YouSaid · the spoken record

Andry Nirina Rajoelina

lines on the record: 63
first: 2009-09-24
most recent: 2022-09-24
sittings or episodes: 5
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

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the friendly countries that have always stood with us in the most difficult times. The Africa of tomorrow must be autonomous, independent and prosperous. We have a duty to change the history of the continent and to write a new chapter so that each of us and each of our countries can change and be transformed. Our Organization needs to strengthen its solidarity to provide shared solutions to our common problems. May God bless each of our nations. The homeland is sacred.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We welcome the upcoming second meeting of the joint French-Malagasy commission on the subject, and based on those two resolutions, which confirm the legitimacy of our claim, we hope to have the support of the United Nations in finally reaching a fair, settled and peaceful solution. During the pandemic, the sick needed oxygen to survive. Many countries are currently still struggling to breathe, thanks to the effects of successive crises. They need the oxygen they require to breathe in the form of support, aid and assistance, which will help them tackle the challenges of socioeconomic recovery and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We must accelerate the pace of the implementation of new financing mechanisms, such as the Resilience and Sustainability Trust, to ensure the disbursement of funding.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We have published books and textbooks and distributed tablets so as to considerably improve the quality of education received by our children and young people. Access to basic education has increased by 146 per cent and the school dropout rate has significantly decreased. We have made education a national priority, and we reiterate our commitment to transforming and revitalizing schools and universities. Last year, I had the opportunity to speak (A/76/ PV.6, p.7) about my country’s wish to finally see the implementation of resolutions adopted by the General Assembly in 1979 (resolution 34/91) and 1980 (resolution 35/123), concerning the return and administration of the Indian Ocean lies Eparses or Nosy Malagasy to Madagascar.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In some areas, girls under the age of 18 are already mothers of families who on average have to care for between five and eight children. It is therefore harder for them to feed and properly raise, care for and educate those children. Our family planning programme, which has already been launched, is therefore a crucial part of our strategy for controlling our birth rate and transforming the current population from one that is dependent to one that is employed and economically productive. Our demography in Madagascar will be an asset to our development and no longer an obstacle to it. With regard to education, we have made great strides. My Government has built more than 1,000 classrooms and has made huge investments in teaching tools and material. We have set up school canteens.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In the south of the country, we are starting work on state highway 13 and will soon do the same for highways 10 and 44 in the east, thereby facilitating access to Madagascar’s main granary. In the north-west, state highway 31, which is currently under reconstruction, will be entirely restored, which will mean that we will have access to our second largest agricultural area. In a few weeks we will be starting work on the country’s first major highway, which will link the capital to our largest port. Once the work is completed, the journey will be shortened from 10 hours to only two and a half. The demographic dividend is a variable that we have to include in our equation. We must change the structure of our population. Our current demographic growth is not commensurate with our economic growth.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“But we have faith, and we will continue to move forward with determination. The Madagascar Emergency Plan is literally paving the way for the future. From north to south and east to west, all of Madagascar is under construction. Only last week we opened our state highway 5A in the north of the country, which until now had for decades been a dirt road that took a week to traverse in the rainy season. Now it takes only two hours. It has led to an immediate reduction in the costs of the transportation and movement of goods and people, considerably improving the lives of the local communities and contributing to socioeconomic development in my country’s northern regions.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“That is why Madagascar will equip 250,000 families with bioethanol stoves with the aim of preserving 250,000 hectares of our forest every year. We have started major public works projects to transform the country because everything needs to be built or rebuilt. Everything is urgent, and everything is a priority. For the past almost four years, we have been constantly building and repairing roads. We have built schools, health centres, hospitals, dams, courts, prisons in line with international standards, sporting and cultural facilities and much more. And Madagascar is continually evolving, despite the successive global crises. Ours is a large country and considerable work has been done to ensure that all areas are accessible. However, the road is still a long and winding one.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Today I am relaying the cries and the voices of the African continent in general and Madagascar in particular. Africa’s young people and indeed the entire continent are waiting for polluting countries to comply with the agreements they have made. Keeping those promises will protect our planet. Our populations demand that those promises be kept, and future generations will hold us accountable later. Environmental protection issues are particularly dear to my heart. We all know that forests are the lungs of the Earth, and yet the use of charcoal and firewood remains standard practice across the African continent, including by 92 per cent of the population of my country. A family using charcoal or firewood for cooking destroys approximately one hectare of forest every year, which is devastating. We must change the practice and the mindset.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“It is unfair that the least-polluting nations should pay the highest price for the impact of climate change. Madagascar is an island and therefore vulnerable to climate hazards. This year alone, five cyclones struck the island in the space of just two months. Some 178,000 hectares of arable land were flooded and destroyed. Our island is the first country to have endured a climate-induced famine. Water resources are drying up in the south of the country and the people in that area are the most vulnerable on the island. The effects of climate change are worsening. The global situation is calling us to action. How many high-level meetings, summits and international conferences have we already had? How many statements and commitments have we made? Now we have to transform our words into actions.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time and one that we all have to tackle. It is important and urgent that we mobilize our joint efforts to protect our planet. I would like to raise the alarm here about commitments that were made at the twenty- first Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and reaffirmed at COP26, regarding the creation of the Green Climate Fund, which was supposed to be funded annually in the amount of $100 billion. Madagascar was the fifth African country to complete its national adaptation plan, and my country therefore should have been a beneficiary of the Fund. However, the access to funding is slow and so far none of the commitments have been upheld.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Many countries are facing energy problems today, and we must therefore accelerate our renewable energy production so that we can achieve self-sufficiency in the next five years. We intend to double or even triple our energy production capacity. It is 2022. Regrettably, Africa is still a continent where most families live in darkness and obscurity. More than 600 million Africans, including 85 per cent of Malagasy households, still use candles and oil lamps to light their homes. That is why we are launching a major operation to equip most Malagasy homes with solar kits by the end of next year, with some of them, of course, subsidized by the State. In achieving that, Madagascar intends to be the first or one of the first countries on the African continent to have brought light to all its people.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We developed our 2019-2023 Madagascar Emergency Plan and began to implement it when I took office as President in 2019. Our vision is clear and reflected in our political will, which we have demonstrated through all of our actions. We have prioritized a sector- and project-based approach in order to raise Madagascar’s classification to that of a newly emerging country. We have launched an ambitious set of reforms to modernize our administration, develop our human capital and foster strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, with energy as the driving force of its development. Madagascar is a country that is blessed with water resources for hydroelectric dams, a high number of sunshine hours for solar power plants and wind power for wind farms.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Our solidarity is the only way we can heal our societies, revive our economies, support growth and establish peace. Every country has now had to review its development strategies, and that has emphasized how essential it is for each of us to accelerate industrialization and become self-sufficient. We continue to believe that we should produce and process everything that our populations need domestically. There are weapons more powerful than bombs, tanks and missiles, which are our lands, our raw materials, our natural resources and our people. Local industrialization, agricultural innovation and leadership are our ammunition in the work of strengthening ourselves and our armour in order to protect our peoples. In Madagascar, we have developed a detailed strategy to make up for the delays our development has suffered.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“How can we accept the fact that in this time of crisis, countries with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of more than $100,000 and others with per capita GDP of less than $600 are buying barrels of oil in the same market and at the same price? Our Organization should take measures to support low-income countries so that they can benefit from and supply themselves with oil at equitable prices, given that the current global situation is a source of major upheaval in a number of countries. Some States are now affected by instability. The social fabric is unravelling, and economies are increasingly fragile. Some States have been forced to raise fuel prices by 50 per cent, which has resulted in riots and socioeconomic disturbances. Recovery is a concern that we all share.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“No country was spared the effects of COVID-19, and the conflict in Ukraine has worsened instability and heightened inequalities. That is yet another major obstacle to our efforts to achieve resilience and post-COVID recovery. Like every other country in the world, we are experiencing the full inflationary effects of this crisis. We firmly believe that all wars end around the table. Dialogue is the only way to bring about peace. Madagascar therefore reiterates its call for dialogue to resolve the conflict, because its effects are global and becoming more burdensome by the day. Developing nations such as ours are feeling and paying the price. The crucial role of the United Nations must be to encourage multilateralism in order to find equitable solutions that take into account the strengths and weaknesses of every country and its people.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The establishment of the Pharmalagasy pharmaceutical plant, at the height of the health crisis, demonstrated that we could turn difficulties into opportunities in order to exploit our biodiversity and thereby protect our population. While we predicted the apocalypse for Africa, Madagascar’s infection and death rates are among the lowest in the world. We have been classified as a green zone, meaning a country with low risks of infection. At the moment no PCR tests or health certificates are required to enter Madagascar. We beat the statistics and emerged from the crisis stronger, and above all, more committed to ensuring our country’s development. The world was just beginning to recover from the pandemic when new crises emerged.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The annual meeting of the General Assembly is always an opportunity to highlight the aspiration that unites us, that is, universal peace. Now that we have learned to live with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which we have discussed at length over the past two years, we are still facing the consequences of the crisis, despite everything. It has shown us that it is at the most difficult times that we realize the importance of solidarity among nations. The theme of this session, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”, is very apt. It gives us new hope, reassures us and gives us new hope that we can advance together along the path of development. When we had to tackle the health crisis, we chose to put our trust in our scientists and in the wealth of Earth’s natural resources.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“At the outset, allow me to address Mr. Korosi, Director of Environmental Sustainability at the Office of the President of Hungary. His election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session sends a clear message about the road mapped out for us by this annual meeting of the United Nations. I offer him my sincere congratulations. I would also like to warmly commend the Secretary-General for his ongoing commitment and dedication at the helm of the United Nations. On behalf of the people of Madagascar, I would also like to take the opportunity provided by this forum to reiterate our deepest condolences to the British people. Queen Elizabeth II inspired several generations in her country and all over the world. I also want to congratulate His Majesty King Charles III and wish him good health and a blessed reign.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In my case, I did everything I could to overcome the political crisis in Madagascar and maintain national unity and the best interests of the Malagasy people. I also decided that I will not be a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections. It is on that note, and with the well-known words of American theologian and writer James Freeman Clarke, that I would like to conclude: “A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.””
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The question is, do we have the courage and the wisdom to sacrifice ourselves for the well-being of our people and to avoid conflict and civil war, so that innocent people do not lose their lives, so that those who are in power no longer use weapons and so that no one resorts to violence? As a leader, I realize that the exercise of power requires an awareness of our humanity and our fallibility. That is the message that Madagascar would like convey as its contribution to this general debate today. The world is changing very quickly, a new generation is rising to replace the old one, and leaders have the duty to meet the expectations of our people and to find a solution to ensure their well-being.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I would like to warmly thank all those who, throughout the process of Madagascar’s emergence from its crisis, supported and assisted us during the transition period, in particular, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the various presidents of the SADC Troika, the African Union, the European Union, the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the International Organization of la Francophonie, and all friendly countries without exception, without forgetting those who have already demonstrated their willingness to provide international observers for the elections. At the same time, I would like to renew my appeal to the entire General Assembly to join the ranks of our partners. We are at a crossroads. The people expect specific and tangible results.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I reiterate the fact that despite our disagreements and our different points of view, we have reached a settlement of our conflict using all available negotiation methods. I would like to solemnly thank the Malagasy people, who are a peaceful people and aspire to peace and whose courage and patience have been unmatched in the peaceful settlement of our political crisis. The Malagasy people deserve a better future. Citizens will be able to freely express their choices on their future leader through the ballot box at the upcoming presidential elections, scheduled to take place on 25 October this year, for which the electoral campaign began yesterday. Madagascar is now starting a new phase in its history.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The danger of a social explosion and a fratricidal conflict was omnipresent, but fortunately — unlike some countries that continue to experience unrest and even armed violence, and despite all the economic and social restrictions and the absence of support and assistance from the international community from which Madagascar has suffered in recent years — the people of Madagascar did not fall into the trap of internal conflict, which some would have taken advantage of. It is with great national pride that I announce from this rostrum that Madagascar was able to avoid civil war. That required considerable sacrifice, self- denial and humility, but we came through thanks to our patriotism.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“On the contrary, Madagascar encountered misunderstanding and the inflexibility of an international community operating at various speeds, not to mention the application of dogmatic texts, even though popular uprisings elsewhere, in very similar circumstances, had been viewed sympathetically and with concern. Efforts must therefore now be made to end the unequal treatment of countries in crisis. We must become aware of popular aspirations and realities on the ground so as not to take the wrong decision. If it is valid elsewhere, surely it is also valid in the case of Madagascar? All the conditions were in place in Madagascar.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In his statement yesterday (see A/68/PV.5), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the fact that, in streets and squares across the world, people are pressing those in power. They want world leaders to listen. They want to know that we are doing everything we can to secure a life of dignity for all. The popular unrest in the context of the Arab Spring and the movements of the outraged exemplify this observation and reflect a legitimate aspiration. I fully support the Secretary-General’s remarks and call upon all of us to ensure that we clearly understand the demands of the demonstrators. Madagascar would also have wished to benefit from such understanding when the Malagasy people rose up against an unpopular regime to demand a better life through the establishment of genuine change. But that was not the case.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Those are all factors that are the nurturing ground for intolerance, confrontation and conflict, thereby helping to give rise to global insecurity. I refer here particularly to recent events in Kenya, Iraq, Pakistan and Syria, to name just a few. We fully share in the pain and sorrow of the families of the victims. Some 800 days from the deadline of 2015, like most African States and many developing countries, Madagascar is finding it difficult to attain all the Millennium Development Goals, despite the efforts everyone has made. Given that situation, I have to wonder what sort of contribution we, the leaders of our nations, can make individually to that collective effort, with a view to finding ways of improving the daily lives of those who have put their trust in us and placed their destiny in our hands.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“According to Ambassador Jeremi., who presided at the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly, humankind is facing an existential crisis, with symptoms such as economic instability, social inequalities and environmental degradation. For my part, I would add that humankind may be losing its forward momentum but that it is not giving up. Yes, the news delivered by the media every day is extremely worrying throughout the world. Whether the country is developed, emerging or poor, no segment of society escapes deterioration of various kinds, including poor employment conditions, unemployment, declining purchasing power, the total absence of any income at all, lack of access to basic necessities in food, clothing, health care and education, and, in addition, poverty, deprivation and indigence.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Shall we limit ourselves to simply speaking about conflict resolution, or shall we to challenge ourselves, analyse the underlying causes and take the necessary measures to preserve stability in the world? As I add my voice to those who have spoken before me, I warmly congratulate the President on the votes that he won in support of his candidacy. Madagascar will endeavour to provide him its sincere support and cooperation. Regrettably, over recent decades, when we speak of Africa, we generally see States that are exposed to permanent violence and the progressive loss of democracy, States where wars, conflicts and crises continually break out and there is more division than consensus.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“It is often said that things always come in threes. Indeed, this is the third time that I have had the privilege to address the Assembly as President of the Transition of the Republic of Madagascar. Here we are again, convening as we do every year for the General Assembly. All the leaders of the planet meet regularly to debate, exchange views and share their experiences within the framework of a process of consultations that belongs to a long collective march towards peace, security and sustainable planetary development. But each year, new, ever more violent and more lethal conflicts are waged, requiring that we respond with equal intensity.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“As far as its modest means allow, the Republic of Madagascar is determined to contribute to achieving our shared goals. The peace accord is fragile and needs to develop. To quote Martin Luther King, Jr., “All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem”. It is our duty and responsibility to provide a better future for the generations to come. Global stability requires tolerance, assistance, the creation and equitable sharing of wealth, and poverty reduction through sustainable development and reconciliation. The principles of adjustment or settlement of international disputes by peaceful means requires a return to our values, gender balance and equality, and, above all, democratic alternation. God bless our nation!”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Efforts must be made to put an end to the inequalities in how countries in political crisis are treated. The realities on the ground and popular aspirations must be acknowledged in order to avoid making the wrong decision. Despite our disagreements and our differences on how to achieve a peaceful settlement of our conflicts, we the States Members of the United Nations are unanimous in our firm desire for peace. The United Nations system cannot just be the police of the world; it also needs to be a source of hope and of values. Our societies need to exist and find their way through their own values, because it is social and economic ills, injustice, the lack of protection for vulnerable populations and intolerance for minorities that often cause States to collapse.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The best way to help us is to trust us, honour the commitments made and let us shoulder our own responsibilities. In the name of universal values and principles, anyone meeting the conditions of eligibility dictated by law is fully entitled to exercise that liberty. That is a fundamental principle, and all States must respect it. The Malagasy people alone — not other countries or external pressure — have the sovereign right to decide who should guide their destiny. The Malagasy people alone will choose the man or woman who will lead Madagascar. If confidence is shown in the Malagasy people, they will be grateful. The concepts of non-interference and respect for the sovereignty of each country establish mutual trust, which is a basic rule for all international negotiations. They are among the peaceful means needed to build lasting peace.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Therefore, it is possible to develop our country and create our wealth through our own resources. That is the challenge that we are meeting. Now it is high time to embark on in-depth reform to create an effective system that meets the highest expectations of our respective populations — not forgetting, obviously, the need to double or even triple our commitments to fighting poverty and promoting sustainable development. Here today, I launch an appeal for international solidarity to channel the transition towards the building of a more promising future — but without stif ling us. The Malagasy people need their full and entire independence, but above all they must be able to hold transparent and therefore democratic elections. I know that everyone here is sincerely willing to lend us support. So allow me to give the Assembly the solution.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“During the three and a half years of transition and despite all attempts at destabilization, we have worked tirelessly every day to honour our commitments and ensure the protection of our countrymen, all the while addressing social problems. In spite of challenging times, and despite the suspension of international aid and subsidies, which once accounted for 60 per cent of the State budget, we have been able to keep the administration functioning normally and have honoured all our commitments and debts. Madagascar is indeed one of the least developed countries. Nevertheless, it is one of the least indebted countries in the world since its debt amounts to only 5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), compared to other countries whose debt rate can reach up to 238 per cent of GDP.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Madagascar needs to take its destiny into its own hands, to write its own history, and to end the cycle of political instability through the holding of credible and transparent elections, guaranteed by the establishment of the Independent National Electoral Commission of the Transition. Above all, recently, in concert with United Nations experts, the electoral timetable for Madagascar was officially announced, including the holding of presidential elections scheduled for 8 May 2013. Thus I launch a solemn appeal to all international partners, all Member States and friends of Madagascar to support us and encourage us in that approach, which is the only and most democratic path forward. Profoundly committed to the values of solidarity, tolerance and peace, Madagascar is now searching for swift development and a better future.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“In that context, allow me to highlight the case of my own country, Madagascar. Madagascar is a country emerging from crisis, thanks to the involvement of the bodies of the Southern African Development Community and the support of the African Union, the Indian Ocean Commission and the International Organization of la Francophonie. A road map was signed and adopted by the Malagasy political parties in September 2011. Thus, several significant steps have been taken. The Malagasy parties have honoured their commitments. All the transitional institutions have been set up, including a national unity Government and the transitional Parliament. The road map, which we can call a political agreement, has allowed us to launch the electoral process.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“More than ever, the role of diplomacy and international negotiations face difficulties. The consequences of disputes play out in a number of ways, including with problems of impunity, instability in the Arab and Muslim world, the case of Somali piracy, illegal immigrations, persons displaced by war, problems regarding the Rom issue, religious confrontations, management of land and sea borders, and food insecurity. It is undeniable that much remains to be done to save human lives, because still civilian populations remain the primary victims of conflicts and disputes throughout the world. The world is in upheaval, and many countries are in a situation of transition. Their peoples demand change and hope for sustainable development. Those countries need to be supported and encouraged, not sanctioned.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“That being the case, human rights, the law of States, the rule of law and the other international regulatory tools place before leaders their responsibilities. The League of Nations defined the rule of law as a principle of governance based on the submission of all individuals and institutions, including the State, to the adopted and published laws, without distinction as to social or economic status; on the equality of everyone before an independent, impartial justice system; and on the harmonization of national laws with international human rights standards. No one should be above the law, and the culture of impunity must be banished. Mr. Benmehidi (Algeria), Vice-President, took the Chair. National conflicts today transcend borders and are becoming international problems.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The Earth continues to run with the blood of innocents, spilled violently not only in Syria but in other parts of the world as well. Given this state of affairs, despite the complexity of the challenges those conflicts present, the Secretary- General has not stood idle. We can only commend his determination to strive tirelessly to seek a negotiated settlement. States and other bodies must join forces to maintain peace, stability and security in the world. We cannot be passive witnesses to current or future disasters. The Republic of Madagascar sets particular store by the relevance and importance of the principles set forth in the United Nations Charter, as a source of inspiration as well as a pillar of support for the interdependence of nations and peoples.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Today the list of the forms that global conflicts take leads us to an obvious reality: geostrategic variations conform to no one rule, and they are in perpetual f lux. The wise words of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his statement at the opening of the sixteenth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement seem particularly revealing in that context. Did he not stress that among the challenges that must be met, there are all too many political disputes between member States of the Non-Aligned Movement itself? Did he not urge the protagonists in the Syrian crisis to immediately institute a ceasefire and a halt to the violence? And yet we can only deplore the fact that his call produced no result. Scores of innocent people are still dying every day, and over recent months they now number in the thousands. We firmly condemn this loss of human life.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“As President of the Transition of Madagascar, it is a great honour for me to participate in the general debate of the United Nations for the second time. The theme of the sixty-seventh session is akin to a call for unity, for shared contemplation and for generally revisiting existential questions and human values in the face of situations around the world where peace is extremely precarious. The last few years have indeed been marked by differences of opinion, political disputes and conflicts of interest. The world today faces new challenges to stability and the maintenance of peace. Various efforts and initiatives have been undertaken to deal with conflicts that are not homogeneous and disputes that do not always play out along the same lines. People’s interests differ and their approaches are not all equal.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The world is changing, and all of us leaders here want a better world for our respective peoples. Yes, it is possible, and we can do it.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In particular, I draw the attention of the United Nations to the work that it must undertake in assessing Madagascar’s electoral needs so that an electoral timeframe, drawn up in a credible, neutral, transparent and independent way and based on respect for fundamental rights and international standards, can be established as soon as possible. History teaches us that, even following the use of force, all wars and conflicts always end around a table. That clearly shows that mediation can be chosen as an alternative to weapons. We are opposed to the use of any form of repression whatsoever. It is entirely 33 11-51191 possible to resolve differences by peaceful means, as in the case for Madagascar, by resorting to a more effective method, such as dialogue. The world is evolving.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We have finally managed to reach a consensus agreement, reflected in the sense of compromise of which we are particularly proud, based as it is in the inherent culture of Fihavanana — a notion of social life that has guided the Malagasy people since the dawn of time and that can be boiled down to the principles of fraternity, solidarity, mutual respect, tolerance and wisdom. We have thereby expressed our resolve to move forward towards the reconstruction and development of our society. For my part, I will spare no effort and will do my utmost to ensure that these actions achieve the anticipated results and are rapidly crowned with success. I therefore launch a solemn appeal to the international community to make the needed individual and collective contribution to their implementation.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The great political Malagasy family is now determined to move forward and to work together in the overall interest of the nation for the well-being, peace and serenity of the entire people. An extremely important threshold has just been crossed, but there is still much work to be done. Now, we must focus primarily on the implementation of the provisions of the road map, with full respect for the people’s primary aspirations, leading towards the holding of free, credible, fair and transparent elections. That, in my opinion, is the only definitive solution to the crisis ensuring a return to constitutional normality.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The involvement of these and all actors concerned in the mediation was critical in responding with effectiveness and pragmatism commensurate with the emergency and in meeting the vital needs of the Malagasy people and economy, which could and would have been weakened if the crisis and the negotiations had lasted any longer. The Malagasy people were patient and showed unprecedented and exemplary courage in the peaceful settlement of the political crisis, despite all the economic and social restrictions, as well as the absence of international aid that it has suffered for the past three years. The post-crisis road map for Madagascar, proposed by SADC mediation, was initialled on 9 March and signed by the political factions representing the vast majority of Malagasy stakeholders on 17 September.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“When the search for a solution to the crisis turned to the principle of consensual and inclusive management of transition, and when that consensus proved difficult to reach, commendable mediation efforts among the Malagasy protagonists were made by local civil society organizations, the bilateral and regional partners of the big island, and the international community. I permit myself to mention here and to strongly commend the untiring and patient efforts of the mediation team of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional body mandated by the African Union, as well as the determined initiatives of other entities, such as the United Nations, the International Organization of la Francophonie and the Indian Ocean Commission.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Everyone here knows as well as I do that the island of Madagascar has been in political crisis since late 2008. The Malagasy people rose up with determination to break with a past marked by poor governance and non-respect for democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law that gave rise to widespread impoverishment, unbearable and inescapable social poverty, and the growing frustration of the majority of my countrymen. The Malagasy people therefore demanded a better life and genuine change, with strengthened respect for universal principles.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It should see for itself the realities prevailing on the ground in a conflict before proposing a solution that would be lasting and acceptable to all. History has shown that the excessive acts of a leader who resorts to force have serious repercussions for his country that can lead it into chaos and cost the lives of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of innocent people. It is an entire people who, unfortunately, suffer the grave consequences. This occurs because true solutions are often too slow in coming, plunging a large segment of humankind into poverty, since we must respond to suffering, anguish and despair. We want to change and we will change. To better illustrate my words, allow me to speak of the case of my country, Madagascar.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It is also 10 years since the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, during which the dialogue of cultures and the culture of dialogue were promoted on the international stage in order to combat the clash of civilizations. When we speak of conflicts, we have in mind two different ideologies that do not uphold the same values. That can mean two countries, two regions or even a Government and its people. In the last case, when one no longer respects the other it triggers a popular uprising that ends in a conflict, leading to a crisis; hence, the importance of the role of mediation in settling disputes through peaceful means. 11-51191 32 In that regard, any mediation should collate first- hand information.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)