YouSaid · the spoken record

Seyoum MESFIN

lines on the record: 255
first: 1994-09-24
most recent: 2010-09-24
sittings or episodes: 14
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

“Our per capita income growth has averaged nearly 8 per cent for the last seven years. More tangible perhaps, in terms of the progress we have been making to change the life situation of our people, is the advance we have registered towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We are set to attain universal primary health care by 2010. We are well on the way to achieving the goals set for reducing child and maternal mortality well prior to 2015. We have made much progress in combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. We have managed to halt and stabilize the spread of HIV/AIDS and reduce the incidence of malaria. What we have been able to achieve in the area of education has been quite remarkable as well. There is now little doubt that we are on our way to achieving universal primary education by 2015.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“It is a consensus around conviction and the resolve to make the opening of our third Millennium a symbol of Ethiopian renaissance. That overwhelming optimism displayed by all Ethiopians at the opening of the new Millennium rests on a tangible foundation. The political, social and economic realities in Ethiopia have been changing over the past decade. We are making meaningful progress. Indeed, we have no shortage of detractors. These are non-Ethiopians determined to scuttle the progress we are making in all areas. Their attempts include efforts to undermine national unity and to micromanage Ethiopia’s internal affairs. We have seen this, including over the past few days. Despite all this, however, we continue to make progress. For five consecutive years now, our real gross domestic product growth rate has averaged over 10 per cent.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“But Ethiopia’s fortune began to change, commencing in the second half of the last Millennium. Though a survivor of colonialism and a representative of the greatness of Africa’s past, Ethiopia also unfortunately came to represent and symbolize the poverty, dearth and destitution of Africa’s more recent history. Despite the formidable challenges we have faced, all of this has begun to change in the last decade. Hopelessness and frustration growing out of a lack of confidence in the future is no longer an image reflecting the reality of Ethiopia. That is perhaps the explanation for the exuberance displayed by all sectors of Ethiopian society in welcoming the new Millennium. A new and strong national consensus is being created in Ethiopia today.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“This is a spirit of renewal and commitment to stand in unity for a better future for the country. The new Millennium was greeted by all Ethiopians with a pledge to do more for national harmony and for durable peace and stability and to prevail against the poverty that has been the hallmark of the country in recent decades. Two thousand years ago, Ethiopia was the home of one of the great civilizations of the world, at Aksum. A thousand years ago, we could still produce two of the world’s greatest heritage sites. One is the city of Harar, the fourth holiest city of Islam, which by happy coincidence also celebrates its own millennium this year. The other is the city of churches built by Lalibela, a saint, priest and emperor in the town that still bears his name today.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I would therefore, on this occasion, like to underline Ethiopia’s firm commitment to cooperate in every way in assisting him in his demanding endeavours. Just three weeks ago, Ethiopia began its third Millennium. This Assembly has recognized the Ethiopian Millennium as a world event. On 15 June 2007, it adopted resolution 61/270, designating the year from 12 September 2007 to 11 September 2008 as the year of the Ethiopian Millennium. The Assembly of the African Union also declared the Ethiopian Millennium as a part of African heritage and a unique occasion. We thank you all for that honour and for that expression of solidarity. Those who have witnessed how Ethiopians of all walks of life have received the new Ethiopian Millennium could not have missed the new spirit that has been on display in the country.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Allow me to begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty- second session. I would like to assure you of my country’s fullest cooperation in the discharge of the responsibilities bestowed upon you. I have no doubt that this Assembly will benefit from both your personal and professional experience. May I take this opportunity to commend your predecessor, Ambassador Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, for her invaluable contributions and wise leadership during the Assembly’s previous session. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. He is already fully engaged and has made an excellent beginning in the efforts to address global challenges since he took office a year ago.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“It is our hope that it will be possible to make progress in the course of this session. I would like to conclude by reiterating Ethiopia's commitment to the United Nations, and its preparedness to do whatever is necessary to contribute to efforts designed to make the Organization more effective and more representative.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Ethiopia does not believe at all in sabre-rattling, least of all between countries that should have little time to spare from fighting extreme poverty. On the continental level, we are encouraged by the dynamism that the new African Union has injected into the joint African effort for peace and stability. There is no doubt that reform of the United Nations could create even greater possibilities for Africa to play its proper role, not only within Africa but also outside the continent. Ethiopia continues to attach great importance to the reform of the United Nations. We believe that, although all our expectations have not been met, the High-level Plenary Meeting provided great impetus for making progress, in terms of both achieving the Millennium Development Goals and advancing the reform of the United Nations.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Eritrea abhors dialogue, perhaps because it suspects that dialogue would eventually lead to peace. It is not clear whether the Government of Eritrea believes that peace serves its interests. Perhaps the people of Eritrea need to be kept on their toes, with their gaze focused on artificial external adversity. In any event, Eritrea has no reason to be angry at Ethiopia or at the world. Eritrea dragged Ethiopia into war in 1998 and now continues to be an obstacle to the normalization of relations between the two countries and peoples. The problem between Ethiopia and Eritrea has never been, and is not, a legal one; rather, it is political in nature, and Ethiopia has the political will to move forward. We invite Eritrea to join us in that effort.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Regrettably, Eritrea's attitude is different, as has been repeatedly evidenced on the ground in our region and in statements made by Eritrean officials in different forums, including the General Assembly. The Eritrean Government needs to be reminded that it should make no mistake: it will be held accountable for its actions. Ethiopia has always been committed to the rule of law and to the maintenance of peace and stability. Our five-point peace plan of 25 November 2004 for moving forward towards peace with Eritrea, which was welcomed by the international community, demonstrates Ethiopia's seriousness in that regard. Eritrea knows that Ethiopia has been ready for dialogue, both to ensure the demarcation of the boundary on the basis of the decision of the Boundary Commission and to normalize relations between the two countries.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“This is a problem that grew out of an act of aggression committed by Eritrea against Ethiopia. It is no secret how Ethiopia managed to reverse the Eritrean aggression and how it created the conditions for a peaceful resolution of the crisis between the two countries, based on legality, to which Ethiopia has been 14 and remains committed. Any suggestion, such as the one made by the Eritrean representative on Wednesday, that Eritrean territory is occupied is a mockery of the truth and an insult to the intelligence of the international community. The threat or use of force should have no place as a means of resolving disputes between States. That is a principle to which Ethiopia has adhered: before the Eritrean act of aggression, after the aggression was reversed and since.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“On the fight against terrorism, Ethiopia will continue to discharge its responsibility in cooperation with other peace-loving countries. Ethiopia rejects terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We in Ethiopia are determined to work with the international community to implement the counter-terrorism strategy. In connection with our deep aspiration for peace, our only source of disappointment is the lingering dispute we have with Eritrea. Ethiopia has been contributing more than its share to resolve that outstanding problem. In his statement on Wednesday, 21 September (see ), the Eritrean representative officially threatened to use force against Ethiopia on the basis of the unfounded allegation that part of Eritrean territory is under Ethiopian occupation. I find it incumbent upon me to set the record straight.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Ethiopia has made a tireless effort to implement the Millennium Development Goals. Despite all the complications and the absence of a tradition of loyal opposition, the recent elections in Ethiopia have demonstrated the depth of commitment we have to transform the tradition of governance in Ethiopia ó a tradition that has been as remote from democracy as it is possible to be. Those elections stand out as a milestone in the process of democratization of the State and of society at large. Ethiopia has entered into a new era of a vibrant multiparty political system. In the area of peace - and particularly with respect to peace in our subregion - we, along with like-minded partners, will continue to be pillars for peace and stability.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“In that regard, we are encouraged by the progress made at the Group of Eight Gleneagles summit. We were also encouraged by the commitment of leaders at the High-level Plenary Meeting to address the current distortions in international trade, including through the elimination of agricultural subsidies. There is nothing more important for low-income countries than a partnership that is predictable, consistent and based on previously defined mutual obligations. No amount of international cooperation will be enough to achieve the Millennium Development Goals unless domestic conditions are met in all relevant areas. We in Ethiopia have been doing our level best in that regard. We have spared no effort to change the economic situation in our country for the better, our primary focus being the rural sector.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“It would be regrettable if targets that have so much significance for the well-being of all were missed in the course of the next 10 years due to failure on the part of those directly affected or a lack of solidarity at the international level. We strongly believe that the targets are neither unrealistic nor unduly ambitious. It cannot be emphasized enough that, at the end of the day, those that have primary responsibility for prevailing over extreme poverty are those that are directly affected. But those that suffer from extreme poverty require the support of the international community to stay on track to achieve the MDGs. In concrete terms, that means that official development assistance and measures on debt relief and trade need to be aligned with the realization of the Millennium Development Goals.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We are, as usual, grateful to our Secretary- General, Kofi Annan, whose tenure of office will always be remembered as a period of enormous dedication to the reform of the United Nations and of a noble effort to mobilize international support to combat extreme poverty. The outcome document which our heads of State or Government endorsed (resolution 60/1) reflects the global consensus on the fact that the reform of the United Nations is essential and timely. My delegation welcomes the document, which outlines a far-reaching agenda for change. The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by those vulnerable to being thrown off track is critical to all, not just to those directly affected.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Allow me to extend to you, Sir, our warm congratulations on your election to preside over the historic sixtieth session of the General 13 Assembly. You can rest assured of the fullest cooperation of my delegation. We want to express our appreciation to the President of the fifty-ninth session of the General Assembly, our brother, Mr. Jean Ping, whose tenure as President of the Assembly coincided with momentous events at the United Nations that required both wisdom and a great deal of competence on the part of the President. Mr. Jean Ping showed he had both, and he has made us all proud.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“That is why the reform of the Organization is so critical and imperative, including the reform of the Security Council, so that regions, including Africa, can have the fair representation they aspire to. Without a doubt, enhanced democratization will make the United Nations more transparent and therefore more credible. The future of the Organization rests on it. In the meantime, Ethiopia will continue to be devoted to the United Nations and to the values it stands for.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We are indeed grateful to UNMEE, its personnel at all levels, and to the troop-contributing countries. We all agree that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a crime against humanity. As our Secretary-General rightly stated in his address to this Assembly at the 3rd meeting, “No cause, no grievance, however legitimate in itself, can begin to justify such acts”. The international community should therefore fight that scourge with greater resolve and in unison. I would like to conclude by reaffirming Ethiopia’s commitment to the United Nations and to the principles and purposes for the promotion of which it was created. It is our earnest hope that the United Nations will continue to enhance its credibility with respect to its entire membership.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We have from the outset been closely associated with the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in the Great Lakes region, including at the highest level. Moreover, initially as part of the African Union mission and later as part of the United Nations Operation in Burundi, Ethiopia’s contingent in Burundi has continued to contribute in a modest way to the success of the peace process there. Another modest contribution we are making is in joining the efforts under way for the restoration of peace in Liberia as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia. Certainly, we are also the beneficiaries of the support of a great many countries through the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), whose work has been critical for keeping the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea stable.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“For those reasons, Ethiopia was looking forward to the final consummation of the peace process between the Government of the Sudan and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLM/SPLA), which has now slowed down because of the tragedy in Darfur — an unanticipated tragedy. Ethiopia is keen to see the Darfur crisis resolved and the humanitarian tragedy dealt with as speedily as possible. Peace and stability in the Sudan is so critical for our subregion and for that reason Ethiopia will continue to do the best it can, including as a member of the AU Peace and Security Council, to assist that sister country to overcome the challenge it is facing. Ethiopia’s contribution to peace and peace- building is not limited to what we have been doing in our own subregion.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Ethiopia is ready to go more than half way to make that a reality, but so far it has largely been left in the proverbial situation of trying to clap with one hand. It is our hope that reason will prevail in Eritrea sooner rather than later. The peace process in Somalia has now come to a very critical point, with the Somalis having now come closer than any time in the last 13 years to establishing a national Government. Ethiopia will continue, as a member of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Facilitation Committee, to contribute to the achievement of national reconciliation and work to help the Somali State rise from the ashes. That is an obligation for Ethiopia and it is also consistent with the vital interest Ethiopia has in peace and stability in our subregion.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“That omission is deliberate, not accidental. Achieving peace and implementing the demarcation of the common boundary between the two countries is primarily the responsibility of Ethiopia and Eritrea, a point that has been repeated in various resolutions by the Security Council. Let me close the issue by reiterating one fundamental point. Ethiopia is committed to peace with Eritrea and to the removal of obstacles to achieving that objective. Whatever means might be available to reach that goal, we will be ready to embrace them. 20 Dialogue and negotiation, including using the good offices of the Secretary-General which have been made available to the two parties, are the most realistic and feasible means for making progress in the peace process.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Formality aside — and Eritrea’s oft-heard refrain of “final and binding” notwithstanding — no fair-minded person can forget what happened in May 1998 and up through May 2000, and what the OAU said about Badme and its environs. But talking about the past is not going to help Ethiopia or Eritrea. The two countries cannot continue spending so much time on their preoccupation with each other. That will leave no time for thinking about their future and the future of their hungry and destitute peoples. There is one other important point that Eritrea should not be allowed to continue misleading the international community about. Nowhere in the whole text of the Algiers Agreement of December 2000 is a provision made for any entity — including the Security Council and the AU — to enforce a court decision.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“It is under those circumstances that Ethiopia has felt that there is only one rational way out of the impasse — dialogue, an open-ended dialogue on all issues dividing Ethiopia and Eritrea, including on boundary demarcation with a view to finding an amicable and a mutually acceptable way out of the deadlock and a modus vivendi that would form the basis for the normalization of relations between the two countries. Eritrea, however, is of a different mind. It continues to be preoccupied with the hope of getting the Security Council to impose sanctions on Ethiopia and with the satisfaction that it would derive from such an outcome. Eritrea should be made to realize that that is unlikely to happen. Not because Eritrea is not big enough to have its way, but because the idea is too inappropriate and too unrealistic.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“The promotion of durable peace between the two countries and the call for the permanent cessation of military hostilities between the two parties are the twin pillars of the Algiers Agreement. Ethiopia is convinced that the implementation of some aspects of the Boundary Commission’s observations on demarcation is not in the interest of peace between the two countries and will not advance the major objectives of the Algiers Agreement, nor will it advance the cause of peace in our subregion.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Ethiopia is prepared to do whatever is humanly possible for peace. There is no greater priority for us than ensuring peace in our country and stable and mutually beneficial relations with all our neighbours. That is precisely why we have reiterated that we are ready to dialogue with Eritrea with a view to finding a win-win solution to the current stalemate faced by both countries. Dialogue and normalization of relations between the two countries is not a favour that either party does for the other, or for the international community. Rather, it is an obligation that both countries have, inasmuch as all other alternatives are ruled out by international law and by the Algiers Agreement.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Our conviction is that both peoples would be mistaken to see the other as an enemy. The truth is that both have one common enemy — poverty and backwardness. It is, indeed, regrettable that after so much bloodshed it has become difficult for Ethiopia and Eritrea to formally complete the peace process because of complications that have been created in connection with the implementation of some aspects of the decision of the Eritrea/Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC). I said, “some aspects of the decision” of the EEBC because, when the chips are down, the obstacles to a breakthrough in the peace process between Ethiopia and Eritrea involve a controversy surrounding the demarcation of no more than 15 per cent of a common boundary which is, altogether, more than 1,000 kilometres long. Let me be very clear.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“A nation as diverse as Ethiopia can countenance no other form of governance than democratic governance. As such, the very survival of Ethiopia requires good governance and the democratic handling of differences, as a matter not only of preference but of prudence. Peace and stability 19 in Ethiopia hinge on the deepening of democracy in the country. It is precisely for that reason, and with a view to making up for lost time, that at present there is no greater imperative for Ethiopia than the fostering of peace and stability in our country and in the region of which Ethiopia is a part. It is that same logic which governs Ethiopia’s position on the peace process between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Let there be no doubt that Ethiopia wants to put its crisis with Eritrea behind it.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“It is the combination of all of those factors that has created serious doubts about the ability of many in Africa to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. It is our hope that those trends will be reversed and that the promises made in the Millennium Declaration fulfilled. At the end of the day, nations must assume responsibility for their future, for their development and for their peace and stability. Ethiopia has no illusions in that regard. We realize fully that, in the final analysis, it is what Ethiopians do that will shape and determine our future. It is that conviction that is the basis for the various activities currently under way in our country. With respect to issues of development, the primary task for us is the fight against poverty and ensuring food security for our people.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“The renewed vigour with which we in Africa have begun to be proactive in the area of peace and stability within the framework of the Peace and Security Council of the AU is, indeed, a promising beginning. But despite the efforts being made by Africa, the progress that we have made so far has been modest and thus insufficient to bring about hope for the future of the continent. Part of the explanation for that is obvious. There is just not sufficient support internationally to make it possible for Africa to meet the economic challenges that it is facing. Terms of trade have continued to militate against Africa’s development. Moreover, no substantial progress has been made to relieve many in Africa of the debt burden.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“At the level of Africa, we appreciate his commitment to the creation of the political and economic conditions to generate hope for the revival of the continent. Never before have we in Africa been as determined and as resolute in our attempt to change for the better the economic and social conditions on our continent and to create the right climate for peace and stability. That is what the transformation of the Organization of African Unity into the African Union (AU) signifies and what the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) symbolizes. NEPAD’s Peer Review Mechanism is a vivid demonstration of Africa’s commitment to good and accountable governance.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Allow me to extend to you warm congratulations on your election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session. I would like to assure you of our fullest cooperation as you discharge the heavy responsibility bestowed upon you. I have no doubt that both Gabon and Africa will be proud of the leadership that I know you will provide at this session. I would also like to commend your predecessor for his invaluable contribution to the success of the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly. We continue to be deeply grateful to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for the great work that he has been doing in a variety of areas and at various levels. We are grateful to him for doing whatever is humanly possible at the international level to protect the integrity of the United Nations and to defend the rule of law.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Not a few have also wondered on many occasions whether they have always been assisted by the Organization in nurturing and fostering peace. My own country has also been disappointed in the past. But we have never abandoned hope in the United Nations or in multilateralism, because we know, at the end of the day, that the United Nations is indispensable. That is why Ethiopia will always be committed to the United Nations and its ideals. It is our hope that all Member States, big and small, will be fully committed to the United Nations and its ideals and carry out the long overdue reform of the Organization with a view to making it more effective.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“What Africa is asking is to be given a break, as many have been given in the past at some point in their history. In fact, what is involved here are mutual obligations. This is the overriding principle upon which the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is based. It is Ethiopia’s hope that NEPAD will be taken more seriously as a framework for expanding the cooperation between Africa and the developed countries in the interest of ensuring success in Africa’s fight for prosperity and development, and for a safe, peaceful and truly globalized world. The United Nations is facing today one of the most difficult periods in its close to 60 years of history. Its legitimacy and credibility is being increasingly questioned. Many have also questioned its effectiveness.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“There is a critical need for addressing the problems surrounding issues related to subsidies and the access of products from African countries to developed countries’ markets. International solidarity and the promotion of our 14 mutual interests make it imperative that a lasting solution is found to the debt burden. Africa is passing through a very difficult and critical period. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is wreaking havoc in the continent. As is now widely acknowledged, this is not simply a health crisis. The pandemic is also an economic, security and social crisis with broad and potentially devastating implications. Hence, this is a challenge not only for Africa, but also for the entire world. But Africa is not asking to be rescued by the international community without discharging its own responsibilities.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It is our hope that the suffering of both will end soon and that the hope held up by the road map will be realized. The hope we have for economic development and the prospect we see for peace in our subregion can hardly be made a reality without international conditions that are conducive to countries such as Ethiopia to make progress. In this respect, the general situation is not very promising. Under the circumstances, without greater commitment by the developed world to the rapid economic development of Africa, countries such as Ethiopia will hardly be in a position to meet the Millennium Development Goals. There is, without any doubt, an urgent need for increasing the quality and the level of assistance by the developed world to Africa.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We in Ethiopia are determined to contribute more than our share to assist in the regeneration of our subregion, which has also been the target of international terrorism. The achievement of peace and national reconciliation in Somalia is extremely critical in the fight against this scourge as well. That is why all those who are willing to join in the fight against international terrorism should be automatically supportive of the peace effort by IGAD in Somalia. As a country from a region that has lost much and has stayed far behind in development because of the absence of peace, Ethiopia feels solidarity with all the peoples of the Middle East who yearn for peace, security and justice. As a people very close to the Middle East, Ethiopia has close affinity with the people of Palestine and with the people of Israel.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“The parties deserve to be commended for the great resolve they are demonstrating in addressing the common challenges they are facing. The Framework Agreement on Security Arrangements for the Interim Period, signed on 25 September between the two parties, represents a major breakthrough, which will no doubt help lay the foundation for more progress in other areas. We would like to thank all those, the United States Government in particular, who have made contributions to the progress that has been made in the peace process in the Sudan. These developments show that the situation in the Horn of Africa is not hopeless. The challenges we are facing are nonetheless formidable.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“With the progress that continues to be made in the peace process to resolve the conflict in Somalia, we are today more hopeful than ever that the long saga of the Somali people might be about to end. I wish to seize this opportunity to thank the European Union, the United Nations and others for the invaluable assistance that they have continued to give to ensure the success of the peace process in Somalia. Little progress could have been made without that support. The frontline countries of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will need even greater support for the success of the peace process in Somalia, which is now entering into its most critical phase. We are also deeply encouraged by the peace process aimed at resolving the conflict in the Sudan, which has also entered into a very delicate phase.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“This is why Ethiopia has felt it necessary to call on the Security Council to help us achieve the hopes implicit in the Algiers Agreement. Ethiopia is committed always to being a peaceful country. We have always been second to none in our commitment to the principles of international law. This will remain one of our people’s distinguishing features. This is a tradition we will continue to maintain and foster. This is also how we intend to tackle the present complications in the implementation of the Algiers Agreement. Few regions of the world have suffered as a result of conflict as much as the Horn of Africa. We in Ethiopia are committed, along with others in our subregion, to change this existing reality.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Having reversed the aggression, Ethiopia showed its unflinching respect for the principles of international law by taking the lead in 13 ensuring the signing of the Algiers Agreement. With little hesitation, Ethiopia withdrew from territory that it had seized in a counteroffensive to expel the invading army from its territory and to make room for the Temporary Security Zone, to which the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) was subsequently deployed. We have now come to the point at which the United Nations will have to take greater interest to ensure that the hopes and promises engendered by the Algiers Agreement are fulfilled. The Agreement was designed to lead to durable peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea. It was not meant to punish the victim of aggression.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“Like many countries in our continent, and perhaps more than most, Ethiopia has suffered at length as the result of conflict and war and its consequences. The internal causes of the absence of peace and tranquillity in our country were removed, once and for all, when the military dictatorship came to an end and when we embarked upon laying the foundations for a democratic and just society 12 years ago. Until 1998, Ethiopia made great progress that, if continued, would certainly have made us far more prepared to withstand the consequences of the extended drought last year and the year before. But the Assembly recalls what befell Ethiopia in 1998. The strong momentum we had managed to create for rapid economic development was pushed off track by the aggression we suffered in May 1998, which took us two years to reverse.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“But this can be done only when our people are given respite for peace and are able to fully concentrate on economic development. We have come to be convinced that, for our strategy on economic development and good governance to succeed, we need to enhance our capacity in human resources development and institution-building. It is imperative for us to focus on capacity-building and to make it a priority. It has also been found critical that we expand further our decentralization exercise, with a view to empowering our people at the grass-roots level. We have embarked on a fundamental shift in the country’s foreign and national security policy, focusing on the internal needs of our country and on ensuring its viability, which can be realized only through rapid economic development and the nurturing of democratic governance.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“I wish to preface my brief statement with sincere appreciation for all those who have responded with generous support to assist the people of Ethiopia to overcome the consequences of a devastating and extended drought, which put at risk more than a dozen million of our compatriots. The responses from the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and many others were indeed as timely, as they were generous. The people of Ethiopia are grateful for this demonstration of solidarity. We in Ethiopia are the first to realize that this state of affairs in our country cannot continue. Our people cannot be allowed to be vulnerable to famine every other year because of drought. It is a must for us, and a matter of national survival and dignity, to ensure food security for our people in the shortest time possible.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“It gives me great pleasure to extend to Julian Hunte warm congratulations on his election as President of the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly. I wish also to take this opportunity to commend his predecessor for his invaluable contribution to the success of the fifty-seventh session of the Assembly. Allow me also to extend my sincere appreciation to our Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for the great effort he has been making to maintain the integrity of the United Nations in this difficult period in the history of the Organization. I wish also to commend the Secretary-General for his invaluable contribution in enhancing humanitarian assistance, fostering development cooperation and strengthening our esteemed Organization.”
2003-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 58 (2003)
“We in Ethiopia will continue to contribute our share to the greater nurturing of multilateralism and to making the United Nations an effective custodian of those values.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is our earnest hope that the international community will do whatever is necessary to eliminate this scourge. We also hope that there will be better days ahead, when we will all concentrate on addressing the challenges that trouble our planet. I would like to conclude by renewing Ethiopia's commitment to the United Nations and to what it stands for. We wish to see the United Nations become an even a more effective universal Organization and a more forceful and faithful custodian of the principles of international law. Our hope and our dream is that the United Nations will be an even more robust universal Organization catering to the legitimate interests of both big and small counties.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“It is our conviction that success in the fight against international terrorism requires the genuine cooperation and solidarity of the entire international community, no matter who might be the target of such terrorism. All those who directly or indirectly support and encourage terrorism should be held accountable. Resources made available to terrorist groups, in whatever guise, should not be tolerated regardless of the area where this is taking place. In short, what is required is zero tolerance for terrorism regardless of its intended targets. It is not without reason that I am reiterating this point. For us in Ethiopia, terrorism is not a theoretical threat. It is a practical and immediate threat that we have had to face both before and after 11 September, including most recently.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)
“Our subregion is an area of the world that has long been vulnerable to terrorist activities. Ours has been an area that, due in part to the prevalence of poverty, has been taken advantage of very recklessly. My own country has been among those to have suffered as a result. This is a challenge that we still have to contend with, and which we still continue to face. This first-hand experience of ours put us in a position where we can deeply share the anguish of the people of the United States over the 11 September terrorist attack, which we have condemned vehemently. As we mark the first anniversary of that evil deed, we 19 wish once again to express our solidarity with the United States and its people.”
2002-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 57 (2002)