YouSaid · the spoken record

Jérémie BONNELAME

lines on the record: 23
first: 1997-09-24
most recent: 2006-09-24
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

“Finally, I should like to reaffirm the support of the Seychelles for the work undertaken by the President of the General Assembly to make the sixty- first session an instrument for peace and development.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Those who survive do not always have access to humanitarian aid. Today, according to a United Nations report, even the level of violence facing humanitarian aid teams is unprecedented. We are all aware of the real causes of wars. Sadly, sometimes the only way to reach a consensus is to say nothing; as the saying goes, diplomacy consists of conversations between friends, and only rarely with the enemy. That is why the Seychelles joins all those in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and everywhere else who hope for a more human, more just and freer world where peace is the rule, not the exception, and not a privilege but a right. That also applies to those countries — such as Palestine and Western Sahara — that hope someday to be able to conduct their affairs as they see fit, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“In that connection, the appeal made by the President of the General Assembly for a global development partnership has never been so urgent and critical. The Seychelles hopes that at its sixty-first session the Assembly will take a decisive step forward in bringing about such a partnership. I should like to conclude my statement by referring to the issues of regional and world peace. Armed conflicts are occurring at a pace that shows that, contrary to our hopes, the world remains unstable and dangerous. Unfortunately, peace and ceasefire agreements do not always lead to a cessation of hostilities. Civilian populations, composed mostly of women and children, continue to be displaced, maltreated and, too often, the victims of crimes and massacres. The situation in Darfur is the most tragic illustration.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Small States have also experienced an increasingly burdensome foreign debt. Concerning access to foreign capital, there is a trend in private markets to consider small 9 06-53958 States to be of high risk, which leads to increased costs that complicate access to those markets. In recent years, meetings have been held, resolutions have been adopted and statements have been made followed by further meetings, but with little concrete action and without any satisfactory response to our concerns. Seychelles regrets that. The global community is made up of 192 States, and more than 80 of them are small States. Confronted by these structural development problems in the context of a globalized economy, small States rarely have the means and the capacity to respond appropriately to them.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Following the election of President Michel, and on the basis of the new road map that he has drawn for his administration, Seychelles will place even greater emphasis on ensuring sustainable development in all sectors: economic, social, cultural and environmental. The policies seek to guarantee the best possible standard of living for all citizens. Opening up the economy, respecting human rights and the rule of law and pursuing the objectives of good governance will continue to define the actions of our Government. However, we must note that, as the World Bank and the Commonwealth have highlighted in their joint report, over the past five years small developing States have seen gross national product growth rates decline in comparison to those of large, low-income and middle-income countries.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We await with great interest the outcome of the ongoing reform of the Economic and Social Council and the Secretariat and its management, and of the revitalization of the General Assembly in keeping with its great authority and enhanced role. We hope that the General Assembly will take an active part in the appointment of the next Secretary- General, who, we all agree, should be from Asia and with proven qualities and demonstrated leadership. Moreover, the reform of the Security Council is of particular importance in the light of the current challenges to world peace and to the Council’s institutional legitimacy. Now, let me say a few words on the national policy of Seychelles. My country recently held elections in a climate of tranquillity and social harmony.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“I echo the sentiments of all who have referred here to the pressing need for the United Nations to adapt to the realities of the world in which we live so that it will be more in tune with current concerns and managed in an effective and transparent manner: an Organization whose Charter recognizes that all States, small and large, possess the right to have their say in the conduct of affairs that are of interest to the international community. Seychelles thus supported the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council, the adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the resolution on development.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“I wish to begin by extending my congratulations to Ms. Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa on her election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session. I also express my country’s high regard for her predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, who succeeded in spurring the implementation of United Nations reform. I also pay tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his work at the head of our Organization, as reflected in the body of his achievements at the end of his two terms of office. Those achievements include the ongoing reform, the promotion of multilateralism, the prevention of armed conflict, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance operations, the fight against HIV/AIDS and action on other fronts, in particular in combating poverty and terrorism. Here I would like to briefly discuss United Nations reform.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We hope that the British presidency of the Group of Eight in 2005 and the United Nations summit to review the Millennium Development Goals, also scheduled for 2005, will work a very clear rebalancing in favour of our countries. Seychelles reaffirms its support for the General Assembly, and we thank you, Mr. President, for your personal action. We also thank Secretary-General Kofi Annan. My country is an advocate of the cause of development, which is a fundamental right. That right entails the obligation of political solidarity in the most active sense of the term.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“It is the only instrument capable of acting effectively with respect to a danger of concern to all. We believe that a special fund should be established in the United Nations to help fragile economies confront losses, including loss of income, caused by climate change. I reaffirm the importance we attach to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) because it is one of the best tools for enabling African countries to manage their own development. We appreciate the commitment of the Group of Eight in this regard through its African Action Plan, and it is our heartfelt hope that NEPAD’s development agenda will comprehensively address the specific needs of the eight African island States. 3 All these questions are of capital importance today.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“Such arrangements must take into account the delicate issues of access to markets and trade relations. The goal is to prevent our countries from becoming further marginalized in a system that claims to be in the interest of all. That is why we invite the World Trade Organization to adopt an approach to development that is consistent with the developments of recent years. I am referring to the launch of the Doha round, devoted explicitly to development, and to the assertion of an African voice on sensitive issues such as commodities and raw materials. The new trade relations must also enable developing countries to continue to acquire the means to be more competitive. Another urgent matter for us, the countries most vulnerable to the consequences of global warming, is the ratification by all developed countries of the Kyoto Protocol.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“It is particularly important that the allocation by the developed countries of 0.7 per cent of their gross national product to international development should be seen and accepted as a realistic and fair objective. We expect the meeting to be held in Mauritius at the beginning of 2005, ten years after the adoption of the Barbados Programme of Action, to produce an uncompromising assessment of the Programme’s implementation and to adopt operational measures and mechanisms. We are counting on the active commitment of our partners for that assessment and its follow-up. Support and commitment should be expressed in the area of international trade through equitable treatment towards developing countries that have structural weaknesses, such as small island developing States.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“More than ever, a genuine North-South dialogue is essential to resolve conflicts and to seek shared solutions to shared problems posed by AIDS, poverty, debt and terrorism — all threats that require a joint response and shared responsibilities. This dialogue requires new ethics and a new approach to development, which revitalizes international relations and corrects injustices. It is particularly important to deal with the roots of the debt problem and to adopt energetic measures in order to assist those States whose development is stymied by this burden. We welcome the exchanges between the Group of Eight and the developing countries. This is a negotiating platform that should have brought about concrete action and implementation of the recommendations of the Millennium Summit, and those of Monterrey, Johannesburg and Doha.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“We, therefore, unreservedly support the principles and objectives of global peace, security and development that are embodied by the United Nations. We want the Organization to remain extremely active in its initiatives to restore peace, particularly in the Middle East and in Africa, to all areas where conflicts today have become chronic and are steadily worsening. We hope that the reorganization of the United Nations, which is now under way, will make it possible for it to be repositioned, on the basis of concrete actions and follow-up and monitoring mechanisms. We believe that the Security Council must be open to more permanent and non-permanent members, so that the developed and developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America can contribute to the Council’s dynamics.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“2 We have enacted a law this year on the prevention of terrorism, and at the present time we are revising existing legislation on financial institutions and on money laundering. I might add that our offshore sector is also being monitored in the framework of the implementation of a law on the provision of services which was promulgated last year. We are fully committed to the fight for security and stability. However, it is being done in difficult conditions, because the very questionable criterion of gross domestic product per capita blocks our access to most development assistance programmes. A small and vulnerable State always attaches more importance to recognition of its own identity and the defence of its stability.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“I would like to say a few words about the Seychelles’ commitment to the international community. First of all, on the question of security, the fight against terrorism, money laundering and drug trafficking are, in the Seychelles, subjects of prevention and deterrence. We are taking action to tackle the causes, the methods and the effects of these criminal actions. The Seychelles has ratified all international conventions on drug trafficking, and we support all United Nations resolutions on the prevention and suppression of the financing of terrorist acts. We support the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) and the requirements of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“The new President defends the same development philosophy, taking into account, of course, changes on the world scene, and the economic needs that are inherent in starting a new phase of our development. Thus, the President has assessed our difficulties and the options available to us in different areas of our economy, such as the balance of payments, the debt burden, access under reasonable terms to capital — and in this context we are a middle-income country — access to markets, and so forth. Together with the Bretton Woods institutions and our other customary partners, we have committed ourselves to a progressive programme of adjustment and of giving new dynamics to our economy. Of course, we are progressing at our own pace, because we remain a vulnerable economy, since we are a small island country, isolated from markets.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“My delegation, Sir, is delighted at seeing you presiding over this session of the General Assembly. We also wish to state the high esteem in which we hold the past President, Mr. Julian Hunte, of Saint Lucia, and for Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The Seychelles, a small island country, is defined by the fact that it belongs to two regions — the Indian Ocean and the African continent — and by the fact that it belongs to several linguistic and cultural areas. Today we wish to be an example of cohabitation of man and nature and an example of unity and cohesion with our people. These two objectives are at the heart of our development plans. In April of this year, Mr. James Michel succeeded Mr. Albert Rene in the presidency of the Republic through a calm and proper political transition.”
2004-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 59 (2004)
“I should like to take this opportunity to thank the Department of Humanitarian Affairs for having quickly dispatched an evaluation mission to take stock not only of the damage done but of the future threats such an upheaval poses, given the climatic change under way on a global level. Moreover, that mission was followed by the launching of an appeal to the international community for assistance. The people of the Seychelles are very grateful for all these actions. In conclusion, I should like to express the hope that the future of our planet will bring vast improvements, notwithstanding the numerous difficulties that loom on the horizon. The United Nations, through its initiatives and the joint efforts of all peoples, will most surely achieve that goal.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“That is why it would be more equitable to identify specific criteria that would integrate them harmoniously into the process of global cooperation and economic development on both the bilateral and the multilateral levels. Recently, Seychelles has experienced remarkable climatic setbacks. Unceasing torrential rains of unusual intensity have caused loss of life, flooding, landslides and the destruction of homes and of infrastructure of all kinds. They also threaten the environment on which our lifestyle depends and our ecosystem, especially in coastal areas. For a small State striving to keep pace with development, an unexpected upheaval, with all its economic and other consequences, can have far-reaching effects that are not immediately evident.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“Seychelles has thus adopted an open economic policy designed to be attractive; yet we continue to face the handicaps characteristic of an island State, exacerbated by a lack of human and natural resources and by the limits of our domestic markets. Following the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held in Barbados in 1994, and in accordance with resolutions adopted in international forums, the international 6 community is heeding the appeal of small island States for help in laying and strengthening the foundations of sustainable development. Like larger countries, small island States have the same aspirations, the same needs — and even more so. Yet they are disadvantaged by their greatly limited means and their structurally fragile economies.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“We need a consistent, effective United Nations backed by the funds necessary for it to carry out its mandate. The Secretary-General has proposed a series of reforms along these lines, and the Republic of Seychelles firmly backs that initiative. Seychelles is a small island State. Yet we have done all in our power to integrate ourselves fully into international life and into the world economy. In that connection, Seychelles has requested membership of the World Trade Organization; it is already a member of the Indian Ocean Commission and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and recently joined the Southern African Development Community.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)
“I take this opportunity to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-second session. I wish also to thank your predecessor, Ambassador Razali of Malaysia, for the skill and commitment with which he guided our work during the last session. I convey to the Secretary-General and his staff my high appreciation of the often difficult initiatives they have taken this year to promote peace not only between peoples but also within nations. These initiatives accent the Organization’s role and its principles, to which I am pleased to reaffirm the commitment of the people of Seychelles. There have also been initiatives to promote development and to protect the environment and the weak among us, and to help stateless individuals and refugees from countries that are often marginalized.”
1997-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 52 (1997)