I am
honoured to take the floor from this rostrum on behalf
of the President of the Republic, His Excellency
Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso.
 This past week, in this place, we took part in
High-level Meetings that addressed the major concerns
at the very heart of the actions of the United Nations
and those of its Member States: non-communicable
disease; the situation in Libya; desertification, land
degradation and drought in the context of sustainable
development and the eradication of poverty; the
commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the
adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of
Action on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance; nuclear safety; and terrorism.
Clearly, the conclusions that we reached at those
meetings reflect not only the political will and
commitment of Member States to provide collective
responses to those concerns, but also corroborate our
faith in multilateralism.
 In unison we have welcomed the Republic of
South Sudan, and we congratulate them on concluding,
after many years of patience, the long and laborious
process of negotiation that brought us the 193rd State
Member of the United Nations. In joining the warm
words of welcome expressed by the delegations before
me, I wish to reiterate the Congo’s support for this
young brother country and to underscore the
commitment of my Government to develop close ties
of friendship and cooperation with it.
 Since its creation, the United Nations has put a
great deal of effort into the noble endeavour of freeing
peoples still under the yoke of colonialism and
domination. The history of the United Nations is
intertwined with the emancipation of peoples. The time
has therefore come to do justice to the legitimate
aspirations of the Palestinian people. The Congo hopes
to see a sovereign Palestinian State emerge, master of
its own fate, in this great universal family, within
secure and guaranteed borders and living in peace
alongside the people of the State of Israel in a spirit of
good neighbourliness and cooperation.
 With respect to the situation in Libya, particularly
as regards the consequences for the subregion, we
agree that the restoration of peace and security remains
a high priority. For this reason, I wish to express my
Government’s support for the United Nations Support
Mission in Libya.
 In the quest for a peaceful solution to the Libyan
crisis, the Congo, together with other African States
members of the Ad Hoc High-level Committee of the
African Union, urges the authorities of the National
Transitional Council to meet their commitments,
particularly with respect to preserving national unity;
involving all Libyan stakeholders, without exception,
in rebuilding the country; protecting foreigners,
particularly African migrant workers; and opening an
inclusive political process for ending the crisis.
 In our immediate neighbourhood, both the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroun will
hold major elections in several weeks. My delegation
would like to see that process take place smoothly, in
calm and peace, in order to help democracy take root
and to strengthen political stability.
 The intolerable situation in the non-State of
Somalia and the ongoing civil war that has been under
way for 20 years, along with the unprecedented
humanitarian crisis, once again challenge the
international community. We encourage the
Transitional Federal Government to continue and
strengthen its efforts to achieve peace within the
framework of the Djibouti Agreement, with the
participation of all groups that wish to cooperate, and
to renounce armed violence. Here, I would like to
commend the actions of the African Union Mission to
Somalia, particularly for having made it possible to
secure Mogadishu.
 We welcome the wave of international solidarity
for the Horn of Africa. In keeping with this

9 11-51398

momentum, the Congo has made a contribution for the
victims of the drought in Somalia.
 The President has properly placed the role of
mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes at the
centre of the general debate. For the prevention and
resolution of conflicts, this is indeed a necessary tool
that has proven itself over the years and in all areas.
 The experience of mediation in Africa since the
independence of the African States is replete with
lessons regarding the role of this mechanism in settling
the numerous internal crises or inter-State conflicts that
our countries have experienced. In the past, the
Organization of African Unity used meditation almost
systematically. Today, the African Union continues to
benefit from it. Furthermore, mediation is consistent
with the African culture and tradition of dialogue. It is
by drawing from the very source of this tradition that
the Congo was able to launch a productive internal
dialogue that enabled it to overcome the socio-political
turmoil of the 1990s.
 The relevant provisions of the United Nations
Charter enshrine the obligation of Member States to
seek, in any dispute,
 “a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation,
conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement,
resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or
other peaceful means of their own choice”.
These provisions offer a wide range of possibilities
from among which to select the means appropriate to
bring about a peaceful settlement.
 Today more than ever, the quest for peace by
negotiation remains the only way to guarantee lasting
peace. The threat or use of force should be considered
only after having exhausted all possible political
solutions. The Security Council should therefore
strictly limit the conditions under which the use of
force is authorized so as to avoid any manipulation or
deterioration of a situation.
 Similarly, the abuse of the international justice
system, which has become a political weapon targeting
Africa in particular, is a dangerous aberration that must
be corrected.
 Beyond its main theme, the current session is
being held, as have preceding sessions, at a time in our
shared history when the United Nations is solidly
mobilized around its three main pillars of activity,
namely, international peace and security, economic
development and sustainable development, as well as
the related aspects of protecting the environment and
human rights. With respect to the range of challenges
old and new that the United Nations is expected to
meet, it will be viewed as effective and legitimate only
if it adapts to the new realities of our world.
 United Nations reform is therefore urgent. It must
be based on the principles of democracy, justice and
equality. The position of the African Union on Security
Council reform is well known in this body. The
reforms will be contingent on the willingness of all
Member States to make the Organization an institution
that embodies modern values and that is open to the
future.
 In order for the United Nations to effectively and
efficiently fulfil its key role in steering global affairs,
its Member States must carry out reforms, first to
restore the central role of the General Assembly as the
most representative deliberative body, and then to
foster the participation of more developing countries in
the decision-making process.
 The global challenges identified by heads of State
and Government at the Millennium Summit, held in
September 2000, include sustainable development and
environmental protection. These issues have figured
prominently in international negotiations for many
years and influence the implementation of the two
United Nations framework conventions on the
environment.
 The causes of climate change and their impact on
human life and the environment are well known.
Regardless of the explanations proffered,
environmental pollution is caused by human activity.
Consequently, we hope that the negotiations on a post-
Kyoto climate regime will conclude with the adoption,
at the seventeenth session of the Conference of the
Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change, to be held soon in Durban, of an
international instrument that could be opened for
signature at the Rio+20 Conference.
 In Central Africa, the countries of the Congo
Forest Basin, for their part, have made a commitment
to sustainably manage their forests through
conservation, forest certification, combating illegal
logging, good forest governance, the gradual
streamlining of the logging industry and
implementation of the process to reduce emissions

11-51398 10

from deforestation and forest degradation in
developing countries. This effort, which should be
continued, has resulted in very low deforestation rates.
This is one of Central Africa’s major contributions to
global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. The
international community should support and encourage
it.
 On the initiative of the Republic of the Congo,
the first summit on the world’s three tropical forest
ecosystems was held in Brazzaville from 29 May to
3 June. That summit, which brought together the
countries of the Amazon, South-East Asia and Congo
Basins, resulted in the conclusion of a cooperation
agreement on these three tropical forest ecosystems
with the support of United Nations agencies and other
partners. The agreement is to be signed in Rio de
Janeiro on the sidelines of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development, to be held in June 2012. In
that regard, I wish to express the gratitude of the
Congolese Government to Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon for his personal support to this initiative.
 As the Assembly is aware, the conservation and
sustainable management of forests requires substantial
human, material and financial resources, which forest
developing countries do not have. Those countries are
desperately awaiting the release of the “fast start”
funds that developed counties announced at
Copenhagen and the delivery of the innovative,
predictable and permanent sources of funding agreed at
Cancún, as well as technology transfer and capacity-
building.
 In mentioning these climate and environmental
issues, I cannot but think of Mrs. Wangari Maathai,
who passed away yesterday. I pay tribute to the
memory of this first Nobel Prize-winning woman of
African politics, who the world will remember as an
avant-garde activist in the fight to protect the
environment. Her commitment to reforestation and
restoring biodiversity won her the recognition of the
countries of Central Africa, who designated her as a
Goodwill Ambassador for the Congo Basin Forest. I
should like to take this opportunity to express my
deepest condolences to the Government and the people
of Kenya, as well as to the family of the deceased.
 The events taking place in the Arab world are
replete with lessons, as were the enormous changes
that transformed the European landscape after the fall
of the Berlin Wall, in 1989. Everywhere, the hymn of
freedom and democracy has resounded. We know that
the overthrow of a political regime does not necessarily
bring freedom and democracy. They must be won and
nurtured by other victories that cannot be imposed
from without. The world has changed and we must face
the facts inherent in these new geopolitical challenges,
which have led to the emergence of new forces on the
international stage. Freedom of expression thrives here,
in the United Nations. Let democracy not stop on its
threshold. The United Nations must be the sanctuary of
those who are building the future. A safer, fairer and
more prosperous world for all will then emerge.


I congratulate you,
Sir, on your election as President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. I express the
support of the Cypriot delegation, and I wish you every
success in fulfilling your duties.
 Over the past six months we have witnessed
historic changes in the wider region of the Middle East
and North Africa, a region which is very close to
Cyprus. A popular movement has developed in this
region with the aim of implementing fundamental
democratic reforms. The reforms are a sovereign affair
for the peoples. We hope that they are achieved
peacefully, without bloodshed and for the benefit of the
peoples themselves, through political dialogue and
with the support of the international community. We,
the international community, should offer this support
while respecting the sovereignty and the territorial
integrity of the Member States of the United Nations.
 The Republic of Cyprus has experienced
violence, and we still suffer from its consequences.
Cyprus is still suffering the effects of the illegal
Turkish invasion of 1974 and the ongoing occupation.
The Cyprus problem is first and foremost a problem of
invasion and occupation and the violation of
international law and of the human rights of Cypriot
citizens.
 Since the Turkish invasion in 1974, our goal has
been a peaceful resolution of the problem through
negotiations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish
Cypriot communities under the auspices of the
Secretary-General and on the basis of Security Council
and General Assembly resolutions on Cyprus.
 Since September 2008, we have undertaken a
renewed effort to solve the Cyprus problem, under the
auspices of the United Nations, through direct
negotiations between the leaders of the two
communities, upon our initiative. This effort is focused
on the evolution of the unitary State into a federal one,
with two federated units with political equality as
defined in relevant Security Council resolutions — one
State, with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship
and a single international personality. This basis was
reaffirmed by the leaders of the two communities in
2008, when they agreed on the resumption of
negotiations.

11-50865 2

 At the same time, the negotiating process, under
the auspices of the United Nations, was agreed. The
negotiations are Cypriot-led and Cypriot-owned, as
was agreed with the Secretary-General, excluding any
form of arbitration or artificial time frames. This was
agreed, bearing in mind recent negative experiences
that resulted from unsuccessful attempts to solve the
problem.
 We aim to achieve a mutually agreed solution,
terminating the occupation and the illegal colonization
by Turkey with settlers in the occupied part of Cyprus.
We seek a solution that reunifies the country and its
people and creates conditions of lasting peace and
security on the island.
 An important aspect of the Cyprus problem, of a
humanitarian nature, is the issue of missing persons.
This issue must be settled regardless of the
developments in the negotiations. Turkey must fulfil its
obligations, which stem from the judgments of the
European Court of Human Rights, to allow
exhumations in military areas and open the archives of
its army and of other services, in order to determine the
fate of the missing persons.
 During the first two years of direct negotiations
between the leaders of the two communities,
convergences have been reached on various aspects of
the Cyprus problem. I regret to note that, lately in
particular, the Turkish Cypriot side is backtracking,
even from convergences that had been found. This
change in the stance of the Turkish Cypriot leadership
draws on the recent negative and provocative policy of
Turkey in the region.
 In recent years, the Republic of Cyprus has
started a process for the exploration and potential
extraction of hydrocarbons within its exclusive
economic zone. This was preceded by agreements to
delimit the exclusive economic zone with neighbouring
countries, always within the framework of international
law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea, which the Republic of Cyprus has
ratified. We anticipate that this effort will contribute to
the discovery of new energy resources, particularly for
Europe, and of course for the shared benefit of our
people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike.
 We believe that the possible discovery and
extraction of hydrocarbons will constitute yet another
strong motive for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots
to expedite a just, functional and viable solution to the
Cyprus problem, so that both communities can enjoy
the natural wealth of our country in conditions of
peace, security and prosperity. I wish to reassure our
Turkish Cypriot compatriots that, regardless of the
circumstances, they would benefit from the possible
discovery and extraction of hydrocarbons.
 Unfortunately, the effort of the Republic of
Cyprus to exercise its sovereign right to exploit its
marine wealth is met by threats by Turkey against
Cyprus. Turkish naval manoeuvres in the region of
Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone, where explorations
are being carried out, are provocative and constitute a
real danger of further complications in the region. At
the same time, Turkey has continued its illegal actions
by concluding an agreement with the illegal regime in
the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus in order to
pursue exploration within the exclusive economic zone
of the Republic of Cyprus.
 From this rostrum, I wish to condemn that illegal
act, which constitutes a provocation not only for the
Republic of Cyprus but for the entire international
community. Instead of adopting a constructive stance
in the negotiations for a speedy solution to the Cyprus
problem, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership are
trying to create tension and new, illegal faits
accomplis. Ankara’s latest threats directed at a
European Union (EU) member State come at a time
when Turkey is seeking to open new chapters in its EU
accession negotiations.
 We wish to express our gratitude to the
permanent and non-permanent members of the Security
Council, and to the European Union, for the clear
position they have taken in defending the sovereign
rights of the Republic of Cyprus. We call on the
Security Council, the Secretariat and the United
Nations in general to impress upon the Turkish
leadership that any threat to or violation of the
sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, or any
continuing violation of international and European law,
will not be tolerated.
 We are fully committed to continuing to work
towards a solution of the Cyprus problem, within the
agreed framework and on the basis of the agreed
process, as soon as possible. Considering that it is first
and foremost the Cypriot people who are suffering
from the continuing occupation, it is only natural for us
to demonstrate goodwill and exert all our efforts to
reach a just, viable and functional solution to the

3 11-50865

Cyprus problem and for the reunification of the State
and our people.
 We will continue to work to strengthen
cooperation and trust between Greek and Turkish
Cypriots. A rapprochement of the two communities is
integral to our policy. We are continuing with our
initiatives aimed at creating the conditions conducive
to a solution. We recall our proposal for the restitution
of Famagusta — a European city, uninhabited since
1974 as a result of the Turkish occupation — to its
lawful inhabitants, under United Nations
administration. Our proposal also includes the use of
the city’s port by Turkish Cypriots under EU
supervision.
 The implementation of this proposal will
significantly boost negotiations and increase trust
between the two communities; that will also lead to the
unfreezing of negotiations chapters in Turkey’s EU
accession process. We recall that the handover of the
uninhabited area of Famagusta to United Nations
administration, and the return of its lawful inhabitants,
is called for in Security Council resolution 550 (1984),
which Turkey refuses to implement.
 We would like to express our gratitude to the
United Nations, under whose auspices the talks
between the leaders of the two communities are being
carried out. We thank the Security Council and the
Secretary-General himself for his good offices.
 It is to the Secretary-General’s credit that during
his recent meetings with the leaders of the two
communities he persistently sought reaffirmation of the
basis for the negotiations from both sides. He has
referred specifically to Security Council resolution
1251 (1999), which provides that the solution to the
Cyprus problem shall be a bi-zonal, bi-communal
federation with political equality, as defined in the
Security Council resolutions: a State with a single
sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single
international personality, excluding any form of union,
in whole or in part, with any other country as well as
any form of partition or secession. That is the basis that
the United Nations continues to support.
 We are also grateful that the Secretary-General
has asked for the reaffirmation of the convergences that
were previously agreed on in the framework of the
talks. As I have mentioned, the Turkish Cypriot leader
has unfortunately retreated from previous agreements
of fundamental importance. We believe that the only
way to move forward and reach a solution as soon as
possible is by upholding the commitments that both
sides have undertaken in the presence of the Secretary-
General. Negotiations should be carried out on a clear
basis and without backtracking.
 The long-standing dispute in the Middle East is
now characterized by frozen negotiations. It is vitally
important that the peace process be resumed on the
basis of the principles established by the international
community in its resolutions. Cyprus supports the
resumption of negotiations and calls on both sides to
engage with honesty and goodwill, without creating
new faits accomplis.
 Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve a peaceful,
stable and secure future within a framework of two
independent States. We maintain our principled
position for a free and independent Palestinian State,
next to the State of Israel, within the 1967 borders.
 It has been 10 years since the attacks on the
World Trade Center here in New York. Cyprus
continues to support the collective efforts of the
international community, based on international law, to
eliminate international terrorism. We support the
implementation of the necessary measures, including
the adoption of a comprehensive convention on
international terrorism.
 Most countries in the world are still in the grip of
the global financial crisis. This crisis proves that a new
model of growth must prevail, focused on reducing
social inequalities, eradicating poverty and
safeguarding the rights of workers and all other people.
Special emphasis must be given to the fairer
distribution of social goods, such as health and
education, and to ending the market’s impunity and
lack of regulation. Emphasis must also be given to
dealing with social repercussions, such as
unemployment, delinquency, crime and social
marginalization — problems that cause social tensions
and conflicts in a number of countries in Europe and
the world.
 There can be no doubt that building prosperity
and global stability on solid foundations cannot be
accomplished without protecting the environment and
our planet and promoting the sustainable use of its
resources.
 In conclusion, I wish to stress that there is no way
to deal with the challenges facing humankind today

11-50865 4

other than collective action. We will succeed only if we
realize that our future must be characterized by mutual
respect, the fairer distribution and redistribution of
global wealth, social progress and equality, and the
prevalence of international law and human rights.


Uganda joins other
delegations in congratulating Mr. Al-Nasser on his
election to the presidency of this body. My delegation
has confidence in his ability to steer our deliberations
to a successful conclusion. I wish to pay tribute to
Mr. Joseph Deiss for his effective stewardship of the
work of the General Assembly during the past session.
 Uganda takes this opportunity to congratulate the
Government and the people of South Sudan on
attaining statehood and becoming the 193rd Member of
the United Nations. Uganda also congratulates Mr. Ban
Ki-moon on his reappointment as Secretary-General.
 The theme of this session’s general debate, “The
role of mediation in the settlement of disputes by
peaceful means”, is most appropriate in the light of the
conflict situations in various parts of the world,
including Africa. When actualized, the peaceful
settlement of disputes saves lives and property that
would otherwise be lost if force were used. Strategic
interventions, such as mediation, are necessary to
mitigate conflict situations and avert crises that
threaten the stability not only of nations, but also of
entire regions, with adverse effects on development
and people’s livelihoods. Mediation is a necessary and
essential tool for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, as
it is aims to support disputing parties in the process of
negotiating a mutual understanding or agreement.
 Uganda has consistently advocated an enhanced
role for subregional and regional organizations in
conflict prevention and resolution. When those
organizations are involved in mediating disputes, they
play a critical role in bringing about sustainable peace
and security. It was against this background that
Uganda supported and sponsored resolution 65/283 on
mediation as a tool for the peaceful settlement of
disputes. The resolution provides a basis for
consolidating normative mediation efforts, reinforcing
mediation support activities and enhancing the role of
Member States.
 Uganda has been involved in various initiatives to
bring peace to the Great Lakes region, the Horn of
Africa and the African continent as a whole. Our
involvement included participation in the Burundi
peace process and in the negotiations, led by the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development, on the
Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which
culminated in the birth of a new nation, South Sudan,
which is now participating as an equal partner in the
community of nations.
 In the case of Somalia, in addition to our
contribution to the African Union Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM), Uganda continues to support the
engagement of the Somali Transitional Federal
Government with other actors so as to promote
dialogue in the context of the Djibouti Agreement and
the Kampala Accord. In order to consolidate the gains
realized on the ground, the United Nations and the rest
of the international community must urgently
strengthen support to Somalia by means of capacity-
building for the Somali Transitional Federal
Institutions; the deployment of the additional
authorized 3,000 troops; the approval of a reliable and
predictable funding mechanism and of the required
aviation assets to AMISOM; and the provision of
urgent humanitarian relief and assistance to meet the
basic needs of the people through quick-impact
projects in such areas as health care, water and
sanitation.
 Our experience in conflict prevention and
resolution in Africa is that if such efforts are to succeed
and be sustainable, a number of factors come into play.
First, peace initiatives should be led by the region, with
strong support from regional organizations, the United
Nations and other relevant actors. Secondly, it is
sometimes important to initially give priority to peace
before justice in order to strengthen confidence-
building between parties. Thirdly, peace and
reconciliation mechanisms, including transitional all-
inclusive administrations, need to be established to
heal the wounds of conflict. Fourthly, post-conflict
recovery and reconstruction programmes or projects
should be instituted simultaneously so as to
demonstrate the benefits of peace dividends.
 Mediation is a worthwhile investment. It costs
much less than other undertakings, such as
peacekeeping or peace enforcement. In terms of
benefits, effective mediation can avert unnecessary
wars and their attendant consequences, such as the loss
of life and property, and contribute to building capacity
for home-grown solutions to address conflict. The
mutual confidence that normally results from
mediation between parties can also be instrumental in
achieving inclusive political and other arrangements
following the conclusion of peace agreements. Once

19 11-51384

achieved, such arrangements have a positive impact on
the consolidation of peace and security, as well as on
sustainable post-conflict reconstruction, recovery and
development.
 Uganda believes that potential differences
between and within countries are better addressed
using home-grown solutions. External influences or
interventions do not necessarily offer sustainable
solutions to conflict. On the contrary, the latter tend at
times to contribute to a cycle of destabilizing
tendencies.
 It is therefore important that the involvement of
the United Nations, the international community and
other actors take full account of the interests and
concerns of all parties. Hence, there is a need for close
coordination, consultation and information-sharing
with the parties concerned. The support of the
international community should target areas mutually
agreed upon with the parties concerned. It is also
important to underscore the fact that, where potential
conflict situations arise and external support becomes
necessary, the international community should provide
a timely, adequate and robust response.
 It is equally necessary to build and strengthen the
mediation capacities of subregional and regional
organizations. Specifically, in the case of conflicts in
Africa, our preferred solution is peaceful settlement
through mediation, not military intervention. In the
case of the Libyan crisis, the African Union (AU) has
called upon the National Transitional Council to
establish an all-inclusive transitional Government, as
proposed in the AU road map for the peaceful
resolution of the Libyan conflict.
 Uganda would like to make a strong case to this
Assembly that Africa should be given the chance to
resolve its conflicts. Africa has strong political will to
handle them, and any interventions should be aimed at
supporting African initiatives to find peaceful
solutions. It is therefore imperative that our partners
recognize the existing dispute resolution mechanisms
of the regional bodies in Africa. I also call upon the
United Nations to fully support Africa in that regard.
 Besides, the role of women in mediation must be
appreciated and enhanced. Experience has shown that
women can contribute a lot to efforts aimed at peaceful
settlement of disputes and at conflict prevention and
resolution. It is therefore vital that women become
increasingly involved in mediation efforts and
processes.
 On the Israeli-Palestinian question, Uganda has
consistently called upon the Israeli and the Palestinian
parties to muster the necessary courage to negotiate
and reach a peaceful settlement based on a two-State
solution, that is, Israel and the State of Palestine living
side by side peacefully and within secure borders. We
urge both parties to urgently resume negotiations in
order to reach a two-State solution that will guarantee
durable peace.
 The outcome of this debate should include
practical and pragmatic actions to address some of the
challenges relating to mediation. These include, but are
not limited to, issues involved in the adequacy and
predictability of the requisite resources, capacity-
building at the national, subregional and regional
levels, the involvement of women, and the
strengthening of coordination and collaboration in
mediation efforts and processes.


It is
a great honour to participate in the General Assembly
and a great privilege to greet Members on behalf of the
people and the Government of Cape Verde.
 I address the Assembly in the Cape Verdean
language, the Creole of Cape Verde. I believe this is
the first time Cape Verdean Creole is used in United
Nations General Assembly. I do it to share with the
Assembly this piece of authentic world heritage, born
on the threshold of the fifteenth century. Linguistic
experts consider it the oldest Creole of Euro-African
origin and the oldest within the Atlantic context.
 I use it also because language is culture, history
and memory. All languages are expressions of
thoughts, knowledge and practices. Languages are no
doubt an expression of civilization. Therefore,
speaking in the Creole of Cape Verde, in this most
important Hall, at a meeting of heads of State and
Government, is a reference to our conviction that the
Creole identity is of anthropological value for all
humanity. It is a way of highlighting our Cape
Verdeanship: our soul and the way of being, the ethos
and pathos of Cape Verde, which is the result of the
intersection of various peoples of the world. The
language is, in and of itself, a synthesis of the meeting
of civilizations. By using it, I also pay vibrant tribute
to Aristides Pereira, the first President of Cape Verde
and a great African fighter for freedom and human
dignity, who recently passed away.
 The central theme of this Assembly session — the
role of mediation in the settlement of disputes by
peaceful means — is a crucial and imperative theme
for the world. It reflects the identity, the way of being
and lifestyle of Cape Verdeans. As subscribers to the
purposes and principles of the United Nations, we
believe that peace and human rights are the key factors
in the construction of sovereignty, democratic rule of
law and sustainable development. Therefore, mediators
are required to position and approach matters within
the universal matrix of peace and human rights as the
highest priorities of all States Members of the United
Nations.

11-51372 2

 In addition, we consider it crucial to take an
approach focused on the prevention and control of
non-communicable diseases worldwide, especially in
the context of the challenges faced by developing
countries.
 Let me offer a few special words regarding the
development of themes such as desertification, land
degradation and drought in the context of sustainable
development and poverty eradication in preparation for
the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development, scheduled for June 2012, which we
strongly and actively support.
 One of the most decisive actions taken by
independent Cape Verde, soon after 1975, was
reforestation, along with orographic correction and the
mobilization of water. As a small island developing
State at the crossroads of two large regions — the
Sahel and Macaronesia — and suffering the effects of
the most stringent climatic randomness of one region
and the oceanic isolation of the other, Cape Verde is
conscious of the importance of the green as well as the
blue economy to the objective of sustainable
development.
 We need the United Nations to work out our part
in preventing climate change and food and water
shortages. We count on the United Nations and all
countries of this great General Assembly to converge
both bilaterally and multilaterally towards the green
economy and sustainable development. Therefore, in
Cape Verde there is an ongoing and ambitious
programme for covering 50 per cent of national energy
needs through renewable sources by 2020.
 Despite remarkable and positive changes — some
of which have been internationally recognized, such as
our graduation to middle-income country status and
being on the path towards full achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals — I would still like to
take this opportunity to better acquaint the General
Assembly with my country.
 Cape Verde, with its ten islands in the middle of
the Atlantic, strategically positioned in the corridor and
the cross-Atlantic flow, is not only a strong partner for
global security, geostrategic interests and world trade,
but is also an active and useful member of the
international community in the fight against trafficking
and related crime. The vast oceanic region of Cape
Verde is an important space for security in the
promotion of regional peace and prosperity and in the
affirmation of an international coalition to fight illicit
transnational crime.
 Some may wonder, “What country is this?” Some
think of it as the nation of Amilcar Cabral; others see it
as the country of Cesaria Evora. Cape Verde is a land
that was once an important entrepôt and trans-shipment
base for the African slave trade, for both Europe and
the Americas. Its oldest city — Ribeira Grande, or the
Cidade Velha — was named a World Heritage by
UNESCO in 2009.
 Cape Verde is a State that encourages other States
to remember, through memory, history and human
rights, the international slave routes, just as we
remember the Holocaust, another of the heights of
human barbarism. In Cape Verde we can defy our
lusophone partners in the Community of Portuguese-
speaking Countries and our African partners and the
entire world to reaffirm our commitment against
barbarism, dictatorship, colonialism and disrespect for
human rights through the promotion of the candidacy
of the Tarrafal concentration camp on the island of
Santiago as a World Heritage site.
 Those who know us know that we are a country
concerned with development. We do not settle for
being middle-income country. We need the partnership
with the international community to fulfil our destiny.
 In Cape Verde’s transformational agenda, we
have identified five pillars of our country’s growth and
poverty reduction strategy: promotion of effective
governance, strengthening human development,
confronting the structural and social challenges arising
from competitiveness, and investment in infrastructure
for improving social cohesion.
 Cape Verde is developing a foreign policy that
favours democracy, justice, peace, cooperation and
sustainable development. We look at the planet as the
home of all, respecting the sovereignty and will of the
people while emphasizing the global convergence in
the core of humankind. We are therefore concerned
about hunger in the Horn of Africa. We are concerned
that thousands of children die in Africa every day from
hunger. I am concerned that that does not motivate a
stronger international intervention, since the
dictatorship of hunger is the worst of dictatorships.
 We urge the United Nations to be more effective
and to make a concerted effort to reverse the image of
that human tragedy in East Africa. We must therefore

3 11-51372

eradicate the geopolitics of hunger. We all need to take
the paradigm of zero hunger in the world.
 We are also concerned about wars and tensions
that thrive a little everywhere but are now more
localized and of more intense in Africa, the Middle
East and Asia — to the delight of the dealers in misery,
those who invest in the war industry and in the
suffering of millions of human beings, especially
children, women and the elderly. We must reach a
global consensus that security, peace and stability arise
from the economic and social development of States
and peoples. We must deconstruct war, conflict and
tension between countries and peoples and ensure the
commitment of the sixty-sixth session of the General
Assembly towards that noble goal. We must reiterate
that mediation is essential to settle disputes, whether in
Africa or in the rest of the world.
 The global economic crisis is acute. In large
countries it shows signs of settling and in poor
countries it is amplified. If the crisis is global, it
requires global responses against recessionary policies,
such as the protection of domestic markets, and the war
against unfairly priced imports. It also requires global
positions that converge towards social inclusion as a
way to reduce the impact of the economic crisis.
 We reiterate our firm position of respect for
international laws, the principles of non-interference in
internal affairs and the sovereignty of peoples and
nations. We do not support double standards for similar
cases, as if peoples and nations were not equal and
deserving of the same treatment, as stated in the United
Nations Charter.
 Before concluding, I must emphasize our position
in favour of expanding the reform model of global
governance by the United Nations, allowing, among
the many benefits, small States to have a greater voice
in the decision-making process of the international
system. Cape Verde unequivocally supports an increase
in the number of permanent members of the Security
Council, in the belief that the world is no longer as it
was at the end of the Second World War, nor does it
resemble that of the end of the Cold War.


As we say in Maori,
to all peoples and to all voices, greetings, greetings,
greetings to all.
 I speak at the end of a period of intense United
Nations dialogue and engagement. This year’s general
debate provides unparalleled opportunities to reaffirm
the unique multilateral role of the United Nations. And
there has been much to debate. The events set in
motion by a single Tunisian street vendor have
transformed much of the Middle East and North Africa.
People have displayed extraordinary courage in
claiming their rights and freedoms. The transition from
dictatorship to democracy will not be easy; it will not
be quick; but it must be achieved.
 For others, the struggle continues. We still look
for change in Yemen; we still look for change in Syria.
Other challenges are highlighted by this debate. We
heard from the President of South Africa and others
how the global community must move swiftly to avert
humanitarian disaster in the Horn of Africa.
 We heard from the President of Nigeria how
terror networks threaten international peace and
security, and from the President of Tanzania about
growing piracy on Africa’s eastern coast, from Somalia
to Mozambique. We heard calls from the Indonesian
Foreign Minister for bold measures to avert a renewed
global financial crisis, and we heard from the President
of Brazil about the challenge of empowering women to
participate in political decision-making.
 As this debate has demonstrated, much more
remains to be done. Lives have also been wrenched by
natural disasters in many countries, including my own.
On 22 February 2011, we experienced what my Prime
Minister called New Zealand’s darkest day. An
earthquake struck Christchurch, our second-largest
city. A total of 181 people were killed, a loss we share
with 15 other countries whose citizens also died. We
were humbled by the support we received, and, once
again, I thank those who gave that help.

11-51681 32

 Despite that disaster and the literally thousands of
aftershocks that have followed, New Zealanders remain
resilient and optimistic. Christchurch is being rebuilt.
Our economy is bouncing back and the country is
returning to normal, not least by currently hosting the
Rugby World Cup, a celebration of a game we love, in
the country we love.
 Despite some cause for economic optimism, the
events of just the past week suggest that the world still
faces what we have long feared: a second and even
more disastrous decline into a double-dip recession.
We do not relish the prospect of being dragged into
another recession that is not of our own making. We
caution others larger than ourselves against repeating
the mistakes of the 1930s, when autarkic protectionism
only deepened the Depression and led to war.
 Instead, a successful conclusion of the Doha
Round is one of the keys to prosperity, particularly for
those of the global South. The February Christchurch
earthquake was followed by the devastation wrought
on our close friend and neighbour Japan. I reiterate our
heartfelt sympathy to Japan, so steadfast in its support
for New Zealand in our time of need. Those disasters,
and others elsewhere, reinforced the importance of
effective disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
 New Zealand will work with the United Nations,
non-governmental organizations and international
agencies so that the lessons learned from Christchurch
are shared with others so that those in regions as
vulnerable as ours can be better prepared. Indeed, in
those regions, disaster preparedness is no desktop
exercise; it is a matter of survival.
 Likewise, for our Pacific neighbours, another
high risk, climate change, is no abstract threat,
confined to thousands of pages of reports and esoteric
debate; it is a fundamental question of existence. For
the Pacific, climate change is a grave and present threat
to livelihoods, security and well-being.
 The Secretary-General experienced those
challenges first-hand when he visited several Pacific
States, including one post-conflict society, and another
whose people see, on a daily basis, the dangers of
rising oceans. He experienced real vulnerability when
he saw that his hotel room, in addition to the towels
and the telephone, was equipped with a lifejacket. And
he saw the impact of rising oceans on the viability and
survival of many communities when his plane had to
be “wheels up” from the country’s airport — its major
link with the world — before the tide came in.
 Much more of that, and whole populations will be
on the move, as they will be in other regions of the
world as well, and that will have with implications for
regional and international stability and security. Faced
with that, it is self-evident that all relevant
international forums, including the Security Council,
must play their part in addressing the challenge. That
means taking urgent and effective action on emissions
reduction. It means strengthening adaptation in
developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable.
And it means acknowledging and planning for the
security implications before they become threats to
regional and international security.
 This year’s Durban meeting must set us on the
road to full implementation of the Cancun agreements.
New Zealand is committed, both through the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
negotiations and its active assistance in the Pacific and
elsewhere, to integrate adaptation and mitigation
measures into its development activities.
 New Zealand also initiated the Global Research
Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases. Supported
by more than 30 countries, the Alliance seeks to ensure
that reducing agricultural emissions does not
compromise global food security.
 Increased agricultural productivity — the ability
of many countries to feed themselves — is one of the
great achievements of recent decades. Constraining
agricultural production would put much of the world’s
population at risk, and no country will do that. We
must therefore maintain investment in agricultural
research, so that productivity and efficiency gains can
continue, but with fewer greenhouse-gas emissions.
That is what the Global Alliance is all about.
 New Zealand takes pride in its diversity. We are
indigenous Maori; we are European; and we are the
many peoples from the Asia-Pacific region and
elsewhere who now call New Zealand home. We are
also proud to be part of the Pacific Islands Forum, the
foremost regional body. For 40 years, it has been
central to the region’s efforts to address its own
problems, be they the special development challenges
of small, isolated, vulnerable island States, or halting
and healing the impacts of violent conflict. It has done
that in the time-honoured Pacific way, through

33 11-51681

respectful dialogue and cooperation and then through
joint action.
 Three weeks ago, at the Forum’s fortieth
anniversary meeting in Auckland, Pacific leaders
honoured that legacy by agreeing on measures aimed at
converting Pacific potential into Pacific prosperity.
 The themes of their discussions will resonate in
other regions: strong, sustainable economic growth,
protecting vulnerable populations and ensuring that
they are healthy and educated and that they can have
long lives.
 A key focus of that meeting was the alarming
incidence of non-communicable diseases, a scourge
that is rapidly encircling the globe. Almost half of all
New Zealand deaths relate to cancer and heart disease,
but the situation is even more critical in many Pacific
island countries, where diabetes in particular
approaches epidemic proportions. We thank those who
brought that cause here to the United Nations,
particularly the countries members of the Caribbean
Community.
 With the 2012 United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development (Rio+20) very much in mind,
Pacific Forum leaders also focused on sustainable
development. Rio+20 will be an opportunity to assess
the progress made since the 1992 Conference, take its
agenda forward and highlight best practices. For
example, New Zealand’s aid programme includes
energy, agriculture and tourism initiatives that promote
sustainable development.
 Pacific peoples were navigating their ocean, the
world’s largest, at a time when others were still
confined to their coastal waters. New Zealand Maori
call the Pacific the ocean guarded by the god Kiwa.
Our region is uniquely dependent on its ocean. For
those who call the Pacific home, the “green economy”
is in reality a blue economy. Our ocean underpins
livelihoods, food security and economic development.
That is why Pacific leaders have focused on ensuring
its sustainable development, management and
conservation. That is why they made addressing
acidification, pollution and illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing urgent matters. That is why our
leaders want us to work towards integrated ocean
management, with our own Pacific Oceanscape
framework as a very good model. And that is why they
called for Rio+20 to recognize the Pacific’s economic
and environmental significance, and its contribution to
sustainable development. At Rio+20, we will seek the
support of the United Nations for that blue economy.
 We work to protect the health of people and their
environment, but we must also enhance collective
security by advancing the disarmament agenda. Over
the coming year, we must focus on the full
implementation of the action plan agreed at the 2010
Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. As coordinator
for the New Agenda Coalition, a group of non-nuclear-
weapon States committed to a nuclear-weapon-free
world, New Zealand will soon introduce a draft
resolution highlighting the work that will be required
to achieve its implementation during the coming
review cycle of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons. We commend that draft resolution
for the Assembly’s consideration.
 There have been gains over the past year with
respect to conventional disarmament, but we have yet
to see the results of those achievements. There has
been pleasing progress towards an arms trade treaty,
but hard work remains. Next year’s Diplomatic
Conference must deliver a treaty establishing the
highest possible common international standards for
conventional arms transfers.
 We must also maintain focus on small arms and
light weapons, which for many regions are their
weapons of mass destruction. The year 2011 marks the
tenth anniversary of the United Nations Programme of
Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit
Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its
Aspects. There has been much to celebrate, including
the first Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts
on the implementation of the Programme of Action,
which I had the honour of chairing in May. But next
year’s Review Conference must work to ensure that the
Programme delivers on its potential for keeping
communities safe from such weapons.
 To deal with all of that, we need a strong, nimble
and effective United Nations, and we need a Security
Council that reflects geopolitical realities — realities
that have changed since 1945. Today, some States
might credibly seek a fuller, longer-term Council role.
New Zealand supports change that acknowledges those
realities.
 But most United Nations Members are not major
or emerging Powers, they are small States. They too
are crucial to the universality and legitimacy of the

11-51681 34

United Nations; they too must contribute at the Council
table. Let me put it simply: if we reform the Security
Council to provide a fuller, longer-term role for
emerging Powers, we must also ensure a role for small
States. Speaking as a small State, I say that we are the
United Nations. And so we agreed with the Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago when he said
that the smallness of a country is not a deterrent to the
realization of big dreams (see ), and with
the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, who told us that
small States must have a greater voice in international
decision-making (see ).
 There are real risks if we cannot achieve genuine
Security Council reform. Emerging Powers will be
denied a role consistent with their global significance,
and small States will continue to be squeezed out of
positions of responsibility. It is in everyone’s interests
that the Security Council be more representative. As
we saw earlier this year with respect to Libya, the
Council is an extraordinarily powerful instrument for
maintaining international peace and security. But with
extraordinary power comes extraordinary responsibility —
responsibility that must be exercised with regard for the
views of all countries, large and small.
 The Council must also build on its partnerships
with regional groups, such as the African Union, which
increasingly plays a critical role in maintaining
regional and global peace and security. Recognizing
the importance of closer relations with Africa, we are
encouraging New Zealand investment in and trade with
Africa, supporting peace and security and providing
development assistance. Last week, we increased our
diplomatic engagement by appointing a dedicated
ambassador to the African Union and the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
 New Zealand is proud of its history of active
contribution right across the United Nations agenda.
We have a strong record as an independent and

principled voice advocating collective security and the
rule of law. We take an even-handed approach to
security issues, as has been shown by our voting record
and our tangible contributions to peace processes. We
take seriously our international responsibilities.
 That is why, in 2004, we announced that we
would seek a non-permanent Security Council seat for
the 2015-2016 term. Nearly 20 years have passed since
New Zealand’s last time on the Council. The time is
right for us to again bring the fresh, independent
perspective of a small Asia-Pacific country to the
Council. That candidature, which I confirm here today,
is based on the belief that States, large and small, have
a place at the Council table. Modern New Zealand was
founded on a compact, a treaty-based partnership with
its indigenous Maori people. That, and our diversity,
means a unique history and perspective on promoting
tolerance and conflict resolution; a perspective that we
have previously brought, to good effect, to the Council
table, and which we will bring again.
 For the United Nations, 2011 has been a truly
historic year. The Organization has quickly responded
to change in the Middle East and North Africa. It
stands ready to provide post-conflict support, and not
just in Libya. It has been critical to relief in the Horn
of Africa. Its essential role in State recognition has
been at global centre stage. Even the most cynical, the
most jaded, have had to relearn that the United Nations
is at the epicentre of much that happens, and much that
matters. We need the United Nations. We need it to
address the woes of the world and to consolidate its
successes. Its fundamental importance stems from its
universality, its legitimacy and its mechanisms to
confront challenges. Its effectiveness depends on its
ability to adapt as those challenges emerge and on its
ability to address them together. Member States, large
and small, come together in that collective endeavour.
New Zealand, as always, stands ready to play its part.


I am honoured to address the
Assembly once again. Let me, first of all, congratulate
the President on his election to his duties of directing
the affairs of the Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. I
would like to assure him of our full support and
cooperation throughout his tenure. And I commend his
predecessor, Mr. Joseph Deiss, for a job well done. We
appreciate the Secretary-General’s important
contribution to the work of the Organization and
congratulate him on his recent appointment to a second
term.
 On behalf of the Government and people of
Sierra Leone, let me take this opportunity to welcome
the Republic of South Sudan, the newest Member of
the United Nations family and our continental
organization, the African Union. We congratulate them
on this achievement and wish them well.
 Sierra Leone is a nation with a relatively small
territory and population, but our aspirations to
democracy, prosperity and international peace are as
big as any nation’s, and our commitment to those
ideals has been visibly demonstrated in the course of
our 50 years as an independent nation. We are proud of
the distinctive contributions we have made to the
United Nations over the past half-century in areas such
as decolonization; training and research; the
international civil service; disarmament and
non-proliferation, including small arms and light
weapons; peacemaking and peacekeeping; the
development of international law; and, currently,
reform of the Security Council.
 It is worth mentioning that, soon after our
admission to the United Nations, we contributed a
small peacekeeping contingent to the United Nations
Operation in the Congo. Our commitment to
international peace is evidenced by our transformation
from a nation that received one of the largest ever
United Nations peacekeeping missions in the late
1990s to a country that today contributes troops and
police officers to peacekeeping missions in Darfur. We
have also developed a proposal to participate in the
African Union Mission in Somalia. At the same time,
we acknowledge with gratitude the enormous impact
that the United Nations family has had on the
maintenance of peace, governance and economic and

11-51191 4

social development in my country since our admission
to the Organization, 50 years ago.
 In my capacity as Chair of the African Union
Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government on
the Reform of the United Nations Security Council, I
must emphasize that reform of the Council is urgently
required for the wider United Nations membership to
fully benefit from the Council’s purposes and primary
objective of maintaining international peace and
security. There is an increasing need for the Security
Council to be more representative, inclusive and
democratic, as well as for an improvement in its
working methods and its relations with the General
Assembly. The status quo is increasingly unacceptable
and has the potential to undermine the legitimacy,
effectiveness and efficiency of the Council’s work in
maintaining international peace and security.
 It is therefore imperative that we reaffirm our
commitment to the standards and principles of this
noble Organization by generating the political will for
a reformed Security Council that would pave the way
for correcting the historical injustice done to Africa,
through the allocation during this session of two
permanent and five non-permanent seats to Africa, in
accordance with the United Nations Charter.
 Since I addressed the Assembly last year, Sierra
Leone has continued to make steady progress,
particularly in the priority sectors outlined in my
Government’s agenda for change, namely, agriculture,
energy, infrastructure, health and education. Those five
sectors were purposely selected from many others
requiring transformation because we believe they can
have the greatest positive impact on the lives of our
people. We have done so against the background of the
unprecedented challenges facing our world today, such
as the rise in fuel and food prices, the global financial
crisis, and the chain of unending conflicts around the
world.
 Inspired by the conviction that no goals, however
comprehensive or meaningful, can be achieved without
the sustained determination to implement them, I have
declared 2011 the year of implementation for Sierra
Leone. Accordingly, my Government has demonstrated
its commitment to that declaration. We are going to
ensure that every single Sierra Leonean benefits from
the dividends of our well-earned peace and democracy.
In spite of the many challenges that have impeded our
capacity to complete our projects, we are determined,
with the cooperation and support of our development
partners, to accelerate our country’s positive
transformation. It is my sincere hope that successful
implementation of the projects and programmes in the
Joint Vision of the United Nations Family for Sierra
Leone, which has been aligned with our agenda for
change, will enhance Sierra Leone’s efforts to attain
the Millennium Development Goals.
 The economy of Sierra Leone, like many around
the world, is currently encountering budgetary
difficulties that can be traced to the global economic
meltdown. We are, however, optimistic about future
growth levels. We expect export levels to increase,
given our substantial investment in developing our
infrastructure and ongoing revamping of our mining,
agriculture and tourism sectors. We have also put in
place strong corrective measures to stabilize the fiscal
situation.
 We have continued to build on progress achieved
in the area of peace consolidation. Our democratic
institutions, such as the National Electoral
Commission, the Political Parties Registration
Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission,
have continued to make progress in carrying out their
respective mandates. We have also continued to build
on gains achieved in the areas of human rights, gender
equality and women’s empowerment.
 The establishment of a Human Rights
Commission of Sierra Leone and the presentation of
our national report to the Universal Periodic Review
Working Group of the United Nations Human Rights
Council in May this year are clear manifestations of
our commitment to build a human rights regime that
respects international norms and practices. In June this
year, the International Coordinating Committee of
National Human Rights Institutions awarded an “A”
status accreditation to the Human Rights Commission
of Siena Leone in recognition of its achievements and
independence.
 I have pledged my support and initiated processes
that will make women constitute at least 30 per cent of
elective offices in our country. As a State party to many
international human rights instruments we are
committed to their implementation and respect our
reporting obligations under the relevant conventions.
We have, for instance, just completed our sixth
periodic report to the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women. We have ratified the

5 11-51191

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities and have commissioned a National
Action Plan for the implementation of Security Council
resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008).
 As we prepare for our 2012 presidential,
parliamentary and local council elections, we are
cognizant of the fact that it is our primary
responsibility to organize and provide the necessary
logistical requirements for this democratic process.
However, we need all necessary international
assistance in support of our commitment to ensure free,
fair and peaceful elections. In that regard, we have
continued to dialogue with all stakeholders including
the National Electoral Commission, the Political
Parties Registration Commission and political parties.
We remain committed to peace, security and
development, but the need to continue with national
capacity-building programmes in priority peacebuilding
thematic areas beyond the 2012 elections remains
critical.
 Recently, peace and stability were not only
threatened but painfully disturbed by pockets of armed
conflict in the subregion of the Economic Community
of West African States, particularly in the Mano River
Union basin. However, we are encouraged by the
unfolding developments and prospects of relative peace
in our sister republics. At the same time, we are
concerned about the continued threats posed to peace
and stability by the illicit flow of small arms and light
weapons across our subregion. International
cooperation and assistance are necessary in order to
eradicate this menace. Sierra Leone, for its part,
recently launched a five-year action plan to expand the
scope of its activities concerning small arms and light
weapons.
 Considering the prevailing incidence of violence
and armed conflict in various regions of the world, the
choice of the theme, “The role of mediation in the
settlement of disputes”, for this year’s general debate is
relevant and appropriate.
 Of course, we are quite conscious of the
inevitability of disputes in the conduct of inter-State as
well as intra-State relations. But it is imperative to
respect the set of principles enshrined in Article 2 of
the Charter of the United Nations in our interactions
with each other. They include the sovereign equality of
all United Nations Members, the peaceful settlement of
disputes and the prohibition of the threat or use of
force.
 Obviously, mediation remains the best
mechanism for the prevention and settlement of armed
conflicts. It should be utilized to the fullest extent
possible. Sierra Leone firmly believes that the United
Nations should make better use of Chapter VI of the
Charter, namely, measures for the peaceful settlement
of disputes.
 We must also allow our discussion of the
mediation of disputes through peaceful means to move
towards the resolution of threats to the international
economic and financial systems. The greatest threat
today to the security of most individuals in most
societies stems from the non-resolution of issues
relating to excessive speculation in the most important
food crops of the world, the rising food and fuel prices
and the fact that the burden of sacrifice for our
recovery is increasingly placed on the shoulders of the
weak and the poor.
 In most places in the world we are seeing the
rallying of the strong and powerful to protect their
indulgence and the rallying of young people, the weak
and the dispossessed to secure their very lives, their
dignity and humanity. The alternatives to the non-resolution
of those disputes are dire. We must act now to save the
world from the anger of the weak and the excessive
indulgence and repression perpetrated by the strong.
 I would like to emphasize that international
cooperation in the peaceful settlement of disputes is the
life blood of our Organization. In all our deliberations,
from global warming to human trafficking, from the
threats of nuclear weapons to the scourge of abject
poverty, from communicable and non-communicable
diseases to ruthless natural disasters, and from the flow
of illicit drugs to the seemingly unending upheavals in
the financial markets, we should always remember that
we need each other. The world is too connected for the
consequences of failure to be localized.
 The effects of poverty, disease, hunger and
desperation can no longer be boxed in and contained in
a corner of a city, or a country, region or continent. We
are on each other’s doorsteps, and we must continue to
build the structures for the peaceful resolution of our
conflicts.


First of all,
I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election
as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth
session, especially since you represent a brotherly
country that has constantly shown solidarity with
Lebanon and has played a key role in advancing
agreement and mutual understanding in the Doha
Agreement and in Lebanon’s reconstruction. I do this
hoping that our deliberations will contribute to

29 11-50692

shedding light on rightful causes and buttressing the
logic of justice.
 This year’s General Assembly is held in a context
dominated by major Arab developments and the
rightful Palestinian endeavour for the State of Palestine
to be recognized and to obtain full membership in the
United Nations. In addition, there are other issues such
as the persistent tensions on the Korean peninsula,
natural disasters that threaten different parts of the
world and the persistence of the phenomenon of
terrorism as we commemorate the tenth anniversary of
the 11 September attacks, which we strongly condemn.
 I stand before the General Assembly today as the
representative of a country that since its inception has
carried the message of freedom, concord and
moderation. Lebanon strives to consecrate and
consolidate that message, in spite of the challenges and
threats, both in the East and the West, to models of
coexistence and cultural diversity. In accordance with
its Constitution, Lebanon is “a parliamentary
democratic republic based on respect for civil liberties,
especially the freedom of opinion and belief”.
Moreover, “[t]he people are the source of authority and
sovereignty; they shall exercise these powers through
the constitutional institutions”.
 Indeed, Lebanon has committed itself to those
principles, to the devolution of power and to the
participation of all religious communities in the
management of public affairs, in spite of the wars and
aggression it has suffered over decades. Moreover,
Lebanon has always been committed to respecting
legitimate international decisions and resolutions,
including those of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, as
the ministerial statements of the successive Lebanese
Cabinets have asserted.
 Over the past months, the Arab region has
witnessed events and mass popular movements calling
for freedom, democracy and the establishment of the
rule of law, rejecting authoritarianism, favouritism and
corruption. Lebanese intellectuals, members of the
media and activists have championed and laboured for
every movement of reawakening in the Levant, to
make the region a beacon of revitalization. Along with
them, Lebanon welcomes any peaceful approach or
means to achieve reform, to consecrate the principles
of democracy, justice and modernity and to preserve
human dignity and fundamental freedoms.
 Only through those principles and systems can
security and peace for all segments of our societies be
achieved and an environment conducive to sound
human development be ensured. We must respond to
the recent upwellings and changes in the Arab world in
such a way that they serve its common good, foster its
progress and dignity and prevent it from veering
towards extremism, chaos, fragmentation and religious
or sectarian division.
 At the same time, it must be brought to the
attention of the international community that the wave
of popular protest that has arisen in some Arab
countries cannot be perceived as stemming simply
from demands to improve living conditions. Therefore,
allocating funds to support economic and social
development in Arab countries undergoing transition is
not by itself sufficient to promote democracy,
moderation and openness. Indeed, means should be
explored to dispel feelings of injustice and oppression
rankling in the hearts of Arab peoples, who have been
marginalized for decades, their development and
growth impeded by Israeli practices and threats, on one
hand, and by their exclusion from the tide of modernity
and globalization, on the other.
 Any such approaches require serious, determined
efforts — within the framework of an integrated
process — to impose a just and comprehensive solution
to all aspects of the conflict in the Middle East, based
on international resolutions, the Madrid terms of
reference and the Arab Peace Initiative in all its
provisions. That would lay the foundation for a broader
dialogue and understanding between the East and the
West and among civilizations, cultures and religions.
Such an understanding is historically overdue, after
decades marked by feelings of injustice and hostility,
destructive wars and missed opportunities.
 In that connection, it is important to underscore
the right and just Palestinian effort to earn full
recognition of the State of Palestine and for its full
membership in the United Nations, in accordance with
the right to self-determination. Lebanon will work for
the success of those efforts, with the coordination and
cooperation of brotherly and friendly countries.
However, recognition of the Palestinian State and its
accession to the United Nations, though greatly
important, would neither restore full rights to the
Palestinians nor represent a final solution to the
Palestinian question.

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 Until a final and just political solution to the
question of Palestine is reached — one guaranteeing
the Palestinian refugees’ right of return — the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) remains
responsible for the relief of Palestinian refugees, in
cooperation with the host countries. Along with our
Palestinian brothers, Lebanon rejects any form of
permanent settlement of those refugees. For that reason
the UNRWA budget must be constantly maintained.
The Agency must not be merged with other United
Nations bodies, which would weaken its capacity.
 In another context, Lebanon has recognized the
Libyan National Transitional Council, and it expects
Libyan officials, with whom it is communicating for
this purpose, to uncover the fate of Imam Musa al-Sadr
and his two companions, who were made to disappear
in Libya during an official visit in 1978.
 A few days ago, Lebanon hosted the Second
Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster
Munitions, which concluded with the 2011 Beirut
Declaration. That was a defining moment in the
implementation of the Convention. Humanitarian
considerations are at the heart of international concern
about cluster munitions. The Meeting highlighted the
terrible human fallout of those weapons, which were
used heavily by Israel during its aggression of July
2006. To this day, those weapons threaten civilians on
their farmlands and innocent children at play in open
fields in South Lebanon.
 Israel should be condemned for its use of those
weapons, and appropriate compensation should be
demanded for the extensive property damage and harm
to people it has caused Lebanon with those weapons.
Israel should compensate as well for the overall
damage caused by its repeated aggression against
Lebanon, including damage caused by the oil slick that
resulted from the Israeli bombardment of the Jiyeh
Power Station in the summer of 2006.
 On the fifth anniversary of the adoption of
Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), Lebanon
reiterates its commitment to persevere in implementing
that resolution. Lebanon calls once again on the
international community to bring pressure to bear on
Israel to abide by all its provisions. Those provisions
require Israel to halt its daily violations of Lebanese
sovereignty and to withdraw immediately from
Lebanese territories that it still occupies in the northern
part of Al-Ghajar village, the Shaba’a farms and the
hills of Kfar Shouba. Furthermore, Israel must cease its
persistent threats against Lebanon and its infrastructure
and its endeavours to destabilize the country through
its spying networks and recruitment of agents.
Meanwhile, we maintain our right to liberate or
retrieve all of our occupied territories through all
legitimate available means.
 On the other hand, we emphasize that we strongly
uphold our full sovereign and economic rights over our
territorial waters and exclusive economic zone and our
freedom to exploit our natural resources, be they on
land or in the deep sea, free from any designs or
threats.
 We have addressed to the Secretary-General an
extensive correspondence setting out the boundaries of
our territorial waters and the legitimacy of our
territorial rights. Specifically, we laid out the
geographic coordinates of the southern and south-
western borders of Lebanon’s exclusive economic
zone. We raised particular objections to Israeli
violations and aggression that violate those rights.
Furthermore, as we warned against any initiative to
exploit the resources of the disputed maritime zones,
we asked the Secretary-General to take all measures he
deems appropriate to avoid any conflict.
 I would like to take this opportunity to commend
the crucial role in south Lebanon of the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) carried out in
coordination and full cooperation with the Lebanese
Army. I would also like to commend the dedication of
UNIFIL commanders and staff in carrying out the
mission they have been entrusted with, as well as the
immense sacrifices they have made in the service of
peace.
 While we thank those countries that have
contributed military personnel and material for their
continued commitment, in spite of the challenges they
have encountered, we also firmly condemn the terrorist
attacks in recent months on international forces,
particularly the French and Italian battalions. We are
working earnestly to pursue the perpetrators and bring
them to justice and to prevent any recurrence of such
incidents.
 The United Nations has played an ever-growing
role in maintaining international peace and security and
in intervening to resolve disputes in many troubled
regions of the world. So far, however, it has been

31 11-50692

unable to show effectiveness in the Middle East, where
grave dangers still threaten international peace and
security as a result of Israel’s ongoing defiance of
resolutions of international legitimacy; its unacceptable
rejection of the basic conditions required for peace;
and its persistence in conducting abusive practices in
Gaza and the occupied territories, such as the illegal
construction of settlements and violations of human
rights.
 This demands that negotiations on reform of the
Security Council come to fruition, so that the Council
can be brought more into line with the new geopolitical
situation and be capable of ensuring the
implementation of its binding resolutions.
 In conclusion, as we celebrate the centenary of
International Women’s Day this year, we must take
greater advantage of the potential and talents of half of
humankind, rather than merely seeking to enshrine
gender equality in principle. Women are making an
enormous contribution to raising and educating the
younger generation, promoting peace, reducing
poverty, hunger, disease and environmental
degradation, and promoting sustainable development
opportunities.
 The general debate in the Assembly is an
occasion for all of us to renew the vows we made in
1945 in order to address the challenges and crises
facing us — by working through institutions of
international legitimacy and agreed collective
solutions, in conformity with the basic principles of the
Charter of the United Nations, its resolutions and the
provisions of international law, provided that they are
based on the spirit of justice and avoid double
standards. History has taught us that this choice is the
one and only reasonable solution.


At the
outset, allow me to congratulate Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon on his well-deserved reappointment and to
wish him continued success in his high and responsible
mission. It also gives me great pleasure to congratulate
Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his election as
President of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth
session.
 We welcome the newest member of our family,
South Sudan, which just joined the United Nations as
our 193rd Member State.
 The world today is undergoing great
transformations. The year-long global financial crisis
gives little sign of being resolved in the near future.
Even the most developed economies of the world are
experiencing the most serious trials of their histories.
At the same time, we are fascinated by the success of
countries that only yesterday were struggling against
poverty and stagnation. Humankind is experiencing
changes of the most extreme kind. We believe that at
this historic moment the United Nations must stay
ahead of the new realities and lead humankind to
positive new beginnings.
 The people of Kyrgyzstan have been watching the
historic developments in North Africa and the Middle
East with feelings of solidarity and sincere empathy.
One spring, a year before the Arab Spring, we
overthrew tyranny in our own land. Our country in the
heart of Central Asia has now moved from a harsh
presidential form of Government to a parliamentary
Government.
 Last year, despite serious obstacles, Kyrgyzstan
succeeded in holding what were recognized by
international observers to be unprecedented, free and
fair parliamentary elections and a constitutional
referendum. Kyrgyzstan is now ruled by a coalition
Government that, together with an active and
influential parliamentary opposition, is learning to find
solutions to problems in the interests of the whole of
society, and not just cater to the ever-increasing
demands of kleptocrats, as it did before. Mechanisms
are now in place to ensure transparency in Government
decision-making.

11-50865 20

 The authorities’ new openness and accountability
to the people have already begun to bear fruit. The
economy is growing. Over the past year alone,
investments in education and health care have
increased significantly. A fundamental reform of the
judiciary has begun. This year, on 30 October the
people of Kyrgyzstan will take part in the final phase
of the transitional period — the election of a new
president of the Republic. In Kyrgyzstan, we want to
establish a tradition of peaceful, civilized transfer of
power, in accordance with the Constitution and in the
interests of the people.
 Before the world community, I wish from this
rostrum to address my own people. Our striving for
democracy and unwavering push to build an open
society are at the centre of the world’s attention. The
whole world is watching us. We must be worthy of and
cherish the freedom that we have won at such a high
price. We have no right to divide ourselves along
ethnic, regional or religious lines. Pan-national unity,
the rule of law, good governance, civic participation
and a free press are the achievements that will help us
to build a prosperous and strong country.
(spoke in Kyrgyz; English text provided by the
delegation)
 My beloved Kyrgyz nation! Cherish your
independence, preserve your unity and strengthen your
democracy!
(spoke in Russian)
 I take this opportunity to invite Member States
and international organizations to send their observers
to Kyrgyzstan for the upcoming presidential election.
 On the basis of our 20 years’ experience of
independence, we know that the path from victory over
authoritarian regimes to building a functioning
democracy is not a straight or easy one. In recent
decades, the wealth of the people of Kyrgyzstan, like
that of the people of many other countries, has been
plundered by corrupt and criminal rulers. Billions of
dollars have been spirited out of the country. Dictators
should be held accountable for committing crimes
against their own people and should not be welcomed
or provided refuge abroad.
 The time has come for our Organization to
develop clear standards and procedures to ensure
justice and the return of embezzled funds to their
rightful owners. This is not about settling personal
accounts or politically motivated harassment; it is
above all about delivering justice and ending impunity.
 We are convinced that restoring peace and
strengthening the rule of law in Afghanistan will
depend less on coercive measures than on the pace and
methods we use to resolve social and economic
problems. We believe that the decision to withdraw
international troops from Afghanistan must be taken
only once the situation there has been tangibly
stabilized and once the Afghan National Army and
Police have sufficient capacity to assume responsibility
for the security of their country and its borders.
 We continue to cooperate with the international
community and the United Nations system in
overcoming the consequences of the last year’s clashes
in the city of Osh. In this regard, I am sincerely
grateful to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the
secretariat of the Peacebuilding Fund for supporting
our efforts to build sustainable peace.
 Turning to the main theme of the sixty-sixth
session of the General Assembly, “The role of
mediation in the settlement of disputes by peaceful
means”, I wish to refer specifically to the role of
women in times of crisis and to their courage and
sincerity, which were praised by President Roussef
from this rostrum. When peace is broken and men take
up arms, it is women who often take responsibility for
ending violence and restoring peaceful life in their
communities. The leadership of mothers, wives and
sisters can force politicians to resolve their
disagreements on the basis of compromise and mutual
understanding. Worldwide, women are a force for
peace.
 That is precisely the case in my country, where
women are helping to restoring peace and enhancing
democracy. One-third of the seats in Parliament are
held by women. The President of the Supreme Court,
the Attorney General, the President of the National
Bank, ministers, governors, countless activists and
local leaders are also women. I firmly believe that,
under the strong leadership of Michelle Bachelet, the
new, important body that is UN-Women will become a
champion of women’s rights around the world.
 Kyrgyzstan is concerned by the shrinking
attention of the world community to global climate
change. In every corner of the world, including our
region, this issue has become a part of every country’s
security.

21 11-50865

 We have waited too long to welcome Palestine as
a full Member of the United Nations. As early as 1995,
Kyrgyzstan recognized Palestine along its 1967
borders, and we join the Secretary-General in his call
for Israel and Palestine to return to the negotiating
table. Palestine and Israel should become good
neighbours on the basis of the two-State solution. The
citizens of both countries must finally enjoy their right
to live in their lands in peace and security. We, the
nations of the world, hope for the earliest possible
resolution of this long-running conflict.
 My country has submitted its candidacy for a
non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the
period 2012-2013. The Kyrgyz Republic, as a member
of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries and
the group of small countries with economies in
transition, and as a young democracy with a multi-
confessional population, supports the need for the
wider representation of all categories of countries on
the Security Council. In this regard, I request Member
States to support Kyrgyzstan’s candidacy to a
non-permanent seat on the Security Council.
 The agendas of our meetings and daily headlines
are dominated by natural disasters, financial crises and
political upheavals. The absence of justice,
discrimination and severe violations of human rights
remain a part of our lives. At the same time, however,
we are witnessing with bewilderment inspiring
historical changes, amazing technological progress, the
eradication of previously incurable diseases and, over
the course of just one generation, the lifting of
hundreds of millions of people out of destitution and
disenfranchisement.
 In this time of change, we must do our utmost to
ensure that that the young people of our planet are as
knowledgeable, as optimistic and as courageous as
possible in efforts to achieve prosperity, peace and
security around the world. Young people are not just
the future of humankind; they are also its present. Let
us all open every door and create every opportunity for
the growth and development of the younger generation.
Tomorrow is born today!