Fifty-seventh General Assembly

Plenary

33^rd and 34^th Meetings (AM & PM)

SPEAKERS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY EXPRESS ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT

FOR NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT

The General Assembly today reaffirmed its widespread support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as the successor framework to the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s (UN-NADAF).

Among the issues highlighted by representatives as the Assembly considered the issue of peace and development on the continent, was the need to develop an integrated approach to Africa.  Speaking on behalf of the Group of African States, the representative of Egypt said that the African continent looked forward to a new era of serious work at all levels, taking into consideration the experiences of the past in order to achieve desired changes.  The settlement of conflicts in Africa and the promotion of durable peace were collective responsibilities that the international community must also help shoulder, out of the deep conviction that Africa represented an integral part of the global community.

Moreover, he added that the international community must be ready to put its political, and if necessary military, weight behind African initiatives until they achieved the desired objectives. 

Recalling the Secretary-General’s contention that coordination and increased collaboration could produce better results than individual efforts, the representative of Algeria said that the lessons of UN-NADAF would guide the international community on the approach needed to ensure Africa’s economic and social recovery and its sustainable development.  That evaluation had identified peace as the essential prerequisite for development in the continent. 

In that context, the New Partnership also recognized conflict settlement and the promotion of peace and security as a sine qua non for development.  As the representative of Nigeria noted, the New Partnership was an acknowledgement of the need for Africa to take its destiny into its own hands.  Collectively and individually, African countries had pledged to resolve and prevent conflicts and to promote a culture of peace and economic growth.  The international community now needed to join hands with Africa in realizing the objectives of NEPAD in a true spirit of partnership.

For its part, suggested the representative of Pakistan, the international community should complement Africa’s initiatives with enhanced and guaranteed access to developed-country markets, accelerated and increased debt relief to poor African countries (including outright debt cancellation), improvement of Africa’s agricultural performance and food security, increased investment in Africa’s human resources, and the effective mobilization of sufficient financial resources to address Africa’s problems.

The representatives of Saudi Arabia, China, Namibia, Cuba, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Philippines, India, Iran, Jamaica, Senegal, Mexico, Mali, South Africa, Colombia, Libya, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Bhutan, Malaysia, Morocco, Denmark (speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States), Israel, Myanmar and Venezuela also addressed the Assembly.

The General Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 21 October to elect five judges to the International Court of Justice.

Background

The General Assembly met this morning to begin its consideration of the items entitled "Causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa", the "Final review and appraisal of the implementation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s", and the "Implementation of the programme for the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa".

The first report before the Assembly concerned implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (document A/57/172), which describes specific follow-up action initiated or completed in the areas of peace and security.  It also contains a broad overview of recent developments or activities in the field of governance and sustainable development in Africa.

Within the context of responding to situations of conflict, the report details efforts under the aegis of peacemaking, peacekeeping and post-conflict peace-building.  In the area of peacemaking, it details the Secretary-General’s efforts in appointing special mediators or special commissioners to look into the sources of dispute, build confidence and recommend practical solutions.  It also outlines United Nations efforts aimed at avoiding a proliferation of mediation efforts, mobilizing international support for peace efforts, improving the effectiveness of sanctions, stopping the proliferation of arms and reducing arms and munitions purchases to below 1.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) while attaining a zero-growth budget for military expenditure.

In the area of peacekeeping, it discusses the role of the United Nations in peacekeeping in Africa and in efforts aimed at supporting African initiatives to resolve disputes, in protecting civilians in situations of conflict and in addressing refugee security issues.  The United Nations operates four peacekeeping missions in Africa today, the largest of which is the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).  Additionally, the United Nations recently established the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa in support of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and actively supports the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peacemaking efforts in the Sudan.

In the area of post-conflict peace-building, the report details efforts to provide emergency assistance for reconstruction and development, establish post-conflict peace-building support structures, create the preconditions for reconstruction and development and provide peace-friendly structural adjustment programmes.  In this last respect, the report suggests that in view of the special circumstances and needs of such countries, the Secretary-General may wish to encourage the Bretton Woods institutions to consider more flexible and effective measures for their re-engagement in post-conflict countries.  Similarly, the Secretary-General may wish to urge other creditors and donors to provide support for post-conflict African countries.

Within the context of building durable peace and encouraging sustainable development, the report discusses promoting good governance and sustainable development.  On the question of good governance, it describes efforts aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in public administration and enhancing administrative capacity.  Relevant United Nations organizations have continued to support African countries in building and strengthening their capacity in public-sector management, and are continuing to assist African countries, especially those affected by conflict, in building and strengthening their capacities in the administration and management of their economies.

As for sustainable development, the report elaborates upon efforts aimed at creating a positive environment for investment and economic growth, investing in human resources, public health priorities, eliminating all forms of discrimination against women, restructuring international aid, reducing the debt burden, opening international markets, support for regional cooperation and integration, and harmonizing current international and bilateral initiatives.  Within the field of public health priorities, the report notes that communicable diseases are the major killers in the African region.  The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is now operational and the Secretary-General may wish to urge the international community to build up the Fund to the target level.

The second report before the Assembly was the independent evaluation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa (NADAF) in the 1990s (documents A/57/156 and A/57/156/Corr.1), which draws attention to the lessons learned in the implementation of the New Agenda and makes proposals on the modalities of United Nations future engagement with the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) -- which is recommended as the successor policy framework for Africa's development.

Among the lessons learned was that peace and security are vital to development.  The 1990s were marked by more intractable, violent conflicts and war-related atrocities than Africa had ever witnessed; in all countries and subregions where violent conflict and civil strife prevailed, development suffered a major setback.  Therefore, the economic programmes and projects devised by the New Partnership must proceed alongside the strengthening of the processes and institutions for conflict prevention and management.  Moreover, development cooperation with Africa requires a new orientation, with African countries allowed to design, direct and implement their policies and programmes consistent with their needs and circumstances.

Since one of the lessons learned was that improved coordination and collaboration among United Nations agencies in Africa can produce results exceeding the sum total of each individual's contribution (thus magnifying the overall impact of the system), the modalities of future United Nations engagement in Africa were based on the premise that while promoting peace and development in Africa remains a priority of the United Nations, the primary responsibility for implementing the New Partnership rests with Africa.  The role of the United Nations is to support African efforts. 

The third report covers implementation of the programme for the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (document A/57/175), which reviews progress made in the implementation of the programme during 2001 and, to some extent, 2002.  It examines the economic and industrial development trends in Africa as well as constraints to the industrialization process of the continent -– such as the challenges of the increasing proportion of people living in extreme poverty, financial constraints (since private capital flows have not contributed much to industrial development efforts in Africa), limited market access for African products, lack of information and communication technologies, an insufficient volume and quality of human capital, and the lack of diversification of economies and infrastructure development.  It reviews activities undertaken by the Economic Commission for Africa and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization within the framework of the implementation of the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa and the Plan of Action of the Alliance for Africa’s Industrialization, and presents selected conclusions and recommendations.

The report concludes that in order to make globalization work for all, and in order to accomplish the Millennium Development Goals, special emphasis should be placed on the promotion of sustainable industrial development through the building of competitive industrial capacities.  Without the creation and enhancement of domestic productive capacity, says the report, globalization leads to marginalization. 

The benefits of industrialization, without which a sustainable path of economic development will not be achieved, include the fact that industry plays a role in producing goods for poor and socially disadvantaged groups, that the expansion of private-sector industrial activities provides a foundation for meeting the basic human needs of the poor, and that industry strengthens the infrastructure base for socio-economic advancement and plays an important role in post-war and post-emergency reconstruction and recovery.  It contributes to conflict prevention and peace through job creation, poverty alleviation and social stability.

The report recommends that African countries should diversify away from traditional trade patterns marked by excessive reliance on exports of raw materials and semi-processed goods, since manufacturing plays a crucial role in transforming the economic structure of poor economies.  Global industrial value chains, linking the entire sequence of activities from raw materials to finished products, opens up new avenues for industrial capacity-building and structural transformation of the economies of developing countries, but in order to be successful, domestic industrial capacity-building must be rewarding and sustainable.

Statements

ABDALLAH BAALI (Algeria) said that the two reports of the Secretary-General -- on the causes of conflict and promotion of peace and on the final review of NADAF -- addressed many similar issues.  It was therefore appropriate that the Assembly consider them together.  On the issue of peace, he was pleased with the continued attention the Secretary-General was generating on conflict prevention in Africa by such steps as mobilizing international efforts for peace and collaborating more with regional and subregional organizations. 

On the issue of development, he noted that the independent evaluation of UN-NADAF had recognized the failure of NADAF as well as the need to support NEPAD.  The independent assessment had identified peace as the essential prerequisite for development the continent.  The New Partnership had also recognized conflict settlement and the promotion of peace and security as a sine qua non for development.  The commitment made by African countries for good governance and human rights was an essential basis for achieving sustainable development in Africa.  It also depended on efficient and effective contributions from the United Nations and the international community. 

In his report on the review of NADAF, the Secretary-General had noted that coordination and increased collaboration could produce better results than individual efforts.  The lack of progress in NADAF was due to many factors, including the lack of promised resources and the external debt problem.  The evaluation of NADAF had informed the international community on the approach to be taken to ensure Africa’s economic and social recovery and its sustainable development.  Africa would quickly be able to close the gap which separated it from other regions and integrate itself into the world community. 

MOHAMMED AL-TAIEEB (Saudi Arabia) said experience had shown that development could not be realized without an environment of peace and security.  Despite the fact that certain African countries had attained specific levels of development, there had been regression because of strife and civil war.  Agreeing that the causes of conflict should be dealt with radically and in a preemptive manner to prevent future conflicts, he said Saudi Arabia was delighted to see peace and stability coming back to several regions in Africa.  At the same time, there was concern over continuing strife and conflicts –- such as those in Sudan and Somalia -- which could threaten peace and stability.

He said the optimism felt by his Government over efforts to overcome causes of conflict and to realize durable peace led to support for sustainable development.  The people of Africa needed structural changes to make development permanent.  For its part, Saudi Arabia had increased its aid to 4.5 per cent of GDP.  It had also responded to the call of the Dakar Conference to alleviate the burden of debt on developing countries.  Affirming that his Government would continue its policies in support of peace and security, he reiterated a commitment to make contributions to help the people of Africa achieve what they deserved.

ZHANG YISHAN (China) said that with the founding of the African Union, African countries had taken yet another important step in enhancing the development of the continent.  However, considerable tasks remained, especially in poverty eradication, and there was still a long way to go before the Millennium Development Goals were met.

He said that without prosperity and stability, African countries could not hope to achieve those goals.  Priority should therefore be given to the pursuit of unity, to implementation of existing programmes, and to efforts aimed at enhancing cooperation within the United Nations system and other agencies.  The involvement of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other international institutions was similarly crucial to those efforts.  It was important to increase the levels of resource inputs, while the United Nations should focus on African issues specifically related to the continent’s needs.

He also stressed that it was important for developed countries to honour their commitments to Africa, noting that the goal of achieving peace and stability on the continent was one of China’s cornerstone policies.

AHMED ABOUL GHEIT (Egypt), speaking on behalf of the Group of African States, said that African countries welcomed the positive response and support expressed by the international community for the NEPAD.  The New Partnership put forward a renewed vision for cooperation between Africa, the international community, the United Nations and other international organizations within a context of joint cooperation and mutual benefit.

Africa’s development required the continent to achieve economic growth rates above 7 per cent per annum, he noted.  The financial gap estimated at $60 billion should be bridged immediately.  In that regard, the international community should open markets to African exports, assist African countries to enhance their production and increase official development assistance (ODA).  The decisions of Monterrey, Doha and Johannesburg should be pursued and implemented as soon as possible.

The continent looked forward to a new era of serious work at all levels that took into consideration the experiences of the past to achieve the desired changes, he said.  The settlement of conflicts in Africa and the promotion of durable peace were collective responsibilities that the international community must shoulder, out of the deep conviction that Africa represented an integral part of the global community.

Africa, he said, represented one single entity in which all States of the continent enjoyed the same rights and responsibilities.  Thus, it was incumbent on the international community to deal with equal attention with all the disputes raging in the continent.  The Security Council, while addressing situations in the Great Lakes region and Ethiopia and Eritrea, should not ignore other hotbeds, which had not yet received commensurate international attention, such as Somalia, Burundi or Liberia.  Also, he welcomed increased United Nations attention to complex problems, including the establishment of the United Nations Office in West Africa.  In addition, the Council’s establishment of peacekeeping operations in areas of conflict must be commensurate with the realities on the ground.

Further, the international community must be ready to put its political, and if necessary military, weight behind African initiatives until they achieved the desired objectives.  In that regard, he awaited the results of the Somali reconciliation conference initiated two days ago in Kenya under the auspices of the IGAD.  There were other initiatives by African heads of State and government which also needed the support of the international community, including the resolution adopted by the Durban Summit on the establishment of a peace and security council of the African Union and the implementation of the protocol thereof.

MARTIN ANDJABA (Namibia) said the report of the Secretary-General on causes of conflict and promoting peace and sustainable development went beyond identifying the problems, recommending action to be taken by Africans themselves as well as the international community.  Namibia agreed that all assistance and efforts should be channeled through a central mediator, rather than through a “multiplicity of actions”.

Namibia welcomed the Secretary-General’s recommendations on peace-friendly structural programmes, and believed that there should be increased cooperation between the relevant United Nations bodies and the African Union’s Women’s Peace Committee on Peace and Development, including donor response to the needs of refugees and internally displaced people in Africa.

Addressing the proliferation of small arms should be a mutual and collective concern, he said, adding that Namibia applauded the regional efforts of ECOWAS and welcomed the stabilizing role UNAMSIL was playing in Sierra Leone.  The Security Council must draw lessons from UNAMSIL and approve the new operational concept for the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) as recommended by the Secretary-General in his latest report.

He called on the international community to support the Global Health Fund, and to complement the efforts of African countries in that regard.  Namibia supported the Secretary-General in urging donor countries to consider many factors when providing aid to Africa.  He commended the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for playing its part in complementing the efforts of African countries, and called for increased resources to UNIDO to enable it to carry out its development mandate.

BRUNO RODRIGUEZ PARRILLA (Cuba) said that during the special session of the General Assembly on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, the international community had expressed its full support.  Yet the Ad Hoc Committee for the final review and appraisal of UN-NADAF could not conclude its work on schedule because it could not find the exact words to reflect the widely heralded support by developed countries for Africa’s development.  Meanwhile, the people of Africa continued to suffer from poverty and attendant social ills, HIV/AIDS and other diseases.  Africa, which comprised 18.5 per cent of the world’s population and had the world’s greatest reserves of natural resource, contributed only 1 per cent of the world’s gross national product (GNP) and only 2 per cent of world trade.

It was obvious, he said, that the current unjust and unsustainable international economic order continued to assign Africa an unimportant role.  Yet Africa today exported more capital than the aid and financing it received.  A review of the causes of conflict in Africa could not disregard the centuries of colonial exploitation.  Moreover, Africa did not need lessons, recipes or adjustment programmes for the solution of its conflicts.  It needed financial resources, ODA, debt relief, and the support of the United Nations and the international community.

New initiatives and proposals on Africa proliferated at the United Nations, he said, but an integrated approach to the settlement of peace- and security-related problems and economic development was still needed.  Africa could wait no longer; international cooperation was indispensable.  It was the only continent that spent four times more on debt servicing than on education and health.  Only with special and differential treatment, guaranteed market access, access to technology, debt relief and enhanced ODA and no-strings financial resources could Africa achieve sustainable development.

IFTEKHAR AHMED CHOWDHURY (Bangladesh) said his country was greatly enthused by the fact that NEPAD was an African Union-led, -owned and –managed initiative led, owned and managed by the African Union.  Perhaps Africa had had enough of analyses of its problems, and the central question was:  where do we do go beyond the present review and today’s debate?

He agreed with the Secretary-General that development cooperation with Africa required a new orientation, that the international community should honour its commitments, that strengthened advocacy was essential for Africa’s development, and that peace and security were essential for the sustainable development of the continent.  Fulfilling the commitments of the Brussels Declaration and Programme of Action for the least developed countries would go a long way towards addressing Africa’s problems.

Bangladesh, he said, also saw the potential strength and scope of South-South cooperation for Africa.  Bangladesh would strive to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s rebuilding, and stood ready to share its experience in areas such as micro-credit in order to address extreme poverty, empower Africa’s women, and create social safety nets for the needy.

MOHAMED FADHEL AYARI (Tunisia) noted that the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace in Africa were still pertinent.  In the course of its presidency of the Security Council in February 2001, Tunisia had proposed a debate on the consolidation of peace, and he was gratified that the main crises in Africa were now in the process of being settled.  That was due to the efforts of African countries themselves, as well as the support of the international community.

He was also gratified by the interest shown by the United Nations to preventive action, which would lead to saving countless lives, and by the creation of the Council’s Working Group on the settlement of conflicts in Africa.  He emphasized the need to strengthen disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes in the context of peacekeeping operations in countries emerging from conflict.  Sanctions, he noted, should be imposed as a last resort, following the exhaustion of all other peaceful means.  If they were necessary, they should be better targeted, as had been the case with regard to the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). 

It was essential to enhance the economic development of African countries, he stressed.  Deteriorating terms of trade, the crushing weight of the debt burden, and insufficient levels of foreign direct investment were ills shared by all African countries.  With the launching of NEPAD, Africa had turned a new page in its history.  But while relying on its own capacities, Africa would also require external support to close the gap between the continent and the rest of the world.

ENRIQUE A. MANALO (Philippines) welcomed the resolution on final review and appraisal of UN-NADAF and support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.  He believed that NEPAD would be bolstered by its African Peer Review Mechanism, because it would underline African countries’ commitment to sound political, economic and corporate governance.  He added that there was a need for active partnerships between Africa and the various stakeholders, including the international community, the developed countries, the developing countries (through South-South cooperation), and the United Nations system.

Although the Philippines would do its part, he said, the developed partners must also extend all possible assistance to African countries.  In the area of South-South cooperation, the Philippines might be able to share its experiences in human capacity-building, including its record of the governmental partnership with all stakeholders.

Regional integration efforts should also be pursued.  However, he warned that globalization must not marginalize millions of Africans.  It must operate in stable and predictable fashion, and all developed-country partners must meet the agreed levels of ODA.  They should also provide greater access for African products to global markets, and remain serious about debt relief.  The Philippines, he said, fully supported the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.

SUSHIL KUMAR SHINDE (India) said that a conference on India and NEPAD, held in New Delhi in July, had brought together representatives of Indian industry and financial institutions and their partners in Africa.  The conference addressed such issues as improving utilization of the lines of credit extended by India to many countries in Africa.  Following Monterrey, India had also decided to cancel all bilateral debt owed to it by HIPC countries. 

He noted the importance accorded by NEPAD to promoting the private sector and the call on the international community to promote entrepreneurial development programmes for training managers of African firms.  The New Delhi conference had aimed at initiating a significant dialogue between the private sectors and financial institutions of India and Africa.  India had announced its intention of establishing a training programme for private-sector executives, to be conducted in India.  It was hoped the programme would contribute to expanding contacts between the two countries’ apex chambers of commerce and industry. 

Information and communication technologies (ICT) was another sector in which India and Africa could cooperate in a meaningful manner, he added.  The information technology industry in India had registered a compound annual growth rate of more than 42 per cent over the last five years –- double the growth rate of the industry in most developed countries.  His country was in the process of establishing a centre of excellence in ICT with one of its partners in Africa.   

NASROLLAH KAZEMI-KAMYAB (Iran) said that judging from various African socio-economic indicators, one had to conclude that the overall development situation of the continent was disquieting.  International initiatives such as UN-NADAF had failed to deliver.  He therefore welcomed the closure of UN-NADAF and its replacement by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.  The NEPAD initiative was a clear indication of the seriousness of African leaders’ commitment to issues of governance and development, and a recognition of the primary responsibility of the African people for the development of their own countries.  In that context, the Secretary-General should be urged to take the necessary measures to ensure a coordinated response on NEPAD, taking into concern the final review and appraisal of UN-NADAF and the lessons learned from it. 

Much had been said and written about conflict in Africa and the devastating impact of those conflicts on the development of the continent, he noted.  This was a hard time for the international community as a whole.  The real long-term culprit in Africa remained the state of underdevelopment.  Peace and development were simply indivisible.  Therefore, achieving development should be at the heart of conflict prevention.

STAFFORD NEIL (Jamaica) said prescribed structural adjustment programmes for African countries had often resulted in their paying a heavy social price.  They had been identified as a major factor retarding African development, with increased poverty and with health, education, nutrition, employment and incomes all declining.

The New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s had raised expectations for the continent’s development because of the implicit commitment by development partners to goals promising an average annual growth rate of at least 6 per cent, he said.  That process however, had been disappointing.  Not only had the external commitments been less than required, but -- despite the economic and political reforms which many African countries began to introduce -- internal political difficulties had limited the benefits the external support provided.

The lesson from all that, he said, was that the prescribed development model for Africa might not always be appropriate, and that there was need for adjustment to take account of the peculiarities of Africa.  Jamaica therefore welcomed the New Partnership for Africa’s Development -- an Africa-led initiative –- and also the commitment by African countries to principles of governance as an essential basis for sustainable development.  In that regard, he urged the donor community to “do it right this time” by providing the resources needed to give meaning to the spirit of true partnership.  That would be to the mutual benefit of both sides, he noted.

CHEIKH NIANG (Senegal) was pleased to see tangible progress in strengthening confidence-building measures and in regional cooperation and integration in Africa.  The progress made in peace-building and the promotion of human rights in West Africa owed much to the support of the United Nations in re-establishing trust, to the efforts of UNAMSIL to consolidate peace in Sierra Leone, and to the timely establishment of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa. 

Yet peace had still not come to many areas of the continent, where the spread of small arms was hampering the efforts of States to build peace and prosperity.  Thus, the 50 ECOWAS States had “taken the bull by the horns” and decided to adopt their moratorium on the import, export and manufacture of small arms in West Africa and to set up national committees to that end.  However, those bold initiatives could be successful only with the support of the international community. 

He welcomed the progress made in coordination between the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, resulting in the recent establishment of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on African Countries Emerging from Conflict.  He also appreciated the report on the final review and appraisal of UN-NADAF, which described some of the lessons learned in the last 10 years of NADAF’s implementation.  He endorsed the Secretary-General’s recommendation on translating into reality the issues taken up in NEPAD, such as focusing on poverty eradication and promoting regional economic integration and environmental protection.  The advent of NEPAD, designed by Africans for Africans, must bring a new dynamic to North-South relations.  African development could not be achieved by the sons and daughters of Africa alone.

AMPARO ANGUIANO RODRIGUEZ (Mexico) said that over the past year there had been significant progress in resolving several African conflicts.  These achievements were largely due to the political will and pragmatism of the parties involved and to internal circumstances which had opened the path to peace, as had happened in Angola on the death of Jonas Savimbi.  However, the mediating role of the United Nations, the involvement of regional organizations and leading African figures and the role of the new African Union had also been fundamental in the process.  It should not be forgotten that the maintenance and consolidation of peace required sustained national and international support.  Early withdrawal of peacekeepers, for example, could lead to a breakdown of the peace process, particularly in countries without the resources or structures to relaunch their economies.

National reconciliation was an essential element of lasting peace, she said, since civilian populations were increasingly seen as military targets and because civilians themselves had been responsible for horrendous violations of human rights.  National military tribunals could be effective mechanisms for contributing to national reconciliation.  Another important factor was the level of political and economic stability in other countries within the same region, as the situation in the Mano River Union region demonstrated.  That was why, as Chair of the sanctions committee for Sierra Leone on the Security Council, Mexico had urged consideration of the regional context, not the national one.  The issue of

the demobilization and reintegration of former combatants was also important, and it was essential to include the gender aspect in such negotiations. 

MAHAMANE MAIGA (Mali) said the creation of the African Union was a manifestation of African resolve to create a continent-wide organization to further Africa’s development.  The support of the United Nations and the international community for the new dynamics in Africa was needed now more than ever before.  He welcomed United Nations action to support African initiatives in assisting countries emerging from conflict.  For such support to be effective, the pledges made for financing must be translated into concrete action. 

The NADAF had given rise to legitimate hopes for Africa’s development, he said.  Despite vigorous efforts to implement that Agenda, the results had not lived up to expectations.  The independent assessment had noted that ODA to the continent had fallen by 43 per cent in the 1990s.  Also, the terms of trade and the debt burden were still major obstacles to development programmes. 

Africa, he said, needed the firm commitment of the international community to support the continent’s development.  NEPAD, the best way to relaunch cooperation between Africa and the rest of the world, needed the international community’s support to succeed.  To make NEPAD a real success, it was essential to learn the lessons from NADAF’s failure.  Success would depend on the mobilization of sufficient resources, access to markets and strengthening Africa’s development capacity. 

When the meeting resumed this afternoon, JEANETTE NDHLOVU (South Africa) said that while much progress had been made to achieve peace in Africa, the mere resolution of conflict and establishment of peace were not in themselves sufficient for creation of a stable and prosperous continent.  Post-conflict reconstruction and development were important for the realization of an early peace dividend.

She said those factors were essential for launching sustainable development and thereby minimizing destitution and marginalization, which formed the seedbed in which the next conflict could germinate.  On NEPAD, she noted that it stood for the promotion of good governance, capacity-building, human resource development and the role of women, along with international aid, debt relief and regional cooperation.

South Africa supported the full funding of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, she said, as well as the untying of aid.  While Africa had assumed responsibility for its own development agenda in NEPAD, it also recognized the critical role of international support in that partnership, she said. 

“We are all excited by the fact that Africa has taken charge of its own future through NEPAD.  This is also an invitation to the international community to forge new partnerships through which we can together strive towards achieving the Millennium and other development goals.”

ALFONSO VALDIVIESO (Colombia) shared the view that the goals of NEPAD must be at the heart of the future relationship of the United Nations with African countries.  That relationship had to be based on the deepening goals of NEPAD in three main areas:  the African countries themselves; the United Nations, as the reality of NEPAD permeated the several strata of the Organization; and the partner countries of African development, in particular the world's more advanced economies.

He said that the goals in the NEPAD vision -– peace, security, democracy, good governance, social and economic development, and regional cooperation and integration -- could be consolidated by and benefit from the strengths of the United Nations.  Those strengths needed to be adjusted to the particular needs of Africa.  

The United Nations was in a position to offer information and analysis as well as technical assistance.  It should act as a forum to advocate and articulate the interests of Africans and bring together the international community to undertake actions in favour of peace and development on the continent.

OLUFEMI GEORGE (Nigeria) reviewed the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development outlined in the Secretary-General’s 1998 report, agreeing that “conflict and development are mortal enemies”.  That statement captured the experience of African countries grappling with the challenges of nation-building, socio-economic development and the preservation and promotion of peace.  In an environment riddled with developmental problems, each government had to make deliberate choices in its programme, but it must be  realized that development was not an option but a necessity.

UN-NADAF had been intended to help Africa overcome the challenges of development, he said.  But in a decade that was the most trying for Africa in recent memory, it had not delivered the intended benefits.  In the absence of political will and of fulfilment of commitments by African leaders and their development partners, the pursuit of Africa’s development had remained illusory.  Thus, support for the New Partnership must be unconditional. 

More than anything, there was an urgent need for human development and capacity-building on the continent, he added.  The problem of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other debilitating diseases need to be tackled head-on for Africa to break its yoke of underdevelopment.  NEPAD was an acknowledgement of Africa's need to take its destiny into its own hands.  Collectively and individually, African countries had pledged to resolve and prevent conflicts and to promote a culture of peace, economic growth and sustainable development.  The international community must now join hands with Africa in realizing the objectives of NEPAD in a true spirit of partnership.

JUMA AMER (Libya) said that progress had been made in restoring peace and stability in the continent, as demonstrated by the recent peaceful elections in Sierra Leone and encouraging signs in the Great Lakes region.  That progress testified to the fact that only Africans could make the difference in Africa, although the United Nations had made significant contributions to Africa’s achievements.  Africa had gained increased attention in the Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council.

At the same time, progress in other areas was lagging.  The 7 per cent growth rate needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals had not been achieved.  In addition, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the international economic environment, the debt burden, the decline in ODA and unfavourable terms of trade all still stood as obstacles to Africa’s development.  Through the establishment of the African Union, Africa had proved its commitment to peace and stability.  Africa now needed the support of the international community, increased investments and a rise in ODA. 

He noted that the partnership envisioned within NEPAD should be real and effective and respect the will, history and values of Africans.  Development partners should realize that by contributing to that partnership, they benefited their own societies.  It was essential to address issues of basic infrastructure and water resources in Africa, abolish all restrictions on technology transfer, take into consideration the suffering of Africa in past centuries and the depletion of its resources, and deal with the serious problem of the brain drain affecting the continent.

PERWITORINI WIJONO (Indonesia) said it was important to recall the lessons learned from the implementation of NADAF in order to achieve the objectives of NEPAD.  NADAF’s lack of progress was attributable to all the actors involved, both African countries and the international community.  A critical impediment to success was the cookie-cutter approach to achieving development over a vastly diverse group of countries.  The mantra of liberalization and privatization without regard to the unique circumstances that prevailed in any given country had proved to be a canard.  National ownership of the development process was essential for fundamental change to occur.  Local institutions were best suited to satisfy local needs while maintaining local values. 

Another impediment was a failure of the parties to live up to their commitments, she said.  African countries never completely implemented the NADAF programme, while ODA to Africa declined after the launch of the programme.  Also, little progress was made on market access for African exports, or debt relief for the poorest nations.  Moreover, the programme was marred by a general lack of quantifiable objectives and targets for monitoring progress and compliance -- hence NADAF's limited success.  She stressed the importance of monitoring the implementation of NEPAD at both the national and international levels. 

One area that NADAF did not address was information and communications technology, she said, since that new technology was largely unknown in 1991.  As of now, Africa was the least connected region in the world, with the lowest computer use, which resulted in many opportunities being squandered.  She was particularly pleased that NEPAD had targeted ICT as a priority area for development, and efforts to help Africa bridge the digital divide should be encouraged.

MASASHI MIZUKAMI (Japan), concurring with previous speakers that ownership and partnership were at the heart of NEPAD, stressed that African ownership played a critical role in the region’s development.  Japan would continue to support NEPAD, he said, welcoming the recognition by African countries that the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts; peace enforcement and peacekeeping; post-conflict reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction were the preconditions for development.

He said that despite the tremendous efforts that African countries had been making, with cooperation from the international community, they continued to be confronted with problems that threatened national and regional peace and stability.  That was especially true in countries emerging from conflict, which often fell into the vicious cycle of recurring violence and thus failed to achieve significant progress in development.  Ensuring cooperation and coordination among the various actors was essential to the success of an approach that must be followed from conflict prevention to post-conflict peace-building.

BOB JALANG’O (Kenya) said that while it was disappointing that targets had not been achieved throughout much of the past decade, there was still hope that the continent could realize sustainable development.  African Governments had adopted various measures, both at the national and regional levels, to promote economic development.  The economic and political reforms undertaken in the 1990s, for instance, had helped to improve the macroeconomic situation in most countries, while significant strides had been made in the process of democratization. 

The continent had also demonstrated its commitment to economic cooperation and integration through regional bodies such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and ECOWAS, he said.  The recent launching of the African Union in Durban, South Africa was a clear testimony of that effort.  The launching of NEPAD was also a significant event as it set out a broad vision and strategy for achieving sustainable development.  NEPAD provided a comprehensive framework for supporting Africa and its success would ultimately depend on the efforts of Africans, with the support of their development partners, bearing in mind the principles of ownership and partnership.

OM PRADHAN (Bhutan) described NEPAD as a manifestation of the determination of African countries to improve the lot of their people, saying it demonstrated the ultimate supremacy of the people in shaping their own destinies.  Noting that African countries needed the cooperation of the international community, he said that discussions between donors and recipients were essential, and that consultants also had their roles to play.  But the ownership of development projects and programs should rest with the governments and people.

He said ODA must continue to play an important role in the least developed countries (LDCs), particularly in transportation and communications infrastructure, basic health and educational services.  He added that loans should only be an option when put into income-generating programmes that would enable repayment, or if the country was able to pay them back from other sources of income.  Noting that the definitive problem for developing countries, especially the LDCs, was how to attract foreign direct investment, he said that although their circumstances did not always attract private investments, infrastructure, technically-trained manpower, peace and stability were important requirements.  Regarding the financing of development, there must be greater haste and purpose in fulfilling the commitments made at Monterrey, he added.

CHEAH SAM KIP (Malaysia) acknowledged that Africa faced a complex range of issues that must be dealt with in a comprehensive, integrated and coordinated manner.  For example, Africa’s numerous wars had resulted in widespread destruction and loss of life, as well as the creation of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons.  However, Africa’s own efforts to establish appropriate mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts at both the regional and subregional levels should be applauded.

In his latest report, the Secretary-General had continued to stress the important linkage between peace and development, she noted.  In the absence of political stability, which was essential for attracting foreign investment and capital, African countries would find it difficult to embark on any serious development programmes.  Where stability had been restored, the process of peacemaking, peacekeeping and post-conflict peace-building had engendered sustainable economic development and economic growth.

International cooperation and assistance were imperative for Africa’s recovery and future development; the developed world needed to provide financial resources, assure better market access and reduce trade barriers for Africa.  At present, Africa accounted for just 1 per cent of world trade, although it was home to 10 per cent of the world’s population and 30 per cent of its natural resources.  However, NEPAD was viewed as a bold undertaking to halt the marginalization of Africa in the process of globalization and integration into the world economy.  But Africa could not do it alone:  it needed support from the international community if it was to meet the Millennium Declaration Goals of sustainable development and poverty reduction.

MOHAMED BENNOUNA (Morocco) said the history of conflicts showed that every time the ethnic factor had been used to fertilize trans-boundary exchanges, it had led to stability and lasting cooperation.  He was convinced that the development of regional and subregional cooperation was a major factor in preventing the worsening of ethnic conflicts.  That first and foremost applied to Africa, which had inherited the arbitrary borders drawn by colonialism.  He agreed with the Secretary-General’s view that regional and subregional cooperation and regional integration should allow for the establishment of lasting peace and development. Morocco was resolved to continue to commit itself to any action for the well-being of the people of the Maghreb region.

The progress achieved thus far in restoring peace in parts of Africa showed the effectiveness of the approach followed by the United Nations, he said.  The past year had seen the success of two initiatives, which his country had strongly supported -- the United Nations regional office in West Africa and the establishment of the ad hoc committee for African countries emerging from conflict.  Those countries needed substantial international assistance to consolidate peace and deal with the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

ELLEN MARGRETHE LOJ (Denmark), speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, expressed pleasure at the outcome of negotiations in the Ad Hoc Committee on NADAF.  The lessons drawn from the implementation of NADAF would be applied to the implementation of NEPAD, as well as to the organization of future United Nations support for the New Partnership.

The Union was committed to working with African partners in strengthening regional and local capacities for conflict prevention, management and resolution, she said.  Currently, it was looking at ways to further reinforce and broaden support for the development of African capacity in those areas.  The Union was also committed to help strengthen and consolidate United Nations peace support operations and assist post-conflict reconstruction efforts.  That cooperation was rooted in the fundamental principle of ownership, meaning that primary responsibility lay with Africa itself. 

In that regard, she welcomed the Peace and Security Initiative of NEPAD, including the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, which would reshape the framework for strengthening the African security architecture.  She also acknowledged the vital role to be played by the African subregional organizations in conflict resolution.  They were important building blocks for African political and economic integration and they had the potential to contribute to securing peace and prosperity in Africa. 

The Union, she added, was actively engaged in trying to prevent the excessive accumulation of arms in Africa.  But for any effort to be sustainable, there was a clear need to develop much more effective mechanisms for arms control with the African Union, and particularly with subregional organizations.

YEHUDA LANCRY (Israel) noted that in the past year, Africa had taken dramatic steps to assert control over its own destiny.  There had been regional political developments that would serve to cement the progress made in conflict resolution and prevention.  Israel fully supported the Secretary-General’s approach of moving from a culture of reaction to conflict to one of prevention, which would reduce the human, economic and social costs of conflict.  Hosting the World Summit for Sustainable Development had underscored not only Africa’s commitment to sustainable development, but also the world’s recognition of the region as an appropriate venue for discussions on that subject.

Israel had always considered its relations with Africa to be of the highest priority, he added.  Nearly 50 years ago, Israel’s Centre for International Development, MASHAV, was founded.  As one of the first examples of cooperation between developing countries, its activities had never presumed to instruct others on the subject of development.  It could only help to build human capacity to enable developing countries to apply their understanding to their challenges in a local context.

For that reason, he said, Israel greeted NEPAD warmly and considered its approach of regional cooperation to maximize the optimal distribution of limited resources as a great step forward, as was the inclusion of previously marginalized stakeholders.  Israel stood ready to take up the challenge provided by NEPAD to the fruitful continuation of a long-standing partnership.

U WIN MRA (Myanmar) said his country believed that the global community should pay serious attention to Africa and nurture stronger partnership with the region.  Myanmar appreciated the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on its final review and appraisal of UN-NADAF.  While that review had been far from satisfactory, he was encouraged by the new initiative, NEPAD.  It was a homegrown initiative that would guarantee the future development of Africa.  He also welcomed the General Assembly’s endorsement of the New Partnership.

He said that the industrialized countries should also strive to increase the ODA level to the target of 0.7 per cent of GDP, adding that Africa should make every effort to attract more foreign direct investment by creating a conducive climate.  Myanmar also welcomed the HIPC initiative on reduction of African debt, and called for faster and deeper debt relief with fewer conditions.  Regarding a multi-country HIV/AIDS programme for Africa, he said that raising the Fund to the target level of $7-10 billion would help resolve the HIV/AIDS pandemic, especially in the sub-Saharan region.

ADRIANA PULIDO SANTANA (Venezuela) said that among the objectives of

UN-NADAF was to promote the transformation, diversification and accelerated growth of African economies in order to incorporate them into the global economy.  To achieve those objectives, the international community had committed itself to providing tangible support during the implementation period.

Nevertheless, she said, during a large part of the decade, the growth rate had only been 3 per cent, an insufficient growth that could be attributed to, among other things, the lack of promised international assistance, low levels of trade between African countries, inability to take advantage of concessions on market access and the debt burden.

For NEPAD to reach its objectives, she noted, it needed the support of the international community as a whole, not just in words but also through concrete measures.  African leaders had designed NEPAD on the basis of a common vision and the sound conviction of the need to eradicate poverty, lead their countries towards sustainable growth and development, and to play an active role in world economic policy and decision-making. 

That was the vision of a strong and united Africa, she said, adding that NEPAD represented the determination of Africans to free themselves and the continent from economic and social exclusion.  She reiterated the need to create the international humanitarian fund as an instrument to end the causes of conflict and promote durable peace and sustainable development in Africa and other regions of the world that needed it.

MUHAMMAD HASSAN (Pakistan) said that the sources of conflict in Africa reflected the diversity and complexity of a vast and varied continent.  Africa remained one of the world’s poorest regions, and its poverty further exacerbated by an unsustainable external debt burden, deteriorating terms of trade, declining ODA, falling commodity prices, increasing protectionism in developed countries and the negative effects of structural adjustment programmes.  Though the United Nations had undertaken many initiatives to address the various security dimensions as well as economic and social development, the overall situation had not improved over the last two decades.

Africa faced enormous challenges, which it could not handle alone, he said, stressing that the international community must lend its full support to regional and national efforts to achieve peace and development.  In order to address the root causes of conflict, the international community would need to support African efforts at two levels:  by focusing on the underlying political and security aspects of instability on the continent; and by tackling economic and social problems through a comprehensive assistance programme with adequate resources.

While development assistance was a prerequisite for the success of any development effort in Africa, it lost its value when motivated by conditionalities or political returns, he added.  Cognizant of their own responsibilities, African countries had developed an integrated and comprehensive framework for Africa’s development.  For its part, the international community should complement the African initiative with enhanced and guaranteed access to developed countries markets, accelerated and increased debt relief, including outright debt cancellation, improvement of Africa’s agricultural performance and food security, increased investment in its human resources and the effective mobilization of sufficient financial resources to address the continent’s problems.

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