YouSaid · the spoken record

Danny Faure

lines on the record

71

first

2012-09-24

most recent

2020-09-24

sittings or episodes

6

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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

1. “We also salute the efforts of the Government of Somalia in its dedication to ensure that forces of extremism and intolerance have no place in our shared region. Similarly, we are encouraged by the positive developments in relation to the expected first round of presidential elections to be held in Madagascar in October. Elections represent the path towards resolving the crisis in that neighbouring island, and we are encouraged that the basis for the resolution of the crisis discussed during the Southern African Development Community mediation, with the support of the Indian Ocean Islands Commission, held in Seychelles in the year 2012, have come to fruition.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

2. “The tools we have developed through such initiatives have strengthened our ability as a region to deter other criminal activities, such as arms trafficking, drug trafficking, people trafficking and illegal fishing. We look forward to building on those successes with our partners in order to create an effective coordination mechanism for maritime security in our region. As we consider the security situation in East Africa, may I also take this opportunity to express our solidarity and our sympathy to the Government and the people of Kenya, as well as personally to President Uhuru Kenyatta, as Kenya recovers from the barbaric attacks in Nairobi on Saturday. Such acts of terrorism strengthen our resolve to ensure that we build a shared future free of the forces of division and hostility.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

3. “We can transform Africa’s oceans from being sources of raw products for distant nations to a space where Africa’s trade needs are prioritized and where Africa can better protect its oceanic resources. As an African island State, Seychelles continues to prioritize the security of our maritime spaces. In terms of maritime security, Seychelles reiterates its desire to build partnerships to create better coordination and sharing of information in the immediate region and beyond. Seychelles has also set up a Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecution and Intelligence Coordination Centre, and it also hosts an anti-piracy cell of the Indian Ocean Commission to build the maritime security capacity of the island States.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

4. “The status quo merely perpetuates a model where we will consume our planet’s resources with no long- term protection, while the menace of climate change continues to grow as a threat to our economies, our way of life and our existence. To further mobilize reflection and action on the concept of the blue economy, Seychelles is pleased to be able to organize, in partnership with the United Arab Emirates, a special high-level event to be held as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week on 21 January 2014. The blue economy also represents an unparalleled opportunity for Africa. As an African island nation, we have continued to call for more attention to be given to the sustainable development of Africa’s coastal areas and its oceans.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

5. “In Rio last year, we identified the green economy and the blue economy as tools with which States may implement a more sustainable approach to development. We are convinced that the green economy cannot be properly addressed unless we also give more attention to what is termed the blue economy, which is based on harnessing the development potential of our oceans sustainably. Oceans make up 72 per cent of our planet and connect our nations in terms of geography, trade, transport and communications. We consider island nations such as ourselves as guardians of that space, even if in many cases we can but be witnesses to plunder, pillage and pollution.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

6. “In 2013 Seychelles was given the honour to host the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Seas Sub-Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, to be held next year in Samoa. The participation in the preparatory event by both the Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the President of the General Assembly was highly appreciated as a symbol of support for the concerns of islands. Our discussions there, and in the ongoing process, have highlighted the fact that there is an urgent need for the United Nations to adopt a “resilience” that takes into account the evolving developing needs of islands.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

7. “Our economy is built around its connectivity to the world economy. Our security is easily undermined by events beyond our control. Our environmental safety is also dependent on many factors that have an impact beyond our borders. Both our opportunities and our risks can be addressed only through international partnerships. As we have discussions and exchanges of ideas on the post-2015 development agenda, we believe that the experiences of our group of States provide contexts that can help us to design a better development model. As we aim to set sustainable development goals, we must keep in mind that, if we can sustain our island, then we will know that we can sustain our planet.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

8. “on his leadership of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session, during which he stressed the unifying elements of the Assembly. Allow me to also express our appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the determination and commitment he has shown since the beginning of his tenure of office to strengthening the role of the United Nations. For the Seychelles delegation, the General Assembly evokes the spirit of humanity’s common cause better than any other institution. Indeed, in this Hall, we are reminded that there are no large nations or small nations, rich nations or poor nations, powerful nations or weak nations — simply the United Nations. As a small island developing State, we are perhaps also more conscious than most countries that very little can be achieved through isolation.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

9. “It is with great honour that I address the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session on behalf of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr. James Alix Michel, and on behalf of the Seychellois people. I wish to congratulate Ambassador John Ashe on his election as President and on his guidance of the proceedings so far. In 2014, we will mark the United Nations International Year of Small Island Developing States. Mr. Ashe’s appointment during the sixty-eighth session is highly symbolic of the constructive role that small island developing States play within the United Nations, and we express our full support for his efforts to further promote inclusiveness and full participation. I would also like to join all those who preceded me in complimenting Mr. Vuk Jeremi.”

   2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)

10. “We must also foster peace on our continent by leading efforts to find solutions to our problems, such as in Somalia, Madagascar and elsewhere in Africa. As a small island developing State, we have a greater understanding than ever of the ways in which our planet is under threat from climate change, and of the need to act now for the sake of all humankind. Most of all, as citizens of planet Earth, we understand that as individuals and as a nation our decisions have consequences beyond our borders. They have consequences for our future and for our children. These are all issues that must be weighed carefully, and it is important that all voices be considered in the debate. We thank the Assembly for giving due consideration to the voice of Seychelles.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

11. “We are doing so because we believe that the voices of all nations matter, whether they are large or small, rich or poor. As the smallest African nation, we keenly understand that we need to fight for Africa’s economic independence. We are committed to the ideals of the African Union, on the basis of which we attained our political freedom. Now more than ever we must invest in Africa’s economic freedom. We must create the means by which Africa’s share of trade and financial power can increase at a faster rate. We must empower African institutions. Seychelles adds its voice to the call for more investment in the African Development Bank, including by African nations themselves, by investing their reserves in it.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

12. “We are also very aware that the ocean will always be a shared space. As an archipelago, we are privileged to be custodians of that space. This year, for the first time in the history of the United Nations, Seychelles and Mauritius, two neighbouring SIDS, have agreed on joint management of an area of extended continental shelf of 3,000 square kilometres. That means that we are sharing the space for the benefit of our two peoples’ development. We are sharing the responsibility and the opportunity. We believe that all nations, large or small, must contribute to making this planet a better world to live in. Seychelles recently announced its intention to stand for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council in the year 2017, subject to endorsement by the African Union.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

13. “Finally, it is very important that consideration be given to how to better support SIDS within the international trading system. Trade-based support for SIDS could easily be established without disruption or distortion of the global f low of goods and services. Islands are particularly reliant on open access to trade with as many countries as possible. In the context of the current challenges to food security, we urge that all barriers affecting trade with islands, including the economic embargo on Cuba, be lifted, since they serve only to increase the inherent challenges associated with trading from a position of insularity. As an island State, we are aware that the ocean must connect us, not divide us. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development has given new momentum to the concept of the blue economy.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

14. “A large number of SIDS have debt-togross- domestic-product ratios in excess of 100 per cent, and such debt forgiveness would give them more flexibility within their own budgets to prepare to face climate change, and thus protect some of the most environmentally sensitive zones on the planet. With regard to the high volatility of international fuel prices, SIDS can strengthen their resilience through investment in renewable energy. We warmly welcome the Sustainable Energy for All initiative championed by the Secretary-General, and we commit our support to making it a success. While the latest technology in renewable energy often represents a significant capital outlay, by developing pilot projects in SIDS we can potentially create economies based on 100 per cent renewable energy that can then be replicated on a larger scale.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

15. “Small island developing States (SIDS) are too often on the periphery of most international decision-making bodies. Seychelles is proposing that SIDS be considered as offering unique opportunities for testing innovative policies and technologies that can benefit all humankind. In the fight against climate change, SIDS could be at the forefront of groundbreaking solutions. For example, the Global Island Partnership, co-chaired by Seychelles, Palau and Grenada, has proposed considering debt cancellation for SIDS to enable them to better prepare for climate change adaptation.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

16. “In that regard, we should like to express our thanks to the transitional Government, which has confirmed its contribution to the financing of the elections, in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations. This is also the time to call on all international partners to help ensure fair, transparent and equitable elections in that country, which is anxious to regain its place on the international stage. Through elections Madagascar will return to the rule of law, and it is through the rule of law in Madagascar that we will be able to depend on sustainable development in the Indian Ocean. Respect for the rule of law is also about ensuring that conditions are in place for equity and fairness in the international system as a whole.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

17. “The Seychelles presidency of the Commission continues supporting the implementation of the road map developed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In that context, it organized two meetings between Marc Ravalomanana, the former President, and Andry Nirina Rajoelina, President of the Transition, in Seychelles, with the dual mediation of Presidents James Michel and Jacob Zuma, head of the SADC troika. Those talks, convened at the recommendation of the most recent SADC Summit, enable us today to look forward to useful and relevant actions for a return to constitutional order in Madagascar, in keeping with the electoral timetable drawn up by the United Nations and Madagascar’s Independent National Electoral Commission.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

18. “Seychelles, in partnership with the Government of the United Kingdom and other international parties, is in the process of setting up a regional anti-piracy prosecution and intelligence centre. The success of this initiative will depend on strong international cooperation. We count on all our partners to work with us to ensure a true long-term solution for this issue. The Indian Ocean Commission, which Seychelles is currently chairing, recognizes the work of the United Nations in favour of peace, democracy and human rights, in the interests of the people of its five member States. The crisis facing Madagascar is truly testing the country. It is plunging the population into great economic and social difficulties, and is affecting the entire region.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

19. “Seychelles is already working with the central Government of Somalia, as well as the regions of Somaliland and Puntland, to be able to transfer prosecuted prisoners to serve their sentences in their country of origin. This is a key part of building the rule of law in Somalia. More resources are needed, however, to accelerate the building of appropriate infrastructure in those parts of Somalia where stability has been established. We must transform fear and uncertainty into hope and optimism in Somalia itself, as well as in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles has committed itself to ending the impunity associated with piracy. Piracy has become a global business, operated by a transnational criminal network.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

20. “In the Indian Ocean, we are particularly concerned with two issues that challenge the proper application of the rule of law in a sustainable manner: the continued problem of maritime piracy and the resolution of the political crisis in Madagascar. Piracy fundamentally alters our relationship with our ocean. Piracy instils fear and uncertainty. We have two compatriots still being held captive in Somalia, and, as long as they remain separated from their families, our ocean represents risk for our nation, rather than the opportunity that it should. Establishing the rule of law in Somalia is obviously the only true long-term and sustainable solution to piracy. We welcome the moves in Somalia and by the international community to strengthen those efforts.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)

21. “In the modern world, the pace of change, whether political, social or economic, challenges our ability to react in a constructive, sustainable and just manner. And in the face of change, the role of the General Assembly becomes even more important, as the President of the General Assembly has reminded us. We look to the United Nations — our United Nations and our General Assembly — to help us find the common ground needed for the resolution of the big questions of our time. We can truly be a “G-193”, as our President has previously remarked. As an oceanic island nation, Seychelles understands intrinsically that the development of our region depends upon being able to defuse conflict and tension through diplomacy and on defining a framework to properly share all the opportunities that our ocean offers us.”

    2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)