YouSaid · the spoken record

Kenneth Baugh

lines on the record: 81
first: 2007-09-24
most recent: 2011-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-general-debate

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

“We must now go beyond grand statements if we are to fully realize sustainable development and rekindle the faith of the people we serve in the United Nations.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“33 11-51384 As we continue to work together to achieve sustainable development for all, it is imperative that we exercise the requisite political will and make good on our commitments to the global development agenda. The far-reaching effects of the multiple and interconnected crises of recent years have reinforced our interdependence and the important role of economic cooperation and partnerships in securing global peace and prosperity. We must redouble our efforts to address the growing challenges of poverty, food insecurity, the rising costs of food and energy, and climate change. It is not good enough to engage in extensive deliberations, to make commitments and issue declarations without providing the means for their implementation, including financing, capacity-building and technology transfer.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We must continue our efforts aimed at revitalizing the General Assembly so that it can effectively carry out its role and responsibility as the chief deliberative and policymaking organ of the United Nations. A glaring failure has been our inability to agree on reform of the Security Council to ensure that it is more democratic, responsive and reflective of today’s political environment. For more than 15 years, the debates for comprehensive and lasting reform of the Council have achieved very little. The African countries and our Latin American and Caribbean region still have no permanent seat at the table. That injustice cannot continue. Comprehensive reform can only be achieved within the intergovernmental negotiating process. Anything less will be nothing more than a continuation of the status quo.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“To that end, Jamaica is committed to ensuring that the 2012 Diplomatic Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty results in a legally binding, comprehensive, objective and transparent Treaty. In order for the United Nations to deliver on all our expectations, its organizational structure must reflect the geopolitical realities of the twenty-first century. An effective response to global challenges requires a reformed and dynamic United Nations. Reform initiatives, spanning a number of years, have led to the establishment of UN-Women, the reform and strengthening of the Economic and Social Council, a more coordinated and efficient response to humanitarian crises and a change in the way we conduct our peacekeeping missions.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We have achieved marked reductions in crime and criminal activities over the past year with our multifaceted strategy to stem the problems, as well as through the implementation of social intervention and social transformation initiatives to stem the problem of crime and violence. We continue to strengthen the capacity of our security forces and to improve our justice system, to ensure that criminals are caught and prosecuted in a court of law. We firmly believe, however, that we will not see the full impact of those efforts without an international regime that regulates the sale and transfer of conventional weapons, in particular small arms and light weapons and their ammunition.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As we look towards the start of the preparatory process for the 2015 NPT Review Conference, there must be unquestionable political will to address those lingering deficiencies in our push to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. We must continue to build on the momentum gained from last year’s special high-level meeting of the General Assembly on transnational organized crime, which addressed measures to counter the growing problem, including narco-trafficking and the illicit trade in small arms and ammunition. Jamaica, like its partners in the Caribbean Community, continues to face severe threats to our long-term socio-economic development from illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, small arms and light weapons and ammunition. We will remain resolute in our fight against this menace both locally and abroad.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As host to the International Seabed Authority, Jamaica attaches great importance to ocean affairs and the law of the sea. Next year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the opening for signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, drawn up in Montego Bay. We encourage Member States to appropriately highlight that landmark event at the international level. The total elimination of nuclear weapons remains an important goal for the international community. While we have taken significant steps towards achieving that goal, significant challenges remain. A number of key players remain outside the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has still not entered into force.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In our efforts to strengthen the international sustainable development architecture, the emphasis should be on effectiveness, on the efficacy of institutions that not only facilitate extensive policy discussions, but that also move us towards fulfilment of the ambitious vision that we all embraced in Rio in 1992. We should also aim for institutional flexibility, which will allow us to address long-standing and emerging challenges through increased cooperation and coordination. Rio+20 will provide us with an excellent opportunity to renew our commitment to Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and, in respect of the small island developing States, the Barbados Programme of Action and the Mauritius Strategy on its implementation.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“1) As a small island developing State, we have a vested interest in the successful outcome of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) to review the implementation of the commitments made 20 years ago at the Conference in Rio de Janeiro. States and regions are already assessing the progress that we have made and the gaps that persist in our efforts to chart a more sustainable course to development in the period since the 1992 Conference. Significant gaps that cause 11-51384 32 concern relate to the transfer of technology, capacity- building and the provision of additional financial resources for development.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We have agreed on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. We share the conviction that inequality, poverty and the environment and environmental degradation are linked and that development and the environment are inseparable. In the light of that background, we urge a renewed commitment to the pursuit of development that is sustainable, through increased attention to all three pillars of sustainable development — the environmental, the socio-political and the economic — and a redoubling of efforts to integrate sustainable development principles at the international, regional and, most important, national levels, and “meet[ing] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. (A/42/427, annex, conclusion, para.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban in December will provide yet another opportunity to forge consensus on effective adaptation and mitigation strategies within the context of an ambitious post-2012 climate change framework. A second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol is essential, and we remain optimistic that at Durban we will all demonstrate the necessary political will and seriousness of purpose to achieve that. At the United Nations we share a common background in the 1983 World Commission on Environment and Development and the 1987 report “Our Common Future” (A/42/427, annex). We share an awareness that the nations of the world are interdependent, experience interlocking crises and have a common but differently shaded responsibility.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Jamaica therefore welcomes the initiative launched by President Sarkozy of France for the G-20 to give serious consideration to this question of financial speculation in the prices of petroleum and food at the summit to be held in November. This is a burgeoning crisis, which the United Nations must also take seriously. Climate change presents a clear and present danger to human development, particularly in small island developing States and least developed States. Progress was made at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancún last December, when common ground was reached between developed and developing countries on several key issues. We must now implement and operationalize those decisions. We remain disappointed at the slow pace of climate change financing.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We equally have to increase investment in transport and agricultural infrastructure to facilitate the storage of food, its marketing and packaging and its transportation to marketplaces. Speculative action in the global market, with the attendant volatility in commodity prices, has generated socio-economic tensions in various countries across the globe. The constant increases in food prices not only create further strain on the economy and on social welfare, but also threaten food security and deepen the economic challenges of countries that are already striving to recover from the global financial crisis.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We must adopt more concrete measures on food security, building on the progress made from the World Summit on Food Security and working closely with the World Food Programme and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to strengthen international humanitarian response and assistance, particularly in areas that are prone to disasters and conflicts. The plight of starving populations, including mothers and infants in the region, must push us towards the commitments of the World Food Summit Plan of Action. To sustain the global food market and feed our populations, we have to engage in greater investments in science and research to boost agricultural production — especially in poor rural communities — as well as to offset the effect of drought and famine.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The High-level Meeting on NCDs last week allowed us for the first time to agree to measures to significantly reduce NCDs. The political declaration we adopted (resolution 66/2, annex), while not as ambitious as Jamaica would have preferred, provides a good basis to address the prevention and control of NCDs. We urge the United Nations system and Member States to expeditiously implement 31 11-51384 measures to achieve the agreed targets and indicators on NCDs. The famine in the Horn of Africa, precipitated by the worst drought in half a century, is of grave concern to us all. It has heightened our awareness of the devastating impact of natural disasters on poor developing countries.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As a result of its reclassification as an upper-middle-income country, Jamaica will not be eligible to access those funds. This puts us at risk of reversing the gains made in halting the spread of HIV. We again urge that the factors used by the relevant multilateral agencies in the measurement of a country’s wealth be reviewed, as their classifications often bear no resemblance to the realities on the ground. They must more carefully take into account a country’s indebtedness and capacity to pay, as well as its fiscal capacity to finance programmes that are taken for granted in respect of middle-income countries. We are pleased that the international community embraced the proposal made by the Caribbean Community for United Nations emphasis on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the silent killer of millions around the world.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It is therefore critical that we reinvigorate the Global Partnership for Development aligned with MDG 8. Critical also must be the channelling of resources and the fiscal space to support programmes for economic empowerment and capacity building. More concessionary loans and grants and debt-for-equity swaps should be among the instruments used. Jamaica is on track to meet most of the MDGs despite the economic and financial challenges. Through assistance from the Global Fund, we have significantly increased access to antiretroviral drugs and reduced the rates of HIV/AIDS infection, mother-to-child transmission and AIDS mortality. At the High-level Meeting on AIDS held in June, Member States committed to bold new targets for the AIDS response, including scaling up investments.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We renewed our commitments to achieving those targets by 2015. We acknowledge the support and partnership in the midst of the global economic challenges. Nonetheless, with four years left until the 2015 deadline, we are deeply concerned at the slow pace of delivery on commitments made in several key areas, namely, ODA, trade, debt relief and access to new technologies and affordable essential medicines. Jamaica renews the appeal made by our Prime Minister at the summit last year for an emergency programme to re-energize the MDG agenda. Without such a programme, those targets will remain elusive in 2015 and beyond. The fiscal policy requirements attached to the resources made available for developing countries through institutions like the International Monetary Fund cannot assist in meeting the MDG targets in the short run.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Our success in trade development is strongly dependent on partnerships with the private sector as we agree to policy directives and pursue an export-led trade initiative, while being mindful of our resources and capacity to export, as well as business opportunities and market intelligence globally. Other critical challenges such as food security, energy security, climate change, poverty and diseases, continue to demand the attention of the international community. Precisely because of their transnational character, many of these problems require multilateral cooperation and action in an inclusive framework that involves both developed and developing countries. A year ago, world leaders gathered at the General Assembly to take stock of the progress made towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We support coordinated and collaborative efforts within the context of the review and implementation of the Aid for Trade Initiative in support of developing countries. We will continue to work with our international partners and aid and development entities in expanding the Initiative to build on the supply-side capacity and infrastructure of developing countries, so that we can take advantage of trade opportunities and connections within the global economy. Jamaica has embarked on an export-led trade policy with the full involvement of the business sector within the context of the World Trade Organization Trade Policy Review institutional framework. The strategic formulation of our trade policy process includes collaboration with the private sector particularly given its central role and expertise in manufacturing and exporting.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We therefore urge the full re-engagement of all parties in the process, so that we might move beyond the current impasse and usher in a new era of multilateral trade relations. This must take into account the preservation of policy space and flexibility for developing countries in areas that are integral to our ability to build competitiveness and trade capacity. We remain hopeful that at the eighth Ministerial 11-51384 30 Conference, to be held in December, we will consider a package of measures as the basis for a more balanced trade regime that will serve as a catalyst for increased economic growth and prosperity worldwide. We must commit to ensuring that development remains a central objective of the negotiations.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We reiterate our call for the reform of the international financial institutions towards increased transparency and accountability, and an increased role for the developing countries in decision-making. We welcome the increased attention that the Group of Twenty (G-20) has paid to development issues and are encouraged by the consultative approach in its relations with the United Nations. It is imperative that the G-20’s activities in respect of development accord with the central role of the United Nations in economic development. The Doha Development Round of trade negotiations, which began in good faith nearly a decade ago, has the potential to significantly improve the development prospects of most developing countries.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We continue to count on the support of our partners and the international community to help drive our social and development goals and to keep our safety nets in place. International financial and development assistance help to strengthen our development process and to address setbacks from external shocks on our economic planning and social investments. Development funding is critical in the recovery of our agricultural, mining and tourism industries, which are often adversely affected by climate change and the impact of natural disasters. So, too, are the transfer of technology and capacity building. We urge our partners to recommit to the development agenda, both here at the United Nations and within the context of the Bretton Woods institutions.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Indeed, the reality is that development aid is an essential resource, which is used by developing countries to offset the financial burden involved in the execution of major development projects. Unfortunately, much development aid and assistance to developing countries continue to fall short of the agreed goal of 0.7 per cent of gross national income, as some of our developed partners fail to meet their commitments. Closing the gap between commitment to development and the provision of resources that will facilitate the implementation of its various components requires political courage. We commend those partners who have maintained or exceeded their official development assistance targets despite their own economic challenges.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Moving from an economy primarily driven by commodities to one that is value-added, knowledge- based, innovative and technology-driven is a transformation that, although challenging for developing countries, must be achieved. Without effective partnerships between the large and small economies for mutual benefit, balanced trade and shared growth, that is unlikely to occur. I speak here positively of the increasing South- South cooperation that offers hope to many developing countries. We have long recognized that we can maximize our growth prospects through increased economic partnerships and investment opportunities, which ultimately lead to improvements in trade relations.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The range of socio-economic characteristics and levels of development of countries that fall in the middle-income category is indicative of the need for us to move towards harmonization of the criteria used in classification and resources allocation. Developing countries like ours have undertaken painful adjustments to achieve fiscal discipline and macroeconomic stability within an open economy. We continue to pursue free trade agreements at the regional, hemispheric and global levels. However, the missing link to progress is the urgent need to build capacities in developing countries through infrastructure development, institution-building and expanding and enhancing productive capacity for competitiveness and to meet international quality standards.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We are faced with the reality that, although we all operate in one global economy, with the same aspirations for growth and sustainable development, 29 11-51384 we do not all have the same resources or capabilities. In addition to being acutely vulnerable to the vagaries of the global economic environment, the development prospects of many developing countries are frequently undermined by environmental degradation and climate change. Classifications that are ostensibly positive, such as our own designation as an upper-middle-income country, serve to obscure several of the development challenges that we continue to face, particularly in accessing development financing and assistance, which are critical to our development process and the attainment of the MDGs.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“I wish to refer to the struggles of two neighbouring Caribbean countries to achieve development. Haiti, in the wake of its disruptive disaster, and in line with its successful efforts for political organization, needs the continued support of the international community to foster its development, if its democratic gains are to be consolidated. Cuba must have the space to foment its own development, free from the decades-long embargo that has slowed its growth, but not its will to improve the welfare of its people and that of other developing countries. A strong Cuban economy, integrated into the Caribbean marketplace, is essential to the region’s development.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In these difficult financial times, developing countries are forced to take painful policy decisions aimed at recalibrating our economic plans to address immediate challenges while laying the groundwork for the fulfilment of our long-term development goals. The balancing act that this involves can have dire consequences for our most vulnerable nationals. We all have to take ownership of our own development process and the necessary steps to provide an economic environment that is conducive to growth and prosperity. To that end, we are compelled to adopt approaches that are innovative, pro-active and collaborative. It is through adopting such approaches that many countries and regions have made significant inroads in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In that regard, Jamaica welcomes the declarations to the General Assembly by both Palestine and Israel of their readiness to do so. Both sides must now re-engage in good faith, taking no action that could undermine the possibility of a durable solution. Central to that must be Israel’s cessation of settlement building and expansion in the occupied territories and, on the part of the Palestinian leadership and people, the renunciation of violence against Israel and acceptance of its right to exist. The door to peaceful negotiations will not be forever open, nor can there be a continuing delay to Palestine’s assumption of its rightful place in the global community of States. The spread of globalization is well advanced, and our economies and growth prospects are interlinked in a vast network of economic opportunities.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It is therefore important that we consciously seek to strengthen and support the role of the Peacebuilding Commission, recognizing the linkages between peacekeeping and peacebuilding and the transition from stabilization to consolidation. The resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is long overdue. It is time to end the occupation of Palestinian territory. It is time for the people of Palestine and Israel to live in peace and mutual security. Jamaica remains unwavering in its support for a just, lasting and comprehensive agreement that recognizes the Palestinian State within the pre-1967 borders and guarantees the security of Israel. The focus must now be on ending the stalemate and reviving direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Recognizing the danger in such situations of potential conflict and providing full support for the Programme are congruent with the principles implied in the theme for this session of the General Assembly. Related to that is the continued support of the international community for the project to erect a permanent memorial to the victims of slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade, as a visible message of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. Jamaica thanks all those countries that have contributed to the erection of the memorial and looks forward to its completion within a reasonable time frame. Peace and development are mutually reinforcing and intrinsically linked to growth and prosperity.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Longstanding disputes and pockets of political instability and conflict continue to fester in several parts of the world, resulting in social and economic dislocation and humanitarian crises. If the United Nations is to effectively respond to those situations of conflict, its preventive diplomacy capacity, including mediation capacity, must be strengthened. Many conflicts have their roots in racial and religious intolerance, resulting in social exclusion, marginalization and the alienation of people. The High- level Meeting to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, obliged us to reflect on the global community’s inadequate compliance with the objectives of the Programme of Action.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We salute the tenacity of the people of South Sudan in their struggle to gain statehood after five decades of conflict. We urge all sides and factions not to allow rivalries and revenge to impede growth and development. The international community must assist South Sudan as it embarks on the daunting journey of stabilization and nation building. We look out at a global political landscape that is marked by turbulence and uncertainty. The developments over the past several months in the Middle East and North Africa in particular are stark reminders that the legitimate aspirations of citizens for 11-51384 28 freedom, inclusive Government and respect for human rights cannot be indefinitely suppressed.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“I would like to congratulate the President on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. We are confident that his extensive diplomatic experience will inform his leadership at this session. I assure him of my delegation’s full support. During the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly, we benefited from the skilled leadership of His Excellency Mr. Joseph Deiss. I wish to recognize his sterling contribution to the work of that session. We join others in welcoming the newest Member of the United Nations family — the Republic of South Sudan. The emergence of South Sudan as a sovereign State underscores the fundamental value and relevance of the theme of this year’s General Assembly session, namely, “The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes by peaceful means”.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We dare not fail to live up to those expectations, as to do otherwise would seriously impair the very credibility and relevance of the United Nations, particularly during this time of crisis.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“It is in this spirit that we look forward to the erection of the permanent memorial to honour the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, which will remain an enduring symbol of our collective resolve to eliminate discrimination, social inequity and prejudice. The United Nations must assert its unique capability as the world’s premier multinational organization to address the challenges and meet the needs of the poor and most vulnerable. We need, therefore, to urgently correct and reverse the tendency towards inaction, inertia and indifference which has so far frustrated efforts to address the development agenda. This would be in keeping with the ideals of the Charter and our shared vision for the fulfilment of the hopes, aspirations and expectations of all our citizens across the globe.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Multilateralism cannot work effectively if the General Assembly, the most representative global body, is unable to assert itself as the central decision-making body of the Organization. Nor can it work if the Security Council remains an exclusive club, unrepresentative of the wider membership of the United Nations. The goal of the intergovernmental negotiations which commenced earlier this year should be to come to a definitive conclusion on comprehensive reform of the Council. The theme that the President has chosen for this session is both apt and timely. It evokes the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter. It calls on us to reaffirm and renew our commitment to joint responsibility for development, the realization of peace and security and harmony among peoples.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“These challenges are not constrained by borders and cannot be confronted by States acting on their own. They can only be confronted through international cooperation and effective partnerships. But this can only be achieved through greater multilateralism, with equitable participation by all countries, both developed and developing. Jamaica firmly believes that the United Nations is the only organization equipped to undertake this task of inclusive multilateralism. With all its imperfections, the United Nations still enjoys legitimacy in the eyes of most people in the world. But the United Nations cannot, in its current form and structure, successfully tackle this task. It must be reformed to make it more responsive to all its Members.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“At the regional level, through joint collaboration and approaches within CARICOM, we continue to tackle these security challenges, which threaten the social and economic fabric of our societies. The challenges presented by the outbreak of infectious diseases and the potential pandemics, such as HIV/AIDS and the H1N1 flu, call for common global strategies to ensure that developed and developing countries alike can respond rapidly and effectively. As a result of the global economic crisis, accessibility and affordability of essential medicines are expected to deteriorate in developing countries. In this regard, however, it is anticipated that developing countries will have access to the forthcoming H1N1 vaccine at an affordable price. We end this first decade of the twenty-first century confronted by myriad challenges.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We are therefore pleased that new arrangements have been put in place to make the Peacebuilding Fund more flexible as we seek to support peace efforts in countries emerging from conflict. In my own region, Jamaica remains committed to the long-term stability, socio-economic growth and development of our sister country, Haiti. We recognize the important role of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in helping to foster the 09-52592 20 environment necessary to ensure a sustainable future for the Haitian people. We must increase our efforts to counter transnational organized crime, narco-trafficking and the illicit trade in small arms and ammunition, which threaten the rule of law and democratic governance in many countries, and fuel the spread of international terrorism.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Jamaica has embraced this approach. The pursuit of complete disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, with particular regard to weapons of mass destruction, must remain a shared goal. The 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty provides an opportunity for renewed commitment to strengthen the non-proliferation regime. Restoring peace and promoting regional stability through peacekeeping operations is at the heart of the contribution of the United Nations to international peace and security. However, as we have seen, peacekeeping interventions cannot by themselves produce the desired outcome of sustainable peace. The Peacebuilding Commission, established in 2006, can assure such sustainability and make a difference in the lives of people in post-conflict countries.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Other major emitters also have a role to play in climate change mitigation while taking into account their own development needs. To this end, we favour the conclusion of a post-Kyoto framework wherein the commitments agreed to by all the parties hold to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. A successful outcome must also include concrete commitments on adaptation, mitigation, capacity-building, technology transfers and the provision of financial resources to assist developing countries in addressing climate change. We recognize that action at the international level must be complemented by urgent action at the national and regional levels. The necessary steps must be taken to integrate climate change into broader national sustainable development planning.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We were heartened by the broad agreement that a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to reduce global warming. What is now required is the necessary political will to take concrete, decisive action so that we can address this clear and present danger head on. As a Small Island Developing State that is vulnerable to the impact of climate change, Jamaica has a vested interest in a successful outcome of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December — an outcome based on equity and differentiated burden-sharing. It is now clearly established that developed country emitters have a historical responsibility for global warming and that they should take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We look forward to further collaboration with our international partners and aid and development organizations in pushing the Aid for Trade initiative to build on the supply-side capacity and infrastructure of developing countries, so that they can take advantage of trade opportunities and connections with the global economy, particularly against the backdrop of this global recession. The threat posed by climate change must not be underestimated. Urgent and effective global action on climate change mitigation and adaptation is required to avoid the catastrophic consequences of global warming. The Alliance of Small Island States Climate Change Summit on 21 September, as well as the Summit on Climate Change held here a few days ago, reinforced this fact: the time for action is now.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We therefore agree that there is an urgent need to conclude the Doha Round of negotiations in a bid to revive global trade and to aid in global economic recovery. Development must remain central to that agenda. Any outcome of our negotiations in the Doha Development Round must lead to clear benefits for our farmers, producers, exporters and consumers. We must redouble our efforts in this critical area and resolve to transform international trade into an engine of growth. Progress has been made in the implementation of Aid for Trade for developing countries. We must build on that progress. There are outstanding commitments with respect to the provision of technical and financial support to help strengthen the trading and production capacities of developing countries.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The severity and complexity of the crisis is underpinned by the interlinked and interdependent nature of the global financial system. The experience of the current crisis supports the case for strengthening financial regulation and supervision to address systemic weaknesses in the global financial system. Reform of the international financial architecture is long overdue. Urgent steps must be taken to reform 19 09-52592 the governance structure of the international financial institutions, including a review of the policy conditions attached to lending by the International Monetary Fund. We are disappointed that there is as yet no visible action on reform of the international monetary and financial systems. Jamaica is a trade-dependent country.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development, held in June, provided a useful platform. Developing countries that are not part of the G-20 group were able to bring their concerns to the international community and contribute to the search for solutions to the crisis. We are encouraged by the candour of leaders from the major industrialized countries who expressed their commitment, with obvious sincerity, to effectively addressing the concerns of developing countries in order to help them cope with the crisis. We are seized with a spirit of collectivity, and hope that this renewed momentum will overcome all obstacles and translate into tangible, targeted outcomes.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“As much as we value the inclusion of advanced developing countries in the G-20 process, we believe that it is critical that space be made to accommodate the voices of a wider cross-section of developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable. Our interest is in ensuring that the particular needs of small, vulnerable economies and highly indebted middle-income developing countries of the CARICOM subregion are addressed through appropriate representation at the summits of the G-20. We must have an integrated approach in order to craft the type of common strategy that a crisis of this magnitude demands. At the same time, the United Nations must play an essential role in helping to manage the various ramifications of the crisis. It can ensure dialogue and enable a coordinated response based on an inclusive decision-making process.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Along with our CARICOM partners, we will continue to advocate for a very special category of small, vulnerable and highly indebted middle-income countries. A review of the criteria for determining middle-income status could help to address financial resource accessibility in the long term. We are lobbying for a review of those criteria. The pervasiveness of the crisis makes coordinated international action imperative. Over the last two days in Pittsburgh, leaders of the Group of 20 (G-20) met for the third time in less than a year to review the progress on commitments made at their last summit and chart a course to counter the impact of the adverse economic environment.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)