I should like to congratulate you,
Mr. President, and your country, Uganda, on assuming,
on behalf of the continent of Africa, the responsibilities
of President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth
session. The theme that you have chosen for this general
debate and the sixty-ninth session, namely, “Delivering
on and implementing a transformative post-2015
development agenda”, is timely and most appropriate.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
galvanized and mobilized the international community
and the United Nations in a manner never seen before.
We have good stories to tell about the journey of the
past 15 years of implementing the MDGS. In Africa,
we seized the opportunity and adopted the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), our
sociodevelopment blueprint. The African Union’s
Vision 2063 will, together with NEPAD and other
socioeconomic development programmes, be the
cornerstone and foundation of Africa’s development
agenda going forward. South Africa has also made
significant progress in achieving the MDGs. Reducing
by half the number of people earning less than a dollar
a day has been achieved, while the proportion of those
experiencing hunger has also been halved. South
Africa has attained Goal 2, namely, to provide access
to primary education for all.
By official international indicators, South Africa is
also doing well on MDG 3 to promote and empower
women. South Africa has recorded impressive progress
through the expansion of its health infrastructure
and improved access to health services for all South
Africans.
On the reduction of child mortality, MDG 4, and the
improvement of maternal health, MDG 5, significant
progress has also been recorded, but more work remains
to be done. In fact. more work remains worldwide to
fully achieve those goals, especially in the developing
world. We have to confront the underlying root causes
that continue to make it impossible for our people to
have a better life.
In spite of the progress that we have made thus far,
reports continue to show that Africa is lagging behind
in the attainment of some of the MDGs. It is for that
reason that we appreciate the crafting of a post-2015
global development agenda that will carry forward the
unfinished business of the MDGs. The post-2015 global
development agenda will provide a frame of reference
for our collective agreement on what has to be done.
We reiterate that developed countries should be reliable
partners and meet their commitments to development
goals, such as contributing 0.7 per cent of their
gross national income towards official development
assistance. We say that because it does not matter
what the great Organization has achieved in the past
six decades if we do not deal comprehensively with the
scourge of poverty, unemployment and diseases. The
poor of the world will then consider everything done
to have been a failure. Indeed, we would have failed in
our duty if we succeed in preventing another world war
but continue to have children dying of malnutrition and
treatable diseases.
The recent outbreak of Ebola in some West
African States and the number of lives that have
been unnecessarily lost provide a clear example of
the challenges that developing countries continue to
contend with. We believe that Ebola would have been
contained within a few days had the outbreak been in
the developed world. But now it has become a pandemic
that threatens the economies of affected African States.
The outbreak has thus exposed the challenges
resulting from lack of capacity, lack of infrastructure
and other limited resources in Africa. We are pleased
that the United Nations, under the leadership of the
Secretary-General, is deploying a mission to coordinate
efforts to combat the virus. South Africa stands ready to
continue to provide whatever resources we have at our
disposal to assist the people and Governments of our
sister countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
We add our voice in calling for more resources to be
deployed so as to ensure that the virus is contained.
The role of the United Nations in supporting the
struggles of self-determination and freedom has been
remarkable. South Africa is a shining example. Twenty
years ago, President Nelson Mandela thanked all
nations for support from this very podium when South
Africa was readmitted to the United Nations as a free
and democratic State. We are reminded of that fact on
this important day, which is National Heritage Day in
my country.
Since 1994, South Africa has made significant
progress in transforming the apartheid State into a
democratic one, founded on the values of human dignity,
non-discrimination, non-racialism and non-sexism, the
rule of law and universal adult suffrage, as enshrined in
the Constitution. Given our history and heritage, we are
mindful of our historic and moral responsibility in the
global struggle against racism, racial discrimination
and other intolerances. We will, in this regard, continue
to be at the forefront of efforts to eliminate all forms of
racism, racial discrimination and any other intolerance,
including xenophobia and anti-Semitism.
The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
remain the primary framework adopted by a United
Nations conference in the fight against racism. We
will continue to support the struggles for freedom
and self-determination, including the struggles of the
peoples of Palestine and Western Sahara, who continue
to experience occupation and colonialism of different
forms. The people of Cuba also hold a special place
in our hearts because of that country’s sacrifice for
African freedom. We will therefore continue to support
their struggle for economic liberation.
While the United Nations has done remarkably well
in supporting self-determination, when it celebrates 70
years of existence next year, this body may be found
wanting by the people of Palestine. The Israeli-Palestine
question is one of the oldest items on the United
Nations agenda, but progress remains elusive. In the
past few months in particular, the world has witnessed
a devastating conflict that left a humanitarian crisis
of shocking proportions. People in Palestine were left
homeless, with no medical facilities, no safe drinking
water, bereaved and having to care for the wounded
after a trail of destructive military actions by Israel.
South Africa has condemned the actions of both
Israel and Hamas, and we have called for an immediate
cessation of hostilities. Our strongly held view is
that there can be no military solution to the Israeli-
Palestinian question. We should all remain committed
to the two-State solution, based on the 1967 borders,
with Palestine and Israel coexisting side by side in
peace.
Of concern in this matter has been the helplessness
displayed by the United Nations, especially the Security
Council during the current conflict. The United
Nations has the moral authority and legitimacy to unite
the world in promoting the quest for peace, justice and
self-determination for the people of Palestine, while
addressing whatever security concerns Israel may have.
This body must play its role without fear or favour and
be a beacon for all who suffer oppression in the world.
Let me reiterate that the seventieth anniversary of
the United Nations next year provides an opportunity
for us seriously to reflect on the need to reform this
august body, moving beyond words to action. Ten years
ago, world leaders celebrating the sixtieth anniversary
of the United Nations agreed on the need for reform
of the Security Council in particular. The decision
remains valid and must be implemented. When we
convene here next year, in the seventieth year of the
United Nations, we should be able to adopt a concrete
programme that will guide us towards a strengthened
United Nations and a reformed Security Council. Some
contentious aspects of the United Nations system,
including the power of veto and the exclusion of regions
such as Africa from the Security Council, are some of
the critical matters that cannot be ignored in the quest
for transformation.
Among the achievements of the Organization in its
recent history is the cooperation between the African
Union and the United Nations, particularly since the
formation of the African Union Peace and Security
Architecture. In this regard, the full implementation
of Security Council resolutions 1809 (2008) and 2033
(2012), on cooperation between the United Nations
and regional organizations, particularly the African
Union, remains crucial. Progress has been made in a
number of areas where this cooperation is in place, for
example in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The
two affected subregional organizations, the Southern
African Development Community and the International
Conference on the Great Lakes Region, continue to
take significant strides with the support of the United
Nations.
This body celebrated the formation of a new State
of South Sudan not long ago. Recent developments and
the ongoing conflict in South Sudan have resulted in
loss of life and other dire humanitarian consequences.
We will continue to contribute as much as we can to
finding solutions working with the African Union and
this body. South Sudan should not be allowed to regress.
Next year marks 20 years since the the Fourth
World Conference on Women adopted the Beijing
Platform for Action. The anniversary provides an
opportunity for the United Nations and the international
community to reflect and take forward the struggle
for the emancipation of women from all forms of
discrimination.
Last December, the world descended on South
Africa to pay last respects to our beloved Madiba.
Those who did not come to South Africa honoured
Madiba in various ways. We will continue to work with
the world to promote Madiba’s legacy and passion for
justice, freedom, equality and human rights. We are
grateful to the General Assembly and the President of
the Assembly at the sixty-eighth session for the decision
to establish the United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla
Mandela Prize that will be awarded to an outstanding
individual who will have demonstrated a commitment
to the aims, objectives and principles of the United
Nations Charter. The Prize is a great testament to the
outstanding individual that Madiba was and will always
be.
As we recommit to the Millennium Development
Goals, let me once again borrow from the words of
Madiba uttered on his historic inauguration day in 1994
when he said:
“We understand it still that there is no easy
road to freedom. We know it well that none of
us acting alone can achieve success. We must
therefore act together as a united people, for
national reconciliation, for nation building, for the
birth of a new world. Let there be justice for all.
Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread,
water and salt for all. Let each know that for each
the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to
fulfil themselves.”