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1976-09-24

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1. “the conclusions of the Belgrade summit last September, and the determination then restated by the non-aligned countries to work towards the building of a better world; the very recent American and Soviet proposals for the elimination of chemical weapons? the tireless activities of the United Nations in these spheres - all have given rise to a climate of detente and confidence truly propitious for the peaceful settlement of regional conflicts. The same applies to Afghanistan, and Gabon hopes that, following the Geneva agreements, as well as the withdrawal of foreign troops, an international and national consensus might emerge to enable the Afghan people to express its legitimate aspirations and devote its resources to the rebuilding of its country without external interference of any kind.”

   1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)

2. “With the experience it has acquired from the various trials, tribulations and upheavals that have taken place since its creation, our Organization is more than ever aware of its place and its responsibilities with regard to the destiny of mankind. Each of us must become aware of the need for all Members to take part in world decisions in this body, for without a doubt the United Nations remains, the centre for the harmonizing of the actions of nations in the attainment of common ends. The signing of the American-Soviet agreement of 8 December 1987 on the dismantling of intermediate-range nuclear missiles?”

   1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)

3. “We take pleasure in availing ourselves of this opportunity to thank Mr. Garba's predecessor, Mr. Dante Caputo of Argentina, and his Bureau for the invaluable work they did during the forty-third session. To the Secretary-General, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, my country would like to pay a well-deserved tribute for the self-sacrifice, talent and complete dedication he has shown in carrying out his difficult tasks. By way of illustration I would mention his recent visit to southern Africa, as well as his participation in both the twenty-fifth summit of the Organization of African Unity and the ninth summit of the Non-Aligned Movement.”

   1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)

4. “The confidence thus demonstrated shows the esteem he enjoys among us, and is a tribute to his outstanding qualities as a man well versed in international affairs and his commitment to the Special Committee against Apartheid, which he chairs. The President may rest assured that in this body the Gabonese delegation will be guided by its firm determination to make a sincere contribution to the success of our work. It is my delegation's conviction that under the presidency of Joseph Garba the deliberations of the Assembly will proceed in the spirit of the principles and purposes of the Charter of our Organization for the achievement of a just and equitable world. We should also like to congratulate the members of the Bureau, who are working with the President to ensure the success of our deliberations.”

   1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)

5. “The sessions of the General Assembly of our Organization offer Government officials such as ourselves the solemn opportunity both to give the views of our respective countries on the status of the world and to take a look at prospects for its future. I myself am particularly honoured to address the Assembly for the first time on behalf of my country, Gabon. 1 should like first of all to discharge the pleasant duty of conveying to President Joseph Garba, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, on behalf of His Excellency El Hadj Omar Bongo, the President of Gabon, and on my own behalf, the warmest fraternal congratulations of the Gabonese people on his brilliant election to the presidency of the forty-fourth session of the General Assembly.”

   1989-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 44 (1989)

6. “This is the message that I address to the representatives of other nations meeting in this Assembly, and the commitment that I reiterate on behalf of the President of the Republic, Mr. Hadj Omar Bongo, and the Government and people of Gabon as a whole.”

   1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

7. “That is why I take this opportunity to assure the Assembly of my country's readiness to co-operate with the Organization so that together we may contribute to the progressive improvement of the social condition of mankind. At this moment, as we reaffirm our dedication to the purposes and principles of the United Nations, we must declare faithfully that we will do nothing that might impede their achievement. Let us commit ourselves to do our utmost to ensure that these words become a reality, that the Organization truly becomes an effective tool in the service of peace, freedom, security and justice - values which mankind has perhaps lost, but which it hopes to regain in order to recover its self-esteem.”

   1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

8. “In the context of this policy, vaccination, thanks to the expanded vaccination programme, carried out in our country with the assistance of UNICEF, had covered more than 50 per cent in 1987. Paediatricians noted five times fewer cases of measles than in previous years. Our country is pleased to see that UNICEF’s activities have found their place within the broader context of the Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990. This satisfaction extends also to the recommendation made by the Governing Council of UNICEF that the needs and priorities of women are taken into account in all projects that receive its assistance. With regard to all these activities, Gabon would like to express its special gratitude to the United Nations for its pragmatism and effectiveness which certainly remains to be done.”

   1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

9. “Among the measures proposed, the promotion of "human adjustment", which is designed to protect vulnerable groups while struggling effectively against the economic crisis, and the Bamako initiative, designed to lead towards the establishment of a self-help system with regard to medical assistance, enjoy our country's support. As UNICEF has indicated in its 1988 annual report, the mortality rate for children under 3 years of age remains very high, at approximately 174 per 1,000. My country is pursuing a social policy with the following objectives·, to contribute to protecting the family, children and youth; to participate in the fight against such major endemic social scourges as tuberculosis, leprosy, alcoholism, venereal diseases and diarrhoea, epidemics, mental illness and juvenile delinquency.”

   1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

10. “Careful thought and the expedience gained regionally, nationally and internationally have convinced us that there can be no development without a policy of promoting and protecting human rights, just as there can be no promotion and protection of human rights without a peace policy. Gabon, a delegation which participated in the work of the meeting of the Governing Council of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in New York from 18 to 29 April 1988, greatly appreciates the recommendations made by that institution for overcoming the present particularly difficult economic situation.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

11. “Taking all this into account, the Secretary-General has emphasized that the margin of manoeuvre available to Africa in the implementation of the Programme of Action has been reduced by an unfavourable financial climate. This justifies his conclusion that it is essential for the international community to act speedily to free additional financial resources and increase flexibility. I cannot conclude without referring to some social and cultural aspects of man's development in his dual dimension, individual and collective, which has been one of the concerns of our country, and, first and foremost, human rights, which cannot be forgotten this year as we commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

12. “These data, which were reported to the Society for International Development by Mr. Stephen Lewis, the former Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations and now the Secretary-General's Special Adviser in connection with the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990, revealed the extraordinary situation that our countries are confronting. That is why the member countries of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) defined a common position regarding the urgent convening of an international conference on African debt, since it is the aim of our countries to embark resolutely on the path of economic growth and development. The recent proposal of the Head of State of Gabon for a discounting of African countries' debts has the same objective.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

13. “With regard to debt, in order to avoid its increase, our countries have had to reduce imports and sums reserved for investment. Despite this, the debt of Africa exceeds $200 billion. The debt and its servicing, between 1984 and 1986, averaged 310 billion a year. The figure will exceed 315.5 billion between 1987 and 1989. In its 1988 report the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) emphasized that in sub-Saharan Africa the per capita gross national product had declined by 14 per cent in real terms between 19 80 and 1987, and said that this debt burden had destabilized internal economies by sharpening social conflicts and affecting expenditure on improving the human resources and material infrastructures essential for future development.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

14. “The Final Declaration of the seventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva in July-August 1987 sheds a new light on our apprehensions in that, in view of the instability in export revenue from our commodities and the resultant vulnerability of the economies of our countries, UNCTAD is advocating a diversification of exports on the one hand and the preparation of studies of phenomena that impede such diversification. Despite a slight increase in commodity prices in 1983-1984, the unfavourable conditions that weighed on our markets since the beginning of the 1980s continued in 1985. The weakness of commodity prices in the course of recent years is due to the fact that despite increased supply of products, demand has hardly increased.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

15. “However, these are not the only reasons why we are concerned when we know that, between 1985 and 1987, the countries of sub-Saharan Africa paid the International Monetary Fund a net amount exceeding $2.2 billion and, as was noted in 1966 by the Executive Secretary of the United 'Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Mr. Adebayo Adedeji, the decline in commodity prices and debt servicing caused an outflow of capital at an amount of 334 billion while, at the same time, Africa received no more than 318 billion.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

16. “With regard to this last point, I should like to tell you that Gabon is able only to meet 20 per cent of its food needs itself. The remaining 80 per cent dangerously affects our balance of payments, resulting in insufficient savings and systematic recourse to loans in order to finance any projects, to such an extent that debt servicing is becoming ever more heavy. Here and now 1 should like to thank the authorities of the United Nations Development Programme which, in the course of its work in the Governing Council in Geneva, from 6 June to 1 July last, annulled Gabon's obligation to become a net contributor to reimbursing pre-financing of some of our projects. This evidence of attention and pragmatism on the part of international organizations towards our country constitutes assistance which we appreciate at its proper value.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

17. “It seems timely to me to point out that the economic situation in Gabon clearly deteriorated in 1986, just at a time when its fifth five-year plan, begun in 19θ4, had very nearly achieved its objectives. In the course of that difficult year, the average price of Gabonese oil, our main source of revenue, fell by more than one half, the slump of crude and the decline in the rate of the United States dollar being at the root of that movement. The outcome has been a drastic decline in our gross national product. This handicaps our development and prevents us from finding solutions to our ills. These include insufficient infrastructure in river transport and telecommunications·, the use of migrant labour, which is expensive for the country, and the weakness of the agricultural sector, sharpened by the rural exodus.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

18. “A number of its initiatives have led to the establishment, in December 1986, of a Steering Committee composed of the directors of United Nations agencies, as well as the establishment of an Advisory Group on Financial Flows to Africa. Each of these mechanisms is to recommend to the United Nations solutions which can limit the serious financial problems which our countries are experiencing. With regard to the Advisory Group on Financial Flows to Africa, the roost recent Conference of Ministers of the Non-Aligned Countries noted that it had estimated a yearly shortfall of approximately SS billion between the real needs of African countries and prospective contributions. On the basis of that estimate, the Conference felt that it should emphasize the urgent need to reduce that shortfall.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

19. “In this connection, my country approves the work that has been carried out by the Regional Centre of the United Nations for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, which met in Lomé, Togo, last February. It is easy to note that, beginning from our Organization and its own involvement, this wind of peace that is blowing throughout the world is dependent upon the will of the parties to conflicts themselves, and, generally speaking, upon the restored spirit of mutual trust in the conduct of current international relations. The work of the United Nations is not solely restricted to the political sphere. All Member States will agree in noting that the United Nations recently has been concerned at the particularly critical economic situation on the African continent.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

20. “We are therefore pleased to see that this question has been included on the agenda of our work and we express the hope that the General Assembly will consider it with all due attention. For our part, we are convinced that the industrial development of Africa must not become counter-productive, in particular by destabilizing its ecological and human balances. Development must be achieved in security in order truly to be a bearer of peace. Hence, security and development ate interconnected. Disarmament and development are as well. This is a concern which, upon the initiative of our Governments, is being discussed in various international bodies, both at the world level and at the regional level.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

21. “Hence, at the roost recent summit meeting of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa last May, such an operation was viewed as constituting a criminal act against Africa and African populations and that meeting recommended that member States of the OAU should participate in a working group to prepare a world convention to monitor trans-border carriage of harmful wastes. My country can all the more easily endorse that step because it has not responded to the various offers that have been extended to it to give all or any part of its territory to those new merchants of death for the purpose of storing their dangerous products. Similarly, it endorses any initiative that has been taken within the United Nations directed towards preparing an international convention on the transfer of waste.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

22. “It is specifically in this context that Gabon, concerned about the future of Africa, notes with alarm and is watching the compelling manoeuvres, both treacherous and illegal, directed towards making our continent the depository, the rubbish-bin, for the toxic wastes of the industrialized countries. The agreements entered into for this purpose between some African countries and multinational enterprises have quickly been revealed as fool 's bargains.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

23. “Particularly meaningful in this general movement are the agreements that have been reached and the events that have taken place in the field of disarmament in the course of this year between the two super-Powers which will contribute to reinforcing detente in international relations. That is why my country welcomes with interest not only the American-Soviet agreement, but also the inclusion in the agenda of the current session of item 72, "Review of the implementation of the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security". Gabon considers, in particular, that resolution 42/92, adopted at the previous session of the General al Assembly and containing a provision calling upon members of the Security Council to take appropriate and effective measures to turn Africa into a nuclear-free zone, deserves practical follow-up.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

24. “In mentioning these various conflicts I intend only to highlight the commitment of the United Nations and various Member States, particularly the super-Powers, to reach a settlement with the increasing help of the Secretary-General. The third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, which was held in New York from 31 May to 24 June last, was preceded by the American-Soviet agreement on the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles - INF Treaty - in December 1987, demonstrated that the protagonists on the international scene are acting in keeping with the purposes and principles of the United Nations.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

25. “The agreement which the two Koreas have reached on the inclusion in the Assembly's agenda of an item entitled, "Promotion of peace, reconciliation and dialogue in the Korean peninsula" is an encouraging development and prompts us to urge them to persevere in their search for a negotiated solution, for a United Korea would be a guarantee of peace and stability in South-East Asia. The mounting tension in Central America is also a source of great concern to my country. Gabon reiterates its support for the Contadora Group and welcomes the additional contribution made by the Lima group, since these provide the framework necessary for dialogue and better mutual understanding in the region.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

26. “We are also convinced that the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Kampuchea is a prerequisite for a just and lasting settlement of the problems of that country, which must regain its inalienable right to choose freely its political, economic and social system. The situation in the Korean peninsula is still deadlocked. Gabon, which is pleased to count both Koreas among its best friends, will support whole-heartedly any initiative aimed at the reunification of Korea.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

27. “The situation in Lebanon causes us great concern in particular because of the excellent relations between Lebanon and Gabon. That is why we call upon all the parties concerned to put an end to this fratricidal struggle, and for an end to all the foreign interference that has caused the threat of partition to hang over that country. With regard to the situation in Afghanistan, Gabon endorses the principle of the right of the Afghan people to decide for itself the form of its own government and to choose its economic, political and social system without foreign Interference. My country welcomes all the efforts and initiatives that have resulted in the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghan territory, thus helping to bring about the political solution of the situation in that State.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

28. “That is why Gabon reaffirms and supports our organization’s Insistence that any settlement of the Middle East crisis must necessarily Involve the total and unconditional withdrawal of Israel from the Arab territories occupied since 19671 de jure recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people; and recognition of the Palestinian right to the free exercise of their right to self-determination and, especially their right to their own State with internationally recognized borders. Gabon also endorses the holding of an international conference on peace in the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations and with the participation of all the parties concerned. Including the PLO.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

29. “Representative for their efforts to ensure the successful outcome of the Geneva negotiations aimed at finding a compromise satisfactory to the two parties in accordance with Security Council resolution 598 (1987). My delegation takes this opportunity to appeal most emphatically once again to those two brother countries to associate themselves fully and in good faith with the process for the settlement of this conflict that la new being pursued under United Nations auspices, The situation in the Middle Beat, particularly recent developments in the occupied Arab territories, is a threat to international peace and security.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

30. “The decision taken at the forty-second session of the General Assembly by the Chairman of the OAU and the Secretary-General to send a technical mission to that region for fact-finding purposes and to secure acceptance by the two parties of the proposed United Nations peace plan, which provides for a cease-fire followed by a referendum on self-determination, is a source of satisfaction for my country. We follow this momentum for peace with particular attention, since it will lead to a climate of detente and co-operation in the inter-Maghreb zone. With regard to the Iran-Iraq conflict, my country wishes to pay a well-deserved tribute to the Secretary-General and his Persons!”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

31. “The recent release by the authorities in Tripoli of Chadian prisoners, the recognition of the Ndjamena Government by Libya, affirmed here again by my Libyan colleague, and the recent decision by the two countries to restore diplomatic relations are the logical sequence to the meetings that I have described. We can only welcome these events and express our keen hope that the two parties, in good faith, will make whatever effort's are necessary to resolve all the questions still pending in accordance with the charter of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations Charter, in a spirit of fraternity and responsibility and in co-operation with the Ad Hoc Committee. With regard to Western Sahara, the Secretary-General's visit to Africa in February 1988 enabled him to focus attention on this issue.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

32. “I now take pleasure in reporting that in fulfilment of the decisions taken at that time the second summit meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee met in Addis Ababa last May, during the twenty-fourth summit meeting of the Organization of African Unity. In accordance with a resolution adopted by that body, and on the invitation of the President of Gabon, the Foreign Ministers of Libya and Chad met at Libreville from 7 to 9 July last for the first time, it should be noted, since the outbreak of the conflict. The representatives of the two parties then broached, in a spirit of open-mindedness and candour, all questions which needed to be discussed in order to bring about an atmosphere of trust conducive to the normalization of their relations in spheres of common interest, particularly those of diplomacy and co-operation.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

33. “The United Nations must attach prime importance to that judgement by the Non-Aligned Movement and find within itself the resources to meet this historic challenge. The frontier dispute between Chad and Libya has always been in the forefront of the concerns of Gabon, particularly since the Organization of African Unity conferred upon it in 1977 the mandate of chairmanship and entrusted it with the work of the Ad Hoc Committee of Mediation charged with finding ways and means of bringing about a settlement. The forty-second session of the General Assembly has already given roe the opportunity to report on the conclusions of the first summit meeting of that Ad Hoc Committee, held in Lusaka, Zambia, in September 1987.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

34. “Recently, under the auspices of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), two meetings were held in Harare, in Zimbabwe - an international conference of children against apartheid and a symposium of persons involved in science, the arts and letters, to promote the survival and development of children in the front-line States. That double meeting was an opportunity to re-emphasise the indignation felt throughout the world at the atrocities and sufferings inflicted on the black majority in South Africa. At the Conference of Foreign Ministers of the non-aligned countries just held, in September, in Nicosia, representatives of States from all continents once again agreed on the wisdom of the description of apartheid as a crime against mankind and emphasised that its regime constitutes an insult to the universal conscience.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

35. “The problem of apartheid is more than a source of concern in that part of the continent and it remains as grave as ever. Apartheid is considered a crime against mankind, as it excludes from the exercise of power some 20 million blades, who are constantly the victims of aggression and torture and whose lives were always in danger. It is thus a factor of permanent insecurity in international relations. Far from being excessive, the description of apartheid as a crime against mankind is now clearly widely accepted by the international community.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

36. “Further, they encouraged the parties to the negotiations to do their utmost to achieve a final agreement: as soon as possible, this being a prerequisite for lasting peace in the subregion. Without any doubt, such а meeting augurs well for the implementation of the provisions of the Geneva Accord, the purpose of which is to organize free elections, under United Nations supervision, in accordance with Security Council resolution 435 (1978). The entry into force of the cease-fire in southern Angola aid on the Namibian border, in accordance with the provisions recently accepted by the parties, confirms the positive role which they have played. While we therefore welcome developments in southern Africa, we must remember that southern Africa consists of more than just Namibia.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

37. “Gabon welcomes the conclusion of the Geneva Accord providing for the withdrawal of South African troops from Angola and has been following with interest the modalities of its implementation, which, to be effective, require the consent of the parties concerned, particularly the front-line States. It was in that spirit that the President of the Republic of Gabon took the initiative of meeting, on 1 October this year, at Franceville in Gabon, with the Heads of State of Angola and Congo. There they discussed the question of the peace and security in Angola and the independence of Namibia, noted with satisfaction the positive development of the quadripartite talks which will shortly resume in Brazzaville and welcomed the efforts made by the People's Republic of Congo in order to secure the successful conduct of the negotiations.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

38. “How can we fail to express our satisfaction at the series of negotiations now going on in order to resolve the problems of the independence of Namibia; the frontier dispute between Chad and Libya, the Western Sahara and the Iran-Iraq conflict - to mention only those, we can only welcome the positive developments in each of those disputes, at the same time urging the concerned parties to show a spirit of open-mindedness and dialogue. The commemoration of World Namibia Day on 26 August last provided us with an opportunity to note with great interest the development of the situation in that part of Africa, which we believe is destined to achieve independence in the near future.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

39. “The fact that the Organization is contributing to the settlement or adjustment of conflicts by peaceful means demonstrates its ability to promote peace and international security. It is a source of satisfaction for m/ country to see the United Nations carrying out one of its missions in this way, thus earning the Nobel Peace Prize, which has been awarded to the United Nations peace-keeping forces. This is a fitting occasion to point out that this event received special attention from the President of Gabon, Mr. Omar Bongo, who addressed a special message of congratulations to the Secretary-General in this connection.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

40. “The work of this session is beginning at a turning-point in international relations, first with the commemoration this year of the fortieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an ideal common to all peoples and all nations, and, secondly, with the setting in motion of a process of ending regional conflicts and eventually securing their definitive settlement by peaceful means. On a number of occasions Gabon has emphasized that the establishment of the United Nations constituted a decisive phase in the history of the world and has expressed the hope that everything will be done to attain the goals and principles enshrined in the Charter in San Francisco.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

41. “The Gabonese delegation includes in these congratulations and tributes to the Secretary-General, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar. No praise is too high for his admirable initiatives and the action he has taken, aimed at calming tensions and securing the peaceful settlement of disputes, to give concrete form to the contribution of the United Nations, the strength of its principles and the soundness of its purpose of bringing about world peace and prosperity. Gabon continues to be dedicated to those fundamental principles of international life as set forth in the Charter, just as we reaffirm that our foreign policy, based on the permanent quest for solutions conducive to peace and development, manifestly serves noble causes.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

42. “On behalf of the Gabonese Government Sir, I offer you most cordial and heartfelt congratulations on your election to preside over the forty-third session of the General Assembly. I am convinced that your experience, your long and praiseworthy career in international affairs, and the fact that you are a man of culture whose depth is recognized by all, augur well for a successful outcome to the session. I am also happy to take this opportunity to greet in you, Sir, the representative of a great country, the Argentine Republic, with which the Gabonese Republic, my country, has commendably close relations. I wish also to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Ambassador Peter Florin, your predecessor, for the outstanding way in which he guided the work of the forty-second session.”

    1988-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 43 (1988)

43. “We view our policy of social assistance, in the context of national solidarity, and our policy of improving the status of women as being in full accordance with the relevant provisions of tried resolutions of the Organization in this field. That, in substance, is the message which, on behalf of my country, Gabon, I have the pleasure to address to the General Assembly on this solemn occasion. May the words it contains find in Members countries the favourable response which it deserves as a contribution to the dawning of a new era of peace, justice and harmony in the world.”

    1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)

44. “We note with interest the inclusion in the agenda of this session of items relating to the fate of the disabled and the elimination of all forms of discrimination based on sex, as well as items relating to actions to be taken to ensure the protection of women. My Government stresses how important these problems are. The distortions created by a period of relative economic growth and by the social changes it engendered have made my Government aware of the need to establish appropriate compensatory mechanisms to ensure, among other things - in the framework of its social action policy - the social reintegration and rehabilitation of the physically and mentally disabled. Moreover, women, like men, have access to education, vocational training, employment, and government - which now includes five women.”

    1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)

45. “Hence, the five-Member group of experts established in July 1У84 by the late Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi - at that time the Chairman of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries - recommended in its report a greater allocation of resources and the implementation of a process of reform of the international monetary and financial systems. Finally, if development is to be integral, we cannot hide its social aspect, because it is precisely that aspect which most directly affects the people - who, as the President of the Republic of Gabon constantly repeats, are at the start and the end of any action for development.”

    1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)

46. “It is in order to find a solution to this grave problem that the African countries decided, in the Organization of African Unity, to hold a conference on Africa's foreign debt. On several occasions, under the terms of the relevant resolutions and declarations of that organization, our countries have solemnly undertaken to honour their debts. Africa's creditors should therefore feel protected from the confrontation which they seem to fear, and should not regard this conference as the framework for defining a strategy aimed at refusal to pay. Beyond this question of the external debt of the developing countries there is another question, which is linked to it: the absence of international liquidity facing our countries, which reduces and hinders our development possibilities.”

    1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)

47. “It is in this context - a reduction in international trade and an increase in protectionism in all its forms, the floating of the main reference currencies, a fall in public aid and a hardening of the terms of private loans - that we note with a feeling of anguish and impotence the disturbing increase in Africa's foreign debt. In fact, by the end of 19t85 Africa's total debt amounted to $162 billion, more than $19 billion of which is swallowed up each year by debt servicing. Various solutions have been advocated, among them the rescheduling of debts. I take this opportunity to pay a well-deserved tribute to the representative of Canada and, through him, to his great and generous country, which in a magnanimous action has just wiped out the debts of seven African countries, including Gabon, in a total amount of $250 million.”

    1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)

48. “In the light of what I have said, which is by no means exhaustive, my country endorses the fundamental conclusion of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in his report for the past year that.· "In the present situation the improvement in the world financial and trade environment is the key that should make it possible for the developing countries to begin to realize their development potential." We feel that that is a realistic evaluation, for any effort made at the national level by our country is doomed to failure if it is not supported by a real change in international economic structures.”

    1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)

49. “In other words, Africa's share of world commodity exports fell, for most commodities, particularly in the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s. Gabon believes that the machinery of the Integrated Programme for Commodities, and its accompanying Common Fund, should have the full support of all trading partners. Stabilization of commodity markets requires appropriate regulation at the international level. It should be noted that trade flows have been such that the exports of developing countries fell from 33.6 per cent in 1980 to 24.6 per cent in 1986. In the same period their imports fell from 28.7 to 25.2 per cent. An additional cause of concern is the effect on the international market in commodities from developing countries of the proliferation of substitute products from developed countries.”

    1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)

50. “They are characterized by a new collapse in production and in the international trade system, as well as by an increase in protectionism. All those negative factors, together with world monetary disorder and the imbalance in capital markets, clearly have an unfavourable impact on the economies of developing countries. Our countries, whose economies are essentially based on the commodities trade, have overall been seriously affected in recent years by the prolonged weakening in the prices of those products. The oil-producing countries in particular, including Gabon, face a grave economic crisis as a result of the fall both in the price of oil and in the exchange rate of the dollar. In American dollars the annual average price was 30 per cent lower in 1981 that it had been in 1980 - about 20 per cent in real terms.”

    1987-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 42 (1987)