ASSEMBLY IS TOLD SHARED OBJECTIVE OF POVERTY ERADICATION SHOULD MOTIVATE STRONGER LINKS BETWEEN UN AND OAU

Press Release
GA/9811

ASSEMBLY IS TOLD SHARED OBJECTIVE OF POVERTY ERADICATION SHOULD MOTIVATE STRONGER LINKS BETWEEN UN AND OAU

African Speakers, Noting Some Success in Joint Efforts, Seek Intensified Cooperation; Debate Ends on IAEA Report

The Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations had a shared objective in the eradication of poverty, the representative of Togo, speaking for the OAU, told the General Assembly this morning, as it took up the subject of cooperation between the two organizations.

He said Africa was suffering from external debts, stagnant growth and weak capital flows. That situation would not improve overnight without a renewed commitment and new political will.

The Permanent Observer for the OAU noted that the OAU summit meeting, in Algeria last year, had declared the year 2000 as “the year of peace and stability in Africa”, expressing the wish to turn to a time of safety and stability where all resources could be used to build States, strengthen economies and ensure the well-being of African peoples.

In the area of conflict management, he said, the OAU and subregional organizations had taken initiatives to bring antagonists together at the negotiating table. Unfortunately, the slow decision-making process of the Security Council had not been able to maintain momentum for peace. In the social and humanitarian arena, there was a growing number of refugees and displaced persons, and there had been more natural disasters.

Also speaking in the debate on cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU were the representatives of France (for the European Union), Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Japan, Tunisia, Nigeria, Norway, Ethiopia and Namibia.

Also this morning, the Assembly concluded its debate on the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Action on the draft resolution and related amendments thereto will take place on Friday, 10 November.

The representative of New Zealand said the slow growth in adherence to the strengthened IAEA nuclear safeguards system was a source of disappointment. More determined effort was needed if universal adherence were to be achieved.

General Assembly Plenary - 1a - Press Release GA/9811 53rd Meeting (AM) 7 November 2000

The representative of Lithuania commended the IAEA efforts to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear power, which could help meet global energy needs in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner.

On the report of the IAEA, the representatives of Belarus, Pakistan, Russian Federation and Peru also spoke.

The General Assembly meets again at 3 p.m. today to take up its agenda items on cooperation between the United Nations and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and on “Bethlehem 2000”.

General Assembly Plenary - 3 - Press Release GA/9811 53rd Meeting (AM) 7 November 2000

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to conclude its debate on the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (For details, see Press Release GA/9810 of 6 November). The Assembly has before it an additional amendment to the draft resolution (document A/55/L.25). The amendment (document A/55/L.27), sponsored by Iraq, would have the Assembly welcome the resumption of IAEA activities in Iraq, pursuant to the safeguards agreement, and welcome the cooperation of Iraq with the IAEA inspection team which visited the country in January 2000, enabling the team “to verify the nuclear material subject to safeguards”.

The Assembly was also to take up its agenda items on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and between the United Nations and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and also "Bethlehem 2000".

Cooperation with OAU

The Assembly had before it a report by the Secretary-General (document A/55/498) on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). According to the report, the most recent meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU was held at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Ethiopia last April. The importance of their cooperation was underscored, with particular emphasis being given to the constraints facing the OAU.

The report describes cooperative activities undertaken in various areas by both organizations since 1998, including emergency preparedness and rapid response; health crisis; democracy, good governance and human rights; debt relief; information exchange; and education.

Cooperation with CARICOM

A report of the Secretary-General on cooperation between the United Nations and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) (document A/55/215) notes that the second general meeting between representatives of the two bodies was held in Nassau in March. The meeting recognized existing collaboration between the United Nations and CARICOM and welcomed new areas of possible cooperation, to be further explored and developed subject to financial and human resources.

The Assembly had before it a related draft resolution (document A/55/L.24), sponsored by Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

By the draft, the Assembly would call upon the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in consultation with the Secretary-General of CARICOM, to continue to assist in furthering the development and maintenance of peace and security within the Caribbean region. The Assembly would urge the specialized agencies and other organizations and programmes of the United Nations system to cooperate with the Secretaries-General of the two organizations to initiate, maintain and increase consultations and programmes with CARICOM and its associated institutions in the attainment of their objectives. Further, the Assembly would recommend that the next general meeting between representatives of the two bodies be held in New York in 2002 in n order to review and appraise progress in the implementation of the agreed areas and issues and to discuss future measures and procedures.

Bethlehem 2000

At its last session, the Assembly adopted a resolution (A/54/22) expressing support for the "Bethlehem 2000" project, a multifaceted commemorative event scheduled to last from Christmas 1999 to Easter 2001. The resolution called for accelerated assistance and engagement by the international community, including the private sector, to ensure the project's success.

Before the Assembly today was a draft resolution on Bethlehem 2000 (document A/55/L.3), sponsored by Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Namibia, Senegal, United Arab Emirates and Palestine. By its terms, the Assembly would welcome the “global and historic celebration in Bethlehem and the onset of the third millennium as a symbol of the shared hope for peace among all peoples of the world”. Recalling that “the Palestinian city of Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus Christ and one of the most historic and significant sites on earth”, the Assembly would express support for efforts of the Palestinian Authority on the Bethlehem 2000 project, and ask the Secretary-General to continue to mobilize pertinent United Nations agencies in their efforts to ensure a successful conclusion to the project.

Statements on IAEA Report

WEN CHIN POWLES (New Zealand) said the slow growth in adherence to the strengthened safeguards system was a source of disappointment. With fewer than half of the protocols in force, more determined effort was required if universal adherence were to be achieved.

She said she hoped that in the new climate the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would move to cooperate fully with the Agency in coming into full compliance with the IAEA safeguards agreement which remained binding and in force. Since December 1998, the Agency had not been in a position to implement its mandate in Iraq under the relevant Security Council resolutions; the Agency's visit to Iraq in January, pursuant to Iraq's safeguards agreement, was welcome, but it did not constitute a substitute.

She said New Zealand's concern about the effect on humanity and the environment of nuclear-related accidents ran deep. Her country, therefore, strongly supported the Agency's work to improve international cooperation in nuclear radiation and waste safety. While much had been done to minimize the risks of nuclear-related accidents in her region of the world, New Zealand remained vulnerable because of the maritime transport of radioactive materials.

The international community had high expectations of the IAEA, she said. It could continue to fulfil those expectations only if member States ensured that the Director-General had the resources and the support it needed to meet the challenges established for the Agency by its members.

GEDIMINAS SEKRSNYS (Lithuania) said he attached special importance to the Agency's work in the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear power, which could help meet global energy needs in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner. Much needed to be done to increase economic competitiveness, to advance technologies and, in particular, to improve public confidence. His country, he noted, had been among the leading countries in terms of the share of nuclear energy in total energy production; it had benefited greatly from the IAEA's activities through technical cooperation programmes.

He said the Agency's continuing work in the field of sustainable energy strategies should be commended. Its role in research and development projects on innovative nuclear fuel cycles and power plants should also be noted. The debate over the future of nuclear power should not be confined to sustainable development, but equally extended to climate change. The development of small and medium-sized reactors was to be encouraged in order to keep all options open.

He said the international community's resolve to advance the non- proliferation regime had been demonstrated during the NPT 2000 Review Conference, where it was acknowledged that the non-proliferation regime would hardly be effective without input from the Agency. The strengthening of safeguards had yet to restore confidence in the system. The Agency must have the financial and human resources necessary to carry out its responsibilities and improve its ability to detect diversion of fissile materials or undeclared activities. The increased use of short notice inspections, as well as the development of advanced verification technologies, had proven to be of particular value. He warned that IAEA safeguards could be effective only as long as all States honoured their commitments.

ALEG IVAMOV (Belarus) said that globalization, specialization in production and the increased interdependence of States required joint efforts for the demand of electricity and affordable energy. The answer was the peaceful use of nuclear power. The work of the IAEA was extremely important in ensuring the non- proliferation regime and in its scientific and technical assistance to member States. Belarus supported the strengthening of the non-proliferation regime and would also sign the additional protocol.

He said Belarus had carried out a number of initiatives on safeguards. A remote-sensoring system was in the pipeline and the review of the 1980 physical protection convention was under way in the open-ended working group. Belarus sought to take into account the interests of countries without resources so that they could take advantage of safety measures.

Referring to the Chernobyl incident, he said his people had paid a price in learning the lessons of the danger of nuclear power. Belarus spent more on the consequences of the nuclear disaster than on national defence. In this connection, he expressed gratitude to the IAEA for its technical cooperation programme. However, one of the consequences of the disaster was the public horror of radioactivity. That fear could be overcome only by proving, in theory and in practice, that nuclear power could be used to help people. It was important to promote research in safety measures. He was concerned by the trend of scientists leaving the areas. Safety was impossible unless there were highly educated and talented people working in those areas.

SHAMSAD AHMAD (Pakistan) said his country remained firmly committed to the goals and objectives of the IAEA. He acknowledged the Agency’s role in helping Pakistan to benefit from the peaceful use of the atom in fields ranging from nuclear power production to agriculture, and contributing to the efforts at establishing a base of professional manpower, research institutes, training facilities, medical centres and other technical services in the field of peaceful uses of atom. He said Pakistan’s impeccable record in terms of nuclear safety and safeguards reflected its abiding commitment to the promotion of peaceful uses of atomic energy.

Energy demand could not be met by fossil fuel alone, since it would impose an unacceptable burden on the environment. The massive development of hydropower was one option, he said. The only other prove and sustainable option was the use of nuclear energy. Opposition to nuclear power, despite its good safety record and environment-friendly character, was either based on misunderstanding, or was a deliberate pretext to deny that technology to developing countries. Pakistan, in view of the limitations of its fossil fuel and hydropower resources, was keen to make increasingly large use of nuclear power to meet its future electricity requirements.

He said a high profile “safety culture” was an indispensable component of any successful nuclear power programme. The lessons of Chernobyl must not be forgotten in the context of the safe development of nuclear energy. Pakistan had ratified the Nuclear Safety Convention, since it played an important role in improving the “safety culture” of States parties. It was unsatisfactory that as compared to the projected $73 million, the voluntary technical cooperation fund had received $64 million. He urged that the IAEA’s work in the area of technical cooperation be further strengthened.

Nuclear weapons were now a reality in South Asia, he went on. Restraint and responsibility remained the guiding principles of the nuclear policy of Pakistan, which had announced a unilateral moratorium on further testing and emphasized the need to prevent a nuclear arms race. It proposed to India the establishment of a Strategic Restraint Regime in South Asia.

ANDREI E. GRANOVSKY (Russian Federation) said Russia's signature of the Additional Protocol was an illustration of its commitment to the matter. The examination of the Agency's report had taken place after the conference examining the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which he qualified as a success. The documents adopted by the conference had created a precise programme for nuclear disarmament, he said. It was important that the balance be maintained between the parties, and that the interests of a particular country did not become preponderant. The maintenance of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty of 1972, which was the cornerstone of world security, could engender a START III agreement, with 15,000 nuclear units for each party.

Among the fundamental tasks of the Agency in the coming century, he went on, would be international cooperation to prevent the production of nuclear arms. The Russian Federation attached great importance to IAEA control of waste produced from arms production. On the creation of innovative and sure nuclear materials, he cited the initiative of President Vladimir Putin who supported sustainable development, and non-proliferation in eliminating enriched uranium and pure plutonium from the process of producing nuclear energy. Studies showed that it was possible to create nuclear energy without those materials, he added. That initiative did not require the international community to stop using current fuel cycles, or that existing power stations be closed. But international cooperation would be necessary to achieve success, under the aegis of the Agency.

He said it was important that the Agency provide technical aid to developing countries for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Countries with economies in transition also needed help. He noted the positive political developments in the Korean Peninsula, hoping that nuclear agreements in the region would be fully implemented.

LUIS SALAZAR-MONROE (Peru) said he was pleased by the exhaustive report of the Director-General of the IAEA; it confirmed the efficient management of the Agency. Peru was a leader in nuclear disarmament in its region. Great importance was attached to solidifying the Treaty for Non-Proliferation. Likewise, in its function in the application of guarantees and safeguards to those States possessing nuclear energy, the IAEA was concerned with the dual character of nuclear energy, namely, its threatening capacity but also its greater potential for social development for society.

He said Peru wished to note the third tier in the work of the Agency, which was the technical cooperation carried out in developing countries, to open up the wide possibilities of the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the positive social impact it could have. His country took note of the development assistance offered to Peru and Ecuador for 2001-2002 in promoting two projects: one in the area of nuclear medicine and a second in the area of technical applications of isotopes.

Furthermore, he added, the Government of Peru felt the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the area of technical cooperation helped make his country a regional centre for work in nuclear energy. Moreover, the signing was timely because of regional workshops on technical cooperation being carried out, as well as the formulation of upcoming programmes.

Statements on Cooperation with OAU

ROLAND Y. KPOTSRA (Togo), speaking for the members of the OAU, said Africa still needed support in the challenges facing it several decades after having reached sovereignty. There was widespread lack of stability and a worsening health situation, both exacerbated by the perverse effects of globalization. In that connection, the OAU remained the most appropriate framework for action. Cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU had grown steadily over the years -- in the areas of conflict prevention, peacekeeping, humanitarian aid and emergency relief, as well as access to technologies, economic and social development and demographic issues. In the current debate, he said, it was possible to review what had been done and to identify possibilities for further strengthening that relationship.

He wrote that the OAU and the United Nations had put in a combined effort with regard to the situations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, in Sierra Leone, in Burundi and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Conflict prevention remained the main area of concern to Africa. If a situation was addressed in the initial stages, before the parties were entrenched in their opinions, there was a chance for lasting peace. That approach was less costly, from a human and financial viewpoint, than outright hostilities. More attention needed to be paid to preventive measures. He said it was distressing that the international community had not always granted the necessary attention to Africa, which had not always been supported from a financial and logistic point of view. The United Nations should grant the proper amount of attention to Africa’s plight.

He said the OAU and the United Nations had a shared objective in the eradication of poverty. Africa was suffering from external debts, stagnant growth and weak capital flows. Many delegations had highlighted the impact of those factors on development. The situation would not improve overnight without a renewed commitment and new political will. He noted the cooperation between the OAU and the United Nations on issues varying from relief, conflict resolution, education, good governance and health, but said the cooperation needed to be strengthened. That required time, greater resources and comprehensive initiatives; Africa must be supported in order to achieve its immense potential.

JEAN-DAVID LEVITTE (France), speaking for the European Union and associated States, welcomed the ongoing cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU aimed at enhancing their mutual capacity for preventing and resolving conflicts in Africa. He urged senior officials of the OAU to appear more often before the Security Council, to give information on their action in the management of various crises. He said the European Union felt that United Nations-OAU cooperation was taking place at a critical time for the African continent because of the increase in the number of armed conflicts, the constant influx of arms and military equipment, and the growing role of uncontrolled rebel groups in armed conflict.

He referred to areas in which, he said, the United Nations and the OAU should cooperate more closely. In the fight against trafficking in small arms, he believed the initiative taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to impose a moratorium on the importation and manufacture of small arms should be actively supported. Further, the European Union called for the establishment of an integrated and coordinated mechanism to counter traffic in raw materials and arms, noting with satisfaction Angola’s mechanism for monitoring sanctions against National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). There should be established a panel to investigate illegal exploitation of resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and another to investigate the illegal trade in diamonds and arms in Sierra Leone.

He called for the development of a systematic awareness campaign against the use of child soldiers in all countries in conflict, noting that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) were carrying out excellent groundwork.

For the European Union, he went on, Africa’s sustainable development was a priority; its commitment was based on shared interests, values and objectives, particularly the need to achieve stability in order to improve the quality of life. Members of the European Union were determined to fight poverty and meet the target of halving the number of people living in extreme poverty by 2015. The Union was a major source of development aid for Africa, providing more than two- thirds of total official development assistance (ODA) to sub-Saharan Africa. On the question of debt, he stressed that the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative was an essential ingredient in the fight against poverty. The European Union had contributed 68 per cent of the payments made to the trust fund for financing that initiative.

IBRA DEGUENE KA (Senegal) said that, since 1960, the year of African independence, the continent had been a central concern for the international community and held a special place on the United Nations agenda. The interest stemmed from Africa’s geopolitical situation, and from the diversity and complexity of the political, economic and social problems the African States faced. That explained the importance Africa attached to deepening the cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU. That cooperation would become multidimensional in light of Africa’s aspirations for peace, stability, development, respect for human rights, rule of law and an adequate response to globalization.

He said that, despite the efforts to democratize political systems, the African continent was still shaken by areas of tension, as in Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Burundi and the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. In the area of conflict prevention, the cooperation between the two organizations had been decisive.

Despite encouraging achievements, he went on, Africa had felt dissatisfaction with an international community often reluctant to manage serious crises in Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where deployment of the mission had been put off indefinitely, which was a perfect illustration of how the United Nations often failed in its duty towards Africa.

He said Africa was ready to take on its own share of responsibility, as shown by the historic decision, taken in Lomé in July, by the heads of African States to set up the African Union to seal their common destiny. Africa was more than ready to mobilize all its resources to tackle the challenges of the twenty- first century through economic, political and social integration. That would require time, energy and political will on the part of Africans. It would also require closer and more dynamic cooperation from the United Nations system and from the international community.

AHMED H. DARWISH (Egypt) said his country supported strengthening the mechanisms of cooperation between the Secretaries-General of the United Nations and the OAU who currently met twice a year. He said the United Nations Secretary- General’s report elaborated significant fields of interest for the OAU, particularly debt cancellation, the increase of resources, the fight against HIV/AIDS and conflict management.

He asked what specific programmes were needed to reach objectives. Egypt hoped that all United Nations organizations and agencies would participate until the desired goals were met. There must be more efforts to upgrade the institutional capacity of the OAU to rely on its own resources to assist in conflict resolution. Egypt believed the United Nations should assist the OAU, especially in the training of personnel, while encouraging donor countries to support a trust fund for Africa. Although conflicts throughout Africa had looked to the OAU to help preserve peace and security in the continent, this participation should not be at the expense of the role of United Nations.

The relationship between the two organizations, he said, must be one of cooperation. His Government was encouraged that the United Nations had taken a role in resolving international crises in Africa, such as its involvement with the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and its decision not to withdraw from Sierra Leone after the situation threatened United Nations troops. The United Nations, he went on, had shown that it was an international organization that would deal with African problems in a way matching its efforts in Kosovo and East Timor.

ABDELKADER MESDOUA (Algeria) recalled that, just a week ago, the Assembly had considered peace and development in Africa; today, it was once again on the Assembly’s agenda. Cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU, he said, had gone beyond an institutional framework; it was now a new international framework, part of a healthier understanding of the problems facing Africa.

He noted that, in Africa, one out of three people was still afflicted by poverty, due to the heavy debt burden and the tragedy of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the continent. Even though there was a new awareness, the international community’s commitment was slow to take effect in actual deeds. It was time for commitment to be reflected in effective action.

He said Algeria, as last year’s Chairman of the OAU, had spared no effort to coordinate African action on a continent-wide level and provide the means and resources needed. Algeria attached importance to cooperation with the United Nations, which had been involved in efforts to settle African disputes, such as the situations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sierra Leone and in Somalia. He said he was concerned that developed countries were becoming indifferent to conflicts in Africa, and stressed the importance of supporting the momentum for peace in Somalia so that peace and stability could be rebuilt.

Another aspect of cooperation between the two organizations was economic and social development, he said. Economic recovery processes must be supported if there was to be progress. The overall economic situation was still worrying because of the problems of external debt, the “drying-up” of resources, and the reduction in ODA. The goals of the developed countries in that regard had never been met, he said. And even when aid existed, 70 per cent of it went back, by the hiring consultants from the developed countries.

He said there were multidimensional areas for cooperation such as the peaceful settlement of disputes, good governance, economic programmes, the fight against epidemics and assistance to refugees. Cooperation between the OAU and the United Nations was needed and useful. There remained the problem of scarce resources. It was only through the valuable help of the United Nations, that some projects of the OAU had been implemented. He looked forward to the important conferences on financing development in Africa and on the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and hoped that they would lead to “real, concrete action”.

YUKIO SATOH (Japan) said the importance of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, particularly in addressing the issues of conflict prevention and economic development, could never be overstated. The OAU had long been engaged in activities to advance the cause of peace and prosperity in Africa, and had been instrumental in facilitating the peace agreements in, among others, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia and Eritrea.

He said the OAU’s Comprehensive Framework of the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution in Africa was important testimony to the determination on the part of African countries to advance the cause of peace on the continent. United Nations cooperation with the OAU was essential to ensure that the comprehensive framework would function effectively. Japan, he added, had already extended a number of financial contributions to the OAU Peace Fund; it had also assisted the OAU peacekeeping mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

He said that, since 1993, Japan had been promoting the process of the so- called “TICAD” -- Tokyo International Conference on African Development -- which contributed greatly to cooperation between the OAU and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). That process focused on sustainable development in Africa as well as on conflict prevention. His country had also decided to hold a ministerial meeting on African Development in the fiscal year 2001 to prepare for the Third Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

OTHMAN JERANDI (Tunisia) said the OAU had reflected the aspirations of African peoples and countries since its inception, and his country attached importance to the enhancement of cooperation between it and the United Nations. The report of the Secretary-General had highlighted many areas of cooperation. While welcoming achievements, Tunisia called for more “follow-ups” to support cooperation and coordination. He welcomed regular consultations between the Secretaries-General of the two organizations, which would lead to strengthened ties.

He said Tunisia noted that, in recent years, the international community had witnessed several acute struggles in Africa, many with tragic consequences. There had been numerous meetings of the Security Council on situations on the African continent. Tunisia supported the priority Africa had given to dispute settlement, as well as to the establishment of the OAU mechanism for peace and conflict settlement which had achieved significant results, despite the OAU’s limited resources.

He called on donor partners to increase their support to the OAU, so that its institutional capacity would be enhanced. The many efforts of the OAU to support regional cooperation had been a positive development in Africa. Tunisia hoped that donor partners would continue to support those endeavours, and looked forward to a resolution of the debt problem. It urged stronger efforts to attract more investment in African countries. He welcomed the United Nations initiatives for development and believed the next phase in the relationship between the two organizations would lead to enhanced cooperation for international peace, security and stability in Africa.

J.K. SHINKAIYE (Nigeria) said a number of priority areas had to be identified, if the cooperative activities between the United Nations and the OAU were to be well focused and well targeted. Those included capacity-building in all its ramifications, but especially in the areas of conflict resolution and post-conflict peace-building, including the question of refugees and displaced persons. Other areas should include the promotion of good governance; transparency and accountability; poverty eradication; control and management of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, malaria and major infectious diseases, as well as issues pertaining to economic growth and development, especially the external debt crisis.

He said the Ethiopia/Eritrea peace process was a clear indication of what benefits the world could derive when the United Nations worked closely with regional or continental organizations, such as the OAU. Nigeria, therefore, fully supported the cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in dealing with other conflicts such as Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Western Sahara. On the situation in Sierra Leone, he said, the United Nations should involve the OAU more closely in its peace efforts.

He asked the United Nations to take a new look at the situation in Somalia. As had recently been urged by the OAU conflict management mechanism, had recently urged, every support should be given to the recently elected Somali President and the transitional National Assembly in order to ensure that national unity and central government were restored in the country. The process clearly showed that the Somali people wanted peace, and the world should not abandon them.

ARNE B. HONNINGSTAD (Norway) said the many ongoing conflicts in Africa only exacerbated the problems of poverty and underdevelopment, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the high debt burden, drought and hunger on the African continent. He said the coordinated action of the United Nations and the OAU in trying to resolve the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict was one encouraging example of close cooperation in the cause of peace. Although the stakes were high, the expectation that the conflict would be solved should, hopefully, be met. The conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, the Sudan, Sierra Leone and Somalia were also still unresolved and required the attention of a joint United Nations/OAU effort, as well as the constructive engagement of the parties to the conflicts and all Member States in the region. The United Nations and the OAU should take the lead in urging African leaders to become leaders for peace and development. Without their strong commitment, the role of the United Nations and the OAU would only be one of "damage control".

He said that, on a positive note, he wished to mention the close cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in the areas of eradication of small arms and landmines. Norway urged the organizations to cooperate even more closely to alleviate the burden of destruction caused by mines and small arms in the African continent. He pointed out the positive engagement by ECOWAS in agreeing to a moratorium on the sale and trafficking in small arms. That should serve as an example to be followed by others.

Cooperation and coordination between the United Nations and the OAU was especially important in preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peacekeeping operations. However, with regard to regional and subregional efforts to achieve stronger economic and political integration, the United Nations could also play a pivotal role in assisting the OAU and the subregional African organizations to realize that. The contribution of subregional efforts towards the goal of an African Economic Community should be encouraged.

ABDULMEJID HUSSEIN (Ethiopia) said his country attached particular importance to the cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in the maintenance of peace and security. With respect to the crisis between Ethiopia and Eritrea, he said Ethiopia had demonstrated its full respect for and commitment to the OAU by cooperating with its efforts to resolve the crisis. The efforts of the OAU, with the assistance of the United Nations and other interested parties, had led to the signing of an agreement on the cessation of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea in Algiers on 18 June. He thanked the Secretary-General for his continued efforts, and welcomed the intention of the Secretary-General to continue to collaborate with the OAU in supporting the subsequent phase of its mediation efforts in the implementation of the agreement.

In the area of economic development, he said, Africa continued to face serious challenges. The persistence of conflicts, debt burden and the decline in ODA, the net outflow of resources, and the question of access to world markets -- to mention just a few -- were paralysing growth and development on the continent. As those challenges continued to grow, the situation in Africa, including the role that the United Nations could play in cooperation with the OAU needed a close and objective evaluation.

He said the progress that the OAU and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had made with respect to the welfare of refugees in Africa was particularly worth mentioning. Likewise, the important support of the World Health Organization (WHO) in critical areas such as polio eradication, malaria prevention and the struggle against HIV/AIDS in Africa needed to be further enhanced. United Nations agencies, the international community and donor countries should give more attention to Africa's struggle against the HIV/AIDS scourge that was afflicting the continent at an alarming rate.

HAROLDT URIB (Namibia) said Namibia appreciated the report of the Secretary- General on cooperation between the OAU and the United Nations. It covered a wide range of issues important to both organizations. Cooperation would strengthen the capacity of the OAU to respond to the increasing demands of the Member States and, hence, help in the achievement of the United Nations mandate. The United Nations had played an important role in conflict prevention and management in Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, timely action was crucial, and could make or break the peace agreements.

He said added financial resources were needed. That problem could not be overemphasized, particularly concerning the predicament of refugees and internally displaced persons. It was also necessary for the United Nations, in that respect, to support the development of the institutional capacity of the OAU in humanitarian assistance. It was vital to recognize the high price paid by those countries hosting refugees, many already the least developed countries on the continent.

The work of the UNHCR had to be supported by the international community to cater for the needs of refugees in Africa. Notwithstanding the current difficulties facing the continent, he added, many countries were making tremendous efforts to achieve sustainable growth in Africa and revive the economy. He highlighted the importance of supporting the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) as they assisted in multilateral trade negotiations, and were trying to ensure that Africa also derived benefits from globalization.

The list of challenges facing Africa was very long, he said; Africa was going through its darkest hour. That required extraordinary and visionary solutions, nothing short of a Marshall plan. Cooperation between the OAU and the United Nations must strive to achieve that objective.

AMADOU KEBE, Permanent Observer for the OAU, emphasized the importance his organization attached to cooperation with the United Nations. He expressed his satisfaction at Somalia’s return to the “concert of nations”. He said the Secretary-General’s report described the achievements the United Nations and the OAU had been able to achieve over a year. The twice-yearly meetings between the Secretaries-General of the two bodies made it possible to outline the principles and objectives guiding the cooperation, which was implemented in the field.

This year’s debate came after the thirty-sixth session of OAU heads of States in Lomé in July. Last year, in Cirte, Algeria, the summit meeting had taken a decision stating that Africa would declare the year 2000 “the year of peace and stability in Africa”, expressing the wish to turn to a time of safety and stability, where all resources could be used to build States, strengthen economies and ensure the well-being of African peoples. A decision had been taken at the summit meeting no longer to allow the participation of leaders who had overthrown democratically elected governments.

In the area of conflict management, he said, the OAU and subregional organizations had taken initiatives to bring antagonists together at the negotiating table. Implementing consequent peace agreements, however, required resources beyond those of the OAU; hence, the need for enhanced cooperation with the United Nations. Unfortunately, the slow decision-making process of the Security Council was not able to maintain momentum for peace.

Commending efforts at conflict prevention, he called for even more cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in the area of developing an early warning system. In the social and humanitarian area, he said, there was a growing number of refugees and displaced persons, and there had been an increase in natural disasters. Resources should be provided for the 7 million refugees, commensurate with those for refugees in other continents.

He expressed his gratitude for all support received, adding that poverty was still the main problem in many African countries. Production was at an all-time low. Inflation and employment were high. Most African governments, in establishing structural adjustment plans, had taken political and social risks beyond tangible economic results. He also mentioned horrors like HIV/AIDS and malaria. All accomplishments could be wiped out by those two scourges if nothing were done.

In the era of globalization, he went on, Africa wanted to be self-reliant, but it would need international solidarity. The servicing of foreign debt consumed resources that should be going to development plans for the continent. He called for a study of debt cancellation in order to obtain resources. It was in the interest of Africa’s partners to have a strong and stable continent, with a recovered economy and in control of its own destiny.

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