YouSaid · the spoken record

Eriya Kategaya

lines on the record: 48
first: 1996-09-24
most recent: 1998-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

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

“We should demonstrate our faith and dedication to the United Nations and its component parts by providing it with the resources necessary to fulfil its immense mandate. Our challenge is to bequeath to succeeding generations a strong United Nations, able to guarantee the principles enshrined in the preamble of its Charter.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“There should be no delay in addressing these problems. My delegation calls upon the developed countries to honour their obligations and increase the transfer of resources to the developing countries for the transformation of their economies, so that they may become equal partners in the global economy. In the recent past, despite drastic limitations in both human and financial resources, the United Nations has responded admirably to the challenges of the era, including peacekeeping, emergency operations and development. It has a commendable record which should serve to strengthen our confidence in the Organization. As we inch our way into the twenty-first century, we should translate this confidence into the necessary political will to strengthen the Organization.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We encourage the Secretary-General to work out comprehensive and clear arrangements, acceptable to all concerned parties, so that the matter can finally be resolved. Today we live in a globalized world. Globalization has created new opportunities as well as grave risks and challenges. Its impact has strengthened the developed countries and weakened the developing countries. Such a situation does not augur well for international peace and 20 security. There is an urgent need for deliberate policies to reorient international trade and finance. The crisis in South- East Asia should serve as a warning to the world of the catastrophe that inaction will breed. The ever widening gap between the developed and the developing countries and among countries in the South could also become a source of future instability.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Since the last session of the General Assembly, several developments have taken place in the international arena, some of which have offered hope and encouragement, while others have led to destruction and despair. The issue of Western Sahara is of concern to my delegation. We are concerned by the slow progress towards the holding of a United Nations-supervised referendum on the self-determination of the people of that territory. We appeal to the parties to overcome their differences and allow a just and impartial referendum to take place. On the Lockerbie incident, Uganda welcomes the initial moves taken in a bid to solve the problem between the United States of America and the United Kingdom on the one hand and Libya on the other.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In essence, such non-proliferation agreements as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) have not deterred the emergence of new nuclear States. The philosophy of dependence on nuclear weapons for security is, in a creeping and disturbing fashion, becoming universal. This situation is creating new dangers for the survival of mankind. My delegation believes that a new universal security doctrine needs to evolve. All nuclear weapons should be eliminated. In line with this belief, my delegation calls for the adoption of an action plan for the elimination of all nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework. Such an approach should be universal, and not regional or discriminatory, if it is to achieve the desired goals.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Individuals and organizations whose stock in trade is the violation of these values roam the globe with impunity. Recent attacks in East Africa came at a time when we thought the world had learned the futility of such senseless, wanton murder and destruction. It is the firm belief of my delegation that the international community should collectively take action to deny sanctuary to these savages. Countries known to harbour such elements should be isolated and punished severely so that human freedom can be protected. My delegation further believes that this is an opportune moment to convene an international conference on terrorism which must map out strategies to deal with this escalating problem. Last year the world had only five declared nuclear States; today we have seven; next year we may have more.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“My delegation believes that without external support the Lord?s Resistance Army would not be in a position to commit these atrocities and defy international public opinion on this extremely important matter. We call upon the international community to intensify pressure on the countries involved to stop backing these terrorists. On the other hand, we wish to thank the United Nations bodies, non-governmental organizations and all others who have been involved in seeking the freedom of these children. We hope their efforts will not be in vain. The United Nations is a vibrant institution for many reasons, among them its unwavering support for actions aimed at advancing freedom, peace and security. Today, terrorism poses a serious threat to these values.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“However, we regret that crimes are now being committed on a daily basis against the people of Uganda by surrogate forces of the so-called Lord?s Resistance Army (LRA) with the full knowledge and assistance of their sponsors, who do not believe in freedom and respect for human rights. Innocent children are abducted daily, subjected to forced labour and military service and made victims of other, similar crimes, with the support of the sponsors of these terrorist groups. The world awoke to this horrendous crime at the fifty-fourth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, when it adopted draft resolution E/CN.4/1998/L.40, which calls upon the LRA and its sponsors to release all the abducted children immediately and unconditionally.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“If there are good reasons for an intervention, it should be regional, carried out, for example, through the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Organization of African Unity (OAU) or 19 even the United Nations, and in the context of the peace initiatives that are already in place. We would therefore like to stress that there are serious regional efforts to address the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We believe these efforts should be supported by the entire membership of this Organization and by all parties that are interested in the conflict and have a vested interest in peace and security in the Great Lakes region. Uganda?s commitment to the full respect for and universal enjoyment of human rights is well known.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Let me make it clear to all and sundry that Uganda has no territorial designs on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is not the primary responsibility of Uganda to dictate the political arrangements of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, any internal arrangement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which does not take into account the legitimate security concerns of its neighbours is our concern. We would like to say that unilateral military intervention by individual countries or sectional intervention by groups of countries is unacceptable. These actions are likely to escalate the problem.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“When President Laurent Kabila came to power it was mutually agreed between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo that our two armies would jointly operate in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to contain and eventually remove the bandits who were using the bases they had in the area to destabilize Uganda. Pursuant to that understanding, Uganda has since maintained a military presence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in accordance with the provision of the bilateral agreement between our two countries. The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo today necessitates that Uganda must maintain that military presence, which is crucial for the security of our country and our people.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Uganda?s interest in the situation in the Great Lakes region has always been and is still based on the following: the need to ensure total security in all parts of Uganda and the protection of the lives and property of the people of Uganda; and the desire to ensure maximum stability in the Great Lakes region, because instability in any neighbouring country directly affects our security and economy. These concerns are legitimate. Our position on this crisis therefore reflects our efforts to pursue those interests. Before the fall of former President Mobutu, it was not possible for Uganda to get cooperation from the then Government in Zaire to ensure that Zairian territory was not used by terrorist organizations to create insecurity along the Uganda-Zaire border and inside Uganda.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“My delegation would wish to argue for “peace-friendly” structural adjustment programmes, if durable peace and sustainable development are to be achieved in Africa and elsewhere. A number of delegations have expressed their views on the situation in the Great Lakes region with specific reference to the ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. My country was specifically accused of involvement in the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The facts of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are not clear to some member States of this Assembly. Since, many speakers have raised this issue, we would like to make the following clarifications.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“3) Conflict prevention, including post-conflict peace- building, requires a sustained effort to infuse funds into the region. In this regard, we urge serious consideration and expeditious implementation of the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General?s report. The massive cuts in social spending and public investments, with the attendant high levels of unemployment, create new centres of discontent and thus further fuel the embers of conflict. Attempts to impose conditionalities which are antithetical to the peace process and the cutting off of aid from weak Governments making sincere efforts to pursue reconciliation or implement peace agreements have been counterproductive.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“forum will be translated into concrete action by the international community in the near future. We believe that similar initiatives could be undertaken together with other organs of the United Nations system. For too long, international efforts have been expended on short-term humanitarian programmes, ignoring the long- term requirements for sustainable peace and development. Past experience has shown that this approach cannot ensure durable peace and development. Indeed, as the Secretary- General noted in his report on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, “Preventing such wars is no longer a matter of defending States or protecting allies. It is a matter of defending humanity”. (A/52/871, para.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“forum in Kampala in January this year at which the heads of State and Government of countries in the eastern, southern and central regions of Africa met and held discussions with the President of the World Bank. That meeting, which in many ways was unique and inspiring, opened a new chapter in Africa?s relations with 18 the Bank. It ushered in a genuine spirit of partnership between Africa and the Bank. Two of the significant outcomes of the meeting were, first, the decision that Africa would be considered a priority development region by the World Bank and, secondly, a commitment to depoliticize foreign aid. It was also agreed at the meeting that African countries must set their own priorities for development. It is the hope of my delegation that the agreements reached at the Kampala leaders?”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“It has been alleged that ethnic differences are the prime causes of conflict in the region. My delegation does not share this view. We believe that poor leadership, poverty and low levels of economic development in the region are the main underlying causes. The leadership in our region must correctly define and analyse the root causes of the problems and establish clear priorities. It is also imperative that, for a permanent and durable peace to prevail in the region, a comprehensive programme of economic recovery and development be implemented in Africa. Concerted efforts must therefore be made to reduce and ultimately eradicate poverty in the world. In this regard, Uganda had the honour of hosting a leaders?”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The United Nations has been at the forefront of efforts to tackle problems of international peace and security and social and economic development. It has helped many communities around the world attain peace, greater security and higher standards of living. Africa faces a number of challenges which must be urgently addressed. It is a volatile region in which a multiplicity of conflicts have combined to create a very explosive atmosphere. Refugee populations have multiplied to provide a further recipe for future instability. The situation has been further complicated by large numbers of internally displaced people. Indeed, a large political and humanitarian tragedy is taking place in the region. There is therefore an urgent need for the international community to support Africa?s efforts to address the fundamental causes of the conflict.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“At the outset, I wish to convey the apologies of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who was supposed to address the Assembly. He is unable to come to New York because of other pressing State duties. Allow me, on behalf of my delegation, to convey our warm congratulations to you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session. Let me pay a special tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko of Ukraine, for the excellent manner in which he presided over the work of the fifty- second session of the General Assembly. I wish also to thank the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for all the endeavours he is undertaking in shaping our Organization to enable it to effectively meet the challenges of the next millennium.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Since there is a worldwide trend towards democratization, this Organization cannot remain unaffected by these winds of change. Uganda therefore supports proposals to restructure the Security Council in order to bring transparency to its working methods, democracy to its decision-making procedures and equity to reflect the increased membership of the United Nations. The United Nations remains, in our view, the appropriate central forum for addressing global problems confronting the international community. It must be strengthened, revitalized and democratized. This is the challenge that we the peoples of the United Nations must address as a matter of priority.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The United Nations was born out of a yearning for a democratic multilateral system capable of addressing problems brought about by hideous tensions 13 and conflicts throughout the world, with a view to making planet Earth a more secure, just and friendly place for present and future generations. We all agree on the need to strengthen the United Nations so that it can carry out its global mandate effectively. We should therefore provide it with adequate resources. This commitment, invariably, calls upon each Member State to meet its financial obligations to the organization in full, on time and without conditions. Within the context of strengthening the Organization, measures should be adopted to achieve its democratization at all levels.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“One of the fundamental conclusions of the review is that a lot remains to be done to consolidate the modest political and socio-economic progress that has been achieved in some parts of the African continent. This will require the mobilization of substantial new and additional resources and, in particular, the provision of a conducive external economic environment. The review also demonstrated that a partnership based on shared responsibility and mutuality of interest is possible and inevitable. The United Nations remains a custodian of many cherished ideals, such as the primacy of democratic governance.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Among the strategies in place is an Action Plan for the Eradication of Poverty with a Poverty Task Force as its implementing agency. In the short and medium terms, the Action Plan focuses on increasing household income, primary education and road infrastructure. The political and economic achievements registered so far prove that a serious, visionary and committed Government can lead donor conditionalities rather than be led by them. We have just concluded the mid-term review of the implementation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s. For the satisfactory outcome of the meeting, we wish to thank most profoundly the Government of Japan and all delegations which participated actively in this exercise.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In order to attract investments, an Investment Code was instituted to ensure a friendly and conducive investment environment. The Uganda Investment Authority was established as a one-stop centre for information. Uganda commends various initiatives taken by the United Nations to eradicate poverty. Special mention should be made of the World Social Summit, the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s and the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative for Africa. We commend this spirit of international partnership aimed at addressing persistent poverty in our region. For its part, the Government of Uganda has embarked on the long road of addressing the problem by ensuring that the fruits of economic growth reach the masses of the population.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In pursuance of this, political decentralization is not only enshrined in the Constitution, but is already being implemented. Such a transfer of power to the districts and other lower tiers has removed the remoteness of government and ensured a speedier delivery of goods and services to the people. Years of war and economic mismanagement have left Uganda with a shattered economy. The present administration has continued to make steady progress in restoring the economy under the framework of the Economic Reform Programme. Inflation has been successfully controlled since June 1992 at the level of 5.6 per cent, on average. At the same time, Uganda has enjoyed a high average rate of economic growth of 8.1 per cent due to macroeconomic stability and strict monetary policies.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We appreciate the support extended to us so far in this area and welcome further technical and financial support, especially towards the review and finalization of appropriate legislation and the strengthening of relevant human rights entities at various levels. Last year, a new Constitution was promulgated after more than a year of intense debate by a Constituent Assembly of directly-elected members. On 9 May 1996, the first-ever free and fair presidential elections were held, followed by parliamentary elections on 27 June 1996. Today, Uganda has its first-ever directly-elected President since independence in 1962. In Uganda, we share the view that decentralization is a necessary condition for good governance and empowerment because democracy cannot thrive unless space is given for civil society to operate.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“A Human Rights Commission has been established to oversee the observance of human rights in Uganda. The Commission is complemented by a national human rights unit in the Ministry of Justice and similar units will be established in the near future at the district level. We have ensured that the promotion of human rights includes a component to redress the inequality of opportunities through affirmative action in favour of disadvantaged groups such as women, youths and the disabled. In this regard, the 1995 Constitution of Uganda provides for special representation in Parliament for these groups.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“I am glad to state that Uganda is a nation restored both politically and economically. Allow me to outline briefly the measures that have been taken and which are responsible for peace, security and the other positive changes that prevail in Uganda today. These positive changes are the result of a policy of reconciliation. For us, reconciliation itself is a means to an end, the end being national unity. In pursuance of this objective, we instituted from the very beginning the principle of a broad-based Government which accommodated all shades of political opinion and ideologies. The pillar of the democratization process is 12 the nationwide political participation in decision-making at all levels, which has empowered people to take charge of their own governance. Uganda remains committed to the protection and promotion of human rights.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In Uganda, we have implemented fundamental economic reforms consistent with our development priorities and strategies and the structural adjustment programmes of the Bretton Woods institutions. We have liberalized trade and created the necessary conditions for encouraging and promoting both domestic and foreign direct investment. We have improved our economic management systems, with strong emphasis on fiscal and monetary discipline. We have endeavoured to integrate and implement the outcome of the major international conferences into our national development plans and priorities. However, in order to nurture these positive developments and improve the well-being of our citizens, we need concerted cooperation and support from the international community by ensuring, among others, a favourable external economic environment.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“At the same time, humanitarian programmes with built-in mechanisms that address the continuum from emergency relief to rehabilitation, recovery and long-term development are essential to restoring lasting peace. We welcome the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. However, we urge the nuclear- weapon States to seize this opportunity to commit themselves to adopting concrete time- frames for the total elimination of all nuclear weapons, as well as to stopping the qualitative development and refinement of nuclear arsenals, including through computer simulation. Most African countries have embraced and are vigorously pursuing far-reaching political and economic reforms.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Uganda supports the efforts of the United Nations and the appropriate regional organizations to diffuse conflicts through preventive diplomacy, as well as through the mechanisms of peacekeeping and peacemaking, including dialogue and confidence-building. In this regard, we reaffirm our support for the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, as well as for its Central Organ. The Mechanism and the Central Organ should be supported and provided with the necessary resources to enable them to operate effectively. The idea of encouraging African Member States to put in place contingent arrangements for deployment in situations requiring peacekeeping or military observer missions in Africa has merit and deserves support.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Common sense must prevail among the warring factions in Liberia so that the people of that unhappy country may be given a chance to enjoy peace, security and national reconciliation. We welcome the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States in this connection. With regard to Angola, we note that the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol is under way. We encourage both parties to stay the course. The efforts of the OAU and the Yamoussoukrou mediation efforts of President Bédié of Côte d’Ivoire to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict in Sierra Leone should be encouraged. Uganda supports the just struggle of the Sahraoui people for self-determination. To this end, we urge the speedy resolution of the conflict in Western Sahara, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We are committed to working closely with other countries in the subregion to find a lasting political solution to the problems of Burundi through dialogue and national reconciliation. The steps taken by the Government of Rwanda towards the restoration of normalcy and achieving national reconciliation are steps in the right direction. These steps should be encouraged and supported, as they provide a basis for restoring mutual confidence and trust, which are critical for a peaceful return and reintegration of Rwandese refugees from neighbouring countries. We are concerned about the chaotic situation in Somalia and call for the reinvigoration of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) peace efforts.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“For instance, we are gravely concerned by the suffering imposed on the people of northern Uganda by renegade groups. These terrorist acts must be stopped forthwith for the sake of peace and security in our subregion. The conflict in Burundi is a serious threat to the peace and security of that country as well as to the subregion. Uganda appeals to all the parties concerned to accept the mediation efforts of former President Julius Nyerere, which are aimed at achieving a peaceful political solution to the conflict through compromise and accommodation in the context of the Arusha initiative and peace process. In this regard, Uganda urges all the parties concerned to resume, as a matter of urgency, 11 unconditional political negotiations in order to establish peace and security for all Burundians.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“It is also a day to dedicate ourselves to the objective of finding lasting solutions to the problems of homelessness and other social ills associated with rapid urbanization. The maintenance of international peace and security remains a formidable challenge for the United Nations. Efforts in this regard continue to be undermined by conflicts and tensions arising from inadequate political leadership that cannot correctly handle ethnic, religious and social differences in those affected areas. These have undermined the rule of law, peace and security, and have contributed to untold suffering in many of the affected countries. In Africa, civil strife and internal conflicts, with their attendant consequences, are afflicting several countries to varying degrees.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The situation is aggravated by tariff and non-tariff barriers imposed by our trading partners on our semi-processed and processed export products and by declining terms of trade due to increased prices of imported manufactured goods and services. We urge the adoption of concrete support measures to improve our export earnings. This could include assistance in the areas of horizontal and vertical diversification of our economies, as well as capacity-building. Today is World Habitat Day. It is a day for the international community to reflect on and reaffirm its commitment to the plight of the one billion people in all parts of the world who lack adequate shelter and basic services, such as safe water supplies and sanitation facilities.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In this regard, we commend as a first step the debt relief initiatives currently in place, such as the Naples Terms. In our view, however, these measures remain grossly inadequate to have any meaningful impact. There is therefore a need to augment them with additional measures that substantially reduce all types of debts, including those which entail debt write-offs or converting part or all of our debt into grants. We note with appreciation the recent measures by the Bretton Woods institutions to put in place measures for debt relief. We urge the dominant shareholders to support these measures. African countries, including Uganda, continue to be adversely affected by record-low levels of export commodity earnings.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“In this regard, a multilateral debt fund has been established to offset the debt owed to the International Development Association, the International Monetary Fund and the African Development Bank’s African Development Fund. We are grateful to all bilateral donors who have continued to support and make direct contributions to the fund. We also appeal to other donors to join in this worthy endeavour in order to augment the resources of the fund, which are still very low. To complement these efforts, we make a special appeal to the international community, and particularly to the multilateral financial institutions, to adopt concrete measures to effect a drastic reduction of external indebtedness of least developed countries and other severely indebted developing countries.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The magnitude of debt and its servicing obligations continues to impose a serious obstacle to our development efforts. As of March 1996, for example, Uganda’s total external indebtedness stood at $3.2 billion — which represented 67.5 per cent of its gross domestic product — of which 75 per cent was owed to multilateral financial institutions. Debt-servicing was $141 million, or 27 per cent of export earnings. Projected debt-servicing for the 1996- 1997 fiscal year is $184 million, or 35.8 per cent of export earnings. This precarious situation is compounded by the current rigorous debt-repayment enforcement regime pursued by creditor multilateral financial institutions. Uganda is committed to fulfilling its debt obligations within the means available to it.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“Within the East African subregion, we have participated actively in the revival of East African cooperation, in the strengthening of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and in intensifying efforts to make operational the Abuja Treaty establishing the African Economic Community. It is our belief that enhanced subregional and regional cooperation and integration are critical to complement South-South cooperation and international cooperation for development. It is also a means of enhancing 10 competitiveness and thereby improving our performance in the world economy. In efforts to further strengthen cooperation in East Africa, we propose the establishment of a cooperation arrangement between the East African Community and the United Nations. We appeal to the international community to support these efforts.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The increasing role of transnational corporations in the international trade in goods and services and in the flow of private capital has inordinately enhanced their control over resources and the transfer of technology and know-how in developing countries. In some cases, this control is beyond the capacity of many developing countries to check. As the influence of these corporations grows with globalization, there is an urgent need to elaborate and adopt an effective and legally-binding international code of conduct to regulate the activities and influence of transnational corporations. We are committed to subregional and regional cooperation and integration.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“These measures must include long-term financial and technical support, the transfer of technology as critical elements for the effective implementation of the Uruguay agreements and in the improvement of the trade performance of developing countries. With regard to the proposal that the Meeting address issues outside the WTO built-in agenda, we would prefer to benefit first from the analytical advice of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on the policy implications of such issues to international trade before they are taken up by the WTO. In our view, the Meeting should focus on issues relating to the full implementation of agreed commitments, such as the provision of financial, technical and technological support to developing countries, as well as those aimed at stemming and reversing the distortive factors to trade.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“The Meeting should, in our opinion, give a clear policy direction to the WTO for the next two years on measures to redress imbalances existing in the present multilateral trading system, which are to the disadvantage of many developing countries, particularly the least developed ones. The Meeting should therefore give high priority to undertaking a comprehensive review of the implementation of the Uruguay Round agreements, with a view to adopting specific and concrete measures to obviate adverse effects to the least developed countries and net food-importing developing countries arising from the implementation of the agreements; reverse the marginalization of the least developed countries; and strengthen their capacity to compete in the global economy.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“We are witnessing situations in which developing countries are pushed to open up their markets, ostensibly to advance free trade and competition, while at the same time developed countries practice managed trade and limit access to some export products from developing countries. This contradiction is unhealthy for the world economy. The establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1994 as an entity to act as a custodian and guarantor of a rules-based multilateral trading system is a positive development. We therefore welcome the convening of the first Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization in Singapore in December 1996.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“These twin phenomena have, in addition, deepened the marginalization of some regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This process could breed further polarization within countries, with very destructive and destabilizing consequences. We wish to underscore the continuing relevance of multilateralism and international cooperation as prerequisites for equitable global growth and development and for addressing the negative consequences of globalization. The increasing trend towards unfair trading practices and conflicts in international trade is a matter of serious concern for us.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“For 9 the latter, these disparities are manifest in widespread poverty and the degradation of their ecosystems. They are also a major cause of the spiral of violence and internal conflicts, with their attendant suffering and destruction. In an increasingly interdependent world, these problems have regional as well as global consequences. It would therefore be wishful thinking to treat them as if they were a concern of only the affected countries and regions. They must be addressed through global approaches and strategies that ensure lasting solutions. We note that present advances in transport, communications and information technology have resulted in the increasing globalization of the world economy. Both liberalization and globalization offer opportunities as well as challenges within and among nations.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“I wish to pledge our full support to you, Sir, and to affirm our confidence in your ability to guide our deliberations to a successful conclusion. Allow me also to pay a special tribute to your predecessor, Ambassador Diogo Freitas do Amaral of Portugal, for the able manner in which he presided over the work of the fiftieth session of the General Assembly. I salute our Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros- Ghali, for his commitment and dedication to the global mission of the United Nations during the past five years. The United Nations continues to be confronted with the challenge of redressing the development disparities that exist among nations, particularly between the few rich countries and the majority of impoverished ones.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)
“It is a pleasure and an honour for me to address this Assembly. From this lofty rostrum, the nations of the world speak to one another as members of one global community, irrespective of size and differences. The United Nations is today the best hope for a better future for humankind. What we do here must therefore contribute positively and effectively towards the achievement of the noble purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of our Organization. Permit me, Sir, on behalf of the delegation of Uganda, to express how pleased we are at your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. Your well-deserved election is a great honour to your country, Malaysia, with which Uganda enjoys very cordial bilateral relations.”
1996-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 51 (1996)