YouSaid · the spoken record

Robert Gabriel Mugabe

THE RECORD WRITES THIS SPEAKER AS ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE

lines on the record: 61
first: 1991-09-24
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

“Such a partnership should be based on the principle of the sovereign equality of nations and on mutual benefit. That is the path we should strive to follow.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We therefore call on the international community to renew its solidarity with Africa through tangible support in the form of increased resources, decisive debt relief, as well as new and additional financial resources for investment and growth. Let me conclude by reiterating the fact that the future of the international community is best served by an international order that is based on strengthening multilateralism and thereby destroying the present unipolar system. It is our conviction that only through a multilateral approach can we achieve peace and development. For us to successfully tackle the challenges that we face, there is a need for more than just pious expressions of solidarity. Together as global partners in development, we can guarantee a prosperous future for generations to come.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“But the muscle of power is not the consideration that we take into account in judging the worth of nations. The Charter of the United Nations has got to be taken into account, and who knows whether the Goliath of today may tomorrow not be the same. Anyway, every Goliath has his own David. In many parts of Africa, the dawn of an unprecedented era of peace and tranquillity has allowed us to refocus our attention and resources towards economic development. There can be no better time than now for the international community to 11 06-52885 augment our own efforts to bring home to our people the peace dividend we have so patiently waited for.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The position of the African Union on that issue is very clear. Africa demands two permanent seats, complete with veto power — if the veto power is to continue — plus two additional non-permanent seats. We will not compromise on this matter until our concerns are adequately addressed. Those who take objection to that are perhaps States that would want to remain in the position in which they are considered to be superior to everyone else. There cannot be superiority under the Charter of the United Nations, which recognizes the equality of nations. We are all equal under that Charter, and that principle has got to be recognized, but it would appear that some countries that have amassed military power over time consider themselves to be superior to all the others because they have that muscle of power.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We call upon the international community, particularly the Security Council and the Quartet, to make every effort to ensure that the brokered ceasefire continues to hold. It is sad that the Security Council dithered and failed to take timely action to stop the massacres and wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, all because of the misguided national interests of one super-Power. The status quo in the Council, where a few powerful countries hold the world to ransom, is no longer tenable. There is therefore a strong case here for addressing the core issue of the democratization of international governance. Africa remains the only continent that does not have a permanent seat with veto power in the Security Council. That situation is unacceptable. It needs to be corrected and corrected now.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“In our attempt to deal with the scourge of terrorism, it is also necessary to address the underlying causes of that phenomenon. To demonstrate its commitment to fighting terrorism, the Parliament of Zimbabwe has come up with the Suppression of Foreign and International Terrorism Bill, which seeks to fight foreign and international terrorism, as well as mercenary activities. The recent developments in the Middle East are a cause of great concern. We condemn the disproportionate use of force by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon and the detention of elected Palestinian members of Parliament and ministers. We firmly reject the collective punishment of the Palestinian and Lebanese people and the intrusion into their territories in violation of international law.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“There is consensus that the United Nations should play a fundamental and central role in the promotion of international cooperation for development. In that regard, it is important that coherence and coordination be enhanced, as agreed in the 2005 World Summit Outcome. At the country level, the United Nations system should be effectively coordinated in order to support national efforts in poverty reduction and sustainable development. While my Government applauds the United Nations continuing efforts to elaborate a convention on terrorism, we urge Member States to guard against a situation in which established international conventions are ignored and resolutions of the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies on that issue are disregarded.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We share the view that the implementation of the development aspects of the Doha Work Programme will go a long way towards assisting developing countries to compete in this global village. It is therefore disturbing that there has been no progress in breaking the deadlock on the Doha Round of international trade negotiations. The failure of multilateral negotiations will give rise to bilateral arrangements that are inimical to fair trade. We cannot help but suspect that the breakdown was deliberately engineered in order to perpetuate the status quo that favours one group of countries at the expense of another. The United Nations is uniquely placed to provide the framework for international cooperation.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We need to develop solutions that give due recognition and respect to the investments made by Governments in human resources and in developing the skills of citizens, as well as to the human rights of migrants. While official development assistance is desirable, what developing countries need more is an 06-52885 10 open, rules-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system. If developing countries are to realize the full potential of international trade to enhance economic growth, it is essential that the main barriers to their exports be removed. In that regard, we are concerned that tariffs have remained high on goods — such as textiles and farm products — that are strategically important to developing economies. Much could be done with the right partnerships and with fair terms of trade.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“However, even against that background, my Government has registered some modest success in reducing the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate from approximately 29 per cent in 2000 to 18.1 percent in 2006, on the strength of its own resources and programmes. While we do not dispute the inevitability of migration, the problem of the brain drain is of great concern to my Government and, indeed, to other developing countries. The brain drain has proved to be a handicap to sustainable development. If it is not addressed now, the chances that developing countries will achieve the MDGs by 2015 are minimal. While developing countries are losing skilled manpower through migration, the benefits associated with migrant remittances are far less than the cost of developing human resources and skills.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We urge the donor community, in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, to assist in scaling up access to affordable essential drugs, particularly for developing countries. The tendency to use assistance in the fight against HIV/AIDS as a reward for political compliance and malleability is one that the United Nations should condemn. Given the fact that the pandemic does not respect borders, the denial of assistance to countries on political grounds, through a self-serving and selective approach, will do more harm and weaken international efforts to fight the pandemic. For example, in my country, a Zimbabwean AIDS patient receives, on average, approximately $4 per year in international assistance, compared with an average of approximately $172 per year for other countries in the region.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“However, it is absolutely necessary that our efforts at the national level — including adopting and implementing correct and relevant programmes — be supported, not hampered by a lack of international cooperation. This session, therefore, would be of great value if agreement were to be reached on financing for development, including the establishment of mechanisms to measure aid flows. Such financing, if it is to have a meaningful impact, should be adequate, predictable and consistent. The HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to cause untold havoc in Africa — particularly Southern Africa — owing to high levels of poverty, which make it difficult for the affected people to gain access to medication. Zimbabwe welcomes the continuing efforts by the international community of nations to find lasting solutions to the scourge of HIV/AIDS.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“At every turn, we will take the steps necessary to protect our sovereignty, defend our people and defend our right to continue to ensure that that sovereignty reposes in the hands of the Zimbabwean people. From this rostrum, I want to warn that any attempt to change that mandate through unconstitutional means, by agents sent to undertake a process that we regard as illegal, will meet with the full wrath of the law. It is for that reason that we welcome this debate, which seeks to address the yawning gap between agreed action plans and implementation, and between rhetoric and what actually happens on the ground. We fully acknowledge that national Governments shoulder the primary responsibility for implementing their development plans, including achieving the MDGs.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“They represent British colonialism and imperialism. We spent many years in jail; I spent 11 years in jail. Then we went into exile in order to muster the military strength needed to overthrow colonialism. Many of our people died in the process. Many were killed by the British regime headed by Ian Smith. Finally, our people were victorious. On 18 April 1980, a representative of the royal family, Prince Charles, was sent to lower the British flag. I was there to hoist the flag of independence, which today represents the full sovereignty of the people of Zimbabwe, never again to be lost. Never again shall Zimbabwe become a colony. And so, these manoeuvres and manipulations continue, and my Government is well aware of them and is well guarded.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Is it not a paradox that, while we are denied resources for development, funding is readily made available to support elements bent on subverting the democratically expressed will of the majority of our citizens and to unconstitutionally effect regime change? We condemn such interference in our domestic 9 06-52885 affairs. Let me repeat what I have said before: regime change in Zimbabwe — as, indeed, in any other country — is a right of the people of that country; it can never be a right of people of other countries. The golden key to regime change is in the hands of the people of Zimbabwe and is very well guarded. No one from Washington or London has the right to that key; it is our key and ours alone. Let it also not be forgotten that those who want regime change are the very same people whom we fought yesterday.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We have set targets for making those resources available. Yet, at the same time, we have witnessed some countries and groups taking concerted action, such as illegal economic sanctions, to frustrate our development efforts. In the case of Zimbabwe, those countries have blocked balance of payments support and other types of assistance from the international financial institutions that they control. Following the heroic and successful efforts of the people of Zimbabwe to clear requisite arrears to the International Monetary Fund, those negative forces have manipulated decision- making at that institution so as to deny us any new support. They have even tried to restrict investment inflows, all on account of political differences between them and us.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Indeed, the history of the United Nations in the past three decades is littered with well-meaning initiatives, many of which unfortunately never made the transition from theory to practical implementation. We have agreed on goals and set targets for ourselves in our quest to meet our economic and social development challenges. Given this impressive array of initiatives, it is curious and ironic that the aggregate economic performance of our countries has not made a difference in the lives of the majority of our people. Mr. Belinga-Eboutou (Cameroon), Vice-President, took the Chair. One explanation for our development predicament and the many failed initiatives is the wide gap between rhetoric and concrete action on the ground. We have on many occasions agreed on making available the means of implementing agreed goals.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“The theme for our debate this year — implementation of the global partnership for development as a follow-up to the 2005 World Summit — is very appropriate. We acknowledged last year that fighting poverty was a collective undertaking. Together, we recognized that mobilizing financial resources for development is central to a global partnership for development in support of the implementation of internationally agreed goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For many years now, the international community has acknowledged the need for accelerated economic development in Africa. There have been many initiatives and programmes of action aimed at achieving that objective.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“We commend him for his tireless efforts to assist Member States in transforming the United Nations into a dynamic, relevant and effective instrument for meeting challenges that confront us as we try to make the world a better place for everyone. The achievements of the Secretary-General, especially in the area of the promotion of peace and development — notable among them the Millennium Summit in 2000 and the review Summit held last year — will always be remembered as historic because of the important decisions that we made on both occasions. As he nears the end of his tenure of his high Office, we wish him the best in his future endeavours and hope that he will be available to serve the international community wherever he may be needed.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“Let me begin my statement by echoing the sentiments of those who have congratulated you, Madam on your assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session, as well as of those who have expressed their appreciation for the manner in which your predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, successfully conducted the business of the sixtieth session. In the same vein, I should also like to congratulate the Republic of Montenegro on its admission to the United Nations family. I also wish to pay special tribute to the Secretary- General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his vision and exemplary leadership of the United Nations over the past 10 years.”
2006-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 61 (2006)
“But we also cherish peace and development and good regional and international relations. Together with all other nations of good will, we will continue to work tirelessly for a just, peaceful and prosperous world.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We have rejected the scandalous demand, as expressed in Special Envoy Anna Tibaijuka’s report, that we lower our urban housing standards to allow for mud huts, bush latrines and pit toilets as suitable for our urban people and for Africans generally. Nothing can be more insulting and degrading of a people than that. Surely we do not need development in reverse. Let me conclude by making my message to our detractors very simple and clear. The people of Zimbabwe came through a protracted guerrilla struggle to establish themselves as a free — I emphasize “free” — and sovereign nation. We indeed went through long and bitter times to get our freedom and independence, and to be where we are today. We cherish that hard-won freedom and independence, and no amount of coercion, political, economic or otherwise, will make us a colony again.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Recently, particularly in the aftermath of our urban clean-up operation, popularly known at home as Operation Murambatsvina, or Operation Restore Order, the familiar noises re-echoed from the same malicious prophets of doom claiming that there was a humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. Those unfounded alarms are aimed at deliberately tarnishing the image of Zimbabwe and projecting it as a failed State. We find it strange and obviously anomalous that the Government of Zimbabwe should be maligned and condemned for restoring order and the rule of law in its municipal areas. Our detractors fail to acknowledge that Operation Restore Order soon gave way to a well- planned, vast reconstruction programme through which properly planned accommodation, factory shells and vending stalls are being constructed in many areas of the country for our people.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We believe, however, that a correctly sized and properly structured Council, with equitable geographical representation, will be a major step in addressing the deficiencies of the current Commission on Human Rights. At the beginning of the last session (see A/59/PV.5) I informed the Assembly that despite the recurrent droughts that we had experienced, Zimbabwe had the capacity to cope with its situation of hunger and was thus not appealing for humanitarian intervention. In spite of that message, our detractors and ill-wishers have been projecting a false picture of mass starvation. There has been none of that.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Regrettably, we have seen over the years a deliberate tendency to create a distorted hierarchy of rights, with the sole mischievous purpose of overplaying civil and political rights while downplaying economic, social and cultural rights. That explains why the whole human rights agenda, instead of being a cooperative exercise, has degenerated into a Western-managed kangaroo court, always looking out for “criminals”, as they call them, among developing countries. Hence, we continue to argue that the human rights discourse needs to be rid of selectivity and double standards and to be approached without hidden political agendas. The African Union has indicated its support for the establishment of a Human Rights Council that will be subordinated to the General Assembly. Zimbabwe subscribes fully to that position.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“With reference to the vexatious issue of the reform of the Security Council, we have made our views known through the African Union. We seek fair and equal treatment as partners in this community of nations and pledge our commitment to work with others in pursuit of that objective. The promotion of human rights is one of the major aims of the United Nations as enshrined in its Charter. As such, the subject rightly occupies space on the agenda of each session of the General Assembly, including this one. We believe that the United Nations should make every effort to promote and protect the full enjoyment of human rights, including the right to development.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We reiterate our deep sympathies and condolences over the massive loss of life that occurred in the Hurricane Katrina disaster. If, as we are told, many who survived the wrath of Hurricane Katrina are still dispersed, the question we ask ourselves is where they are and for how long will they remain where they are. We ask further whether they will ever get back, truly rehabilitated, to their original homes — properly rehabilitated also, homes which at present are mere wreckages. Where, I ask, are the Zimbabwe-famous United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN- HABITAT) and the Commission on Human Rights? 6 05-51226 Why should they maintain an ominous silence? For here is real homeless work for HABITAT and the Commission on Human Rights. This indeed is where they rightly belong and not anywhere in Zimbabwe. We do not need them there.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“And we are bound to ask what transgressions we, the blacks of this world, have committed? Was it not enough punishment and suffering in history that we were uprooted and made helpless slaves, not only in new colonial outposts but also domestically at home, through a vicious system of colonialism that made us landless, propertyless and mere slaves and serfs in our own lands? Must we again in this day of humanitarian ethics, this day of the sacred principles of the equality of mankind and the rights of men and women, this day that has seen us assemble here to save, enhance and prolong life, become victims of callous racial neglect? We of Africa protest that in this day and age we should continue to be treated as lesser human beings than other races.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Is it not therefore surprising that Britain and its Anglo-Saxon allies have embarked on a vicious campaign of first peddling blatant lies intended to tarnish it and then appealing to Europe and America for sanctions against it? Those imperialist countries have unashamedly abused the power of the media by hypocritically portraying themselves as philanthropists and international saviours of victims of various calamities. Yet they have remained silent about the shocking circumstances of obvious State neglect surrounding the tragic Gulf coast disaster, where a whole community of mainly non-whites was deliberately abandoned to the ravages of Hurricane Katrina as sacrificial lambs, and sacrificed to which god one cannot tell. Most of the victims were blacks.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“It is my hope that other Member countries will join us in rejecting this neocolonialist attempt and blatant interference in the internal affairs of Zimbabwe. But then, is it not obvious, that Britain under the regime of Tony Blair has ceased to respect the Charter of the United Nations? Witness its being a principal member of the illegal anti-Iraq coalition that went on a devastating campaign in that country in complete defiance of the United Nations Charter. Any State or group of States that commits such an act of aggression on another, justifying it on blatant falsehoods, surely becomes guilty of State terrorism. Zimbabwe is a country at peace with itself and with its neighbours and offers absolutely no threat to international peace and security.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“We do not subscribe to the suggestion that all problems — social, cultural, economic and health, among others — are necessarily threats to international peace and security and should therefore be referred to the Security Council. Recently we witnessed the United Kingdom abusing its privilege and acting dishonestly as a member of the Council by seeking to score cheap political points in its bilateral dispute with us. We were dragged on to the Council’s agenda over an issue that has no relevance to the maintenance of international peace and security. Let me pay tribute to those members of the Security Council who saw through this cheap politicking and manipulation of procedures — which the same country, by the way, has vowed to resume as soon as the Council is appropriately chaired.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“For many years we have spoken in favour of an approach to international peace and security that is firmly rooted in the principle of multilateralism and the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations. We maintain that any diversion from this approach is unacceptable, undesirable and devoid of legal justification. We are pleased to note that the majority of views expressed during the last session reinforced that principle. Our expectation is that the Security Council in its current form, or in whatever character and composition it will eventually take, will, like all other bodies of the United Nations, limit itself to what is contained in its mandate.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Allow me to extend to you, Sir, our sincere congratulations on your assumption of the presidency of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly and to express our confidence in your ability 05-51226 5 to guide our work throughout the session. In the same breath, let me also express our appreciation to your predecessor, Mr. Jean Ping, for managing successfully the very difficult business of the fifty-ninth session. Although we began our last session with a weighty agenda, we were able to reach general agreement on a number of important issues in the area of development. We are yet to agree on other pressing issues, such as the reform of the Security Council and the composition of a new Human Rights Council.”
2005-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 60 (2005)
“Me are indebted to the founders of this our Organisation, who, with fewer material and intellectual resources than those at our disposal today, made a rich investment in peace and cooperation. He are indebted to our children who, with their hope, their optimism and their idealism, challenge the cynicism and avarice that have in the past threatened to fossilise our most cherished human values. Most significantly, perhaps, we are indebted to ourselves, for the currency with which the sad account in human suffering and deprivation can be settled is in our pockets today and our place in history depends on what we do now about that account. It is in our power to make it balance.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We welcome, as a starting-point, the adoption at the resumption of the last session of the General Assembly last May of a resolution which provides guidelines for the restructuring and re-vitalization of the United Nations system in the economic and social fields. This task is an urgent priority deserving of our full and concerted efforts. In conclusion, let me express our hope that the political will exists to effect all the changes that are beneficial to the international community as a whole, and to our Organization in particular, so as to make our world the place we envision. The transition from the conflict-ridden paradigm of the past to a new one based on cooperation and interdependence is an imperative of our dispensation.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In this regard, I take the opportunity to invite the international community to extend the necessary support for Zimbabwe's efforts to re-invigorate its economy. We believe that this body, the United Nations, should play a central role in the management of international economic relations and in assisting the efforts of the developing countries to achieve sustained growth and development and to eradicate poverty. He are pleased to note that the Assembly has already begun seriously to address ways of ensuring that the United Nations is well equipped to be sufficiently responsive to the emerging needs and challenges that we face in the economic and social fields today.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Zimbabwe is implementing an economic reform programme, the main components of which are trade liberalisation; structural adjustment, including strict public expenditure control aimed at reducing the budget deficit; the decontrolling of prices and deregulation of the economy; and the creation of a domestic environment conducive to increased local and foreign investment, which should lead to an expansion of the economy and the generation of more employment opportunities for our people. This is an ambitious but realistic programme aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth, which enjoys the support of global financial and economic institutions. The programme requires some $16 billion over five years, of which $12 billion will come from within Zimbabwe itself, while $4 billion will be sought from external sources.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We hope, therefore, that the Europe of 1992 and other emerging trading blocs will keep their doors open and will not be "trade fortresses". In my own country, Zimbabwe, we have been acutely aware of the fact that fostering growth and development remains primarily a national responsibility and that emerging circumstances require us to gird ourselves for international competition.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“This was a landmark decision, the objective of which is to create opportunities for economic development through cooperation. However, it remains clear that the establishment of a favourable international economic environment is indispensable to the success of our efforts. We therefore call upon the developed countries to show the necessary cooperation and support for our efforts in addressing the acute problems facing the developing countries in the areas of protectionism in trade, commodity prices, external debt, transfer of resources, and transfer of technology. I should emphasise that our efforts to help ourselves are sure to fail should our products continue to encounter a wall of protectionist measures in the developed countries.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The achievement of a consensus on the national and international actions needed to accelerate development in the 1990s, as set out in the International Development Strategy adopted by the Assembly last year, as well as in the Declaration of the eighteenth special session of the General Assembly, had rekindled some hope that the spirit of dialogue and cooperation was also extending to international economic relations. However, the lack of a successful outcome to the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations at the end of 1990 dashed most of our hopes. The developing countries have recognized that they have a responsibility to ensure a better future for themselves. In Africa, the Heads of State, Mating in Abuja last June, signed a Treaty establishing an African Economic Community.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We were gratified to see the international community focusing due attention on the plight of children at the World Summit for Children held here last year In our view, concerted action to improve the welfare of children can be further consolidated by making the specialised agencies of the United Nations concerned with children better equipped to tackle the enormous problems that they face. To this end, we hope the international community can take the practical step of making more financial resources available to such agencies, possibly by convening an international donors conference for this purpose. If the emerging new era is to be based on peace, justice, stability and relations of cooperation, international economic problems should be addressed through dialogue and negotiations between the developed and developing countries.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The number of devastating natural disasters and emergencies multiplied throughout 1990 and during the first half of this year. The failure of the international community to mobilize and give as swift a response to these crises as was given to the international political crises that erupted during the same period clearly demonstrated a deficit in determination and practical commitment to address the problems of poverty and economic development through multilateral cooperation and dialogue. Most vulnerable to the rigours that result from poverty and economic underdevelopment are the children of the world.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In the meantime, the international community must, as called for in the Assembly's consensus Declaration on apartheid of December 1989, step up all-round support for the opponents of apartheid and ensure that all existing measures aimed at encouraging the South African Government to eradicate apartheid are maintained. The issue of failure in economic development and poverty stands out as the central unresolved issue in these times of transformation. It is estimated that today more than 1 billion people, or one in every five human beings, live in utter poverty. The United Nations 1991 World Economic Survey reveals that in 1990 economic activity slowed down in all parts of the world, and forecasts point to zero growth for the world as a whole in 1991.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The critical question in South Africa Is clearly not whether the apartheid laws remain on the statute books or not: it is that of the transformation of the country into a united, non-racial and democratic country in which all the people enjoy common and equal citizenship and nationality, and have the right to participate in the Government and administration of the country on the basis of universal and equal suffrage. To that and, negotiations leading to the drawing up of a new Constitution are now the most urgent and pressing question. We urge the people of South Africa, and their political parties and organisations, to work towards the establishment of conditions conducive to speedy movement towards the adoption of a democratic constitution.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The process of dialogue established between President de Klerk and the anti-apartheid leaders, which had generated some optimism last year, has recently been threatened, indeed endangered, by the continuing violence in the country, as well as by some activities of the Government which have raised serious doubts about President de Klerk's good intentions. The recent developments in South Africa clearly demonstrate that the Government is not in a position to play the role of an impartial umpire during the constitutional negotiations as it had hitherto claimed. There are, undoubtedly, going to be extremely difficult moments on South Africa's journey to freedom.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“In the emerging order, it is inevitable that such established principles governing inter-State relations as that of non-interference will have to accommodate efforts by the United Nations and regional organizations to restore stability and peace under unique circumstances, such as those in Liberia and Central Europe. We in southern Africa continue to view with grave concern the volatile situation in South Africa. Although more of the legislation that created the apartheid system in South Africa was repealed this year, apartheid itself remains intact. Constitutional negotiations which are clearly imperative for the creation of a free, non-racial and democratic South Africa should now be launched.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“The positive trends set by the progress made in the areas I have referred to cannot be sustained if remaining regional conflicts are not addressed and if we allow new ones to erupt. In Afghanistan, we only did half the job. He should now assist the people of that county to achieve national reconciliation so as to facilitate a lasting solution to the conflict. We must also move swiftly and focus on defusing potentially explosive situations created by the simmering tensions in the Horn of Africa, Liberia and Central Europe. We commend the role played by the respective regional mechanisms in addressing these trouble spots.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“We also believe that the ideas offered by the Non-Aligned Movement in its Hague Declaration on the rule of law in inter-State relations would contribute tremendously to the consolidation of the positive elements that should be the building blocks for the emerging international order. Those ideas were well received by this Assembly when, at its forty-fourth session, it declared the 1990s a Decade of International Law. We expect the Assembly to follow this up and implement a programme of action that will establish the primacy of the rule of law in the emerging international order. We face the real risk of taking one step forward and another step backward in our efforts to achieve the desired new world order.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“Coming hard on the heels of the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles - the INF Treaty - and receiving positive reactions from the Soviet Union, we view this development as a significant step towards a safer world, free from the spectre of nuclear annihilation, where vast resources formerly used for the arms race are channelled into development. We consider the imperative of » concerted effort to make the world a safer habitat to be one that deserves the fullest attention. We have, therefore, in line with the 1963 Declaration of the Organization of African Unity on Africa as a Nuclear Free Zone, signed instruments of accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and are in the process of lodging them with the depository Governments.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)
“It is imperative, in this regard, that rapid progress be made in instituting standing enforcement arrangements under the direct command of the United Nations, this would affirm the principle of collective security. Zimbabwe has always stated its commitment to the goal of general and complete disarmament as the cornerstone of a peaceful world. We therefore welcome the recent announcement by President George Bush on the decision by the United States to make significant cutbacks in tactical nuclear weapons.”
1991-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 46 (1991)