Africa’s progress disproves distorted portrayal of continent as ‘ sea of conflict

 

and undifferentiated poverty’, says Deputy Secretary-General in new York remarks

Following are Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro’s remarks at a meeting of the New York City Bar Association Committee on African Affairs in New York, 4 June:

Thank you for this warm welcome.  It is a pleasure to be here.

Gatherings such as these are a demonstration of crucial support to the United Nations.  I am, therefore, delighted to join all of you today to discuss a topic that is always at the top of the United Nations’ agenda -- the challenges affecting Africa.

As enlightened friends of Africa, you know that the reality is vastly different from the image sometimes conveyed by the media.  You know that Africa’s progress disproves the distorted and widespread portrayal of the continent as a sea of conflict and undifferentiated poverty.

Compared to a decade ago, the number of violent conflicts has dropped dramatically.  Africans are increasingly taking ownership of the security agenda.  In many parts of the continent, remarkable advances have been made in ending armed conflict and consolidating peace.

Burundi and Sierra Leone are two fine examples.  After the successful conclusion of peacekeeping mandates, the UN is working closely with these countries to help shape a better future.  And the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission is contributing to these efforts.   Liberia is another success story.  A landmark vote there two years ago brought into office the first woman ever to be elected President of an African State.

More recently, direct talks between the Government of Uganda and the leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army have renewed hopes that the horrible conflict affecting northern Uganda for the past 20 years will finally be brought to an end.  The talks have already led to an improved security situation in northern Uganda, leading some internally displaced people to start returning to their home areas.  The Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for LRA-Affected Areas, former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano, is playing an important role in supporting these peace efforts.

The peace process for Côte d’Ivoire has also witnessed positive developments of late.  The Ivorian parties have made a good start in implementing the Agreement they signed in Ouagadougou in March, creating a real opportunity for a peaceful solution to the crisis.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo provides an even more remarkable example of progress towards post-conflict recovery and democratic governance.  Last year, the UN worked with the African Union and other partners to support the Congolese people in holding the first free elections in more than 40 years.  This endeavour was achieved with the support of a UN peacekeeping operation.  It also benefited from the largest electoral support engagement in UN history.  Above all, it was testimony to the courage and determination of the Congolese people.  Seventy per cent of the electorate turned out to cast their vote in a calm and peaceful ballot.

And yet, as you know all too well, violence continues to have tragic consequences for civilians in Africa’s remaining conflict areas.  Nowhere is the tragedy of conflict more evident than in Darfur.  Despite the joint efforts of the UN and the African Union to reinvigorate the peace process and strengthen peacekeeping, the violence there is taking an unacceptable toll on human lives.

Today, there is no single issue to which the Secretary-General or his senior colleagues devote more efforts than Darfur.  The United Nations has organized what is currently its largest humanitarian operation in the world.  We are engaging politically at numerous levels with the Government of Sudan, the Darfurian factions, countries in the region, organizations such as the African Union, and key world powers.  The goal is to work out a negotiated solution and deploy a robust peacekeeping operation capable of supporting an enhanced peace agreement.

Recently, the Government of Sudan confirmed its agreement on the entire heavy support package of the United Nations assistance to the African Union Mission in Sudan.  I am encouraged by this development.  We intend to move quickly with the deployment, in close cooperation with the African Union.

Member States of the United Nations agree that the three pillars of our work -- development, security and human rights -- are not only vitally important in their own right; they reinforce -- indeed, depend on -- each other.

So as we strive to resolve conflicts and build peace, we must devote equal energy to promoting human rights and the rule of law.  I know this is an area of particular interest to your Committee on African Affairs.  And I commend you for your commitment to strengthening the rule of law and the administration of justice in Africa.  So much needs to be done before we can speak of a real improvement in Africa’s human rights situation.

It will be recalled that, at the 2005 World Summit, all the world’s Governments agreed in principle to the responsibility to protect:  to act collectively, through the Security Council, when a population is threatened with genocide, ethnic cleansing, or crimes against humanity.  Our challenge now is to give real meaning to the concept, by taking steps to make it operational.

Last week, the Secretary-General appointed Francis Deng of Sudan as his new Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities.  A distinguished expert in human rights and international law, Mr. Deng joins us from the United States Institute of Peace, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins University.  He will devote himself full-time to his mission with the United Nations.

As you know, we also have a new intergovernmental instrument charged with upholding human rights.  The members of the UN Human Rights Council are tasked with working together to promote an objective and universal approach.  Council members should also use every mechanism at their disposal -- from the help of independent experts to universal periodic review -- to advance the cause of human rights.  I remain hopeful that all victims of human rights abuses will be able to look to the Human Rights Council as a forum and a springboard for action.

We must also devote equal efforts to eradicating extreme poverty and improving living conditions and livelihoods in Africa.  This year will have to see real movement towards the Millennium Development Goals, our common vision for a better world by 2015.  Midway towards that date, we have arrived at a tipping point.

Many countries in Africa have made good progress towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals.  Since the late 1990s, more than a dozen African nations have achieved average growth rates of above 5 per cent.  Many low-income countries have lifted sizeable proportions of their citizens above the poverty line.  Several are on course to meet the target of halving poverty by 2015.

Around 15 African countries have already achieved universal primary education, or are on track to do so.  And most Southern African countries are on course to attain gender parity at the primary school level.

However, we face enormous challenges in meeting some of the Goals.  Overall, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Africa is rising.  And child mortality rates remain very high.  The world needs to focus on accelerating implementation of existing commitments to achieve the Goals.  Concerted action now -- on poverty, on health and HIV/AIDS, on education and on other needs -- may mean the difference between success and failure in achieving these crucial targets.  This in turn will mean the difference between life and death for millions of Africans.

Civil society and professional organizations such as yours have a vital role to play in all three pillars of our work -- development, security and human rights.  Given the many pressing challenges on our agenda, your support is indispensable.  I am grateful to you for your commitment.  And now I will do my best to answer your questions.

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For information media • not an official record