YouSaid · the spoken record

Theo-Ben Gurirab

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122
first
1994-09-24
most recent
2000-09-24
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4
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un-general-debate

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  1. “We must come away from Copenhagen to act; the international community this time will need to summon more courage in order to translate into action the bold decisions we shall take. There is a linkage between the Plan of Action and follow-up mechanisms adopted at the Cairo population Conference and the goals of the Copenhagen and the Beijing Conferences in 1995. This requires greater and systematic coordination, so as to ensure economy, efficiency and the achievement of goals we all share. The continued marginalization and exclusion of women from many spheres of life are a challenge to us all. The platform for action to be adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women, to be held in Beijing next year, must therefore assure the full and equal participation of women at all levels of society.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  2. “We thank those States and agencies that have implemented resolution 46/204, on "as if" least- developed-country status and appeal for their continued assistance, which will strengthen the foundation we have laid for development and further consolidate our democracy. 19 The United Nations is centrally placed to address the major global problems facing us. Its focus, however, should not be limited to the issues of peace and security. The other critical issues, reconstruction and development, must be given the same serious attention. The World Summit on Social Development, for example, must be a forum for us to renew our commitment and political will to effectively address the diverse social and economic problems.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  3. “In accordance with our current "as if" status, and with the assistance of the World Bank, the Namibian Government is at present preparing a public expenditure review. The findings so far point to dramatic income disparities, in spite of the efforts by the Government that I alluded to earlier. It is in this context that Namibia wishes to appeal once again to the States Members of our Organization for an extension of the "as if" least-developed-country status for an additional number of years. This will be an enormous contribution to our determined efforts to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged Namibians.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  4. “In spite of the Government’s best efforts in these critical areas, imbalances persist in our society. Provisional figures from the ongoing 1993-1994 National Housing, Income and Expenditure Survey provide clear evidence of skewed income distribution. Using private household consumption as an indicator, preliminary survey estimates show that 50 per cent of the poorest households account for about 13 per cent of the total consumption. The richest 10 per cent of the households consume about 33 per cent. The low literacy rate, the low level of manufacturing industry and the extremely skewed distribution of income are a result of institutionalized social inequality over long periods. These social and economic sequels of the old apartheid order continue to bedevil the Government’s developmental efforts.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  5. “As a result, the majority of the population has incomes that are far below the national average. To redress these imbalances, the Government has been pursuing prudent economic policies aimed at improving the lives of the majority of our citizens. The direction is clear, although the road ahead is replete with pitfalls. However, I must say that the Government’s will and determination to succeed cannot be doubted. In 1991, Namibia sought least-developed-country status to redress imbalances in education, health, housing and employment. The granting by the General Assembly of the "as if" least-developed-country option to Namibia, if not the full status of least-developed country, nonetheless allowed us to lay the foundation for the reconstruction of our economic and social structures.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  6. “It is our fervent hope that the signing of this agreement will serve as the beginning of serious negotiations to resolve all aspects of the long-standing dispute between them, in the interest of peace, trade, development and good neighbourliness. I made the same plea last year from here, and the latest development helps to keep my hope alive. Namibia enjoys excellent friendly and productive relations with both countries. It is in this spirit that we advocate rapprochement between them. We consider that in both elections and governance popular participation is a prerequisite for development and prosperity. At independence, however, Namibia inherited a dual economy that was based on an unequal distribution of wealth and disparity of income resulting from apartheid.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  7. “The United Nations should, in the meantime, keep itself in readiness to increase its personnel in Angola as soon as a cease-fire is restored. The ever- increasing peace-keeping missions of the United Nations need sound financial support, if indeed peace is to be achieved and preserved. I therefore urge the States Members of our Organization to heed the Secretary-General’s call in his current report for adequate funding for peace-keeping operations. Namibia is very much encouraged by the recent conclusion of an agreement between the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Cuba on immigration issues.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  8. “In Angola, it is our strong expectation that the protracted negotiations currently under way in Lusaka appear poised for an imminent and successful conclusion. The Government and the people of Namibia are indeed awaiting the successful resolution of this bloody conflict. In their own modest way, the Government and the people of Namibia will continue to play a constructive role to hasten this process. The statement made last week from this rostrum by the Foreign Minister of Angola demonstrated once again the flexibility and genuine goodwill of the Angolan Government to reach a peaceful settlement in the interest of the suffering Angolan people. UNITA, it is sad to say, continues to obstruct progress and wage war. It should be made to heed the urgent warnings of the Security Council.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  9. “Africa needs to produce similar success stories, through concerted regional initiatives, in other conflict situations such as Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia, Somalia, the Sudan and others. Naturally, we welcome the serious efforts which are being made by neighbouring African States in and relating to each one of these trouble spots. To this end, Africa and the international community alike should heed the appeals for contributions to the OAU 18 Peace Fund. In Namibia, we believe that once given adequate financial and human resources Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim, the OAU Secretary-General, and his staff are capable of implementing expeditiously the relevant decisions of the succeeding summits of African leaders.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  10. “The new body which is now being put together is intended to augment the Organization of African Unity (OAU) mechanism for conflict resolution and peace-keeping, and will serve primarily as the political and security arm of SADC itself. The countries of SADC, through this mechanism, are committed to defend and protect constitutional order and the rule of law. Through their common vision for peace and development, a task force of three Heads of State recently succeeded in peacefully redressing the attempted overthrow of the democratically elected Government of Lesotho. It was a first major test, and the SADC leaders rose to the occasion and defused what was potentially an explosive situation with serious consequences for the whole region.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  11. “Multi-party democratic, presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled in Namibia in December this year. Likewise, 1995 will see multi-party democratic elections in Tanzania and general elections in Zimbabwe. This would mean that the vision for deepening democratization, peace, prosperity and true partnership in SADC will be greatly boosted. In the emerging world order resulting from the end of the cold war and the victories scored by the forces of liberation, the front-line States decided that the time had come to transform themselves into a mechanism for political consultations, conflict resolution, peace and security in the SADC region.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  12. “The past four years have seen throughout Africa a process of free and fair elections, multi-party democracy, the protection of human rights, press freedom, the rule of law, and market-oriented economies. This process has taken a firm direction and produced positive results in southern Africa and in other parts of Africa. In 1989, successful independence elections were held which culminated in a free and independent Namibia in 1990. In 1991, democratic elections were held in Zambia; in 1992 free and fair elections were held in Angola, though regrettably UNITA refused to accept the results and restarted the fighting; Lesotho held multi-party democratic elections in 1993; and this year, South Africa and Malawi underwent democratic transformations. In October, Botswana and Mozambique will hold democratic elections.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  13. “In this context, Namibia welcomes with appreciation President Clinton’s announcement yesterday in Washington that the United States Government will make a substantial financial contribution to reconstruction and development in South Africa, as well as in other countries in the region. It is good news for us that a friend of Africa, Ambassador Andrew Young, will coordinate this programme. Let me mention here the recent first-ever meeting between Foreign Ministers of the European Union and SADC held last month in Berlin. The meeting was historic and elevated the interaction and cooperative relations between the two regions to a higher political and economic level.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  14. “Just as we struggled together during the apartheid era, we look forward to strengthened partnership for development and prosperity for our people and the region. The time for reconstruction and economic cooperation in the region has finally dawned. We are convinced that the transformation in 1992 of the Southern African Development Coordinating Conference into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will further consolidate regional economic cooperation and all-round development for the prosperity of all our people. This will indeed serve as a formidable building-block towards the realization of the goals of the African Economic Community, especially in the field of inter-Africa trade, investment, capacity-building and human resource development.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  15. “Now, with the eradication of apartheid in South Africa and the installation of the first democratically elected Government, the struggle for freedom and political emancipation in southern Africa was crowned with a gigantic victory. The people of South Africa finally triumphed over the apartheid system. The epoch making inauguration of President Nelson Mandela, on 10 May 1994, was a victory for humanity and a vindication of the untold sacrifices of the South African people. The international community, and in particular the countries and the peoples of southern Africa, celebrated this joyous event, confident in the conviction that peace had finally come to our region. We in Namibia are particularly gratified to welcome the new South Africa into the fold of the community of nations.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  16. “The southern African region presents a good example of transformation from war, conflicts, economic destabilization, political instability, social disintegration, suppression and denial of human rights to the new situation of peace, democracy, stability, regional cooperation and hope for a more prosperous future for us all. The former Southern Africa Development Coordinating Conference (SADCC) vigorously sought to counteract the destabilization and subversion of the 17 countries of the region by the apartheid regime of South Africa. The front-line States, with vigour and determination, also pursued the fight for liberation, peace, political stability, democratization and promotion and protection of human rights.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  17. “At this point let me reiterate what I said then, that a successful resolution of this issue will not only consolidate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country but will also create enormous opportunity for economic integration, community- building and prosperity for the SADC region. New vistas for trade, transport and communication would be opened up throughout southern Africa. And this will further stimulate free movement of goods, services and people in the area. Walvis Bay will greatly complement other ports in the region. It is a truism that peace, democracy, political stability and good governance are among the basic pillars for development.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  18. “A huge and tumultuous crowd of Namibians and friends from abroad who were gathered there confirmed this truth with their loud cheers. In the end, diplomacy has triumphed over confrontation. I would like to place on record Namibia’s gratitude to the Secretary-General, as well as the Secretaries-General of the Organization of African Unity and the Commonwealth, the member States of the South African Development Community (SADC) and the front- line States, as well as many other good friends who rendered support and encouragement to Namibia in the negotiating process.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  19. “In 1992, I reported on the establishment of the Joint Administrative Authority, and last year I announced the agreed date for the reintegration. It is with pride and satisfaction that I am now finally informing the General Assembly and the world community as a whole that, on 1 March 1994, Walvis Bay and the Offshore Islands were reintegrated into Namibia. Security Council Resolution 432 (1978) has thus been fully implemented. On that emotional but indeed solemn occasion marking the second independence of Namibia, Mr. Sam Nujoma, President of Namibia, proudly declared that at last Walvis Bay and the Offshore Islands were forever liberated and reintegrated into Namibia and he thanked the people of South Africa for their role in making this possible.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  20. “Following our independence, the Government and the people of Namibia strongly felt that the decolonization of our country was not complete because parts of our national territory still remained under colonial occupation. In 1991, from this rostrum, I called on the international community and, particularly, the permanent members of the Security Council to live up to their commitment, collectively and severally, by ensuring the early reintegration of Walvis Bay and the Offshore Islands into Namibia, in accordance with Security Council resolution 432 (1978). Since then, I have kept the international community abreast of the negotiations to this end between the Governments of Namibia and South Africa.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  21. “Boutros Boutros-Ghali, our illustrious Secretary-General, has always kept his plate full in the service of our Organization and its Charter. He has also, on a continuous basis, kept intensifying his tireless efforts in furtherance of world peace and security and, not least, development and regional conflict management and resolution. The Secretary-General’s report "An Agenda for Development" is an important and timely complement to "An Agenda for Peace". Together they reinforce General Assembly resolution 48/165 on the "Renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership". I can assure the Secretary-General that he can count on Namibia’s support in the discharge of his mandate.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)

  22. “On behalf of the Namibian delegation, I wish to congratulate you, Sir, on your unanimous election as President of the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session. As a distinguished diplomat and public servant with long experience, you bring to your office an outstanding record of wisdom, excellence and industry. Côte d’Ivoire and Namibia have maintained close relations of friendship and cooperation. On a personal note, I take great pride in your brilliant election and extend best wishes to you. During his term of office, your distinguished predecessor, Ambassador Samuel Insanally of Guyana, introduced practical steps aimed at enhancing the work of the General Assembly and promoting further our common endeavours towards peace, partnership, development and prosperity. We commend him for all this. Mr.”

    1994-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 49 (1994)