YouSaid · the spoken record

Archbishop Tauran

lines on the record
9
first
1998-04-24
most recent
1998-04-24
sittings or episodes
1
sources
un-security-council

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

  1. “This continent has too frequently been considered only for selfish interests. Today Africa is asking to be loved and respected for what it is. It does not ask for compassion, it asks for solidarity." [Angelus of 24 September 1995]”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  2. “But we must admit that they cannot succeed if they are abandoned and left to themselves, and even less if they become pawns of hegemonies and foreign interference from near or far. Africa needs disinterested friends who are inspired by a political will to help the vital forces in their societies take the path towards respectful political dialogue, equitable public administration and fraternal solidarity. The economic progress and social development that certain African countries have already experienced, thanks in part to effective regional cooperation, demonstrates that there is hope. The efforts of all must be united in order to make progress in this direction. In conclusion, allow me to cite once more Pope John Paul II: "Africa bears the scars of its long history of humiliations.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  3. “The constant flow of arms of all kinds from one country to another not only increases violence, it also leads Governments to go further into debt, thus seriously delaying economic and social development. The international community is, fortunately, increasingly aware that this cannot be justified and that exporting arms becomes, in fact, a means of collaborating in conflicts and genocides. No one can remain unmoved by such a situation, nor can it be forgotten that it is armed violence, along with extreme poverty, that was the source of the tragic fate of the 8 million refugees mentioned in the report. Of course, the problems of Africa must be resolved by the Africans themselves.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  4. “Only education that promotes democracy respectful of local traditions, along with political dialogue, will be able to bring about justice and peace. Pope John Paul II, addressing the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See last January stated, "If violent attainment of power becomes the norm, if insistence on ethnic considerations continues to override all other concerns, if democratic representation is systematically put aside, if corruption and the arms trade continue to rage, then Africa will never experience peace or development, and future generations will mercilessly judge these pages of African history." The wisdom of leaders, enlightened by the progress in political and administrative science, should help them understand better that political activity is, first and foremost, service to others.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  5. “We must restore courage and optimism to those peoples whose lands, as the Secretary-General states in paragraph 104 of his report, "are rich and fertile enough to provide a solid foundation for prosperity". The international community must permit Africa to ensure its own economic development. This would require an immediate search for measures capable of leading to the cancellation of foreign debt, as well as the opening of markets without insisting upon burdensome conditions - by providing, for example, preferential economic assistance and appropriate transfers of technology. All of this, of course, would have to be carried out in a manner that takes into account the proper pace for African development. Armed conflicts are most often born of the thirst for power.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  6. “The lack of respect for the human person, which has characterized the life of Africans, sows hatred and continues to foster countless conflicts. This very morning - despite many appeals for clemency, including from Pope John Paul II - public executions took place in several Rwandan locations, plunging Africans and their friends into despair. Everyone knows that this is not the way to foster the national reconciliation so needed in Rwanda. It is therefore necessary to create a new awareness that respects life, ethnic diversity and the abilities of each individual. The violation of the rights of the human person, of which inter-ethnic massacres are the most tragic manifestation, call for immediate and clear human rights education to put an end to situations where might makes right. Persistent poverty has led to passivity and despair.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  7. “All of these aspects of the African situation are formidable challenges that the international community must take up. Allow me to assure the Council that, in its efforts to do this, it will always find at its side the Catholic Church, whose solicitous concern for Africa has a long history. Formerly, it was the generosity of missionaries; today it is priests, nuns and indigenous laypersons who have lent their voices to those who have none and who have cared for, educated and shared the difficult and laborious daily life of millions of Africans. That is why, inspired by this solidarity with past and present Africans, I would like to share with the Council the Holy See's priorities with regard to Africa.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  8. “The sense of family, respect for elders and hospitality to refugees are manifestations of the love for life and the fraternal spirit that are so dear to Africans. But who among us would disagree with other elements that the report highlights? The ongoing degradation of natural resources, the vast tracts of unproductive land, widespread malnutrition, inadequate health-care policies, cruel ethnic conflicts, a fragile spirit of democracy, systematic corruption and the weight of external debt are so many wounds to the spirit of kinship and harmony. In fact, all these problems are linked. Injustices foster wars, conflicts lead to poverty, extreme poverty results in the displacement of individuals, and the impoverishment of whole societies brings about despair and passivity.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source

  9. “It is a great honour for me to take the floor in this Chamber on behalf of Pope John Paul II, who has instructed me to convey his cordial greetings and to tell the Council how much he shares its concerns and its desire to support the peoples of the African continent. Just one month ago, during his pastoral visit to Nigeria, he did not hesitate to introduce himself as "a friend of Africa". The Holy See is particularly grateful to the Secretary-General for the report that he has prepared for the international community, drawing to our attention his vision of today's Africa. The Holy See shares his analyses, which are marked by realism and solidarity. As Mr. Kofi Annan notes, Africa is not lacking in either material or human resources.”

    1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source