I would like, on
behalf of the Government and the people of Thailand,
to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you, Sir, upon
your election to the presidency of the General
Assembly at its fifty-seventh session. I am confident
that, under your able leadership and guidance, this
session will build upon the momentum and efforts of
previous endeavours and reach a fruitful conclusion.
I also wish to commend your predecessor, Mr.
Han Seung-soo, whose tireless efforts guided us
through the past eventful year.
We look forward to welcoming the Democratic
Republic of Timor-Leste to the United Nations.
Thailand is honoured to have actively participated in
the United Nations operations in East Timor from the
very beginning. Thailand's role in East Timor was
unique in linking the peacekeeping mission to
development and poverty eradication.
I would also like to congratulate Switzerland on
becoming a new Member of the family of this world
body. Switzerland is hardly a stranger to the United
Nations system; its support has been long standing. I
am certain that the two new Members will further
contribute to the universality and the work of the
United Nations.
As we remember, one year on, the horrendous
terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, we share the
grief and painful awareness of the impact of that
heinous crime on global security and stability. One year
on, we are still witnessing the development of
conflicts, threats of terrorism and the challenge of how
to deal with errant members of the international
community. Indeed, the post-11-September world must
rely much more on the role of the multilateral
mechanism to promote peace, security and prosperity
in the international community. More than ever before,
today's terrorism continues to be a threat to human
security and global economic stability.
As the Secretary-General so rightly said, that
tragic incident and its repercussions required a broad,
sustained and global response. Thailand fully endorses
his call for the international community to use
multilateral institutions effectively to respond to the
global scourge of terrorism. Thailand condemns
terrorism and supports all United Nations actions
against it. Moreover, the Thai Government is
determined to push ahead with the necessary steps, in
terms of its domestic legislation and regulations, so as
to enable Thailand to become a party to all the
international conventions relating to terrorism. We are
working closely with the Counter-Terrorism Committee
to implement Security Council resolution 1373 (2001).
There is to date no indication whatsoever that there is
any trace of terrorist capability in Thailand. We are
making sure that no terrorist activities or networks can
be harboured in our territory.
The Association of South-East Asian Nations and
United States Joint Declaration for Cooperation to
Combat International Terrorism also demonstrates our
common and regional resolve to fight terrorism.
Obviously we cannot take peace for granted. The
uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons
and the proliferation of nuclear weapons and other
weapons of mass destruction are growing threats to
world peace and security. The indispensable role of the
United Nations in maintaining international peace and
security must gain support from every member of the
community.
In order to prevent the proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction and pave the way for their
reduction and eventual elimination, the multilateral
security system must be effectively complied with. In
this regard, we urge Iraq to comply with the relevant
Security Council resolutions unconditionally and
unreservedly, in accordance with its responsibilities. At
the same time, we are also convinced that diplomatic
efforts, undertaken within the United Nations
framework, are desirable and will be the most effective
means of reaching a favourable solution and so
preventing the escalation of this crisis. Therefore,
while we view as a positive development yesterday's
letter to the Secretary-General, undertaking to allow
United Nations weapons inspectors back into Iraq, we,
together with other nations, expect Iraq fully to live up
to the solemn undertaking that it has given to the world
body.
While effective multilateral mechanisms are the
key to the maintenance of international peace and
security, it is also the responsibility of each and every
member of the international community to bring about
and uphold peace. It is also the responsibility of each
and every State to ensure that peace, once restored, will
last.
In this regard, Thailand is honoured to be hosting
the current peace negotiations between the Government
of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,
19

being held from 16 to 18 September. We hope to
facilitate the peace talks with a view to bringing a
lasting solution to this longstanding conflict and to
ending the suffering that has resulted.
As part of the reconstruction efforts in
Afghanistan, Thailand has pledged to share its
experience and knowledge in the reduction of opium
cultivation through the crop substitution programme
under the renowned project sponsored by His Majesty
the King. That is part of the global effort to sustain
peace in Afghanistan, as the scourge of drugs threatens
peace and stability.
The current Thai Government, under the
leadership of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is
determined to see the Thai people enjoy the benefits of
freedom from fear and want. Human security has
therefore been declared one of the Government's most
important policies. Thailand believes that we will be
one of the first countries in the world to set up a
ministry of human security for that specific purpose.
The ministry is due to be inaugurated next month.
Thailand is also proud to be one of the 13 members of
the Human Security Network, whose work is well
under way.
The scourge of drugs deprives our people of both
freedom from fear and freedom from want, and poverty
remains a major threat to human security. Since taking
up office early last year, the current Thai Government
has waged war against drugs and poverty with the
resolute determination to win. We are not doing it
alone. Our partnerships to tackle the global threat of
drugs  partnerships formed within bilateral, regional
and international cooperative frameworks, such as the
United Nations International Drug Control
Programme  have been fruitful. An initiative of
Thailand, the quadrilateral cooperation among China,
Laos, Myanmar and Thailand to prevent and suppress
the production and trafficking of drugs is making
progress, particularly in combating the spread of
methamphetamines. The leaders of our four countries
will meet at an appropriate time to provide much-
needed political impetus at the highest level.
The issue of HIV/AIDS is another major
transnational threat to human security. Thailand has
forged partnerships with its neighbouring countries,
particularly the greater Mekong subregion, as well as a
partnership with related United Nations agencies and
with the members of the Human Security Network to
tackle this global epidemic. At the XV International
Conference on AIDS, to be hosted by Thailand in
2004, we hope to share our experiences in addressing
the multifaceted aspects of HIV/AIDS, namely,
prevention, treatment, care and support, as well as
research and development.
Even if the war against poverty is Thailand's
major priority, the eradication of poverty is not any
country's exclusive agenda. Rather, it is an agenda for
all mankind. The United Nations millennium
development goals have rightly placed the interests and
welfare of the people at the core of socio-economic
development. Since their adoption, several events
under the United Nations framework have taken place
to ensure sustainable development.
Our children must inherit the world in at least no
worse a shape than it is in today, if not a better and
more livable one.
From Brussels to Doha and Monterrey to
Johannesburg, the resolve and commitment of the
international community to advance towards achieving
the millennium development goals for sustainable
development have been clearly mobilized. The
Monterrey consensus has provided a road map for
fostering more effective partnership and greater policy
coherence amongst Governments and financial and
trade institutions. The international trade and financial
environment must be developed to better serve
sustainable development.
Greater market access for developing countries'
exports forms part and parcel of making the Doha
round a truly development round. The G8's decision to
resist protectionist pressure is a positive step forward.
Equally important is the role of foreign direct
investment, which requires rechannelling in order not
only to meet the development goals of the host country,
but also to promote investors' corporate accountability
and social responsibility.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development
in Johannesburg was, indeed, a historic event. Thailand
gladly welcomes the adoption of the Political
Declaration and the Plan of Implementation,
particularly their emphasis on poverty reduction, which
binds the three pillars of sustainable development. The
Summit underscored a range of principles, such as self-
help and common but differentiated responsibilities, to
make sustainable development a reality for mankind.
Enhanced coordination and coherence amongst
20

Governments, international organizations and other
stakeholders are crucial to providing the necessary
synergies in achieving our common goals.
The principle of partnership as enunciated at
Monterrey and echoed at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development is being implemented.
Thailand is proud to be cited as one of the concrete
examples of countries that have succeeded in their
coordination and partnership efforts in capacity-
building. As a result of the tenth session of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD), held in Thailand in 2000, the International
Institute for Trade and Development (ITD) has been
established in Bangkok. ITD is a Thailand-UNCTAD
partnership to enhance the productive capacity and
trade-negotiating skills of developing countries as they
prepare for the new round of global trade negotiations.
Capacity-building is crucial if developing
countries are to participate effectively in defending and
advancing their interests both in bilateral and
multilateral free-trade arrangements, where,
increasingly, non-tariff barriers are often found in the
guise of environmental measures. In this aspect, ITD
can serve as a useful linkage between UNCTAD, the
World Trade Organization and the United Nations
Environment Programme for capacity-building in trade
negotiation. Thailand urges Member States to consider
the best use of this Thailand-UNCTAD Institute.
As an item on the world agenda, poverty
eradication can never succeed unless there are genuine
efforts at the neighbour, regional and global levels. The
Mekong subregion is another example of self-help and
partnership among developing countries. The road map
for opportunities to advance economic integration in
that subregion is now taking shape. The commercial
routes  the routes of economic opportunities
providing transportation linkages  are being
established with the partnership of donor countries and
the Asian Development Bank. From East to West
from Viet Nam, Laos and Thailand to Myanmar and
India  and from North to South  from southern
China, Myanmar and Laos to Thailand  these road
linkages are now the new lifelines for the future
prosperity of the region. They will bring about access
to markets, capital and knowledge for sustainable
development.
Based on the same principle of creating
opportunities in the region for economic progress,
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra took the initiative,
with the support and participation of 18 Asian nations,
to turn Asia's rich diversity into collective strength by
creating synergy from an Asia-wide partnership known
as the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). Launched in
June this year, with its original members ranging from
the West to the North-East of the Asian continent and
with its core principles of positive thinking, ACD is
envisaged as an evolving, informal, non-
institutionalized, open, inclusive and incremental
process.
ACD's strength is to build upon multiple layers of
strategic partnerships in practical areas of cooperation,
such as the development of small and medium-sized
enterprises, tourism, transportation linkages,
agriculture and poverty eradication. We hope that ACD
will help enhance Asia's economic competitiveness,
open up business opportunities and make Asia a
stronger partner for both our developed and developing
partners. After the success of its inaugural ministerial
meeting in Cha-Am, Thailand, in June, Thailand will
be host once more to the ACD meeting next year to
move our cooperation forward.
International and regional partnerships, as well as
commitments to sustainable development, are not
enough. They must be reinforced by partnerships and
policies at the national level. The goals and methods
contained in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
are being pursued as part of our development strategy.
The present Thai Government is pursuing a
development strategy of enhancing international
competitiveness and domestic productivity through
mobilizing both domestic and external sources of
growth for balanced and sustainable development.
This balanced development strategy has been
inspired by His Majesty the King of Thailand's
philosophy of sufficiency economy'. The main
principle of this approach to development is adherence
to a middle path at the level of the individual, families
and communities. This involves strengthening the
grass-roots economy to build its immunity against the
adverse impact of global volatility, as well as to
enhance its ability to benefit from the multilateral
trading system.
Thailand places people at the forefront of its
development efforts. Their livelihood must entail
human development and community participation. This
Government is making progress in its programmes and
21

measures to improve the quality of life of the Thai
people. They include the provision of health care for
all, a three-year debt suspension for farmers, the
establishment of microcredit facilities, such as the
People's Bank, for small entrepreneurs, and the
launching of a village and urban revolving fund to
provide financial support for local initiatives. In
enhancing human potential and innovation, 12 years of
free education for all are guaranteed by our
Constitution. This goes along well with the recent
recommendation by the G8 Education Task Force on
education in developing countries.
As a result of lessons learned from past history,
the Charter of the United Nations prescribes the
multilateral structure of this institution as the best
means to maintain international peace and security as
well as to advance social and economic development
and prosperity. It remains the tasks and duties of this
institution and its Member States to continue
performing to achieve the Charter objectives. Peace,
however, cannot be enforced, but must be cultivated
through tolerance and respect for each other.
Prosperity, on the other hand, cannot be obtained
without creating opportunities from the diverse
strengths of each other. Those tasks and duties,
therefore, do not merely involve the compliance by
each Member State with the United Nations
multilateral mechanism; they also include our forging
cooperation and partnership at all levels among all
stakeholders. For its part, Thailand remains firmly
committed to achieving global peace and prosperity by
working with other States regionally and universally
within the United Nations framework. We have faith
that, ultimately, through this multilateral institution we
shall build the world best suited for us and our children
to live peacefully and harmoniously.


First of all, I wish to express my thanks to the
Assembly for having come to hear Paraguay's position.
Secondly, I must apologize if I am interrupting your
luncheon.
Let me begin my statement in this general debate
by expressing my delegation's gratification at seeing
you, Sir, preside over the work of this Assembly. Your
personal and professional qualities will guarantee that
our work is successful, and you may rely on the
constant and resolute support of the Paraguayan
delegation. We also wish to take this opportunity to
express our thanks to Secretary-General Kofi Annan
for the report that he has presented on the work of our
Organization, which confirms how essential this work
is in the context of today's world. There is a need for
all States members not simply to support that work, but
also to make it even stronger and more flexible in
responding to fresh challenges.
Allow me also to welcome and express my
country's satisfaction at seeing the accession to this
Organization of the Swiss Confederation, as well as the
upcoming addition of Timor-Leste. With these new
Members we take an important step forward towards
achieving the universality to which the Organization
aspires.
The events of the last year, some auspicious,
others discouraging, have given us resounding proof of
the role of the United Nations and the fact that the
Organization's reform is now, more than ever before, a
pressing and urgent challenge. I am thinking of the
need for a thorough reform of its organs and structure,
as well as of its functions, and of changes that would
equip this Organization to respond more effectively to
the fresh challenges that are emerging with unexpected
speed on the international scene.
Who would have thought, when this Organization
was founded more than 50 years ago, that at this
current General Assembly session we would be
extending a welcome in the United Nations to two new
Member States: Switzerland, a State that has always
held its place and played its role in history and on the
international scene; and Timor-Leste, whose birth we
witnessed just a few months ago, thanks to a large
extent to United Nations intervention? Nor could we
have imagined just a few decades ago that this year we
would have witnessed one of the most important and
2

anticipated events in the area of human rights  that
is, the establishment of the International Criminal
Court. Who would have thought that one year ago, on
11 September 2001, we would have been eyewitnesses
to one of the most tragic and incomprehensible events
in history  the history not only of the United States
of America, but also of the whole of humankind  and
that immediately thereafter the international
community would unite and respond most decisively in
combating international terrorism?
Those events show us that today's world is not
the same as that of the Organization's founders. Among
other reasons, they determine and require reform of our
institution. That is why it is necessary that we give
priority to the work of the United Nations, not only so
that the Organization responds efficiently to political
events, but also to ensure sustainable development so
that its benefits reach every individual, wherever he
may live, work and have a home.
Undoubtedly, a renewed and reorganized United
Nations will ultimately respond to the well-being of
every one of our citizens. The decisions that we take in
that regard over the next months will define and guide
our countries and humanity in the future. Thus we
cannot limit ourselves to superficial or simply
procedural actions; we must achieve a genuine
transformation.
In that regard, we must reaffirm first of all the
central role to be played by the General Assembly as
the principal organ of the United Nations, since it is the
most representative, democratic, universal and
equitable deliberating organ. The Assembly should
become the world's parliament, in which all
countries  regardless of their size or position  can
expound, debate, dissent, express their views and share
positions on the most important current issues. It
cannot continue to be the arena where we come to
participate merely to carry out a routine function based
on a pre-established and repetitive agenda, and in
which our statements are mere rhetoric that is scarcely
listened to by any other delegation. Therefore, we
firmly support the process of revitalizing the Assembly,
which should continue and should focus in that
direction. The changes must be genuine and profound
so as to enhance the Assembly's effectiveness and
efficiency.
No reform of the United Nations will have the
effect that we all wish for without the much-awaited
reform of the Security Council. Until that body
responsible for maintaining international peace and
security  is reformed, we will not be able to speak of
an Organization that is in accord with the time in which
we live. That is why we should expand both categories
of members  permanent and non-permanent  and
include both developed and developing countries,
taking into particular account that the latter are
currently under-represented in such an important body.
At the same time, reform should include the gradual
abolition of the right of veto for permanent members
until it disappears, making the Council fairer and more
democratic. We believe that the time has come to
assume our political responsibility in the settlement of
this matter.
One year after the tragic events of 11 September,
we need to ask ourselves what implications they have
had, as much for this Organization as for each country
domestically. Paraguay took a firm position of
condemning international terrorism, fully
implementing the measures imposed by the Security
Council and promoting the validity of the numerous
relevant international agreements. My Government
responded to the requirements of Security Council
resolution 1373 (2001), and to date it has presented two
reports to the Committee established pursuant to that
resolution. I here reaffirm our commitment to continue
to cooperate with the Committee in its efforts, as we
have been doing on the regional and subregional levels.
Moreover, I should like to report that Paraguay, in
keeping with its constitutional process, is becoming a
party to the 12 international agreements on terrorism
and was one of the first countries to sign the Inter-
American Convention against Terrorism, adopted in the
framework of the Organization of American States.
We firmly support the strengthening of an
international legal basis for combating terrorism. That
is why we hope that during this session of the General
Assembly, negotiations on the comprehensive
international convention against terrorism  a
proposal presented by India  will be concluded, as
well as the Russian Federation's proposal for an
international convention for the suppression of acts of
nuclear terrorism.
One achievement of far-reaching importance this
year was the entry into force of the Statute of the
International Criminal Court on 1 July, and we are
gratified to be one of the first 66 countries whose
ratification of the Rome Statute made this possible. We
3

are convinced that the Court will be a deterrent to
unacceptable human rights abuses and crimes against
humanity. Likewise, we are certain that the work of the
Court will not be tarnished or manipulated by any
political influence and that its independence,
impartiality and purpose will be preserved. Paraguay
appeals to all countries that have not yet signed or
ratified the Statute to do so as soon as possible, since
the Court's universality is fundamental to its
effectiveness. My country has followed very closely
the recent debate on the Court's competence to judge
hypothetical offences, committed in the course of
United Nations peacekeeping operations, in which
personnel in the service of countries that have not
signed or ratified the Statute might be involved.
We welcome the Secretary-General's appointment
of the new High Commissioner for Human Rights. We
are certain that, as a Latin American, he will do honour
to that appointment, which was confirmed by the
Assembly. We share his desire to build a human rights
agenda that will not divide peoples and States, but
rather unite them more. Paraguay will provide all the
support necessary to ensure that his mission is
successful.
For the first time, Paraguay will become a
member of the United Nations Commission on Human
Rights, as of January 2003, and I should like to take
this opportunity to reaffirm my Government's
commitment to cooperate with and contribute to that
body's important and altruistic work. We are prepared
to work with the other members of the Commission as
well as with other States and entities.
Today we face a complex world that is still far
from forming a stable international order. We continue
to witness confrontations in various regions of the
world. That is why we must devote all our efforts and
resources to the reconciliation of humanity. The
Republic of Paraguay will always invoke and support
the peaceful settlement of conflicts through dialogue,
mutual understanding and international law.
In that regard, we see grounds for grave concern
in the serious worsening of the situation in the Middle
East: the spiral of violence, the alarming humanitarian
situation and the violation of the fundamental rights of
the civilian population as well as the loss of innocent
lives among both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.
We resolutely support the work of the `quartet'
and of the international community in general in their
efforts to secure a resumption of negotiations and thus
bring about much-desired peace in the region. At the
same time, as a country that abides strictly by
international law, Paraguay regrets the fact that the
resolutions adopted by the Security Council on this
question this year, which contain clear terms and
references, have still not been implemented by the
parties.
Paraguay would underscore once again the urgent
need to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle
East on the basis of Security Council resolutions,
especially 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 1397 (2002), in
order to pave the way for the peaceful coexistence of
two independent States, Israel and Palestine, within
secure and internationally recognized borders.
My country, Paraguay, has been following closely
the situation in Afghanistan. We welcome the presence
in this general debate of President Karzai, who
deserves our recognition and our firm support in his
efforts to fulfil his responsibilities and to carry out the
tasks that lie ahead of him. The international
community is committed to continuing to support
Afghanistan so as to enable it to achieve the stability
and development that its people so desire.
The Government of Paraguay, in keeping with the
position it has been maintaining and expressing
concerning the question of the Republic of China on
Taiwan, would once again reaffirm its strong wish that
this issue be considered within the framework of
universality embodied in our Charter and on the basis
of norms of international law, in order to achieve a
satisfactory solution through dialogue among the
parties concerned.
This year has been marked by important
conferences. The World Assembly on Ageing in
Madrid, the special session on children, the Monterrey
Conference, the Johannesburg Summit and the World
Food Summit took place in a context of increasing
deterioration in the socio-economic conditions
affecting many of our peoples, thus heightening
frustration and despair because of the lack of tangible
and concrete results. In order to prevent the situation
from persisting, what is needed on the one hand is
urgent political resolve on the part of all Member
States to implement and fulfil the commitments
undertaken at those conferences and, on the other hand,
an increase in the participation and integration of
developing countries in the process of global political
decision-making.
4

Consequently, Paraguay has been striving to
channel the limited resources at its disposal into areas
of pressing priority in the social and economic fields,
particularly in the areas of education and health, to the
point where now they represent a majority of
Paraguay's national budget. We have also reduced
military expenditure to below 1 per cent of gross
domestic product, the lowest level in our history. We
have also been giving priority to State expenditure
directed at building road and energy infrastructure,
which will make it possible to integrate Paraguay into
the transport and energy corridors that will link the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans in South America.
Sustainable development in its broadest
definition, as we addressed it at Johannesburg,
increasingly requires shared solutions in a globalized
world as well as differentiated commitments. For this
reason, we deem it essential that the industrialized
countries share in and support our development plans.
Official development assistance should play only a
complementary role that will enable us to incorporate,
in a timely manner, the available financial resources
from both internal and external sources  so as to
enable smaller countries to be properly incorporated
into a competitive and independent world.
One of the instruments that is constantly touted as
a producer of development is free trade. The
developing countries want to see free trade on a double
track. We want to have access to the markets of the
developed countries, and we wish to see the
elimination of measures that distort trade, such as
agricultural subsidies, domestic export assistance and
the abuse of anti-dumping measures.
If these protectionist practices persist, they will
delay our countries' participation in the supposed
benefits that, we believe, stem from free trade and will
also considerably worsen the social divide in all its
manifestations. Combating poverty is not just a
political commitment but, above all, a moral one.
Paraguay welcomes the General Assembly's plan
to devote a day  16 September  to considering
ways and means of providing support to the New
Partnership for Africa's Development. High-level
plenary sessions and interactive round tables will be
held. We trust that the outcome will make a decisive
contribution to promoting renewed commitments to the
social and economic development of the whole of the
African continent.
The International Ministerial Meeting of
Landlocked Developing Countries and Transit
Developing Countries will be held next year. It will
address the problems that beset countries such as my
own, such as integration into international markets,
excessive costs related to transit transport, customs
delays, restrictions and technical barriers to trade, as
well as the need for financial support and the requisite
investment in infrastructure and capacity development
in order to overcome the disadvantages that stem from
being landlocked.
Paraguay has offered to host the subregional
Latin American preparatory meeting for the Ministerial
Meeting, with a view to defining clearly all of the
necessary measures to establish our country's
requirements, in particular with respect to the
differential treatment to be given to landlocked
countries, through tangible commitments in the areas
of transport, customs and duty-free zones and in the
area of opening markets through reduced customs
tariffs, the elimination of special excise duties and
other measures that hinder the competitive
participation in international trade of landlocked
developing countries.
Paraguay, in the context of its democratization
process, to which all citizens are committed at the
State, regional and municipal levels, will be holding
elections in April next year, which will once again
confirm the consolidation of our democracy.
Unfortunately, as in many other countries of the world,
and especially in Latin America today, the democratic
system is threatened by heightened poverty and the
serious economic situation, which has caused the living
conditions of our citizens to deteriorate. For that
reason, our country must also receive the consideration
that it deserves in the context of efforts to find
solutions to these problems.
I trust that the Organization and the financial
agencies and their principal members will respond
appropriately at the right time.
In concluding my last address to this plenary as
head of State of the Republic of Paraguay, my term
of office, according to the Constitution, ends on 15
August 2003, I wish to reaffirm my country's
commitment to this Organization and its trust that it, in
turn, will respond to the hopes and expectations of a
better future for our peoples.


At the outset, allow
me to sincerely congratulate Mr. Kavan on his election
to the position of President of the fifty-seventh session
of the General Assembly. I am confident that under his
able leadership the work of the Assembly will be
conducted in a most productive manner. I would also
like to use this opportunity to thank the outgoing
President, Mr. Han Seung-soo, for the successful
completion of the work of the fifty-sixth session of the
General Assembly. I would also like to use this
opportunity to warmly congratulate Switzerland on
becoming a full member of the United Nations family
and to welcome the return of the United States to the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization.
Following the horrific terrorist attacks of 11
September last year, there have emerged a new vigour
and resolve to make our world a safer place for all, not
only in promises but in deeds.
General Assembly and Security Council
resolutions, especially Security Council resolution
1373 (2001), serve as a common platform for
combating terrorism. However, their letter and spirit
must be fully and thoroughly implemented in order to
rid ourselves of global terrorist threats. In our
endeavours, the United Nations is proving to be the
best framework and unique pillar for the international
community's joint actions in maintaining international
peace and security, as well as in providing legitimacy
to these actions.
13

The prompt and almost universal response of
Member States to the requests of the Security Council's
Counter-Terrorism Committee is a telling example of
how efficient the United Nations can be in mobilizing
the international community in facing common
challenges. It is our hope that Member States will
respond with the same sense of responsibility in
another important aspect of eradicating terrorism: to
finalize current negotiations on the comprehensive
convention on combating international terrorism.
Furthermore, Croatia believes that efforts should
be intensified to resolve regional conflicts that offer
fertile ground for recruiting terrorists. The cycle of
violence in the Middle East must end. Parties to the
conflict must return to the negotiating table and make a
reality of the vision of two peoples living in peace
within secure and recognized State borders.
We also call for Iraq's full compliance with its
international obligations regarding the possession and
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Violations of Security Council resolutions must not be
tolerated, and we welcome the decision by President
Bush to work with the United Nations Security Council
in this regard.
We must also recognize that today Afghanistan is
on a difficult yet hopeful road to recovery with the
assistance of the international community.
We fully support the Secretary-General in his
efforts to move the United Nations from a culture of
reaction to one of prevention. We consider that the
timely dispatch of well-structured peacekeeping
operations with a clear and effective mandate can
prevent the recurrence of conflicts and create a
platform for rebuilding peace and shattered societies. It
is exactly here that new tasks and challenges lie for
contemporary peacekeeping operations, whose birth we
have witnessed in East Timor and Kosovo. In this
regard, we welcome the Security Council's new
approach of having regular meetings with troop-
contributing countries. As a contributor of military
observers in peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone,
Ethiopia and Eritrea and recently in Kashmir, Croatia
has found that exchange of information and experience
most fruitful and useful for all.
That brings me to the subject of Security Council
reform, which, as all of us agree, is necessary to
address the new political environment of the twenty-
first century. Unfortunately, we have still not achieved
sufficient political consensus for significant progress in
this respect. The lack of progress is certainly
discouraging for many. Nevertheless, we must reform
the Council in order to be able to adequately address
the security threats we are facing today.
As we revisit the historic promises made by our
world leaders, enshrined in the Millennium
Declaration, we must now embark on a process of
improving the United Nations as an instrument of
global co-operation for the benefit of all humankind. In
this regard, we commend the Secretary-General for his
report on the integrated and coordinated
implementation of, and follow-up to, the outcome of
the major United Nations conferences and summits, as
a necessary prerequisite to implementing the goals set
in the Millennium Declaration. To that end, the full and
constant co-operation of Member States and the
Secretariat is essential.
The Economic and Social Council has continued
on the path of strengthening its role within the United
Nations system. A number of innovative precedents
have been set this year related to the improvement of
cooperation and coordination among many bodies of
the United Nations and between the Economic and
Social Council and the International Monetary Fund
and the World Bank, and to the Council's cooperation
with non-governmental organizations and the private
sector. The resolution concerning the Ad Hoc Advisory
Group on African Countries emerging from conflicts
was adopted to help such countries in their peace-
building processes. Guinea-Bissau has already
submitted an official request for the establishment of
such an Ad Hoc Advisory Group for its own country.
Croatia is pleased that it can contribute, through the
President of the Economic and Social Council, to the
revival and strengthening of that highly important
body.
The United Nations should continue to keep
development at the forefront of all areas on the
Organization's substantive agenda. Among all
multilateral organizations, the United Nations is the
only one with the institutional capability to address and
manage the challenges of globalization. The Croatian
delegation hopes that the outcome and follow-up of the
conferences held at Monterrey and Johannesburg will
keep our commitment on track, in particular with
regard to mobilizing additional financial resources. We
14

must work together to improve the lives of people in
poverty and to reverse the continuing degradation of
the global environment. A truly global mobilization of
all relevant stakeholders will be necessary to ensure
that the outcomes of those conferences are transformed
into reality.
We note the broader acceptance by Member
States of United Nations norms, which will ultimately
lead to the globalization of human rights and to a
universally recognized international code of human
rights. As Governments, we must provide the
environment for the universal acceptance and full
implementation of such rights. Croatia is contributing
to that goal through its membership in the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Global contributions comprise individual
achievements. In order to contribute to global peace,
security and development, each country must be stable
and secure and must function on a well-founded
economic system. My Government is doing exactly
that. In October last year, Croatia signed the
Stabilization and Association Agreement with the
European Union. Over the past two years, we have
introduced a set of reforms aimed at bringing Croatian
society closer to the European Union and to the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. The commitment of the
Croatian Government in that respect was recognized by
the European Commission. In its first report on the
stabilization and association process, issued this past
spring, Croatia was singled out as the country most
advanced in the process.
Another important element in that regard is
regional cooperation, in which Croatia plays a very
active role. The outstanding issues that may reflect on
the region's stability, such as the return of refugees, are
high on my Government's priority list. Therefore,
Croatia has adopted an action plan for the voluntary
return of refugees through the end of the next year.
We have significantly improved bilateral relations
with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and will
continue to do so. In the light of the discussion
between the two delegations held just a few days ago, I
believe that the remaining open issues will be
successfully resolved in the near future. One of those
issues is the identification and delimitation of the land
and sea border in the area of Prevlaka. Intensive
negotiations are under way, and we believe that some
form of temporary solution may be reached soon. In
any event, the situation concerning Prevlaka no longer
represents a threat to peace and security, and therefore
we believe that the United Nations Mission of
Observers in Prevlaka has successfully accomplished
its mandate and that, consequently, that mandate should
not be extended after it expires.
With regard to border issues, I would like to
report an important success: an agreement on the
northern part of our border with Bosnia and
Herzegovina. That agreement was reached through the
valuable efforts of the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whom
we sincerely thank. At this point, shortly before the end
of the United Nations presence in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, I would like to express my Government's
appreciation for the Organization's overall contribution
to the stability and development of that country.
On the other hand, we cannot fail to express our
deep frustration at the continued failure to apprehend
two of the most notorious war criminals to date:
Karadzić and Mladić. We strongly reiterate the view
that lasting stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be
achieved only with the arrest of Karadzić and Mladić
and with their extradition to the appropriate authorities.
Bringing those two individuals to trial before the
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia would serve to provide closure for many
victims who suffered terribly. The same goes for
Sljivanćanin and Radić, indicted by the Tribunal for
war crimes committed on Croatian territory.
Having faith in the maxim No peace without
justice', my Government attaches the highest
importance to bringing to justice all those guilty of war
crimes. We are committed to maintaining the good and
extensive cooperation that we have established with the
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia, and we urge other countries within its
mandate to do so. However, that does not diminish the
key role that domestic war crimes trials play in the
process of healing and national reconciliation. The
Croatian judiciary is ready and willing to meet these
challenges.
In that spirit, the Republic of Croatia welcomed
the entry into force of the Rome Statute and looks
forward to the operationalization of the International
Criminal Court. The establishment of the first such
permanent Court is crucial in putting an end to the
culture of impunity and selective justice. By
15

strengthening the universal rule of law, which in turn
leads to the advancement of universal peace and
security, the new Court holds the promise of becoming
a true guarantor of the ideals enshrined in the Charter
of the United Nations.
Our fundamental and common interests in world
peace, security and development require our concerted
and united efforts. I am confident that this fifty-seventh
session of the General Assembly will take us a step
further in realizing those common goals.


Gabon is
pleased to see Mr. Kavan presiding over the work of
the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly,
which is being held at a time when the need to
strengthen international cooperation to resolve the
world's problems is indeed vital. His election is a
recognition by the international community of the role
that his country, the Czech Republic, plays in the
promotion of freedom and peace.
To his predecessor, Mr. Han Seung-soo, we
express our satisfaction at the excellent job he did as
President of the General Assembly at the previous
session.
To Secretary-General Kofi Annan, we convey our
gratitude and support for his forceful work on behalf of
international peace and security.
Gabon welcomes the admission of the Swiss
Confederation and the imminent accession of the
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to membership of
the United Nations. They swell the ranks of our
illustrious United Nations family, confirming its
universality.
I should like to pursue my statement by evoking
the metaphor of the river. Each wave lapping the banks
has its own character, but they all call from the same
river. They express multiplicity in consistency. The
same can be said of our annual sessions. This session is
a new wave in the mighty river of the United Nations, a
new cycle in the global rhythm of the world. Today,
many of us feel hope tinged with scepticism.
Two years ago, in September 2000, we held the
Millennium Summit in this very Hall. It was certainly
the point of departure of a new global movement
towards more peace, prosperity, justice and humanism.
At the very moment when we imagined ourselves to
have taken a great step forward towards the building of
a better world for all, we were stunned on 11
September 2001 by the ghastly terrorist attacks
perpetrated here on American soil. Those attacks of
violence, which we all condemned, eclipsed our
dreams and reminded us of the beast lurking within
each of us.
Gabon was one of the very first nations to commit
itself to implementing the provisions of Security
Council resolution 1373 (2001) by taking legal action
to prevent and combat terrorism. Although significant,
progress made since then under the auspices of the
Security Council in the campaign against international
terrorism needs to be strengthened. That is why
17

negotiations on a draft general convention on
international terrorism must go on with a view to its
speedy adoption. In the same spirit, the conclusion of
ongoing discussions on a convention on the
suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism will
supplement the international anti-terrorism legal
framework.
The cloud of uncertainty looming over our
collective security is darkened by the Israel-Palestinian
crisis. It is regrettable to note that renewed violence in
the Middle East is calling all previous efforts into
question. The international community must mobilize
to rekindle the flame of peace in that region, which has
been beset by ceaseless violence for decades. Gabon
encourages both sides to resume dialogue and
negotiation with a view to implementing the relevant
resolutions of the Security Council, in particular
resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), which stress the
need for the coexistence of the Palestinian State with
the State of Israel, with respect for secure and
internationally recognized borders.
Similarly, Gabon hopes that the current talks
between the two Koreas will help allay tensions
between the two countries.
Positive developments in the overall situation in
Africa attest to the continent's gradual return to the
path of peace, stability and unity. Fratricidal conflicts
are increasingly giving way to the emergence of an
African awareness marked by the determination to see
the ideals of peace prevail and to devote ourselves to
development. This wave of hope has been justified by
recent developments, particularly in the Great Lakes
region. We are convinced that this progress will give
impetus to the peace process in that region.
Accordingly, we believe that it is time to convene an
international conference on the region in order to
consolidate peace there.
However, the progress that has been made in
resolving conflicts in Africa should not blind us to the
situations in Angola, Liberia, the Central African
Republic and Guinea-Bissau, which, having been
destabilized by years of conflict, are now facing
enormous difficulties, particularly in the humanitarian
area, in restoring domestic peace and security. The
international community must lend its support to the
economic and social recovery efforts of those countries
so as to prevent them from being caught up yet again in
the spiral of violence.
The world's economic and social situation is
disquieting. The commitments that we undertook at the
Millennium Summit, and which were reiterated at the
Monterrey International Conference on Financing for
Development, have yet to bear fruit. Globalization,
which we thought would permit the harmonious
integration of all countries into the international
community through the process of trade liberalization,
has not yet attained the hoped-for results. On the
contrary, we see that there has been an increase in
social inequality and a widening gap between
industrialized and developing countries.
Efforts by developing countries, particularly in
the areas of consolidating democracy, the rule of law,
good governance, the fight against poverty and the
rational protection and management of the
environment, are still not being matched by the
developed countries, as attested to by the continued
diminution of external resources for development and
the drop in foreign investment. One must add to that
the growth of conditionalities and other barriers that
could keep those countries in a state of permanent
economic and social stagnation.
Among the elements contributing to that state of
affairs is the heavy burden of debt. In fact, several
developing countries, including Gabon, devote almost
half of their budgetary resources to repayment of debt,
while at the same time they must find solutions to the
many problems that inhibit their development. We have
the firm conviction that, by reducing the indebtedness
of our countries to a sustainable level, we can allocate
more resources to priorities such as universal education
and health, housing, poverty reduction and
environmental management. We hope that the promise
made by the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund to extend the current debt relief
mechanisms to other developing countries — including
those with intermediate incomes, such as Gabon —
will quickly become reality.
In order to respond to those concerns, Africa has
established the New Partnership for Africa's
Development (NEPAD). NEPAD is a true development
programme based on good governance, respect for
human rights and the strengthening of democracy,
peace and security, which are preconditions for the
economic recovery of the continent. That programme
calls on the international community for effective
support. Members can easily understand why the
African countries place much hope in the debate that
18

the General Assembly will devote to NEPAD
tomorrow, 16 September, in which the President of
Gabon will take part.
Malaria and, above all, HIV/AIDS are major
obstacles to Africa's development that could ultimately
deprive the continent of much of its human potential.
We are pleased that the First Ladies of Africa have
understood the gravity of this problem by creating, in
partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme
on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), an organization to combat
malaria and the HIV/AIDS pandemic, called the
Organization of the First Ladies of Africa against HIV/
AIDS. We are convinced that this new
structure — headed by the First Lady of Gabon,
Ms. Edith Lucie Bongo, whose self-sacrifice and
dynamism are well known — will complement the
efforts of African States in combating this scourge. We
also expect strong action from the international
community to accompany our efforts in the fight
against the pandemic.
The preservation of global ecosystems is another
subject of concern for the world. Only a few weeks
ago, heads of State or Government met at
Johannesburg, South Africa, for the World Summit on
Sustainable Development. Despite the momentum it
generated, the Summit did not reduce the risks that
weigh on our environment. We think that, in view of
the lack of progress in implementing the
recommendations of environmental conferences
organized over the past decade, it is becoming
increasingly urgent that States implement Agenda 21
and the other relevant international instruments.
Gabon, for its part, has just created a zone of
national parks that covers 10 per cent of our national
territory. Those protected areas are proof of our
contribution to the process of preserving global
ecological balance in general and to the management
and conservation of Africa's massive tropical forest in
particular. That is why we welcome the launching in
Johannesburg, by United States Secretary of State
Colin Powell, of the initiative to preserve the flora and
fauna of the countries of the Congo river basin.
Positive trends in the world can be guaranteed
only in an institutional environment bearing the seal of
universality. The United Nations, in our view,
embodies such an environment, where there must be
true multilateral cooperation, based on justice, equality,
solidarity and the participation of all. It is evident that,
in order to be a global centre for interaction and debate,
the United Nations needs reforms. Those reforms, for
which we have been calling for several years, are
unavoidable if we wish to see the continued existence
of the United Nations, whose membership has
increased constantly since its creation in 1945. Reform
of the Organization must be based on a reaffirmation of
the purposes and principles of the Charter, primary
among which are international peace and security.
The International Court of Justice, in a 1949
advisory opinion concerning certain expenditures of
the United Nations, stated that it was natural to give
top priority to international peace and security, because
the other purposes could not be attained unless that
fundamental condition were met. International peace
and security are the preconditions for development,
which in turn is a way to create the stability and well-
being that are necessary to guarantee peaceful and
friendly relations among nations.
The United Nations is the property of humanity. It
was born out of awareness of the horrors of the Second
World War, in which all peoples participated, including
Africans. We wish to see Africa play a more important
role in the Organization, particularly in the Security
Council, by being given at least one permanent seat
with the same privileges as the other members with the
same status. Furthermore, Africa has been recognized
by the United Nations as a top priority, and we are
convinced that the creation of a Secretariat office
concerned exclusively with African issues would
remedy the shortcomings we have seen in the
implementation of previous programmes devoted to
Africa, such as the United Nations Programme for the
Economic Redressing and Development of Africa and
the United Nations New Agenda for the Development
of Africa in the 1990s.
Our collective action for development will not be
truly effective unless we use dialogue and cooperation
as tools for global solidarity based on the promotion of
partnerships. Today or never, we must reaffirm that we
all belong to the one and only human race and define
the new contours of our collective destiny. We can thus
draw from our shared river, the United Nations, the
resources that will enable us to build, with hope and
confidence, a better world for everyone.


First of all I wish to thank the President of the
fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly, His
Excellency Mr. Han Seung-soo, for the masterful way
in which he accomplished his work. I would also like
to thank the members of his Bureau. Significant
progress was made during the session we recently
finished. One item in particular concerns us as it
involves the conduct and revitalization of our
proceedings.
Secondly, I would like to take this opportunity to
welcome the decision of the Secretary-General to
appoint, as of 12 September 2002, Mr. Sergio Vieira de
Mello to succeed Her Excellency Mrs. Mary Robinson
as United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights. My Government has always appreciated Mrs.
Robinson's wholehearted commitment and knows it
can count on Mr. Vieira de Mello, who has many times
shown his competence and his dedication to the
Organization, to show just as much commitment in
promoting and protecting human rights.
I am very pleased at the outset of the fifty-
seventh session of the General Assembly to
congratulate Mr. Jan Kavan on his election to the
presidency both on my own account and on behalf of
the highest authorities of my country, as well as to
congratulate all the members of the Bureau. I pledge
the full support and cooperation of the delegation of
Monaco to help them complete their important work.
One year ago, an attack, as vile as it was
cowardly, struck the United States of America. That
day its instigators and perpetrators placed themselves
not only outside of the law, but outside humanity,
outside of the universal fundamental values and
principles that inspire our nations and guide the ethical,
political, economic and social progress of States. That
wanton act provoked an unprecedented reaction from
the international community. It unanimously gave the
members of the Security Council and the General
Assembly sophisticated means to fight terrorism in all
its forms, including by cutting off its financial
resources.
The Principality of Monaco participated in this
fight with determination in response to requests by the
Security Council and its Counter-Terrorism Committee.
In broadening information exchange with other States,
both bilaterally and multilaterally, we established or
strengthened monitoring and surveillance measures
which were necessary in the of legislative, regulatory,
and judicial spheres.
On 10 November 2001 I personally signed the
International Convention for the Suppression of the
Financing of Terrorism, which entered into force in
Monaco on 8 April 2002, and our Permanent
Representative to the United Nations, on instructions
from my father, the Sovereign Prince, signed on 24
June 2002 Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of
Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components
and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
The Principality of Monaco, in fact, is or will be
a party to all major universal and regional instruments
designed to strengthen cooperation among nations to
fight against terrorism. This has greatly enhanced our
cooperation with other States.
In that regard I must make reference to a law
which was adopted unanimously last June by our
National Council, the parliament of Monaco, and
which entered into force on 8 August 2002. This law
amends, strengthens and supplements the existing law
on the involvement of financial entities in the fight
against money-laundering and financing terrorism. The
text takes into account Monaco's undertakings as a
United Nations Member State as well as measures
anticipated by competent bodies such as the Financial
Action Task Force.
Also on 8 August 2002, the authorities of my
country were happy to have implemented the Council
of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure
and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime, even
though the Principality of Monaco, while fervently
hoping to be so, is not yet a member of that noble
European institution. I also wish to note the speed and
relevance of my country's response, especially since
8

our country is sometimes subjected to unjustified and
incorrect criticism in this area.
While terrorist threats persist and while civilian
populations continue, unfortunately, to be subjected to
the yoke of terror, the origin and form of this plague
seem now to be better understood and under greater
control. Measures, both national and international,
have been implemented with the help of the Security
Council and its Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC)
and seem to be yielding encouraging results. The
strengthening and broadening of the mandate of the
Terrorism Prevention Branch, as the Secretary-General
has proposed in the report requested by our Assembly,
seems to meet all of the conditions we need to upgrade
the fight against terrorism, not only by allowing us to
bolster cooperation among United Nations Member
States, but also by providing enhanced technical
assistance to countries that ask for it.
Thanks to a prompt and effective international
reaction, Afghanistan, for too long a home to terrorists,
has regained its freedom. Its new provisional
Government, which emerged from the traditional
assembly, the Loya Jerga, last June, has endeavoured,
particularly with the help of our Organization, to
rebuild the country and to establish a democratic
political regime. We wish it full success.
Another area of satisfaction on the part of the
international community is the nuclear disarmament
agreement that was adopted last May by the two great
Powers, the United States of America and the Russian
Federation. Other events in the world are also hopeful.
The Republic of Sierra Leone and the Republic of
Angola are taking steps towards recovery in a peaceful
and democratic spirit. Encouraging signs of hope are
seen everywhere. In Africa, we again fervently hope
for the success of the peace initiatives in Burundi and
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A
calming of the situation in the Sudan is also of great
interest to us.
The Organization of African Unity (OAU), which
became the African Union last July, has played an
invaluable role in reinforcing harmony between
African peoples. We are following this undertaking
with intense interest, as it took on a new dimension this
year. We take this opportunity to address to His
Excellency, Mr. Amara Essy, Interim Chairperson of
the Commission of the African Union, our sincere
congratulations and encouragements.
In Latin America, we see with hope that some
countries, whose economic and financial conditions
were once in bad shape, are in the process of recovery,
thanks in particular to the help of international
financial institutions.
In Asia, finally, the prudence shown by the
leaders of India and Pakistan over the border disputes
has led to the reduction of tension in Kashmir. We are
sincerely grateful for this. This is an excellent step,
similarly to the one taken by Sri Lanka, which has
renewed the dialogue with the Tamil separatists so as to
put an end to too much suffering.
Another source of satisfaction is Timor-Leste,
which with the effective and valuable help of our
Organization was able to successfully achieve
independence and acquire political and financial
structures that are crucial to its development. We are
therefore happy to welcome very soon, the Democratic
Republic of Timor-Leste to the United Nations. We are
also quite happy to welcome the admission of the
Swiss Confederation as a Member State.
Switzerland has always been, particularly since
the creation of the League of Nations in Geneva, a
steadfast participant in the international promotion of
peace, human rights and humanitarian protection. Our
congratulations and wishes for success and prosperity
are formulated to those two States, to their leaders and
to their people.
The United Nations needs them more than ever
now, and also needs all the good will and talent
possible to meet the high ambitions that we set for
ourselves when the Organization was created,
ambitions renewed firmly and solemnly at the
Millennium Summit, as well as during the large
international meetings that followed.
My country is committed to implementing the
action plans adopted during those exceptional
meetings. Our special session on children and the
second World Assembly on Ageing have tangibly
changed the perception that the international
community had of children and seniors. Both must
become actors who are more integrated and active
within our societies.
While deciding to increase its voluntary
contributions to the large programmes of the United
Nations aimed at development and the protection of the
environment, the Government of Monaco has at the
9

same time decided to concentrate its efforts on specific
areas and specific regions. The Mediterranean region is
an example of our fight against marine pollution that
aims to save regional flora and fauna. My Government,
whether through its Office for International
Cooperation for Development and the Environment, or
through non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
which are numerous and active in Monaco, is
encouraging the implementation of specific projects,
projects that are essentially ecological in nature,
depending often on the availability of micro-credits.
As regards the Mediterranean Sea, next 10
December we will be celebrating the twentieth
anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It was indeed on 10
December 1982 that that text was open for ratification
by States at Montego Bay in Jamaica. It was the result
of almost 15 years of negotiations, which we will
solemnly celebrate on this coming occasion.
There are particularly difficult times, such as the
present moment, when the status quo is not good
enough, times when we must show determination in
order to bring innovative ideas to meet the fundamental
changes going on throughout the world. The Secretary-
General, whose dynamic nature and wisdom we
appreciate, mentions this in his report on the follow-up
to the major conferences organized by the United
Nations at different summits, including the Millennium
Summit. The report is important and timely.
The substantive session of the Economic and
Social Council in July also confirmed the need for such
steps. The Ministerial Declaration, adopted on that
occasion, focuses usefully on the importance of
developing human resources, protecting health, and
providing education, particularly for young girls, and
focuses on their contributions to development.
 I would like to commend the President and the
Bureau of the Council. His Excellency Mr. Ivan
Simonović, its President and the Permanent
Representative of Croatia, and the other Members of
the Bureau have all toiled with competence and great
skill in order to guarantee the success of the Council's
work.
During the high-level debates, some trends
emerged that our Government believes are essential.
For example, there is the choice of a governance that
allows us to establish true partnerships that depend
mostly on the human resources of developing countries
themselves, as well as on businesses and civil society.
Yesterday's high-level plenary meeting of the
General Assembly produced solemn and excellent
results and enabled us to gain a better understanding of
the character and the imperatives of the New
Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which
undoubtedly offers real prospects for mobilizing
resources for Africa and integrating it into the world
economy. The establishment by the Economic and
Social Council of an ad hoc advisory group for African
countries emerging from conflict is a step that we are
also following. Without political stability, there can be
no guaranteed sustainable development.
The concept of a culture of protection' advanced
by the Secretary-General, with regard to special
economic assistance, humanitarian aid, and help in
natural disasters, provides the advantage of associating
in a single thrust preventive action and priority
assistance to the communities affected. We appreciate
the principle and the scope of this activity.
In the aftermath of conflicts and crises, the link
between humanitarian action and long-term
developments is crucial for the success of any national
reconstruction programme. Public meetings of the
Security Council dedicated to such matters provide an
opportunity to emphasize, with the necessary impact,
the importance of such measures.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development
(WSSD), which has just finished in Johannesburg and
in which I participated, reminded us of the essential
concerns for the future. The Monterrey consensus was
confirmed, stressing the fact that there can now be no
stable and balanced development without serious
interdisciplinary thought and innovative ideas based on
a genuine will to protect our environment and to
respect the natural resources of our planet, including
sea resources and non-renewable natural resources, by
ensuring that we share them fairly and reasonably.
The Summit confirmed and strengthened the
principles proclaimed 10 years ago during the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
held at Rio.
I will not reiterate my country's positions and
initiatives on these questions, as I discussed them at
length at Johannesburg. I should like to reaffirm,
however, that the Government of the Principality of
10

Monaco is determined to respect the commitments it
undertook on that occasion.
The international community must continue to
work tirelessly in the combat against AIDS and in the
fight against many endemic diseases, which, in some
parts of the world, are major obstacles to development
and progress. In response to the appeal launched by our
Secretary-General, my Government has decided this
year and for the next two years to make a substantial
exceptional contribution to the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS.
If we want globalization, in particular economic
globalization, to be of benefit to all, it will have to be
rooted to a greater extent  and we all are aware of
this  in a type of development that ignores neither
the basic needs of human beings nor the values of
justice, morality and equity, to which we all attach
particular value.
In speaking of the fundamental principle of
justice and of the moral values which have inspired our
Organization so profoundly, I should like to reiterate
how warmly we welcomed the recent entry into force
of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal
Court. The first Assembly of States Parties to the Rome
Statute has just been held, under the eminent
presidency of His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Ra'ad
Zeid Al-Hussein, Permanent Representative of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Decisive and specific
steps were taken on that occasion.
I should like to close by appealing to the peoples
of Israel and Palestine to put an end to the violence and
to overcome their rancour and resentments. A shared
heritage and the belief in a future of coexistence
represent the underpinnings of a dialogue leading to
peace.


Allow
me to begin, Sir, by congratulating you on your
election to preside over the fifty-seventh session of the
General Assembly. My congratulations go likewise to
the outgoing president, His Excellency Mr. Han Seung-
soo, for his dedication and for a job well done. I wish
also to echo earlier speakers in welcoming, very
warmly, Switzerland as the newest Member of the
Organization and Timor-Leste, which will be joining us
shortly.
Global security models, which are in a process of
change after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001,
have posed serious and unexpected challenges to the
international community. We have been faced with
tragic proof that our security is more fragile than we
had imagined and that democracy and freedom have
been under attack. We have been violently reminded
that combating terrorism is a matter for us all.
The prompt and constructive response of my
country, Romania, to the United Nations appeal for
solidarity has been very clear. Our participation in the
International Assistance Force for Afghanistan,
approved by the Romanian Parliament in December
2001, clearly attests to our resolve to fulfil, in practice
as well as in spirit, our commitment to the principles
and purposes of the United Nations.
Following the adoption by the Security Council
of its resolution 1373 (2001), we enacted legislation to
prevent, in Romania, the financing of terrorist
organizations and acts, and we have ratified the 12
United Nations conventions and protocols concerning
terrorism.
We have been actively involved in operations in
Afghanistan with our strategic allies and we are,
together, tackling the consequences of the struggle
against terrorism.
(spoke in English)
But have we, the international community, done
enough? The Secretary-General, in his opening
14

statement, drew an uncompromising picture of the
threats to peace, and rightly reminded us of our
responsibilities.
Romania believes it is necessary to proceed
unambiguously in condemning and actively combating
all forms of terrorism and violent fanaticism through
cooperation at the international level that is
substantive, consistent and coherent. The financing of
terrorism is an obvious target for action. Romania
believes that the experience of regional liaison and
joint operations in South-East Europe can be of use to
international efforts to suppress the flow of funds to
terrorist groups.
The terrorist threat calls for us to be even more
vigilant in controlling the use and proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction, as well as conventional
weapons, such as landmines and small arms, which can
fall — sometimes too often — into the wrong hands. In
this context, Romania calls on Iraq to comply with
existing Security Council resolutions and to allow
United Nations inspectors to return, immediately and
unconditionally, to enable further decisions to be taken
relevant to the people of Iraq and the security and
stability of the area. Romania was on the Security
Council in 1990 when the first resolutions on Iraq were
adopted and contributed to building consensus at that
time. We believe that the Security Council must
respond to the continued defiance of its resolutions
firmly and resolutely. There can be no doubt as to my
Government's stand should fears about possible threats
to global security prove justified. As we have done in
the past, we will stand alongside our allies and
freedom-loving nations in the defence of world peace.
A strong response to Iraq's long-term defiance of
the Security Council's authority is also called for
because of the threat to global security from weapons
of mass destruction. The temptation to apply these
same principles to other, localized conflict situations
should be resisted, especially when mechanisms exist
for dialogue and peaceful resolution. While States have
the right to exercise control over their own security,
they also have a responsibility to ensure that security
measures do not undermine the foundations of
democracy. We can adapt to these new realities without
sacrificing human rights and universal values. Indeed,
through respect for civil liberties and the promotion of
equal opportunity and social cohesion, we can help to
remove some of the root causes of terrorism:
resentment and frustration fuelled by poverty and
marginalization.
This is a fundamental element of conflict
prevention, but early warning and early intervention by
the international community are not enough. The
experiences of the last decade show that it is time to
move away from ad hoc solutions for short-term
problems towards an integrated and long-term
approach to nation-building. By “integrated”, I mean
that the international response should be based on an
efficient division of labour between the appropriate
organizations, with a common mandate and a clear
chain of command. By “long-term”, I mean that
international support should remain in place until
security is seen to be durable and rehabilitation and
local empowerment have become a reality.
The stabilization and rehabilitation process in
Afghanistan is a test for the changing pattern of
international cooperation. Ultimately, reconstruction
efforts must be directed towards sustainability and
ownership by the Afghan people. The recent attempt on
President Karzai's life demonstrates the frailty of the
current situation in Afghanistan. This and the attacks in
Kabul and other cities are dramatic reminders of the
price paid by too many Afghan generations for
recovering their sovereignty and for winning the right
to govern their country.
The intense effort that the United Nations has
embarked upon in the democratic and physical
reconstruction of the country is commendable.
Romania believes that this commitment must be
maintained as long as the dangers of a serious renewal
of violence exist. Romania has already made a solid
financial contribution to the international aid effort and
is ready to offer further assistance, according to the
requirements of the Afghan Government.
But efforts to aid Afghanistan should not stop at
that country's borders. Stability for that country and the
region will be assured only through a broader vision
for the development of the whole of Central Asia. We
need to find a way to link Europe and Central Asia by
working up an integrated strategy that will reinforce
democracy and bring economic prosperity not only
across Europe, but to Eurasia as well. A first step must
be to put an end to the “frozen conflicts” in Eastern
Europe and the Caucasus.
The positive developments in South-East Europe
show what can be achieved when the international
15

community takes action in a coherent and coordinated
way. The United Nations and its international partners,
notably the European Union, the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization, have worked tirelessly to
help to reconstitute societies based on the rule of law
and ethnic tolerance, but the process is not yet
complete. It is vital that this decisive electoral autumn
show beyond doubt that modern democracy has taken
root in the western Balkans. By ensuring free and fair
elections, political leaders in the region should keep
their countries on the right path to European
integration. As Romania draws closer to achieving its
Euro-Atlantic integration ambitions, we will continue
to contribute actively to efforts to break down the
remaining divisions in South-East Europe and to speed
up the integration of the whole region into the
European mainstream.
The violent conflicts over the last decade awoke
the world to the need for action against the horror of
war crimes. The entry into force on 1 July of the
International Criminal Court Statute represents a very
significant step forward. Romania ratified the
International Criminal Court Statute this year and
remains deeply committed to ensuring that the Court
function effectively as a viable and necessary
instrument of international law. In this spirit, we
encourage ongoing discussions, which should clarify
some of the outstanding issues.
The danger that the violence in the Middle East
will escalate beyond control cannot be ignored. My
recent discussions with political leaders from the
region have reinforced my conviction that it is crucial
to find a way to renounce the logic of war in favour of
a logic of peace. We call on the parties to engage in
serious negotiations for a peaceful, comprehensive and
lasting solution. Their success or failure will have
consequences far beyond their own immediate region,
impacting upon what might be termed the wider
Middle East, encompassing the entire region from
Central Asia to North Africa.
The two serious challenges for the twenty-first
century are fighting terrorism and new security threats,
on the one hand, and making globalization work for
everyone everywhere, on the other. In both, the United
Nations has a decisively important role to play. We
have reached the point where we must address the
global agenda in a way that finally meets people's
expectations and achieves early results. We must
deliver in a coherent and pragmatic way on the
commitments taken at Doha, Monterrey and
Johannesburg, as well as other major United Nations
conferences, such as the special session on children.
We must design an urgent, clear and encouraging
response to the humanitarian needs of Africa and
promote conditions for the sustainable development of
the African continent.
Tangible progress depends upon a new paradigm
of cooperation between stakeholders of globalization,
States, corporations, international organizations and, of
course, civil society. Efficient implementation depends
upon a new architecture of global governance that is
fitted to today's realities and a renewed sense of
responsibility among all States. Finally, success in
achieving the millennium development goals depends
upon a strict and verifiable system for monitoring
implementation. A new sense of participation and
partnership must energize our common contribution. In
this respect, We welcome President Bush's
announcement that the United States will rejoin the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization.
The graduation of the Central European countries
from transition economies to membership of the
European Union in the few years to come is proof that
democracy with a functioning market economy and an
open society does work. But there is a price, and that is
the difficult decisions, politically and socially, of
successful transition.
We have been fortunate to have European Union
financial support and know-how, which have been vital
in maintaining the momentum and the public
acceptance of sometimes painful reform programmes.
In return, we will do the same by sharing the burden of
international responsibility and assistance. We have not
only a moral and historic, but also a strategic,
responsibility to address the needs of the poor and
disadvantaged in our region and beyond. Discontent
and disillusionment breed instability, which in turn
gives terrorism fertile conditions in which to flourish.
Governments, business and civil society have a
unique opportunity to accelerate economic
development through the use of the powerful new
information and communication technologies. In
preparation for the forthcoming World Summit on the
Information Society, to be held at Geneva in 2003 and
at Tunis in 2005, Romania will host, from 7 to 9
16

November this year, a regional conference at the
ministerial level organized jointly with the
International Telecommunication Union and the
Economic Commission for Europe. Our aim is to draw
up a preliminary plan of action with specific
mechanisms for bridging the digital divide.
The Security Council is the linchpin of the United
Nations. Romania believes that we must redouble our
efforts to promote reform of that body. The
composition of the Council should be more
representative of our global membership and should
reflect more accurately the realities of the global
balance of power today. Romania's candidature for a
Council seat in 2004-2005 is motivated by our deep
commitment to the United Nations as a credible and
efficient contributor to peace and stability around the
world.
What will we take home from this session? We
need to reflect on how to eliminate the habit of ad hoc
cooperation. We need to think creatively and to craft
continuous patterns of teamwork, and we should be
more receptive to what people want from the United
Nations. That is how we can best live up to our
commitments and overcome what is seen as the
handicap of international organizations: the
discrepancy between words and deeds. Let us leave this
session determined to work on mapping out pledges
and achievements in a way that will add vigour to our
words and reinforce our credibility. That, after all, is
the source of our unique strength.


On behalf of the
Government of the Republic of Malawi and on my own
behalf, I would like to congratulate President Kavan
most warmly on his unanimous election as President of
the fifty-seventh regular session of the General
Assembly. I am confident that under his able
28

leadership, buttressed by a pragmatic approach to the
proceedings of the session, we will be able to further
consolidate past gains on a variety of issues, and also
mobilize renewed international resolve and political
will to reinvigorate our continued search for viable
responses and solutions to the many pressing
challenges that threaten the very survival of
humankind.
I take this opportunity also to pay special tribute
to his predecessor, Mr. Han Seung-soo of the Republic
of Korea, for the able manner in which he handled the
work of the General Assembly during his tenure of
office.
Further, I would like to register my country's vote
of thanks for and special recognition of the invaluable
contribution made by the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi
Annan, in injecting fresh impetus and a sharper sense
of purpose and direction into the work of the United
Nations. His informative and insightful annual reports
on the work of the United Nations clearly point to an
organization that is moving in the direction that it
should and is much more focused on the quest for
accelerated growth and socio-economic progress of the
disadvantaged poor nations.
A number of developments have taken place
around the world since the last general debate. While
some of these are relatively positive and are, thus far, a
cause for optimism, yet others, a majority, are, at best,
disheartening and tend to cast a long shadow on
prospects for long term progress, especially in our part
of the world.
As I speak now, for example, six southern Africa
countries, including Malawi, are in the throes of a
severe and life-threatening food crisis brought on by
drought-related deficits in grain harvests. Up to 13
million people in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique,
Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe are facing severe
food shortage, which has already given rise to a threat
of widespread famine and a rise in famine-related
health problems. What we are clearly seeing here is a
further deterioration in the general poverty situation
and the humanitarian plight of the rural masses in these
countries. Chances of the food insecurity translating
into a serious region-wide security and health
catastrophe cannot be over-emphasized, especially
given that southern Africa is already the epicentre of
the global implosion caused by HIV/AIDS. The current
food crisis in the sub-region stands out as the severest
in many years. It is poised to inflict incalculable
damage on the social, economic and cultural fabric of
whole communities, and it endangers the efficacy of
the financial and economic sustainability of the
institutional and public policy frameworks for
sustainable development currently under
implementation.
Indeed, southern Africa is facing uniquely
different multifaceted humanitarian crises arising not
only from civil wars, but also from social and
economic factors and other natural disasters. The crisis
is certain to roll back numerous past gains in many
sectors, particularly because of the centrality of
agricultural production to the gross domestic product
and rural employment of most of the affected countries.
The food shortage has placed further serious
strains on the already low revenue collection capacities
of the affected countries, especially to the extent that
budgetary allocations are having to be appropriated
from critical social sector services to fund massive
grain imports necessary to supplement inadequate local
grain stocks, thereby financially starving other equally
urgent sectoral needs. Sadly, however, the next harvest,
due in eight months, may not hold much promise
either, unless the drought cycle, which is the major
contributing factor, does not recur.
Initially, Malawi faced a grain deficit of 600,000
tons caused by two years of a paradoxical combination
of drought and devastating torrential rains and floods.
This tonnage was urgently required to stave off a
rapidly deteriorating famine situation that is expected
to affect 3.2 million people. The President, His
Excellency Dr. Bakili Muluzi, declared the current food
shortages a national disaster on 28 February 2002, and
a vigorous national appeal for emergency relief has
been under way since then.
The response to this appeal by the donor
community, both local and international, has been very
encouraging. On behalf of the Government of Malawi,
I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude
and deep appreciation to the local and international
humanitarian organizations and Governments, such as
those of the European Union, the Governments of Italy,
the United Kingdom and the United States of America,
and other friendly Governments, which together have
financed nearly 75 per cent of the emergency relief
supplies received so far in Malawi. We also wish to
thank the United Nations funds and programmes for
29

their timely assistance, in particular the Food and
Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the
World Food Programme and the Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as well
as resident United Nations agencies, for providing
relief coordination and procurement services during
this critical hour of need.
In a special way, and on behalf of the six
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
countries affected by the famine, the Government of
Malawi wishes to thank the Secretary-General and the
United Nations family for successfully organizing the
Consolidated National Appeals for the Humanitarian
Crisis in Southern Africa, which took place on 18 July
2002, here at United Nations Headquarters. We are
grateful for the outcome of the appeal, and we would
like to extend similar sentiments of appreciation to all
Governments and donor organizations that made
pledges and commitments towards the funding
requirements of the appeal.
In addition, we welcome and applaud the
Secretary-General's timely appointment of the
Executive Director of the World Food Programme,
Mr. James Morris, as his Special Envoy for the
southern African humanitarian crisis. Mr. Morris's
personal meetings and consultations with the Heads of
State and Government of the six southern African
countries and his tour of the subregion have led to
useful high-level exchanges that will form an important
basis for tackling the problem of food insecurity in
future. We undertake to work with him and give him all
the support and cooperation necessary for the
fulfilment of his mandate.
The high levels of poverty and the deepening
scourge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other
transmissible diseases afflicting our people continue to
ravage populations in the developing countries,
particularly those of Africa. We take no relief from the
annual reports for the year 2002 released by United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the
World Health Organization, whose graphic statistical
data and hard facts portray an unabating, vicious and
complex interplay between structural poverty and a
startlingly high HIV/AIDS prevalence in poor
countries. The resulting humanitarian crisis threatens
millions more lives over the next few years.
As home to one of the largest numbers of victims
of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the world, southern
Africa needs closer attention and concrete actions, as
well as deeper resource commitments by the
international community, to help build sustainable
capacity to address the critical poverty issues and
excessive mortality from HIV/AIDS, malaria,
tuberculosis and other diseases. These are extremely
sensitive issues, and the international donor community
should consider, on an emergency basis, the difficult
moral issues and the choices involved.
It is extremely troubling that some Member States
and donor institutions have suddenly taken a
minimalist approach to the central role played by
United Nations funds and programmes in tackling
health problems in the developing countries. It is
needless to remind this Assembly that the work of the
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in tackling
the HIV/AIDS pandemic, in the implementation of the
Programme of Action adopted at the International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
and in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV/
AIDS is very crucial. We call upon donors and
multinational institutions to reconsider their decision
and to restore funding to UNFPA.
Further, we call upon multilateral donor
institutions and industrialized countries to grant deeper
debt relief and forgiveness. Transnational
organizations, which extract huge profits from their
business operations in poor countries, have the moral
responsibility to invest in HIV/AIDS prevention, care,
support and treatment. International pharmaceutical
corporations, too, ought to show more compassion by
expanding access to antiretroviral drugs and other life-
sustaining medicines, including meaningful
concessions on price reduction and voluntary
donations. We note with gratitude the positive steps
taken by some pharmaceutical companies in that
direction.
My Government acknowledges the important role
played by the United Nations in mobilizing support and
resources for the development process in the poor
countries. It is not enough, however, to hold one
conference after another without effective follow-up
and implementation mechanisms. There is therefore a
need for supportive global processes that would ensure
shorter time lags between the adoption of programmes
of action and their implementation.
It is our hope that the establishment of the Office
of the High Representative for the Least Developed
30

Countries in the United Nations Secretariat will
promote regular consultations and closer follow-up of
agreed programmes of action to ensure their fulfilment.
Such programmes of action include the Brussels
Declaration and Programme of Action of the Third
United Nations Conference on the Least Developed
Countries, the International Conference on Financing
for Development and other commitments flowing from
the recent General Assembly special sessions on HIV/
AIDS and children. An earnest attempt is necessary to
link up the commitments and agreed outcomes of the
Brussels Programme of Action and the Monterrey
Consensus in order to create a rich resource base for
the implementation of the Johannesburg Plan of Action
for sustainable development.
Other major problems and challenges that are
faced by poor countries and stifle their progress have
previously been extensively covered and debated in the
Assembly and in various other international forums.
But some of them need to be mentioned again. The
transition of poor countries from continued dependence
on international charity to self-reliance is contingent on
certain factors such as free and open trade. Agricultural
and other commodities from developing countries need
to gain access to Western markets without unnecessary
barriers. It is ironic and morally unacceptable that
products from the West are freely offloaded onto our
markets but not the other way round. Fair trade is a
two-way transaction, and every endeavour must be
made to ensure that it remains so.
On an optimistic note, we welcome the
commendable progress that has been achieved in an
effort to bring some conflicts in Africa to resolution.
This engenders the hope for the eventual restoration of
stability and a chance for decisive peace on the
continent. The ceasefire agreement reached on 4 April
this year in Angola and the peace agreement signed on
30 July between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic
of the Congo represent notable historic milestones in
bringing to an end the conflicts in the Great Lakes
region. I am confident that the United Nations will use
that opening to step forward, as it always has, to
strengthen its involvement and that of the international
community to consolidate those agreements and closely
monitor their implementation.
I take this opportunity to congratulate the people
and the Government of East Timor on their attainment
of independence after many decades of dehumanizing
subjugation. My Government also welcomes East
Timor's coming membership in the United Nations.
In the same vein, I congratulate Switzerland on
its admission to the membership of the United Nations.
The significance of this historic development to the
world body cannot be over-emphasized, especially
given the invaluable contribution the Government and
people of Switzerland have made over the years to the
progressive development of international humanitarian
and human rights affairs.
My Government is concerned at the unrelenting
bloodletting in the Middle East, particularly the
senseless carnage among innocent civilians. We
encourage both the Israeli Government and the
Palestinian Authority to give peace a chance through
dialogue. We call, in particular, for the cessation of
hostilities, provocation and incitement, which only
serve to inflame the delicate conflict situation.
Malawi believes in the principle of universality of
human rights. One of the basic rights that every
member of the global community can expect to enjoy is
the right to freedom of association. It is on the basis of
that, and in a spirit of reconciliation, that Malawi
believes that the United Nations should seriously
reconsider the question of the readmission of the
Republic of China. The more than 21 million people of
Taiwan should be allowed to freely participate in the
affairs of the United Nations without any hindrance, as
that is what this Organization stands for. After all,
Taiwan, through its rapid growth in the economic,
political and social sectors has demonstrated that it has
a lot to offer for the good of humanity through the
United Nations.
Africa is on the threshold of a new beginning
aimed at making a lasting clean break with the errors
and political missteps of the last five decades. The
promulgation of a development blueprint, the New
Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD),
provides a very comprehensive, clear focused road map
for economic revitalization of the African continent.
NEPAD, as a framework for development, contains
broad-ranging measures and actions that are reflective
of a new vision for long-term development
requirements, as well as constructive and beneficial
participation in regional, international and other
multilateral processes for effective integration of
Africa into the global political and economic order.
31

It is gratifying, therefore, that the international
community is willing to support this newly emerging
pragmatic framework for partnership and ownership of
development on the continent. I would like, once again,
to encourage our development partners to join in and
support Africa's new quest for economic recovery and
sustainable development.
In conclusion, Malawi, along with other African
countries, would like to express deep gratitude to the
leaders of the Group of 8 countries for voicing
unequivocal support for NEPAD. We are thankful for
the creation of the Group of 8 Africa Action Plan
adopted at the recent Summit in Kananaskis in Canada,
which will operate as the platform for enhanced
cooperation and partnership between Africa and the
industrialized Group of 8 countries. We are confident
that strong international networking and support for
NEPAD will provide a solid basis for growth and
progress, as well as decisive peace and political
stability in Africa.