General Assembly Session 54 meeting 19

The President

The Assembly will first hear an address by the President of the Republic of Mozambique.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations the President of the Republic of Mozambique, His Excellency Mr. Joaquim Alberto Chissano, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Chissano (Mozambique)

On behalf of my Government and on my own behalf, I wish to join previous speakers in congratulating you, Sir, most sincerely on your election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session. Your election to this high office is a matter of honour to all Africans and to the United Nations family, for you represent a nation whose plight remained on the agenda of this Organization for many years. The attainment of the independence of Namibia, the last stronghold of colonialism in the African continent, and the subsequent political, economic and social developments that have occurred in the last few years, have indeed paved the way for the consolidation of the process of political integration of southern Africa. We wish you well in your new responsibilities, and are confident that this body will be well served in the months ahead. We shall cooperate with you in every way we can.

A well-deserved tribute is also due to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Didier Opertti of Uruguay, for the exemplary manner in which he spearheaded the proceedings of the Organization during the last session.

I would also like to express my high regard to the Secretary-General for his continued commitment to international peace and security and for his leadership in dealing with an ever-increasing array of challenges worldwide. I wish to encourage him to continue on this positive path.

My Government welcomes the recent admission to the membership of the United Nations of the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga. We are certain that the new Members will further enhance the universal nature of our Organization.

I have come to the General Assembly first as a messenger of a people -- the Mozambican people -- who have embarked on a long process of political, economic and social stabilization, following years of instability. The process of consolidating Mozambique's young, multiparty democracy is making steady progress. Step by step, our country is returning to normalcy, though we are conscious of the hurdles still ahead.

We are currently preparing for the second multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections, to be held on 3 and 4 December 1999. Periodic genuine elections constitute an important political exercise, which my Government and I are committed to pursuing vigorously with a view to ensuring lasting peace and stability in Mozambique.

In the past five years of pluralistic democracy we have registered important advances in the consolidation of nation-building through collective efforts involving all layers of society. Taking advantage of its diversity and vitality, our Parliament has held fruitful discussion, which resulted in the adoption of new laws that are contributing positively to the revitalization of political, economic and social institutions as well as to the consolidation of peace and democracy.

More important, this forum has contributed to the creation among parliamentarians of a new vision and understanding of the facts about our country and a vision of a united nation pursuing peace, progress and prosperity for all Mozambicans, thus consolidating national reconciliation. The period under review has equally witnessed significant economic and social progress. We are proud that this has been highlighted and commended by well-advised outside observers and by many of the most respected organizations and institutions as a good example of commitment to implement economic reforms.

The Mozambican economy has grown at encouraging rates, resulting in the allocation of an increased share of the national budget to the social sectors. The whole network of schools and health facilities destroyed during the years of destabilization has been rebuilt, and most roads and bridges are under rehabilitation.

My Government has succeeded in creating a more enabling environment for private investment by redefining its role as facilitator. We have identified and established special incentive schemes in various areas with higher potential for development. These incentives are aimed at bringing new investments to a number of areas in order to develop internationally competitive economic zones, create employment opportunities and promote sustainable economic growth. They are also intended to bring about balanced development of the whole country, bearing in mind that some areas were neglected during colonial times.

The streamlining of investment procedures, coupled with political stability, has contributed to the attraction of large investments such as the Maputo Development Corridor project. The concept of development corridors is an initiative regarded as the cornerstone of the regional integration strategy involving the countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Other transfrontier and national programmes in partnership with other countries of the region play a major role in this process. These include strategic projects such as the $1.3-billion Mozal aluminium smelter plant to be completed within one year and the projected $2-billion Maputo iron and steel plant; both are part of the Maputo Development Corridor project. The construction of another $600-million iron and steel plant and the construction of a new port in Savane are envisaged as part of the Beira Corridor. Gas projects in the southern and central regions of Mozambique, as well as sugar plants and tourism, are other undertakings of great importance being developed in Mozambique with the participation of other SADC countries.

The ambitious plan for the development of integrated programmes and projects in the Zambezi river basin, an extensive and potentially rich part of Mozambique, include the construction of a big hydroelectric dam at M'panda M'kua. The Zambezi valley covers more than 200,000 square kilometres, nearly one third of our national territory, and is endowed with a variety of resources of strategic importance, which we intend to develop in order to bring about sustainable development for our country and for the SADC region. The Cabora Bassa dam is already supplying electricity to Zimbabwe and to South Africa.

Mozambique will thus be in a position to use its geostrategic location to make a greater contribution towards the integrated development of the southern African region; this is one of the building blocks of continental integration.

We believe that cooperative interaction involving various segments of society, including the private sector, is the key to the promotion of sustainable development through a smart partnership in which all stakeholders will benefit.

I come to this Assembly also as a messenger of the peoples of southern Africa, a region striving to develop as a community of nations and peoples at peace with itself and with others and working towards balanced and integrated development. Last month, the people and the Government of Mozambique were honoured to host the nineteenth Summit of Heads of State or Government of our community, the Southern African Development Community. The Maputo Summit was held on the theme "SADC in the next millennium: working together for peace, progress and prosperity". It brought together heads of State or Government and other high-ranking representatives of all its 14 member States and, as guests, the heads of State of Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda, the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, as well as other dignitaries representing a variety of other regional and international organizations.

In reviewing the progress made over the previous 12 months, the Summit noted with satisfaction that the economies of the Community continued to grow at in average rate of 3 per cent, thanks to sound macroeconomic policies implemented by member States and to the harmonization and coordination of activities towards economic integration. However, in order to eradicate poverty, the region needs to grow at an average rate of 6 per cent per year. To achieve this objective we need to mobilize more regional resources as well as to consolidate an enabling environment to increase the share of foreign direct investment. We have once again resolved to commit ourselves to ensure that all of our countries and peoples can benefit as they must from the globalization process. To that end, efforts will continue to be made to consolidate peace throughout the region, to harmonize sectoral policies and to implement sound economic policies.

During the Maputo Summit, the heads of State and Government signed three important documents: on wildlife, on health and on productivity. They welcomed the recent entry into force of the SADC Protocols on Shared Watercourse Systems, on Energy, on Transport, Communications and Meteorology, and on Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking, and the charter of the Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa. The entry into force of the Trade Protocol on 1 January 2000 will bring additional opportunities and challenges to our region, and will enhance the programme initiated a few years ago with the entry into force of other protocols. All these legal instruments are, indeed, important steps towards regional integration leading to a better future.

In southern Africa, HIV/AIDS is spreading at an alarming rate. Governments in the SADC region, aware of the far-reaching negative consequences, are seeking collective and individual strategies to counter the spread of AIDS. In Lusaka, Zambia, we met at a regional level to look into advisable approaches that can enhance awareness within each country and to consider measures that can help Governments to mobilize financial and human resources to face this global threat. We have no choice: either we stop the spread of AIDS or we risk putting the viability of our societies at stake, because in our region the most qualified people are the ones at high risk.

This scenario foretells our future. Our economic, social and political development will remain on the horizon, and the structures of our societies will be seriously undermined, unless effective, concrete steps are taken. In this context, my Government very recently adopted a national strategy against HIV/AIDS.

The resolution on cooperation between SADC and the United Nations to be adopted this year must reflect the positive progress that has taken place within SADC, and stress the importance of greater interaction with the United Nations in all fields of common interest. At the same time, our Community -- which is built on democratic principles, equitable and sustainable development, improved living standards of citizens, free movement of factors of production, goods and services -- remains equally committed to strengthening its relationship with other regional organizations.

The search for a durable peace is still a constant objective of the region. It is for this reason that we welcome the progress made in the settlement of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The signing of the agreement by all parties opens a new era for the region and beyond. What is required now is for the international community, particularly the United Nations, to meet its responsibilities by sending, as expeditiously as possible, peacekeeping forces with an appropriate mandate and adequate resources, under Chapter VII of the Charter, for the achievement of lasting peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We hope that the progress to which I have referred to above will make a positive impact on the Angolan conflict. The people of Angola must be given the opportunity to live in peace and harmony. The international community has a moral and political obligation to assist the Angolans to reverse the humanitarian tragedy which is unfolding in vast areas of their territory. At the same time, the international community, while supporting the Government of Angola in restoring peace and stability in that country, must call on Mr. Savimbi to abandon his aggressive and irresponsible action. In particular, the Security Council sanctions imposed on UNITA must be fully observed, in order to prevent further suffering in that SADC country. In this context, we salute the positive work already done by Ambassador Robert Fowler, Chairman of the Security Council sanctions committee, and we encourage him to continue with his work.

This is our vision of the future of Mozambique as an individual country and also that of SADC as a whole.

The recurrence of conflicts in Africa has exacerbated the plight of children as the main victims. The recent Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit, held in Algiers, echoing the recommendations of the African Conference on the Use of Children as Soldiers, held in Maputo in April this year, adopted a resolution calling, inter alia, for the elaboration of an international convention outlawing the use of children under 18 years of age in armed conflicts. We urge all members of the United Nations to adhere to and support this initiative, which, in our view, must be associated with all other rights of the child.

We believe that the implementation of that OAU resolution, together with the concept of "children as zone of peace" would constitute a valuable contribution to the protection of children. In this regard, I commend the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict and non-governmental organizations for their relentless efforts to promote and ensure respect for the rights of the child.

Moreover, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, together with transnational crimes such as money laundering and drug trafficking, constitute major sources of instability for many countries, including my own. We in southern Africa are undertaking a coordinated action with a view to addressing these challenges and bringing about peace and stability.

In May this year Maputo hosted the First Meeting of States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on their Destruction. The Maputo Meeting was held when thousands of innocent civilians were being maimed in many parts of the world, including my own country. The Meeting adopted a Declaration calling upon us to rededicate ourselves in the struggle against these insidious weapons, in fulfilment of our obligations under the Ottawa Convention. More important, the Maputo Meeting offered a unique opportunity to remind the international community of the need to meet the targets set by the Convention. In four years we must destroy all anti-personnel mines in warehouses, and in ten years we must complete the demining process in affected countries.

As we concluded in Maputo, these targets are non-negotiable. What is negotiable is the ways and means for the attainment of these objectives. We therefore call upon all States and organizations in a position to do so to ensure that these goals are met. Failure to reach these goals would undermine the credibility of the international community and, above all, the universalization of the Convention. It is our earnest hope that the General Assembly will give additional impetus to the momentum created by the adoption of the Maputo Declaration.

We in southern Africa are disturbed about the low levels of foreign direct investment in Africa. We are deeply concerned about recent evidence presented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) showing a drastic reduction in official development assistance, in particular for Africa. More worrisome is the fact that the target of 0.7 per cent in official development assistance has never been entirely met, and, on the contrary, it has reached only one third of the established target.

Lack of adequate funding has contributed to poor realization of the goals set by major international conferences, including those contained in the Cairo Programme of Action, which was reviewed during the recently held twenty-first special session of the General Assembly on population and development.

Without political will there will be no sustainable development in the global economy, and the risk of the further marginalization of developing countries, with all of its negative consequences, will remain high.

In addition, the issue of external indebtedness continues to be the single most important obstacle to the development of many countries, particularly in Africa. Efforts must be made to ensure that the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative is accessible to the countries in need.

As I speak on this issue, I must once again thank the international community for the assistance rendered to Mozambique under this Initiative, as of last June. The fact of the matter, however, is that our debt burden continues to undermine our efforts to achieve sustainable development. We believe it is high time for the international community to start writing off the external debt of those countries that have made visible and sustainable progress in the implementation of tough structural adjustment measures and political reforms. Such a course of action would undoubtedly provide more incentives for other countries to undertake these measures and to redirect resources to the social sectors, in particular for the provision of water and better education and to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

My Government wishes to commend the 5 May Agreement signed by the Governments of Indonesia, Portugal and United Nations which culminated in the holding of a referendum in East Timor. We salute the people of East Timor for the exemplary and orderly manner in which they participated in the referendum and for the clear and unequivocal way in which they decided for independence. We are deeply saddened and gravely concerned over the tragic developments that have followed the announcement of the results of the referendum. We are particularly distressed over the fact that massacres against innocent civilians and indiscriminate destruction of property have occurred, largely due to the failure by Indonesia to secure order and by the international community to act expeditiously.

The fact that the East Timor tragedy occurred when similar situations had been prevented not long ago leads us to believe in the existence of passivity and selectivity in dealing with issues that undermine international peace and security. We nevertheless commend the decision taken by the Security Council to send a mission to Jakarta and Dili and the subsequent actions taken with the cooperation of the Government of Indonesia.

Along with restoring peace and stability, efforts must be made to provide a speedy humanitarian response to assist the people who were displaced or became refugees as a result of the unprecedented levels of violence we have witnessed in that territory. The tragedy in East Timor underlines the importance of translating into deeds the relevant recommendations contained in the "Report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict".

Mozambique has given its modest contribution to the United Nations Mission in East Timor and stands ready to continue to play a role in future efforts of the international community.

On behalf of my Government and on my own behalf, I wish to seize this opportunity to convey our deepest sympathy to those who have lost their loved ones. It is our hope that their suffering will not be in vain, and that the United Nations and all parties will ensure the early implementation of the results of the referendum.

The issue of East Timor reminds us of other people who are striving for self-determination. We are encouraged by the latest positive developments that have taken place in the Middle East. They confirm that, with the necessary political will, taking into account the interests of all parties to the conflict, peace is possible in that region. Our task is to help the Palestinians and the Israelis take maximum advantage of the momentum that has been created as a result of the signing of the Sharm el-Sheik Memorandum, on 4 September 1999, following the deadlock in the implementation of the Wye River Memorandum of 23 October 1998. Success in the implementation of the current Memorandum depends on strict observance of the principle of land for peace.

Recent incidents along the common border between India and Pakistan are a source of great concern to all peace-loving countries. We call upon both Governments to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from taking actions that might jeopardize further the already volatile situation along their common border.

It is our earnest hope that the United Nations intervention in Kosovo will bring lasting peace and stability to that territory and the region. To this end Mozambique is contributing with a small team of police officers.

We equally hope that now that the Lockerbie issue is in the hands of justice, the Security Council will honour its undertakings by lifting the sanctions on Libya. Both the final settlement of this issue and the holding of a referendum in Western Sahara will have a positive impact on the development of Africa.

We are at the threshold of the next century, and the challenges ahead are enormous. They require stronger commitment and greater international cooperation. In this connection, we wish to commend the Secretary-General for organizing the Millennium Assembly and the millennium summit for the year 2000. Indeed, there could be no better way to inaugurate the new era than by assembling all world leaders to reflect on the strategies and policies that will govern our planet in the next millennium. Whatever themes we choose to debate, they should include the promotion of a culture of peace within nations, regions and throughout the world, for this will allow the realization of all other objectives, in particular the eradication of poverty, promotion of development, protection of human rights and meeting the challenges of globalization.

It is therefore our hope that the forthcoming historic gatherings will signal the beginning of the crystallization of the process of building a better and safer world by producing meaningful strategies, actions and policies that will guide the United Nations of tomorrow. We agree that these high-level events should not result merely in the adoption of declarations that cannot be translated into concrete actions for both the United Nations and Governments.

We should therefore aim at pragmatic, action-oriented and implementable decisions. Then, and only then, shall we meet the aspirations of the founding fathers of our universal Organization.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Mozambique for the statement he has just made.

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, His Excellency The Honourable Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Ulufu'alu (Solomon Islands)

Let me express my sincere congratulations, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session. Under your leadership, I am confident the Assembly will effectively address the issues before it.

My Government salutes the Secretary-General, the Secretariat and the United Nations agencies for their dedication and commitment to building peace and confidence around the world. The Solomon Islands also applauds the Secretary-General's programme of modernization and revitalization of the Organization, aimed at creating a more effective United Nations to better serve the development needs of its Members, thus ensuring peace and security in the twenty-first century. My country will be a committed partner in achieving this goal in the new millennium.

The Government and people of the Solomon Islands warmly welcome the admission of our sister nations -- the Republic of Nauru, the Republic of Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga -- as new Members of the United Nations. This makes the principle of universality, as stipulated by the United Nations Charter, a near reality. It is also further testimony that the United Nations is indispensable. Its body of international laws is central to the protection and security of our small island States.

While there have been important successes for the international community, peace and development in many parts of the world remain precarious. The past decade has witnessed the increase in the world's illicit drug problem and its related crimes, terrorism, large-scale movement and trade in small arms and the proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Equally alarming is the rise in local and regional conflicts in various parts of the world and the threat they pose to national and international peace, stability and advancement. Poverty, meanwhile, remains a major obstacle to the economic progress of many developing countries, especially the least developed. In addition, the economic threats associated with globalization and trade liberalization have increased in recent years.

For small island developing States like the Solomon Islands, post-cold-war security now embraces human, environmental and economic dimensions. The most important asset of any country is its people. In a small island developing State like mine, investment in human-resource development is not only vital, but a critical prerequisite to embracing national peace, stability and economic prosperity.

In this connection, the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, as reiterated by many representatives at the special session earlier this week, remains a valid blueprint for the sustainable development of small island developing States, including my country. The environmental and economic vulnerabilities of small island developing States present major difficulties to our efforts to achieve sustainable development. Climate change and sea-level rise are matters of survival for the small island developing States. Annex I parties must fulfil their commitment under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The increasing incidence and magnitude of natural disasters are particularly alarming. On the other hand, the overall decline in official development assistance flows, the erosion of trade preferences, falling primary commodity prices and limited market access could severely harm our small and fragile economies. Hence, greater international support is required for the successful implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action in the future.

My Government recognizes the importance of good governance to advance human development and to promote sustained economic growth. We are taking measures towards this end. The call for good governance, however, must be accompanied by the necessary resources and the creation of an enabling regional and international environment.

Allow me to outline the views and some of the steps taken by my Government to address some of the aforementioned issues, including our efforts to create and strengthen accountable administrative and financial institutions, as well as the appropriate policies and legislation.

When my Government assumed office in September 1997, we were confronted with a major financial crisis in the public sector. The domestic financial system was overburdened with public debt, which the Government was unable to service. Additionally, the Asian financial crisis in late 1997 further deepened the crisis in the domestic economy. The public service was unable to deliver goods and services effectively and efficiently. The private sector became stagnant. This state of affairs demanded an urgent overhaul of the public sector and the need to create a vibrant private sector. Short-term, medium-term and long-term measures had to be taken.

Thus, my Government responded with a series of policy statements committing itself to a broad-based programme of policy and structural reforms. The overall goals of the policy and structural-reform programme are to foster financial and macroeconomic stability, to establish a more effective and efficient public service and to create an environment for the private sector that is conducive to viable growth and sustainability.

It is obvious that, although we have the primary responsibility to implement our reform initiatives, we cannot do it alone. The experiences of small economies that have undertaken similar reforms indicate that such reforms can be accelerated by access to capital -- often grant in aid -- technical assistance, technology transfers, assured markets for primary commodities and links to new market locations. Therefore, the political will that my Government has demonstrated has to be supplemented by significant international support if we are to fulfil the aspirations of our people.

I am grateful to our bilateral and multilateral development partners for the positive response they have shown so far towards our reform initiatives. Additional assistance will be required to implement, in particular, our medium-term development strategy and our public sector investment programme.

Peace and development are mutually interdependent. In this connection, the current insurgency on the island of Guadalcanal is a big set-back to our development efforts. It has already affected various sectors of the economy and caused the displacement of more than 30,000 people. While the crisis may not be comparable to major conflicts in other parts of the world, its net result in human loss and suffering is relative. This crisis has to be understood in the context of our smallness, our limited resources, our ethnic and cultural diversity and our history. The Solomon Islands, with a population of 400,000, has more than 80 different languages. Thus, if the insurgency is left to escalate, it could seriously threaten national peace and security.

My Government is, therefore, firmly committed to an early resolution of the conflict. The engagement of the Commonwealth special envoy is a preventive measure to bring about reconciliation between the parties concerned. I wish to acknowledge the assistance of the Commonwealth Secretariat in this regard. Three agreements to settle the crisis have been reached. We are working very hard to ensure their implementation.

I am also grateful for the prompt response of the United Nations Secretary-General to my request for a United Nations mission to assess the humanitarian aspects of the crisis. My Government is committed to working closely with the appropriate United Nations agencies to implement the recommendations of that mission. We also appreciate the humanitarian assistance of our development partners, including the Red Cross, to the displaced population. My Government is fully aware of the need to pursue the necessary policies and programmes for nation-building through the creation of long-term development strategies that promote social cohesion and national unity.

My Government attaches great importance to regional cooperation, security and development. The political, economic and environmental regional organizations in our region, including the South Pacific Forum, the South Pacific Environmental Programme, the Pacific Community, the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency and the South Pacific Geoscience Commission, provide vital mechanisms for policy advice and action on issues of regional concern and interest, especially in the areas of the environment, population, fisheries resources management and vulnerability index. The Solomon Islands has benefited from their contributions and thus will continue to support and actively participate in their activities. The thirtieth South Pacific Forum meeting, to be held in Palau next week, provides an opportunity for us to discuss how best to strengthen regional cooperation in order to effectively cope with the challenges of the new millennium and to harness the opportunities it will bring.

Furthermore, my Government will continue to support the efforts of the Government of Papua New Guinea to rebuild peace and confidence on Bougainville. We also note the contributions of other South Pacific neighbours and of the United Nations in this process.

The Solomon Islands further welcomes the progress made in the last decade in the decolonization process in New Caledonia. We reiterate our support for the aspirations of the Kanaks of New Caledonia to attain self-government and political independence. The process towards self-determination for other remaining non-self-governing territories, including Guam and French Polynesia, must also be facilitated. The United Nations is well placed to continue to facilitate this process.

My Government is concerned about the deterioration of law and order in East Timor following the referendum on self-determination. The parties concerned must now honour the outcome of the referendum. Violence must not be used to deny the choice that was made by the overwhelming majority: the chance to move forward. The Solomon Islands appreciates the leading role of Australia and New Zealand in the international peacekeeping mission in East Timor.

At this juncture, let me renew the support of the Solomon Islands for the appeal of the 22 million people of the Republic of China on Taiwan to be represented in the United Nations and its related organizations. Taiwan is capable of and willing to fulfil the obligations contained in the Charter of the United Nations. Its outstanding economic success has enabled it to play a positive role in promoting world trade and in eradicating poverty. It has rendered development assistance, including technical training and technology transfer, to developing countries, including my own. It has responded to United Nations appeals for emergency relief and rehabilitation assistance to countries that have suffered from natural disasters and wars.

Regarding the accomplishments of the Republic of China on Taiwan, are these not sufficient to merit diplomatic recognition from the international community? Taiwan's membership in the United Nations system would contribute substantially to the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific region and of the world in general. It would also provide an effective basis for peaceful dialogue. The process of self-realization, supported by the United Nations, has resulted in the membership of North and South Korea in the United Nations. The United Nations ought to give similar consideration to the question of Taiwan. Ideally, the membership of the Republic of China on Taiwan, together with the People's Republic of China, will make a stronger United Nations. The Solomon Islands would welcome the opportunity to work through the United Nations system to achieve a peaceful and just resolution.

My Government joins those who spoke before me in supporting the call by the Secretary-General to accord high priority to preventive action to address the rise in local, national and regional conflicts. Are the current mechanisms available to the United Nations adequate to effectively resolve small-scale armed conflicts? Is there a role for regional organizations to make a contribution to this preventive approach? The reform of the Security Council should include consideration of a workable and effective preventive strategy. In addition, a reconfiguration of the United Nations regional groupings is necessary to reflect present-day realities and to accommodate the interests and concerns of Member States.

Perhaps the most profound challenge for the next century is how to deal with the imperatives of globalization, that is, capitalizing on its positives and mitigating its negatives. In other words, the challenge of globalization in the new era is not to halt the expansion of global markets, but to find the rules and institutions for stronger governance to preserve the advantages of global markets and competition within a framework of cooperation to enhance human progress.

Only the United Nations and other international institutions have the scope and the legitimacy to generate the principles, norms and rules that are essential if globalization is to benefit everyone. Developing countries, in particular the least developed, need international support to build the capacities to enable us to become more effectively and beneficially integrated into the global economy. Debt relief, new and additional resources for development and better diverse trade opportunities are required to facilitate this process.

The Millennium Assembly, to be held in September 2000, affords a unique opportunity for all States to discuss and exchange views on how best to address the many challenges facing us. My Government looks forward to participating actively in this important gathering. Equally important are the special session of the General Assembly to review the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and Further Initiatives: the review of the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women; and the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, to be held in the year 2001.

Finally, the United Nations needs adequate financial resources to achieve its objectives. The current financial difficulties do not bode well for the Organization. Member States must honour their Charter obligations and pay their dues in full, on time, and without conditions. Despite our own economic and financial constraints, my Government has settled most of its arrears to the United Nations, including contributions to the regular budget for 1999 and peacekeeping operations.

This century has witnessed vast advances in transport and communications technology, the increase of global trade and wealth and improvements in the area of international peace and security. New information and communications technologies have driven globalization. Unfortunately, these achievements, including the benefits and opportunities of globalization, have not been widely enjoyed and distributed. Global governance of globalization must focus on human security, development, equity, ethics, inclusion and sustainability. Let us unite in the spirit of the new millennium to build a better world to live in.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands for the statement he has just made.

The President

The Assembly will next hear a statement by the Prime Minister of the Republic of the Niger.

The President

I have great pleasure in welcoming the Prime Minister of the Republic of the Niger, His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, and inviting him to address the Assembly.

Mr. Mayaki (Niger)

I am delighted to have the opportunity at this fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly to share with the entire international community the concerns -- but also the hope -- that inspire the nation of Niger in the progress of world events.

The Niger welcomes the new Member States -- the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga -- to membership of the United Nations community.

I would also like to say how proud and pleased we are, Sir, over your unanimous election as President of the General Assembly for this session. On behalf of the delegation of the Niger, I wish to sincerely congratulate you and the other members of the Bureau. Your professional skills and your well-known human qualities, as well as your unceasing commitment to your country, Namibia, and to the defence of the noble causes of humanity, guarantee the successful outcome of the Assembly's work.

My delegation also has the agreeable duty of paying a well-deserved tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Didier Opertti, for the excellent work done during his term of office.

The presence at your side of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, whose devotion and constant desire to serve the causes I have mentioned are well-established, reinforces our conviction that the outcome of this session will make it possible to lay a sound basis for the future of a world that is less unjust, more peaceful, more prosperous -- and, in a word, more human.

The Niger is a landlocked, heavily indebted country which has for almost a decade suffered from chronic institutional instability. This situation has seriously undermined its people's efforts to establish a viable political, economic and social environment. Since its accession to independence in August 1960 the Republic of the Niger has experienced profound upheavals which have affected its progress towards the establishment of a democratic, harmonious and prosperous society.

But these upheavals, far from weakening the democratic ideal of our people, have strengthened its resolve to overcome these challenges. Strengthened by this conviction, the Council for National Reconciliation and the Government resulting from the events of 9 April 1999 have made the strong commitment that the people of the Niger, at peace with itself and possessing stable and durable democratic institutions, will be able to meet the challenges of the third millennium.

On 18 July, in a referendum, the people of the Niger adopted the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, which will lead to the establishment of lasting democratic institutions.

The timetable decided on by our Independent National Electoral Commission sets the first round of presidential elections for 17 October. The second round will be held at the same time as the general elections, on 24 November. The investiture and assumption of office of the President-elect of the Republic will take place on 31 December 1999.

In this respect, every step has been taken to organize the elections in the most transparent, honest and neutral way possible. The measures taken include a ban on the military's submitting candidates for the presidential and general elections, even if those candidates are on leave of absence or have resigned from the military. The Government will ensure that the elections are held in a spirit of impartiality.

With this same aim, the Independent National Electoral Commission was institutionalized and a national communications monitor set up to guarantee equal access to public media and to ensure that the press is free and constructive.

Basically, therefore, our political transition is on the right track, and the instruments for this transition will be active until power is handed over to the duly, freely elected authorities.

In view of all this, we hope that our traditional external partners will help us establish true democracy in the Niger. We expect their support, which is necessary to help us in the process of establishing dialogue among all parties concerned to guarantee the holding of credible, honest elections.

But as the Assembly is aware, democracy does not just mean holding a series of elections. A legal arsenal and a different way of thinking are essential to consolidate democracy, and this is why we have started giving organized, concerted consideration to the drafting of basic texts that will govern the future Republic.

Varied and burning issues, such as the depoliticization of the administration, the electoral code, the charter of political parties, the status of the opposition and the role of the army in a democratic context have been tackled.

In this context, I call upon interested States to take part in the national workshop to be held next December on the theme "The army and democracy in Africa: the case of the Niger".

I wish very sincerely to thank all bilateral and multilateral partners of the Niger, in particular United Nations agencies, and more specifically the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for having continued to support my country's efforts to create the right institutional environment to restore social peace and to enable men and women of the Niger to meet the major challenges they face. This highly appreciated assistance will continue to be necessary in this decisive phase of the democratic process and the process of national reconciliation.

The recurrent theme of post-conflict insecurity deserves special attention from the United Nations system. The Niger, resolutely committed to the process of cantonment, disarmament and socio-economic reintegration of elements of the former rebel army which rampaged in the north and far east of the country a few years ago, fully supports the programme for collecting and destroying small arms.

It is in this spirit that my country submitted to the Secretariat a plan to put an end to the illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons. It endorsed the decision taken by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in June 1998 and the declaration adopted by the heads of State and Government of member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in October 1998 to deal with the destabilizing effects and the threat to peace and security posed by the illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons for the West African region and for the entire continent.

We welcome the emerging concordance of views and action regarding the priority nature of this question among African organizations on the one hand, and other international institutions -- including those of the United Nations system, the European Union and the Organization of American States -- on the other. This international consensus will make it possible to take effective steps in time for the upcoming international conference on all aspects of the illicit arms trade, to be held in 2001.

The Niger has always sought to make its modest contribution to the settlement of conflicts that threaten peace and security in Africa and throughout the rest of the world. Despite our limited resources, we sent troops to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, as well as civilian police officers to Haiti. In this regard, my Government wishes to reaffirm its constant willingness to send military and police contingents to all United Nations peacekeeping operations when needed.

In Africa, thanks to the efforts of the international community, we have reason to hope that the process leading to the referendum on self-determination for the Sahraoui people will soon lead to a final settlement of this question.

The conclusion of the Peace Agreement in Sierra Leone under the aegis of ECOWAS and the Ceasefire Agreement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have given us a glimmer of hope. These efforts must be continued and must serve as an example for those involved in other conflicts, such as in Angola, in Somalia or in the armed confrontation between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

It must be acknowledged that these situations of crisis and insecurity demand first and foremost that African Governments and leaders of public opinion commit themselves resolutely to dealing with factors of instability on a consensus basis. In this respect, my Government and my people would like through me to welcome the individual and collective initiatives to create or consolidate an environment of peace and security in Africa, which is a sine qua non for development.

Outstanding and effective initiatives have been taken in various places and should be welcomed. Among these is the action initiated by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, who had the praiseworthy idea of holding on 16 September last, a referendum on civil concord, which was massively supported by the Algerian people. The Government and the people of the Niger welcome this genuine plebiscite and the prospects it ushers in for that fraternal country.

The Niger also welcomes the positive developments in the Lockerbie case. We believe that conditions now exist for the total lifting of sanctions against the great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.

In the Middle East, the attention of the international community is still focused on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which, fortunately, seems to have been revived with the change in the leadership of the Israeli Government.

In Asia, the Jammu and Kashmir conflict remains a source of great tension between two nuclear States, India and Pakistan, and a persistent, serious threat to peace and security in that part of South Asia.

The Niger, therefore, as a member of the contact group established by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, reiterates its appeal to both parties to step up their negotiations in order to reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict by recognizing the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination pursuant to the relevant resolutions of the United Nations.

In Europe, my Government welcomes the return of peace to the Balkans. The establishment of an administration under United Nations control is a sure guarantee for the safe return of the refugees.

It is more essential and urgent than ever to reverse the decline in official development assistance which, it must be recalled, is at its lowest level in 50 years. In order to meet this challenge, the international community must consider the possibility of mobilizing additional resources. It is therefore urgent that progress be made within the framework of the initiatives taken at world summits. At the same time, we must pool our efforts to increase the effectiveness of aid by reviewing its modalities and through its sound and rigorous management.

It is on the basis of this experience that my Government adopted a national strategy note and an economic recovery programme that clearly defines the coherent networks for action by our development partners. Furthermore, the crucial problem of African countries' debt -- which is wiping out all development efforts -- calls for the international community as a whole to implement, without delay or conditions other than good public administration, appropriate regulatory policies and mechanisms.

In this connection, the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt (HIPC) Initiative of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as well as the recent initiative undertaken in Cologne at the Group of 7 Summit, must be extended to all the least developed countries in order to produce the effects we hope to see. This must take the form of an outright cancellation of the debt.

Despite the outstanding efforts made by many African countries in the area of economic reform, foreign private investment flows are still meagre, notwithstanding the enabling environment that has been established. We very much hope that the positive initiative taken by the Secretary-General at Davos will allow greater involvement by the private sector in implementing adequate measures to reverse that tendency. It is in this connection that my delegation would like to appeal to all development partners to help reinforce the institutional capacities of our States and to create adequate infrastructures, which are guarantees of balanced development.

The second special dialogue between the Economic and Social Council and the Bretton Woods institutions held here on 29 April 1999 reaffirmed the need to continue the reform of the international financial system, bearing in mind social imperatives and the external debt situation, that is to say, the close link between settling debt, poverty reduction and lasting development.

Niger belongs to the group of least developed countries and has a population that is growing at an annual rate of 3.4 per cent. It has a fertility rate of 7.4 children per woman and a life expectancy of 47 years, and is ranked among the poorest countries of the world. Despite all these constraints, my country has made efforts to design and implement initiatives in keeping with the recommendations of the population conferences.

These various difficulties have exacerbated the political instability I referred to before and have kept our country at the bottom of the human development table. Poverty affects 63 per cent of our compatriots, 34 per cent of whom live below the extreme poverty threshold. Those people are victims of continued declining maternal, childhood and adolescent health standards -- a critical social and health situation marked by high mortality and illiteracy rates, one of the lowest standards of education and insufficient drinking water resources. They even lack basic social services.

The economic and financial crisis that has hit my country has, among other things, led to a drastic reduction in public investment, particularly in the social sectors, thus depriving 80 per cent of the rural population of adequate living standards. With the valuable assistance of international financial institutions we have initiated an enormous economic recovery programme to confront this situation. This programme includes, among other things, a series of economic and financial reforms and framework programmes to restore the macroeconomic balance, reduce poverty and stimulate growth.

I wish, from this rostrum, to reiterate our great appreciation for the ongoing support that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other development partners have been steadily providing to implement our national framework programme to combat poverty. This programme we are implementing is one of the priorities of the first country cooperation framework adopted by the UNDP Governing Council last January.

I would like here to make a heartfelt appeal to the United Nations system to allocate sufficient supplementary resources to UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA so that they can complete their development activities in the least developed countries. This appeal also goes out to the international community to supply all the necessary support to my country so that the major challenges we are confronting can be met.

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, special attention should be given to making a reality of the universality of our world Organization. Peace, security and development are too important to be the sole responsibility of a club of military, economic and financial Powers. Africa, which now figures prominently among international initiatives and hopes to become an active partner in those initiatives, must play an important role within a reformed Security Council. Africa has countries that can play a decisive role in that regard.

A large number of countries, including my own, that share the use of French with other States of the world very much hope that they can work in all United Nations bodies and agencies in their official language. The member States of the Organisation international de la Francophonie, which is increasingly establishing itself as an essential actor in world affairs, will make an additional contribution in the give-and-take process in the third millennium.

In conclusion, I should like to express the confidence that Niger and its people have in the United Nations, which is trying very hard to be an institution that embodies hope on the basis of justice, equity, peace, freedom and progress. These values will build the coming twenty-first century we are expecting if the United Nations is stronger and more effective.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of the Niger for the statement he has just made.

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

The President

I take great pleasure in welcoming The Right Honourable Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal, and inviting him to address the General Assembly.

Mr. Bhattarai (Nepal)

I bring to you, Mr. President, to Secretary-General Kofi Annan and to all representatives the greetings and best wishes of His Majesty King Birendra and of the Government and people of Nepal. Your election is testimony to the wide recognition of your great country's contribution to the cause of freedom of the peoples and to the work of the United Nations. Please accept our congratulations and pledge of support. Our appreciation goes also to your predecessor, Mr. Didier Opertti, for the wise manner in which he conducted the business of the fifty-third session of the General Assembly.

The massive loss of life and property and the untold suffering caused by the recent earthquakes to the peoples of Turkey, Greece and Taiwan have touched the hearts of the Nepalese people. Indeed, our hearts go out to the hundreds of thousands of peoples across the globe who have suffered from both natural and man-made disasters.

Nepal wholeheartedly welcomes Kiribati, Nauru and Tonga as new Members of the United Nations. Their admission has enriched the world Organization and enhanced its universality.

Following the restoration of the multi-party political system in Nepal, I had the unique privilege of steering the country at a turning point of history as its Prime Minister, entrusted with the twin responsibilities of overseeing the formulation of a new democratic constitution of the Kingdom and the holding of free, fair and peaceful general elections at the beginning of the last decade of this century. With the people's trust and guidance, the cooperation of all political parties and the support of His Majesty the King, and above all with God's will, those responsibilities were fully discharged.

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal not only guarantees the fundamental human rights of the people but also the independence of the judiciary. It defines and protects the basic tenets of parliamentary democracy in Nepal, and it identifies the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations as the fundamental plank of the foreign policy of the country. Standing today before this Assembly of nations, I wish to reaffirm Nepal's commitment to the principles and objectives of the United Nations and to share, in brief, our hopes, aspirations and views.

Last year we observed the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone in human history. The fiftieth anniversary of another historical milestone -- the Geneva Conventions of 1949 -- this year provides the international community with another opportunity to reiterate its deepening commitment to democracy, human rights and improved living conditions for peoples. At the national level, we regard the protection and promotion of human rights as a sine qua non for the all-round development of the people. Democracy and development, I believe, are two sides of the same coin, hard to guarantee and secure except in a state of peace and stability under a system of participatory good governance.

Nepal is a nation with a young democratic setup and an ever-deepening commitment to human rights and the all-round development of the people, who are beset with the numerous unique and onerous challenges characteristic of a small land-locked and least developed country with difficult Himalayan and mountainous terrains and the greatest of contemporary problems -- poverty. At no point in history have we witnessed poverty eating up so systematically the spiritual richness of peoples in many countries, including Nepal -- the land of the Buddha.

Nepal's development efforts are driven by an overriding objective of poverty eradication through employment and income generation, social mobilization and the strengthening of social capital within a democratic values-based system. The country has almost unlimited potential for hydropower development and tourism, and we have created legislative conditions for the participation of foreign investors in these sectors as well as in other trade and services-generating sectors in Nepal. Our commitment to sustainable development has been translated into several measures aimed at the preservation of the environment and ecological balance, including the earmarking of a large part of our land area for the development of wildlife parks and nature reserves. I want at this stage to reiterate our commitment to the development of Lumbini -- the birthplace of the Buddha -- as an enduring peace monument, a holy shrine for pilgrimage and one of the world's greatest cultural heritages.

I am disheartened that despite several world summits, conferences and international commitments, absolute poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy and hopelessness should still remain the lot of the bulk of the world's population. One billion adults, the majority of them women, cannot read or write. Almost a billion people are underfed and malnourished, and a similar number have no access to clean water, shelter or health care. Many millions die before they reach the age of 40.

Equally threatening is the ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. The conclusion of this year's Human Development Report is the unbelievable polarization between peoples and countries, which the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) characterized as grotesque and dangerous. The one fifth of the world's population in the highest-income countries commands 86 per cent of world gross domestic product and 82 per cent of world export markets, while the bottom fifth, in the poorest countries has just 1 per cent of both categories. How long can the world go on like this, with a small part of its people living in freedom and prosperity while the larger segment is living in fetters under abject conditions, before calamity engulfs us all?

A few years ago, at the request of the heads of State or Government of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, I undertook the task of chairing the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation as part of a regional endeavour to work out regional strategies and programmes of action for the eradication of poverty from South Asia. My own experience as Chairman of that Commission leads me to the inescapable conclusion that the goal of poverty eradication requires, among other things, sustained political will and commitment of the highest order, an integrated and coordinated approach and decisive national actions, with the participation of all, including grass-roots organizations and civil society, backed by enhanced international development cooperation.

But the fast-dwindling official development assistance flows and ever-increasing resource constraints of United Nations development agencies, such as the United Nations Development Programme, make our task of poverty eradication and development harder and harder with each passing year. This is particularly true in the case of least developed and landlocked countries such as Nepal. While we deeply appreciate the help of our development partners, we urge developed countries, which are undoubtedly in a position to do so, to generously increase the volume of their official development assistance so as to attain the target set by this Assembly. Reallocation of official development assistance in favour of the less developed countries is another area which deserves attention.

As we are a democratic nation, women -- who make up half of every country's population -- are the backbone of Nepalese society. We can hardly remain oblivious to the urgent need for their empowerment and advancement. We have made legislative arrangements to guarantee their participation in the national polity by reserving exclusively for them as many as 40,000 seats in the local elected bodies. In the three general elections since 1991, the number of women parliamentarians has steadily gone up. But we are aiming for more. Their literacy rate is also improving. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, to which Nepal recently presented its country report, has acknowledged the progress made in raising the status of women in general and in increasing understanding of gender issues and the human rights of women among the Nepalese population. We know we have to do a lot more, and I am personally committed to this.

We are equally committed to the protection and promotion of the rights of the child as well as the rights and interests of other vulnerable and disadvantaged sections of society. In short, we have before us a large agenda for nation-building, for the consolidation of gains in democracy and human rights and for living up to our international commitment to peace, cooperation and development in the world. We are dealing with the agenda with a sense of purpose and commitment, although there are several obvious difficulties, including the economic, social, environmental and political problems created by 100,000 refugees from Bhutan. We seek the continued support and understanding of the international community in the creation of an environment conducive to the resolution of this problem through bilateral negotiations. We also seek its support for their sustenance until they are repatriated.

I wish to place on record our appreciation of and gratitude to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the world's foremost public servant, for his efforts and successes in defusing tensions around the world and solving many seemingly intractable problems, such as those of Libya and the popular consultation in East Timor. I am impressed with his impassioned call for the transition from a culture of reaction to a culture of prevention in the United Nations. He has drawn our attention to the benefits and risks provided by globalization and to the need for strengthened international cooperation to offset the vulnerability of many countries, particularly the least developed and landlocked ones, and the marginalization of Africa.

We have noted his emphasis on the maintenance of international peace and security as the primary responsibility of the Security Council. We thank him also for his dedication to comprehensive United Nations reform and for his package of reform proposals. Reform is a continuing process. It will be neither meaningful nor complete unless we arrive at a ratifiable global consensus on the functioning and composition of a reformed Security Council. The statement of the Foreign Ministers of the five permanent members that any attempt to restrict or curtail their veto rights would not be conducive to the reform process is a matter of deep disappointment. Nepal supports the common position evolved at the Durban Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement on the question of Security Council reform. We are also firm in our view that no reform measure should curtail the authority of the General Assembly, which is the nearest thing to a world parliament.

The United Nations cannot continue to function effectively without a fair and sound financial base. Assessed dues must be paid in full and on time. Peacekeeping is a unique and most useful instrument for the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. Nepal has participated in United Nations peacekeeping for over 40 years in all parts of the world. Some 35,000 of our troops and 800 of our police have served with many peacekeeping operations, 39 having been martyred and several more wounded in the line of duty. It is the firm policy of Nepal not only to maintain but also to increase our contribution to United Nations peacekeeping.

It is disappointing that for three years in a row the principal United Nations forum for disarmament negotiations, the Conference on Disarmament, has not been able to agree on an agenda of work. Some important arms control and disarmament measures have been adopted without reference to the Conference on Disarmament. As host to the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, Nepal's commitment to general and complete disarmament, including total nuclear disarmament, remains undiluted.

In the summer months of this year, South Asia witnessed a flare-up between two of our close neighbours. Disquieting because it broke a peace that had lasted for nearly three decades, it also exposed the myth fostered in a bygone era that countries possessing nuclear weapons would not go to conventional war against each other. The risk of an accidental nuclear war engulfing other countries was magnified by the close proximity of the two countries. Leaving aside the causes of that flare-up, I would like to commend the Prime Ministers and the Governments of the two countries for their restraint, good sense and wisdom in containing the conflict and displaying a high degree of responsibility to their peoples, to the rest of South Asia and to the peoples of the entire world. May I take this opportunity once again to appeal to the Prime Ministers of those two countries to resume their dialogue, begun in Lahore last February.

Nepal welcomes the Sharm el-Sheikh accord between Prime Minister Barak and President Arafat as an irreversible step forward in the Middle East peace process. It opens the way to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace. We hope, for the sake of peace, that negotiations between Syria and Israel and Lebanon will soon resume in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.

Let me conclude with a brief mention of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which consists of the seven countries of the region, representing one fifth of humanity. We are united in a common effort to enhance the quality of life of all our peoples. I am looking forward to hosting the next summit meeting of heads of State or Government of the South Asian region in two months' time at Kathmandu. Our important agenda will deal with such issues as free trade and a SAARC social charter. We will also be signing a regional convention on combatting the crime of trafficking in women and children. This will be another landmark in the work of SAARC, a regional association dedicated to peace and cooperation in South Asia.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal for his statement.

The President

I call next on the Chairman of the delegation of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, His Excellency Mr. Abuzed Omar Dorda.

Mr. Dorda (Libya) --> -->

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