AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT, MIDDLE EAST, UN REFORM AMONG ISSUES DISCUSSED, AS GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONTINUES DEBATE
| Press Release GA/10051 |
Fifty-seventh General Assembly
Plenary
8th Meeting (AM)
AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT, MIDDLE EAST, UN REFORM AMONG ISSUES
DISCUSSED, AS GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONTINUES DEBATE
Africa's development needs, the situation in the Middle East and reform of the United Nations were among the issues addressed by heads of State and government and other high-level government officials this morning, as the General Assembly continued its general debate.
The President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, said concrete, urgent action was required to redress inequitable development, including increased official development assistance (ODA) and debt relief. Africa was seeking to lift itself up by its own bootstraps through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and he hoped for greater support for it from the international community. Massive assistance was also needed to combat the scourges of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases on the continent.
Koffi Panou, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Togo, said Africa was the great victim of the current unfair and unbalanced economic order. Unstable commodity prices, higher prices for crucial capital goods, debt, limited access to international markets and export subsidy policies seriously paralysed development in Africa. The question of how to reconcile Africa’s debt with its economic growth goals needed addressing, as did the means by which African countries could develop their own capabilities for development and thus alleviate their dependency on external aid.
Farouk Al-Shara’, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Syria, said Israel’s contempt for international legitimacy had provoked anger, and the only way out of the situation was to make Israel abide by 28 relevant Security Council resolutions, which stressed the Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied since 1967, and an independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital. Opposing unilateral measures, he saw no justification for igniting a new war in the Middle East. Striking Iraq, which no longer occupied the land of others, while keeping silent about Israeli occupation was “blind bias” towards the real situation.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Antonio Martins da Cruz, said the resolution of the Iraq issue must necessarily entail absolute respect of Security Council resolutions and the unconditional return of United Nations inspectors. Soon, the Council must make a statement on the non-compliance with its resolutions. Should Iraq persist in not fully respecting United Nations
decisions, in a time frame to be determined, then the international community should not exclude any option.
Addressing United Nations reform, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, said as some provisions of the Organization's Charter had become a dead letter, a "New Act of the United Nations at the Dawn of the 21st Century" could give fresh impetus to its principles, organs and mechanism. Existing principles must be expanded or new ones developed to reconcile broad representation with effectiveness, better utilize the means and resources available to Member States, and to get non-governmental entities -- including private capital -- involved in the work of the United Nations in a way that would not detract from the democratic nature of the Organization.
Also addressing the Organization's reform, Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, Prime Minister and Minister for Defence and Public Service of Lesotho, said the process of democratization the Security Council was very difficult, and yet inevitable. It involved a lot of compromise and understanding on the part of those who cherished and upheld the basic tenets of democracy and equality of States. He expressed concern that that organ of the United Nations, charged with the maintenance of international peace and security, had itself not yet moved to be more inclusive and more representative.
Also addressing the Assembly were: the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Shaikh Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophonie of Gabon, Jean Ping; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, Luvsan Erdenechuluun; and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Vilayat Guliyev; as well as the representative of Trinidad and Tobago.
The General Assembly will meet again at 3 p.m. to continue its general debate.
Background
The General Assembly met this morning to continue the general debate of its fifty-seventh session.
Statements
OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, President of Nigeria, said that his country fully supported the various international instruments aimed at combating terrorism and was committed to the early elaboration of a comprehensive convention on the problem. The international community also had a responsibility to design strategies for measured and early responses to conflicts, and to address their root causes, as well. For that purpose, a legally binding instrument to control small arms and light weapons should also be considered.
He said that, as a proud participant in international peacekeeping and peace building, his country was committed to stability for development. In the Middle East, he reconfirmed commitment to Palestinian independence and Israel’s existence within safe and secure borders, welcomed the engagement of the “Quartet” and other co-sponsors of the peace process, and urged the parties to give that process a chance. Noting with concern the threat that the situation in Iraq posed to international peace and security, he urged the parties concerned to exercise caution and restraint and resolve the matter in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
Concrete, urgent action was required to redress inequitable development, he said, including increased official development assistance (ODA) and debt relief. Africa was seeking to lift itself up by its own bootstraps through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and he hoped for greater support for it from the international community. Massive assistance was also needed to combat the scourges of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases on the continent, including contributions to the Global Fund, which his country had already supported, along with pursuing national solutions.
In other areas, a convention against international corruption was needed, he said. The United Nations, essential for humanity, also needed continual fine-tuning; it should be more democratic, efficient and manageable. In particular, the structure and methods of the Security Council should be reformed to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century, an effort which Nigeria stood ready to support.
PAKALITHA BETHUEL MOSISILI, Prime Minister and Minister for Defence and Public Service of Lesotho, said his and other countries in southern Africa were in the grip of the most devastating and unprecedented food shortages, as a result of climatic changes. His Government had declared a state of famine in April, and it was evident that over half a million people, out of the population of 2.2 million, faced a severe food crisis. HIV/AIDS continued to be a source of grave concern, as most people infected in his country constituted the potential and active workforce. He appealed to the international community to provide adequate financial support for African countries to arrest the spread of the disease. Africa also needed unconditional support in such areas as agriculture, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, and education, as there was a strong link between poverty and the scourge of HIV/AIDS.
He reiterated that the marginalization of least developed countries could only be ended if they were assisted in profitable integration into the global economy. In launching the African Union, Africa was committed to the principles of democracy, stability, peace, security, good governance and the rule of law. Above all, he said, modern Africa was committed to good economic management, because it had been the mismanagement of economies that had often led to conflicts on the continent. The supportive role of the international community and the role of the United Nations in the coordination and synchronization of activities to ensure the success of NEPAD would provide a fresh impetus for Africa's development.
He stressed that the right of a people to self-determination was a human right enshrined in the Charter, and that the people of Western Sahara and Palestine deserved no less. Welcoming the end to the conflict in Angola, one of the longest running in the continent, he said he was alarmed by the harsh social and economic conditions that confronted internally displaced persons and refugees who returned to their homes. He urged the warring parties in the Sudan to return to the negotiation table in earnest and with good faith, as the Machakos Protocol remained a viable framework for realizing durable peace there. He also congratulated the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda for signing the peace agreements paving the way for the withdrawal of troops.
He hailed the landmark agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone to establish an independent special court for the prosecution of those responsible for crimes against humanity in that country, and hoped that its creation would contribute to the process of national reconciliation and the restoration and maintenance of peace. The coming into force of the Statute of the International Criminal Court was a momentous period in which countries of the world affirmed their intolerance of those who committed crimes against humanity with impunity. He invited those States that had not done so to become party to the Statute, so that all might embark on the noble but difficult pursuit in solidarity.
He said the process of democratization and reform of the Security Council was very difficult, and yet inevitable. It involved a lot of compromise and understanding on the part of those who cherished and upheld the basic tenets of democracy and equality of States. He reiterated his concern that that organ of the United Nations, charged with the maintenance of international peace and security, had itself not yet moved to be more inclusive and more representative. Efforts in that endeavour needed to be redoubled and the pace accelerated.
KOFFI PANOU, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Togo, said that preserving international peace and security, fighting terrorism, eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable development were challenges that the United Nations needed to address. His own country, in which respect for democracy and good governance, human rights and fundamental liberties and peace and development were prized, sought to rise above the challenges of a badly planned transition to construct a peaceful democracy, based upon the largest possible national consensus. In that context, his Government had undertaken a political dialogue with the opposition, particularly focused on making the forthcoming elections open and transparent. Deploring the sanctions that had been applied against his country, he urged Togo’s European partners to treat her more fairly.
Sustainable development was not possible while violence and terrorism continued to menace the world, he said. The international community needed to work together to realize the conditions that would lead to peace. While the resolution of the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea was encouraging, the continued conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mano River region, the Sudan and Somalia needed to be addressed through dialogue and negotiation. He hoped that the recently announced decision to withdraw Rwandan troops from the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo would strengthen the process already under way. Also of concern was the situation in the Middle East, where negotiations for a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement of the conflict were needed. That should include both recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and their right to a viable State, as well as the equally legitimate Israeli right to live in peace and security within internationally recognized borders.
Returning to the subject of development, he said that Africa was the great victim of the current unfair and unbalanced economic order. Unstable commodity prices, higher prices for crucial capital goods, debt, limited access to international markets and export subsidy policies seriously paralysed development in Africa. The question of how to reconcile Africa’s debt with its economic growth goals needed addressing, as did the means by which African countries could develop their own capabilities for development and thus alleviate their dependency on external aid.
MOHAMED BIN MUBARAK AL-KHALIFA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, spoke of his country’s efforts to create a modern State with the human being as its focal point. Indeed, Bahrain had been ranked first among Arab States by the United Nations Human Development Report for the past six years. The Arab development report of 2002 agreed with that evaluation.
Of particular concern to Bahrain was the security situation in the Middle East, he said, especially the situation affecting the Palestinian people. He condemned terrorism as an enemy that had no religion, ethnicity, race or nationality. Bahrain also urged Iraq to complete the implementation of Security Council resolutions, in order to avoid any confrontation that might threaten the States and people of the region. He noted that the Arab Summit of March 2002 had provided a clear vision for peace in the region, one that found favour with the President and Secretary of State of the United States. But, Israel, unwilling to honour the international conventions it had signed, had not put forward a similar vision for peace. Further, the Middle East should be a zone of peace free of weapons of mass destruction, in particular, nuclear weapons.
Bahrain’s desire for peace also found expression in the work it was doing to promote dialogue among civilizations, he continued. Towards that end, it had hosted, in conjunction with Japan, an intellectual forum to encourage dialogue between the Arab Islamic civilizations and other civilizations, so that different cultures might become closer to one another. In furtherance of that approach, Bahrain would also host the tenth session of the Islamic-Christian dialogue, to be held from 28 to 30 October 2002.
He called for an intensification of efforts to deal with the many challenges, from HIV/AIDS to the necessity for sustainable development, facing the world community of nations. To attain sustainable development required the practical and efficient application of the content of the Millennium Declaration, he said.
FAROUK AL-SHARA’, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Syria, said that the state of confusion, ambiguity and tension that prevailed on the international scene today was essentially the result of an increasing tendency towards unilateralism, hegemony and monopoly over the fortunes of others. The Middle East, for example, faced more vicious attacks than those experienced in previous colonial periods. Though Arab countries had condemned the attacks on the United States, blame had been transferred to them, even though elements of the Al Qaeda organization were present in more than 60 countries, including the United States.
Israel’s contempt for international legitimacy had provoked anger, he said, and the only way out of the situation was to make Israel abide by 28 relevant Security Council resolutions, which stress the Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied since 1967, safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people, and an independent State with Jerusalem as its capital. Why should the world request Iraq to adhere to such resolutions if Israel was allowed to be above international law? he asked. He also called for urgent efforts to make the Middle East a region free of all weapons of mass destruction. All Arab countries were ready to establish such as zone, provided that Israel would also agree and place its nuclear facilities under full-scope International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
Opposing unilateral measures, he saw no justification for igniting a new war in the Middle East. Striking Iraq, which no longer occupied the land of others, while keeping silent about the Israeli occupation, was “blind bias” towards the real situation. Security Council resolutions must be respected, however, and dialogue should be resumed between Iraq and the Secretary-General with the objective of reaching a political solution that meets Security Council requirements and grants hope to Iraq for peace and the lifting of sanctions.
In other areas, he said, Syria hoped for a positive impact from the establishment of the African Union and looked forward to implementation of agreements to end fighting in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region. He expressed satisfaction at efforts to end the blockade against Cuba, welcomed talks between the two countries in the Korean peninsula, and hoped that peace would prevail in Afghanistan. Syria supported efforts of the Sudan to preserve its unity and territorial integrity, calling for a ceasefire in the South, and supported the “Artah” agreement reached by the Somalis.
J.G. DE HOOP SCHEFFER, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, placed great emphasis on universalism. “Underneath our different feathers, we share a common skin: principles we all adhere to or should adhere to, regardless of our religious beliefs or race”, he noted. Those principles were merely “empty words” if they were not backed by real commitment. Netherlands, out of choice and necessity, had demonstrated its commitment in four key areas of concern: the development of the African continent; uncontrolled migration; the continuing threat of terrorism; and the situation in the Middle East.
While he welcomed the acknowledgement of African leaders of their responsibility to build the continent, he recognized the role for external assistance. “We all share a responsibility for eradicating poverty and enhancing Africa’s global integration”. In keeping with its sense of commitment, the Netherlands was providing the necessary resources for the realization of that goal. Development cooperation would also involve the promotion of good governance, as well as security and stability.
To deal with the problem of uncontrolled migration, he called for support for the work of the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Along with repatriation, resettlement and recovery, UNHCR’s mix of policy areas had to be complemented by security. That was the basis for the Netherlands’ involvement in peacekeeping operations, in such places as Bosnia and Herzegovina and Palestine. In Afghanistan, a regime hostile to commonly shared values had been ousted, a government elected and reconstruction of a disrupted society was on the way.
In the Middle East, he saw the need for the return of the inspectors to Iraq and its compliance with Security Council resolutions, the creation of conditions that would allow for peaceful Israeli-Palestinian co-existence and the end to terrorism. “Terrorism must stop”, he insisted, “not only because of the human suffering it causes, but also because it is utterly counterproductive. The Palestinian people should ask themselves where this violence got them.”
JEAN PING, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophonie of Gabon, lamented the fact that, just when the international community seemed to be moving forward on the path to a better world for all, the attacks of 11 September 2001 occurred, eclipsing its dreams and reminding all of the “monster” within. The progress made thus far in fighting terrorism needed to be strengthened through the rapid adoption of a general convention on international terrorism and the development of a convention on the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism.
Noting that the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict jeopardized all previous efforts, he urged the Israelis and Palestinians to resume the path of dialogue and negotiation. And while progress had been made in resolving some African conflicts, others still required support for resolution, including economic and social aid. An international conference on Africa, focused on the consolidation of peace in the region, should be convened.
Globalization had not yet had the hoped for result of integrating all countries in the international economy, he said. On the contrary, the gap between industrialized and developing States had widened. The efforts made by developing countries towards consolidating democracy and the rule of law, good governance, combating poverty, and developing rational environmental policies had not been matched by the developed world, as exemplified by the reduction of foreign aid devoted to development. Chief among the elements that would keep Africa stagnant was her heavy external debt. A reduction of indebtedness would allow more resources to be devoted to education, health, housing, poverty eradication and the environment. It order to advance these goals, NEPAD had been established.
Malaria and HIV/AIDS also posed major obstacles for development, he said, as they threatened to deprive Africa of a great part of her human potential. On that front, the first ladies of Africa had established an organization to combat malaria and AIDS, in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). However, international aid was needed to fight these diseases effectively. Finally, there was a real need for reform of the United Nations. At least one permanent seat of the Security Council should be allocated to Africa. Furthermore, the establishment, within the Secretariat, of an office dealing exclusively with African issues would remedy previous shortcomings.
ANTONIO MARTINS DA CRUZ, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal, said the international fight against terrorism, a top priority to all, was not just a fight against individuals who conspired to kill innocent people, but also a fight for the respect for human life and dignity, for the values of liberty, tolerance and democracy, for the peaceful solution of conflicts. The United Nations was in a unique position to coordinate and to invigorate the international response to terrorism. Failure of the Security Council and the General Assembly to live up to their responsibilities in that regard would seriously compromise the credibility of the Organization. As Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), he had been working towards a European charter on the prevention of, and fight against, terrorism, to be adopted at the ministerial meeting in December.
The resolution of the Iraq issue must necessarily entail absolute respect for Council resolution and the unconditional return of United Nations inspectors, he continued. Pressure must be applied to Iraq, and not to the United Nations or one particular country, as Iraq was the one failing to comply with resolutions. The United Nations and its Members could not and should not continue to tolerate the continuous violation of Council resolutions, and the international community must know how to act effectively and must be particularly demanding on the issue. Soon, the Council must make a statement on the non-compliance with its resolutions. Should Iraq persist in not fully respecting United Nations decisions, in a time frame that would be determined, then the international community should not exclude any alternative, any option, he said.
Two successful issues that had occurred last year deserved special reference, he said. Peace was achieved, and seemed irreversible, in Angola. His country would continue to work with the Government and political forces of Angola towards the total implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, and the United Nations must also contribute to the process. Those steps, along with humanitarian assistance, free elections and a modern economic framework, would ensure the country's peace and democracy. Last May's proclamation of independence of East Timor represented a success for the people of East Timor, for the United Nations and for those who had fought for it. The country had started from nothing, and now needed the international community for continued support. He also welcomed the International Criminal Court and NEPAD.
He said security could no longer be thought of in exclusively military terms, or in terms of territorial defence. The widespread development of weapons of mass destruction had to be taken into account, as well as the proliferation of other threats, such as environmental degradation, diseases, AIDS, famine and migration, and the factors affecting the capability of many States to manage the challenge of globalization. No nation, however powerful, was sufficient by itself. Multilateral cooperation was the key to the future. One of the basic goals for the United Nations should be to give practical consistency to that.
WLODZIMIERZ CIMOSZEWICZ, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland, said today the United Nations stood at a crossroads. It had to find the internal strength to stand up to the challenges and prove to be more than a mere discussion forum, or it would loose credibility forever. As was the case over half a century ago, the issues of security had to be taken seriously, especially now that terrorism had given it a new dimension. He agreed with the Secretary-General in his call for making full use of multinational institutions, and with the President of the United States when he said the United Nations resolutions must be enforced. The Security Council must find enough strength in the near future to set the course for the decision-making process of the United Nations aimed at concrete actions.
There was a widespread awareness that some provisions of the United Nations Charter had actually become a dead letter and that some organs had completed the tasks assigned to them and were redundant. The Organization needed new mechanisms to run peacekeeping operations. It was incomprehensible why "clauses on enemy States" were kept in place, while the Organization had no regulations to properly address the problems related to its humanitarian interventions. A document, a "New Act of the United Nations at the Dawn of the 21st Century", could give fresh impetus to the principles, organs and mechanism of the Organization. The Charter's provisions regarding the Security Council, its composition, instruments and chapters dealing with security were now insufficient, he said.
The existing United Nations principles must be expanded or new ones developed to pursue actions in the areas of: reconciling broad representation with effectiveness; better utilizing the means and resources available to Member States, including the relation between the United nations and regional arrangements; and getting non-governmental entities, including private capital, involved in the work of the United Nations in a way that would not detract from the democratic nature of the Organization. He suggested the establishment of a "Group of Sages", who would draft an appropriate document to be assessed and approved by Member States. Such document should have a politically binding nature, which would combine with the Charter to provide a platform for United Nations actions over the coming decades.
He said the enactment of the Statue of the International Criminal Court was an achievement that turned a new page in international relations and international law. He hoped the treaty establishing the Court would become one of the most universal documents of its kind. He trusted that existing divergences between respective stands and views could be resolved through dialogue and compromise, according to international law.
LUVSAN ERDENECHULUUN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, said that the Security Council should be equitably enlarged and its role better balanced with that of the General Assembly, so the United Nations could meet the formidable challenges ahead. The tragic events of 9/11 have shown that there was a need for fundamental change in the perception of security. Security could no longer be confined to the boundaries of a single State. That indivisibility of global security made multilateralism the order of the day.
He said that progress in Afghanistan could only be achieved if the Government of President Karzai exercised effective control over the whole country. In the Middle East, Mongolia supported the efforts of the Quartet and the countries of the region towards a peaceful and just settlement of the conflict. In addition, every effort should be made to impress Iraq with the need to comply with Council resolutions and, as a first step, to unconditionally accept weapons inspections.
In general, failure to act on previous commitments could be used as justification by those who threatened stability and human progress, he said. It was, therefore, incumbent on the international community to look closely at the imbalance of global governance, especially concerning economic and social issues, where the United Nations was uniquely placed to establish equity. In that vein, partnership between North and South should be based on justice, not charity. Only such cooperation and an equitable global governance framework could combat international ills such as organized crime, illicit drugs, illegal arms trafficking, money laundering, HIV/AIDS, pollution and climate change.
At the national level, he said, Mongolia launched in late 2000 the Good Governance for Human Security Programme, and at the international level contributed to both common efforts and those specific to landlocked developing countries, such as those to be discussed at the Transit Transport Cooperation meeting in 2003 in Kazakhstan. Mongolia helped initiate the Literacy Decade starting next year, was consulting with neighbours and other States to internationalize the nuclear-weapons-free zone it had already declared itself to be, and was promoting democratic governance through hosting the fifth international conference of new or restored democracies next June.
VILAYAT GULIYEV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, touched briefly upon United Nations reform, suggesting that greater balance within the Security Council could be achieved by giving representation to influential developing countries. Going on to discuss the challenges presented by international terrorism, he said that respect for a universal approach -- which excluded inconsistency and double standards -- was necessary in confronting it. Violations of the norms of international law, aggression, separatism and weapons proliferation had all contributed to the development of terrorist groups, whose membership flourished in environments characterized by economic and social degradation, armed conflicts, poverty, illiteracy and self-isolation.
Combating militant nationalism and aggressive separatism should be made the priority of the fight against international terrorism, he said. Ties existed between the terrorist groups operating out of “uncontrolled” territories -- and such a situation had existed for 10 years in Nagorno-Karabakh. Interfering directly in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan, Armenia had formed an armed separatist terrorist group in that region and then attacked her openly, he said. The Armenian occupation was legally groundless, whereas, by the principle which applied to former Soviet republics, the newly independent States had been recognized within their former borders.
Relevant Security Council resolutions supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, he said, but those resolutions had not been implemented. In addition, the attitude of the OSCE upheld a “wait and see” policy that could only be regarded as passive support for Armenia. Calling upon the Security Council to review the existing situation, he urged that Armenian troops be withdrawn from the occupied territories and that negotiations on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh under international law be convened.
The conflict undermined security in the South Caucasus and constituted a major obstacle in establishing bilateral and regional cooperation, he added. Therefore, as a means of unblocking the process of conflict resolution, Azerbaijan had proposed that Armenia withdraw its forces from the occupied territories and restore train service linking the countries of the region. The situation of “no peace, no war” was unacceptable. Finally, he urged the international organizations providing aid to the refugees and internally displaced persons not to abandon their efforts while the humanitarian situation in Azerbaijan remained of great concern.
PHILIP SEALY (Trinidad and Tobago) spoke of the limitations of small island developing countries faced in trying to achieve their development goals, a concern that did not enjoy international emphasis.
“As a country which falls within the category of small island developing countries, Trinidad and Tobago feels obliged to draw reference to the tendency in the international community to underestimate the phenomenon of vulnerability, both as a condition of size and stage of development”, he said. His country, therefore, looked forward to working with the recently appointed United Nations High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic and the emission of greenhouse gases underlined the vulnerability of small island States, he continued. HIV/AIDS was destroying significant segments of populations in the Caribbean. While being responsible for a minuscule proportion of greenhouse gases, they were nevertheless disproportionately vulnerable to the impact of climate change resulting from such emissions. In that context, he urged that decisive steps be taken to ensure the Kyoto Protocol came into force and called for implementation of commitments made at the Rio Summit 10 years ago.
He said Trinidad and Tobago also welcomed the outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa, recently. The real test of the Summit’s success would be implementation by Member States. He said the Monterrey Consensus, outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development, should be endorsed by the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly. As one of the States that created the momentum for the establishment of the International Criminal Court, Trinidad and Tobago would consider it an honour to have one of its nationals elected a judge of the Court.
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