General Assembly Session 62 meeting 6

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Latvia.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Valdis Zatlers, President of the Republic of Latvia, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

Mr. Zatlers (Latvia)

I wish to begin by congratulating you, Mr. Kerim, on your assumption of the post of President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. Your wise and energetic leadership will reflect the abilities of the people of your country and of our region as a whole. I also wish to congratulate and extend my best wishes to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and to pledge him my full support. It is evident that the Secretary-General recognizes the multitude of challenges the world is facing today. Only two days ago, I took part in the high-level meeting on climate change here at the United Nations. That meeting was organized by the Secretary-General to highlight the urgent need for decisions that will prevent long-term negative consequences. Now we must all work together towards achieving a satisfactory outcome to the Bali Conference, which is to be held at the end of this year.

I welcome the fact that the Security Council was able to adopt the groundbreaking resolution 1769 (2007), which authorized the deployment of the Hybrid Operation in Darfur. It is now imperative that the resolution be translated into reality. We all recognize the difficulties involved. It is also imperative to continue the political process. Only a negotiated solution has the potential to bring sustainable peace to that long-suffering region.

To a great extent, the stability and prosperity of Iraq depend on support from its region. We therefore welcome the fact that the Security Council could unite to adopt resolution 1770 (2007). That resolution gives a renewed and strengthened mandate to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq. With the launch of the International Compact with Iraq, last May, the world community now possesses an effective instrument for rendering further assistance to the areas in Iraq where it is most needed. The Compact has already been used to achieve positive results. We encourage the Government of Iraq to continue to take steps towards promoting economic reform and achieving peace and stability for its people.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I visited Afghanistan. I had a chance to meet with President Karzai, representatives of the Afghan Government, Latvian troops and civilian experts. The message from all those meetings was clear. Providing assistance through the International Security Assistance Force is just one side of the coin; the other entails contributing to building a solid foundation for the country's sustainable development.

Latvia is present in Afghanistan as part of both the international military and the civilian rebuilding effort. Latvia's Government is contributing financially to the reconstruction of infrastructure in Afghanistan. However, it is my strong conviction that the key to success in Afghanistan is cooperation -- cooperation among countries and international organizations. To succeed, the European Union, the United Nations, NATO and others must adopt a comprehensive, long-term approach to development assistance for the country.

In the Middle East, the past year has brought no significant breakthrough. Yet, we continue to place our trust in the work of the Quartet, which supports the efforts of responsible regional States in helping to calm the situation. It is a crucial tool to promote a negotiated, comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, in line with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. I am sure that the Quartet's newly appointed Special Envoy will use his great experience and make sincere efforts to fulfil his challenging mandate.

The international community is currently also seized of the matter regarding the final status of Kosovo. The Secretary-General has endorsed the Comprehensive Proposal of his Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. The Proposal currently remains the only viable diplomatic solution on the table. The active involvement of the European Union is important to achieve a lasting solution. We urge both parties to show flexibility and commitment to a peaceful negotiated outcome. We sincerely hope that the ongoing talks under the auspices of the Contact Group troika will result in success.

In my previous capacity as a surgeon, I performed many operations. But I also closely followed the recovery process of every one of my patients. I ensured that they got the necessary post-operative treatment and encouraged them to maintain healthy habits. In that phase I had to rely heavily on the work of my able and dedicated team. Likewise, it is not enough for the Security Council to prescribe peacekeeping operations, crucial as they are for international peace and security. The whole United Nations system is necessary for the long-term recovery of conflict zones.

In that regard, I would like to pay special tribute to the peacekeepers and to the United Nations staff working in difficult conditions on the ground. It is our duty in our capitals, and here at United Nations Headquarters, to support their efforts, each Member State according to its capacity. At the same time, we expect high standards in peacekeeping forces.

For many decades, Latvia suffered extensively from foreign occupation. Now that we have regained our freedom, we hope to prevent the suffering of others. We wish to promote the healing process. The international community must bring to justice those who have committed war crimes and massive violations of human rights. Latvia commends the work of the International Criminal Court. We have placed our hopes in the Peacebuilding Commission -- that it will be an effective tool for consolidating long-term peace.

Even where military conflict is not a factor, human security in many parts of the world is undermined by poverty, hunger and disease. The 2007 Millennium Development Goals Report gave us some good news. However, it warned us that the Goals will not be achieved by the year 2015 -- certainly not in sub-Saharan Africa -- unless our efforts are scaled up. Latvia therefore supports the call to review progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and accelerate action.

Latvia is a candidate in the 2010 elections for the Economic and Social Council. We have know-how to share, and we also have empathy for the pain that reforms may cause. As an emerging donor, we have undertaken commitments in the area of overseas development assistance. We believe that our recent intensive and successful experience in development will be an asset to the work of the Council.

Latvia has a strong commitment to multilateralism and the values embodied in the Charter of the United Nations. We want to see an Organization that embodies effectiveness, efficiency and authority. It is regrettable that the reform process launched at the 2005 World Summit has been slow and uneven. We recognize the forces that make the reform so difficult, but we must not give in to fatigue and frustration. Management reform is vital. I already mentioned the dire necessity for a comprehensive approach among the different international players on the ground. Likewise, there is a great need for system-wide coherence of the various United Nations funds and programmes. The provision of aid should be targeted and efficient. Our focus should be on those in need. We look forward to assessing the results of the "One UN" pilot programme, which is now under way in eight volunteer countries.

The beginnings of the new Human Rights Council were a cause for concern. Still, we are confident that after making important decisions on institution-building earlier this year, Member States will take full advantage of the Human Rights Council. We have to live up to our task to further promote and protect human rights. The Council now has the tools, but it will be up to Member States to use those tools. It will be up to Member States to advance the credibility of the United Nations as an Organization able and willing to protect and promote human rights.

Latvia has always placed the promotion of human rights among its top priorities. In the light of that commitment, we have decided to aim for membership in the Human Rights Council in the 2014 elections.

No reform will be more difficult or more significant than that of the Security Council. The Security Council has had many achievements. However, we share the widespread belief that the composition and the working methods of the Council need to be brought up to date. We have stated many times our reasons for supporting the model of reform being promoted by the G4 nations, namely, Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan. We consider it to be the best of the models currently available. We welcome the prospect of intergovernmental negotiations beginning in the current session and hope that they will produce early positive results.

The United Nations is as important as ever, being the only truly universal forum for global dialogue. We must not forget that it is also the only truly universal forum for decision-making and action. But above all, we must emphasize that this is the forum where all States, big and small, have a voice. This is also a forum where all States have a responsibility to contribute.

Latvia looks forward to a fruitful sixty-second session of the General Assembly.

The President

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

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Swiss Confederation.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations Her Excellency Mrs. Micheline Calmy-Rey, President of the Swiss Confederation, and to invite her to address the Assembly.

President Calmy-Rey (Switzerland)

At the outset, Sir, I should like to congratulate you on your election as President of the General Assembly, and to assure you of my country's full support during the sixty-second session.

All of us here share the hope for a more peaceful and harmonious world. At a time when civilian populations are the targets of suicide attacks and sophisticated weapons, when children are forced to become soldiers, and climate change poses a threat to the survival of our planet, how are we meeting our responsibilities? Where does the responsibility lie when millions of men and women are suffering from malnutrition and their most basic needs are not being met, when injustice is everywhere, and when the environment is being destroyed? How can we overcome those scourges assailing human beings throughout the world? How can we translate our responsibilities into action?

In attempting to answer those questions, we have to acknowledge two facts. The first is that respect for human rights, the rule of law and good governance are the prerequisites both to achieving lasting peace and security and to protecting the environment. We know now that systematic violations of human rights and flagrant deficiencies in the rule of law are often the source of conflicts. The second concerns the nature of conflicts. On the ground, battle lines are being blurred. State forces are confronting non-State armed groups. Warlords, terrorists and criminal gangs dictate the rules. Civilians rather than soldiers are the primary targets.

It is no longer possible to limit security policy to the traditional State framework. The focus now must be first and foremost on the security of the individual. Accordingly, Governments and non-State armed groups alike are called on to respect certain basic rules common to all.

If we are to achieve results, confrontation must give way to dialogue and efforts to find solutions. Negotiation, dialogue and diplomacy are the tools for achieving success. We must overcome the barriers that exist between different sectors and disciplines in the field of international relations. We must develop alliances based on shared values. That approach should enable us to find solutions by cutting across regional, ideological and cultural boundaries. The recent past has shown what can be achieved. The International Criminal Court, the Human Rights Council and the Anti-personnel Landmines Convention were all the result of broad-based coalitions of countries in all regions of the world.

However, dialogue alone will not be enough. Experience has shown that, without concrete objectives, debates between players with very different views of the world can sometimes serve to accentuate differences. In contrast, efforts to devise and implement actions that are concrete and practical make for cohabitation between different communities. It is for that reason that Switzerland supports such initiatives as the Alliance of Civilizations, along with the implementation plan proposed by the secretariat of the Alliance.

Coherent overall solutions to the crises that are currently affecting the international order cannot be implemented unless we take into account the interests of all the communities concerned. Switzerland does all it can to promote dialogue with all parties. That is particularly the case in Lebanon, where we are offering the political forces a forum in which to seek a way out of the current political crisis in the interest of long-term stability.

Recent developments in the occupied Palestinian territories have reminded us once again, with tragic intensity, of the need to respect those principles. In that regard as well, the involvement of all parties is necessary if there is to be a lasting solution.

The same can be said for the situation in Darfur. My country hopes that resolution 1769 (2007), which for the first time envisages close cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, will provide the inhabitants of that region with an opportunity to live in peace and to achieve reconciliation after so many years of suffering.

The situation in Myanmar is alarming. Switzerland calls on the Government of Myanmar to renounce all forms of violence against demonstrators and civilians. Switzerland favours dialogue among all the parties concerned, under the aegis of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General.

Lastly, there can be no peace or security without international justice. Switzerland supports in particular the work of the International Criminal Court. Its permanent nature and the possibility of the Security Council referring situations to the Court -- as it did in the case of Darfur -- gives that institution a preventive effect. For that effect to be achieved, the Court must have the full support of the international community, which must ensure that all States cooperate fully with the Court.

Human security policy also applies to environmental threats. The actions of humankind have changed the climate of the planet. Those changes are taking place on a global scale and are resulting in rising temperatures, radical changes in precipitation patterns, rising sea levels and a disruption to the balance of nature. Taken as a whole, those phenomena pose a major threat to millions of people and the places where people live, their cultures and their living conditions. The risks to security, health and development are discussed in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Today environmental problems are a threat to security. At the political level, they require that we act responsibly as human beings. They also require the forming of alliances to protect our natural resources. Although we have established institutions and international mechanisms to combat underdevelopment and promote peace and respect for human rights, we have not done enough with regard to the environment. It is true that we have a series of international conventions and national programmes and legislation. But environmental governance is fragmented and lacks clear objectives. We therefore need to join together to identify and implement commitments in order to better manage resources and efforts and to protect the biosphere. We also need to mobilize the United Nations system in order to respond to climate change effectively and coherently.

Switzerland therefore hopes that we will set ambitious goals for ourselves in the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol. We are ready to make a substantial contribution to that collective effort, in which the entire international community must join. Switzerland believes that, in order to have legitimacy, any future international regime to address climate change will require the participation of all countries. In our view, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changes and the Kyoto Protocol provide the most appropriate starting points for all deliberations and negotiations on climate change.

Addressing the economic, social and environmental aspects of development based on respect for human rights is both a challenge and a goal for all of us as we seek to build a world that is both freer and more secure. The international community has adopted many development goals in recent decades. However, additional efforts must still be made to ensure greater coherence in the operational system of the United Nations. With its funds, programmes and specialized agencies, the system has at its disposal an excellent network through which to ensure its presence on the ground. It also has great moral and technical legitimacy and substantial operational capacity.

Unfortunately the system remains fragmented and its transaction costs are very high -- costs which are to a great extent borne by beneficiary countries themselves. Major adjustments -- some of which are described in the report entitled "Delivering as One" -- need to be carried out promptly in the field so that United Nations operational bodies can meet the needs of partner countries more effectively. Negotiations on the triennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, which are due to begin in a few weeks, will provide the appropriate framework to determine what measures are needed -- especially on the basis of the experiences of pilot countries that are applying the concept of "One United Nations".

We stand today at the midpoint of the timetable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Although there is no denying that progress has been made at various levels, there is still much to be done. All of us -- Governments, multilateral institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector -- must combine our efforts across a wide front that encompasses the national, regional and international spheres. Given the upcoming high-level dialogue on financing for development, I shall limit myself merely to recalling that all of us have a common interest in improving the efficiency and the impact of development assistance and in increasing the volume of resources made available for it through official channels. We already know that results in this area can only be achieved through very considerable joint efforts by all partners concerned.

The Organization has begun a process of reform in order to better respond to global challenges. So as to strengthen the credibility and efficiency of the efforts of the United Nations, we must demonstrate our determination to fully carry out those reforms. There was real progress in the past year, including the beginning of the work of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council. That illustrates the ability of the United Nations to carry out ambitious reforms in order to respond to the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Switzerland is advocating for an overall improvement in the working methods of the Security Council. My country will continue its efforts to improve transparency in sanctions committees and to ensure that the addition and removal of names of persons and entities on sanctions lists are in conformity with the principles of the rule of law and human rights.

Efficient management and a better targeted use of available resources continue to pose a serious challenge for the Organization. Switzerland welcomes the determination of the Secretary-General to make the efficiency of the United Nations system one of his priorities. Given the progress made this year, but especially because of the challenges that remain, Switzerland believes that it is essential to continue the process of reform already under way. My country will therefore continue to support the efforts of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon aimed at strengthening the United Nations and making the Organization more efficient.

If we want to move ahead, if we are determined to overcome the varied and interdependent challenges facing the globalized world of today, and if we want to free individual human beings from fear and want, we must focus on concrete objectives. To that end, let us resolve to work tirelessly to overcome our differences in the interest of the nations and peoples we represent.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Swiss Confederation for the statement she has just made.

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Mr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdellahi, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations Mr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdellahi, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Ould Cheikh Abdellahi (Mauritania)

I am pleased to extend my warmest congratulations to you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. We have every confidence in your efforts to strengthen peace within a global system characterized by justice, balance and stability.

I would also like to congratulate your predecessor, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, on her successful efforts to advance debate and dialogue on the main concerns and problems of our day.

I also wish to congratulate and thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who, from the day he took office, began to promote the reform of the Organization, in addition to addressing international peace and security issues.

Allow me, in particular, to welcome the fact that the General Assembly at its sixty-first session focused on development issues, together with the fight against poverty, the adverse effects of climate change, economic globalization, promoting dialogue and understanding between civilizations and religions, introducing modern good governance systems, and the consolidation of democracy.

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals, which is an urgent priority, requires that we all intensify our efforts and promote cooperation and coordination so as to establish conditions conducive to sustainable, comprehensive and balanced development.

We believe that encouraging the spirit and values of understanding, dialogue and complementarity between civilizations and nations, upholding the rule of law, and expanding justice and equity are the speediest way to ensure peace and security in the world and eradicate hatred and confrontation between peoples. The continuation of seemingly intractable problems, the widening of the gap between rich and poor, the existence of structural dysfunctions in the global economy, the absence of justice, and the prevalence of injustice and despair are factors that perpetuate pockets of tension and conflict and encourage extremism and terrorism.

We in Mauritania have rejected terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We strongly condemn it and, at the same time, we continue to adhere to Islamic values in our society -- which are based on tolerance and the rejection of violence and extremism and call for understanding and brotherhood.

Under the Charter of the United Nations we are committed to join efforts to maintain international peace and security. That commitment continues to be undermined by conflict situations, some of which have persisted since the founding of the Organization. The Arab-Israeli conflict is undeniably the one that generates the most antagonism and most threatens international peace and security. That conflict continues despite the fact that the framework setting out the general conditions for a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the conflict has been defined and reaffirmed over the years by the Security Council and the General Assembly. Those basic requirements constitute the very essence of the Arab Peace Initiative. That Initiative guarantees peace, security and the recognition of the State of Israel by Arab countries in exchange for an end to the occupation of Arab territories and an agreement to seek out mutually acceptable solutions for other outstanding issues. Israel must seize this historic opportunity and subsequently comply with international law so that the peoples of the region can at last live in peace -- and in particular so that the Palestinian people can regain their usurped rights and be able to establish an independent State, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Mauritania is of course following closely the issue of the Western Sahara. We are pleased with the recent steps that have led to the resumption of direct negotiations. We reiterate our support for the efforts of the Secretary-General to find a definitive solution acceptable to all parties that guarantees stability in the region.

With regard to Darfur, we are pleased about the agreement reached between the Government of the Sudan, the African Union and the United Nations. We hope that all parties will join efforts to ensure that peace, understanding and accord prevail as soon as possible among our Sudanese brothers and sisters.

As for the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, we were pleased to note the remarkable progress made on the path towards civic peace in the country. We hope that overall stability will prevail in that brotherly country and that it will once again assume its rightful place in the West African subregion and in the continent as a whole.

The African Union, working with the United Nations, is making intensive efforts to resolve the crises on the African continent. However, social and economic progress undoubtedly offers the best solution to those conflicts. Africa's share of the world economy has declined in the past two decades. The continent now lags behind in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Yet, there are real signs of improvement in the situation on the continent. New economic opportunities now exist, thanks in large part to the growing demand for emerging markets, but Africa still needs further official development assistance and greater flows of foreign direct investment. I should like to point out that African countries are of course primarily responsible for their own development. They must also ensure the rule of law, promote good governance and establish a framework conducive to direct foreign investment.

This year, we in Mauritania improved the democratic process by establishing a pluralistic system based on a Constitution that guarantees the right of the peaceful transfer of power. Our country has therefore undergone a major democratic transformation. We have done so through presidential elections conducted in an atmosphere of transparency, honesty and open competition -- as was noted by national and international observers, including the United Nations, the European Union, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the International Organization of la Francophonie and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. In the same atmosphere of freedom and pluralism, municipal and legislative elections made it possible to choose the representatives of the people to municipal councils and the two houses of Parliament. We paid particular attention to Mauritania's women in both elections, with 20 per cent of contested seats reserved for them. As a result, women are now more represented than ever in the legislative and executive branches, as well as in local administration, diplomacy and management.

Moreover, my Government has made sustained efforts to strengthen national unity and to ensure transparency in the management of public affairs. Among other things, those efforts have led to steps to secure the dignified return of Mauritanian refugees residing in Senegal and Mali, so as to usher in a new era of brotherhood and national reconciliation in our country.

In the same vein, we have enacted a law criminalizing slavery. A high court of justice was also established in order, if necessary, to prosecute the president of the country and senior Government officials through an integral procedure that aims at institutionalizing the norms of good governance, modernizing institutions and strengthening the oversight mechanism through greater and direct participation by the representatives of the people and of civil society. We are more determined than ever to persevere along this path because we believe it is the best way to strengthen national unity and achieve development, security, stability and prosperity for the nation and for our citizens.

Mauritania is resolutely committed to contributing to relations of cooperation and solidarity in our region, in accordance with the ambitions and aspirations of our people. In this framework, our faith in the Arab Maghreb Union as a strategic choice for the region and our faith in the Arab League and the African Union are unwavering, given our firm commitment to the spirit of fraternity and solidarity and to relations of cooperation, friendship and good neighbourliness that link our country to its Arab and African environment. At the same time, our country remains determined to strengthen the bases of dialogue, exchange and understanding between peoples and civilizations, namely within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue.

Mauritania reiterates its commitment to the ideals and purposes of the United Nations, the only multilateral framework at the service of humanity as a whole. Faced with the multiple challenges and threats in today's world, it is our common duty to make the United Nations a melting pot where we can harmonize our efforts to implement the priorities stated in the Millennium Declaration and at various international conferences. In a globalized world marked by the accumulation of wealth and an unprecedented acceleration of technological and scientific progress, it is up to us to benefit equitably from the possibilities that are offered to all peoples and to establish the best living conditions coupled with greater freedom. We took this commitment when we created the United Nations more than 60 years ago. Today we have the means to assume our responsibilities and to uphold this often reiterated commitment.

The President

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

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Finland.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations Her Excellency Mrs. Tarja Halonen, President of the Republic of Finland, and to invite her to address the Assembly.

President Halonen (Finland)

I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, and express our support for your leadership of the General Assembly at this session. Finland aligns itself with the statement of the European Union.

The Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals continue to serve as our common pledge to create a better future for everyone. The United Nations is our world organization, and in addressing global challenges, the United Nations is the key forum for our cooperation.

In order to achieve comprehensive security, we must strive not only for security, but also for development and human rights. In the World Summit two years ago, we decided that the United Nations system should be reformed to better ensure the implementation of these three fundamental principles. We should spare no efforts to continue the overall reform of the United Nations.

A more just world is a safer world. Making the Economic and Social Council more effective is an important part of the United Nations reform and of the concept of broad security.

Establishing a new United Nations institution is truly a challenging task. We know that from our own experience. Finland was a member of the Human Rights Council during its first year. But we have to go on. We must sustain our efforts to make the Council a credible institution, capable of defending and promoting globally the human rights of women, men and children. Our good words and intentions must lead to strong action.

The new Peacebuilding Commission must be developed into a platform that can successfully assist countries struggling in post-conflict situations. To support that work, Governments, parliaments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector must also work together. The Peacebuilding Fund must be used as an effective tool to respond to the immediate needs of post-conflict countries.

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals calls for coherent action. Finland strongly supports the recommendations of the Secretary-General's High-level Panel on System-wide Coherence. The objective of One United Nations at the country level is worth striving for.

We also must reinforce our efforts to address the challenges in the fields of health and education, as so many speakers have mentioned here.

Finland warmly welcomes the Panel's recommendations concerning gender. We do need to take decisive measures to promote gender awareness across the entire United Nations system. We support the proposal to set up a new, consolidated gender agency with a new Under-Secretary-General position at its head.

In this context, I would like to stress the importance of engaging women in all phases of crisis management: conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, without forgetting peace talks. Let me give one example: the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Middle East Initiative. I believe that the cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian women under this initiative can help to restart the peace negotiations. I also use this opportunity to state that Finland is preparing its national action plan to advance the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security.

A stronger United Nations also needs reform of the Secretariat. In this regard, we welcome the additional emphasis given to the rule of law. Support for the rule of law is a necessity in the consolidation of global security.

Sustainable development requires us to consistently promote fairer globalization and the well-being of nature. Climate change affects the future of the whole of mankind. Finland highlights the necessity to reach, as soon as possible, a globally inclusive agreement on the post-2012 climate regime. The United Nations has a central role to play in this process.

Every nation has the right to develop and to aim for growth and prosperity. Industrialized countries must demonstrate solidarity with developing countries and take all possible steps to promote access to environmentally sound technologies for everyone.

I believe that the tone of the climate change debate is developing in a promising direction. Many Member States and various regions and social actors have become active and have produced initiatives concerning the development of climate policy. We have to take advantage of that as an asset in the run-up to the Bali Climate Change Conference, to be held in December.

The high-level event on climate change held on 24 September was a success. I feel that it gave us the political support that we will need when we are heading towards Bali. Everyone's input will, of course, be required. Finland appreciates the fact that the President of the General Assembly has made this topic one of his priorities.

We need effective international cooperation in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation. For example, given the number of victims in today's conflicts, small arms and light weapons are indeed weapons of mass destruction. Finland, together with more than 150 other States, supports the process aimed at the adoption of an international arms trade treaty.

The role of the United Nations is vital in resolving numerous crises around the world. This morning, we heard news from Burma/Myanmar, where the people's fight for freedom and human rights has been suppressed. We must react. United Nations activities need political support and our resources.

We value the determination of the Secretary-General in searching for a solution to the crisis in the Sudan. The new peacekeeping operation in Darfur will increase the total number of United Nations troops to more than 100,000. That remarkable figure proves that the United Nations enjoys the trust of the international community. We welcome Security Council resolution 1778 (2007), adopted yesterday, on an international presence in Chad and the Central African Republic.

In order to achieve success in crisis management, we need partnerships and shared responsibilities. For example, the African Union and the European Union have been valuable partners of the United Nations. The support of local and regional actors is critical for successful United Nations peacekeeping.

We Europeans believe that resolving Kosovo's status is vitally important. In that process, the United Nations Special Envoy has played a pivotal role. We encourage all parties to engage constructively in finding a solution to that problem.

Let me assure the Assembly that Finland supports a stronger United Nations for a better world. It is up to us to deliver on our commitments to achieving better security, sustainable development and respect for the human rights of all people. I wish to express our firmest support to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, in pursuing such efforts.

The President

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

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of Turkmenistan.

The President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, President of Turkmenistan, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Berdymukhammedov (Turkmenistan)

On behalf of the people and the Government of Turkmenistan, I wish to express my good wishes to all members and to congratulate them on the beginning of the sixty-second session of the General Assembly.

Let me take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Ban Ki-moon on his election to the post of Secretary-General and to wish him every success in discharging his challenging responsibilities.

I should also like to congratulate Mr. Srgjan Kerim on his election to the presidency of the Assembly. I am certain that under his guidance, the work of the Assembly will be effective and fruitful.

Since the very first days of its independence, Turkmenistan has considered the ideals of the United Nations to be fully in accordance with our aspirations in terms of relations with the international community. The basic principles of the Organization -- the maintenance of peace, equality of rights, respect for the sovereignty of all States and their right to choose their own path of development -- formed the basis for our country's foreign policy, in which cooperation with the United Nations has become a priority area.

Time has proved that the choice made by our country was right and well founded. In 15 years of intense cooperation with the United Nations, Turkmenistan has found its own place in the international arena and has gained invaluable experience in interacting with the world community and developing harmonious, equal and mutually respectful relations with other nations. We have every right to be proud of the fact that it was within these walls that resolution 50/80 [A], on the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan, was adopted on 12 December 1995 -- a historic event for our country. It is not an exaggeration to say that the resolution on neutrality has become the foundation of our foreign policy and has played a major role in shaping our national policy.

Cooperation with the United Nations will continue to drive our foreign policy. Here, I should like to emphasize that such cooperation enriches our bilateral and multilateral ties and makes them more meaningful. That is most apparent in regional matters, where the participation of the United Nations and its specialized agencies promotes convergence of States' approaches to issues, thus creating a favourable political, diplomatic and legal environment for their resolution through concerted effort.

In that context, I consider the recent decision to establish a United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia to be a major milestone. I am confident that the inauguration of the Centre, set for the end of the year, will mark an entirely new phase in the efforts of our country and our neighbours to ensure peace, security and stability in the region.

Turkmenistan is fully prepared to engage in constructive and fruitful cooperation with the Centre. We are certain that its work will be a strong and positive force in resolving the problems faced by our region. We highly appreciate the decision to establish the Centre in Ashgabat, capital of neutral Turkmenistan. We see that as an expression of the Organization's confidence in our country. Mindful of our great responsibility, I assure the Assembly that our country will do everything necessary to make the Centre's work effective and fruitful.

Notwithstanding current changes in the world, the great humanist ideals of the United Nations and the principles of its Charter should continue to serve as the moral and legal pillar of the international order. Only on this basis can the issues of United Nations reform be considered. United Nations reform as a whole should be meaningful and goal-oriented and correspond to the objective realities of the age. In this respect, Turkmenistan supports the efforts of the United Nations Member States and the Secretary-General to make the work of the Organization more dynamic, efficient, transparent and democratic.

In that context, Turkmenistan shares the view that it is necessary to improve further the structure of the Security Council and to develop closer and more effective interaction between the Security Council and the General Assembly. We are in favour of reforming the United Nations, making it stronger, enhancing its work and expanding the role and functions of the Security Council as a guarantor of international peace, security and stability.

Turkmenistan's neutral status, its foreign policy doctrine of non-affiliation with any blocs and its rejection of the use of force as a means of resolving international disputes predetermine our stance with regard to the issues of peace and security. In this context, Turkmenistan fully supports international efforts to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related technologies. Accordingly, Turkmenistan has been taking and will continue to take consistent practical steps to ensure implementation of the international legal framework on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In its legislation, Turkmenistan proclaims its refusal to possess, manufacture, store or transport nuclear, chemical, bacteriological and other types of weapons of mass destruction or related technologies. In 2005, the People's Council of Turkmenistan decided to adopt a Statement on Supporting the Initiatives of International Organizations to Combat the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Last year, in Semipalatinsk, Turkmenistan, together with other States of the region, signed the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia. That document is unique in many ways, since, for the first time since the Second World War, it proclaims the establishment of a vast region free of nuclear weapons on the map of the northern hemisphere. It is noteworthy that our joint initiative echoes the aspirations of the majority of countries and that it has been highly acclaimed by the international community and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly. Let me take this opportunity to express our appreciation to all States, international and regional organizations that have supported the document.

However, we need to realize that Central Asia is not isolated. Our region has thousands of historical, ethnic and humanitarian ties with neighbouring States. In this context, Turkmenistan's concern with the events in Afghanistan is justified. We rejoice at the success of the Afghan people in building a peaceful life; we feel the difficulties they face as our own. Turkmenistan is assisting Afghanistan in rebuilding its economy, by providing professional training, in the construction of social facilities and by providing oil and power to some provinces of the country. Together with the international community, and with the United Nations, we are striving to help achieve stability for Afghanistan and to help the brotherly people of that country to achieve peace and well-being.

Geographically, Turkmenistan is conveniently located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Over its years of independence, our country has built a modern transportation and communication infrastructure. As an important element of international trade and economic relations, it may also become a factor leading to significant revitalization and further development of cultural interaction between the regions, thus promoting rapprochement and mutual understanding between nations. It is in that spirit that Turkmenistan defines its international energy strategy, aimed at developing a multiple pipeline system to bring Turkmen energy resources to international markets on a stable and long-term basis. This strategy is not dependent on either political circumstances or any kind of ideological bias. Our stand on this matter is a stand of principle and full transparency. We support the implementation of economically justified pipeline projects that would guarantee security, including environmental safety. That will determine their multi-track character. In this context, Turkmenistan is in favour of the mutually advantageous use of energy resources by both exporters and consumers.

From this point of view, we are convinced that the implementation of projects aimed at bringing Turkmen energy to international markets will provide another impulse to stimulate inter-State and interregional trade and economic relations. That will also serve to promote further economic growth in the countries where pipelines run and assist in the resolution of issues relating to the provision of light and heat, the development of production and social infrastructure and job creation, which will, ultimately, have a positive effect on the overall political climate within and beyond the region.

Turkmenistan is taking very seriously the issue of environmental protection and a whole range of other issues that will have to be addressed by engaging the capacity of the international community at large. In this context, we support the efforts of the Secretary-General to promote and develop broad international cooperation, with a view to finding a comprehensive solution to this global problem. To that end, Turkmenistan is taking specific steps at the national level. Up to 200 million dollars are annually earmarked in the national budget for environmental protection. Our country has passed legislation setting standards to prevent environmental pollution, and it is introducing technologies to ensure environmental safety of our key sector, the oil and gas industry. Already for over 10 years, Turkmenistan has been implementing a large-scale nation-wide programme entitled "The Green Belt", which has resulted in millions of trees being planted on thousands of hectares all over the country.

We are fully committed to the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, and we are ready to cooperate with all international partners in implementing its provisions.

As a full-fledged member of the international community, Turkmenistan is developing a genuinely democratic and legal foundation for its national statehood. The greatest value of our society is the individual, and his or her rights and freedoms. Today, this is at the centre of our State policy.

Processes aimed at the further democratization of public and political life, the establishment of civil society, the introduction of modern electoral mechanisms and the formation of local government bodies are gaining momentum. A constructive innovative search for a reasonable balance between the authority of the State and society at large is under way. We are not trying to speed up the process, and we are not pushing it into some artificial time frame. The most important thing is that it has become irreversible and is receiving recognition and support both within and outside the country. And, in this respect, we highly appreciate the assistance provided to us by international organizations in general and by the United Nations in particular.

Today, Turkmenistan is open to the world; it is open to broad-scale partnership in all areas of activity. Together with the rest of the community of nations, our country is ready to work further to promote the principles of international law and the ideals of humanism, justice, tolerance and mutual respect as determinant factors in modern relations among States.

The status of permanent neutrality not only imposes on our country important foreign policy obligations but also obliges us to shape our foreign and social policies accordingly. In that context, I would like to emphasize that Turkmenistan's neutrality is irreversible and that our commitment to the resultant international obligations is firm. We intend to follow this path with resolve, and we will always be open to international cooperation promoting implementation of the strategic priorities of the community of nations.

The President

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

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Lithuania.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Valdas Adamkus, President of the Republic of Lithuania, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Adamkus (Lithuania)

It is always inspiring to come to this forum and, time and again, observe that there are many more things that unite rather than divide nations around the globe. Indeed, we are united in our vision of a world free of violence, where every individual has freedom of choice and where human dignity is respected. We are united in our aspirations to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century, because we know that in a globalized world a threat to one nation is a threat to all nations.

Nowhere is this new reality more evident than in the much-needed work of the United Nations. Poverty, imbalances in development, armaments, the spread of ideologies of hatred, cybercrime: those are some of the threats that we face today. The new, daunting challenges are different in kind. Therefore, both individual States and the international community have to find ways to deal with this new reality and how to respond better to new challenges.

Seven years ago, at this United Nations conclave, all nations made a historic step, pledging to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and environmental degradation, and to improve health and promote gender equality. That was our response to the challenges of the time. This year, we are halfway to the 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Over the past few years, an estimated 135 million people managed to get out of extreme poverty. Significant positive changes are taking place in the fields of primary education for poor children, child vaccination and better access to retroviral treatment for persons with HIV/AIDS, to name but a few.

Yet overall progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals remains uneven and too slow. If we want to live up to our commitments, we must increase our efforts considerably and urgently.

The twenty-first century has also confronted us with such challenges as a deteriorating environment. Global warming affects all aspects of our lives from social and economic growth to changing habitats and migration patterns. Time is clearly not on our side. We are taking measures to adapt our policies to counter climate change, but our actions are obviously too slow and sometimes too reluctant. Therefore, Lithuania welcomes the Secretary-General's focus on climate change as a global challenge that requires global concerted efforts. We believe that the United Nations climate change process is the appropriate forum for negotiating future global action in this effort.

But that already may not be enough. I am convinced that the world needs a more coherent and inclusive system of international environmental governance. This system needs to be strengthened by establishing a United Nations Environment Organization, based on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with a revised mandate. With December's Bali climate change conference in mind, I call on all countries to come to the negotiating table later this year with the ambition of concluding by 2009 a global and comprehensive post-2012 agreement. Before such an agreement is reached, Lithuania is doing its best to fulfil the commitment of the European Union to achieve at least a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990 levels.

We have started to focus on a wider use of indigenous and renewable energy resources. The share of these resources in the primary energy balance in Lithuania will increase up to 12 per cent by the year 2010. Last year alone, we planted 21,000 hectares of trees, an area that corresponds to 32,000 soccer fields. For a country the size of Lithuania, that is no small measure. These are but a few of the concrete steps by which my country shows political will sufficient to fight new global challenges.

The necessity to fit in and effectively integrate into the international system has been the cornerstone of our policies since we regained our independence in 1990. Membership in the European Union and NATO is the best example of success in that effort. Now we are taking on increasing responsibility in the fields of security, stability and sustainability in our region and beyond. We are active at the front of the war against terrorism, including our contribution to restoring stability and security in Iraq. We are leading a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan's Ghor province. Over the past two years, Lithuania has doubled its development aid budget and has committed to increasing it to 0.33 per cent of its gross national income by 2015. Our contribution to global security and the vision of inclusiveness and of building a "Europe whole and free" motivated Lithuania to offer its candidacy for the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2010.

If Lithuania and the Baltic region in general are a success story in terms of establishing themselves in a new global environment, some countries in our region are not. We may only guess why those countries perceive the integration of democracies on their borders as a national threat. We feel sorry for a society at large when its Government chooses to spend the country's natural riches on guns and not on democratic reforms. Clearly, we should not tolerate attempts to falsify historical facts about the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States or the denial of the deliberately caused Holodomor in Ukraine, which killed millions.

Fitting in is never easy. Therefore, we consider that the United Nations could help Member States to efficiently integrate into the international system, as the European Union is already doing by engaging its neighbours in this process through various neighbourhood instruments and cooperation formats.

However, our readiness to stand up and speak openly to States if they cross the line is also an indispensable element of that effort. We should ask ourselves: where did we fail, that the killings of hundreds of thousands of innocent people were permitted to take place in Darfur?

Today conflicts occur on every continent, with particularly grave consequences in Africa and the Middle East. Some conflicts in the world, however, are less visible. But that does not make them less dangerous. Frozen conflicts in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus may become very hot one day unless we act immediately. We consider it morally unacceptable for the international community to remain indifferent to the frozen conflicts in the GUAM area. Let us not forget that it is not only the conflicts that are frozen; the lives and dreams of the people living in those areas of artificial conflict are also frozen. That is where the United Nations should be more visible and more outspoken. That also applies to Kosovo, where attempts to create another frozen conflict must be excluded.

It is not only States, but also the United Nations itself that must adapt to new, changing realities. We encourage the Secretary-General to continue the reform of the United Nations, in particular making the Organization's operational system more consolidated, coherent and effective, with the highest standards of conduct and ethics. We must proceed with real actions in carrying through the reform of the United Nations. The Secretary-General has my full support in this context. He should be applauded for his bold and forward-thinking vision of the reform in United Nations peacekeeping. We welcome all efforts by the United Nations to streamline and reform the peacekeeping procurement system.

I encourage the United Nations to further strengthen, develop and use its capabilities in the area of good offices and conflict prevention, as envisioned in the 2005 World Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1). That would enable us to address many issues in a more efficient manner and, hopefully, to avoid costly peacekeeping operations.

The prevention of nuclear proliferation and the pursuit of nuclear disarmament in accordance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons are crucial for global peace and security. We need to strengthen the authority of the Treaty. Lithuania will support the process leading to the elaboration of a binding international arms trade treaty. Lithuania will also continue to increase practical assistance and funding to international mine action projects and the implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Two years have passed since the adoption of the World Summit Outcome, which elaborated on the concept of the responsibility to protect, and yet we have been too slow in responding to massive violations of human rights and mass atrocities. The principle of the responsibility to protect can no longer be confined to paper. We therefore encourage the Secretary-General to follow up on the World Summit document and take measures to operationalize that principle.

Only a reformed and proactive United Nations will be truly instrumental and effective. Only such a United Nations will have the required support and financing. Only such a United Nations will be trusted by the people.

The ability to adapt is the quality of the strong. Fitting in is the least we can do for future generations. It is the responsibility of every nation and the international community as such.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Zambia.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome His Excellency Mr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, President of the Republic of Zambia, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Mwanawasa (Zambia)

Allow me at the outset to convey my warm congratulations to Mr. Srgjan Kerim on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. My delegation is confident that with his immense wealth of experience, he will steer the session very successfully. Zambia assures him of its total support during his tenure of office.

Let me, at this point, pay tribute to Mr. Kurt Waldheim, the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations, and later President of Austria, who died on 14 June 2007. To us, he was a great diplomat who made Africa one of his priorities, especially at the height of the liberation struggle in Southern Africa.

May I take this opportunity to thank Her Excellency Sheikha Rashed Al Khalifa of Bahrain for having presided over the affairs of the sixty-first session in an exemplary manner. Among her accomplishments was the carrying forward of the United Nations reforms called for at the 2005 World Summit. It was gratifying to have a lady preside over the highest office of the General Assembly after almost three decades of male dominance. I hope that this organ will not again take that long to have an excellent woman as President.

Let me now congratulate Mr. Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea on his election as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. I am confident that he will build upon the strong foundation that was laid by his predecessor, Kofi Annan of Ghana, to whom I wish to pay tribute for the manner in which he steered the Organization during his tenure in office. He made Africa proud, and I wish him success in his current and future endeavours.

Our world today presents many challenges. These include abject poverty for the majority of the world's inhabitants, underdevelopment, conflict, human trafficking, climate change, terrorism, violations of human rights, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and gender inequality. While some of these challenges have only recently emerged, others have been with us from time immemorial. These challenges cannot be entirely resolved within national boundaries or at the regional level. They can be resolved only at the multilateral level, with all the players carrying out their roles diligently. For that reason, Zambia supports a strong and coherent United Nations. We agree with the recommendation of the High-level Panel on United Nations System-wide Coherence that the United Nations urgently needs more coherence and synergy. That will enable it to perform as one and to use its unique universality, neutrality and capacity to operate efficiently.

Furthermore, Zambia supports the ongoing reforms of the United Nations. In particular, we welcome the mandate given to the Economic and Social Council to make it more effective in executing its duties, which include formulating policy recommendations on international and social issues, as well as coordinating activities of specialized agencies in the economic, social and related fields. In that regard, collaboration of the United Nations with the international financial institutions and the World Trade Organization should be further enhanced; we welcome the work going on in this area.

This brings me to another issue: reform of the Security Council. This matter has remained unresolved for more than a decade. United Nations reform cannot be complete without meaningful reform of the Security Council. Any new proposals to reform that vital organ should seriously consider Africa's call to have two permanent seats with full veto power. Africa is aware that the veto is an undemocratic instrument and would prefer to do away with it altogether. However, as long as others insist on keeping the veto, Africa should have it as well. The status quo is unacceptable. It is my hope that during Mr. Kerim's tenure of office, this aspect of the reform process will be concluded successfully.

The issue of climate change is very important to the current and future inhabitants of our planet. It is therefore fitting that one theme of this session is responding to climate change. I commend the Secretary-General for organizing the 24 September 2007 high-level event on this matter. Indeed, the effects of climate change are being felt mostly by the developing countries. For instance, Southern Africa is experiencing critical food shortages due to torrential rains in some areas and severe drought in other parts of the region.

The problem of climate change is a global issue requiring global action within the multilateral context of the United Nations. As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, Zambia has already taken several measures to implement those international instruments. In that regard, we submitted our first national communication report in 2004. We have also taken deliberate steps to create public awareness about the problem of climate change so that our people can devise appropriate local interventions.

Regarding measures aimed at adapting to climate change, Zambia has just finished formulating its National Adaptation Programme of Action. The programme will help us identify the most vulnerable sectors of our economy, as well as adaptation activities required to alleviate the adverse effects of climate change. For this reason, we call upon the international community to ensure that the Adaptation Fund under the Climate Change Convention, which has taken rather long to establish, is made operational.

While placing emphasis on adaptation, we also pledge to reduce emissions from industrial and other sources. We call upon industrialized countries, which have a history of producing these emissions, to take serious steps to reduce them. We believe that the situation is now serious and that narrow national interests in this matter must be discarded forthwith.

As a developing country, Zambia needs assistance to enhance its capacity in key adaptive areas, such as scientific research, early warning and rapid response, to address the adverse effects of climate change. Accordingly, Zambia calls for the speedy development and transfer of appropriate technologies to help us cope with the negative impacts of climate change, as well as to put us on a low-carbon path to economic growth. We also call for a more comprehensive institutional framework for international environmental governance.

In 2000, the developing world embraced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a comprehensive strategy to move our countries out of economic and social decline and better integrate us into the global economy. Halfway through the implementation period, many countries are far from attaining most of the Goals. That is so in spite of the improved economic performance recorded by some developing countries following recent debt relief initiatives, coupled with sustained prudent economic management.

To illustrate the point, in Zambia the economy grew by 6.2 per cent last year, and inflation declined to a single digit level for the first time in 30 years. Those economic gains, however, have not translated into a significant decline in the incidence of poverty, which stands at 68 per cent. Zambia's development efforts are further compromised by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and, now, the adverse effects of climate change.

With regard to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, my Government has declared it to be a national crisis, requiring sustained mitigation and preventive measures. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our cooperating partners for their support to Zambia in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Despite these challenges, Zambia, for its part, has made steady progress and is likely to meet most of the MDGs by 2015. The Goals most likely not to be attained by 2015 are: reducing by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio, integrating the principles of sustainable development into the country's policies and programmes and reversing the loss of environmental resources. Our goal now is to translate the economic achievements into tangible improvements in the quality of life of the Zambian people. That goal is enshrined in Zambia's Vision 2030, which is aimed at raising the country to middle-income status, significantly reducing hunger and poverty and fostering a competitive and outward-oriented economy.

But that goal will remain elusive if our cooperating partners do not fulfil their commitments. Indeed, it is saddening to note that total official development assistance declined in real terms by 5.1 per cent between 2005 and 2006, and only five donor countries have met or exceeded the 0.7 per cent target. I urge the cooperating partners to fulfil their commitments. Furthermore, while Zambia welcomes the discussions and progress made on aid effectiveness following the Paris Declaration, we call for official development assistance to be delivered in a more efficient manner, in accordance with the Declaration.

Aid cannot be effective unless corruption is uprooted. My Government has, therefore, declared war against that social vice. Accordingly, I take this opportunity to urge the international community to desist from providing safe havens for leaders who plunder national resources. Such ill-gotten wealth should be returned to the countries from where it was misappropriated so that it can be used to fight poverty.

Zambia condemns international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. For this reason, we call upon members of the international community to refrain from harbouring terrorists. Zambia, for its part, supports the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.

Through regional bodies, such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), developing countries enhance their ability to cooperate and also jointly negotiate for better access to developed countries' markets. Consequently, during Zambia's current chairmanship of SADC, we shall continue to consolidate the formation of the SADC free trade area by 2008 as a prerequisite to the Regional Customs Union. In addition, Zambia will, on behalf of SADC, seek funding to develop an adequate regional transboundary infrastructure in support of much-needed connectivity in areas such as water, transport, energy, communications and information technology.

Many regions, including Africa, have been dogged by conflict. This has adversely affected the countries' potential to participate in the global economic arena. In the quest for peace in our subregion, SADC has launched a stand-by brigade, which will have the capacity for peace support operations. It is our hope that the international community will render necessary support to the brigade to enable it to fulfil its mandate.

Better still, SADC and Zambia value the tenets of democracy, political stability and integrated economic development as the ultimate sound basis for peace and stability. SADC will, therefore, continue to promote the conducting of free and fair elections in the region.

President Mwanawasa (Zambia)

In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm, with regard to the theme of this session, Zambia's commitment to cooperate with the international community in addressing the problem of climate change. It is my sincere hope that all of us will play our full part, according to our abilities to deal with this serious global challenge. To that end, we should not remain indecisive and indifferent to this serious issue. Neither should we miss the opportunity to do what we can to make the world a better place to live in.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

The Assembly will hear an address by the President of the Republic of El Salvador.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Elias Antonio Saca Gonzalez, President of the Republic of El Salvador, and invite him to address the Assembly.

President Saca Gonzalez (El Salvador)

On behalf of the people and Government of El Salvador, I would like to extend the most sincere congratulations to Mr. Kerim on his being unanimously elected to preside over this session and to wish him every success in fulfilling his mandate. At the same time, I would like to express our appreciation of the dynamic work done by the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General and call on them to continue to make every effort to strengthen the United Nations.

Allow me to express once more our gratitude for the important role played by the Organization, in particular its contribution to conflict resolution and to economic and social development, as so successfully exemplified in the peace process in Central America, based on the 1987 Esquipulas II Agreement. Recently, Central American countries celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the signing of that Agreement which set in motion the process of establishing a firm and lasting peace in Central America with a view to achieving, through dialogue, a peaceful solution to the Central American crisis and promoting peacebuilding and democratization in the region.

Following a long process of transition from war to peace, from peace to democracy and to freedom, we are now focusing our efforts on the implementation of an economic and social development model that is just and equitable. In particular, we are promoting an integration process that will allow us to strengthen our capabilities and combine resources to more efficiently tackle and thus benefit from the process of opening up to world trade.

In this context, I would like to mention, in particular, a regional issue that has attracted the attention of the international community and that was referred to yesterday in the media, namely, the Gulf of Fonseca. As President of El Salvador, I wish to inform you that I have submitted a formal initiative to the brother States of Honduras and Nicaragua in order to develop a frank and sincere dialogue with a view to ushering in a new era of cooperation in this area in order to truly establish a joint ownership regime and thereby facilitate the overall and sustainable development of the Gulf Zone for all its inhabitants. That proposal, made yesterday, was well received by the leaders of Honduras and Nicaragua. The three States should begin a new era of collaboration and cooperation in order to tackle and fully resolve issues related to the Gulf. We should not leave any problem in the Gulf of Fonseca unresolved, whether it be by a three-nation or a two-nation approach.

A topic of special interest for my country is international migration, in view of its positive impact on countries of origin and destination alike, and, in particular, because of the significant contributions immigrants make to the economy. Our Government is making efforts for Salvadorians who have emigrated, supporting them through our Embassies and Consulates. In this respect, we greatly appreciate the agreements and recommendations emanating from the United Nations High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, which reiterated the necessity of fully respecting the human rights of migrants and their families, who must be a central concern of internal and external immigration policy of States, including transit States.

I am pleased to confirm that the efforts I have made in favour of Salvadorian immigrants, especially in the United States, have yielded positive results such as the extension of the Temporary Protected States (TPS) programme, which guarantees work permits and the opportunity to reside in that country with no risk of being deported. Those efforts demonstrate my firm will to continue spearheading initiatives and efforts in order to stabilize migration for all of our fellow citizens.

In the Central American region, we have made significant progress in different areas, but unfortunately, long-standing and emerging threats could still affect the security of our citizens and the stability of our countries. It is therefore essential to unite our efforts to frame suitable national, regional and international policies.

Currently, in most of our countries, as well as in the United States and Mexico, citizens are noting that one of the greatest threats to democracy and economic and social development springs from the activities of gangs, generating a wave of violence and crime in an open challenge to the established order. Those anti-social groups do not conform to the patterns of traditional or ordinary crime, but gradually evolve into more sophisticated forms of organized crime whose manifestations can also be seen in countries outside the continent. Many countries represented here are not as yet faced with this threat. However, the criminal activities of such groups are expanding, both substantively and quantitatively, as is actually apparent and thus the treatment of this issue requires action and cooperation of all States, especially in Latin America. As for El Salvador, we are making efforts that have led to the reduction of crime and homicide perpetuated by such groups through joint actions involving our public security authorities, the judicial system and the legislative authority. At the same time, we are coordinating efforts and adopting measures within the framework of security policies for Central America.

We have to strengthen global cooperation in the fight against terrorism, which is one of the greatest threats to peace and international security. The recent thwarted terrorist attacks in European countries and the repeated threats by extremist groups to continue with their terrorist actions in different parts of the world are a grave threat and danger looming over our society. Consequently, we welcome the efforts of Member States of the United Nations to adopt a global counter-terrorism strategy, giving particular importance to preventing and combating terrorism on a unified, coherent and coordinated basis.

The Middle East is a region in which nations have developed different missions and supported initiatives for a just and lasting solution to the problem, while the United Nations itself has made undoubted efforts to that end, which, unfortunately, have not been successful.

We support any initiative or effort to redirect the peace process. In particular, we welcome the initiative to convene an international peace conference for the Middle East in November. That initiative is a source of renewed hope for achieving the long-awaited peace that will allow all peoples of the region to live free from fear, violence and destruction. It would also establish an environment conducive to political cooperation and to shared economic and social development. We recognize the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, as well as Israel's right to live within secure and internationally recognized borders, so that both peoples can live in peace.

Taiwan is a unique political reality in the international community. It has systematically developed, in particular in recent years, under the leadership of President Chen Shui-bian. He has made his country a modern, peaceful entity that is resolutely determined to promote peace and international cooperation. Given that reality, we acknowledge the legitimate right of more than 23 million Taiwanese to determine their own future, just as other peoples have done. That is why we support the initiative to have the General Assembly review the case of Taiwan in the light of current global realities, acknowledging the right of the Taiwanese to hold a referendum on joining this international Organization.

El Salvador will continue to play an active role in the reform process of the United Nations, which, we reiterate, should be comprehensive. In that regard, since States are responsible for complying with the objectives of the Charter, we must strive not only to achieve consensus and move towards Security Council reform, but also to revitalize the General Assembly and thoroughly revise the mandate of the Economic and Social Council.

The current economic situation has improved for some developing countries that have achieved acceptable rates of growth. However, international instability in prices, commodities and raw materials -- in particular the high prices for petroleum -- is having a negative impact on our development efforts. Indeed, global economic short- and mid-term imbalances must be anticipated and prevented, and require the coordination of international macroeconomic policy involving developed and underdeveloped countries.

In an effort to review the criteria and conditions for the extension of international cooperation, the first Intergovernmental Conference on Middle-Income Countries took place in Madrid on 1 and 2 March. At the Conference, we identified several areas for strategic action that could guide the efforts of international donors to contribute to the development of that group of countries. We thank the Government of Spain for its readiness to host the event and for the meeting's success. We also express our gratitude to King Abdullah II of Jordan and his Government for convening the summit of the Group of Eleven in May, and in particular for the recommendation that resulted from that forum.

Next October, my country, El Salvador, will host the second International Conference on Development Cooperation with Middle-Income Countries in order to further study international measures allowing us to meet the Millennium Development Goals. We believe that donor countries and international financial organizations should reassess their development cooperation policies with the principal aim of encouraging those countries which are responsibly implementing transparent growth strategies that are adequately endowed in terms of finance management and of the quality and impact of projects. To the middle-income countries and the entire cooperating community, including international financial organizations, I reiterate here our cordial invitation to join us in the important event to take place in San Salvador in October.

With respect to development, I would stress that, in the past 10 years, my country has reduced the level of overall poverty from 65 per cent to 30 per cent. One of my Government's priorities is and will continue to be fighting extreme poverty, towards which we are implementing a series of substantive social programmes. One of the most important of those is the Solidarity Network, through which we directly support families living in extreme poverty, mainly in the rural areas, by granting health and education subsidies and by providing infrastructure, basic services and opportunities to enter the labour market through, inter alia, the provision of microcredit. We have also established a special health fund through which we have increased basic health care for the most vulnerable sectors of the population, seeking to benefit more than 4 million people through comprehensive programmes to include prevention and the promotion of health education campaigns.

While we acknowledge that progress has been achieved and efforts made to improve the living standards of the most vulnerable sectors of the country, we must continue to enjoy international bilateral and multilateral cooperation if we are to achieve higher levels of well-being. Our Government is convinced that the social sphere is not complementary to anything else, but the basis of everything.

One of the most disturbing challenges to the present and future of the international community is global warming. In particular, as we learn in the impressive report prepared by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the harmful effects of climate change on all peoples have grown alarming in their human, material, economic and environmental impacts, which are increasingly being felt in countries and regions throughout the world. All States must speedily and fully adopt corrective measures in order substantially to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so as to halt the trend towards irreversible and massive environmental degradation. To that end, we urge developed countries to join in the efforts to curb that trend with responsibility and in a common but differentiated manner.

Alongside international efforts for environmental protection, the countries of Latin America, including those of Central America, Mexico and Colombia, members of the Puebla-Panama Plan, are undertaking measures and coordinating regional and subregional activities in the field of renewable and sustainable energy as alternatives to fossil fuels. Concerned by the instability of international hydrocarbon fuel prices, at the previous session of the General Assembly we proposed that the topic be included on the agenda because of its impact on economic development, in particular in developing countries. In the current situation of ever-spiralling high prices, we reiterate that proposal. We have been increasingly diverting precious economic resources that could, in other circumstances, be directed towards other programmes essential to our countries' human development.

That is why, at this global forum, we appeal to the oil-producing countries to seek, on the basis of international cooperation and solidarity, to implement flexible mechanisms to prevent hydrocarbon fuel prices from drastically impacting developing countries. We in the United Nations cannot ignore that issue, because countries that depend on oil could be bankrupted in the coming years.

I must mention that, faced with high oil prices, we are promoting several initiatives in El Salvador in the area of alternative and renewable energy, such as biofuels. One of those initiatives has led to the formulation of a bill on incentives for investing in renewable energy. We also analysed the economic and technical feasibility of introducing a plan to produce ethanol on a national scale. That is in addition to stepping up thermal energy, which in El Salvador already represents 23 per cent of energy consumption with the entry into operation of the new plant in the eastern part of El Salvador. Similarly, we are beginning technical and financial feasibility studies to promote the production of biodiesel through the establishment of a pilot plant and the use of different crops, which will make it possible to promote reforestation and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, relying for this on the direct support of the United States, Brazil and Colombia.

We believe that Latin American and other developing countries could contribute substantively to global environmental conservation efforts. But efforts will be limited if industrialized countries do not fully assume their responsibilities when it comes to the environment.

Lastly, I would like to recall that we are all representatives of our respective countries and they are the ones that we must serve and protect from the threats that we face. We are convinced that the future of humanity will depend on the decisions and actions that we will adopt here and that we will implement in areas of common global interest. We have the responsibility and obligation to act, and this we must do in order to avert a problem of uncontrollable proportions.

We must understand that the future of humanity will depend on the decisions and actions that we adopt today, but I would like to strongly emphasize that people reach development as a result of perseverance, order, work, discipline and long-term vision. The transformation process and the progress that has been achieved in economic and social policy in the democratic institutions of my country are the result of the exercise of freedoms. Progress is built and gains momentum when people work hard, persevere and have full freedom, which makes it possible to move towards the implementation of the greatest dream that people have: to enjoy progress and social peace.

I invite the Assembly to combine their efforts to consolidate freedoms in those countries that already enjoy them and to return freedoms to countries that do not have them or have lost them. Let us remember that the dearest freedom is the one that we do not have, that liberty is not missed until we lose it. Without freedom, there is no economic and social progress. We must work every day for freedoms that are threatened by extreme radicalism or populist demagoguery, the seeds that destroy freedom. God bless the world.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Botswana.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome Mr. Festus G. Mogae, President of the Republic of Botswana, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Mogae (Botswana)

Many speakers before me have eloquently debated the theme for this session. I am delighted that no one disputes the evidence that science presents to us concerning climate change. Today we meet in this Hall as neighbours and residents of this one planet earth. We are bound together by our common humanity and shared future. We have within us the capacity to act resolutely to save our planet, and now is the time. We cannot afford to squander any more opportunities, for tomorrow might be too late.

William Shakespeare instructs us, in his famous work, Julius Caesar, that:

"There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures."

We are convinced that we should focus on working together to save our planet from the increasing threat of global warming and all its attendant consequences. When we meet as the peoples of the world, we must of necessity remind ourselves of the original and higher purpose of the United Nations. Many of the global challenges we face persist, not because they are insurmountable, but because we have fallen short of the commitments and obligations freely entered into under the Charter.

We, the peoples of the earth, have the human and cultural resources and technology to end severe global poverty and disease, reverse climate change, prevent wars and alleviate human suffering. Unfortunately, substantial resources continue to be wasted on destructive endeavours rather than constructive work. We squander valuable assets in the production of weapons of war and mass destruction rather than development.

The world would be a much better place if the natural resources on this planet were exploited to feed, clothe, educate, care for the sick, prevent diseases and build communities. Young men and women should grow up looking forward to doing extraordinary things to advance the cause of economic and social progress and not spending precious time manufacturing bombs and weapons of war or planning how to kill other human beings.

It is deeply regrettable that nations continue to give higher priority to the narrow pursuit of national interests than to cooperation for the common good and mutual benefit. This emphasis on rivalry breeds injustice, intolerance, extremism and aggression. We must remind ourselves that all of us are the people of this earth and no other. We are bound by our common humanity. We must rise to the challenge of the founders of this unique universal Organization, so that we may live for our respective countries rather than die for them and together build a more just and equitable future for us all.

The United Nations has touched the lives of the vast majority of our fellow human beings. We therefore reaffirm our abiding faith in its efficacy and usefulness in addressing global issues. The Organization embodies our hope and aspirations for peace, security, respect for human rights and development; in one word, a better life for all. In that respect, the search for consensus in all aspects of United Nations reform must of necessity continue in a fair, just and balanced manner.

From 51 Member States in 1945 to 192 in 2007, the United Nations has grown in diversity and universality. It has also spread and consolidated its legitimacy and authority throughout the world. The United Nations is the centre for harmonizing the actions of nations towards the attainment of the common good. Its strength lies in its unparalleled legitimacy. Without the United Nations, States, both large and small, would encounter many formidable challenges.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that for this Organization to live up to its mandate and to people's expectations, it has to constantly reform itself to respond to contemporary global challenges and realities. In his inspiring and visionary statement at the closing of the San Francisco Conference 62 years ago, President Harry Truman of the United States proffered timeless wise counsel when he said,

"This Charter, like our own Constitution, will be expanded and improved as time goes on. No one claims that it is now a final or a perfect instrument. It has not been poured into a fixed mold. Changing world conditions will require readjustments -- but they will be the readjustments of peace and not of war." (United Nations Conference on International Organization, Documents, Vol. I, 680 (26 June 1945))

Those visionary words of one of the founding fathers of the United Nations should guide us in dealing with United Nations reform. We call upon the original signatories of the United Nations Charter and, in particular the permanent members of the Security Council, to assume greater leadership in the search for consensus and compromise on the reform of the United Nations Security Council. They should be more flexible in responding to proposals put forward on the reforms of the Security Council.

As nation States we are encouraged to build sound democratic institutions. It is imperative, therefore, that the principle of fairer, more inclusive, participatory and accountable institutions should be extended to global governance. In that respect, it should be perfectly understandable why a substantial number of Member States consider it not only necessary, but also long overdue, to increase membership of the Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. Today, important matters of international peace and security cannot be resolved through the monopoly of fire power. It requires greater participation and collaboration of nations -- large and small.

Botswana recognizes that we cannot all be members of the Security Council. There are those among us who have the capacity to carry the daunting responsibilities of permanent membership. That is why it should be possible for us to reach consensus in making "readjustments of peace and not of war". An all-or-nothing approach is not in our best interest. Botswana strongly supports the search for a compromise on that long-standing issue, which if left unresolved can only become an unnecessary distraction to other equally pressing priorities.

Conflicts in Africa cause the loss of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. Many people are driven into abject poverty and exposed to disease due to the massive displacement of populations and destruction of their productive capacity. Huge amounts of resources are annually allocated to the United Nations peacekeeping budget to resolve conflicts. Even more resources are needed for the care and upkeep of refugees and displaced peoples.

The situation in Darfur continues to cause concern. Concerted efforts are needed to bring that conflict to an end. In this respect, we welcome the Security Council decision to deploy a peacekeeping mission in Darfur and call upon our brothers and sisters in the Sudan to work together to find a lasting political settlement.

Botswana is concerned about the situation in Chad and the Central African Republic. The loss of civilian lives is intolerable. We call upon Chad, the Central African Republic and other parties to those conflicts to commit to a peaceful political process to avert further loss of lives. It is clear that the resolution of conflict in that region will require closer cooperation, collaboration and partnership between and among those countries involved in conflict situations.

Following elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo we are hopeful the country is on the road to recovery. It is important for the international community to continue to support the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts. The marauding lawless militias that continue to undermine the peace process should be left in no doubt that anarchy will not be tolerated.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the countries of the Great Lakes region of Africa will for the foreseeable future require the assured support and partnership of the international community, not only in peacebuilding but more importantly, in the prevention of conflicts.

Botswana acknowledges the existence of those problems, not because we consider the future of Africa to be hopeless or bleak. We do so in order to arrive at a correct diagnosis of the illnesses and hence the prescription of the right remedy.

The African Union is playing a pivotal role in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts on the continent. While the United Nations Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, Africa should be a dependable and indispensable partner in responding expeditiously to the urgent need to end the conflicts and save lives.

The countries and peoples of Africa should recognize that the primary responsibility for durable peace and social and economic development lies with them. In that respect, we should adopt sound policies and programmes that promote economic growth and development, foreign direct investment as well as domestic investment.

Indeed we are witnessing significant economic growth in Africa. The latest International Monetary Fund projections are that, in 2007 the African economy is expected to grow by six per cent, just below the seven per cent per annum target of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, that is necessary to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

We look to our development partners to deliver on the pledges to scale up official development assistance to Africa, effect meaningful debt relief, improve market access for African goods and services and encourage their private sectors to invest in Africa.

In the year 2000, at the dawn of the new millennium, we convened in these hallowed halls to chart a new path for the United Nations development agenda. We adopted the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals. We undertook to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, promote gender equality as well as to combat HIV and AIDS.

The Millennium Summit followed many global conferences of the 1990s at which we made numerous commitments to combat poverty and underdevelopment. The outcomes of these United Nations conferences and summits provide a veritable template for addressing the debilitating scourge of poverty, disease, hunger and underdevelopment in the world.

Today, as we meet here seven years after the adoption of the Millennium Declaration and half way to 2015, we should pause and take serious stock of the progress made or the lack of it. It is evident that, while other regions of the world are making progress towards the realization of the MDGs, indications are that unless something is done to support Africa, the continent is unlikely to achieve any of the Goals by 2015. Statistics tell tales of a continent that is host to huge numbers of the poor and the hungry. Diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, still kill many people in Africa. Those factors require an urgent response, as they create conditions that pose a threat to peace, stability and security.

In this interdependent world, the United Nations cannot realistically hope to achieve the MDGs by 2015 if one part of humanity is lagging so far behind. Something must be done to assist and support Africa. In March 2002 at Monterrey, Mexico, we recognized the imperative of global cooperation and partnership in the achievement of internationally agreed development goals. We agreed that

"achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, demands a new partnership between developed and developing countries" (resolution 58/130, para. 11).

Let us honour our commitments and move forward.

Let me conclude by reiterating the fact that Botswana has long recognized that sustainable development has to be a nationally owned and led process that requires sound democratic institutions and prudent economic management. Adherence to those principles, coupled with the exploitation of mineral resources and donor support, enabled us to achieve rapid economic growth and some measure of development.

Continued assistance is necessary to enable us to consolidate the gains of the past few years and ensure sustainable development. In that respect, the scope of development cooperation should include private sector development, private investment and access to technology. Assistance to middle-income countries such as Botswana is crucial and in the long-term interest of the global economy. We are asking not for handouts, but for assured support, partnership and collaboration.

The Acting President

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

The Acting President

The Assembly will now hear an address by the President of the Republic of Haiti.

The Acting President

On behalf of the General Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. René Garcia Préval, President of the Republic of Haiti, and to invite him to address the Assembly.

President Préval (Haiti)

Allow me at the outset to congratulate Mr. Kerim on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. There is no doubt that his deep familiarity with the academic world, tied to his experience in the political world and in business, is a major asset that will help him to lead us confidently in the Assembly's work. I sincerely hope that our debates will be fruitful and lead to the adoption of relevant resolutions.

Allow me also to welcome our new Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who recently honoured us with his first visit to Haiti in August. We are firmly convinced that the new Secretary-General will rapidly bring to bear his experience of the United Nations system, his vast learning and his broad open-mindedness in carrying out the reforms that most Members of our Organization know to be necessary.

Despite its difficulties, our Organization remains the principal forum offering all States, large and small, the same space for dialogue to address the fundamental issues surrounding our coexistence and future on this planet. May the Secretary-General be assured of the support of the Haitians in his efforts to increase the effectiveness of the United Nations and to enable it to achieve its full potential.

I am speaking here on behalf of a people that has endured great suffering over the past 200 years: material deprivation of all sorts, vulnerability to natural threats and disasters, poor access to health care and education, the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children from malnutrition, and a very young population -- 65 per cent below the age of 25 -- denied any true opportunity for employment.

I speak on behalf of a people that seems to be depopulating itself as its most competent professionals forsake a life of difficulties to the benefit of other countries or businesses, and as its children, women and senior citizens, weary of living what seems to be a hopeless existence, take to the open seas on makeshift boats, seeking a better life under other skies.

I speak on behalf of a State whose neighbours, including the most powerful among them, sometimes portray it as a threat to regional security because Haiti appears too frequently on the agenda of the General Assembly or the Security Council, with a burdensome array of problems of insecurity or political unrest.

I speak on behalf of a country that analyses somewhat prematurely describe as a failed State because it has trouble making