, and, better still, so that the general
welfare of the people can become the firm basis of our
democracy.

My Government has also committed to a policy of
zero tolerance for corruption and an end to impunity.
We expect to face that challenge with the firm support
of the judiciary and the Office of the Attorney General.

Paraguay’s economy has enviable numbers. We
are the only country in the region that has not altered
its currency, the guaraní, since it was first introduced
in 1943. Our macroeconomic indicators are more than

encouraging. Paraguay is clearly suited to investment.
Nature has endowed my country with an enviable
climate, more than 90 rivers, abundant and fertile
soil and clean, renewable energy generated by three
hydroelectric power plants. One, Acaray, is entirely
Paraguayan-owned, while Itaipu and Yacyretá are
co-owned with Brazil and Argentina, respectively. The
latter are among the largest hydroelectric plants in the
world. We have one of the world’s largest freshwater
reserves, the Guaraní Aquifer, a great part of which lies
beneath Paraguayan territory.

Apart from the advantages of nature and abundant,
clean and renewable energy, the majority of Paraguay’s
population is young, with more than 75 per cent under
the age of 30. Our tax system is favourable to investment
and our economic growth clearly exceeds the average
for the region. My Government is committed to
ensuring legal security, with clear and transparent rules
for safeguarding people and their property.

Today we are a country with a revitalized economy
and a focus on efficiency, transparency and a reliable
public administration. A few weeks ago I was present
in our Congress at the signing of an agreement for
Paraguay, whereby the political parties represented
in the legislature, along with other social institutions,
committed to working together on framework
agreements and plans of action to strengthen governance
and attain material and spiritual goals for the people’s
welfare. In that way, we are seeking to maintain the
general good over that of the individual. We do that
through dialogue, which is the main instrument of
democracy. Together, we assume the responsibility of
making Paraguay a country of opportunity for all.

After visiting countries in Europe and the Americas
recently, I reflect on the great challenge posed by the
perception of my country beyond its borders. I have seen
with satisfaction the respect, admiration and interest
that Paraguay and its enormous potential give rise to.
Just as it is our responsibility as Paraguayans to build
predictability and reliability, it is for the branches of the
Government to provide the legal security necessary for
Paraguay’s overdue progress.

I would like to underline my Government’s
commitment to the defence and promotion of human
rights, which in Paraguay are fully acknowledged in
the Constitution. We assume that stance out of genuine
conviction, while my country is also a respectful
signatory of recognized international instruments in
that field.

The demands of landlocked developing countries
like Paraguay must be adequately addressed. Apart
from that, my Government is committed to overcome the
disadvantages posed by our inland status, making our
geographic position an advantage in communications,
logistics and infrastructure that connects the world’s
zones and regions through Paraguayan territory. In a
manner similar to that in which an old border dispute
between Paraguay and Brazil finally gave way to what
today is Itaipu, transforming a problem into a majestic
work of integration and development, we hope that
our landlocked position in the heart of Latin America
will serve as a development hub for Paraguay and its
neighbours.

On the international level, I cannot avoid mentioning
the upheavals that disturb our times. Economic crises,
financial disasters, civil wars and the use of weapons
of mass destruction cloud the horizons of great regions
of the planet.

The events in Syria are a concern for all of us, and
the United Nations must play a pre-eminent role in
finding a definitive solution to the conflict affecting
that country. In that regard, my country calls for
supporting the implementation of the framework
agreement between the United States and the Russian
Federation.

My Government has observed with satisfaction
that the Republic of China on Taiwan has achieved a
greater presence in the specialized agencies and bodies
of the United Nations, thanks to solid international
support and a rapprochement between both parties
on the Taiwan Strait. My Government will continue
to encourage the positive interaction between the two
sides of the Taiwan Strait in the international sphere.

The calm and determination of the nations and the
organizations able to help in conflict resolution are
more necessary than ever. Paraguay encourages peace,
dialogue and development in harmony with the other
countries and the world, promoting an integration that
is respectful of the rule of law, the dignity of nations and
the asymmetries. Integration is a phenomenon that in
this global era cannot be halted. Paraguay understands
and promotes integration in conditions of equality as
a means for supranational insertion, but under fair
conditions and looking towards a common future, not
as a simple courting of Powers or being a silent guest

in global forums that are discussing the future of our
peoples.

Paraguay’s contribution is essential in today’s
integrated reality and is indissolublely linked to our
dignity as a free nation, sovereign and independent,
under the premise of the right to the self-determination
of peoples and the principles of non-intervention and
the legal equality of States. The true destiny of the
people of Paraguay is to become a prosperous nation,
living in social peace, liberty, justice and equality.
My management of the Government is geared towards
creating and strengthening an environment suited to
the unlimited opportunities that my country offers for
all Paraguayans and for foreigners who have chosen
it. I have realized that my people neither want nor
seek handouts, but opportunities to achieve dignity
through work and study. My country therefore today
presents itself to the world as a land of opportunities
for investment and prosperity, with security, formality,
reliability and predictability.

On this occasion, I cannot fail to mention a key
issue — education. Traditional political discourse has
significantly undermined certain core ideas that my
Government intends to definitively turn into a reality.
Much has been said about the need for education,
security and health, but little has been done in that
regard. Improving education in Paraguay, in terms of
quantity and quality, is a fundamental premise of my
Government.

Today more than ever before, the great change
that must take place in Paraguay and the opening of
a wide window of opportunity depend on an efficient
and inclusive educational system. Institutions of public
education should rethink their role in society and assume
an unprecedented role as a breeding ground for leaders
for a new Paraguay, with a skilled workforce adapted to
this millennium, in an interconnected world where those
who possess more knowledge, information and abilities
are more likely to find more and better opportunities
for work, well-being and personal advancement. Those
countries that emphasized education from the beginning
are proud of their results. There is a clear and direct
relationship between education and development.

Education is therefore key. The issue is rooted
in the quality of training and is the key to escaping
geopolitical shakles, backwardness and a lack of
opportunities. For my country, the new rules that
govern the world therefore represent an access to the
ocean of development.

Speaking before the Assembly and the world for the
first time as President of the Republic of Paraguay, I
present the new direction that the Paraguayan people
freely and sovereignly chose on 21 April. I belong to
a nation whose children have contributed to history
with their prowess and boundless sacrifice, such as
the supreme sacrifice by our greatest hero, Francisco
Solano López, Field Marshal and President of the
Republic, who decided to give his life, sword in hand,
fighting on the front lines with his last soldiers, rather
than see his homeland humiliated. I have decided to
devote myself to the service of Paraguay and to bring
about the real change that my country demands, which
is to return to the path of the true Paraguayan destiny
of peace, development and modernity, and to grow in
harmony with all nations of the world, particularly with
our neighbours.

I assure the General Assembly that my country is
a very generous and attractive place. I invite the world
to learn more about Paraguay, to discover the treasure
that pulses in the heart of America, ready to write anew
the most glorious pages in its history, today in peace
and social and economic development, with dignity and
readiness to welcome all those who wish to share in our
great destiny.

We Heads of State are transients in Government.
History will judge us for what we have done for our
peoples and will sternly hold us accountable for what
we have failed to do. To honour the trust and hope of my
people, I have decided to commit myself wholly to the
service of my homeland and to do everything necessary
for its greatness and prosperity.

Paraguay considers it necessary, more than ever
before, to give greater impetus to the negotiating
process between Israel and Palestine in order to attain a
lasting peace, so that Israel and Palestine can live side
by side with secure borders and in peace.

As a final comment, I wish to convey my most
sincere condolences to the people of Kenya for the
casualties that resulted from the terrorist attack, an act
that we most vigorously condemn.


I would like first to
congratulate the President of the General Assembly
on his election to that important position and express
my confidence in his leadership. It is also my great
pleasure to address the Assembly for the first time as
the President of the newest European Union member
State.

Our debate this year is focused on an issue of
paramount importance for our planet’s future — the
post-2015 development agenda. However, before sharing
my views on that central issue, I would like to share my
thoughts on a broader understanding of sustainability.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to outline sustainable
development without touching upon one of its
essential prerequisites: peace and security. As a global
community, we continue to witness, year after year, a
plethora of deadly and prolonged international crises
and new and emerging threats and conflicts.

The ongoing security and humanitarian catastrophe
in Syria, with all its terrible effects and potential to
destabilize the region, is naturally foremost on our
minds. We are saddened by the tremendous loss of life
as a result of that ongoing conflict. We are particularly
appalled and concerned by the findings and conclusions
of the report of the United Nations Mission to Investigate
Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the
Syrian Arab Republic on the alleged use of chemical
weapons in the Ghouta area of Damascus on 21 August
2013 (A/67/997). Croatia condemns in the strongest
terms the use of chemical weapons. The international
community must ensure that there is no impunity for
such crimes and that the perpetrators of those and
other crimes are held to account. In that connection,
we welcome the United States-Russia Framework
for Elimination of Syrian Chemical Weapons of
14 September. The priority must now be to provide
for its prompt and full implementation, starting with a
process in the Security Council and the soonest possible
adoption of a relevant Council resolution.

The United Nations was established at a time when
the world was emerging from a period that had witnessed
the worst atrocities of the twentieth century. In fact, it
was established for the very purpose of ensuring that
such atrocities would not happen again. While we can

and often do debate the overall effectiveness of the
United Nations in ensuring international peace, it is
important that we build on the lessons learned from
both past successes and past mistakes.

In that connection, allow me to highlight one such
past success. January this year marked the fifteenth
anniversary of the end of the mandate of the United
Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern
Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium in Croatia. It is
considered to be one of the most successful peacekeeping
operations in United Nations history. The mission
was able to peacefully reaffirm the independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of
Croatia, and paved the way for normalizing relations
and cooperation in the region.

Over the past 20 years Croatia has undertaken a
long and demanding journey from being a host nation
for a number of United Nations peacekeeping missions
on its territory to a peacekeeping contributor. Today, we
are determined to continue our participation in many
current peacekeeping and peace-support operations
and missions around the world. This year also marks
the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of the
International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
(ICTY). It is a well-known fact that Croatia advocated
the establishment of the ICTY from the very beginning.

We wholeheartedly supported the strong
determination of the international community to finally,
once and for all, put an end to the culture of impunity
that had for so long accompanied wars and armed
conflicts. The establishment of the ad hoc criminal
tribunals changed the landscape of international
criminal justice and paved the way for a whole new
system, with the International Criminal Court at its
head. The establishment of the International Criminal
Court in 1998 can be regarded as one of the most
important civilization achievements in the last century
and the beginning of a new era of accountability. That
is why we are calling on those countries that have not
yet decided to adopt the Rome Statute to do so as soon
as possible.

Our own experience teaches us that peace often
comes at a high price. Maintaining peace often entails a
long-term and comprehensive commitment on the part
of the international community. The United Nations
recognized that fact in establishing the Peacebuilding
Commission (PBC) in 2005. Its aim is to direct and
sustain the attention and efforts of the international
community in post-conflict countries. Croatia’s interest
and engagement in peacebuilding started some time ago
and was further strengthened by our bitter experience
in recent history. From the very beginning, Croatia
actively participated in and contributed to the work of
the Peacebuilding Commission.

In the PBC we have focused on three different, yet
mutually reinforcing areas – strengthening security,
stimulating socioeconomic prosperity and promoting
human rights and gender equality. For example, as the
current PBC Chair and in line with the Peacebuilding
Commission’s action plan for 2013, Croatia helped
organize a joint meeting of the PBC and the Global
Compact on the important topic of business for
peacebuilding, which was held in June. Earlier today,
Croatia, as PBC Chair and in cooperation with UN-
Women, organized a high-level ministerial meeting
on women’s economic empowerment in peacebuilding.
The meeting emphasized the critical role of women in
peacebuilding processes and the fact that empowering
women in the economy is essential for realizing women’s
rights and achieving broader development goals.

In our view, progress in the areas of security,
development, the rule of law and human rights must go
hand in hand. We would especially like to stress the
critical importance that the rule of law plays in post-
conflict peacebuilding and, therefore, in achieving
lasting peace and sustainable development.

For its part, Croatia continues to follow the path
of promoting an open and pluralistic democracy as
the best guarantee for safeguarding the human rights
of its citizens. We believe that democracy needs to be
approached in a holistic manner. Human and minority
rights, the rule of law, good governance and the fight
against corruption are intrinsic to democratic values.
Democracy is not only about civil and political rights;
its focus is not only on free and fair elections, but also
on economic, social and cultural rights.

Croatia will continue to seek the upholding
of human rights standards across the globe. We
particularly support the abolition of the death penalty,
the implementation of anti-discrimination policies, the
effective and full protection of the rights of the child and
the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities.
We will also spare no effort in raising awareness
about the importance of upholding and improving
women’s and minority rights. Croatia fully supports
the pivotal role of the United Nations and its human

rights mechanisms, in particular the Human Rights
Council. For that reason, Croatia has presented its bid
for membership in the Human Rights Council for the
period of 2017-2019, remaining committed to making
an active and substantial contribution to the activities
and efforts of that very important United Nations body.

In the area of security, we consider the prevention
of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,
especially proliferation to non-State actors, to be a
global security priority. Croatia believes that successful
non-proliferation is possible only through a combination
of diligent work at the national level and the widest
possible international cooperation. We firmly believe
that adherence to multilateral non-proliferation treaties,
as well as participation in informal non-proliferation
initiatives, are an indispensable part of non-proliferation
efforts. The most recent events in Syria are a horrible
reminder and warning of how important it is that all
international agreements on non-proliferation be
universally complied with.

Croatia is also very concerned about the issue of the
uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons
and their excessive accumulation. We believe that those
weapons present a great risk for the stability and security
of many weak and fragile areas around the world. A
milestone in that area is the successful completion and
opening for signature of the international Arms Trade
Treaty, a uniquely drafted document establishing rules
and criteria for trade in conventional arms. Croatia, as
an original signatory State, would like to add its voice
to those requesting urgent and universal adherence to
the treaty and its expedited entry into force.

Nowadays we are witnessing all around the world
the heavy toll of armed conflicts and wars. In any
humanitarian crisis, those paying the highest price
for the conflict are civilians, especially women and
children. We commend the efforts undertaken by the
United Nations and other international donors to help
civilians, and we are contributing to them as much as
we can.

Having been an aid recipient, we have learned that
the donor-recipient relationship can be effective and
efficient only if based on an equal partnership, mutual
respect and understanding. Development cooperation is
a multilevel process through which all sides can learn and
grow. Croatia will continue focusing its donor activities
on gender and child-sensitive issues, on maternal health
and the prevention of mortality in children under 5, as
well as on enhancing girls’ education.

In setting the stage for the post-2015 development
agenda, we, as a global community, will continue to
be confronted with many challenges, some of which I
have just mentioned. The United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) has provided us
with important guidance with regard to establishing
the goals and multilateral architecture necessary for its
implementation. In that sense, we would like to express
our satisfaction with the creation of the High-Level
Political Forum, which we hope will be a stepping stone
in the establishment of a strengthened institutional
architecture for sustainable development.

Scientists warn us that soon we will need two
planets to keep pace with the consumption-driven
growth necessary to sustain our ever-increasing
population. While we agree that a transformative shift
towards more sustainable development is needed, the
question remains how to achieve that shift. Knowledge
is the key. The science-policy interface, so often
highlighted in the run-up to the Rio+20 Conference
and integrated into the vision of “The future we want”
(resolution 66/288, annex), stands as a crucial link to
those innovative solutions.

To achieve a sustainable future, we need a
concurrent base of strong institutions, solidarity,
justice and social development, with an approach that is
more targeted towards marginalized groups, including
women’s empowerment, as well as a strong respect for
the environment and innovative growth.

Croatia welcomes the already widely accepted
view that education represents one of the main building
blocks in every society and is a crucial driver for
development. I am proud to represent a country among
the States championing the Global Education First
Initiative. Croatia is fully committed to supporting the
Initiative, and I would like to take this opportunity to
call upon others to join our efforts to give life to the
Initiative’s goals.

On 1 July, just over two and a half months ago,
Croatia became the twenty-eighth member of the
European Union (EU). One of the primary reasons
that my country strove to become a full member of
the European Union was to secure a safe, democratic
and stable future for ourselves and for forthcoming
generations. Croatia firmly believes that EU
enlargement has been one of that organization’s most
successful and productive policies. Because of that,
we believe that the European project should not and
cannot stop at our borders. We firmly believe in the

strategic importance of the EU’s enlargement policy.
It must be continued with respect to all countries of
the Western Balkans — based on their individual
merits — as it is the best option for long-term stability
in the region. We strongly support all of the countries
in our neighbourhood in their endeavours and believe
that their efforts towards future membership of the
European Union will be successful.

It is important to understand that reconciliation
and cooperation have become a new standard for
regional policies, and in that regard, we welcome closer
collaboration among all countries of South-Eastern
Europe, both bilaterally and in the framework of
regional organizations and initiatives.

Before concluding, I would like to address the
issue of United Nations reform. We believe that there
is a need for true reform of the current United Nations
structures and mechanisms if the United Nations is to
achieve its ambitious goals and strengthen its capacity
to meet new challenges.

The first area is Security Council reform. Croatia
commends the persevering commitment of Member
States to the ongoing negotiating process and believes
that broader understanding of sustainability should
find its place in that context as well. However, any
reform of the Council must not have a negative impact
on its ability to perform its main duties and meet its
primary responsibilities. Enlargement of the Council
is closely connected with the reform of its working
methods, while the continuing veto powers of the
permanent five continues to raise numerous questions.
That is why such reform must be comprehensive.
That having been said, it is Croatia’s position that any
enlargement should take place in both the permanent
and the non-permanent categories of membership, with
one additional non-permanent seat reserved for the
group of Eastern European States. That would more
properly reflect the reality of international relations in
the twenty-first century.

As a member of the Economic and Social Council,
we intend to continue advocating a stronger and more
efficient role for that main body in its efforts to seek
solutions to the most significant social and economic
challenges of our time. The General Assembly and the
Economic and Social Council should also find ways
of working together to support deliberations on the
complex matter of sustainable development. Within
its broad, overarching mandate, the General Assembly
remains the central point for all of our discussions.
Croatia welcomes the focus at this year’s debate on the
post-2015 development agenda.

Finally, I would like to stress that we are all aware
of the global challenges we face today. As a global
community, in looking for sustainable solutions,
we made strong commitments at last year’s Rio+20
Conference, and we will need to make new ones as
we proceed with the post-2015 development agenda.
To achieve all of that, we will need to strengthen
old partnerships and create new ones, both between
Governments and among Governments and civil
society and other key stakeholders. In that respect, it
is our belief that the United Nations and its institutions
offer the best chance to help meet those expectations.
Let us, as its Member States, make the best use of all
that it has to offer.


I
am honoured to take the floor on behalf of Gabon at
the sixty-eighth session of the Assembly. I warmly
congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President and
I assure you of Gabon’s full support. I also pay tribute
to the remarkable work of your predecessor, Mr. Vuk
Jeremi., President of the General Assembly at its sixty-
seventh session. I wish to reiterate our confidence in the
cross-cutting work of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban
Ki-moon, as well as the important organizational
reforms undertaken.

I would also like to congratulate Mr. Boubacar
Keita of the Republic of Mali and His Excellency
Mr. Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran on
their elections in their respective countries.

This session has opened in a context marked by the
terrorist attack against a shopping centre in Nairobi that
killed many innocent people, including children. It was
an intolerable act and I express, here in the Hall, my
country’s strongest condemnation of the perpetrators.
I also express my own and my country’s deepest
condolences to the victims’ families and the people
of Kenya. Gabon offers its support to the Government
of Kenya at this trying time. As a target of terrorism,
Africa should receive the international community’s
full support and solidarity in its fight against the threat.

Poverty fuels extremism throughout the world,
and the fight against that scourge must remain at the
heart of our policies. Our peoples, especially the youth,
demand greater socioeconomic progress from us. I
therefore welcome the opportunity at this session to
set the stage for the post-2015 development agenda and
consider the necessary action remaining to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs
have provided a global solidarity pact for our countries’
socioeconomic development. I would like to emphasize
here that Gabon has achieved noteworthy progress in
poverty reduction, food security and education. We have
significantly reduced infant and maternal mortality,
HIV/AIDS prevalence and malaria mortality. We have
strengthened women’s participation in the political
and economic life of the country. Despite the efforts
made by States, it must be recognized that some of the
MDGs will not be achieved as expected, owing mainly
to unfulfilled commitments and reduced funding.

In that context, Gabon draws two main conclusions:
the importance of strengthened governance and the
need for further efforts in education and health aimed
at more equitable and inclusive growth. As members
begin to consider the post-2015 development agenda, I
wish to note that Gabon seeks a post-2015 development
agenda with a particular focus on Africa’s priorities;
it would include the unrealized MDGs among the
future sustainable development goals and would take
into account specific issues such as energy, access to
clean water and sustainable agriculture. My country
also seeks an agenda based on predictable funding
that combines public and private funding, innovative
financing and global partnerships. That agenda should
stimulate direct investment and increase our share of
international trade. It must promote the transformation
of our economies with a view to inclusive and
sustainable growth.

Such an approach has led me, as the Chairman of the
Central African Economic and Monetary Community,
to propose to my peers — who have accepted — the
creation of a fund of $200 million for the training
and employment of young people, entitled “Train My
Generation”. Its goal is to enhance the role of youth
in our countries’ development efforts. In that spirit, at
the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African
Development, I proposed to my peers that by 2020
Africa should be able to convert its raw materials prior
to exportation. Using that approach, Gabon is already

processing 40 per cent of its timber locally, thereby
doubling employment in that sector.

In the context of the post-2015 development agenda,
improved assessment and monitoring of countries’
progress will become important. To that end, Gabon
has proposed a sustainable development index that will
combine the human development index and countries’
ecological footprints.

Our quest for sustainable development must also
ensure a binding climate treaty. Our best global experts
tirelessly draw attention to global warming. The very
existence of some States is threatened. It is necessary
to state that we remain prisoners of our own interests
and climate sceptics. For its part, Gabon has assumed
its responsibilities by implementing measures such
as our land-use programme and our environmental
programme. Can we advance towards a post-Kyoto
agreement in 2015 through strong and courageous steps
in the interest of future generations? That question
should cause greater concern. That is why I fully
support the Secretary-General’s initiative to convene a
summit on climate change in 2014.

In addition to climate, biodiversity is threatened
by poaching and the illicit trade in protected species.
Elephants and rhinoceros are especially threatened
owing to the illegal trade in ivory and horns. That
phenomenon has become both an ecologic and an
economic challenge; it is a transnational crime that
threatens States’ security. Along with the Federal
Republic of Germany and other States, we have initiated
a debate on that issue. On 26 September, here at the
United Nations, an event will take place on the sidelines
to mobilize support on the issue. We would be honoured
by the presence and participation of members of the
Assembly in the discussions. I also call on the United
Nations to integrate that issue into its cooperation
efforts with the African Union. In May in Marrakech,
Morocco, in the presence of the African Development
Bank, I proposed the creation of a trust fund aimed at
strengthening capacity-building in Africa and other
efforts.

Clearly, sustainable development must be based
on good governance, equality, access to justice and the
protection of human rights and democracy. In Gabon
we are striving, with all national stakeholders, to
strengthen those areas. We are collecting biometrical
data in order to enhance election transparency, thus
strengthening democracy. Furthermore, our election
to the current Human Rights Council is in line with
our commitments, particularly in terms of promoting
and protecting the rights of women and children.
During this twentieth anniversary year of the Vienna
Declaration, Gabon will promote economic, social
and cultural rights and seek to combat racism, hatred
and violence throughout the world. It is on the basis
of those commitments that Gabon will present itself
as a candidate for the presidency of the Human Rights
Council in 2014.

Africa is more hopeful for its future, but if that hope
is to be realized throughout the continent Africa must
be able to resolve crises preventing its development.
Allow me to list some crisis situations.

First of all, in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Gabon is still concerned by fighting in the
eastern part of the country, where women and children
are paying a high price. We welcome the increased
efforts on the part of the United Nations to implement
Security Council resolution 2098 (2013) and the
commitments made by the parties to the Framework
Agreement signed in Addis Ababa. All countries in the
Great Lakes region must support efforts by the United
Nations. We would also encourage the efforts on the
part of the Government to ensure that elections are held
soon.

Gabon supports the transition in the Central African
Republic, for which we have worked with members of
the Economic Community of Central African States.
We hope that the numerous stakeholders will adhere
strictly to the transition framework. Nevertheless, we
are still concerned by the humanitarian and security
situation in the country, as well as by the renewed
activities on the part of the Lord’s Resistence Army. We
welcome the establishment of the International Support
Mission to the Central African Republic by the African
Union, which will take over from the Mission for the
Consolidation of Peace in the Central African Republic.
Gabon calls for a contingency plan to be put in place for
the new mission. I would like to thank France, which is
supporting efforts on the part of the subregion to ensure
that peace returns to the Central African Republic.

In Mali, at the height of the crisis, Gabon responded
to a funding appeal by the African Union, which
was launched to support its efforts in that country.
We commend the positive political change that has
taken place in Mali, proof of which can be seen in the
presidential elections and the decision by the people of

Mali to elect President Keita. I would like to wish him
all the best, and I call upon the international community
to support the reconstruction of Mali.

With regard to Western Sahara, Gabon welcomes
efforts to bring about dialogue and negotiations by the
Organization. My country would also like to reiterate
that it supports the Moroccan initiative for Western
Sahara, which we believe is a courageous and realistic
proposal, one that could lead to a lasting settlement. We
call upon the different players to reach a constructive
and dynamic compromise, the results of which will
benefit the unity of Africa.

Africa should be able to respond to new threats
to peace and security, including transnational crime,
the illicit trafficking in small arms, and piracy in
the Gulf of Guinea, which the Atlantic coast is now
experiencing. Following the Summit of Heads of State
and Government on Maritime Safety and Security in the
Gulf of Guinea, which was held in June in Yaounde, we
adopted a strategy for combating those threats. Gabon
is ready to make contributions towards the measures
that were adopted at the Summit. I also welcome
efforts by the Security Council to address the problem,
particularly through resolution 2018 (2011).

Africa cannot face up to the challenges of peace and
security alone. Its efforts must be given better support,
because instability in Africa will have repurcussions
in other regions. I thank our partners, particularly
France, Japan, Germany, the United States, the United
Nations and the European Union, for their significant
contributions towards such efforts.

In the face of those new threats, it is important for the
United Nations to continue to enhance its cooperation
with regional African organizations. Furthermore, we
must ensure the implementation of the Arms Trade
Treaty, which was the first legally binding instrument
on the matter adopted by the General Assembly, in May.

In a world stricken by tensions and crises, we
must continue to work towards ensuring that the
Organization can better fulfil its mandate in the area
of international peace and security, with a particular
emphasis on conflict prevention, while supporting
peaceful resolutions to emerging crises. The crisis in
Syria has already claimed many lives, and we have
seen an unacceptable escalation in the form of the use
of chemical weapons. We strongly condemn the use
of such weapons, and Gabon calls for the destruction
of all stockpiles of chemical weapons throughout the
world. With regard to the investigations being carried
out by United Nations inspectors in Syria, we call upon
all parties to fully cooperate. Furthermore, Gabon
supports all diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a
political solution that will allow us to emerge from
that crisis. In the event that its efforts are blocked, the
Security Council must take measures.

With regard to Palestine and the State of Israel, the
possibility of resuming talks with the impetus of the
United States must be welcomed. Gabon still supports
the broadly accepted view of two viable States, Israel
and Palestine, coexisting in mutual security and respect
within recognized borders.

With regard to the embargo on Cuba, Gabon
reiterates its position in favour of lifting that ban
because of its negative impact on the well-being of the
Cuban population.

It is our obligation to transform our international
institutions in order to make them more equipped to
meet current challenges. The reform of the Security
Council, enhancing the role and authority of the
General Assembly and the reform of the Economic and
Social Council are all to be wished. It is essential for
our common future that we assume that responsibility,
in the spirit of the Charter. Assuring such a future calls
upon our shared but differentiated responsibility and
forces us to act for the well-being of humankind. On
the basis of those convictions, Gabon will continue to
be committed, within the Organization, to working for
peace and development, which is also at the heart of the
vision that I have proposed for the future of my own
country, a future I wish for all countries.


I should like
to begin by congratulating the President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-eighth session, Ambassador
John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda. We are fully
convinced that he will be a manifest example of how
small States can shoulder the responsibilities deriving
from participating in the international community. It is
both an honour and a great responsibility to address the
Assembly on behalf of the people and the Government
of the Principality of Andorra. It is doubly an honour as
we are celebrating 20 years since our country became a
Member of the United Nations.

In 1993, with the approval of the Constitution and
our entry into the United Nations, Andorra’s 700-year
reality as a sovereign, democratic country that had no
army and had remained neutral — few countries can
make such a claim — in the heart of the Pyrenees
was formally recognized. The visit of the Secretary-
General to our country in April on the occasion of
the twentieth anniversary of our Constitution served
to reiterate once again Andorra’s commitment to the
principles and values of the United Nations. Those
principles and values must not remain mere high-
sounding declarations and founding charters, but must
be translated into greater effectiveness in improving
people’s lives.

It is particularly worth noting the emphasis that the
United Nations has placed on development in recent
years. I refer to the Millennium Development Goals
adopted in 2000, which are to be assessed definitively in
two years’ time. It was particularly relevant to directly
link the main principles of peace, democracy and the
negotiated resolution of conflicts and human rights
with more specific matters of extreme importance,
such as the eradication of poverty and hunger, universal
primary education and the sustainability and protection
of the environment.

At this session of the General Assembly, we have
discussed and we will continue to discuss the definition
of new goals to be introduced after 2015. However, we
must not forget that all reports indicate that we shall
reach that date without having accomplished most of
the Goals set in 2000. Over the past 13 years we have
advanced very little with respect to the sustainability
and protection of the environment. Child mortality
continues to increase in the poorest regions and
countries. Achieving universal primary education
by 2015 is totally unviable, and progress towards
preventing and treating AIDS in the poorer countries
remains inadequate. A great deal of work remains to
be done.

It would not, however, be fair to emphasize only
what we have not done and to forget all the progress
that has been achieved in other areas. Since 2000, the
proportion of people living in extreme poverty has
been halved. The share of the world’s population with
access to safe drinking water rose from 76 per cent in
1990 to 89 per cent in 2010. Notable progress has been
achieved in the fight against malaria and tuberculosis,
and the goal of reducing hunger by 50 per cent in 2015
would appear to be achievable, which would be a great
success. Andorra applauds the decision to conjoin the
United Nations main principles with specific objectives
to solve the great problems faced by humankind.

We must not give the impression that we are just
a group of Heads of State and Government who have
met in a First World city, full of fine words and good
intentions, but completely ineffective when it comes to
solving the problems threatening the lives and dignity
of millions of people all over the world. Unfortunately,
that is the image that we have at times projected to
the international community. That is why I said that
we applaud the fact that specific objectives have been
set, that we evaluate progress towards meeting them
and that we come here to explain that progress and
shortcomings.

I hope the goals of the post-2015 agenda will be
even more ambitious and that we will be able to dedicate
even more effort to realizing them. That is because

the citizens of the world need to know that those who
proclaim the expansion of democracy and the rule of
law are the same people who have striven to reduce
poverty, hunger and child mortality and to promote
gender equality and universal education, which are so
important. Otherwise, we will run the risk of citizens
perceiving their institutions and the United Nations as
being far removed from their everyday lives and real
problems. Even more seriously, we would run the risk
of words such as “democracy”, “human rights” and
“international law” becoming meaningless.

A year ago, on the occasion of the sixty-seventh
session of the General Assembly, we condemned and
repudiated the Benghazi attack. Today, one year later,
we must all feel that we are citizens of Nairobi. We
must stand with those who condemn terrorism and
defend the principles of the United Nations. A year
ago we used this platform to express our deep concern
about the civil war in Syria, in particular the conflict’s
devastating effects on the Syrian population. We said
then that the conflict was creating a terrible dilemma
for the international community — that of finding
the right balance between a diplomatic resolution and
respect for the rule of law.

The use of chemical weapons against civilians,
which we condemn and which is contrary to all the
values that the General Assembly upholds, places the
international community in a scenario that requires
firm and strong answers. The strong reaction to the
situation led by the United States and France, along
with the pragmatic attitude of Russia, has generated
the momentum to advance in the search for that fair
balance.

First is the issue of reaching agreement on the
evidence and destruction of such chemical weapons;
second is the issue of taking advantage of this dynamic
in order to make greater diplomatic efforts to achieve a
peaceful solution to the conflict. That will require new
steps towards furthering the Geneva process. Nor must
we forget the humanitarian dimension of the Syrian
conflict, which is not only a priority but a terrible loss
and a cruel emergency.

The resumption of negotiations between Palestinians
and Israelis can also be included in the dynamic
of our quest for the right balance, based on a two-
State-solution, between the legitimate demand of the
Palestinian people for a peaceful and democratic State
and the desire of Israelis to obtain assurances for their
existence, safety and security.

Each and every time we are unable to resolve a
conflict, we are jeopardizing the principles and values
that are most valued by the international community:
peace, security, dialogue, human rights and democracy.
It is not always easy for the international community
to find a fair and effective way of responding, perhaps
because we are responding to the problems rather than
preventing them. Therefore, I would like to return to
what I said at the beginning of my speech. We cannot
allow the principles and values of the United Nations
to be relegated to high-flown declarations that have
no positive impact on people’s lives. Peace, the rule of
law and democracy must be accompanied by effective
respect for human rights and a substantial improvement
in the living conditions of people, which means less
poverty, less hunger, more education and more gender
equality. An ambitious development agenda that is
implemented effectively is the best way of preventing
conflicts and ensuring peace and security.

Early in my statement, in recalling Andorra’s
admission into the United Nations 20 years ago, I
referred to the more than seven centuries of peace
in our country, which is a relevant point to make at
an event such as this. I am sure that other Andorran
representatives have raised this point. We are proud of
our country’s peaceful history, but we are also keenly
aware that Andorra, a small State, would probably not
have enjoyed more than 700 years of peace had there
been any great inequalities among its inhabitants, had
the laws not been fair or had tyranny reigned instead
of a parliamentary regime, since there cannot be peace
without justice in Andorra or anywhere else.

All of us who are here today, all of us who have
spoken from this rostrum this week, are obligated to
ensure peace and justice, democracy and development,
human rights and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
All the principles and values to which we are firmly
committed must always go hand in hand. It is a long and
difficult path, but it is the only way in which a better
world can possibly come about.

Referring to what President Obama said a few
days ago (see A/68/PV.5), it is obvious that we live in
a world of imperfect choices. This difficulty must not
be used as an excuse for our failure to act. As President
Hollande stated from this very rostrum (see A/68/PV.5),

the United Nations has a responsibility to act, and the
worst decision is to take no action at all.


Twenty years ago
I took the floor for the first time before the General
Assembly. A few months before that, on 28 May 1993,
Monaco had become the one hundred and eighty-third
State Member of the United Nations, the smallest
Member State of the only universal Organization. The
decision of Prince Rainier III, my father, reflected
the will to fully assume our role as a responsible and
committed State within a changing world, where new
opportunities and new challenges were becoming
interdependent and transcending borders.

That vision remains unchanged over the passage
of time. My country continues to shoulder all its
responsibilities on the major issues that bring us
together here today. Faithful to its principles and to
its past, the Principality of Monaco wishes to make
its contribution in the most effective way possible to
the task of building peace, to which we have been so
attached over the centuries.

Therefore, inspired by a conviction that our shared
humanity requires that each of us treat our fellow
human beings with respect and dignity, tolerance
and comprehension, we have endorsed the values and
principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which
we aspire together to defend and to promote. That
important decision to fulfil the responsibility that each
Member State has is strengthened by the conviction,
originating from the holding of the first Earth Summit,
in 1992, that sustainable development, without which
we cannot aspire to our ideal of peace, must be planned
with respect for the environment of our planet.

It is in a sombre international context that we are
going to define the post-2015 development agenda,
an agenda that will be the cornerstone of the work of
the Organization and will be crucial to establishing
its political legitimacy for decades to come. The
growing insecurity in the world, characterized by the
fragmentation of societies, threatens the progress made
in many fields and causes multidimensional regional
instability that is likely to further deepen existing
differences.

The recent attacks perpetrated in Kenya, Pakistan
and Iraq are another shocking illustration of that
problem. They remind us that many parts of the world
are still subject to deadly terrorist attacks. Allow me
to extend to the families of the victims and to their
Government my deepest condolences.

I must also speak out against persisting conflicts,
which hamper development and cause an unacceptable
humanitarian situation. With regard to Syria in
particular, the number of displaced civilians and
refugees in bordering countries is of great concern. A
new threshold was crossed with the use of chemical
weapons, an extremely serious violation of international
law that cannot be tolerated. Monaco associates itself
with those who continue to advocate for a political
settlement of the conflict, especially in the light of
the recent agreement on the control and destruction
of chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria. Those
responsible for the use of chemical weapons cannot go
unpunished.

The International Committee of the Red Cross,
which I wish to pay tribute to for its determination to
fulfil its mandate in spite of difficult circumstances,
must be given access to populations in need and must
be assured that it is able to conduct its activities in full
security.

The tenth anniversary of the attack on United
Nations staff in Baghdad is a sad reminder that we
need to relentlessly continue with our efforts on
behalf of United Nations staff, who too often have
become deliberate targets. That deplorable situation
will be given attention in the coming world summit
on humanitarian aid to be held on the initiative of the
Secretary-General, which we fully support.

The evolution of factors that lead to humanitarian
emergencies forces us to examine the ways in which
the Organization can act in such circumstances, which
include conflicts, natural disasters, climate change and

environmental degradation. We must recognize that the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to
which I express my deepest gratitude, needs to be given
the means and the resources required for it to carry out
the mandate we have given it.

To those who criticize or threaten the progress of
the United Nations, the results accomplished show that
our courageous political decisions, in the fields of both
security and development, are timely and positive.

Together, in the year 2000, we defined the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which today
have made it possible for billions of people to live
better. Those successes are all the more remarkable
given that progress has been achieved in spite of the
effects of many crises of a financial, economic, food
and energy nature, some of whose consequences linger
and are even worsening.

Tomorrow, the special event devoted to the
MDGs will be an opportunity to reiterate our priority
commitment to eliminating poverty and an opportunity
for us to redouble efforts to hasten the achievement of
the Goals.

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013
indicates the areas that require urgent action and the
significant gaps that exist, not only among countries
but within their borders. We cannot tolerate the fact that
there are still people who have been rejected by society,
people for whom the hope born of a new millennium
remains a broken promise. It is not acceptable that in
today’s world human beings still live close to complete
destitution, where even their basic needs go unmet.
That is why we applaud the Secretary-General’s efforts
on behalf of his mobilization campaigns — Education
First, “Every woman, every child” and Scaling
Up Nutrition — which push us to shoulder our
responsibilities towards the world’s most vulnerable.

Education, the promotion of women, the protection
of children, public health and the conservation
of natural resources are priority elements in the
international cooperation policies that I have outlined.
They are structured around the eight MDGs, especially
maternal and child health, the fight against pandemics
and neglected diseases and the promotion of food
security, and in particular they are geared towards the
least developed countries. It seems to me that a policy
of international cooperation should respond as much
as possible to their interests, so that a virtuous circle
of development can be launched and help build a more
just, stable and less unequal world.

Important advances have often been accompanied
or completed by the adoption of measures emerging
from the Organization’s major conferences and
summits. By strengthening the treaty regime on human
rights, disarmament and the fight against terrorism, and
through the regimes established by the Security Council,
Member States have endowed themselves with the
means to reaffirm their faith in multilateralism, which
is the reason for the Organization’s existence, and in
the rule of law, which is the foundation of our collective
action. It is vital that we speed up the implementation
of the Programme of Action adopted in Istanbul in 2011
at the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least
Developed Countries.

The work that lies ahead for the President of the
General Assembly comes at a turning point in our
history. Under his leadership, the General Assembly
must not only speed up the implementation of the MDGs
but also prepare the post-2015 development agenda and
define the sustainable development goals in accordance
with this session’s theme “The post-2015 development
agenda: setting the stage”.

His valuable experience and unreserved dedication
to the Organization, and to sustainable development in
particular, will guide our deliberations. We are grateful
to have him, a son of Antigua and Barbuda, a small
island developing State, presiding over the upcoming
discussions, since we are confident that he is all too
familiar with the issues at stake.

He should also rest assured that Monaco’s
representative, in its capacity as Vice-President, is
ready to support him in his noble task.

Based on lessons learned from the MDGs, together
we will build an ambitious new development programme
capable of responding effectively to the demands of our
new reality. I have climate change in mind in particular.
Greenhouse-gas emissions continue to increase at the
global level, despite the fact that we have identified
climate change as one of the greatest dangers of our
era. The Secretary-General can count on my country’s
contribution to the upcoming summit on climate
change, which he intends to hold next September. His
willingness to bring together leaders from every sector

of society — civil society, the private sector, the world
of business and finance and, above all, young people,
all of them agents of change — is the only path of hope
for the radical transformation that is needed. There is
no alternative to defining a new programme and a new
paradigm.

At the current rate, if we do not change our
behaviour, we will need the equivalent of two planet
Earths to meet the needs of the world’s population,
which, as we know, will reach 9 billion in 2050 and
has always been concentrated in urban and coastal
zones, whose natural resources are particularly
vulnerable. That simple fact should prompt us to adopt
sustainable modes of production and consumption,
in accordance with the decisions taken at the United
Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. That
essential change of mindset presupposes that we place
human beings at the heart of the development issue. It is
no longer a question of agreeing on development plans
for agricultural, artisanal and industrial capacities. We
must consider that it is human societies and individuals
who deserve all of our attention. We must study
economic and environmental issues in the light of their
impact on the lives of people and communities. Taking
those needs into account means that we must reflect
further on how to ensure responsible development that
respects the environment and is truly sustainable.

The Assembly is aware of my personal commitment
to issues involving the oceans and seas. In accordance
with the Monaco Message on the acknowledged
importance of the oceans in “The future we want”
(resolution 66/288, annex), which was adopted in
November 2011, I am once again committing to
promoting the role of the oceans in the definition of
the post-2015 agenda and to reiterating my support for
a sustainable development goal focusing on the oceans.
Climate regulation, food and nutrition security, energy,
tourism, transport and international trade — all areas
directly or indirectly affected by the oceans — are
linked to the three pillars of sustainable development.
I think it is also essential to reaffirm how fundamental
the oceans are to the world and how serious are the
risks presented to them through the excessive human
activity that contributes to their acidification and the
acceleration of the drop in the resources they contain.

In that context, I would like to say how crucial I
believe it is that the international community address the
status of the high seas without delay, and how urgent it
is that protected marine areas be established, especially
in the polar regions. If the viability and sustainable
management of the oceans are to be achieved, only
an unswerving political willingness to form strong
partnerships that unite all the parties concerned will be
able to combat the effects of the overfishing, pollution
and acidification of the oceans and restore them to
health and productivity.

Strengthening cooperation and partnerships, as well
as deciding on concrete action, are also at the heart of
the preparations for the third International Conference
on Small Island Developing States, to which I want to
give my full support, along with a needed boost in the
solidarity that is essential to promoting sustainable
development.

The stakes are clear. Let us, who wish to reaffirm
the central place that the Organization occupies in
international governance, give it the means to assure
that leadership role by being ambitious and resolute
in our task. Let us remember the words of the novelist
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “Being a human being
means being responsible”.