The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is
participating in this debate with hope and optimism
that we will see the United Nations system
strengthened once again so that it can effectively carry
out its mission as the centre of global equilibrium in
order to attain the objectives established at its creation
in 1945.
Indeed, the United Nations was created to defend
and promote the rights of persons and the dignity,
freedom and equality of human beings. The United
Nations was created to promote the equality of all
nations, mutual respect, solidarity and the promotion of
cooperation among States on an equal footing and for
mutual benefit. Another of the objectives established
was to promote the global development of nations
through a just and equitable economic system that
would protect the interests of all countries, rich or
poor.
The United Nations must be given the
international authority it needs to establish peace, order
and stability in the world, serving as a centre of
universal equilibrium with the capacity to resolve
conflicts arising among States. Force must be used
only in conformity with the provisions of the Charter
of the United Nations, with the prior consent of its
competent bodies, because the undue use of force can
disrupt international peace and security in an
unforeseeable manner.
We hope that the United Nations system will be
the inspiration for a democratic culture and for human
rights, serving as a model and guide for the internal
organization of its Members. We therefore support the
creation of a Human Rights Council that will be very
closely involved with human-rights-related issues in
each country and that will have relevant competencies
to support the affected countries with regard to the
decisions and recommendations of the Economic and
Social Council.
The democratization of societies and good
governance are concepts universally accepted by
States. Therefore, there is no need to adopt coercive
mechanisms against any State to ensure their
implementation. All that is needed is to assist and
guide each State as to how it should assimilate
democratic concepts in accordance with its economic,
social and cultural realities.
For all those reasons, we believe that, 60 years
after the Organizationís founding, the social and
political circumstances that prevailed in 1945 have lost
their validity because of the very dynamics of the
development of modern societies. Today, we are in the
best possible position to rethink the responsibilities of
the United Nations and its Members in the light of the
aforementioned objectives, bearing in mind todayís
circumstances and the experience accumulated in the
60 years of its existence.
We recognize that the task is very difficult and
complex, taking into account the various interests that
converge as we consider reforming the entire United
Nations system. That is why we congratulate you,
Mr. President, on the confidence that the international
community has placed in you and in your Government
to moderate this important debate. We hope that your
skill and professional experience will be put to good
use so that we can attain our objectives.
We believe that in this effort, we must give
priority to the spirit of democracy and the interests of
humankind, because democracy, as the expression of
the popular will, and compliance with consensual
norms both involve respect for the collective will. We
also believe that the United Nations could not impose
order and justice on a human community dominated by
the various cultural, economic and political interests of
its Member States without recourse to the democratic
principles to which all of us are bound. In that
connection, the Security Council, as the organ that
must demand universal compliance with its decisions,
must be the first to act under democratic criteria.
For my country, the needed reform of the
Security Council does not involve an increase in its
membership or, even less, an expansion of the right of
30

the veto. We must examine the reasons for the Security
Councilís failure since its creation in 1945. In fact, if
there is something that should be done to reform the
Security Council, it is to simply revoke the right of the
veto enjoyed by some of its members as a concept that
was created only because of the conflict between two
opposing ideological systems within the United
Nations system. The veto has never allowed the
consensus or majority sovereign expression of the
Security Council; it has served only as a way in which
to block the popular will so as to protect the interests
of the Power exercising the veto.
In the present circumstances of a unipolar world,
we do not see the need to exercise the veto in this
United Nations body. Many just resolutions have been
vetoed despite the fact that they have sought the
common good, and we have seen the negative results.
If the veto must be maintained in the Security Council
because of interests, we ask that Africa also have that
right, because, like any other regional group, that
continent has many interests to defend.
When the Security Council is democratized we
ask that its decisions be binding and that those who do
not comply with them be properly sanctioned. This
would give teeth to its decisions. Non-compliance with
the principles and resolutions adopted by United
Nations bodies creates impunity unless disciplinary
measures are taken against those who are in breach of
them.
In this regard, Equatorial Guinea strongly regrets
the failure to take measures against the terrorists who
tried to overthrow the established constitutional
Government on 6 March 2004 despite identification of
nationalities of the terrorists and despite Equatorial
Guineaís request to the Governments concerned.
The United Nations must clearly define the
phenomenon of terrorism and in so doing avoid
confusion with what is interpreted as legitimate armed
intervention. Humanitarian intervention cannot be
carried out on the basis of an individual interpretation,
but rather must be justified by the competent
institutions of the United Nations system.
Questions related to organized transnational
crime, such as terrorism and mercenary activities, must
be the subject of a special session of the General
Assembly to deal with criminal acts such as those of
11 September in New York, 11 March in Madrid and
events in London, Russia, Morocco, Tanzania, Kenya
and the mercenary attack in Equatorial Guinea and to
adopt measures that can avert the loss of innocent life.
In Equatorial Guinea, the integration of women
into our development process is receiving the
Governmentís utmost attention through the design of
literacy programmes for them and their gradual
integration in economic activities and political
institutions with a specific percentage reserved for
women.
Lastly, we want environmental problems, whose
effects are of unforeseeable magnitude in each State, to
be addressed with due sensitivity, respect and
solidarity, in the same way as questions of world peace
and security.
We reaffirm that the primary responsibility for
promoting sustainable development in each country
resides directly with the Government concerned.
Multilateral and bilateral assistance only complement
the efforts of States themselves and provide guidance
for what must be accomplished internally by each
country.
Among these efforts, Equatorial Guinea supports
the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
proposed by the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, we
believe that transparency must be required not only of
Governments but also of the economic players that
control these industries. It is, therefore, necessary that
an international monitoring body be established to
intervene in the activities of both Governments and
economic enterprises.
We welcome the report submitted for the
Assemblyís consideration as it contains important
recommendations, above all regarding the development
programme.
I wish to conclude by calling for greater
solidarity and a spirit of commitment from all the
Members of the United Nations so that we can make
this Organization an ideological model that serves the
aspirations of present and future generations.


It is my pleasure to congratulate you, Sir, on
your election to the presidency of the General
Assembly at its sixtieth session. Your renowned
experience in international affairs, especially in the
United Nations system, will undoubtedly guarantee
success for our deliberations. I cannot fail to seize this
opportunity to express to your predecessor, Mr. Jean
Ping, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Gabon, our thanks
and appreciation for his efforts towards the successful
conduct of the deliberations of the fifty-ninth session
of the General Assembly. It also gives me pleasure to
express to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Mr. Kofi Annan, our appreciation for his efforts to
implement the resolutions of the Organization and to
fulfil the purposes of its Charter.
During the 60 years of its existence, the United
Nations has witnessed heated debates and bitter
differences. Yet this Organization remains a forum for
dialogue among nations on the means of building a
secure world. While we agree with others on the need
to reform the United Nations and take new
international developments into account, we stress that
such a process should be constructive and should apply
lessons learned and the positive experiences that the
United Nations has had. We also believe that such a
process should unite and not divide us. It is through
broad agreement that we will be able to enhance the
authority and legitimacy of the United Nations, as well
as its ability to effectively respond to the challenges of
the twenty-first century.
We must not forget that this Organization belongs
to us all, and not merely to one particular party. We
should therefore find the wisdom to preserve it for
future generations.
Five years ago, we adopted a declaration in which
we set out the international communityís vision for the
new millennium. Regrettably, both facts and figures
show that the results have not lived up to our
expectations. The objectives defined remain
unfulfilled. Poverty, hunger and epidemics are
prevalent throughout the world, while tension and
foreign occupation continue to threaten international
peace and security and hamper development for those
living under foreign occupation. Failure to eliminate
weapons of mass destruction, foremost among which
are nuclear weapons, haunts us and threatens peace. It
is no longer feasible to delay the reform of the world
economic order. Moreover, reform should not be
confined to this international Organization. Rather, it
must encompass all international economic and
financial institutions, particularly those that contribute
to economic decision-making. The road ahead lies in
20

fairness, equality and democratic participation. The
Bretton Woods institutions, whose decisions bear
directly on life in our countries, should be the prime
candidates for the overdue reform. We deem it fit to
recall the recommendation of several summit meetings,
in both the North and the South, supporting the
developing countriesí right to join the World Trade
Organization, with no hurdles and in a depoliticized
way.
Speaking of development, we welcome the
important outcomes of the three summits held during
the past five months on development, namely, the
Asian-African Summit, the South American-Arab
Countries Summit, and the second South-South
Summit. Those meetings rejected the imposition of
unilateral sanctions, considering such a policy to be in
violation of the principles of the Charter and
international law and dangerous to development plans
and reform processes in the targeted countries.
The main focus of discussions in the High-level
Plenary Meeting was the reform of the United Nations.
We believe that the reform process will not be
complete if it does not take into consideration the
inability of the United Nations, for reasons known to
all, to implement its resolutions pertaining to the Arab-
Israeli conflict. These reasons are primarily embodied
in the generous support and unlimited protection
offered by some to Israeli aggression against the Arab
states and to Israelís continuing occupation of the
Syrian Golan, the Palestinian territories, and parts of
southern Lebanon.
Syria has declared that the withdrawal of settlers
and Israeli forces from Gaza is undoubtedly a first step
but that this alone is not enough for peace. What is
required is the implementation of all United Nations
resolutions, the establishment of an independent
Palestinian State, the return of the occupied Golan
Heights and the return of refugees. There are relentless
attempts by the Israeli side in particular and also by
those who support it to portray this withdrawal as a
great accomplishment that is also painful. However,
they are neglecting the fact that the painful Israeli
occupation of the Gaza Strip lasted for over 38 years,
during which our brothers in the Gaza Strip in
particular suffered from the horrors of occupation and
its inhumane practices.
Moreover, this abominable occupation persists in
the West Bank, including Jerusalem, as well as in the
occupied Syrian territories in the Golan. As affirmed
by many delegations in their statements this session,
the international community must be wary and must
demand that the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip be a
full withdrawal from land, sea, and air in order for it to
be considered a complete withdrawal. Moreover, this
withdrawal cannot be accepted as a cover for the
continued Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East
Jerusalem, nor can it be a cover for the continued
existence of settlements and the separation wall in
these territories, especially since the General Assembly
has expressed its support for the legal opinion of the
International Court of Justice on the illegitimate nature
of the wall. Israel has rejected the opinion.
In 1981, the Security Council passed resolution
497 (1981), deeming the Israeli decision to annex the
Golan null and void. The General Assembly has passed
dozens of resolutions condemning all the measures and
actions taken by Israel ó the occupying Power ó to
change the nature of the occupied Syrian Golan and its
legal status and considering such measures null and
void and a blatant violation of international law and the
Geneva Conventions. In defiance of resolutions of
international legitimacy, Israel has evicted almost half
a million Syrians from their land and continues to
detain dozens of Syrians, some of whom have been
imprisoned for over 30 years. Israel still calls for the
construction of more settlements in the occupied
Syrian territories. The question is: If Israel claims that
withdrawing its settlers is painful and if it is genuine in
its desire for peace in the region, then why does its
Government continue to build settlements and bring
settlers in to the occupied Syrian and Palestinian Arab
territories?
Syria has exerted every effort possible to achieve
a just and comprehensive peace in the region. It has
continued to declare its readiness to resume the peace
process unconditionally, keeping in mind that the
implementation of resolutions of international
legitimacy is not considered a precondition. However,
all these efforts have gone to waste because of Israelís
greed and its defiance of international legitimacy.
Therefore, we would like to affirm that peace in
the Middle East, to which the international community
aspires, cannot be achieved unless Israel abides by the
resolutions of international legitimacy, particularly
Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338
(1973), the principle of land for peace and the Madrid
Peace Conference terms of reference, and unless it
21

accepts the initiative that was put forth by the Arab
States at the 2002 Beirut summit and reaffirmed at the
Tunis and Algiers summits.
The international community is following the
tragic events that have been unfolding in sisterly Iraq
as a result of its occupation and the attempts to
fragment the unity of its land and its people. We are
now facing a tragic situation that has led to the death of
thousands of innocent Iraqis and to the destruction of
that sisterly countryís infrastructure. Guided by our
desire to stem the bloodshed, we have taken many
measures, which has put a burden on our resources.
Syria has deployed thousands of its soldiers along
the Iraqi-Syrian border. We have also intercepted many
of those attempting to infiltrate the border into Iraq. In
contrast, those who ceaselessly hurl accusations at
Syria have failed to shoulder their responsibility to
ensure effective control of the border from the other
side. The responsibility is shared between the two
neighbouring countries. Although some had promised
to assist us and provide technical equipment for border
control, they have failed to keep their promises.
Syria condemns the acts of terrorism that
continue to be perpetrated throughout Iraq, causing
many casualties among innocent civilians. We stress
that preserving the unity of Iraqís territory and people
in these critical times requires a full commitment to
national unity on the part of all segments and groups of
the Iraqi population. Furthermore, Syria condemns all
statements aimed at creating discord and infighting
among the Iraqi people. Such statements have been
disseminated by suspect groups that wish to spread
chaos, extinguish hope and exacerbate suffering. Syria
will continue to support the political process in Iraq,
until the country and its people overcome their plight
and are able to exercise their right to self-
determination in a unified, secure and prosperous Iraq.
Syria welcomes the interest shown by the United
Nations and its Member States in combating and
eradicating terrorism. I find it necessary to affirm that
Syria was one of the first countries to experience
terrorism and that it has fought to eradicate it. From
this rostrum, Syria reaffirms that it will continue to
cooperate with all States seeking to eradicate terrorism
and implement all relevant Security Council
resolutions.
Furthermore, Syria has signed and ratified
international conventions on terrorism, including, most
recently, the International Convention for the
Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, which we
signed on the first day it was open for signature,
14 September 2005. Syria emphasizes that it is
crucially important to avoid confusing terrorism ó
which we are combating and sincerely cooperating to
eradicate ó with the just struggle of peoples for
liberation and independence, seeking to put an end to
foreign occupation. That is a right guaranteed by the
Charter of the United Nations, which most Member
States of the Organization hold dear. Syria was also
among the first countries to initiate, in 1986, the
proposal that an international conference be convened
under United Nations auspices to define terrorism and
consider its root causes.
The outcome of the Review Conference of the
Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT) held several months ago
revealed the need to refocus international efforts on
nuclear disarmament and to ensure the Treatyís
universality. The facts clearly indicate the importance
of returning to the principle of multilateralism and of
making operational the various multilateral
international conventions on disarmament issues.
At any rate, the Middle East region continues to
experience a unique situation that is both a source of
concern and a cause for censure. Israel alone runs a
dangerous military nuclear programme outside any
international framework and refuses to adhere to the
NPT, while all the other States of the region are party
to the Treaty and respect it in letter and spirit. Here, I
must recall once again Syriaís initiative, proposed on
behalf of all the Arab States to the Security Council on
29 December 2003, to eradicate all weapons of mass
destruction, including nuclear weapons, from the
Middle East region as a step towards declaring it a
zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, including
banning nuclear weapons and preventing their
proliferation.
Syria is undergoing a serious process of
comprehensive economic and social reforms. The
Syrian human development plan is modelled on the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); thus the
plan's objectives serve as stepping stones towards the
ultimate achievement of the MDGs. The Syrian
Governmentís strategy is based on the principles of
cooperation for development, as reflected in the
concept of an effective development partnership among
the State, the private sector and civil society. Syria is
22

striving to develop domestic investment, to encourage
foreign investment and to improve the infrastructure
and the performance of our institutions, while
eliminating waste and fighting corruption.
Important reports have recently been prepared in
coordination with the United Nations Development
Programme, including an analysis of the
macroeconomic situation; reports on poverty, national
development and the Millennium Goals; and a Human
Development Report on education. Syria accords due
importance and attention to empowering women and
promoting their rights so that they can fulfil their role.
In addition, Syria attaches great importance to
children, to persons with special needs and the disabled
with a view to securing their future.
Syria supports reform of the Security Council
aimed at improving its working methods, including
increasing its transparency. As I have previously
stressed, we believe in the importance of just
representation of all regions in the Council through the
expansion of both the permanent and the non-
permanent membership categories, and the need for
representation of the Arab States through a permanent
seat in any Council expansion.
Africa remains at the centre of Syria's concerns.
Without stability in Africa, there will never be genuine
development in the world. The Summit Outcome
document (resolution 60/1) calls for sufficient efforts
to satisfy the special needs of Africa. We believe that
that is necessary and correct. We do not believe that the
Security Council can resolve Africa's problems by
holding more meetings on the continent. It is more
important to achieve concrete results by responding to
Africa's voice, respecting its viewpoints and taking its
concerns into account. In that regard, we should like to
pay tribute to the efforts of the African Union, as
reflected in its mediation and good offices aimed at
crisis settlement in Africa.
The modern world and multilateral diplomacy,
represented in the United Nations, stand at the
threshold of a new era. Let us all rise to the challenges
confronting us so that we may guarantee a future of
security, peace and stability for mankind.


Mr. President, I am pleased to greet and congratulate
you on your election, which will assure the success of
these debates. I am also pleased to greet Secretary-
General Kofi Annan, whose efforts to preserve peace
and promote solidarity among the world’s peoples are
recognized and appreciated.
My country, Bolivia, located at the heart of South
America, has just overcome, with sacrifice and
deprivation, a profound political crisis. The maturity
and the democratic spirit of my people led to a
transition period to ensure institutional continuity and
to initiate a process to legitimize, through a universal
vote, the election of the country’s authorities.
Furthermore, this process had as its goal to establish
governability and to reaffirm faith in the citizens’ right
to elect their Government and the parliamentary
representatives of their choice.
During the electoral process that Bolivia is
presently undergoing, a new design for a pioneer
nation in securing its liberty and independence will be
defined. The elections to take place at the end of this
year will bring about a new and unprecedented
political scenario, a process to carry out a constituent
assembly and the people’s decision to put into practice
regional autonomies that will lead to the establishment
of a new social contract oriented towards the
construction of a more organized country, forever
democratic, without exclusion, as required by the
Millennium Development Goals.
A well-known Colombian citizen advised us that
only with a new look to the past may we create the
possibility of another future; and only by looking
creatively at our world may we catch a glimpse of the
new type of order we ought to build. This vision is
5

shared by the peoples of Latin America and, of course,
by Bolivians. For some time, we have been united in
our effort to solve disputes by encouraging common
actions so that disputing countries may look for and
negotiate peaceful solutions to their differences.
It is also true that in this America with profound
democratic roots and ties of brotherhood and solidarity
among the peoples, there are still unresolved situations,
such as Bolivia’s landlocked status. At the beginning of
the twenty-first century, the people of Bolivia and
neighbouring countries should be capable of creating
spaces in which open dialogue can take place, without
prejudice, thereby allowing for solutions that look to
the future and are not based on positions anchored in
the past. We believe that it is essential to enter into
negotiations with a view to consulting, responding to
and serving mutual interests and reaching a definitive
solution that restores Bolivia’s sovereign access to the
Pacific coast. It is essential that we create an
environment of trust for negotiation and agreement for
that purpose.
Latin America is a region in which we dream
about freedom, hope for progress and the integration of
our peoples, although this requires constant renewal
and creativity on our part. I am convinced that we will
continue with the necessary task of attaining the
Millennium Development Goals set for 2015 and the
subsequent indicators for measuring social progress,
although in the case of Bolivia we may face difficulties
that will require us to focus on inequality and
exclusion, violent conflict, intolerance, unfair land
distribution, unemployment, extreme poverty and
malnutrition.
The Bolivian people fully agree that we need to
lay a foundation for ensuring progress with equity.
Thus, a global effort is required if we are to eradicate
poverty.
Although significant progress has been made with
regard to such indicators for sustainability, institutional
improvements and economic stability, the Government
of Bolivia is concerned about the deadlines that have
been set, and urges the international community to
consider putting in place better terms and conditions.
Harmony among peoples cannot be achieved fully
in a world in which security is put to the test every day
by terrorist threats against innocent people and against
the systems chosen by peoples who cherish the
conviction that the only way of safeguarding mutual
respect and harmony in society is through the exercise
of democracy. Bolivia condemns terrorism and is
actively combating that scourge afflicting humankind.
Our Organization, which is committed to
promoting the civilized coexistence of the peoples of
the world, is 60 years old. Founded by 45 States, it
now has 191 Members, which support and put into
practice the guiding principles of our global
community. A world without the United Nations is
unthinkable in either theory or practice, for it is
guiding us towards a common destiny and away from
such current tribulations as poverty, terrorism and
violence.
Bolivia recognizes that, throughout the 60 years
of this Organization’s life, it has benefited from
valuable cooperation efforts. Indeed, certain problems
are shared by many countries. Thus international
cooperation cannot be considered merely an act of
solidarity. Cooperation must be a pillar of peace, since
one of the threats that we are facing is increasing
inequality leading to the marginalization of vast sectors
of our societies. This brings dissatisfaction, which
frequently gives rise to dangerous social tensions.
It is not merely a question of achieving apparent
economic stability. Rather, we must significantly
improve quality of life indices, both out of basic
respect for human rights and because of the need for
equity and justice.
Bolivia reaffirms its commitment to the principles
of the United Nations, to peace and to democratic
institutions. We believe that the United Nations is the
highest forum for universal interaction among
countries and individuals, and we also believe that its
institutions and entities must be adapted and reformed
if it is to achieve its objectives.
The interrelationship between development,
security and human rights within a framework of
democratic values is an expression of today’s
interdependent world, and of multilateralism, which
reaffirms the leading role of the United Nations and
our ongoing determination to promote social progress
and to improve living standards within a broader
concept of freedom. In this context, Bolivia believes
that the recent commitment made at the world summit
to adopt, in the near future, a United Nations
declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples will
encourage social integration and peaceful national
coexistence.
6

Bolivia is sincere in its determination to achieve
peace, solidarity and the well-being of all, to protect
the rule of law and to secure justice and liberty.
Ultimately, we are guided by democracy — a system
that can be improved upon, and a way of life.


It is my honour to
congratulate you on your election to the presidency of
the sixtieth session of the General Assembly. I also
wish to pay tribute to the tireless efforts of your
predecessor, Mr. Jean Ping, for the manner in which he
guided the work of the fifty-ninth session.
I wish to extend the condolences of the Right
Honourable Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of
the Bahamas, Perry Christie, and the Government and
people of the Bahamas to the Government and people
of the United States in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina last month. This is a scene with which the
people of the Bahamas are regrettably all too familiar,
and we continue to offer our assistance and support in
any way possible.
The High-level Plenary Meeting held last week,
at which so many heads of State and Government were
represented, served as a timely and much-needed
reminder of the need for us all to recommit ourselves
to the purposes and principles of this Organization. At
a time when some have begun to question the purpose
of this Organization, the Bahamas reaffirms that the
United Nations remains the best chance for all States,
large and small, to achieve peace, security and
sustainable development for our peoples.
One of the leaders who spoke last week was the
Most Honourable P. J. Patterson, Prime Minister of
Jamaica. On April of 2006, Mr. Patterson demits office
after more than a decade in the service of his people
and the Caribbean region as Prime Minister, and a
generation as a parliamentarian and Government
Minister. His statement last week was perhaps his final
statement to this Assembly as Prime Minister. The
Bahamas - and the region joins us, I am sure -
salutes Mr. Patterson as he retires from active public
life.
Mr. Pattersonís example in Jamaica is one that we
know well enough in the Caribbean region. It is the
example of democratic governance and the traditions
of regular elections and accountability to the publics
whom we serve. The history of democracy in our
region has also produced for the region an enviable
standard of living in many ways. This way of life has
been described by the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines, The Honourable Ralph Gonsalves,
as the "Caribbean civilization" - one that did not
develop without significant investment in our people
and that cannot be sustained unless that investment
continues.
The region is neither poor nor rich. It falls in
between, having accomplished most if not all of the
Millennium Development Goals. But as we watch the
development of globalization, there is a tendency to
forget that this region of relatively few people and
small nations requires the continued support of the
developed world. Nowhere is this more evident than in
the decisions taken on sugar and bananas. There is a
symbiotic relationship between the region and the
developed world, with many of our people leaving the
region to help to sustain the way of life of the
developed world. There is a major transformation right
now in economies throughout the region.
Our view is that greater attention from our
developed partners must therefore be paid to that
region in transition, looking towards investment,
particularly in education, support for the delivery of
health care and continued support for democratic
governance. It is not charity that is required, but a
sound, sensible investment in our common future.
Haiti is our poorest member in the region and is
perhaps the example from which it is best to draw
lessons. We want to thank Brazil and the many sister
countries of Latin America that have risen to the
challenge with men and materiel. But while much has
been given, there are many pledges of donor aid that
have not materialized as they should. It is a complaint
throughout the developing world that donors make
pledges of financial and material support but do not
follow through on those pledges.
Haiti today is paying the price in a real way for
having charted the way towards freedom in this
hemisphere when, in 1804, it struck a blow for the
freedom of Africans in the West. Today, we repeat
what the American Christian Bishop, T. D. Jakes, said
5

in the National Cathedral in Washington last week
when praying for the victims of Hurricane Katrina: it is
what we do that counts, but what we say we will do.
Haiti is of major interest to us in the Bahamas,
because, given the circumstances of its economy and
its national politics, the Bahamas and the region are
facing increased pressure from illegal migration from
Haiti and the threat of instability. It is incumbent upon
all of us in the United Nations to do all that we can to
help resolve the issues in Haiti.
It is also important that we not overlook issues of
global governance and institutional reform. It would be
nearly impossible for small States, in particular, to
sustain meaningful gains from the process of
globalization without a voice and without participation
in international decision-making and norm-setting
bodies. It is for that reason that the Bahamas is
encouraged by the discussions that took place during
the high-level dialogue on financing for development,
held earlier this year, which confirmed that there is a
place for the United Nations in all aspects of global
standard-setting and assessment. The dialogue clearly
demonstrated that there is a need to address the
democratic deficit in many of the international
economic, financial and trade institutions.
From this rostrum last year, the Bahamas called
for the convening of a global forum to address the
unfairness of unelected bodies imposing mandates that
are unfunded upon developing economies like ours in
the region, without our countries having an opportunity
to be heard and to influence the result. We call once
again for such a forum, and pledge that the Bahamas
will continue to work towards levelling the playing
field, particularly in the financial services sector.
The images of destruction in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina are all too familiar to many small
island developing States. The images have been
sobering, as we realize that even the biggest and
strongest of us has to grapple with the difficulties
associated with the recovery from such a destructive
force of nature. Last year in this Hall, we said that the
native peoples of our region were so familiar with the
violent storms that plague the region in the summer
months that they called them hurricanes. Today, we are
seeing those storms hit with a savagery unknown in
recent times. It leads us to question whether we are
now being confronted by cyclical change or by climate
change. Either case places front and centre the need for
public policy on sustainable development and the
implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for small
island developing States.
The Bahamas, much of whose land is barely five
feet above mean sea level, wishes to highlight the need
to undertake global action to address the problems of
climate change. With the warming of the Earth's
surfaces and oceans, we have seen an increase in the
incidence of natural disasters, many of them causing
untold loss and damage. We have an opportunity,
however, to address the adverse effects of climate
change. We have a chance to make a statement here
during this session that we will not neglect our
common but differentiated responsibility to protect our
environment and to send this message to Montreal,
where, in November this year, the Kyoto Protocol can
finally begin to take on a more substantial form.
For countries such as the Bahamas, the threat of
devastation as a result of natural disasters is
exacerbated by man-made hazards. We once again
reiterate our grave concern about the serious threat
posed to the security and economic development of
Caribbean countries by the trans-shipment of nuclear
waste through the Caribbean Sea, and continue to call
on States involved in such trans-shipments to desist
from that practice. In this context, I wish to highlight
the continuing efforts of the Caribbean region to
designate the Caribbean Sea a special area in the
context of sustainable development.
The achievement of sustainable development will
require healthy, productive populations that are able
both to contribute to and benefit from social and
economic progress. The unrelenting spread of
HIV/AIDS continues to threaten that progress in all
countries, but particularly in the hardest hit developing
countries. The Bahamas is a leader in the fight against
HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean region, and has been
recognized at the international level for the progress
made in turning the tide against that disease in our
country. We pay tribute to Dr. Perry Gomez, our lead
physician in the fight against HIV/AIDS and, indeed,
to my predecessor at this rostrum, Mr. Denzil Douglas
from Saint Kitts and Nevis, as well as to all the other
caregivers throughout the world. We welcome this
body's reaffirmation at the highest levels of the fight
against that disease.
In this context, the Bahamas looks forward to the
high-level five-year review of the progress made in
6

implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on
HIV/AIDS, scheduled to take place in June 2006. At
that time we must undertake an honest appraisal of
what we have achieved and where we are failing short,
and we must determine the way forward towards
achieving the full implementation of the Declaration of
Commitment.
In addition, the Bahamas has seen useful ideas
advanced by the United States of America, the World
Health Organization and the Pan American Health
Organization, to prevent a bird flu pandemic. We
would like to take this opportunity to alert the world
that we must fight to stop such an eventuality, and
pledge our support in doing so.
By virtue of its geographical location, the
Bahamas is an unwitting transit point for illegal drugs
from producing countries south of our borders to
consumer countries to the north. We have consistently
pointed out that the Bahamas does not produce such
substances and is not the ultimate destination for them.
That, however, does not stop the countries that
consume the drugs from blaming countries like ours for
the scourge. It is very unfair to do so. It is clear that
consuming nations must increase their efforts to reduce
demand within their borders. We continue to cooperate
with the United States and other countries in that
international fight. Our successful efforts and those of
the broader region have been acknowledged by our
international partners in the fight. I should like to
mention in particular the admirable performance of the
Bahamas in its counter-narcotics effort and the superb
record of our country's police in terms of dismantling
drug-trafficking organizations, as well as our hard
work to improve the country's ability to combat
money-laundering. It is a fight that we pledge to
continue.
The Bahamas, like other transit countries, is
experiencing the negative social impact of illegal
activities associated with that trade. The deadly nexus
between illicit drugs and small arms and light weapons
and other criminal activities is undermining the
economic and social fabric of our nation. We therefore
welcome the conclusion in June of the work of the
Open-ended Working Group on the marking and
tracing of small arms and light weapons. The Bahamas,
like many other countries, would have strongly
preferred to reach agreement on legally binding
commitments on the marking and tracing of such
weapons. Nonetheless, we hope that this tool will
provide some of the necessary political will and
momentum to make real progress in halting the illicit
accumulation and spread of small arms and light
weapons. We also look forward to adopting concrete
commitments in the near future to regulate the
activities of brokers of small arms and light weapons.
In addition, the Bahamas continues to call on
developed countries to take the same extraordinary
measures they use in seeking to stop the trafficking of
drugs into their countries to stop illegal arms from
reaching our shores from their countries.
The Bahamas is pleased to note the adoption by
the General Assembly on 13 April 2005 of the
International Convention for the Suppression of Acts
of Nuclear Terrorism. We hope to be in a position to
sign the Convention in the near future. We are resolute
in the fight against the attacks on innocent people
going about their daily lives by those pursuing dubious
and nefarious political ends. The vicious attacks in
London and Sharm el-Sheikh this year demonstrate
clearly the urgency of our task.
However, we must also remember that the fight
against those who would attack our common
civilization can never be used as an excuse to curtail
the rights and freedoms of our citizens, and we must
ensure that all counter-measures must conform to both
the letter and the spirit of international human rights
law. If we lose our common humanity in the process,
the other side will win. We must also ensure that a
spirit of cooperation and assistance permeates our
international cooperation efforts on this issue, as we
unite to fight a common enemy.
Over the past year, various issues related to the
management of United Nations programmes and funds
have been highlighted in the world media. Our
Organization has been plagued by allegations of
corruption and abuse. Therefore, during the months
leading up to the present session, the Bahamas
welcomed the opportunity to engage constructively in
consultations to ensure a successful outcome on the
question of management reform of the Organization.
We reaffirm our support for the Secretary-General with
respect to the bold measures that he promised in his
report entitled "In larger freedom" (A/59/2005), and
we believe that he should be given the necessary level
of authority and flexibility to fulfil his function as our
chief executive officer. However, that is not to say that
we support those proposals from other quarters that
would seek to transfer power from the General
7

Assembly to the Secretary-General in matters such as
the redeployment of resources. The General Assembly
is and should remain the principal policy organ of the
United Nations, with absolute powers in the area of
setting priorities. The Bahamas also looks forward to
continuing discussions on the reform of the Security
Council, particularly in relation to the Councilís
working methods.
Let me take this opportunity to thank Mr. Kofi
Annan for his fine work in leading the United Nations
through treacherous seas over the past years. We will
shortly celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the signing
of the Charter of the United Nations. Looking back
over the past 60 years, there is much of which we can
justifiably be proud. There are some cases where we
must accept that the international community failed to
live up to its legal and moral obligation to act for the
benefit of people in need. There are some cases where
our decisions were dominated by big-Power
pragmatism and doubtful legalisms, as opposed to
moral certainty and philosophical clarity.
As we move forward, let us be sure that we learn
from our mistakes as well as our successes. We have
engaged in a process of reflection, which at times has
been painful. Let us emerge from this stronger, more
unified and determined to act to achieve the goals
adopted 60 years ago to promote social progress and
better standards of life in larger freedom. The peoples
of our nations demand and deserve nothing less. Now,
more than ever, we need the United Nations.


Allow me at the outset, on behalf of my delegation,
warmly to congratulate Mr. Eliasson on his outstanding
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at
its sixtieth session. My country, Guinea, assures him of
its full cooperation as he carries out his important
mission.
I also pay well-deserved tribute to his
predecessor, Mr. Jean Ping, for the competence,
effectiveness and devotion with which he led the work
of the fifty-ninth session.
I am also pleased to convey to Secretary-General
Kofi Annan the deep appreciation, encouragement and
support of Mr. Lansana Conté, President of the
Republic, for his tireless and praiseworthy work.
The summit meeting at this session of the General
Assembly has substantially stiffened our common
resolve to promote international peace and security, the
rule of law and the right to development. The
23

assessment of the implementation of the Millennium
Development Goals and the renewed commitment of
States Members to achieving them are cause for hope.
The Republic of Guinea nevertheless remains
convinced that if we are better to meet the threats and
challenges we face, we must resolutely pursue the
reforms necessary to revitalize our Organization.
In the name of peace and security, the concerted
and decisive action of the United Nations system and
of regional and subregional organizations, the African
Union in particular, has made significant progress in
recent months.
In West Africa, and especially in the Mano River
basin, hopes for peace are gradually growing after
years of turbulence and tragedy.
In Liberia, the political and institutional rebirth
under way is encouraging, although many obstacles
still hinder national reconciliation and the country’s
economic revival. It is essential that, in order to
preserve their legitimacy and fairness, we do
everything possible to prevent October’s elections from
being manipulated by the forces of destabilization. We
therefore call on the international community to give
that country the assistance necessary to seeing the
transition through and launching its own
reconstruction.
In Sierra Leone, the process of national
reconciliation is continuing, thereby promoting
peacebuilding and development. My delegation
believes that adequate financing for the Special Court
for Sierra Leone and the transfer of all persons
presumed guilty of serious crimes under international
law are prerequisites for putting an end to impunity and
consolidate subregional stability.
As concerns Guinea-Bissau, my country
welcomes the smooth holding of the presidential
elections, which herald a positive new era that will be
conducive to national reconciliation and a return to
constitutional order.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the signing of the Pretoria
Agreement on 6 April 2005 has given rise to real hopes
that the crisis can be resolved. However, recent
developments are a source of concern to us. Our
Government calls on all parties concerned to spare no
effort to promote a political settlement of the conflict,
since peace and stability in the subregion hinge on this.
In Burundi, major progress has been made in the
peace process, particularly through the holding of
legislative and presidential elections in free, fair and
peaceful conditions. Guinea welcomes this and calls on
our brothers in Burundi to continue on the path to
national reconciliation and reconstruction.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where
the transitional period is at a decisive stage, problems
persist in the eastern part of the country. My country
encourages all parties to abide by the relevant
provisions of the comprehensive agreement.
In the Sudan, despite the sad death of Vice-
President Garang, the establishment of a national unity
Government and the political will shown by the various
protagonists will help to defuse tensions.
Guinea urges all parties in Darfur to pursue the
negotiations that have begun under the auspices of the
African Union with a view to achieving a
comprehensive, consensus-based solution.
In the Horn of Africa, Somalia has reached a
decisive stage with the creation of a Transitional
Federal Government. My delegation makes an urgent
appeal to the various factions to engage in negotiations
with the Government in order to reach a
comprehensive peace agreement.
Regarding the Ethiopia-Eritrea dispute, we call
on both parties fully to respect the Algiers Accord and
to implement the Boundary Commission’s decision.
As to the situation in the Western Sahara, Guinea
supports a negotiated and mutually acceptable solution.
It encourages the parties concerned to enhance their
cooperation with the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General.
Concerning the Middle East, our Government
welcomes Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
However, we remain concerned by the occupation of
the West Bank, the continued illegal construction of the
separation wall and the continuing detention of
Palestinian political prisoners.
That is why we appeal to the two parties to
respect the relevant resolutions of the General
Assembly and of the Security Council, as well as the
Quartet road map. This is the only way to bring about
the creation of two States — Palestine and Israel —
living side by side in safety and security within secure
and recognized boundaries.
24

In Iraq, despite the holding of legislative
elections that led to the establishment of a transitional
Government, we cannot but deplore the current climate
of daily violence. We agree that everything should be
done to help the country’s leaders to consolidate the
political transition, put an end to indiscriminate
violence and build a united, democratic and prosperous
Iraq.
With regard to Asia, our Government reaffirms its
belief in the principle of one China. We also attach
importance to the peaceful and independent
reunification of the two Koreas as well as to ongoing
efforts to maintain peace, security and stability on the
Korean peninsula.
My delegation notes with profound concern the
resurgence of terrorist activities throughout the world.
We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and in
all its manifestations, for it constitutes one of the most
serious threats to international peace and security. We
express solidarity with all States that have fallen victim
to it.
To eradicate that scourge, my delegation
reaffirms the need to tackle with determination its root
causes, including injustice, exclusion, poverty and the
intensification of social divisions.
We welcome the adoption by the Assembly on
13 April 2005 of the resolution on the International
Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear
Terrorism, and we urge Member States to reach
agreement on a comprehensive convention on
terrorism.
The seventh Review Conference of the Parties to
the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons and the Second Biennial Meeting of States to
Consider the Implementation of the Programme of
Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit
Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its
Aspects, which were held, respectively, in May and
July 2005, shows the concern of States parties to do
more to address disarmament-related problems.
However, we note and deplore the fact that the
States parties to the Treaty have not yet succeeded in
reaching consensus on questions of substance. Hence
we urge all States to continue negotiations in order to
strengthen the international non-proliferation regime.
With regard to combating the proliferation and
illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, Guinea
has resolutely undertaken to eradicate that scourge and
welcomes the adoption of a draft instrument for the
tracing of such weapons.
We invite the donor community to provide
appropriate support for the implementation of the
subregional programme of the Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS). The initiative to
transform the ECOWAS moratorium into a binding
legal instrument merits due consideration by Member
States.
Aware of the importance that peoples attach to
development goals, of the latter’s interdependence and
of what is at stake, the Government of Guinea has
adopted a national poverty-reduction strategy whose
implementation has, regrettably, been compromised by
external factors linked to rebel attacks, a massive
influx of refugees and regional instability.
My delegation appeals urgently to all
development partners to support Guinea in its efforts to
implement that strategy, which remains the most
certain way of achieving the Millennium Development
Goals. In that connection, we welcome the recent
progress made in the framework of poverty reduction,
particularly the commitment of the G-8 to double
official development assistance (ODA) over the next
few years and immediate debt cancellation for the 18
most indebted poor countries. We commend and
endorse all other initiatives designed to increase funds
for ODA. We express the hope that the Gleneagles
initiative, which represents an important step forward
in the right direction, will be translated into reality and
will be extended to all least developed countries.
Furthermore, in the context of the current World
Trade Organization trade negotiations, we urge
Member States to show a spirit of compromise and
diligence in order to overcome their differences and
come to an understanding on a consensus programme
for the implementation of the Doha Development
Agenda before the sixth Hong Kong Ministerial
Conference. What is at stake is the very future of the
multilateral trading system.
Our work is taking place following the High-level
Plenary Meeting, as a consequence of which our
leaders have adopted an outcome document to guide
our actions. The decisions and commitments taken at
the summit clearly indicate that a new era has begun.
The time for promises has passed, and we must now
translate our commitments into concrete action in a
25

spirit of true solidarity between developed and
developing countries, on the basis of a far-reaching
reform of our Organization.
By so doing, we will leave to future generations,
to which we owe a debt, the right tools to lead
humankind towards a better future.


A small boy on the run
remains vividly in my mind today, a boy with eyes that
have seen more horror than most of us in this Hall have
ever seen, a boy whom all of us have failed.
There are thousands of children like him in
Darfur. I met him when I visited areas of fear,
suffering, hunger and senseless violence. We owe that
boy in Darfur more: better performance; a stronger
connection between our declarations and our actions.
We have tools to prevent armed conflicts. We
have made many commitments to end oppression,
radically reduce poverty and protect our environment.
We have cures for many of the diseases that continue to
kill. The challenge before us is to use instruments for
peace, development and human rights, and to transform
our commitments into real action.
Cooperation across borders is not just a good
idea - it is a must. And for the truly global
challenges, the United Nations is indispensable. Our
joint commitment to the Charter of the United Nations
is an excellent starting point But as new threats emerge
and the world evolves, the United Nations must also
adapt.
We need a multilateralism that is effective, with
institutions that have teeth and a strong political will to
make them work. We need a multilateralism that is
based on common principles, not on the lowest
common denominator of the day. We need a rule-based
international order, applicable to all.
This is a crucial year for the United Nations. The
Secretary-General has, with great courage and vision,
led the way. The outcome of the summit sets the
direction. This session of the General Assembly has
been given the responsibility of following up on
important decisions. We must together achieve real
results in a number of areas. Let me highlight some of
the main challenges.
The first challenge is to make progress on the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Millions of
people still suffer from extreme poverty. Important
progress has been made towards the goal of eradicating
poverty, but we need to do better. All developed
countries should make timetables for reaching the
target of 0.7 per cent of gross national income for
international development assistance by the year 2015.
Sweden will reach its one per cent target next year.
Equally important is that all countries live up to the
commitments on aid effectiveness, to our agreements
from Monterrey and to our promises to find new ways
of financing development.
Better progress in preventing maternal and child
mortality is vital for reaching many of the MDGs. We
must renew our commitment of universal access to
reproductive health care by 2015 and give more focus
to sexual and reproductive health care and rights.
Market access for goods and services must be
substantially improved for poor countries. Trade-
distorting subsidies need to be phased out. Sweden will
continue to work for reduced agricultural subsidies and
to press for speedy implementation of the development
dimension of the Doha work programme.
While the developed world can and should play a
bigger part in order to reach the MDGs, the developing
countries bear the critical responsibility for their own
development. The importance for the sustainability of
development efforts of good governance, well-
39

functioning democratic institutions and full respect for
human rights and the rule of law cannot be
underestimated.
The second challenge is to halt climate change.
Awareness of the connection between the way we live
our lives, particularly in the industrialized world, and
its effects on the long-term survival of our planet is
today greater than ever. But action is still much too
limited. It is deeply regrettable that no firm agreement
on the way forward was reached at the summit. All
parties to the Kyoto Protocol and to the United Nations
Climate Change Convention must continue to
implement their commitments. There is also a need to
urgently initiate a process aimed at controlling climate
change beyond the year 2012.
The third challenge is to combat terrorism
together. Terrorism has taken the lives of thousands of
innocent people. One of our most urgent priorities must
be to stop and prevent terrorism. It remains a threat to
all of us. We need to address these threats together,
with a broad strategy, and with respect for human
rights. The outcome of the summit has given us a
platform to build on. The United Nations should now
take the lead in developing a comprehensive counter-
terrorism strategy based on the Secretary-Generalís
excellent work. We must also conclude a
comprehensive convention on international terrorism,
including a legal definition, during the sixtieth session
of the General Assembly.
The fourth challenge is to better promote human
rights. Human rights are violated throughout the world,
creating enormous suffering and affecting both security
and development. Human rights must be mainstreamed
in all United Nations work as a core task of the
Organization. Sweden welcomes the decision to create
a Human Rights Council. That Council will need a
strong mandate to address any human rights situation,
respond to urgent human rights violations and monitor
compliance by all States with their human rights
obligations. We must all join in efforts to establish an
effective and legitimate Human Rights Council during
the sixtieth session.
The summit made a strong commitment to our
common responsibility to protect. We must now act
accordingly. The world has a responsibility to react in
order to prevent genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes
against humanity. The Security Council must be ready
to take responsibility if and when a State cannot give
its citizens the necessary protection. However, it is not
just a question of acknowledging the obligation to act;
it is also a question of being prepared to actually do so.
The fifth challenge is to implement commitments
on disarmament and non-proliferation. Weapons of
mass destruction could kill all of us here, all at once.
They could wipe out villages, cities and entire
populations in seconds. Yet we still do not take the
threat seriously enough. It should have been made clear
at the summit that disarmament commitments are to be
implemented and that non-proliferation undertakings
are to be complied with. The countries in possession of
nuclear weapons have a special responsibility to
disarm. At the summit, decisions should have been
taken to strengthen verification. There should have
been commitments to make the Treaty on the Non-
Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and other
arms conventions universal. Negotiation processes
should have been given a boost by the summit. None of
that actually happened.
Sweden looks forward to the recommendations of
the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, chaired
by Mr. Hans Blix. The failure to address the threat
posed by weapons of mass destruction leaves us with
an immensely important task ahead.
The sixth challenge is to put the Peacebuilding
Commission in place promptly. Far too many people in
war-torn countries have seen a fragile peace relapse
into new conflict. With the establishment of the
Peacebuilding Commission, the United Nations is
better equipped to build peace in war-torn societies and
to prevent countries from relapsing into war. In order
to be successful, the Commission needs to draw on
lessons from international peace efforts. Regional
organizations will have important contributions to
make. The Peacebuilding Commission needs a well-
balanced composition, including major donor
countries. Let us establish this Commission before the
end of the year. Sweden is ready to do its part,
including through the swift provision of financial
contributions.
The seventh challenge is to reform the Security
Council and the Secretariat. United Nations reform will
not be complete without Security Council reform. If
the decisions of the Council are to be accepted as
legitimate and effectively implemented, the Council
needs to better represent the world of today. In
addition, the Councilís effectiveness must be
40

safeguarded. There should be no extension of the right
of veto, and the use of the veto should be limited. The
reform of the United Nations also requires the reform
of the Secretariat. The summit took several important
decisions on management reform. Those include a
review of internal rules, regulations and mandates and
the strengthening of the oversight system. But greater
flexibility must be given to the Secretary-General in
managing staff and resources. That would not only
make the Secretariat more efficient, but it would also
enable Member States to focus more on strategic issues
and make the Organization more dynamic.
The summit has provided essential momentum for
more effective multilateralism. The legacy of our
efforts will continue to be determined during the
sixtieth session of the General Assembly. During the
months ahead the task can be completed - the task to
create a United Nations capable of facing the
challenges of our time.
In conclusion, let me return to the subject with
which I began: Darfur. The United Nations must, above
all, serve the interests of the boy that I met there and of
all the other children, as well as the husbands, the
wives, the grandparents - men and women of this
world who lack security, hope and human dignity. That
is our mission.


I join with other
delegations in congratulating you, Mr. President, on
your election to preside over the sixtieth session of the
United Nations General Assembly. The Barbados
delegation’s appreciation is also extended to the
outgoing President, His Excellency Mr. Jean Ping,
Foreign Minister of Gabon, for the outstanding work
he has done in guiding the Assembly during the
previous session and particularly in the preparations
for the High-level Plenary Meeting.
Last week, heads of State and Government, in an
attempt to define and articulate a global consensus,
adopted an outcome document representing the
determination of the vast majority to make progress
towards full achievement of the goals and targets
inspired by the Millennium Declaration, as well as a
number of decisions on United Nations reform.
Barbados, as part of the tremendous efforts made by
many, had hoped for bolder and more ambitious
commitments, particularly regarding development.
In all of the circumstances, we accept that the
outcome of the High-level Plenary Meeting provides
the platform for coordinated international action in
response to the complex and interconnected global
challenges confronting this and future generations.
The Millennium Development Goals are now
recognized as the world’s time-bound, quantifiable
targets for addressing poverty in its many dimensions
of hunger, disease, lack of access to health care and
education, gender inequality and environmental
degradation. Progress on their achievement has been
far from uniform across the world, or for that matter
across the Goals. Unless action is taken on a much
broader front and a much faster pace, the eminently
laudable words of the Declaration will serve only as
grim reminders of human needs neglected and of
numerous promises unfulfilled.
The Secretary-General has stated that our
generation, with the combination of resources and
technology at its disposal, must be the first to make the
right of development a reality for everyone and to free
the entire human race from war.
Progress towards the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals in Barbados is
encouraging. Although the regional report of the
United Nations Development Programme presents an
optimistic outlook for most Caribbean countries in
respect of the first five Goals, the region faces severe
challenges and constraints to their achievement.
Foremost among them, and beyond our control, is our
vulnerability to economic shocks and to every natural
disaster known to mankind — be it hurricane, volcanic
eruption, mudslide, earthquake or flood.
Equally challenging is the fuller and more
effective integration of Barbados in the globalized
economy, for which a successful outcome of the next
Doha development round of talks on trade
liberalization is crucial.
Permit me to refer to an outstanding omission
from the Millennium Development Goals, that of
sexual and reproductive health and rights. Indeed, the
exclusion was so stark that the Secretary-General
himself stated:
“The Millennium Development Goals,
particularly the eradication of extreme poverty
8

and hunger, cannot be achieved if questions of
population and reproductive health are not
squarely addressed. And that means stronger
efforts to promote women’s rights and greater
investment in education and health, including
reproductive health and family planning.”
We must seize the opportunity presented by this
current review of the implementation of the
Millennium Development Goals to mainstream sexual
and reproductive health and rights by adopting a
universal access target or indicator that can be used to
facilitate the monitoring of progress in this area and to
hold Governments accountable.
Barbados takes the position that women are
central to the successful implementation of the
Millennium Development Goals. After all, women of
childbearing age constitute one billion of the world’s
poorest people, and for this group sexual and
reproductive health issues are at the fore of problems
of ill health and loss of productivity. Women living in
poverty are not usually aware of their sexual and
reproductive rights and are often ignorant about the
services to which they have a right of access. Similarly,
poor women, and in particular poor young women, are
highly susceptible to contracting HIV/AIDS despite the
prevalence of preventive measures.
I feel compelled to support the call for mobilizing
new resources for improved sexual and reproductive
health services for women and for men worldwide.
Individuals, non-governmental organizations and
Governments in developing countries are already
contributing more than 75 per cent to current
expenditures in this field. It is certainly time for
developed countries to live up to the pledges they made
at the 1994 International Conference on Population and
Development.
Central to the global partnership for development,
which is embodied in the eighth Millennium
Development Goal, are the commitments by
developing countries to pursue sound macroeconomic
policies, to make the most creative use of our limited
endowments, to respect human rights and to ensure that
our material development takes place within the
context of social justice, commitments that Barbados
has proudly upheld since becoming independent in
1966.
By the same token, developed countries must
fulfil their obligations made at numerous United
Nations summits and conferences on trade, debt and
finance, and in particular their pledge to honour the
outstanding target of 0.7 per cent of gross domestic
product for official development assistance (ODA).
Increases in ODA will not be sufficient to achieve the
sustained economic growth and development that we
all seek. It will also be necessary for the international
community to address the indebtedness of poor and
middle-income developing countries; promote foreign
direct investment flows to a broader range of
developing countries; confront serious global
environmental problems such as climate change;
combat HIV/AIDS; and reform multilateral trading
arrangements as well as systemic deficiencies in the
global economic and financial system. These are the
real threats to our human security as we see it in the
Caribbean.
The Doha development round, launched by the
World Trade Organization in 2001, is so called
precisely because trade ministers deliberately sought to
place development at the centre of multilateral trade
negotiations. This decision inspired new hope in
developing countries that we would be afforded the
opportunity to participate more effectively and
beneficially in the new global economic system.
Regrettably, some of our developed country
counterparts seem to have reneged on their
commitment. We are still locked in a fierce struggle at
the World Trade Organization to persuade these
countries to rise above their narrow self-interests and
embrace positions that would allow for the creation of
a more just global economic order.
Barbados fears that we could squander yet
another opportunity genuinely to involve developing
countries in the multilateral trading system. We do not
believe that the international community can continue
to ignore this fact. Furthermore, we are far from
convinced that the High-level Plenary Meeting of last
week fully refocused global attention on matters of
development and rescued from obscurity the global
development agenda, which has unfortunately been
overtaken by a narrowly defined anti-terrorism agenda.
“It is time to put the global development agenda,
including that for the world’s smallest and most
vulnerable countries and societies, back on track”.
Those are the words of the Prime Minister of Barbados,
The Right Honourable Owen Arthur.
9

Barbados considers that peace and collective
security, human rights and the rule of law represent, in
addition to development, a strong foundation on which
the United Nations can assist the international
community in building a stronger world. Issues of
terrorism, responsibility to protect, disarmament and
non-proliferation need also to be addressed.
Terrorism affects all countries, both large and
small, and all countries have an obligation to the
international community to ensure that the perpetrators
of acts of terrorism do not find safe haven and succour
within their borders. While we believe that the United
Nations should strongly and unequivocally issue a
condemnation of terrorism in all of its forms, care must
be taken to formulate an unambiguous definition that
would provide a basis for a comprehensive convention.
This would rightly place the United Nations at the very
heart of the fight against terrorism, signalling a
multilateral approach to this scourge.
Closely linked to the issue of terrorism is that of
disarmament and non-proliferation. Action taken by
the United Nations must be clear and firm, and efforts
must be redoubled to find compromises that would
facilitate progress. The Caribbean remains a major
route for international narco-traffickers and suffers
from the destabilizing effects of the parallel illegal
trade in small arms, promoted by the same
transnational criminal elements. The absence of
concerted international action against small arms
trafficking places the peace-loving societies of the
small Caribbean States at great risk. Small arms
proliferation and the violence that accompanies it
impact negatively on our development, our security
and human rights, and pose a severe threat to the
peaceful, stable and sustainable development of
Caribbean democracies.
Barbados supports the call for the negotiation of a
new international instrument on the marking and
tracing of weapons. This is an urgent priority which
will provide the international community with an
effective means of monitoring the movement and
proliferation of small arms and taking comprehensive
interdiction and enforcement action against illegal
traders.
Barbados remains resolute in its rejection of the
continued use of the Caribbean Sea for the trans-
shipment of nuclear and radioactive waste. This high-
risk practice poses grave danger to our region in the
event that there is an accident, a natural disaster or a
terrorist attack.
The Secretary-General has emphasized that if the
United Nations is to be a useful instrument for its
members and is to successfully address the challenges
facing humanity, then it must be fully adapted to the
needs and circumstances not only of today, but
tomorrow as well. Barbados shares this view. Reform
should not be seen as an end in and of itself, but as a
means towards achieving the goals we have set
ourselves in 2000 in the Millennium Declaration, to
make the United Nations a more effective instrument
for pursuing the priorities of the world’s peoples.
Reform should also seek to enhance the role of the
United Nations in global affairs to create the conditions
for more democratic and transparent decision-making
and to provide a forum for the full and equal
participation of small States.
Barbados believes that the main organs of the
United Nations should be strengthened. This will
require the revitalization of the General Assembly to
make it the chief deliberative and policy-making body
of the Organization, as envisaged by the United
Nations Charter. It will further require the reform of
the Security Council to make it more representative of
current global geopolitical realities. Small States
should be represented continuously in the membership
of the Council, and any arrangements for the selection
of the non-permanent members of a reformed Council
should be so formulated.
We are convinced that the Economic and Social
Council should play a larger role in policy-making on
international economic and social matters and the
promotion of improved global economic governance. A
restructured Economic and Social Council should find
its voice again as a vibrant forum for economic policy
dialogue, for promoting increased guidance and
coordination to the United Nations funds, programmes
and agencies and for monitoring the implementation
and follow-up of the Millennium Development Goals
and other major elements of the global development
order.
If the United Nations is to undertake fully and
effectively the demanding responsibilities with which
it has been charged, then it must be provided with the
required level of resources, and the Secretary-General
must be given appropriate managerial authority. The
Barbados delegation intends to participate actively in
10

the delineation of these issues during this sixtieth
session.
As a small State, Barbados believes that a strong
multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core,
is our greatest protection from the unilateral pursuits of
the powerful. We are unwavering in our commitment to
the precepts of multilateralism and to the belief that no
other international institution is better suited or
equipped to meet the diverse demands for global peace,
security and development than this Organization. As a
member of the United Nations, Barbados must be
assured that its voice will continue to be heard
regardless of size or economic power. This is a struggle
from which we are not at liberty to abstain.


I, too, congratulate you,
Sir, on your election as President of the General
Assembly at its sixtieth session.
Sixty years ago, the United Nations rose out of
the ashes of the Second World War. The creation of our
Organization was the fulfilment of people's hopes for a
better and safer future. Norway was honoured to
provide the United Nations with its first Secretary-
General, Trygve Lie.
Last week, we saw agreement on a summit
outcome document (resolution 60/1). The document
falls short of our expectations. Still, it provides
important direction on how to improve and strengthen
the role of the United Nations in building peace and
security and promoting human rights and development.
In some areas, Member States made considerable
progress; in others, better results should have been
achieved. In particular, I had hoped for ó and worked
for ó a substantial text on nuclear disarmament and
non-proliferation. The proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction represents a fundamental threat.
There is a growing risk of proliferation and of
catastrophic terrorism. At the same time, we see a
reluctance on the part of some to accept that all States
must advance disarmament and non-proliferation.
During the past week, I have repeatedly heard in
the General Assembly that we are willing to solve
common problems. Yet it has not been possible to
reach any consensus on how to address these truly
global threats. I can assure members that Norway will
take up the challenge set out by the Secretary-General
and will continue to seek consensus and concrete
results. We will do that together with Australia, Chile,
Indonesia, Romania, South Africa and the United
Kingdom and with all those countries that supported
our efforts.
Further progress is also urgently needed to
prevent the proliferation of small arms and light
weapons. Norway welcomes the outcome document's
call for implementation of the United Nations
Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light
Weapons. We would have liked, however, to see a
stronger commitment to controlling international
transfers of such weapons through legally binding
agreements.
The international community needs to cooperate
in order to meet global challenges. We are faced with
an array of new threats and challenges: I just spoke of
the risk of proliferation; terrorism is another. The
spread of new and infectious diseases is also a
frightening prospect. Multilateralism is the answer. We
must face all these threats together and reach
agreement on how to meet them. The global arena must
be continually reformed and adapted to make sure that
we have a United Nations that is in the best possible
shape. We cannot blame others if it does not function.
As the Secretary-General said in his statement to the
11

summit, "Whatever our differences, in our
interdependent world, we stand or fall together"
(A/60/PV.2, p. 5).
Our greatest responsibility is to ensure that the
strong protect the weak. Our greatest failure is when
we, the Members of the United Nations, are unable to
prevent atrocities against innocent civilians. For the
first time, Member States have endorsed the principle
of the ìresponsibility to protectî. That creates an
important new basis for collective action in cases of
genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing
and war crimes. We now have the tools to prevent
another Srebrenica or another Rwanda.
A greater consensus on collective action and early
diplomatic response are needed to prevent violent
conflicts. Addressing the needs of countries under
stress is a demanding challenge for the United Nations;
so is assisting countries suffering from conflict and in
transition from war to peace. The peace process that
Norway is facilitating between the Government of Sri
Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has
benefited from United Nations support. The
Organization's role in providing humanitarian and
development assistance to all areas of Sri Lanka has
been indispensable.
I therefore welcome the initiative to establish a
Peacebuilding Commission to marshal resources, give
advice and propose comprehensive strategies for
peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery. The situation
in the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and other conflict-afflicted areas clearly demonstrates
the need for a Peacebuilding Commission. As long as
the Security Council remains actively seized of a
matter, the Peacebuilding Commission should provide
advice to the Council. Norway will contribute $15
million to the Peacebuilding Fund. The role and the
needs of women should be duly reflected in the
establishment of a Peacebuilding Commission. The
Commission should contribute to the follow-up of the
binding commitments set out in Security Council
resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and
security.
While supporting the establishment of the
Peacebuilding Commission, Norway places great
emphasis on the need to maintain and strengthen the
activity of the Secretary-General to take initiatives
through his good offices.
As we convene here in New York, an estimated
10 million people are facing severe food shortages in
Southern Africa. According to the Secretary-General,
the chronic state of emergency in the region is caused
by a combination of HIV/AIDS, food insecurity and a
weakened capacity for governance. During recent
months, there has also been a severe drought in Niger
and in parts of the Sahel region.
The response capacity of the United Nations is in
need of reform. That means improving the speed,
equity and predictability of humanitarian response. An
upgraded and expanded Central Emergency Response
Fund is an important step in the right direction; so is
improved coordination at the field level, including the
Humanitarian Coordinator system. The General
Assembly must now take the decisions necessary for
the new Fund to become operational as early as
possible. Norway has pledged $15 million to the Fund,
and we stand ready to assist in putting in place the
necessary organizational framework.
The United Nations is making a significant
contribution to development. The universal
endorsement of the Millennium Development Goals
and the renewed commitment to achieving them by
2015 are key results of the summit; so are the
strengthened commitments concerning increased
official development assistance (ODA) and debt relief
made during the preparations leading up to the summit,
particularly by the European Union and the Group of
Eight. The world community must now make sure that
promises are followed by payments and that the focus
on Africa remains strong. Norway will do its part by
increasing its ODA contributions to Africa for 2006 by
$150 million.
International trade is a prerequisite for economic
growth and development. Norway is committed to the
further development of a rule-based and fair
multilateral trading system. The ongoing World Trade
Organization negotiations are approaching a crucial
crossroads in Hong Kong in December. We must
redouble our efforts to achieve the fullest possible
realization of the Doha work programme in order to
successfully complete the Doha development round in
2006. Particular attention must be paid to the needs and
interests of developing countries.
No cause can justify acts of terror. The United
Nations should have a central role in leading and
coordinating the international fight against terrorism. A
12

broad-based strategy is necessary to counter this threat,
as recommended by the Secretary-General. The fight
against terrorism must be based on the rule of law. The
role of the United Nations is essential, because it can
provide the legal instruments and frameworks we need.
I encourage all States to sign, ratify and implement the
13 United Nations conventions related to terrorism.
Norway strongly supports the efforts to conclude a
comprehensive United Nations convention on
international terrorism.
Terrorism must be fought by a broad range of
means, including military and legal means. Other
threats to peace and stability must also be addressed,
such as poverty and unemployment, lack of social and
political rights, absence of the rule of law and lack of
access to education. The United Nations has a vital role
to play in all those areas. It has more experience on
those issues than any other organization and possesses
the most suitable tools to address them.
Defending human rights is a principal universal
objective. When human rights defenders are silenced,
violations of human rights go unnoticed, unexposed
and unopposed. The issue of individuals and groups
subject to human rights violations should be put firmly
on the agenda of all countries. I call for members'
continued support for a draft resolution to that end.
It is vital that we assign human rights their
rightful place as a fundamental pillar of the United
Nations. Our goal in the coming months must be to
bridge the gap between expectations for credible
United Nations action in the field of human rights and
the capacities of the Organization. We must take the
following steps.
We must create a new standing human rights
body as soon as possible, preferably as a principal
organ of the United Nations. It must focus on both
implementation and capacity-building. It must also be
able to deal swiftly with human rights violations
worldwide in a credible and effective manner. The
strengths and best practices of the Commission on
Human Rights must be retained and its weaknesses left
behind.
And we must strengthen the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights by
respecting, in the Fifth Committee, the decision of the
summit to double the regular budget resources of the
Office.
There is a need for stronger executive leadership
and thorough administrative reform of the
Organization. Corruption, mismanagement and sexual
exploitation and abuse are examples of conduct that
cannot be tolerated.
We have decided to make the Office of Internal
Oversight Services more independent. The Office's
capacity to carry out audits and investigations will be
significantly strengthened. It is necessary to further
strengthen the accountability of the Secretariat and
improve management performance, as well as reinforce
ethical conduct. Responsibility for many of the
weaknesses in the United Nations system, however,
lies with the Member States themselves.
We need a more relevant General Assembly as
the chief policymaking body of the Organization. That
will require strategic leadership on the part of Member
States. The Secretary-General, as the chief
administrative officer, must be granted sufficient
authority and flexibility to carry out his duties. In order
to strengthen the Organization's capacity to ensure that
mandates are fulfilled, we need to provide the
necessary resources. In order to maintain an efficient
organization, we need to review existing mandates and
revoke those that are no longer relevant.
The management reform process provides a
golden opportunity to increase the recruitment of
women at all levels of the United Nations. Good
governance in a modern organization requires
contributions from women on an equal footing with
men.
Some have called the results of the summit just
another step along the way. In my view, many
important steps were taken. Now it is up to the General
Assembly to follow up. I promise that Norway will do
its part. We will continue to work for reforms. The
United Nations system must become more effective in
securing global peace and security, combating poverty
and promoting human rights. In the end, it is we, the
Member States, who are responsible for making that a
reality.


It is
my distinct pleasure to express to you and to your
friendly country, the Kingdom of Sweden, my most
sincere congratulations on your election to the
presidency at this sixtieth session of the General
Assembly and to wish you every success in your
mission.
I also express to your predecessor Mr. Jean Ping,
my deep appreciation for his excellent management of
the proceedings of the previous session.
Allow me to take this opportunity to convey my
thanks and appreciation to the Secretary-General,
commending his diligent efforts in assisting the
Organization to play its role and achieve its noble
objectives of maintaining peace and security and
furthering development in the world.
Tunisia, which celebrates, along with other
members of the international community the sixtieth
anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations,
reiterates its constant commitment to the noble
principles of the Charter and reaffirms its
determination to continue to contribute, so that the
Organization may be as effective as possible.
Our world today is witnessing rapid and
successive developments, often marked by an increase
of tensions and the widening of the development gap
between the North and the South. This requires that we
intensify our consultations and coordination on the
question of reforming the United Nations and
developing its institutions, in accordance with a
comprehensive vision based on enhancing solidarity,
mutual assistance and partnership among peoples so
that our Organization will be able to deal with current
international issues efficiently.
Many of those issues still constitute a source of
concern for the international community, because of
their impact on security and stability, and foremost
among them is the Middle East problem.
In keeping with its commitment, and that of its
President, His Excellency President Zine El Abidine
Ben Ali, to peace as a strategic choice, Tunisia has
contributed to all efforts and initiatives aimed at
reaching a just, comprehensive and durable settlement
to the Palestinian question. We reiterate our call to all
parties, more particularly to the Quartet, to take
advantage of recent positive developments in the
region in order to resume peace negotiations, thus
allowing the Palestinian people to recover their
legitimate national rights and establish their own
20

independent State on their land as well as bringing
security, stability and prosperity to all peoples of the
region.
We feel that achieving just, comprehensive and
durable peace in the Middle East requires the recovery
by sisterly Syria and Lebanon of all their occupied
territories.
We also express the hope that sisterly Iraq will
complete its political process and strengthen its
constitutional institutions in accordance with the
aspirations of the Iraqi people, within a context of
security, stability and national unity.
Tunisia welcomes the important steps taken by the
Sudanese Government towards national reconciliation,
in keeping with the aspirations of the Sudanese people
to the consolidation of security and stability in that
country.
Tunisia is sparing no effort, along with the other
sisterly Arab countries, in laying the foundations for a
new phase of joint Arab action, promoting cooperation
in all the political, economic and cultural fields, and
reinforcing the process of development and
modernization, in line with the proposals made and
decisions taken by the Arab Summit in May 2004,
which Tunisia had the honour to host.
We are also keen on consolidating the bonds of
fraternity and cooperation with all fellow Arab
Maghreb countries and completing the process of
building the Arab Maghreb Union, thus meeting the
aspirations of the peoples of the Maghreb to
development and complementarity.
Although it has witnessed a number of positive
developments, the African continent continues to suffer
from the persistence of tensions and conflicts in many
of its regions. Additional efforts are required in order
to take further steps towards their settlement. Bringing
to completion the establishment of the basic structures
of the African Union would enable African countries to
move ahead in promoting cooperation and reinforcing
the foundations of security and stability in the
continent. This, in turn, will encourage development in
African countries and facilitate their integration into
the world economy.
At the Euro-Mediterranean level, Tunisia is
entering a new phase in its relations with the European
Union, a phase marked by a determination to further
promote, develop and enlarge the scope of partnership
with that Union on the basis of cooperation, solidarity,
complementarity and mutual respect, in line with the
purposes and principles adopted at the Barcelona
Conference as we prepare to celebrate the tenth
anniversary of its Declaration.
Tunisia is also endeavouring to strengthen ties of
friendship and enlarge the scope of cooperation with
the countries of the American and Asian continents in
order to establish a solidarity-based partnership that
will lay the foundations for a new stage in these
relations. That would serve the interests of all parties,
bring their peoples closer to one another and contribute
to consolidating the foundations of stability, peace and
prosperity in the world.
The intensification of violence and terrorism,
despite the joint efforts undertaken for many years to
confront that grave scourge, deepens our conviction
that the most effective way to deal with terrorism is by
unifying our methods for tackling it, thereby
strengthening the capacity of the international
community to confront terrorism and eradicate its root
causes.
In that regard, His Excellency President Zine El
Abidine Ben Ali proposed the convening of an
international conference under United Nations auspices
aimed at establishing a binding international code of
conduct on combating terrorism.
Proceeding from its steadfast adherence to the
principles of solidarity and dialogue among peoples
and its continuing endeavours to strengthen stability
and development in the world, Tunisia will take an
active role in achieving the objectives spelled out in
the Millennium Declaration and in finding appropriate
solutions to the international issues we face today.
In that regard, we would mention the General
Assembly’s adoption of the Tunisian proposal for the
establishment of a World Solidarity Fund. The
international community must now provide the
necessary financial resources so that the Fund can
launch its activities and achieve its noble objectives of
reducing poverty and famine, particularly in some
regions of Africa.
Tunisia calls for the strengthening of world
solidarity, the benefits of which were most recently
manifested in the international efforts to alleviate the
enormous damage caused by both the tsunami disaster
and hurricane Katrina.
21

As we prepare to host the second phase of the
World Summit on the Information Society — held in
response to a Tunisian proposal dating back to 1998 —
Tunisia is looking forward to the high-level
international participation of Governments, the private
sector and civil society in that important global event
in order to give it the best possible chance of success.
A successful outcome will help to establish a
solidarity-based digital culture that allows developing
countries to benefit from the vast prospects offered by
information and communication technologies and to
make the best use of them in their development plans.
Furthermore, Tunisia wishes to express its thanks
and appreciation to all Member States and to the
international and regional organizations that have
contributed to the success of its international initiative
to proclaim 2005 the International Year of Sport and
Physical Education in the service of peace, security and
development in the world.
Tunisia will continue to make an effective
contribution to strengthening the culture of dialogue
and the values of tolerance and cultural communication
among civilizations and among all the world’s
countries and peoples, and to work against fanaticism
and isolationism. We once again underline the
importance of those values in spreading security, peace
and stability throughout the world, thus freeing
humanity to direct its efforts towards comprehensive
and sustainable development in a spirit of optimism
and confidence in a better future.