YouSaid · the spoken record

Billie Miller

lines on the record: 158
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 2003-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The world still awaits the peace that was promised when the Charter of the United Nations was adopted, and that was confidently reproclaimed at the end of the cold war. As a small democratic State, Barbados is ever- conscious of the peaceful climate which it has enjoyed since independence, in 1966. The political stability of Barbados and the Caribbean region, which has facilitated and fostered economic and political development, must never be taken for granted. It is a therefore a source of great distress to all peace-loving people that despite all the wonderful technological and scientific advances we have made over the centuries of this millennium, we are entering into the third millennium still carrying the baggage of ancient ethnic and tribal conflicts and of nationalistic rivalries.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Barbados subscribes to the philosophy of inclusion and constructive engagement and strongly believes that these must be our guiding principles as we strive to banish the last vestiges of the cold war from our region. Like other countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), we have developed a productive and cooperative relationship with our neighbour Cuba. We are convinced that Cuba has a significant role to play in our region, and we view its reintegration into hemispheric affairs as an urgent necessity. The continuation of the unilateral economic embargo against Cuba runs contrary to that spirit and is out of tune with the significant efforts of engagement being practiced by the remaining Governments of this hemisphere. We urge the suspension of this anachronistic measure.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The Caribbean Basin States will shortly be addressing in this forum their interest in working towards the international designation of the Caribbean Sea as a special area in the context of sustainable development. While we acknowledge that there is work still to be done to fully develop and implement this concept, we are also firmly convinced of the validity of our efforts, which we believe will ultimately lead to an integrated approach to the sustainable management of the Caribbean Sea and to the protection of its resources. Significant progress has been achieved over the last decade to bring peace and stability to the hemisphere of the Americas.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Barbados is proud, as is the entire region, of the progress made by the small island developing States in fulfilling their commitments under the Barbados Programme of Action. At the national level, our Government has successfully forged greater links with civil society, including the private sector and labour, in the preparation of our environmental policies and action plans. The just-concluded special session to review and appraise the Barbados Programme of Action drew attention once more to the serious way in which the small island developing States have accepted their responsibility to integrate sustainable development practices into all aspects of their economic and social activity. We trust that the outcomes of this review will be fully implemented by the international community.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“As a small island developing State, Barbados has nurtured a strong commitment to the implementation of practices that seek to ensure sustainable development in all aspects of our lives. The dedication of Barbados to the promotion of global sustainable development has been affirmed by our active participation in numerous international negotiations devoted to these issues. It is also demonstrated by our vigorous efforts to foster a shared vision to reverse the conventional wisdom of the past, which sacrificed environmental concerns in blind pursuit of that other ideology of economic growth. That shared vision will be as relevant in the new century as it was when the international community assembled in Barbados in 1994 for the first United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Barbados strongly reiterates the call for the recognition and adoption of vulnerability indices to assist in determining access to development financing. 26 The United Nations has a critical role to play as the defender of the right of all States, regardless of size or influence, to voice their concerns. As a forum for constructive consensus-building in an atmosphere of free and open dialogue the United Nations is even more relevant in an era characterized by complex negotiations and supranational interests dominated by a powerful few. As a community of nations we have one common factor that unquestionably unites us all. We share one Earth. The need to sustain the Earth's oceans, seas and the environment in general is undeniable. Indeed, this represents one of the greatest challenges to globalization.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Recently he made the following observation: “The economic decay in some economies has been so severe and corrosive as to set in train social and political disorder which, unchecked, will create a new Caribbean species of failed society'.” Indeed, we have already seen how the dislocation of some States, whether large, or small and marginalized, can impact negatively on the world's most developed economies. When the global system economically disenfranchises large numbers of the world's population, we should not be surprised that their hopeless circumstances might propel them towards the underworld of transnational crime. The unique nature and scope of vulnerabilities of small economies cannot be disputed.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Our new system is clearly seriously flawed when a dispute between two powerful transatlantic partners can be settled in a political vacuum which totally ignores the very real and disastrous consequences it will inevitably unleash on the economies of a fragile group of small States. This is certainly not globalization with a human face. And so it must be appreciated that the interdependence associated with globalization is a two-sided coin. Just as it is claimed that the benefits of free trade will be enjoyed by all, so too will we all suffer from the repercussions of failed economies, unable to cope with the impact of global trade liberalization. In the Caribbean region, we are haunted by the prospect of failed societies. Prime Minister Arthur of Barbados is particularly concerned, and has repeatedly warned of this possibility.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“To fully grasp the enormity of the adjustment process now facing Caribbean economies one must first appreciate that the Caribbean is perhaps the region which under the original post-colonial regime enjoyed the highest level of trade preferences with Europe. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has evolved as the dominant forum for the reform of the world trading system, but it is now evident that more democratic, participatory and transparent systems are needed to protect the interests of the smaller and more vulnerable members of that Organization. For surely the WTO cannot be meant to operate as a weapon of oppression in a new millennium. Surely it cannot be acceptable in a just world that the new trade ethic should derive solely from the rigid application of technical rules.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The international community must therefore come to recognize that within the context of trade liberalization free trade must import fair trade: trade in goods and services that have been produced and supplied under conditions respectful of the rights and dignity of the labour force; respectful of the preservation of the environment, and guaranteeing fair prices that provide returns to the supplier. Barbados and the Caribbean are confronting serious challenges in the effort to remain viable economies as traditional systems of cooperation between individual States and groups of nations are supplanted by the modern concepts of supranational interests and of globalization.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“One of the most serious of these challenges is that of the concept of globalization. The proponents of this ideology, which embraces trade liberalization and global governance, wish us to believe that it is a natural and logical development in international relations. It is not. In many of its important aspects it is an imposition. One has only to examine the bases of the clamour for trade liberalization to become aware of this. Trade liberalization assumes that small States compete with larger, stronger, more experienced countries on the same terms, or become mere satellites in a neo-colonial sphere. No nation, large or small, would willingly accept a satellite role.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We have long enjoyed good relations with our sister Pacific islands and wish to assure the new Member States of our continued friendship and solidarity. As we reflect on the twentieth century, we see a period remarkable for its contradictions. We see, on the one hand, astounding developments in many fields of human endeavour and, on the other, national and international conflicts, resulting in mass destruction of human life and infrastructure as well as the almost irreversible compromising of the ecological system. It is evident that if as nations we refuse to use our accumulated knowledge and experience, these contradictions will be carried well into the twenty-first century, making it even more difficult for us to face and overcome the challenges that lie ahead.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is my pleasure to congratulate the President on his election to the presidency of the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly. The Barbados delegation shares the confidence expressed in his leadership and offers its full cooperation as he presides over our deliberations. Let me also warmly commend his predecessor, my friend and colleague, Mr. Didier Opertti, Foreign Minister of Uruguay, for his outstanding stewardship of the Assembly during the last year and for the vision and direction he gave to the ongoing work of the United Nations. We are delighted to welcome to our family of nations Tonga, Kiribati and Nauru, which are, like 25 Barbados, small island developing States and members of the Commonwealth and also of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It must come to terms with the chronic and grave financial crisis that threatens the Organization’s integrity and viability. It must redouble its efforts to foster reconciliation and stability in the many strife-torn countries where millions of people remain trapped in poverty and deprivation. Barbados believes that this indispensable institution can meet these challenges. But it must expeditiously put its house in order so that it can intensify its efforts with regard to the priorities that define its unique mission of peace, development, democracy and social justice. Barbados pledges its full commitment and support. 14”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“But the gains have been largely reaped by the stronger countries, leaving the weak even more disadvantaged and the inequality between and within countries even more pronounced. It is for this reason that we urge the United Nations to play a greater advocacy role on behalf of vulnerable States in the policy dialogue on globalization. The CARICOM States recognize that we must strengthen our technical capacity to negotiate effectively our integration into the global economy. Accordingly, regional negotiating machinery has been established to manage these crucial negotiations, which will determine our future relations with major trading blocs. This fifty-second session of the General Assembly has before it many critical issues. It must guide the reform process, which, in effect, will determine the very future of the Organization.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The reordering and strengthening of CARICOM-United States cooperation are an integral part of our adaptation to this powerful impulse. Through the liberalization of trade, finance and services and the rapid expansion of telecommunications and information technology, developing countries have become a driving force in this process, although the level and pace of integration differ widely among countries. Barbados shares the anxiety of small developing States, which are highly vulnerable to marginalization in this fiercely competitive environment given our sparse natural and human-resource base and limited administrative and technical capacity. Globalization presents new opportunities for trade and investment — witness the performance of East Asian economies.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Our efforts to rid the Caribbean of those scourges have centred on increased cooperation and information sharing and on the strengthening and training of our police and coastguard forces. We welcome the valuable support for these efforts by our bilateral partners as well as by the Regional Office for the Caribbean of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. The special session of the General Assembly on the issue of drugs next year will provide a valuable opportunity to share our experiences and also to learn from those of others. Let me comment briefly on the phenomenon of globalization, which has reshaped the development landscape, with far-reaching implications for the Caribbean Community.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It will guide an ambitious action plan designed to promote sustainable development and foster democracy, peace, and economic and social progress in the region. Barbados considers the summit an important landmark in CARICOM/United States cooperation. We look forward to monitoring the action plan at annual meetings of CARICOM Foreign Ministers and the Secretary of State of the United States of America, starting early in 1998. We trust that this process of consultation will embrace the concerns of Caribbean countries over a number of critical issues, such as the adverse impact of recent immigration policy on the very fabric of Caribbean society. Barbados and the CARICOM States have been particularly concerned with the threat to democracy and society posed by drug trafficking, crime and violence, money laundering and corruption.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We are therefore grateful not just to the Security Council for agreeing to a United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti whose mandate extends to 30 November 1997, but also to the Friends of the Secretary-General for Haiti, and to other concerned delegations that made this compromise possible. This extension will further professionalize the National Police force and enhance its capacity to secure the stability on which democracy and development can flourish. In May 1997 Barbados had the honour to host the CARICOM/United States summit on partnership for prosperity and security in the Caribbean. It underlined our mutual economic and security interests and opened a new chapter in the CARICOM/United States partnership, consistent with the changing global economy. The summit adopted the Bridgetown Declaration of Principles.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“But such economic transformation cannot be achieved overnight or without consistent support from the international community. Barbados joins affected countries in appealing for such support. Last June Barbados and the other CARICOM States welcomed Haiti as the fourteenth member of our Community. Haiti’s future is now linked to CARICOM’s future. 13 In supporting Haiti during its critical hour, CARICOM countries cautioned then, and we do so again now, that the task ahead would be long and difficult and that progress would be uneven, and urged the international community to stay the course with Haiti.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“There the people face not just the effects of a natural calamity, but the distinct possibility that their island home and way of life could be obliterated. The eruption of the Lange Soufriere Hills Volcano shows no signs of abating. Barbados has joined its Caribbean Community (CARICOM) partners in providing financial and material assistance to the people of our sister isle in this time of crisis. We urge the international community to come to the assistance of this beleaguered island. Man-made disasters can be no less cruel. The recent decision of the World Trade Organization panel on the banana question has threatened the very lifeline of the exporting countries of the region. We know that diversification is the long-term answer.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“While recognizing that, through self-help, small island developing States must do more to revitalize the Barbados Programme, we urge the international community to provide greater financial support to strengthen its implementation, especially its information network and technical assistance components. The upcoming Caribbean ministerial meeting on the plan of action, scheduled to be held in Barbados in November, will give strategic direction to our preparatory work over the next several months. I wish to turn briefly to specific developments of major concern to the Caribbean region. The vulnerability of our region, both environmental and economic, is a daily reality. On the emerald isle of Montserrat, nature has dealt a most cruel blow.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Since Rio, progress has been made in enacting international law and conventions in the areas of biodiversity, the seas, climate change and desertification, and in implementing environmental policies at the national level. But the failure of donors to honour commitments on finance and technology was clearly the most crucial factor limiting further implementation of Agenda 21. We welcome, however, the decision to hold a two- day special session to review the Barbados Programme of Action in 1999. It is our hope that this review will reinforce the long-term viability of this Programme and underscore the vital role small island developing States play as a laboratory for the study of environmental change in the interest of all countries.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“It underscored the integration of environment and development policies through a comprehensive programme of action — Agenda 21 — which speaks to the very survival of our planet. More particularly, it called the attention of the international community to the special vulnerabilities of small island developing States through the follow-up Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of the Small Island Developing States, and the Barbados Programme of Action which it adopted. Barbados shared with other developing countries the expectation that the special session would rekindle the spirit of Rio and reaffirm the commitments made for the financing of sustainable development. The special session clearly fell short of these expectations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Government has taken a number of actions to foster and to strengthen this participatory process, including the establishment of National Commissions on Social Justice and on Reform of the Constitution. This underscores the highest priority we give to social justice and democracy and the importance we attach to keeping these fundamental rights under periodic review. Barbados participated actively within the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) during the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly, which reviewed the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. We consider the Rio Conference to be one of the great achievements of the United Nations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Government has therefore launched a major initiative in collaboration with UNDP to elaborate a plan of action for poverty alleviation including the feasibility of a social-investment funding scheme. It will target pockets of poverty throughout the country and provide funding for programmes submitted by local non-governmental organizations and community groups, focusing on skills acquisition and community empowerment. Through related policies, the Government is implementing measures to promote gender parity and the full integration of women and youth in the development process. Barbados enjoys a robust democracy and so recognizes the increasing influence of civil society in shaping national policy.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Through sustained economic growth, supplemented by an effective social safety net, the Government aims to spread the benefits of development to all its people. Among new major programmes are Edu tech 2000, a five-year education-sector programme aimed at enhancing the use of information technology by students and teachers, and the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme, known as YES, which provides training, business counselling, mentorship and access to finance for young entrepreneurs. 12 While our strong commitment to social policy has paid rich dividends, as illustrated by the successive high rankings of Barbados in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) human development index, emerging problems largely associated with poverty, particularly among youth, are of critical concern.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We have made great advances in medicine and genetic engineering, in information technology, in high-speed mass transport and in food production, to mention only a few. Yet so much remains to be done. Abject poverty, disease, illiteracy and ill-health still afflict far too many fellow inhabitants of this planet as we approach the new millennium. This Organization has done much to alleviate suffering. But it can continue to do so, and do so more effectively, only if Member States, according to their capacities, give unselfishly of the financial and technical resources necessary for the execution of its social programmes. In Barbados, our own national development programmes underscore the Government’s assignment of highest priority to the social sectors, which at present account for almost 40 per cent of total Government expenditure.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“In principle, however, we believe that as chief executive officer, accountable to Member States for the Organization’s performance, the Secretary-General must be able to implement those management actions within his immediate authority. At the same time, we would caution that reform should not be driven by staff reduction targets, nor predetermined by budgetary constraints. We believe reform should be guided by the mandated objectives and priorities set by Member States, as reflected in the various programmes of action of the global conferences, and the financial and human resources required to implement them. The scientific achievements of this century have been truly spectacular. We have visited the Moon and lived in outer space for months.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Unilateral conditions, however convenient, constitute a dangerous precedent which could hobble the United Nations and the reform process for many years to come. We urge the Working Group concerned to step up its efforts to put the Organization on a more secure financial footing. Against this background of United Nations system reform, we welcome the second phase of the Secretary- General’s reform programme “Renewing the United Nations: A Programme for Reform”. It contains many far- reaching proposals designed to streamline the organizational and management structure of the United Nations and to improve its overall effectiveness. My delegation will participate actively in the relevant forum which will consider this report, and seek greater clarification and specificity on a number of key recommendations.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The report on the strengthening of the United Nations system contains many important recommendations for improving the role and functioning of the General Assembly and the accountability and efficiency of the Secretariat. Some may argue that these proposals do not go far enough. In the view of my delegation, however, they constitute a firm basis on which the effectiveness of these organs can be built. We look forward to their implementation. My delegation remains deeply concerned about the prolonged financial crisis facing the Organization and the serious implications for its long-term viability. We believe that the United Nations is at the crossroads. Payment of assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions is a hallowed treaty obligation of Member States.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Barbados attaches particular importance to the principle of openness and transparency in the work of the Council and welcomes the steps already taken in this direction through regular briefings and monthly assessments by Council Presidents. Difficult negotiations remain on key issues, including the size of the Council, the nature of its enlargement and the use of the veto. We must now step up consultations, drawing on the useful proposals submitted by Member States and the Co-Chairmen of the Group. We hope such negotiations can be conducted in a timely and open manner, in a spirit of compromise, and to the general satisfaction of all.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“But if the Agenda is to be implemented, it must claim wide ownership, not only among the organs and specialized agencies of the United Nations system, but among the operational Ministries of Governments as well — in particular, Ministries of Finance. Here we remain concerned that the critical question of the future 11 financing of development has not been resolved. This has heightened uncertainty about the international commitment to development cooperation, through which the United Nations system has played such an important supportive role in developing countries. Negotiations taking place in the Working Group on reform of the Security Council should facilitate, not limit, opportunities for membership of developing countries, and reflect the altered structure of the Organization since 1965.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We share the view of UNESCO that this challenge is broad and far-reaching and would require priority commitment by the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations, and civil society. Institutional reform and restructuring at both the national and multilateral levels in response to rapid global change is an imperative, not an option. Barbados strongly supports the United Nations reform process, and has followed with deep interest the progress of the various Working Groups. The Working Group on an Agenda for Development has completed its task. We now have a comprehensive document which embodies the main development priorities contained in the various programmes of action.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The numerous conflicts, both old and new, which darken the global political scene underline the need for a new urgency in the quest for peace, so wherever conflict exists we call on all concerned parties to redouble their efforts towards reconciliation and to accelerate the conditions for stability and economic and social progress for their people. But, as we look to the new millennium, we believe that prospects for an era of lasting peace must extend beyond traditional responses to conflict after they have erupted. The promotion of a “Culture of Peace”, launched by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), holds considerable promise. It focuses greater attention on prevention and addresses the cause of conflict at its roots.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“The Assembly meets again for its review of the global political scene against a background of recurring strife and conflict in many parts of the world. The increasing demands on the resources of the Organization continue to hamper implementation of its priority mission in the post- cold-war world, namely, promoting sustainable development and, in particular, the elimination of absolute poverty. My delegation believes that the United Nations must remain the conscience of the international community in the fight against poverty and misery, which afflict so many of the world’s people. Yet we face the stark reality that without peace, the fruits of development and the goals of economic and social justice will remain for them a distant dream.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Mr. President, it is my pleasure to congratulate you on your election, to share the confidence expressed in your leadership, and to pledge the cooperation of the Barbados delegation in the work of the fifty-second session of the General Assembly. I also wish to convey our deep appreciation to His Excellency Ambassador Razali Ismail for his outstanding stewardship of the fifty-first session. My delegation welcomed the firm management and dispatch of the General Assembly agenda which characterized his tenure as President. We would wish that this businesslike approach reflect the new direction of a reformed United Nations, more efficient and more effective, to face the challenge of rapid global change.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Given the agenda before us, we believe this is a time for more, not less, intensive global cooperation — cooperation that only the United Nations can foster. We remain committed to its principles and will do our part to help fulfil the promise of the Charter.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“At the same time, it has taken steps to review and deepen its democratic and human rights traditions through the establishment of Commissions on Social Justice and Reform of the Constitution, respectively. These inquiries will assess the extent to which the promise of a good and just society has been fulfilled after 30 years of independence. They reflect the fact that we assign the highest priority to social policy and to the cause of human rights and democracy. The United Nations faces many challenges, but these are not insurmountable if we renew our faith in its mission. Barbados believes that this Organization is still our best hope for fostering peace and social justice and for coordinating the management of global problems.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“It must build on the considerable policy consensus that already exists on the broad priorities of its agenda, including the link between peace and development, poverty eradication, sustainable development, social justice and democracy, issues of governance, and women. It must continue to nurture the participatory impulse of civil society, which has emerged as a major influence on the work of the Organization and on national public policy. It must propel this heightened concern with the human condition in all its dimensions to the top of the global agenda. Barbados shares these priorities for full human development by fostering the empowerment of all its people as it expands its economic and social development.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“It will provide continuing support to secure and maintain a stable environment that will buttress the democratic and development process. However, come next month, the international community cannot wash its hands of Haiti, declare victory and leave. As recent events have shown, stability, to say nothing of democracy, remains a fragile sapling that will continue to require care and protection. We urge that Haitians, who were among the first in this hemisphere to attempt to define their own post- colonial political system, not be forgotten in the post-cold- war world. Developing countries look to a reformed United Nations to play a major role in shaping the global society of the twenty-first century.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“It holds the promise of nurturing the still-fragile democracy and accelerating economic and social progress which has eluded the majority of the Haitian people for too long. Speaking on behalf of member States of the Caribbean Community during consideration of this question at the fiftieth session, Barbados cautioned that the road ahead for Haiti would be long and difficult, that progress would be uneven, and that sustained support from the international community would continue to be crucial. We believe that this view is still valid. My delegation therefore welcomes the adoption of Security Council resolution 1063 (1996) of 28 June 1996, which established the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti until 30 November 1996.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We urge the international community to do all it can to stem the explosive situation in the Great Lakes region. Without peace there can be no development, and without development there can be no lasting peace. We therefore hope for an early breakthrough for peace in affected countries, not only in Africa but also in other regions of the world, so that the urgent task of development can be resumed. In our own hemisphere, the situation in Haiti continues to be of special concern to countries of the Latin American and Caribbean region. Thanks to the resolve of the Haitian people and the support of the international community, a viable political and development infrastructure has begun to take root.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We hope that the recent elections will be a further major step in the building of the confidence and trust so crucial to long-term reconciliation. Recent outbreaks of violence in the Middle East have renewed our anxieties about peace in that region. The international community yearns for the day when a full and lasting peace is consolidated in this entire region, bringing to an end the long cycle of violence. We urge all the parties to re-embark on this journey and redouble their efforts to recapture the momentum of the peace process, which has so far brokered agreements between Israel and Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. 16 General Assembly 20th plenary meeting Fifty-first session 3 October 1996 In Africa, a number of countries remain locked in prolonged conflict, which has smothered the democratic process and stalled the development effort.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The world still awaits the dawn of the new era of peace envisaged at the end of the cold war. As a small developing country, Barbados is ever conscious of the peaceful domestic climate it has enjoyed since independence in 1966, which has fostered its economic and social development. We therefore share the anguish of the international community for those countries where internal strife and regional conflict, and their attendant human suffering, continue to deny economic and social progress to millions of their people. My delegation therefore welcomes the peace process which is being implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina under the Dayton accords. Though still fragile, this Agreement, we think, offers the best prospects for peace so far, and we hope for an end to a conflict which has threatened the very credibility of the United Nations.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In our view, we have debated far too long obligations which are so clearly spelt out in the United Nations Charter. Barbados holds firmly to the position advanced by the Group of 77 and China that the crisis derives essentially from the Organization’s cash flow problem, created by the failure of major Member States to pay their contributions in full and on time. More generally, we support the principle of periodic review of the scale of assessments, designed to ensure the long-term financial viability of the United Nations, based on the principle of capacity to pay; but we do not believe that this should be linked conditionally to the issue of arrears as we search for a solution to the present crisis. This Assembly will once again review the many unresolved problems which dominate the global political scene.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“When this task is successfully completed, we envisage a United Nations restructured and re-energized, to accelerate economic and social development in a world where absolute poverty still afflicts over one billion people who exist on less than one dollar a day. Commitment to reform notwithstanding, the capacity of the Organization to support this global agenda is being hampered by recurring financial crises. The United Nations now finds itself at the crossroads. In April 1996, the Secretary-General cautioned that the United Nations was on the brink of financial disaster. Regrettably, this outlook has not markedly improved to date. Given this prospect, it is clear that resolute action to address this crisis can no longer be postponed if the integrity of the Organization and the viability of its mandates are to be preserved.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Barbados therefore follows with special interest the consultations taking place in the Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and other Matters Related to the Security Council. The question of equitable representation of small States is of particular concern, and we are studying closely those proposals which take this concept into account. At the same time, we note with satisfaction the broad convergence of views on enlargement of the Council, and the importance being given to measures to improve its working methods and procedures, to enhance its democratic and representative character, and to foster greater transparency. We also recognize the important consultations which are proceeding in the other Working Groups.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“My delegation therefore attaches the greatest importance to the Working Groups established by the General Assembly to advance the reform process, in order to make the world a more peaceful place and to improve the Organization’s effectiveness in promoting economic and social development. Reform is now the order of the day. No country or institution can neglect the reality of globalization or the technological revolution that drives this process. It poses major challenges for countries and societies, particularly small developing countries. We recognize only too well our own vulnerability to marginalization, stemming from intense global competition and reform of major global institutions, including the United Nations.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The landmark fiftieth session was an occasion for solemn reflection on the mission and performance of the United Nations and for a constructive assessment of the challenges which confront the Organization in the post- cold-war world. Member States have left no doubt about 15 General Assembly 20th plenary meeting Fifty-first session 3 October 1996 the critical role that the United Nations must continue to play in fostering global peace and security and promoting sustainable development. They have recognized that, notwithstanding its shortcomings, this Organization remains the only universal mechanism which offers the hope of achieving the goals for humanity enshrined in its Charter. The task with which we have been charged is to revitalize the United Nations and to strengthen its capacity to meet the new demands of rapid global change.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)