YouSaid · the spoken record

Festus Mogae

lines on the record: 49
first: 1998-09-24
most recent: 2004-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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 solution to that vexing question rests on the ability of Member States, in particular the permanent members of the Council, to muster the political will to compromise. We should not tolerate this paralysis any longer. It is therefore my hope that action will be taken at this session to continue the process of democratizing the Security Council and make it more representative of the membership of the United Nations. Finally, I once again make a special appeal to the general Membership of the Organization to do more to facilitate the implementation of the Millennium Declaration. We must do all we can to transform hope into reality. Together we have the resources, the skills and the science and technology to make the Declaration have meaning in the lives of our peoples. Botswana is committed to doing its part.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We need united, stronger and concerted action by all the countries of the world to defeat that scourge, which knows no boundaries. In conclusion, I reaffirm the importance that Botswana attaches to the revitalization of the General Assembly and the reform of the Security Council. We commend the President of the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly for his practical proposals in that area. We were disappointed that the Assembly could not reach consensus on those proposals. My delegation will contribute in whatever small way it can to the building of such consensus. Regarding the reform of the Security Council, we are concerned that, after 11 years of consultations, not much progress has been achieved.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“For how long can generations of mothers mourn the loss of their sons in combat? For how long should succeeding generations fight wars that their forebears fought? We ask those involved in those conflicts, descendants of old civilizations that made enormous contributions to the growth and development of modern civilization, to live and let live and to find in themselves the courage to resolve their differences through dialogue rather than through indiscriminate violence. Terrorism is one of the greatest challenges to international peace and security. No one country can defeat that scourge, which has caused the loss of many lives across the world. The activities of terrorists have become very complex and sophisticated.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Regarding the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan, the international community must take urgent measures to arrest the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in that country. The people of Darfur should be assisted to return to their homes in safety and dignity. We urge the Government of Sudan to be receptive to the proposals contained in the Secretary-General’s report and, above all, take due cognizance of Security Council resolution 1564 (2004), and in particular to facilitate the speedy delivery by the international community of much-needed humanitarian assistance. We are troubled by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, which is a serious threat to international peace and security. How long can humanity stand the sight of human suffering that we see daily on our television screens?”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“The international community has a duty and a responsibility to assist the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the search for national reconciliation and a lasting political settlement to the problems facing that country. It is our hope that the international community will provide the necessary financial and material support to ensure the success of the international conference on the Great Lakes region, which is to be held in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, at the end of this year. 9 In Côte d’Ivoire, everything possible must be done to maintain peace and stability, as well as to promote national reconciliation, by ensuring that the parties accept the Government of National Reconciliation.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“In its short history, the Council has already deployed peacekeepers in Burundi and peace monitors in the Darfur region of Sudan, and has sent mediators and peace envoys to help in negotiating solutions to conflicts elsewhere on the continent. One thing is clear: Africa is an integral part of the international community. The problems of Africa are global problems. We cannot isolate ourselves, nor be isolated from the rest of the world, and be expected to single-handedly find solutions to such conflicts. We need consistent and continued international support. In that regard, we acknowledge the important and commendable role that the United Nations is playing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire and Burundi. The peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is at a critical stage.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We shall therefore continue to rely on the international community for consistent and assured support, if we are to assist our people in time. International peace and security are under constant threat. Our collective memory appears to be failing to draw appropriate lessons, even from the recent horrors of conflicts in Rwanda, Afghanistan and the Balkans. Millions of people continue to suffer and die needlessly in Africa and elsewhere because of unnecessary conflicts. It is once again Africa that has had to bear the brunt of those conflicts. We are concerned by the protracted conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Burundi and Côte d’Ivoire. As Africans, we accept our responsibility to find solutions to those conflicts. That is why we established the Peace and Security Council of the African Union in May of this year.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“In 2003, it was reported that about 40 million people around the world were living with the virus, and that well over 26 million of them were in sub-Saharan Africa alone. The epidemic has killed over 2.3 million people in sub- Saharan Africa, out of a total of 3 million people who died of AIDS-related illnesses around the world. In Botswana, our various intervention programmes are beginning to bear fruit. We are indebted to our friends internationally, whose partnership, support, assistance and, indeed, solidarity have combined to save lives and give hope to many of our people. However, a lot still needs to be done. Our immediate challenge is the lack of capacity to provide the antiretroviral therapy programme to all who need assistance.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We are concerned at the fact that, in spite of the strong commitments expressed at the Millennium Summit, almost half of the people in sub-Saharan Africa continue to survive on a dollar a day. That reflects no change in the statistics of 1990. One hundred twenty-one million children are still out of school; and the under-5 mortality rate is still as high as 174 per 1,000 live births. The resources provided to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic remain inadequate, yet we all agree that HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Combating the scourge of HIV/AIDS must therefore remain a high priority for action, because the epidemic has a debilitating impact on everything that we do to improve the human condition.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“A number of developing countries have promulgated legislative and regulatory frameworks to stimulate greater private sector participation in their economies. It is only natural, given the scope of the reform measures, that developing countries should expect some positive reaction in the form of flows of foreign direct investments, which at the moment are, regrettably, still very low. In the area of trade, we are concerned about the slow progress in multilateral trade negotiations. As developing countries, we have more to gain from a more just, fairer and rule-based international trading system that would facilitate the integration of our economies into the global economy. We urge the major players in those negotiations to show a greater sense of urgency and commitment.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“The continuing debt burden is contributing significantly to the failure to deal effectively with the problem of poverty. Most developing countries have undertaken courageous measures to implement painful structural reforms. The commendable steps taken to introduce sound macroeconomic management and principles of good governance deserve an urgent, positive and appropriate response. It must be acknowledged that some of the reforms can, in the short term, worsen the plight of the poor for a very long time before the benefits of the sacrifices are realized. 8 Structural reforms have not been confined to budgetary matters alone. They cover the whole economic spectrum, including the creation of an environment conducive to the growth of the private sector and development, as well as to the flow of foreign direct investment.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“In spite of those challenges, we have abiding faith in the human spirit, and therefore remain convinced that it is not beyond the capacity of the international community to implement those ideals. The Millennium Declaration recognized that poverty eradication is fundamental to achieving sustainable development, but many of our people still live in conditions of abject poverty. The alleviation of poverty and its eventual eradication therefore remain a top priority for us. Official development assistance levels continue to fall in real terms to below the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product. I must, however, commend the few countries that have met that target. They have demonstrated that the target is realistic and achievable.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Are we doing enough to prove them wrong? We owe it to the millions of our people who look up to us to mitigate their suffering. Thus far, the available evidence suggests that our performance has been disappointing. Unfortunately, time is not on our side. There is need to act with vigour if we are to meet our commitments. My delegation is fully aware that a multiplicity of factors combined to constrain and to thwart some of our efforts in the past few years. There is no doubt, for instance, that major international conflicts, such as the war in Iraq, have been a drag on the international community’s efforts to focus on the Goals. As a result of the war, oil prices have skyrocketed, putting tremendous pressure on the world economy, and in particular on the vulnerable economies of developing countries.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We are gathered here today, 12 months before the first review of the Millennium Declaration, an unprecedented compact made by world leaders to unite in action in addressing the problems bedevilling humanity. It is our hope that we will use this gathering to reflect on whether we have done enough to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We have to ask ourselves, individually and collectively, whether the enthusiasm and political commitment with which we endorsed the Declaration is being translated into programmes and projects. Simply put, we must be ready to answer, hopefully in the affirmative, whether we are doing enough to meet the targets that we set for ourselves for the first five years of this millennium. Let us recall that pessimists proclaimed the Millennium Summit a talking shop and poured scorn on its intended outcome.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Kofi Annan, for his visionary leadership of the Organization and for his enduring spirit in the face of the complex challenges that the United Nations is called upon to address across our common universe. I take this opportunity to join other delegations in extending our condolences to the Government and the people of the Russian Federation on the tragic loss of life in Beslan. There can never be any justification for such a savage attack on innocent children, men and women. Botswana joins the rest of the international community in condemning that horrendous act. We also extend our sympathies and condolences to our dear brothers and sisters in the Caribbean and the southern part of the United States of America on the loss of life and the destruction of property caused by recent hurricanes.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Let me start by congratulating you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the fifty- ninth session of the General Assembly. Your election is a tribute not only to yourself, but also to your country, Gabon, with which Botswana enjoys the most cordial of relations. 1 assure you of the full support and cooperation of my delegation in the discharge of your onerous duties and responsibilities. We also pay tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Julian Hunte of Saint Lucia, for his stewardship of the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly. Saint Lucia is another country with which Botswana enjoys excellent relations. Come to think of it, we can understand why countries of the world can be friendly with each other, as Botswana is friendly to them all. Our words of congratulations are addressed also to the Secretary-General, Mr.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We look to the international community, within the framework of the United Nations, to play a greater role in the peaceful resolution of those conflicts. Let me conclude by reiterating Botswana's continued support for the United Nations and express my delegation's appreciation to the Secretary-General, whose visionary leadership has continued to guide our Organization.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Botswana welcomes and commends the historic step taken by the Government of Angola and UNITA in signing the Memorandum of Understanding of 4 April 2002 as an addendum to the Lusaka Protocol. The people of Angola have opted for peace. They expect the international community to help them consolidate this peace. Let us not fail them. I ask the ambassadors and foreign ministers who happen to be present here to take the message to my fellow heads of State in Africa that we should not let down the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, above all, the people of Angola. They have suffered enough. Conflicts and instability in other parts of the world, such as the Middle East and Afghanistan, are of serious concern to us.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is possible and necessary, but in the final analysis, it depends on the political will of the signatories to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement. I wish to salute the efforts and indomitable spirit of my immediate predecessor, Sir Ketumile Masire. He has been tireless and unwavering in his mission of facilitating the inter-Congolese dialogue, convincing the people of that country that peace can come only if they are willing to talk to each other. Nobody will come from heaven or hell to create peace for them. I also wish to place on record Botswana's appreciation of the efforts and determination of President Mbeki of South Africa. He has invested substantial time, energy and resources to find solutions to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We have closely followed the Organization's initiative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in the areas of the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration of the former combatants into civil society. We welcome the ongoing consultations between the various parties to the conflict. We are anxious, however, to see full-fledged negotiations that can lead to a lasting political settlement. The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo yearn for peace and national reconciliation, as well as the social and economic development of their country. We therefore call upon all parties to demonstrate greater determination and a sense of urgency in the search for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in that country.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Botswana is immensely grateful for the support it has received from the United Nations and other cooperating partners in its efforts to fight the epidemic. I also wish to commend the Secretary-General for his tireless efforts in mobilizing the international community to support our efforts. I am sure that, with the help of the international community, we in Africa will still be standing when the dust settles. Botswana is pleased to note the commendable efforts that the United Nations continues to make in the maintenance of peace and security in various parts of the world. With the continued assistance of the United Nations and the rest of the international community, we have reason to be optimistic and hope that the continent of Africa will soon find peace.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In this regard, we view partnership agreements, such as the Cotonou Agreement and the African Growth and Opportunity Act, as important steps towards fulfilling some of the objectives of the Monterrey Consensus. HIV/AIDS remains, undoubtedly, the most serious threat to the economic and social progress of the world. Its devastating impact on the African continent is well documented. There is no doubt that no one country has the capacity to deal with the problems associated with this epidemic on its own. If we are to conquer it, we will need a strategy that combines efforts on a broad front. Those who think that they are 3 still free from the epidemic and that it is an African problem had better wake up, because next time it will be on their own doorstep.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Central to the achievement of Africa's development objectives is a commitment by the international community to implement the decisions of the United Nations world conferences. We need to work assiduously to implement the Monterrey Consensus, which identifies sources that can be used to finance the development goals that we have set for ourselves. Potential sources include the mobilization of domestic resources; the mobilization of external resources, including foreign direct investment; increased financial and technical cooperation; and the resolution of the debt crisis. The Monterrey Consensus also recognizes trade as an engine of growth and development. The international community therefore has a responsibility to ensure that developing countries can participate in world trade.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Botswana is convinced that NEPAD provides a sound basis for building real partnerships within the continent, as well as with the rest of the international community. It is important to reiterate Africa's deep appreciation of the support and assistance that we have received and continue to receive from the international community. We particularly welcome the resolution that has just been adopted by the General Assembly mandating the United Nations funds and programmes to support the implementation of NEPAD. Botswana is also happy with the decision of the G8 countries to join hands with us to ensure the success of this initiative. We stand ready to make our contribution so that the noble objectives of NEPAD can be attained.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“These challenges are further compounded by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Let me hasten to state that to acknowledge the existence of problems does not mean that the future is entirely bleak. There are positive developments that give reason for hope for the realization of the aspirations of our people. Africa has committed itself to creating an environment conducive to economic growth and development. We have taken concrete steps to ensure that Africa is united and better prepared to face up to its problems. We have taken the first step in a broad and comprehensive process to bring our countries together through the establishment of the African Union. The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which was considered by this Assembly this week, is one of the major initiatives of the African Union.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is the only institution that can play the important role of fostering partnership, cooperation and multilateralism. States especially those, like ours, that our small have high expectations of what multilateral cooperation can do for them, and how it can change for the better the lives and destiny of the peoples of the United Nations. In this regard, we cannot fail to speak about the varied and complex challenges developing countries continue to face, particularly in the continent of Africa. Despite consistent efforts in the past to assist Africa, there are still widening disparities in development between the continent and the rest of the world. Africa continues to experience high levels of poverty, which is aggravated by, among other things, the unfavourable global economic environment and conflicts.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In East Timor the United Nations demonstrated its commitment to the principles and purposes of the Charter by playing a pivotal and decisive role in ensuring that the people of East Timor can, at long last, exercise their right to national self-determination. We live in a world of diverse cultures and traditions, yet we are united by our common humanity. There is no alternative to coming together to address the many dangers that threaten humanity. No one country can hope to successfully confront, on its own, those global challenges whether underdevelopment, poverty, insecurity or threats to peace. They are challenges that require global solutions and the participation of all global stakeholders to confront them. It is for those reasons that the United Nations remains an important unifying institution for all of humanity.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Let me also place on record that we appreciate the good work which our Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, is doing to reform the United Nations funds and programmes. The reform process is contributing to the strengthening of the capacity of those special institutions to deliver assistance to Member States in a more coherent and efficient manner. I join others in congratulating and welcoming into the United Nations family Switzerland, a new Member State, and East Timor, which is soon to become one. 2 I am delighted that Switzerland has now taken its rightful place in this world body. The United Nations has indeed been strengthened, and its universal character has undoubtedly been enhanced.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is my pleasure to extend to you, Sir, and to your country, Chad, the warm congratulations of Botswana on your election to a vice-presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session, and to wish you every success. I assure you of the full cooperation of my delegation. If we had started this meeting on time, I would not have minded at all. I have greater respect for time than for hordes of latecomers. I am also grateful for the fact that after other heads of State or Government left New York, nobody removed the chairs in the Assembly Hall. I wish to pay tribute to Mr. Han Seung-Soo of the Republic of Korea, President of the General Assembly at the fifty-seventh session, for the skilful manner in which he conducted the work of that session.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Let me begin by stating that our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the United States as they commemorate the first anniversary of the 11 September 2001 terror attacks in New York and Washington. The events of that day compel us to unite and adopt effective measures to eradicate the scourge of terrorism. I take this opportunity to reaffirm Botswana's strong support for the work of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee established to monitor the effective implementation of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). The international community must maintain its unity and remain vigilant so as to ensure that such acts of terror never happen again.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo deserve a break. Through the timely assistance rendered by three SADC countries at a time of great peril, it is our fervent hope that the Democratic Republic of the Congo will soon resume its process of rebirth and do so in peace and tranquillity. Let me conclude by assuring you, Mr. President, and the nations gathered here that Botswana’s faith in the United Nations as the universal repository of the hopes and aspirations of all mankind remains as strong as ever. We will continue to work assiduously for the enhancement of the efficacy of the Organization, to help equip it for the arduous tasks that lie ahead.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“With regard to Angola, it has become increasingly clear that the leader of UNITA has no intention that it shall meet its obligations under the Lusaka Protocol. Given the renewed upsurge in violence caused by UNITA, SADC has come to the conclusion, regretfully, that Mr. Savimbi must be held personally responsible for war crimes that his movement has committed, and continues to commit even after it has signed a peace agreement. The people of Angola have suffered for far too long and it is time that this fratricidal war, which has devastated the country, was brought to an end. Across the border from war-weary Angola, another SADC country is going through a painful process of national rebirth, rudely interrupted two months ago by a rebellion which, even as we meet here, is ineluctably sapping the residual energy of a devastated country.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The intervention is aimed at assisting the people of Lesotho to create conditions conducive for them to address their differences in a peaceful manner. Our action conforms strictly to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the resolution of the 1997 Harare summit of the Organization of African Unity which condemns the overthrow of legitimate Governments by the military. 3 I wish to assure the Assembly that the military intervention by Botswana and South Africa in Lesotho is motivated solely by a sincere will to establish conditions of peace and security in our sister country. We are dealing with a difficult, complex and rapidly changing situation. As such, our forces shall remain in Lesotho for as long as necessary to restore public order and the rule of law.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Criminal activity and lawlessness became the order of the day. There was no doubt that Lesotho was on the brink of widespread violence and total chaos. The crisis was most alarming because of its wider implications for peace and stability in the whole subregion of southern Africa. No effort was made by those involved to heed the calls for peaceful dialogue. Under the circumstances, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) could not remain indifferent. Therefore, on 21 September 1998 members of the Botswana Defence Force and the South African Defence Forces entered the Kingdom of Lesotho in response to an appeal for such intervention by the democratically elected Government of Lesotho.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“To improve the situation, Botswana has over the past few years undertaken measures to create a favourable environment for investment, including the encouragement of small and medium-scale enterprises. I am confident that with the support of our development partners our efforts will bear fruit. Before I conclude my statement, let me say a few words about recent events in southern Africa. On 16 September 1998 there was an attempt to put an end to the constitutional order in the Kingdom of Lesotho by overthrowing a democratically elected Government. Junior officers in the Lesotho Defence Force mutinied and arrested their senior officers, including the army commander. Government employees, including Cabinet Ministers, were stopped from going to work, which resulted in a complete collapse of the administrative order in the country.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In fact, the debt burden continues to be one of the main obstacles to economic growth and development. The new initiative adopted by the Bretton Woods institutions to reduce the multilateral debt of the heavily indebted poor countries is a welcome development, though its implementation has been very disappointing and painfully slow. Botswana believes that the only viable solution to the debt problem faced by the poorest countries is outright cancellation of the debt. The main objectives of Botswana’s development strategy are employment creation and poverty alleviation. Lack of income is the most immediate cause of poverty among our people. Employment opportunities have increased significantly in the last few years, but the rate of unemployment is still unacceptably high.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Africa, however, still needs active support and assistance from the international community. We clearly recognize that it is the primary responsibility of the Africans themselves to reduce the marginalization of their continent from the world economy. But for Africa to achieve any tangible success and emerge from the conditions of poverty and underdevelopment a new type of partnership with the developed world is required to increase trade and the continent’s share of global prosperity. African countries need improved access to world markets, greater flow of foreign direct investment, technology transfer and an increase in official development assistance. The decline in official development assistance needs to be reversed. Similarly, external debt is a problem requiring urgent attention.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Corruption has also been one of the biggest obstacles to development. There is, however, reason for optimism. The majority of African countries have instituted reforms to achieve economic growth and development, including the application of sound macroeconomic policies, good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights. They have taken serious measures to introduce budgetary reforms, remove restrictions on current payments and restrain credit and monetary expansion. Over the past few years Africa’s economic performance has been on an upward trend. In 1997 close to 60 per cent of the African countries registered growth rates in excess of their population growth rates, and about half of this number posted annual economic growth rates of more than 5 per cent.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“171) 2 Therefore, in this, the year of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the community of civilized nations to which we all belong must reaffirm its commitment to the human rights ideals enshrined in the Declaration and to their determination to live up to those ideals. Globalization and economic liberalization have brought about unprecedented expansion in world trade and commerce, but they have also accentuated the imbalances in international economic relations. The vast majority of countries, particularly in Africa, continue to face marginalization in the world economy. The problem is further compounded by the fact that official development assistance has fallen to unprecedentedly low levels. In Africa, armed conflicts have impacted negatively on development prospects.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Human rights abuse has been responsible for the bulk of the horrendous conflicts that have ravaged societies in all continents throughout this violent century. We therefore could not agree more with the Secretary-General when he says in his annual report on the work of the Organization, “If individual rights are not protected, the whole of society suffers. Personal freedoms are however rendered largely meaningless by civil wars, or by economic, social or cultural deprivation — often, indeed, by a combination of all these”. (A/53/1, para.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The establishment last summer of the International Criminal Court will, we hope, help to ensure that perpetrators of acts of genocide, crimes against humanity and other inhuman acts will not go unpunished. The International Criminal Court will also, we hope, act as a deterrent for those intending to commit such serious crimes. The conviction by the Rwanda Tribunal of two leading personalities involved in acts of genocide in Rwanda in 1994 has also served notice to would-be perpetrators of similar acts that the international community can no longer tolerate their diabolical acts. Human rights abuse is equally intolerable and immoral. Institutions dealing with human rights should be empowered to deal with the perpetrators of human rights abuses with the full force of the law.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“If I have devoted a great part of my address to the role of the United Nations in crisis management and in the defusing of tensions, it is not because I am oblivious to other equally pressing issues of our times. Crises and tensions, by their very nature, presuppose a lack of security, movement of people and, very often, deep-rooted intolerance. Evidently, when people raise swords against their neighbours, the humanness that is innate in all people is replaced by the bestiality that lies latent in every person. It is incomprehensible how the perpetrators of acts of genocide and other serious crimes against humanity manage to live with their consciences or to lead normal lives after such heinous criminal activities.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“I must admit that it hurts my pride as an African to hear that African conflict situations dominate the agenda of the Security Council. This is a dubious honour, if indeed it is an honour at all. It must, however, be acknowledged that African problems are problems of the international community. They are problems of the United Nations, whose Charter is categorical in allocating primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. That responsibility was bestowed in trust. It cannot be shirked for political expediency in any part of the world. African conflicts deserve equal attention by this Organization, to which all African States belong and pay their dues, however modest. They cannot be left to the Africans alone to resolve.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The African experience in peacekeeping has been slightly different. In most cases, conflicts have smouldered and festered to calamitous proportions on our continent as a result of international inertia — or should we call it “Africa fatigue”? Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Great Lakes region and other cases are illustrative in this regard. African States are ready and willing to bear their fair share of peacekeeping operations on the continent, but they are certainly lacking in logistic and financial wherewithal. While there is ample scope for improvement in African peacekeeping capacity, Africa has over the years acquired practical experience both in the field and through cooperation with other countries. Thus, Africa has a relatively sophisticated capacity to carry out peacekeeping responsibilities.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Member States should therefore commit themselves to the payment of their contributions to the budget of the United Nations when they fall due, without any conditions. Ideally, the United Nations should have developed machinery to address and avert conflict situations before they actually occur. However, in the world in which we live, the ideal and the real do not often dovetail. Preventive diplomacy should quickly be succeeded by robust peacekeeping as soon as it is determined that a conflict situation is not amenable to resolution through dialogue. Preventive deployment has been put to use successfully in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the separation of belligerent forces has also been put to successful use to contain the otherwise explosive situations in Cyprus and Lebanon.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Unfortunately, in awarding themselves certain extraordinary powers, the framers of the Charter built certain imperfections into the Organization which have proven to be serious encumbrances to its efficiency and effectiveness on conflict resolution. So long as this Organization remains the creation of the nation-State system with its in-built self-interest, it cannot be expected to perform differently. But we can certainly improve its delivery system to acceptable levels. Notwithstanding the imperfections of the United Nations, its continued existence is in the national interest of all Member States, whatever their claims to the contrary. Otherwise, Member States which felt they benefitted the least would long since have withdrawn their membership.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In terms of human history, 50 years is a relatively short time. It is, however, long enough to make the judgement that present-day human beings, like their predecessors in history, have failed to unlearn the ways of war — or rather to acquire the skills to live with one another like good neighbours. The presence of war and conflict among and within nations has often drawn a great deal of criticism to the United Nations, as if it had a magic wand to resolve every problem brought to its doorstep. True, there is room for improvement in the performance and efficacy of the United Nations. Certainly, the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 could have been avoided with more determination and foresight.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“As we approach the next millennium, we are fully conscious of the omnipresence of war and of the havoc it continues to wreak upon peoples in literally every continent of the world. It is true that local wars have so far not posed a serious threat to international peace and security, but by some accounts they have already killed and maimed more people than both world wars combined. And judging by the number of those who are killed in them and other attendant consequences, these wars, whatever their cause, are a living reality for those who fight in them and for the innocent people who are caught in the cross-fire. The conclusion we can draw is that not all succeeding generations of humankind have been spared the scourge of war in accordance with the promise made over 50 years ago by the founding fathers of this Organization.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Mr. President, allow me at the outset to express great pleasure at seeing you preside over the work of the fifty-third session of the General Assembly. We are confident that under your able leadership the work of this session will be an unmitigated success. I can assure you of the cooperation and support of my country’s delegation throughout your stewardship of this session. Allow me also to pay a well-deserved tribute to our indefatigable Secretary-General and his staff for the efforts they are making, often under very trying conditions, to give meaning and concrete expression to the lofty ideals enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. They deserve the full support and cooperation of all Member States and their peoples.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)