YouSaid · the spoken record

Mugabe

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS MUGABE

lines on the record: 75
first: 1984-09-24
most recent: 1990-09-24
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

“Let me conclude by expressing the hope that at last the walls which separated the act-ions of Member States from the ideals and objectives of the United Nations Charter have also given way to a new United Nations, committed, in the words of the Charter, "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war..., "to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person..., "to establish conditions under which justice and ... international law can be maintained, and "to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom".”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The bloc politics that had paralysed the Security Council are fast becoming a phenomenon of the past, and that body is apparently now in a position to play the role originally envisaged for it in the Charter. It is our hope that the new partnership in the Security Council will not result in that body's being used as a tool to promote and further only the interests of the powerful at the expense of those of the weak. To this end, we expect that the Council shall all the time function in a responsible and objective manner in all cases in safeguarding the rule of law in international relations and the principles and purposes of the Charter.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The threat posed by the remaining huge arsenals of nuclear weapons and the apparent unwillingness of the nuclear Powers to abandon the doctrine of nuclear deterrence contain serious risks undermining the prevailing positive international climate. We are encouraged by the progress made in the search among countries of the East and the West for an open-skies agreement. Zimbabwe is of the view that the confidence emanating from such an agreement would greatly contribute to the current relaxation of international tensions. For such confidence to be general and shared by all States, however, it is preferable that capabilities for taking advantage of the resulting transparency should be commonly shared.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Zimbabwe is of the view that any measures aimed at assisting developing countries in protecting their environment should be directed more at the revitalisation of their growth and development than at merely addressing the symptoms of the problem. Another major gap that needs to be closed in order to sustain the current positive international political climate is in the area of disarmament. While initial steps have been taken towards a real seduction of the nuclear armaments of the two super-Powers after the signing of the Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-range and Shorter-range Missiles, known as the INF Treaty. mankind has not yet been freed from the fear of the threat of nuclear annihilation.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“These are intended to liberalise trade and to revamp the national economy. Zimbabwe therefore wishes to appeal to the international community and to the various donors and multilateral economic institutions for support of our national efforts. The resolve that sow exists within the international community to address the twin problems of environment and development within a multilateral framework is consistent with the prevailing spirit to tackle the common problems facing mankind through international co-operation. It is our expectation that the 1992 Brazil Conference will result in a set of measures and commitments which will provide the basis for future co-operative actions in preserving our common goals.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The question of equitable distribution of the benefits of development is not a case of being one's brother’s keeper but rather one of sharing a common destiny. A new era characterized by international co-operation aimed at resolving the problems afflicting the world economy is essential. Zimbabwe feels heartened that, arising from last April's special session on international economic co-operation there is a new spirit and unanimous commitment by the international community to address the economic challenges facing the developed countries through international co-operation. It is indeed important that all the commitments contained in the Declaration adopted at that special session should be fulfilled. As Zimbabwe's contribution to the liberalisation of international trade, the Government has adopted far-reaching economic policy measures.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“A further decline in the economic growth rates of most developing countries is now inevitable as a result of the crisis created by events in the Gulf. The situation in the South is desperate. The World Bank, in its World Development Report 1990, reveals that in the 1980s there were over 1 billion people in developing countries classified as living in conditions of poverty, compared to 25 million in the developed countries. The World Bank further forecasts that the situation is unlikely to get better in the 1990s. In our age of the global village, it is inconceivable that nations can live in peace with each other in a world of such glaring disparities in the quality of life between the North and the South. The world does not have to wait for the eruption of a crisis of the nature we recently witnessed before addressing this problem.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We hope that the process of dialogue that is now under way will succeed in removing this unacceptable vestige of the cold war. Threats to the prevailing international political climate do not emanate from these remaining unresolved regional crises alone. Other persistent and deepening economic crises threaten to undo the gains so far realized in the political arena. The economies of most countries in Africa, Latin America and West Asia continued to decline during the past decade under the crushing burden of debilitating external debt, the collapse of commodity prices and deteriorating terms of trade. The current volatility in the price of oil has further destabilized the already shaky world economy and wreaked havoc upon the economies of the energy-importing developing countries, such as my own.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Meanwhile, we urge outside parties to refrain from supplying arms, which only help to fuel the conflict. To facilitate the search for a solution, it is also essential that the Supreme National Council agreed upon by the parties at the recent Jakarta meeting should be constituted without delay and be allowed to represent the Kampuchean people here at the United Nations It is matter of deep regret that there has been no progress on the question of Cyprus over the past year. A solution to this important question will immensely contribute to reinforcing the current positive international climate. So, too, will all serious efforts aimed at uniting the two Koreas. This is why we welcome the meeting between the Prime Ministers of North and South Korea recently held in Seoul.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“In this context, we welcomed the initiation of the dialogue between the United States and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as a useful exchange which could facilitate the removal of obstacles in the path towards a comprehensive resolution of the problem. We regret the interruption of that dialogue and hope that it will be resumed soon. We also call upon Israel to desist from settling arriving immigrants in the occupied territories, as such actions will lead to new antagonisms that can only make more difficult the search for solutions. There has been achieved a meeting of minds in the international community on the elements that could constitute a lasting solution to the Kampuchean question. We believe that a more constructive attitude from the parties directly involved would greatly assist in the search for such a solution.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“In that Declaration, Member States agreed; "To ensure that the international community does not relax existing measures aimed at encouraging the South African regime to eradicate apartheid until there is clear evidence of profound and irreversible changes.” At this historic moment for South Africa, the international community should be encouraged by the courage of South African leaders to meet the challenge before them o It would be most regrettable if some members of the international community unilaterally disengaged themselves from the commitments in the United Nations Declaration. Any such deviation would send negative signals which might act as an obstacle in the negotiation process. We continue to be perturbed by a lack of progress towards a comprehensive solution to the Middle East question.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“A process as historic as the one in which the South Africans are engaged is bound to attract the wrath of those elements bent on preserving a thoroughly discredited social order. In our view, the South African leaders should remain committed to the historic objective of realizing a new and democratic South Africa acceptable to the majority, if not to all the people of that country. The international community, for its part, must continue to send clear and unambiguous signals to the Pretoria authorities regarding its readiness to take collective action in the interest of peace in South Africa. To that end, we welcome the Secretary-General's report on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on South Africa.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“We also wish to urge the Secretary-General to continue to explore all possibilities for ending the entire conflict at the earliest possible date. Apartheid still remains a very strong fact of everyday life in South Africa, necessitating our continued attention to this issue. We are, of course, encouraged that many South Africans of all races are now agreed that apartheid has to gives way to a new constitutional dispensation in that country, and we therefore appeal to their leaders, in particular to State President De Klerk and to Comrade Nelson Mandela, Deputy President of the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), to persevere in their search for a peaceful end to apartheid.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Zimbabwe unreservedly condemns that act of naked aggression and calls upon Iraq, a friend and ally of Zimbabwe, to respect under international law the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kuwait. Accordingly, Zimbabwe has already declared its preparedness to discharge its international obligations under Chapter VII of the Chapter. Notwithstanding that policy position, we remain ready to resume normal and mutually beneficial relations with the Republic of Iraq. Equally, we appeal to those States with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security to be guided in their actions by the Charter. We affirm the right and responsibility of the Security Council to take decisions which help to defuse the crisis and to alleviate the suffering of various foreign nationals who were caught up in the conflict.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“At the international level, the new atmosphere has also made possible important agreements in the fields of disarmament and the environment and raised the general level of international co-operation. As we stand at a historic moment when the collective efforts of all nation· are directed towards the enlargement of international peace and security, we cannot suppress our dismay and revulsion at the incomprehensible and unfortunate act of aggression by a Member State against another, the invasion of Kuwait by the Republic of Iraq. By first invading and later annexing a sister State, both a Member of the United Nations and a member of the Hon-Aligned Movement, Iraq has violated the basic tenets of the Charter of the United Nations and those of the Non-Aligned Movement.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The easing of tensions between the two super-Powers has already yielded tangible results and generated some positive trends in international affairs; a new atmosphere now prevails in the international political arena. With bloc polities on the wane, attempts at distorting the struggle of peoples for independence and human dignity by placing them in the context of East-Hast rivalries have also lessened. This positive trend enabled the United Nations finally to implement its plan for Namibian independence. enabling the Assembly to welcome a free Namibia to its midst last April. Also in Central America, Kampuchea, the Iran-Iraq conflict and Afghanistan where previously the infusion of bloc politics had militated against peaceful solutions the new international climate has allowed some movement towards resolution of those regional conflicts.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“The dramatic developments we have witnessed since the opening of the last session portend a decade of the 1990s replete with fresh hopes and tantalising possibilities. A few months ago, the leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), meeting in London, declared that the cold war was over and that they no longer regarded the countries of the Warsaw Pact as adversaries. Zimbabwe naturally welcomes and applauds this historic shedding of the cold war and of the bloc mentality that characterised it. It is a decisive development which opens real possibilities of crossing the threshold into a now international order in which mankind can at last be free from the fear of a nuclear conflict.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“Allow me, Sir, first of all to extend to you warm felicitations upon your election as President of the Assembly. We are fully confident that you will carry out the responsibilities of your high office with great skill and efficiency. The Zimbabwe delegation wishes you success and pledges to you its fullest co-operation. Let me also take this opportunity to pay tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Joseph Garba of Nigeria, for his able and inspiring leadership of the General Assembly at its forty-fourth session. The forty-fifth session of the Assembly meets at a historic turning-point in international relations. Since joining the community of nations, Zimbabwe, as a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was founded in the contest of resistance to the formation of power blocs, has consistently argued against bloc politics.”
1990-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 45 (1990)
“However, such resolutions trill not on their own produce real and concrete results towards the promotion of a world outlook characterized by a democratic and stable political atmosphere, a just and equitable international economic order, peace and confidence in the future. Only political will and statesmanship on the part of our leaders, especially the leaders of the more powerful countries, as well as a creative commitment to the principles of multilateralism on the part of all of us, will ensure a happy and safe world for all and for future generations.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Moved by the same concerns and anxiety, the eighth Summit Conference of the Non-Aligned Countries addressed the Harare appeal on disarmament to the leaders of the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, impressing upon the two that the struggle for peace and for the prevention of nuclear war is the principal task of our time. We appeal to them yet again to heed the voice of. the great majority of mankind that the irrational and suicidal nuclear arms race should be terminated forthwith. By the end of this session and in the tradition of this lofty Assembly, dozens of resolutions will have been adopted.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“That proclamation was specially designed to provide all the people of the world, through their Governments, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and as individuals, with a special opportunity to think about and do everything possible for the promotion of world peace.This move was prompted by international concern and anxiety about the continuing deterioration in the international situation from the economic, political and security point of view. The continuing ares race and the concomitant production of more sophisticated weapons of death and destruction, as well as tensions which continue to characterize relations between the two super-Powers, all heighten the risk of a nuclear confrontation which is certain to lead to the destruction of mankind.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“This Assembly should stress the urgent need for the implementation of the program of immediate measures for the reactivation of the world economy. For our part, we in the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries have requested the Group of 77 to continue its efforts to reactivate negotiations for the launching of global negotiations as soon as possible. He urge reciprocity and a demonstration of the necessary political will on the part of the developed countries to enable negotiations to be launched. These negotiations, in our view, should be of a global character and should be conducted within the framework of the united Nations. At its fortieth session this Assembly, by its resolution 40/3, proclaimed 1986 the International Year of Peace.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The Group of 77 must be commended for its tremendous efforts aimed at stimulating the stalled process of international negotiations through the implementation of the proposals of the seventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, which include the launching of global negotiations in two phases: first, a program of immediate measures in areas of critical importance to developing countries, including the International Conference on Money and Finance for Development, and, secondly, a comprehensive reform of the existing inadequate, inscrutable and outdated international monetary and financial system. He cannot but regret the fact that no progress has been made in the implementation of those, proposals, thanks to the intransigent positions adopted by some developed countries.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“It is now time that we reaffirmed our commitment to, and reiterated the continuing validity and relevance of, the Declaration and program of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic order as enshrined in General Assembly resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI), of 1 May 1974, as well as the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, in General Assembly resolution 3281 (XXIX), of 12 December 1974, The lack of progress in the implementation of these and similar resolutions, despite the flexible and constructive attitude adopted by the developing countries, is deplorable.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Moreover, most of the economic problems confronting the African countries are also shared by the majority of third-world countries in Asia, Latin America and Oceania. That is why the Heads of state or Government of non-aligned countries paid attention to those problems during the recent Harare Conference. The non-aligned leaders rightly observed that the persistent world economic or is is underlying the importance of fundamental structural adjustments in international economic relations in order to create a just and equitable economic system promoting rapid and sustained economic growth and development throughout the world, especially in the developing countries.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“They are aware of their responsibility to effect and ensure the success of painful structural adjustment measures which aay not be without serious political and social consequences. However, there can be no denying that unless our efforts are generously supported and complemented by the international community, and especially the industrialized countries, Africa's economic recovery, growth and development prospects will continue to be remote. This position was Bade clear in the Africa Priority Program for Economic Recovery, submitted to the Assembly at its special session earlier this year on the critical economic situation in Africa. The economies of African countries are of course an integral part of the world economy.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The world economic scene is just as gray and critical as the international political scene. For the third world in general the international economic environment has been terribly unfavorable, and for Africa in particular it has been and continues to be disastrous. We are all familiar with the problems of high interest rates, fluctuating commodity prices, the crushing debt burden said the very low levels of external concessional assistance. To these we must also add the devastating effects of such natural disasters as drought and the encroachment of the deserts, which not only threaten the viability of our agricultural sector but also Bake economic recovery even acre difficult. African Governments and peoples are becoming increasingly aware that they more than anybody else just play a major role in their continent's economic regeneration.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“In all these situations we demand that recourse to the theory and practice of "might is right", which can never be justified, be abandoned, for it negates the principles of the Charter and imperils international peace and security.In the same vein, I wish to coax end for its good work the Group of High Level Intergovernmental Experts established by the General Assembly at its fortieth session in accordance with its resolution 40/237 to review the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations. The Group's observations, analyses and recommendation as contained in its report, which is submitted to the Assembly as document A/41/49, are a realistic attempt to find solutions to the problems besetting our Organization, and I sincerely trust that the Assembly will see that in that serious light.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“loss of faith in the efficacy of those fundamental principles of multilateralism was responsible for the beginning aid perpetuation of the dangerous situations in Kampuchea and Afghanistan, the tragic Iran-Iraq conflict and the situations in Central America, including Nicaragua, the Korean peninsula, Western Sahara, and the Mediterranean region, including Libya and Cyprus.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“I think it is a frightening observation that, at a time when these persistent regional conflicts are threatening to erupt into a conflagration of global dimensions, faith in multilateralism as a central and effective median ism for resolving international tensions and conflicts by peaceful means is on the retreat. I should like to suggest very strongly that this is the time to intensify and reaffirm our commitment to such principles of the United Nations Charter as non-interference in the affairs of sovereign States, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other States and the inadmissibility of the threat or use of force in settling international disputes and crises.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“No Middle East settlement can be just and comprehensive unless it is based on Israel's total and unconditional withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian and Arab lands, followed by the full restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinians. These rights include the right to unimpeded return to their homeland, the right to self-determination and the right to establish their own independent and sovereign State in their own territory. In this regard the idea of an international conference on peace in the Middle East that would include the PIO as a full participant must be pursued with vigor. Many speakers have already referred in detail to other hotbeds of tension and conflict characterizing the world scene today.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“1 for the Protection of the Natural Resources of Namibia enacted by the United Nations Council for Namibia in 1974; termination of air and shipping links with South Africa*, cessation of all academic, cultural, scientific and sports relations with South Africa and of relations with individuals, institutions and other bodies endorsing, or based an, apartheid. Equally disturbing to the international community is the situation in the Middle East, at the core of which is the question of Palestine. Since they were deprived of their land and were callously dispersed in a heart-rending diaspora, the Palestinians have been hounded and even massacred at the hands of Israel and its agents, yet their fighting spirit of resistance continues to rise and soar from the ruins and ashes of enemy brutality and destruction.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“But pending the imposition of comprehensive mandatory sanctions by the Security Council, I wish to commend for the serious consideration of the Assembly the following package of measures endorsed by the recent eighth Summit Conference of Non-Aligned Countries, which includes, but is not limited to, the prohibition of the transfer of technology to South Africa; cessation of export, sale or transport of oil and oil products to South Africa, and of any co-operation with South Africa's oil industry, cessation of further investment in and financial loans to South Africa or Namibia, and of any governmental insurance or guarantee of credits to the regime; prohibition of imports from South Africa of agricultural products, coal, uranium and other mineral commodities; enactment of legislation, or adoption of other measures to comply with United Nations Decree No.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“The Assembly must laid weight to the call already made by the Organization of African unity (OAU), the Non-Aligned Movement, and recently by the International Conference on Sanctions against Racist South Africa, held in Paris from 16 to 20 June 1986 for the immediate imposition of comprehensive mandatory sanctions against the Pretoria regime.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Southern Africa is a region truly in crisis. The root cause of conflict in the region is obviously the apartheid system which, according to the eighth Summit Conference of $ton-Aligned Countries, has already jeopardized the sub-continent's peace and security and is threatening international peace and security as well. Only positive and concerted action by the whole international community, not pious resolutions, will break the obduracy of the apartheid regime. The same international oo ran unity which has declared apartheid a crime against humanity and an affront to universal conscience must also take concrete action against this international monster.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Our fears that the United States policy of constructive engagement was not in the interests of peace in our region were later justified by that Government's decision to resort to the arming, equipping and financing of Jonah Savimbi's counter-revolutionaries and bandits for the purpose of overthrowing the legitimate Government of the People's Republic of Angola. This action, which clearly is State terrorism, must surely have the effect of undermining the possibility of a quick and peaceful resolution of the conflicts in our region. What is very urgently required is not criminal collaboration with the murderous Pretoria regime, which is already on the warpath, but the acceleration of its isolation until it offers unconditional co-operation with United Nations efforts to implement resolution 435 (1978) for the independence of Namibia.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Even as we are gathered here, the racist occupation forces are not only exploiting that Territory and its people, they are also massively militarizing Namibia into a formidable launching pad for aggressive acts of State terrorism and military destabilization against neighboring States, especially Angola. In this connection, this Assembly must, as did the recent Harare eighth Summit Conference of Non-Aligned Countries, condemn strongly the Pretoria regime for this and for recruiting, training, financing, directing and infiltrating bandits and mercenary elements into neighboring countries to destabilize and overthrow their Governments. Equally unacceptable to and condemned by us are the policies of linkage, whereby the independence of Namibia is, in effect, made conditional upon the exit of Cuban troops from neighboring Angola.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“I do not propose to discuss this issue in any detail, having regard to the recently concluded special session of the Assembly, which yet again addressed it fully. I merely wish to reiterate the following aspects: the United Nations, through its Council for Namibia, is the legal administering authority until such time as Security Council resolution 435 (1978) is implemented and Namibia is free and independent. The racist Pretoria regime is illegally occupying Namibia by military force and entirely against the wishes and aspirations of the Namibian people.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“While the Harare Summit Conference of Non-Aligned Countries noted this impressive record with satisfaction and gratification, the leaders also expressed themselves as equally disturbed and disconcerted that the people of Namibia, New Caledonia, Micronesia and other dependent Territories continue to endure colonial domination and exploitation. Both the 1960 Declaration and elementary justice and morality demand that they be granted the right to shape their own destinies. The question of Namibian independence, end in particular the refusal by the South African apartheid regime to grant that independence despite all the clear and unequivocal decisions and resolutions of the Assembly, constitutes nothing less than a scandal.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“I shall crave the Assembly's indulgence to refer in my statement to some of the important decisions and pronouncements of that historic summit meeting over which I was singularly honored to preside. Since the adoption on 14 December 1960 by this Assembly of the epoch-making Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Com tries and People's, resolution 1514 (XV), no less than 60 countries and many millions of people have successfully broken their colonial shackles and are now occupying their rightful places in the Assembly and other international forums.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“President, to see seabed on your side our Secretary-General, my friend Mr. Perez de Cuellar, who, as I have learned, is rapidly recuperating from his recent illness. As we all also know, despite problems with his health, the Secretary-General paid full attention to the well-being of the Organization, as is ampLy illustrated by his analytical repeat for this year. I should begin by noting that the long list of issues on the agenda of this session is truly reflective of the burning and pressing concerns of the international community. In many ways the questions before this Assembly are quite similar to those on the agenda of the recently concluded eighth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries held in Harare from 1 to 6 September 1986.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“I should like to preface my statement by discharging some special and pleasant duties. First, Sir, on my own behalf and on behalf of my entire delegation, I wish to offer you our heartiest congratulations on your richly deserved unanimous election to preside over the forty-first session of this Assembly. Your own distinguished record as a skilled and experienced diplomat gives us justified confidence that under your guidance this Assembly will deal successfully with its long agenda. I pledge the maximum co-operation of the Zimbabwe delegation to you in your efforts to guide the Assembly to even greater achievements. Your distinguished predecessor, Mr. Jaime de Pinies, is equally deserving of our tribute for the able manner in which he discharged the duties of his office and we heartily thank him. I am pleased, Mr.”
1986-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 41 (1986)
“Let me conclude my statement with a sincere call on all members of the General Assembly for bold and far-sighted action. The problems facing the Assembly need dedication and audacity, so that together we can implement the mandate given to us by the millions of people all over the world who have reposed their confidence in the United Nations. We cannot afford to fail. 38. I wish to assure you, Mr. President, and all the representatives here present that Zimbabwe will do its utmost towards the fulfilment of the noble goals of the United Nations.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“The Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, at their Seventh Conference, held at New Delhi in March 1983, suggested a two-pronged approach to this problem. Emphasis was laid on a programme of immediate measures to encompass such important areas as commodities, trade, development, money and finance. The other measures would relate to the restructuring of the world economy in the long term. Unfortunately, all our efforts to get these negotiations launched have been in vain. Global negotiations must remain the framework of concerted efforts aimed at restructuring international economic relations to match our new needs. Let us recognize the interdependence of all economies, for there can be no revitalization of the world economy without active participation by all countries. 37.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Although sub- Saharan Africa's share of the otherwise stagnant or declining official development assistance has been slightly increasing, net capital flows from private sources have declined by as much as 50 per cent since 1980. Another worry we have is the progressive erosion of multilateralism in official development aid. The bilateral nature it is assuming is, much to our dissatisfaction, accompanied by its increasing politicization and commercialization. In fact, this trend is evidenced by the under-funding of international development institutions—IDA, UNDP, IFAD—institutions that are of particular significance to African and other low-income countries. 36. In order to ameliorate this situation we have tried to get the global negotiations launched.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“We are also seriously concerned by the indebtedness of the developing nations. For example, developing Africa's estimated outstanding external debt alone reached $150 billion at the end of 1983. That is $25 billion more than in 1980. The rise in indebtedness coincided, of course, with a steep increase in the associated debt-servicing costs. Efforts to alleviate the debt-servicing costs through rescheduling have not been very successful because they have been on conventional lines, providing only short- term relief. In fact, greater proportions of the debt are composed of previously rescheduled debts, which in normal conditions have lost their eligibility for further rescheduling. 35. In these circumstances, our countries would have expected more development aid.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“Africa's problem is further compounded by other natural factors, including desertification, the siltation of riverbeds and, in some cases, flooding too. 33. Even where and when we have been able to produce enough and are seeking outlets for our exports, tariff and non-tariff barriers in the industrialized countries have arrested our export growth. Similarly, our economies continue to endure balance- of-payments problems, and the position has not been ameliorated by the completely unrealistic approach taken by the IMF to the problems of the developing countries, in fact, our terms of trade have been failing, because of the prices of raw materials—on the export of which our economies depend—are experiencing a downward trend, whilst those of manufactures and capital goods have been rising. 34.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“For these and, therefore, for the many millions of the world's population, the effects of the worsening world economic situation have been really catastrophic. In Africa, our fragile economies have been experiencing negative growth rates, and per capita incomes have actually dropped to about 4 per cent below the 1970 levels. This drop in per capita incomes clearly spells grave socio-political consequences when viewed against the fact that Africa's population growth rate is 3 per cent per annum. In many parts of the continent, too, successive years of drought have resulted in complete crop failures and threatened the very viability of agriculture, on which millions of the continent's population depend for sustenance and gainful employment.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“We are convinced that the problem afflicting the international economy is a structural one, resulting from the asymmetry and disequilibrium of the world economic system. 31. The gravity of the crisis can be seen from the fact that no group of countries has escaped its malignant consequences. Even the developed countries have experienced low growth rates, stagnating incomes, excessive interest rates, high rates of inflation and massive unemployment. The social and political manifestations of the prevailing malaise can be seen from organized protests, strikes and growing social violence. 32. The situation has been and continues to be even more critical in the developing countries, some of which have the weakest national economies in the world.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)
“But it is common knowledge to all of us that the arms race competes with development objectives. Not only is the development process robbed of much-needed resources, but humanity in general is deprived of the means of improving the quality of life. As the old African adage goes: "Where two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers"; so is it true that through the proliferation of armaments, the least developed countries suffer most. To halt the arms race has therefore become one of the most urgent tasks of our times. The United Nations will have failed dismally if it does not heed the eloquent calls, emanating from all corners of the earth, to halt the arms race. 30. This already tense international situation is further exacerbated by the current international economic crisis, unparalleled in modern times.”
1984-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 39 (1984)