Permit me
to congratulate our brother and friend Mr. Ali
Abdussalam Treki on his assumption of the presidency
of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. Let
me assure him of our delegation’s assistance and
support as he discharges his task. Given his wisdom
and experience, we are certain that he will successfully
fulfil the tasks assigned to him and further the
objectives of the United Nations. I would like also to
thank his predecessor, Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann,
for his presidency of the General Assembly during the
previous session.
 The current political process in Iraq, ongoing
since the collapse of the former regime in 2003, has
produced radical political change, pushing towards
building a unified, independent and democratic federal
Iraq with respected constitutional institutions.
Realizing these objectives has not been easy and has
not been without challenges, chief among which were
domestic and regional forces attempting to return Iraq
to the period prior to the change. These forces have
used various means to attain that goal, including
committing the worst of crimes, allying themselves
with organized crime and joining with networks of
international terrorism to disrupt the security and
stability of Iraq.
 Significant developments have taken place in Iraq
since I stood here last year. The most important of
them were the signing of the agreement with the
United States on the withdrawal of its troops,
organization of the American forces’ temporary
presence in Iraq and the signing of the Strategic
Framework Agreement with the United States. Based
on that agreement, United States troops withdrew from
Iraqi cities at the end of last June, and Iraqi forces
assumed responsibility for security throughout Iraq.
The security situation has greatly improved under the
Government of National Unity, thanks to its tireless
endeavours towards national dialogue and national
reconciliation projects. These efforts seek to include all
political parties and social groups, within the political
process and outside it, that believe in the peaceful
transfer of power. The Iraqi Government is also
continuing its policy of imposing law and order in
confronting terrorist groups, armed militias and
outlaws, including those working to sabotage the
political process and undermine security and stability
in Iraq and the region.
 The year’s great successes for Iraq have brought
progress in its external relations. This year witnessed
high-level visits from Arab, regional and other
international Powers, many of which reopened their
embassies in Baghdad. This has taken place within the
framework of the Iraqi Government’s efforts to restore
its international standing. The Iraqi Government will
continue to deepen its good-neighbour policy of
friendship and cooperation in order to restore its role in
the Arab, regional and international communities, and
to promote security and stability in the region.
 The economic situation also saw significant
improvement through a number of economic and
financial laws enacted by the Iraqi Government, which
led to increased personal income, purchasing power
and social welfare services for our citizens. The Iraqi
Government prepared an ambitious budget for this
year, aiming not only at reconstruction, but also at
building a sound and healthy economy to promote
progress and general prosperity. The Iraqi Government
has reviewed this budget and its economic programmes
in the light of the financial crisis facing the world.
 Improvements in the economic sphere have
encouraged a significant number of internally and
externally displaced Iraqis to voluntarily return to the
country. The Iraqi Government has taken a series of
practical measures and decisions aimed at facilitating
the voluntary return of displaced Iraqis because it
believes that the best solution for them is to return to
their homeland. We therefore call upon States hosting
Iraqi refugees and on international and civil society
organizations aiding refugees to help promote a culture
of voluntary return, because Iraq needs the capacities
of all Iraqis to help build the future of their country.

25 09-52425

 The most important challenge we face in the near
future is the round of legislative elections scheduled
for January 2010, for which the political parties have
already started preparations. Successful elections will
solidify the current political regime’s basis in
democracy, pluralism and the peaceful transfer of
power. Successful elections will move the political
process forward from this initial stage to one of
permanence and stability and will promote stability and
security in Iraq. They will also help us build national
institutions strong enough to support a State that is
based on law and order, that is at peace with its own
people and its neighbours and that is a solid force for
security and stability in the region. This in turn will
improve Iraq’s Arab, regional and world relations and
foster its active return to the international community.
 The real danger currently facing Iraq is outside
interference in its internal affairs. The forces of such
interference have committed the worst crimes against
innocent Iraqis from many segments of society — men,
women, children and the elderly. In an attempt to derail
the security and stability achieved in Iraq during 2008
and 2009, they have recently engaged in a series of
criminal bombings and terrorist attacks, the most
recent of which were the Bloody Wednesday
explosions of 19 August 2009, which targeted the Iraqi
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance —
sovereign institutions of the country. These attacks
killed many innocent victims, including many
Government employees, as well as foreign
administrators and diplomats.
 These criminal acts claiming such large numbers
of victims have reached the level of genocide and
crimes against humanity, which are subject to
punishment under international law. We believe that
acts at this level of organization, complexity and
magnitude could not have been planned, funded and
implemented without the support of external forces and
parties. Indeed, preliminary investigations and
evidence indicate the involvement of external parties in
these attacks.
 Therefore, the Government of the Republic of
Iraq wishes to place this important matter before the
Secretary-General. Because of the nature and scope of
the crimes committed, which require an investigation
beyond Iraq’s jurisdiction, we request the Security
Council to form an international independent
investigation commission to refer those responsible to
a special international criminal court. The Iraqi
Government found itself obliged to turn to the United
Nations to protect its people and stop the
haemorrhaging of innocent Iraqi lives. We seek the
international community’s support and assistance in
establishing an independent international commission
to investigate the crimes of terrorism against the Iraqi
people and to label those crimes as genocide.
 We look forward to improved cooperation and
coordination with neighbouring countries and other
concerned States to protect Iraq’s borders, exchange
information, coordinate efforts, and to thwart groups
that support terrorism and work against Iraq under any
cover.
 We are currently working towards the settlement
of issues regarding Iraq vis-à-vis the Security Council;
these were inherited from the former regime and led to
commitments which we are attempting to meet. Iraq
will continue to work with relevant parties and
stakeholders at the United Nations to reach a
settlement satisfactory to all parties and without
prejudice to our obligations under Security Council
resolutions.
 As a result of major positive developments that
have taken place in Iraq since the fall of the former
regime and the removal of the dictatorship, the current
situation is fundamentally different from the situation
that existed when the Security Council adopted
resolution 661 (1990).
 Along with the adoption of Security Council
resolution 1859 (2008) and the report of the Secretary-
General pursuant to paragraph 5 of that resolution
(S/2009/385), this shows that the time has come for the
Security Council to act in response to the Secretary-
General’s report pursuant to the aforementioned
resolution, and on the basis of its responsibility for the
maintenance of international peace and security. It
should review resolutions relevant to Iraq adopted
under Chapter VII, starting with resolution 661 (1990),
with a view to restoring Iraq’s international standing.
 Here, I must point out that since the collapse of
the former regime in 2003, Iraq has been eager to
respect international legitimacy and to deal with
Security Council resolutions relevant to Iraq and to the
situation between Iraq and brotherly Kuwait with the
highest degree of responsibility and respect.
 The current Iraqi Government inherited political
and financial burdens and difficult commitments from

09-52425 26

the former regime through dozens of resolutions issued
against the former regime because of its domestic
practices and foreign policies. The Iraqi people are still
bearing the consequences. After more than six years of
hard and continuous work with the United Nations and
its agencies, and within the framework of international
and bilateral cooperation, Iraq has proven its desire and
determination to return to the international community
with all its resources and capabilities.
 Therefore, because the situation which
necessitated the adoption of the aforementioned
resolutions no longer exists, we request a clear
resolution by the Security Council to terminate all
resolutions issued under Chapter VII which affected
the sovereignty of Iraq and gave rise to financial
obligations that are still binding on Iraq.
 We and the Iraqi people look forward to the day
when Iraq is released from Chapter VII sanctions. In
this regard, I must point to the positive role of the
United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)
in providing advice and assistance. The promotion of
mutual endeavours and cooperation between Iraq and
the United Nations, and improved results of that
cooperation in many fields, pursuant to Security
Council resolution 1770 (2007) and other resolutions,
require that the United Nations agencies and
institutions step up their presence in Iraq, undertake
field activities and re-open their offices in Baghdad, as
other diplomatic missions have done.
 The Iraqi Constitution sets the basic principles of
Iraq’s foreign policy, which focus on good-
neighbourliness, non-interference in the internal affairs
of other countries, the peaceful settlement of disputes
and establishing international relations based on
common interests and respect of Iraq’s international
obligations. These are the established principles of
Iraq’s foreign policy.
 On this basis, we seek to establish the best
possible relations with other Arab and Islamic
countries and are committed to the decisions of the
League of Arab States and the Organization of the
Islamic Conference. Accordingly, we endorse and
support the struggle of the Palestinian people to uphold
their inalienable rights, including the right to establish
the State of Palestine on the land of Palestine.
 We are also working to implement the legitimate
international resolutions concerning the return of
occupied Arab land. We consider the Arab Peace
Initiative to be a practical step in the right direction
towards resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict in order to
achieve security, peace and stability in the Middle East.
We call for the Middle East to be made a zone free of
nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass
destruction, so as to promote opportunities to achieve
peace and security in the region.
 In this context, we call upon all States that have
not yet acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty to do so and to be bound by its provisions.
Following years of isolation during the previous
regime, Iraq seeks to form a new integrated economic
partnership with the international community through
the International Compact with Iraq. The Iraqi
Government, in cooperation with the United Nations, is
working towards convening the second review
conference, to be held in Baghdad next November. We
will seek the greatest degree of international
participation at the conference, following on from the
success of the first review conference, held in
Stockholm last year.
 The current political process in Iraq is aimed at
building a federal, democratic and unified Iraq where
the Iraqi people work under constitutional institutions,
the rule of law, protection of human rights and full
respect for all segments of society. We attach key
importance to our ability and potential, as a country
rich in natural and human resources, to achieve these
goals.
 However, at this most critical stage, we need
political and economic support and international
cooperation to gain firm footing that will enable us to
move towards a future where we will be able not only
to develop our country and our people but also to
cooperate with the international community in
achieving peace, security and sustainable development
for all peoples.


We have
assembled once again to discuss the situation in the
world, outline the problems our countries face and
present our views on the world we live in. The
President of the General Assembly has offered a topic
for discussion, one which, I would say, perfectly
reflects current circumstances and the tasks arising
from them.
 What kind of world are we discussing here? A
globalized world? By all means. An interconnected and
interdependent world? Without any doubt. A world of
great discrepancies and major threats? Certainly. In
brief, our world is such that there are practically no
longer regional problems and crises, since each and
every issue, no matter how much it may appear to be
regional, reveals itself as global in terms of its
consequences.
 Our world is still dominated by developed and
most developed countries; while developing countries
are desperately lagging behind, struggling with hunger,
the inability to educate their citizens and the lack of
even the most basic health care. Can we be content
with such a world? Without any hesitation, I respond
that, no, we cannot.
 In our world there are many States as well as
groups that are united in their inclination to use terror
as a means of action and to resort to force to achieve
their goals. Admittedly, confrontation between the
blocs no longer exists. A balance of fear between
super-Powers is non-existent, but our world has hardly
become more secure, while peace has hardly become
more stable. Can we be content with such a world?
Again, without any hesitation, I respond that, no, we
cannot.
 Our world is ultimately still dominated by an
economic model that is self-evidently exhausted and
has now reached a stage where it is itself generating
crises and causing hardship to millions of people. If
one attempts to save that already obsolete model at any
cost, and if one stubbornly defends a system based on
greed and devoid of any social value worth

09-52425 50

mentioning, there can be only one result: social unrest
harbouring the potential to erupt into social insurgence
on a global scale.
 Can we accept such prospects? I respond with the
utmost resolution that, no, we cannot, and must not. It
is up to us to embark now upon the enormous task of
creating a new world order — not returning to anything
that existed before, but creating something new: an
order that will in the end provide a life worthy of
humankind for each person and equal chances for all,
and not one that writes off those who are in dire need
through no fault of their own and those who at the end
of their lives are viewed as useless and therefore
unworthy of any support.
 It is up to us to dispel prejudices more resolutely
than ever before, to stand up to discrimination on
whatever grounds, to say no to intolerance and to
promote not only the idea but also the practice of
multilateralism and dialogue among civilizations. That
is the only way towards building global peace, security
and development as vital preconditions for lasting and
stable peace.
 Fortunately, the world has emerged from a
potentially very dangerous period of unipolarism and is
now on a path towards multipolarism. However, the
world is still in the process of learning that only
dialogue can help us to build mutual trust and
understanding. It is not yet ready to face the fact that it
is not a crime to be different and that our future can be
found only in unity through diversity — of course,
under the condition of full equality and strict
observance of human rights and in line with the United
Nations conventions.
 With the simultaneous drift from unipolarism and
a shift towards multipolarism, we have to understand
and accept that though we have established a set of
universal values, we have not, will not and cannot
establish a single model of social and economic
relations applicable to all. The specific features of
individual nations and civilizations must be respected,
since there is no reason why anyone should renounce
something that is part of his cultural or traditional
heritage.
 Finally, a world characterized by international
peace, security and development is not possible
without disarmament, in particular without renouncing
nuclear weapons. This was the topic of my address in
the Security Council this morning. I would like to
mention in addition the notorious fact that problems of
development would become minor if the huge funds
currently allocated for armament were channelled into
development.
 I reiterate: the task before us is enormous. Let us
show courage and political will to grapple with it. The
Republic of Croatia, although a small country, is ready
to make its contribution. Although my ten-year term is
nearing its end and this is the last time I stand at this
rostrum, I will just say that I shall continue to place my
skills at the service of achieving this noble goal.


On behalf of the
delegation of the Kingdom of Thailand, I should like to
extend to you, Mr. President, our sincere
congratulations on your election to the presidency of
the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. You
may rest assured of the full support and cooperation of
my delegation.
 We live in one of the most challenging times in
our history. As in the period before the founding of the
United Nations more than 60 years ago, the world is
again facing great challenges. Conflicts and tensions
remain in many parts of the world; terrorists attack;
poverty, disease and hunger still affect many; our
supply of traditional sources of energy is dwindling;
and climate change is transforming the very
environment in which we all live. Added to this set of
issues, the current global financial crisis makes for a
future that seems bleak. But, like our forebears more
than 60 years ago, we also live in hope for a better
future. And a large part of this hope today rests upon
the United Nations.
 Despite criticism, we must never doubt the fact
that the world has been better off with the United
Nations than it would have been without it. I say this
because overcoming the challenges we have faced and
are facing demands multilateral cooperation. The
United Nations has been the bedrock of such
multilateral cooperation, as well as what the great poet
Lord Tennyson termed a “parliament of man”. And it is
this parliament of man which provides a forum in
which we can meet and discuss remedies to common
challenges, as well as respond to the concerns of our
constituents — the citizens of the world.
 In the interdependent and interconnected world,
no one nation, not even the biggest and the most
powerful, can go it alone. But at the same time, no
single nation should be left behind in our pursuit of
peace, prosperity and the protection of human rights.
Just as we join hands to face common challenges, we
must also extend our hand to those less fortunate, pull
them towards a brighter future and give them the
opportunity to enjoy the fruits of globalization.
 Thailand stands ready to extend a helping hand.
We stand ready to share our experiences and the
lessons we have learned from our own financial crisis
in 1997. We believe that our nation’s remedies to our
problems can be shared and should contribute to the
formulation of international remedies to common
global challenges. Central to our belief is that peace,
security, development and human rights are intertwined
and must reinforce each other so that all three pillars
are sustainable. This view is also central to the United
Nations.
 Thailand believes that moderation is the key to
sustainability. We want to see moderation instead of
excessive greed, which is the cause of the economic
crisis; we want to see moderation instead of
overconsumption, which is the cause of environmental
degradation; and we want to see moderation instead of
extremism and selfishness, which are the causes of
conflicts around the world. We must therefore curb our
excesses, live within our means and use our resources
wisely.
 This idea of moderation is an important pillar of
the “sufficiency economy” philosophy of His Majesty
the King. This philosophy should not be understood or
misunderstood as advocating an inward-looking
approach. Rather, it teaches us that economic
development and modernization must be better
balanced and take into account the well-being of the
people and their economic, social, political and

09-52586 6

environmental needs, so that the country is resilient
and protected from both external and internal shocks.
 His Majesty himself has applied his philosophy in
practice, initiating numerous royal projects for the
betterment of his people and country. His Majesty has
been rightly regarded by the international community
as the “development King”. His Majesty received the
United Nations Development Programme Human
Development Lifetime Achievement Award in
recognition of his achievements as well as of his
sufficiency economy philosophy, which has gained
increasing resonance worldwide. And many of His
Majesty’s projects are being replicated in many parts of
the world.
 The recent global financial crisis has shown that
sufficiency economy is not merely a philosophy, but
can also be translated into concrete action. Due to the
lessons learned from the 1997 Asian financial crisis,
most of Thailand’s financial institutions have escaped
the direct impact of the current crisis, thanks to their
more prudent style of investment. Entrepreneurs have
managed to weather the storm through rational
decision-making and more careful risk management,
two of the key principles advocated by His Majesty’s
philosophy.
 My Government’s socio-economic policy is
guided by His Majesty’s philosophy, which has been
incorporated into our national economic and social
development plan. Development for us is not just about
the rate of growth, but also about the quality of that
growth. Not only have we boosted Government
spending and investment to jumpstart the economy, but
we have also set up social safety nets, made
educational reform a priority and upgraded our health
and welfare services.
 We have prioritized investment programmes and
action plan to increase strength and to provide greater
economic opportunities for people at grass-roots level.
We have also laid the foundation for long-term growth
and competitiveness in Thailand’s various sectors,
including agriculture, health care, education and
tourism. In short, we have made Thailand’s
development a people-centred approach and Thailand’s
economy more immune from external shocks.
 As the Chair of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN), Thailand has led regional
efforts to address today’s financial crisis and to create
immunity for East Asia as a whole. We are expediting
the multilateralization process of the Chiang Mai
Initiative, under the ASEAN+3 framework, comprising
ASEAN member States, China, Japan and the Republic
of Korea. The aim of this exercise is to build regional
financial stability through a region-wide self-help
substantive reserve pooling arrangement. This will
come into effect very soon. As a region, we have also
continued to liberalize trade and reject all forms of
protectionism. We believe that these efforts can serve
as examples for other regions to follow.
 Today’s financial woes affect not only a nation’s
economy but also the development and welfare of its
people. This crisis exacerbates the problems that
already exist, such as poverty, hunger and energy
shortages. Nowhere is this more strongly felt than in
the developing world, and Thailand is no exception.
Although we have already attained the Millennium
Development Goals in hunger and poverty alleviation,
much remains to be done. Thailand understands well
the challenges developing countries are facing and is
prepared to share with others our experiences in
managing and overcoming these challenges.
 As a major agricultural economy, Thailand stands
ready to contribute to the solution of the world food
and energy crises. We are a major food exporter with
strong experience and capability in developing
alternative energy, especially biodiesel and ethanol. We
aim to ensure a balance between growing energy and
food crops so that both needs are sufficiently
addressed.
 Another pressing concern that can only be
successfully tackled through global cooperation is
climate change. My Government is convinced that the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change is the core for international negotiations and
cooperation in this area, guided by the principles of
common but differentiated responsibilities and
respective capabilities.
 In this connection, Thailand is honoured to host
the United Nations climate change talks which will
take place next week in Bangkok. We will spare no
effort in ensuring that this round of negotiations will
make tangible progress towards a successful
Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December.
 Earlier this week, the Secretary-General
convened the Summit on Climate Change. We welcome
the commitments expressed by major economies during
the Summit, in particular in setting clear goals and

7 09-52586

targets for their action. I am also pleased to see the
Group of 20 pledging itself to spare no effort to
achieve a successful outcome in Copenhagen.
 For its part, my Government has vigorously
pursued environmentally friendly growth. That is why
we have announced alternative energy as our national
agenda and invested significantly to boost development
in this field, including in energy crops. Moreover, one
of Thailand’s hallmarks is its strong biodiversity, from
which Thailand and its local communities have drawn
benefits through innovative economic activities and
products. While we seek to benefit fully from our rich
biodiversity and natural resources, we also aim to
ensure that they are sustainable, regenerated and
replenished.
 It is not enough to ensure that the economic needs
of the people are met. Their political needs are just as
important. And there is no better political system than
democracy to ensure the people’s freedoms and rights.
It is my Government’s clear policy to sow the seeds of
sustainable democracy by strengthening our democratic
institutions, engaging civil society, ensuring human
rights and promoting good governance and the rule of
law. Democracy is not just about majority rule, but also
about respect for minority rights.
 At the regional level, under Thailand’s
chairmanship, ASEAN has made great strides towards
making people the centre of the organization’s
development, as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter.
Human rights issues are now at the forefront of
ASEAN’s agenda. Collectively, we have played an
active role to create the ASEAN Intergovernmental
Commission on Human Rights, which becomes active
this October. We are committed to doing our utmost to
ensure that that body fully lives up to expectations.
 Promotion of gender equality and the
empowerment of women are also important to
Thailand. Besides our national effort on this matter, I
am pleased to add that ASEAN is also in the process of
establishing an ASEAN commission on the promotion
and protection of the rights of women and children.
This mechanism will play an important part in
enhancing and strengthening the ASEAN human rights
framework as a whole.
 At the international level, Thailand is party to
core international human rights conventions, and we
are strongly committed to the principles enshrined in
the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Thailand’s candidature for a seat on the Human Rights
Council for the 2010-2013 term is further testament to
our commitment to enhance human rights
internationally.
 Thailand has consistently rendered humanitarian
assistance to those in plight wherever they may be. We
have steadfastly contributed to the World Food
Programme. We have offered our helping hand to those
in need. Our humanitarian commitment was clearly
evident during Cyclone Nargis that befell Myanmar, as
Thailand became the logistics hub for the massive
international relief effort for that country.
 Sustainable economic, political and social
development is not a mere goal in itself. It ultimately
ensures long-lasting peace and security. That is why
ASEAN is moving towards becoming not only a
political-security community but also an economic and
sociocultural one by 2015. These three pillars reinforce
each other. Within this political-security community,
Thailand and its fellow ASEAN members are ready to
enhance cooperation, from dispute settlement to
conflict resolution and from peacekeeping to post-
conflict peacebuilding, especially with regard to
cooperation on training for emergency preparedness
and humanitarian assistance. We hope that our regional
efforts will help contribute to peace and security not
only regionally, but also internationally.
 Thailand itself has played a significant role in
peacekeeping operations worldwide. In the past two
decades, Thailand has provided nearly 20,000 military
troops, police officers and civilian staff in support of
United Nations peacekeeping missions on all
continents around the globe, including Cambodia,
Timor-Leste, Burundi and, soon, Darfur. We will
continue to do so where our contributions can
strengthen the overall capacity of the United Nations.
 As a member of the Peacebuilding Commission,
Thailand also strongly believes in building the right
socio-economic and political conditions for sustainable
peace in countries emerging from conflict and internal
strife. We can play a greater role in ensuring
international peace and security. That is why Thailand
has presented its candidature for a non-permanent seat
on the Security Council for the period 2017-2018. As a
medium-sized developing country, we can represent the
interests and concerns of developing countries not only
in Asia, but worldwide.

09-52586 8

 Over the past four days, we have heard
statements, one after another, which seem to point
towards one conclusion, that is, that we are living in a
“challenging period”. And perhaps it is a period in
which multilateralism is once again being put to the
test. But we also have before us a historic opportunity
to act together to right our past wrongs and to make the
right decisions for the future. How we act today is
purely our choice — a choice that will be judged by
our children tomorrow and our grandchildren in years
to come.
 Our forefathers chose to establish the United
Nations over six decades ago. We must now make sure
that the United Nations — a symbol of true
multilateralism — continues to be relevant, efficient
and effective in responding to the evolving challenges
as well as in ensuring development, freedom, human
rights, and peace for all. In that regard, we support
United Nations reform that will lead us towards those
goals.
 Let us use our gathering here to remind ourselves
of what the United Nations stands for. And let us seize
this opportunity together to lay down a stronger
foundation for a new era of peace and prosperity for
humankind.


With great pleasure I extend heartfelt congratulations
to my brother, His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdussalam
Treki, Secretary of African Union Affairs of the Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya, on his unanimous election to the high
office of President of the General Assembly at its sixty-
fourth session. His extensive diplomatic experience
and intimate knowledge of the United Nations will
undoubtedly enable him to conduct the work of this
session with great effectiveness.
 I wish also to put on record my appreciation for
the efforts of the former President of the General
Assembly, Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann of
Nicaragua, for his able stewardship of the sixty-third
session of the General Assembly and for the many
enlightened proposals he made during his tenure to
enhance and develop the Organization.
 My highest appreciation also goes to the
Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his tireless
efforts to enhance the purposes and principles of the
Charter and to promote the role of the Organization
and enhance its efficiency in coping with new
developments and responding to the emerging needs of
our peoples.
 Our belief in open-mindedness, tolerance,
diversity, non-violence and rejection of extremism
requires us first to free our minds of egoism and
prejudice in order to replace conflict with dialogue,
disagreements with consensus and violence with
persuasion, thus broadening our alliances and outreach
efforts. We must exert greater efforts to show tolerance
towards those who do not necessarily share our values
and ideas. Indeed, certain philosophical or
argumentative issues can be tackled and resolved only
if each party is open to the other, willing to coexist
with the other and ready to resist preconceived ideas
and stereotypes. The presence of common ground and
of mutual understanding can help to create a more
progressive and creative world and hence more secure,
based on tolerance, constructive dialogue and human
coexistence.
 While the world has become a small village as
distances have been effectively abolished thanks to
technological advances and the communications
revolution that has erased barriers and frontiers, it is
still dominated by political antagonisms, as States
continue to pursue conflicting individual interests. This
requires us all to design pragmatic strategies for the
future that safeguard everyone’s interests. That can be
achieved only through mindsets capable of assimilating
these transformations and processing them to serve
humanity and to ensure international security and
stability.
 It is clear that global security cannot be achieved
through the sole efforts of the super-Powers, because
the challenges we face are more serious, daunting and
more widespread than ever before. This requires a
broader global alliance of United Nations Member
States as well as the support of the entire United
Nations system in the interest of the international
community as a whole. At the same time, it requires
national strategies to address the challenges, problems
and issues through close and sustained coordination
among nations. The task that burdens us today requires
that we discuss all the issues threatening our world,
while taking into account the historical background and
the particular values, ideas and traditions of our
respective societies. At the same time, each party must
be ready to understand and appreciate the positions and
characteristics of the other and be ready to collectively
fight hatred and prejudice.
 The Kingdom of Bahrain has always been a
melting pot of diverse civilizations, cultures, religions
and races and since time immemorial has adopted the
concept of tolerance and openness towards the other
and coexistence; thus, we firmly believe that finding
common ground between universal civilizations and
cultures and building a culture of peace among peoples
is necessary. In that context, the peaceful settlement of
conflicts is deeply rooted in our values and our
traditions, which are guided by the principles of our
Islamic faith.
 The Arab-Israeli conflict of the past six decades
has had a great effect on our generation. It is a sad
legacy that has left behind misery and human suffering,
poisoned international and regional relations and
continues periodically to exacerbates tension, violence
and military confrontation in the Middle East. We have
tried repeatedly and in vain to find a solution to this
chronic conflict. To be sure, one conference after
another has been held, and initiative has followed
initiative. But we have been unable to deliver our
message to the minds, hearts and homes of the people
of the region. That is the essence of the proposal that
His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa,
Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain, presented in
his article published in The Washington Post on

09-52598 14

16 July, which makes a meaningful contribution to the
adoption of a pragmatic approach to ending the
conflict. His Highness wrote:
 “Our biggest mistake has been to assume that you
can simply switch peace on like a light bulb. The
reality is that peace is a process, contingent on a
good idea but also requiring a great deal of
campaigning — patiently and repeatedly targeting
all relevant parties.”
Careful examination of this argument reveals the
correct approach to addressing the Arab-Israeli
conflict, namely, directly and expeditiously
communicating our Arab Peace Initiative to the Israeli
people through their own information and news media.
In so doing, we will be in a better position to explore
the path to peace.
 Today, wisdom requires that we use available
communications and media technology prudently and
with awareness in order to establish the channels and
structures that will enable us as leaders, Governments
and civil society to establish the will and momentum
necessary to create an environment conducive to
advancing the peace that we aspire to. Because today,
dialogue has become an omnipresent issue on the
global agenda of the United Nations and other
international forums, as shown by the many ongoing
dialogues, including the dialogue among civilizations,
dialogue of cultures and the interfaith dialogue. All
these processes aim at enhancing peaceful coexistence
between nations and peoples and represent the
principal course of action to eliminate the causes of
conflict, tension and discord.
 The Middle East peace process requires that we
all exert greater political and diplomatic efforts in
order to achieve the two-State solution — Israel and
Palestine — as part of a comprehensive and just
settlement based on equal security for all the nations of
the Middle East region. We believe that the failure to
end this conflict is due simply to the lack of a
methodology based on justice and balance and to the
absence of a binding implementation mechanism. We
are all aware that the Arab side went to great lengths to
make it clear that it supports peace as an irreversible
strategic option.
 The Arab Peace Initiative unequivocally
confirmed that position. We therefore expect the
international community, and particularly the most
influential leading Powers, to exert effective pressure
on Israel to freeze and eventually dismantle all
settlements established in the territories occupied in
1967, to ensure demarcation of the borders of the
Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital,
peacefully coexisting with Israel, and to withdraw from
all the occupied Syrian Golan and Lebanese territories,
in conformity with the relevant resolutions of
international legitimacy and the requirements of the
Road Map and the Arab Peace Initiative.
 Here I would like to commend the speech of
President Barack Obama, delivered from this very
rostrum, which we consider a frame of reference for
the resumption of the Middle East peace process.
President Obama explicitly affirmed the need to
relaunch negotiations on final status issues — notably,
security for both Israelis and Palestinians, boundaries,
refugees and Jerusalem — rejected the continued
illegitimate Israeli settlement activity in Palestinian
territories and called for the creation of a contiguous
and viable Palestinian State.
 Among the other challenges and concerns
confronting our region is the question of nuclear
proliferation in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
The Iranian nuclear programme is undoubtedly among
the causes for this common concern; nonetheless, it
should be dealt with in such a way as to spare our
region the threat of confrontation. This can best be
achieved through diplomatic means. It is in that spirit
that the Kingdom of Bahrain, pursuant to Security
Council resolution 1887 (2009), renews its call on the
international community to actively work towards
making the Middle East, including the Gulf region, a
zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of
mass destruction, thus ensuring the security and well-
being of the peoples of the region and the world at
large, and to call upon Israel to accede to the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty in order to achieve its
universality. All nuclear facilities and activities in the
Middle East should be placed under International
Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, while
acknowledging the legitimate right of States to possess
nuclear technology for peaceful uses in the areas where
it has become vital for development and the
diversification of energy sources, in conformity with
relevant international agreements.

15 09-52598

 Other important regional issues are also a matter
of concern to us. Foremost among these is the situation
in brotherly Iraq, whose sovereignty and territorial
integrity it is important to affirm, while not interfering
in its internal affairs. We should also condemn all
terrorist activities perpetrated against Iraq with a view
to destabilizing its security and rekindling sectarian
hatred there.
 Also, in order to build confidence between the
Member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council and
Iran, it is imperative to reach a settlement on the
question of the occupied islands belonging to the
United Arab Emirates, through either direct
negotiations or referral to the International Court of
Justice. We also reaffirm the need for joint
international and regional efforts to assist brotherly
Yemen, under the supervision of the United Nations, in
coping with the heavy refugee burden and focusing on
its development efforts and the restoration of security
and stability throughout its territory. Similarly, we
stress the importance of preserving peace, stability and
unity in the brotherly Sudan and we look forward to
the cooperation of all relevant parties to resolve the
Darfur issue and to achieve the desired peace.
 We urge the international community to shoulder
its responsibilities regarding security in Somalia,
whose internal troubles and fragile central Government
have led to the spread of maritime piracy in the Gulf of
Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, much to the
detriment of international navigation and trade. Also,
the Kingdom of Bahrain once again reaffirms its
consistent position concerning the sovereignty of the
brotherly Kingdom of Morocco over the its entire
national territory and calls on the international
community to support the negotiation process initiated
by the Security Council, to maintain its momentum and
activate it.
 With peace and development the twin concerns of
our world, it is only natural to feel frustration in the
face of the prevailing environmental degradation,
pandemics, desertification, poverty, water scarcity,
depletion of the ozone layer, climate change and the
world financial crisis. These challenges represent an
imminent threat both to our life now and to that of
future generations. It is therefore no overstatement to
say that in the twenty-first century our destinies are
intertwined, and that we need to redouble our
collective efforts to address these universal dangers
that daily threaten humanity and its health, food and
security.
 In this regard, the Kingdom of Bahrain, in
cooperation with the United Nations and in the
presence of the Secretary-General, hosted in May the
launch of the 2009 Global Assessment Report on
Disaster Risk Reduction. The report deals with issues
pertaining to the protection of lives and property in
natural disaster situations related to global warming,
earthquakes, floods and rising sea levels. We hope that
the major industrial countries will play a key role in
forging an agreement at December’s Copenhagen
Climate Change Conference, with a view to curbing
harmful greenhouse gas emissions. It is our hope that
the necessary political will can be mustered to respond
to this threat to humanity and to make our world safer
and more sustainable.
 In this context, the Kingdom of Bahrain, in its
capacity as a small island developing State, wishes to
express great concern at the evident causal relation
between climate change and rising sea levels, which
poses a serious threat to our world. We are in
agreement with the other small island developing
States in their concern over the adverse impact of the
increase in average global temperature.
 In conclusion, the gravity that characterizes our
present session, as exemplified by the responsible
discussions in the first week, notably at the
22 September Summit on Climate Change and the
24 September Security Council summit (see S/PV.6181),
reconfirms our need to return to the spirit of the
Charter: that the United Nations is the principal forum
for multilateral cooperation to address a wide range of
contemporary issues. The United Nations as an
institution is not limited merely to the maintenance of
international peace and security. Rather, it is the
principal forum for the coordination of positions and
efforts aimed at addressing the challenges threatening
human beings and their environment, alleviating
poverty, controlling pandemics and settling conflicts
and wars through dialogue, negotiations and other
peaceful means in a world guided by tolerance,
peaceful coexistence and security for current and future
generations.


I must first
apologize for the absence of our head of Government,
Mr. Jaume Bartumeu Cassany, who, due to his
institutional agenda, is unable to attend the general
debate.
 It is a great honour for the Principality of Andorra
and the Government that I represent to speak in the
General Assembly Hall. We Andorrans are well aware
of the significance of being a small State within the
United Nations. We are not trying to make our mark on
international politics, but we want to make clear our
intention to respect and defend international law,
standards of good-neighbourly relations and the
principle of solidarity between peoples.
 Europe is our natural frame of reference. We wish
to be recognized in that way, not only in terms of
cultural and historical affinity, but also in the legal and
economic fields. In brief, our conception of solidarity,
both domestic and international, and our notion of
international relations are the same as those of the rest
of Europe.
 Since 1993, we have had a constitutional framework
that allows us to translate all those principles into practice
and to make them a reality. Supported by that
constitutional framework, on 10 August we presented a
law for the exchange of information on fiscal matters,
which, once debated and amended, was approved by
the parliament on 7 September.
 We have always been certain of Andorra’s loyalty
to the international community. Yet we thought it
appropriate to dispel any doubts and to follow the
recommendations of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) and other
international institutions, as expressed in meetings of
the Group of 20.
 That is the first example, but others will follow,
because our Government’s priority is to dispel any
doubts about our determination to adapt to the demands
and expectations of our European neighbours and the

49 09-52592

rest of the international community. We are convinced
that this and other steps will be appreciated and
understood by all international stakeholders that may at
any time have harboured doubts about our community
spirit towards the rest of the world. We are also
confident that this new era will enable us to interact
more with Europe and other continents by
strengthening our international bonds and our
economic and human presence.
 In line with that legislation, our country has
already been in contact, and even signed agreements,
with some European countries. In the future, we will
do likewise with other countries, including the United
States of America, Australia and Argentina. Needless to
say, our priority has been to negotiate with France,
Spain and Portugal, which are our closest neighbours.
 Incidentally, I would add that Andorra has
suffered from a lingering structural crisis for at least
the past four years. This has now been exacerbated by
the world economic crisis. The world cannot solve our
particular crisis for us. We must do it for ourselves. To
concentrate on the idea that interests us, I assure the
General Assembly that our Government’s action
focuses on clearly demonstrating to the international
community that we are fulfilling our duties. We very
much wish to cooperate, promote international ties and
instil confidence.
 The exchange of tax information will undoubtedly
result in the signing of double-taxation agreements. As a
result, we will boost our relations with countries with
which previous links were somewhat weak. Indeed, is that
not one of the founding objectives of the United Nations?
 The legislation to which I have referred addresses
issues that have been at the heart of OECD discussions
for the past few months. It will affect requests for
information launched after the entry into force of tax-
information exchange agreements or double-taxation
agreements.
 Let us be clear, tax havens and fiscal opacity,
which have been identified and condemned as two of
the major financial evils of the twentieth century, are
matters that all Andorrans would like to overcome
soon. Our strategic position is clear, and our
commitment is strong.
 At the same time, we are proposing a tax reform
that will allocate resources according to priorities that
serve the general interest and provide guarantees to
Europe and to the rest of the world that we want clear,
transparent and accountable relations. That reform will
offer entrepreneurs and professionals an opportunity to
export goods and services from Andorra on an equal
footing. Only then will international companies
seriously consider the possibility of investing in
Andorra within a stable juridical environment.
 I sincerely hope that there will be no doubts
about my Government’s desire to face the economic
issues that have been at the heart of international
debates over the past few months. The need to move
forward towards greater financial transparency in
Andorra leads us to expect the same standards from the
international community. We have understood and
noted that the system that governed the world economy
in the twentieth century has become obsolete.
 International organizations and every political,
economic and social institution must make efforts to
guarantee transparency. We believe that reform of the
international economic system should be immediate,
rigorous and credible. It should be led by the United
Nations, in close cooperation with the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund and the World Trade
Organization.
 However, in order to face that and other
challenges, we need to modernize the Organization,
revitalize the General Assembly and reform the
Security Council. In our opinion, those objectives,
along with so-called system-wide coherence, must
include the right to gender equality.
 We in Andorra thus understand that we need fair,
clear and internationally recognized standards and
regulations to instil confidence in Andorran
entrepreneurs and employees alike. But we should also
consider the demands of the international financial
situation and the need to promote transparency and
regulatory mechanisms for financial activities.
 Solving the international financial crisis is one of
our main priorities. There should be no doubt about
that. However, we need to tackle other issues affecting
the international community. I am referring to climate
change. As has already been mentioned in the
Assembly Hall, this is one of the most serious
challenges humankind has ever faced.
 We in the Principality of Andorra recognize the
efforts of the United Nations to try to mobilize the
international community. As French head of State and

09-52592 50

Co-Prince of Andorra Nicolas Sarkozy reminded us
here (see ), it is time that each State make a
strong commitment to solving this issue. Andorra’s
commitment to combating the effects of climate change
is real. Progress can already be seen in such efforts as
our ratification of the Convention for the Protection of
the Ozone Layer.
 We hope that at Copenhagen in December it will
be possible to adopt a new climate agreement that is
equitable, efficient and ambitious from a scientific
point of view. We believe that, to achieve a positive
result at the Conference, it is essential to involve all
society, especially younger generations.
 We believe health to be a fundamental right that
is necessary to achieve sustainable development in
Europe and throughout the world. We face new
challenges in the health sector. The new influenza virus
is one such challenge. The Andorran Government has
decided to fight it by making vaccination available to
the majority of our population. That decision was taken
in cooperation with our neighbours and the World
Health Organization. On another matter, the
Principalities of Monaco and Andorra have joined
forces to finance a four-year project to reduce the
vulnerability of women of reproductive age stemming
from the food crisis affecting Madagascar. Those are
two examples of fruitful and successful cooperation
between international actors.
 The responsibility to protect populations against
genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes
against humanity serves to remind us once again of the
need for responsible cooperation. Neither world
Powers nor mid-sized and small countries can abandon
cooperation. We all are necessary, because we all are
inhabitants of the Earth.


My
participation in this general debate, like that of more
than 100 heads of State and Government, confirms
both the seriousness of the choices we must make in
the face of the challenges confronting our States and
the unavoidable role of the United Nations in deciding
on the future of our planet and its inhabitants.
 More than ever before, the General Assembly
must be the “centre for harmonizing the actions of
nations” in the attainment of the common ends defined
in Article 1 of the Charter. To remain the vital centre,
the Organization and its most representative body of
the community of nations — our General Assembly —
must better take into consideration the interdependence
that links our destinies and the opportunity presented to
our sovereign States to bestow upon our fellow
countrymen a common vision marked by moral values.
 The financial storm that swept through the world
a year ago has caused too much suffering and too much
harm to the global economy, at a time in our history
when we are confronted with the major challenges of
the climate crisis and the implementation of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), for us not to
draw obvious conclusions.
 A year from now, we will meet again in this same
forum to take stock of the progress we have made in
the implementation of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). The 2015 deadline — which already
seemed compromised on the eve of this
multidimensional crisis — requires that we define a
global vision for the future of humankind. Some will
call it solidarity or moral awareness. Whatever the

11 09-52228

name, we need to clearly define and implement the
MDGs to meet the basic needs of all human beings.
 If poverty eradication is to remain our priority,
we will have to get busy on fulfilling our obligations,
for the most destitute are also the ones who are hungry,
who suffer from malnutrition and who lack access to
water and to basic social and health services. Among
the main victims are women and children, 25,000 of
whom die each day, according to UNICEF.
 Several hundred thousand people today benefit
from actions undertaken by my country in the
framework of its international cooperation in the fields
of health, education and the fight against poverty. This
is why I requested that we continue our effort to
contribute 0.7 per cent of our GDP by 2015 to official
development assistance. This assistance must not be
sacrificed because of the present economic and
financial situation. On the contrary, it must be
strengthened at a time when the most vulnerable are
the ones who need it the most. This development
assistance must be accompanied by long-term
investments aimed at strengthening the capacity-
building of developing countries, in particular through
the transfer of appropriate technologies with a view to
respecting the requirements of sustainable
development.
 From this perspective, and in the light of the
recent food crisis, the time is right to restore
agriculture to its proper place, because food security
depends on it. Today, it is up to us to forge for future
generations a new destiny, “a new deal”. We must
move from being donors to become partners in a green
revolution in Africa, where food-producing agriculture
adapted to the specific conditions of the continent must
empower the local populations.
 The restoration of agriculture to the heart of our
civilization also raises the crucial issue of water.
Whether regarding access to it for the survival of our
populations, for farming or for energy production, it is
imperative to guarantee water security. Therefore, an
integrated management of water resources is needed.
We must be aware of the potential disasters and
conflicts that would arise if we failed, and of risks
linked to poor sanitation that could cause outbreaks of
infectious diseases and pandemics.
 The phenomena of desertification and drought, as
well as the acidification of seas and oceans, are
exacerbated by man-made climatic change. This is why
failure of the Copenhagen negotiations is not an option.
My commitment, and that of my worldwide
counterparts, as stated yesterday in the framework of
the climate change summit convened by the Secretary-
General, is unequivocal: we must, together —
developed countries, countries with high carbon
dioxide emissions and developing countries — succeed
in defining a post-Kyoto regime that will be decidedly
in line with a low-carbon-emission future.
 For too long, we have neglected the scientific
warnings. More than 20 years ago, the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was
created by the World Meteorological Organization.
During the third World Climate Conference at the
beginning of September which, with great pleasure, I
attended, it was decided to establish a Global
Framework for Climate Services, with a view to
helping populations meet this increasingly pressing
challenge.
 This Global Framework, which we fully support,
aims at improving the management of the risks of
climate fluctuations and climate change as well as
adaptation to climate change at all levels, through
development and the incorporation of science-based
information and forecasting into policies and planning.
The unparalleled mobilization of public opinion
compels us to adopt innovative measures to slow
global warming, whose consequences could be
catastrophic.
 The Trade and Development Report recommends
deep structural changes, which will not happen unless
we are willing to challenge our patterns of production
and consumption. The setting up of a green economy
must be the basis of such a process. Our role, as
political decision makers, is to ensure that the
necessary technology — which already exists — is put
to use to reduce greenhouse gases. Sustainable
development requires the globalization of green
technologies and environmental assets.
 On behalf of the Principality, I reiterate our stated
ambition to become carbon neutral and our resolve to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by
2020 and by 60 per cent by 2050.
 During these past few months, the world
economy has been sorely tried and tested. Signs of
recovery are beginning to show, but we must draw
lessons from this grim year. The globalization of the
economy and the resulting interdependence require

09-52228 12

reform of the international monetary and financial
system.
 Created 10 years ago, the Group of 20 (G-20) met
for the first time at the level of heads of State or
Government last November, thereby acknowledging
the urgency of adopting measures to save the world
economy from a disaster worsened by the panic
reigning in the financial markets. Monaco
acknowledges that this group, which represents two
thirds of the world’s population and trade and close to
90 per cent of the world gross domestic product, bears
special responsibility vis-à-vis the rest of the
international community.
 We are confident of the capacity of the G-20,
tomorrow in Pittsburgh, to lay the foundations for a
new era encompassing, inter alia, financial regulation,
financial traders’ income, governance and resources
allocated to international financial institutions. The
G-20’s ability to bring together all States will give rise
to the legitimacy necessary for renewed growth.
 For several months, my Government has been
working to fulfil the commitments it undertook and to
comply with the required norms of the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with
a view to improve transparency and exchanges of fiscal
and banking information. That is why my Government
has already signed 12 bilateral conventions and has
undertaken to conclude other agreements in this area.
As of today, Monaco has had its efforts acknowledged
by the OECD and will thus now be included on its
White List.
 But let us make no mistake: the breach of trust
resulting from the financial disaster has made it more
necessary than ever before that the measures taken by
the G-20 be non-discriminatory and bring together all
Member States. A consultative body would thus ensure
the legitimacy of any decisions made.
 We must, together, rebuild solid foundations for a
capitalism with a human face that promotes growth and
social development. Current circumstances have
provided us the opportunity to create a green economy,
one which associates job creation with the transfer of
new technologies which will enable us to achieve a
sustained recovery.
 The State must continuously adapt its role and the
expression of its sovereignty to new realities in order
to remain the guarantor of the security and social well-
being of populations. The United Nations cannot avoid
this either. Since its creation, the Organization has
worked for the maintenance of international peace and
security through operations led under its flag. It has
also played a prominent federative role in the field of
disarmament and non-proliferation.
 Human and material resources available to
peacekeeping operations have reached levels that
would have not been conceivable only a decade ago.
The necessary consideration of this matter initiated
within the Security Council and the Secretariat, as well
as with Member States, is a priority and we support it.
 What is just as important is the strengthening of
the rule of law and of democratic institutions,
guardians of sovereignty and the peaceful coexistence
of States. In this respect, I wish to reiterate the support
of my country for the implementation of the
responsibility to protect, which is symbolic of the
strengthening of multilateralism for the good of
populations. The responsibility to protect does not
affect the exercise of responsible sovereignty, which
places the individual at the forefront. Monaco will
continue to work with its partners — that is, each and
every one in this Hall — to implement best practices in
the field of protection, international assistance and
capacity-building, with the sole objective of saving
lives.
 The Principality will keep responding, in
solidarity, to emergency humanitarian situations,
especially when it comes to assisting women and
children, whose vulnerability in crisis situations,
unfortunately, no longer needs to be demonstrated.
 In 2010, we will celebrate the International Year
for the Rapprochement of Cultures and the
International Year of Biodiversity. These themes
symbolize, at the outset of the twenty-first century, the
harmony that we must seek both among our people —
with acceptance of our differences — and between the
human species and the other living species on Earth,
which we have the duty to protect and save from
extinction.
 I can assure the Assembly that my country will
continue to tirelessly commit itself to processes likely
to build and strengthen the ties between our societies in
order to promote dialogue and cultural and religious
understanding based on mutual respect, such as the
Union for the Mediterranean and the Alliance of
Civilizations.

13 09-52228

 I am convinced that the President’s great
experience at the United Nations and his role in the
creation of the African Union are great pluses for the
success of his very sensitive mission.


First, I
would like to warmly congratulate Mr. Ali Abdussalam
Treki on his election to the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. I would also like
to pay a well-deserved tribute to Father Miguel
d’Escoto Brockmann, President of the Assembly at its
sixty-third session, for the work he accomplished
during his mandate. And I reaffirm the confidence and
support of my country for the Secretary-General as he
continues his efforts as the leader of this Organization.
 Gabon has just gone through a critical phase in its
history as a nation. With the loss of President Omar
Bongo Ondimba on 8 June, our country saw the start of
a delicate period of political transition, during which
we had to dig deep to find the strength necessary to
confront our destiny. Under the relevant provisions of
our founding laws and the leadership of interim
President Rose Francine Rogombé, we were able to
bring our electoral process to a successful conclusion,
culminating in a vote on 30 August. As a result of this
unprecedented election, Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba was
officially proclaimed the elected President of the
Republic by the Constitutional Court, which under the
law has a month to examine claims or appeals resulting
from the election before the elected President takes
office, given that nine unsuccessful candidates have
appealed to the high court.

63 09-52470

 As members know, ensuring such an important
democratic transition in the brief time allocated under
the law was very challenging for our country, and I am
proud to say that we have met it, considering what was
at stake and what we knew had to be done. I submit
here my own tribute to the people of Gabon, the
majority of whom have proclaimed their support for
the values of peace and democracy. I would also like to
thank the peoples of Africa and of the entire world, as
well as the representatives of States and international
and civil society organizations who came to observe
the elections in Gabon and to nourish our democratic
process with their experience. As we open a new page
in our march towards progress and development, we
know we can rely on the international community and
on the friends of Gabon all over the world to confront
the challenges of today and tomorrow.
 As regards those challenges, we are determined,
today more than ever before, to spare no effort to
establish good political and economic governance and
to consolidate our gains and our legacy in the areas of
stability, peace and democracy. We are also motivated
by our determination to pursue our endeavours in
maintaining regional and international peace, by
strengthening our links of solidarity and fraternity with
all our neighbouring countries.
 The sixty-fourth session of the General Assembly
is opening its deliberations in an international context
marked by a number of successive crises: economic
and financial, food, energy and environmental. We
must bring urgent and lasting responses to these
various crises by acting collectively to curb them and
ensuring that our peoples achieve the development they
desire with all their heart. The United Nations
Conference on the World Financial and Economic
Crisis and Its Impact on Development, held in New
York from 24 to 30 June, was an important initiative,
enabling us to express our concerns and declare our
commitment to fighting the crisis and its repercussions
for our countries.
 The unity we reached on measures to be taken to
deal with the crisis will require the complete and
unified participation of our countries in developing
appropriate solutions. Beyond the specifics relating to
each country, we must make sure together that the
measures and actions taken to fight the crisis be
proportional in scope to its gravity and intensity.
 The food crisis was at the centre of our
discussions during the sixty-third session of the
Assembly and was the focus of two important
declarations, one adopted at the High-level Conference
on World Food Security, held in Rome from 3 to 5 June
2008, and one adopted at the thirteenth African Union
Conference of Heads of State and Government, held in
Sirte in July. We must now implement the declarations
and measures adopted as a result of meetings held at
the international and regional levels. It is only through
strict adherence to our commitments that we will be
able to identify the adverse effects of such crisis
situations on the development of our respective States.
 The challenge of feeding a planet whose
population is growing is intimately linked to the
questions of the environment and climate change. The
harmful effects of global warming on our ability to
increase agricultural production in such a way as to
bring about a lasting solution to the food crisis are no
longer in doubt. I am pleased once again that this
question was chosen as a theme for the recent high-
level dialogue organized by the Secretary-General on
the sidelines of the current session, with a view to the
forthcoming Copenhagen Climate Conference in
December. In this regard, we reaffirm our support for
Africa’s common position on climate change, adopted
in Addis Ababa in August by the heads of State or
Government of the African Union.
 My country, Gabon, whose forests are among
those that make up the great Congo basin, has adhered
unreservedly to the various international conventions
concerning the struggle against climate catastrophe and
the protection of biodiversity. We have resolved to
assume our share of responsibility by dedicating 11 per
cent of our territory to humanity, by creating, among
other things, 13 national parks.
 The interdependence of the crises the
international community faces highlights, now more
than ever before, the need to breathe new life into
efforts to ensure international peace and security, but
also to conduct collective action at the global level. It
is with this conviction that Gabon has submitted its
candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the Security
Council for the period 2010-2011, for which it was
endorsed by the African Union at its thirteenth
Conference of Heads of State and Government, held at
Sirte in July.

09-52470 64

 My country is also convinced that this
Organization cannot remain frozen, but must evolve in
order to enable it to adapt better to the current
international context. It is for this reason that world
leaders, through the Millennium Declaration
(resolution 55/2) and the 2005 World Summit Outcome
(resolution 60/1), reaffirmed the need to strengthen the
United Nations to allow it to fulfil its principal
missions more effectively.
 In that regard, my country welcomes the progress
made since the 2005 World Summit in implementing a
great many of the important recommendations of the
Outcome Document in the framework of the United
Nations reform process. While pleased with these
major advances, we must continue our efforts to bring
these reforms to completion. Building a more just and
secure world capable of responding to its peoples’
profound aspirations depends on it.


I am honoured, Sir, to add
Grenada’s voice to the many warm congratulations
offered you on your election as President of the
General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. Grenada
looks forward to working with you and pledges to
support your leadership as you exercise impartial
stewardship over this fine institution. Equally, we
commend your predecessor, Father Miguel d’Escoto
Brockmann, for his dedication and conviction in
pursuing the vision of the United Nations as a home for
social justice for all, particularly those who carry the
greatest burden.
 Through you, Mr. President, Grenada wishes to
highly commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and
his staff for their performance over the past year in
advancing the work of this Organization and
“delivering as one”. We thank the Secretary-General
for his interest and participation in the recently
concluded Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
Climate Change Summit, chaired by Grenada. We wish
him and the Secretariat every continued success.
 The challenges facing the global community are
mirrored in our regional and national context.
Fortunately, we have no better place than within these
hallowed walls to continue the long and important
journey of building a better world. We cannot respond
to one challenge and choose to ignore another, because
all of them are interconnected. Indeed, working
together is our raison d’être — the essence of the
“united” in the United Nations.
 Climate change is rightfully described as the most
urgent threat facing mankind, and, at least for the next
several months, it will remain at the top of the global
diplomatic and negotiating agenda. But what is the
challenge of climate change if not a risk to
development, security and peace? What is the threat of
climate change, if not a threat to the very notion of
human survival and ecological balance? For small
States, this threat is particularly pronounced.
 Today, I address this Assembly on the heels of
two very important responses to climate change — the
AOSIS Climate Change Summit and the Secretary-
General’s summit on climate change. What is clear
from these very well attended global meetings is that
for developing countries such as Grenada, the alarm
has been sounded — the alarm that climate change is
bearing down on our countries and undermining our
potential for both economic recovery in the short term
and economic growth in the longer term.
 It is hampering our efforts to attain sustainable
development, as set out in the Barbados Plan of Action
and the Mauritius Strategy for Further Implementation.
In the case of Grenada, this is due to our dependence
on our natural resource base, which supports

09-53165 2

agriculture and tourism. Together, they account for
more than 40 per cent of our gross domestic product
(GDP), and they are extremely vulnerable to the
negative impacts of storms, hurricanes and other
economically disruptive events induced by climate
change. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 brought home this
reality, causing damage estimated to be equivalent to
204 per cent of GDP at the time. The country is still
recovering from that event. Grenada is not unique
among small island States around the world in
experiencing those impacts.
 The gap in terms of the experience of the reality
of climate change between those Member States
already impacted and all others needs to be urgently
bridged. If we fail to do that, the United Nations itself
will have to bear the consequences of the humanitarian
and environmental crisis resulting from the fact that
some islands will no longer be inhabitable.
 When my Prime Minister, the Honourable
Tillman Thomas, addressed the Secretary-General’s
summit on 22 September, he spoke on behalf of the
most vulnerable States. For these 80 or more poor
island and landlocked States, a rise in temperature of
two degrees Celsius is unacceptable, for our safety and
survival will most certainly be at risk. That is why we
insist on a global commitment to ensuring an average
temperature increase of no more than 1.5 degrees
Celsius, accompanied by appropriate midterm targets
of a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by more
than 45 per cent of 1990 levels by 2020 and by more
than 95 per cent by 2050. These reduction levels
respond to our vulnerabilities, and surely, in a United
Nations system to which we all belong, it is
unthinkable that known threats will be allowed to turn
into grave risks.
 We must solve the climate change crisis and we
must solve it now. Estimates place the cost of financing
adaptation and mitigation at about 1 per cent of the
industrialized world’s GDP — that is a contribution of
$10,000 for every million dollars of GDP. Given the
moral principle of historical responsibility, this is
affordable by any measure.
 With the adoption of the AOSIS Climate Change
Declaration, small island States have said we will not
stand by and watch our islands sink, see our
livelihoods disappear and witness our children made
homeless due to the effects of human-induced climate
change. We again call on the international community
to stand in support of the most vulnerable, so as to
ensure that the targets set forth in the AOSIS Climate
Change Declaration are agreed to in Copenhagen.
Grenada will continue to play its part in highlighting
the needs of the most vulnerable while advocating for
the strengthening of their capacity for resilience. While
it continues to chair AOSIS, Grenada will always
advocate for sustainable development goals as well as
for agreements in the Copenhagen negotiations that are
commensurate to the level of the threat.
 The financial and economic crises continue to
undermine economies worldwide. The green shoots of
recovery need to blossom everywhere. Grenada
continues to insist, as our Prime Minister Tillman
Thomas stated at the June summit on the crisis, that the
global financial and economic architecture needs
fundamental and far-reaching reforms (see
A/CONF.214/PV.1). Changes are needed in its rules,
regulations and governance in order to facilitate the
effective participation of small economies, which
suffer the effects of the crises harder and longer. Here,
we wish to echo the call for reform of the international
financial institutions, particularly the call for a review
of the policy conditions attached to lending by the
International Monetary Fund.
 Grenada continues to pursue sustainable
economic development and prosperity for our people,
as they show resilience to economic setbacks. A study
by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations shows that Latin America and the Caribbean
was the most successful region before the surge in food
prices in 2008. That affirms our efforts.
 However, another study showed that in times of
crisis, social spending does not favour the poor and
development goals are stymied. This is our fear, and it
is also our reality. That is why the Government
introduced a package of measures, greatly supported by
financing from the Trinidad and Tobago Petroleum
Fund, which has begun to lay the basis for developing
a low-carbon and rights-based economic development
model. In this regard, we wish to thank the
Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
for its continued assistance to Grenada and to the
Caribbean region through its contribution to this Fund.
We are also grateful for the Petrocaribe agreement with
the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela, through which several Caribbean countries
are able to purchase oil on softer terms.

3 09-53165

 Grenada has put in place strategic initiatives that
include revitalizing the agricultural sector, increasing
labour productivity, diversifying the export-services
sector, strengthening the national investment
environment and modernizing our tax system. In
implementing those initiatives, we seek partnerships
with the international community and the United
Nations system.
 Trade continues to be of major importance to
Grenada. We are experiencing severe setbacks from the
loss of preferential treatment in agricultural markets.
We are among the smallest and most open markets in
the world. And yet larger countries contest whatever
benefits we receive to offset the disadvantages of our
small economic size, which are compounded by high
transportation cost and energy prices.
 Grenada is pleased that the United Nations
system continues to pursue economic growth and
development. We support the perspective that any
outcome in Copenhagen must be a development
outcome, for each is connected to the other. We urge
support for meeting the Millennium Development
Goals. We have made progress by achieving 80 per
cent primary school enrolment, by reducing violence
against women and by scaling up access to
antiretroviral drugs for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
 All the same, Grenada is striving to achieve a
faster rate of poverty eradication. That goal, however,
is hampered by the drop in revenue caused by the
economic downturn and by our heavy debt burden,
which now stands at 107 per cent of GDP. That is why
we add our voice to the call for a review of the criteria
for determining middle-income status. For while we
welcome efforts to assist highly indebted poor
countries, States such as Grenada that are currently
referred to as highly indebted middle-income countries
deserve special attention.
 The Government of Grenada favours peace and
reconciliation, aspiring to bring people together to
work for a common good. From that platform we
pursue true partnership for development, beginning
with the private sector, trade unions and civil society.
Together, then, as one nation, we face the international
community.
 Development is important in its own right. It also
serves as a guarantor for peace and security. We urge
the United Nations to continue its efforts in
peacebuilding and peacekeeping. My country continues
to support those efforts in the Caribbean region, to
which we have contributed a small number of officers.
 We welcome the reopening of the office of the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Barbados
to serve the eastern Caribbean region, and we highlight
the need for more intervention to stop drug trafficking.
 In our region, the proliferation of small arms is as
lethal as nuclear weapons. So while we welcome the
unanimously adopted Security Council resolution
1887 (2009) on nuclear disarmament, shepherded by
President Obama, we in the Caribbean call for an
agreement on the small arms trade.
 Grenada again calls the Assembly’s attention to
the need to ensure the protection of the Caribbean Sea.
The States of the Caribbean Community and members
of the Association of Caribbean States depend on the
tremendous benefits from the pristine waters of the
Caribbean Sea. Yet those ocean-based resources are
threatened by the trans-shipment of nuclear and other
hazardous waste materials through our waters. We look
to the General Assembly to strengthen the resolution
on this issue and to ensure that the threat is removed as
soon as possible.
 In what United States President Barack Obama
calls the new era of engagement, we believe that we
face three major undertakings. The first is to respond to
whatever threatens us at a level commensurate to the
threat; second, to strengthen the institutional capacity
of the United Nations to enable it to respond; and third,
the sacredness of this grand institution to inspire
humanity.
 In this endeavour, Grenada is guided by its
national values, the principles of the Charter of the
United Nations and its participation in the hemispheric
system and the Caribbean regional integration process.
Consequently, we reject the removal of the duly elected
head of State in Honduras and call for the immediate
restoration of President José Manuel Zelaya to the
position to which he was legitimately elected.
 The maintenance of the 40-year United States
embargo against Cuba and the failure to bring into
being a homeland and State for the Palestinian people,
despite numerous United Nations resolutions on both
issues, remain of deep concern, for they violate the
spirit and letter of international law, on which this
Organization is founded. We join the entire Caribbean
community in calling for an end to the United States

09-53165 4

embargo against Cuba and urge the normalization of
relations between the two countries. We call for a
sincere engagement to resolve the long-standing
Palestinian-Israeli and wider Middle East conflict.
Resolution of those entrenched conflicts will generate
the momentum needed for resolving similar conflicts in
other regions in Africa and elsewhere.
 The United Nations plays a critical role in every
facet of global affairs. That is its strength. To become
more effective, the Organization must necessarily
become stronger, and that is why the resolution on
system-wide coherence is timely and has our support.
Likewise, the reform of the Security Council must not
be put off for another 16 years. Reform must mean
greater democratization by removing the veto,
enlarging permanent and non-permanent categories and
making operating rules and procedures transparent.
 Grenada is proud to continue playing its role at
the United Nations. We support the pursuit of
international peace and security, the rule of law and the
fight against terrorism and for the eradication of
poverty and the promotion of human rights. We support
the agenda of the Non-Aligned Movement, and the
Group of 77 and China. We support the just ambitions
of Africa, and we proudly support the initiative of the
Government of South Africa to mark and celebrate,
across the globe, 18 July as Nelson Mandela Day, a day
of selfless giving.
 We welcome the United Nations support for the
initiative to establish the permanent memorial to
honour the victims of slavery and the transatlantic
slave trade: lest we forget. That memorial is addressed
to all humanity so that we may draw the lessons of
yesteryear for our empowerment. We thank all Member
States which have already contributed, and we
encourage others to support the Permanent Memorial
Fund.
 Grenada continues to value the role of the United
Nations as the pre-eminent institution for effecting
multilateral diplomacy. We support its ability to ensure
international peace and stability and to accord a voice
to all sovereign States, as enshrined in its Charter. We
have made significant and meaningful progress in
previous sessions of the General Assembly. Let this
sixty-fourth session be another outstanding forward
movement in meeting the most pressing global
challenges of our time.


I should
like at the outset to express my pleasure at seeing
Mr. Treki so brilliantly execute the lofty tasks of the
presidency of the General Assembly on behalf of
Africa. I offer him my warmest congratulations and
wish him every success in that office. I also take this
opportunity to pay tribute to Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon for the sincere commitment that he has
shown.
 The path laid down by the founding fathers of the
United Nations for the achievement of its goals is that
of dialogue and multilateralism. The United Nations
was created to harness the energies of the international
community to that end. Soon, we will have been at it
for seven decades. Where are we today? Painful
fractures hinder humankind and threaten to
considerably weaken our capacity for common action.
The multifaceted crises that have shaken the global
economy have been caused by its accelerated
globalization without agreed global governance. These
crises have mightily stricken the most vulnerable.
Furthermore, they have exposed the planet to grave
dangers, the signs of which are undeniably evident.
 We should accept the facts. The time for
assumptions has passed. The time has come for
proactive anticipation, as we now know the cost of
indifference, inertia and passivity. We must restore the
capacity of the United Nations to fulfil its calling in the
pursuit of solutions to the global problems of
humankind. Through the dialogue of civilizations, we
should reconcile the specificities connected with the
diversity of our cultural heritage with the universal
standards that arise from the inviolability of human
dignity.
 The dialogue of civilizations is without doubt an
essential precondition for strengthening
multilateralism. It can help us return to the
fundamental values of respect for life and for nature,
awareness of our common destiny, the quest for mutual
benefit, and the sense of permanence, sharing and
honouring our responsibilities towards future
generations. If we wish to reverse the dismal trends
and outlook that scientists have described, we must
conclude a new alliance between man and nature — a
new common agreement. That is how we can regain
control of the natural and anthropogenic phenomena
that affect our existence on Earth. The Copenhagen
Conference in December will be an excellent
opportunity that we must not squander.
 Above all, we should create conditions to ensure
the responsible contribution of all to fully realizing the
potential of humankind. To that end, we must eliminate
all obstacles to its development. The State and public
authorities have a vital role to play in that regard. They
must at all times engage with social partners working
in the service of freedom and progress.
 The independent Commission on Legal
Empowerment of the Poor has shown us the virtues of
gradually eliminating old practices that violate the
integrity of the individual both as a living being and as
a legal and social entity. That is a fundamental
precondition to guaranteeing the responsible access of
all to the benefits of modernity and shared prosperity.
That is why Benin has committed to organizing the
regional conference on revitalizing the major
recommendations of the independent Commission.
 To that end also, my country has declared a
resolute war on female genital mutilation through an
awareness campaign, the retraining of practitioners and
the vigilant enforcement of unambiguous legislation,
bolstered by a new family code that establishes the
equal rights of men and women. That is also why
Benin worked for the proclamation of 2009 as the
International Year of Human Rights Learning. The
main objective of the Year is to promote the necessary
change in thinking to ensure that humankind moves
towards full and complete adherence to the universal
values enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
 The United Nations must be more effective in
supporting national policies to achieve international
standards. The Beninese Government has decided to
entrust the rationalization of its efforts in favour of
women to a recently established women’s institute. To
that end, we are very pleased to welcome the imminent
establishment and operationalization of a composite
entity within the United Nations system for the
advancement of gender equality. It will make it
possible to ensure the coherent and efficient support of
the United Nations system for the efforts of Member
States.
 In the context of Africa’s resolute march towards
a new beginning, the Beninese Government has
adopted strategic measures based on the elimination of

09-52470 56

poverty and on reinvigorated economic growth that
will make Benin an emerging country by 2025. The
challenges to be met are huge since nearly one third of
the population of Benin currently lives below the
poverty line in a country vulnerable to the threats of
natural disasters and where food security is not fully
guaranteed.
 The measures implemented in particular by the
Government of Mr. Boni Yayi, in place since April
2006 thanks to scrupulous respect for our Constitution,
mark our resolve to move forward. Our economic
performance in 2006 and 2007 proved that our strategic
choices were correct. These measures included
promoting microfinancing as an effective means of
fighting poverty and social exclusion, especially that of
women, by granting microcredit to the poorest —
especially women, who are the most important pillar of
society although economically disadvantaged;
promoting entrepreneurship and youth employment;
and the launching of multiple training programmes in
order to integrate young people into the fabric of our
socio-economic structure. We are also working on
mechanizing agriculture, promoting education by
offering free and mandatory primary education, and
making free Caesarean sections available as a better
approach to reproductive health.
 These social measures were implemented at the
same time that major work was begun on
infrastructure. However, the ongoing economic
recession and the worsening harmful consequences of
climate change threaten to seriously jeopardize the
considerable progress made in implementing this
pivotal national project.
 Only one year ago, the International Monetary
Fund predicted that the gross domestic product of
sub-Saharan African countries would increase by
6.7 per cent on average in 2009. Those forecasts were
revised downward a few months later to 5.1 per cent,
then to 3.5 per cent and last March to 3.25 per cent,
and nothing guarantees that the growth rate will not
decline further.
 This decline in the growth rate has aggravated the
danger of serious budgetary difficulties. We must
maintain our rate of progress despite being subjected to
the gruelling external shocks of the successive crises of
the world economy in full recession. We are making
considerable efforts to mobilize our internal resources.
We welcome the good work done by the United
Nations to mobilize additional resources from
development partners in order to help pilot countries,
including Benin, to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals. These decisions were taken in the
context of implementing the commitments made by the
Group of Eight at Gleneagles, the Millennium
Declaration, the 2001 Brussels Declaration on least
developed countries, and all of the statements that we
warmly welcomed and applauded at the recent Summit
on Climate Change convened here by the Secretary-
General.
 The consequences of climate change considerably
complicate the deal. Benin is among the most
vulnerable countries and those least equipped to
address climate change. In addition to torrential rains
that are concentrated in just a few weeks of the year,
coastal erosion due mainly to the rise in sea level has
already been observed in Benin and neighbouring
countries. We also have long and recurrent droughts
and other natural disasters that are affecting our
peoples. Scientists predict that, among other events, the
coastal areas of West Africa will be submerged due to
the rise in sea level of the Atlantic Ocean, whereas
northern countries have already gained land along their
coastlines.
 We therefore need help to acquire the
technologies and means necessary to combat coastal
erosion because we cannot sit idly by while this
disaster unfolds. In order to counter the coastal erosion
already engulfing our cities and coastal lands, major
work on infrastructure is crucial. Actions to be taken
will be effective only if undertaken at the level of the
entire subregion so as to ensure that all of the West
African coastline is protected. To that end, we must
mobilize vast resources. Perhaps we should consider
establishing a multilateral investment fund, under the
auspices of the United Nations and the African Union,
to finance the major construction work that will be
needed.
 We need a United Nations able to coordinate the
response to these major development challenges, raise
the necessary resources to respond to the financial
needs, and supervise the transfer of resources to be
used by the international community to help the most
vulnerable countries, including the least developed. We
need a United Nations with the moral authority to
involve the affluent countries in thorough reform of the
architecture of governance and of economic and
financial globalization in order to improve the capacity

57 09-52470

of the international financial system to promote
equitable development in all regions of the world.
 The initiatives of the Group of Twenty in this
area are laudable and must continue to ensure a
thorough reform of the international economic system
that will allow all countries to be integrated into the
virtuous cycle of economic growth and sustainable
development. We need a United Nations able to help
emerging countries fully to shoulder the international
commitments linked to their new status and to exploit
their strengths to promote South-South and triangular
cooperation in order to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals and to better adapt to climate
change. Convinced that another name for peace is
development and that peace and development are
essential to our survival on Earth, we must find the
essential means to promote peace through and for
development.
 We need a United Nations able to assure the
effective prevention of armed conflict, if necessary by
fielding robust peace or development missions to
conduct operations for economic stabilization and the
elimination of extreme poverty. We need a United
Nations that makes full use of the opportunities for
cooperation with regional organizations. In that
connection, Benin calls for consistent implementation
of the proposals made in the Prodi report (S/2008/813,
annex) on cooperation between the United Nations and
the African Union on modalities for support to African
Union peacekeeping operations.
 We need a United Nations with strengthened
capacities to contribute to the peaceful settlement of
disputes, inter alia, through mediation and the
promotion of judicial settlements. We need a United
Nations capable of rising to the challenges involved in
settling the Palestinian question definitively;
promoting disarmament and the regulation of the
non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
promoting the rule of law at the national and
international levels; promoting fair trade; countering
terrorism and organized transnational crime; exercising
the responsibility to protect; fighting impunity by
strengthening international justice; and protecting
civilians, in particular children, women and the elderly
in situations of armed conflict; and so on.
 United Nations reform must be undertaken
without hesitation in order to strengthen its
effectiveness, legitimacy and credibility. Security
Council reform through expansion in both categories of
membership is, among other things, an unavoidable
necessity of our times, as the Chairman of the African
Union affirmed from this rostrum a few days ago.
 The time has come to grant all peoples of the
Earth their due place in the concert of free and
prosperous nations. Benin is ready to cooperate
without reservation in finding the most appropriate
ways to redress the injustices of the past and to
establish a new world order in the Security Council.
Such an order must enable humankind to forge its
common destiny in our common house, namely, the
Earth. We have a sacred duty towards our planet, which
includes behaving in a manner that serves to preserve
its habitability for current and future generations. Yes,
we need a United Nations that is more just and better
able to respond to today’s urgent needs as well as to the
aspirations of the world’s most vulnerable people.