YouSaid · the spoken record

Ali Abdi Farah

lines on the record: 41
first: 2001-09-24
most recent: 2002-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
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

“For its part, my country, the Republic of Djibouti, is firmly convinced of the merit of good-neighbourly relations, cooperation and the creation of opportunities for the benefit of our peoples. We are resolutely committed to work hand in hand with our international partners in general, and with our friends in the region in particular, to resolve all outstanding issues that compromise trust and harmony.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“If confidence is to be placed in its decisions, there must also be an expansion in both the permanent and the non-permanent member categories, giving both developed and developing countries the opportunity to become permanent members. The Working Group charged with studying that issue has thus far failed to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion, and we see no clear prospect of the impasse being broken soon. More objectivity and clarity of vision are required in order to bring about that vital necessity. Over the past decades, the people of the Horn of Africa have had their share of difficulties and suffering, and we are anxious to see peace, development and a reduction in conflict.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“There has been a willingness to complete, without preconditions, the Arta peace and reconciliation process. Without ambiguity, the international community has consistently called for dialogue involving the national transition Government and the other parties, in a spirit of mutual respect and tolerance, with a view to establishing an inclusive Government in Somalia based on power sharing through a democratic process. Those are cardinal principles that should keep us on the right path. We cannot permit ourselves to stray from them. Decisions related to the maintenance of international peace and security lie with the Security Council, which, despite the exponential increase of United Nations membership over the past three decades, has singularly remained an unrepresentative body.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The front-line States, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, were mandated by the Ninth IGAD Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in January, to bring all of the components together with a view to completing the Arta process and thus paving the way for the emergence of a broad-based Government. Much has been accomplished, but it is fair to state that an enormous amount remains to be done. The Republic of Djibouti believes that a realistic road map, consistent with current thinking is a capital 14 necessity. The majority view of the international community — including the United Nations, the African Union, the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, IGAD and the European Union — is that the Arta peace process remains the most viable basis for peace and national reconciliation in Somalia.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Remarks made by the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS are very clear: “If people are not alive, if people are not healthy — the people who are supposed to bring us sustainable development — then it won't happen. AIDS is a major crisis of human resources.” Based on the outcome of the peace and reconciliation conference held at Arta, Djibouti, our subregional organization, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), is working to organize a conference to bring together the national transition Government and other parties in Somalia — the regional administrations, factions and groups that opted to stay away from that historic meeting.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Through the New Partnership for Africa's Development, Africa has shown that it is able to shoulder greater collective responsibility in resolving its conflicts and in its development. In return, Africa keenly hopes that the financial constraints that have seriously hindered development and human dignity will be duly taken into account by our partners. The issue of HIV/AIDS is one of the major concerns of our continent. More than 30 million people are infected in the world, and 75 per cent of those are Africans. The impact on development is disastrous. Life expectancy has decreased in some countries.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“All those demonstrations of goodwill, however, need to be backed by concrete action. Speaking on behalf of the European Union during this General Assembly debate, the Prime Minister of Denmark expressed that sentiment: “At Doha, Monterrey and Johannesburg, we reached consensus on what needs to be done. But knowing what has to be done is not enough. As world leaders, we must see that it is done”. (A/57/PV.2) In an increasingly demanding world, more and more references are made to good governance, investment in human capital and economic freedom as conditions for developing countries to qualify for development assistance. For its part, Africa has acknowledged to its partners the need to enhance the continent's responsibility in all areas of concern, including peace, stability, democracy, human rights and development.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“A decade ago, the United Nations Conference on Climate and Development, held at Rio in 1992, gave us Agenda 21, which contains pertinent recommendations for lessening our wasteful consumer habits, protecting the atmosphere and the oceans, promoting sustainable agriculture and combating poverty. The subsequent thematic conferences further strengthened and broadened those recommendations, which have led to the promises set out in the Millennium Declaration, particularly on alleviating endemic and severe poverty. The goals, targets, commitments and deadlines for reducing poverty provide a new, decisive impetus. The recent World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, made important and significant progress on crucial issues facing humankind today.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“There is a growing, unprecedented humanitarian crisis, as stressed by a number of recent reports, describing in detail the levels of malnutrition, the drop-off in child immunization programmes, the increased risk of communicable diseases and runaway, endemic poverty. We remain steadfast in our condemnation of the violence and the killing of innocent civilians, whether they be Palestinians or Israelis. In this context, we welcome the latest plan of the Quartet, which outlines a three-phase road map to a comprehensive final settlement within a three-year period ending in 2005. To complete the process of bringing peace to the Middle East, Syria and Israel must reach an agreement on Israel's withdrawal to the borders of 1967.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Unfortunately, the focus has been shifted again by demands for a leadership change in the Palestinian Authority and for 13 political and security reforms, while simultaneously easing Israel's obligation to return to the negotiating table. The so-called sequential approach has always failed. It is urgent to move forward on all the issues, comprehensively and simultaneously. To the political impasse should be added the economic destruction that has resulted from the insurmountable checkpoints, roadblocks, repeated incursions and the demolition of buildings and supply networks. The Palestinian people are in danger; a whole nation is virtually living in a prison.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We all know the consequences of this crisis. Let us join together and work with determination to save the region, which is already in turmoil, from further conflict. One of the gravest yet often overlooked threats to world peace is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Republic of Djibouti agrees with the Secretary-General that the route to peace in the Middle East was laid out decades ago in Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), and, recently, in resolution 1397 (2002), which stipulated the conditions of land for peace, an end to terror and to occupation and two States, Palestine and Israel, living side by side within secure and recognized borders.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“(Press release SG/SM/8376) We hope that reason will prevail over fear, prejudice and hatred. We welcome President Bush's commitment to explore fully the route of the Security Council in finding a way to draw Iraq towards a peaceful settlement of the outstanding issues. We also welcome Iraq's unconditional agreement to the return of the United Nations inspectors. That demonstrates its readiness and full cooperation in the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. It is, indeed, an encouraging development. We must dedicate ourselves to seeking a political solution within the framework of the United Nations. And the United Nations must act, and act very quickly, to put an end to the acute crisis which threatens to engulf an entire region and which could have an impact on the whole world.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“There is no doubt that we are living in a dangerous world in which vigilance is called for. However, while taking all that into account, let us be careful not to debase our grief for the victims and their families. As an editorial in a well respected newspaper stated: “What happened a year ago was terrible, but our shock and our respect for the suffering of those left behind should not cloud our judgement about unrelated issues”. (The Independent, 11 September 2002) In the Secretary-General's words of 11 September 2002, on the first anniversary of that unspeakable tragedy: “Today, we come together as a world community because we were attacked as a world community. “... “May the memory of those who perished on 11 September serve to inspire a better, more just, more peaceful world for all of us”.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“7) Therefore, combating terrorism requires more aggressive law enforcement measures everywhere. In order to eradicate that horror, almost all countries have initiated an extraordinary series of actions, which have converged towards a complete reorientation of their policies, and particularly their foreign policies. We have witnessed countries pursuing policies to reach out to others, to strengthen ties, to share global visions and to forge new strategic alliances. There is no doubt that the events of 11 September 2001 have led to the forming of new alliances and the strengthening of existing ones. However, it should not be a surprise that this has also generated stricter controls on the movements of people, particularly people of certain religions, backgrounds, complexions and regions.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The event itself alerted us to understanding and perceiving certain basic truths: human vulnerability and interdependence, the mobilization of a real international coalition in a short time, if need be, and our common resolve to eradicate the criminals who take innocent life, regardless of nationality, religion, sex and colour. Presiding over the official ceremonies marking the anniversary at the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General, said that: “Everything that we work for — peace, development, health, freedom — is damaged by this horror. Everything that we believe in — respect for human life, justice, tolerance, pluralism and democracy — is threatened by it. It must be defeated — and it must be defeated by a world acting as one.” (SG/SM/8376, para.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“The reverberations of 11 September are still palpable throughout the United Nations system and the world. Indeed, within less than 24 hours, the Security Council took decisive action, 12 declaring that the 11 September attacks posed a threat to international peace and security. The important resolution on the fight against terrorism, Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), established a general procedure for verifying that every country is implementing the relevant provisions of the resolution, in order to eradicate that scourge. Our resolve and determination to fight the threat of terrorism has undoubtedly been strengthened.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Today the United Nations is working more and more closely with civil society to fight disease, address the challenges of poverty and respond to humanitarian crises. The Organization has also built a meaningful partnership with private sector enterprises, aimed at having developing countries benefit from their expertise and resources. In that regard, the Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development and the World Summit on Social Development, held in Johannesburg, have highlighted the unprecedented collaboration of various decision-makers, such as the United Nations, Governments, the private sector, international financial institutions and civil society. Last week, during numerous commemorative ceremonies marking the horrible events of 11 September 2001, it was obvious that the world had been left traumatized.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“In a year of frightful tragedy and uncertainty, we were at least fortunate to have the charisma and leadership of Mr. Han Seung-soo, as President of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly. We also take this opportunity, Mr. President, to warmly congratulate you. We welcome the admission of the Swiss Confederation to the United Nations family, and we are pleased at the future status of East Timor. Under the enlightened leadership of Mr. Kofi Annan, the United Nations has rediscovered its relevance and its credibility. The reform measures he has implemented in recent years have enabled better coordination, better information-sharing, strengthened cohesion and a stronger strategic direction.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“We are committed to working hand in hand with our friends in the subregion to resolve outstanding issues in complete harmony and trust. As a nation, we are challenged by scant resources and declining international assistance, which have been exacerbated by the huge influx of drought-affected people and economic migrants. Our capital city, in particular, is overburdened by an influx of people displaced by drought or political tensions in the region, thus further straining our limited infrastructure and social services. We appeal to the international community to help us overcome these unsustainable challenges and pressures that have been with us for too long and are beyond our limited means.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Like all peoples everywhere, they have a right to live in peace and to enjoy a decent existence. In our subregion of the Horn of Africa, there has been some reduction in hostilities despite lingering differences and antagonisms. The people in that area of the world have suffered too long and desire nothing more than a relaxation of tensions, the free movement of people and goods, lasting peace, stability, development and cooperation. It is high time that we devoted our meagre resources to development and to improving the living conditions and meeting the needs of our own people. Let us give our people a break and a better future. Djibouti truly believes in regional cooperation, good-neighbourliness and the opportunities they can afford for all our people.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Let us go back to saving the peace process with no conditions and no military pressures.” 30 We call on Israel to relinquish Orient House and other Palestinian offices in and around Jerusalem. We also urge it to return to the negotiating table and, among other things, to implement the proposals contained in the Mitchell Committee report. Israel must release the millions of dollars in tax money owed to the Palestinian Authority in order to alleviate the economic and financial hardships inflicted upon the Palestinian people. In the final analysis, Israel’s security largely depends on the implementation of the principle of a viable Palestinian State. We hope that the international community will also commit itself to restoring dignity and respect to the Palestinian people.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Each day we drift closer to an unacceptable conflagration between two parties that are unequal in power, means, resources and international influence. Insisting on a ceasefire without offering anything in return, Israel is determined to pursue its defiance of international opinion. Living conditions in the occupied territories continue to be seriously affected by the Israeli blockade. Rising unemployment, failing businesses, falling incomes, restrictions on the movement of goods and people and the banning of construction while Jewish settlement activities continue all combine to inflame an already incendiary situation. One wonders, therefore, what more the Israelis want to hear than the imploring words of President Arafat: “Let us go back to implementing the accords.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“I am convinced that close consultation and cooperation with all countries in the region on this important issue will yield realistic and impartial information in the assessment of any particular situation. It must be pointed out, however, that haste and rash, uncorroborated conclusions will only harm the unity of the international coalition against terrorism, which we all vigorously support. At a time when the attention of the international community is squarely focused on the issue of terrorism, the brutality and destructive force used against the Palestinians have increased dramatically. Israel has created the conditions for chaos and anarchy to justify its reoccupation and even annexation of Palestinian territory. The recent incursions represent the broadest military operations in years in Palestinian- controlled territory.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“That was the message of the Security Council’s presidential statement on Somalia last month: “[T]he situation in Somalia and the objective of long-term regional stability can most effectively be addressed if neighbouring States play a positive role, including in the process of rebuilding national institutions in Somalia.” (S/PRST/2001/30, p. 2) While the Republic of Djibouti is not in the habit of challenging anyone on the veracity of information within their purview, it has nonetheless a moral duty to issue a caution about the source, motivation, accuracy, objectivity and reliability of such information, particularly as it relates to the crucial and sensitive issue of the existence of terrorist cells in one country or another.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Its efforts to that end have been greatly appreciated by the Organization of African Unity and by the Security Council. Both entities have recently condemned those individuals and faction leaders who remain outside the Arta peace process and who stubbornly persist in blocking the peace efforts in Somalia. In this respect, the efforts of the President of Kenya, Mr. Daniel Arap Moi, earlier this month to bring some of these recalcitrants into the Arta process are to be strongly commended. That is what is expected of us; it is a moral and political duty we owe to the people of Somalia.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“As my President has repeatedly stated, if we wish to save Somalia from disintegration and chaos, we must eschew the standard practice of revolving around a few all-too-familiar individuals who held the Somali people hostage for a decade. He suggested, inter alia, that it was time to move beyond them, to restore power to the people, and for the Somali people to assume leadership and responsibility for their own destiny. We are gratified that the Transitional National Government is fully committed to bringing about lasting peace in Somalia through a constructive spirit of dialogue and tolerance. Building upon the outcome of the Arta process, the Transitional National Government has consistently and tirelessly demonstrated its unwavering commitment to reconciling with its adversaries without preconditions.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Ultimately, after eight months of intense and difficult negotiations at Arta, Djibouti, in August 2000, the Somali State was reborn through the establishment of the Transitional National Government, the National Assembly and other institutions. The course has not been easy, but the Transitional National Government has persisted and pursued its commitments, gaining the respect, sympathy and support of the international community, despite myriad attempts to undermine its efforts to achieve lasting peace. The Transitional National Government is a reality. It represents the will of the people of Somalia, who have spoken and made their choice.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It is obvious that our inability to reform the Council so that it can respond to the needs of the international reality of today can only diminish the legitimacy of its functioning and decisions. During the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly in September 1999, my President, Ismail Omar Guelleh, outlined a series of proposals on the re- establishment of peace in Somalia. A year later, during the fifty-fifth session, he related to this Assembly the extraordinary sacrifices and burdens borne by the Government and people of Djibouti, together with a 29 number of Governments and organizations of good will, to bring together the true representatives of the Somali people so that they might seize control of their own destiny and forge a new direction for their devastated country.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“if you cannot deal with the question of poverty, if you cannot deal with the issue of equity, then you are not dealing with the question of peace.” He added: “We will not solve the problems of poverty or global peace or stability unless we change our perception of poor people from the objects of charity to an asset on which you can build a better world.” The persistence and spread of poverty hamper all efforts for peace, security, development, democracy and good governance. Peace and security require increasing and strengthening the United Nations capacity to prevent crises, to react to emerging threats and to implement peace-building programmes. In this regard, the Security Council has a preponderant role.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Whatever the reasons for this endemic poverty, the fact remains that unless we address the problem of poverty in all its aspects, we will not get to the roots of the problem. It is well known that millions of people in Africa and throughout the world are simply too poor to participate in the phenomenon of globalization and thus miss out on the benefits of globalization. The President of the World Bank has aptly put the issue of poverty in perspective: “...”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Unfortunately, as many have correctly observed, the number of countries and individuals excluded from the benefits of this phenomenon has risen inexorably. The attempt to explain this dichotomy has led to many troubling conclusions. For the poverty-stricken who live on $1 per day, talk of technology, economic growth, opportunity and prosperity is no more than nice-sounding words. Their greatest daily concern is the fear of not having enough to eat. Finding enough to eat is a daily challenge for more than three billion people on this planet. Despite the conflicts in Africa currently making headlines, it is the precarious existence of those left behind that has defined life on the African continent for more than two generations.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In the search for a solution and what measures to take, the debate has centred on treatment versus prevention. Ideally, the best hope would be for a preventative vaccine, but that solution does not look promising. As one expert put it, “We are at the end of the beginning of this epidemic, not at the beginning of its end!” The growth and exponential spread of information technology, coupled with the demise of the cold war, have, over the past decade, been determining factors in shaping our views on development and the global economy. With the advent of globalization, trade expanded, capital flowed, investments increased, economies liberalized and barriers to trade were lowered. In addition, the private sector took on a central role.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Now is the time to act. While the recent international terrorist attacks in the United States have rightly dominated the world’s attention, other pressing problems, such as the AIDS pandemic, must still be urgently attended to. The special session of the General Assembly devoted to this scourge, held in June, took a decisive step towards finding collective solutions, actions and commitments. However, there is still concern that these non-binding commitments may not be carried out. The global AIDS fund launched by the Secretary-General has made some progress, but contributions to date have fallen far short of the expected target. We are now unfortunately familiar with the statistics of deaths and the social and economic devastation caused by this scourge, particularly in Africa.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Currently, 450 million people living in 29 countries, including my 28 own, Djibouti, are experiencing acute drinking water shortages. Unlike oil and most other strategic resources, drinking water has no substitute. Whether water is needed for drinking, agriculture or environment-related purposes, such as the survival of lakes and rivers, we have on our hands a potential crisis that risks causing an unprecedented disaster for food security and the fight against hunger and poverty. A combination of global warming, wasteful habits, aridity and the lack of rainfall means that the water sources millions traditionally rely on are now slowly drying up. There is no longer enough water for all our needs. Beyond the international treaties and institutional mechanisms, the international community must act to mitigate this crisis.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In essence, the Brussels Declaration and Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 call for an increase in foreign capital inflows, including Official Development Assistance; direct foreign investment; an expansion of debt relief; greater preferential market access and increased technical assistance. Silently but very quickly, the world is drifting towards another dangerous crisis: water scarcity. By 2025, one in every three people worldwide will be affected by the lack of water. Some 2.7 billion people live in regions facing severe water shortages and, once again, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, which are the most densely populated areas and among the areas of least income, will be the hardest hit.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The participation of the poor must become a priority in order to eradicate rural poverty, to ensure the well- being of children and to strengthen the earning potential of women. If we are to reduce by half the number of people living in poverty by 2015, as called for in the Millennium Declaration, we must substantially increase Official Development Assistance, alleviate the debt burden of the poorest countries and dismantle the protectionist barriers of developed countries. The Least Developed Countries, in particular, face enormous obstacles, such as declining inflows of capital, inadequate social services and the lack of infrastructure, in addition to environmental constraints.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“With reference to peace and security, as the Secretary- General has stressed, we must all be struck by the number of conflicts raging in the world today. Preventing the recurrence of conflict is a central priority, and this means that our focus needs to shift from a culture of management and control to one of prevention and long-term development. Besides conflict, we are witness to enormous human suffering caused by natural disasters and complex situations that continue to grow in scale, escalating the need for humanitarian assistance. We are pleased to note that the Secretary-General continues to place importance on the fight against endemic poverty and that the international community has launched a sustained campaign to make the right to development a palpable reality for everyone.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“He has recognized that far too many people live on the margins of society, reduced to silence by endemic poverty, debt, the AIDS pandemic, tuberculosis and malaria. He has, in effect, become the voice of the world’s silent majority. It is not by chance, therefore, that, together with the Organization he heads, he has received the Nobel Peace Prize. We congratulate him wholeheartedly for this distinct and rare honour bestowed upon him and the United Nations system. May I pay tribute to the Secretary-General for the breadth and relevance of his report on the work of the Organization. The United Nations has a vital role to play in today’s rapidly evolving world, and the report offers a comprehensive update on all its activities.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“May I join the delegations that preceded me to offer the President our congratulations on his brilliant election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session. His vast experience and demonstrated capacity and skills will indeed be vital to our deliberations. We also wish to express our appreciation to his predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri of Finland, whose leadership at the fifty-fifth session has resulted in tangible achievements. Permit me also to congratulate Secretary-General Kofi Annan on his re-election and for the work he accomplished during his first term, most notably for the extent to which he was able to institute much- needed reforms and restore the relevance and central role of the United Nations, while enhancing its capacity and effectiveness.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In this respect, Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) provides us with the necessary framework. We in Djibouti have already established a suitable mechanism to counter terrorism, in all its aspects, that could come from our territory. We are also in the process of examining the existing international conventions and protocols on terrorism with a view to signing and ratifying them all. However, while doing all this, we must not lose sight of the plight of the people of Afghanistan — the terror, the desperation and the starvation facing impoverished people during this grave crisis. Also, we must not squander the extraordinary opportunity we now have to examine all possible or probable causes and deep roots of terrorism, including attitudes, frustrations and current economic and political conditions.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“In view of the catastrophic events that took place on 11 September, it is only fitting that first and foremost we once again offer our deepest condolences to the Government and people of the United States. This was a hateful and diabolical act of terrorism that claimed thousands of precious human lives and caused untold physical destruction, without parallel in history. This brutal attack has put us all on notice. It was truly the day the world changed. One way or another, this tragedy affects us all. Not a single country is immune from terrorism, inasmuch as it is beyond the capacity of any one 27 country to counter it. The international community must work together, ideally through the United Nations, so that the counter-measures take the form of legitimacy and acceptability.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)