SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES NEED TO PUT END ONCE AND FOR ALL TO CONFLICTS IN CENTRAL AFRICA, IN MESSAGE TO MINISTERIAL MEETING IN LIBREVILLE
Press Release
SG/SM/6280
AFR/14
SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES NEED TO PUT END ONCE AND FOR ALL TO CONFLICTS IN CENTRAL AFRICA, IN MESSAGE TO MINISTERIAL MEETING IN LIBREVILLE
19970707 Following is the message, translated from French, of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the occasion of the ninth Ministerial Meeting of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa, Libreville, Gabon, from 7 to 11 July:This ninth Ministerial Meeting of your Committee is taking place at a particularly crucial moment for the history of Central Africa. The tragic events of recent months in the Great Lakes region, particularly in the former Zaire and in Brazzaville, show once again that the Central African subregion continues to be one of the most volatile parts of the continent.
I cannot but strongly deplore the excessively high costs of these conflicts, in terms of human lives, suffering and mass movements of refugees and displaced persons.
But at the same time, it is encouraging to note that the governments of the subregion are ready to step up their efforts in the search for peaceful solutions to the many conflicts that divide them. Your presence here in Libreville bears witness to your determination to act together in the service of security and peace in your region. I wish today to pay tribute to the political will which motivates you in this connection.
The fact that this important meeting is being held in Libreville also bears witness to the essential role being played by Gabon in this undertaking. I, therefore, wish to take the opportunity thus afforded me to pay tribute to President Omar Bongo for his untiring efforts to restore peace in the Republic of the Congo and for his constant devotion to the values of regional solidarity and cooperation. I want him to know that, in this endeavour, he will always be able to count on the support of the United Nations.
Already, the Organization is working closely with the States of Central Africa to settle issues of regional security and stability. Suffice it to mention the efforts being made to put an end to the political crisis in Brazzaville and set the country back on a democratic course. Or again, the intensive negotiations aimed at strengthening the peace process in Angola and in the Central African Republic.
Today, the return to calm in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is highly encouraging. And I want to re-emphasize to you the determination of the United Nations to work closely with the authorities of that great country to ensure its reconstruction, stability and progress in a climate of democracy and respect for the rule of law.
In the entire region, the international community is continuing to mobilize in favour of reconciliation of peoples, rehabilitation of combatants and reconstruction of civil society. More than ever, we need to renounce violence as an instrument of policy and enable the refugees and displaced persons to return to their homes in conditions of dignity, security and justice.
I recently took steps to strengthen the structures of the International Tribunal for Rwanda and thus make it possible to bring to justice those responsible for the genocide and other crimes committed during the tragic conflict that country experienced in 1994.
An end must be put to impunity, so that yesterday's injustices do not become tomorrow's problems.
But the many peace efforts undertaken cannot succeed without the unfailing political will of the Central African States themselves.
It was, I am sure, this imperative that guided the heads of State and government at their last summit in Yaoundé last July. The final declaration they adopted on that occasion recognizes the essential role that the States of the subregion themselves must play in order to ensure their security. And it was the same spirit which led to the joint decision by the Central African and West African States to deploy an inter-African force to restore peace in the Central African Republic.
You also recognized in Yaoundé that a lasting peace can be built only in an atmosphere of socio-economic progress, democratization and the rule of law. I wish to emphasize the importance of these elements, which, under the generic name of "good governance", place the dignity and well-being of the human person at the centre of public policies and government activities. For it is by the yardstick of improvement in the living conditions of the human person that our efforts must be measured. That is the very essence of the Charter of the United Nations, whose principles and purposes aim at building a better world for "We the peoples of the United Nations".
This is why it is essential to respect human rights, ensure equality of opportunity and promote a political environment that takes each and every one of us into account. For it is by so doing, and only by so doing, that we
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shall achieve a climate of peace and prosperity for the countries of Central Africa and the African continent as a whole.
In 1993, here in Libreville, your Committee adopted a Non-Aggression Pact between the States of Central Africa, which was signed in Yaoundé last July. You also decided to establish an early-warning mechanism in Central Africa to prevent the deterioration of disputes within and between States. You also took the remarkable initiative of conducting joint training of your military forces so as to prepare them for future peace operations.
These measures, if carried out, will open the way to a future of peace and lasting cooperation in Central Africa. Accordingly, I call on all States that have not signed the Non-Aggression Pact to do so as soon as possible. What is more, I call on all the States concerned to abide faithfully by the provisions of this treaty so as to put an end once and for all to the conflicts in Central Africa.
In this propitious climate, it continues to be a source of concern that arms stockpiles in the African subregion are on the increase. In all continents, military expenditures have fallen significantly. But this downward trend is not uniform. I personally am very concerned at the growing and often illicit traffic in arms in the subregion, particularly in small arms and light weapons.
These arms are often in the possession of civilians, which contributes to the expansion of crime and banditry, with the destabilizing effects that are well known. Hence, I earnestly encourage the Committee in its efforts to limit, at the subregional level, the circulation of arms, the establishment of military arsenals and expenditures on armaments. I assure you that I fully support your efforts.
Success in this area, and in particular in introducing tangible arms control measures, may be extremely useful not only for reducing the threat of conflict, but also for strengthening peace and promoting the socio-economic development of these countries by redistributing expenditure on armaments to constructive activities.
For, as you are well aware, security is a comprehensive concept that extends beyond the military factor alone. If we mobilize African potential for development purposes, we shall be more effective and better able to stabilize our societies over the long term.
The international community is ready to assist you in this vital undertaking. And I earnestly encourage it to contribute generously to the United Nations Trust Fund for assisting the Committee.
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Nevertheless, peace and security, in Central Africa as elsewhere, cannot be imposed from outside. The first responsibility rests with the leaders of the countries concerned.
The General Assembly of the United Nations was not mistaken when it saw in your Committee an essential instrument for building peace and trust among your States.
In the name of the United Nations, I wish here solemnly to reaffirm to you our unqualified support and our full cooperation. Allow me, then, to wish you every success in your discussions.
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