Swaziland

I bring with me from the Kingdom of Swaziland the warm greetings and best wishes of Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, the Government and the whole Swazi nation, to our friends and fellow Member States here at the United Nations. On behalf of the Kingdom of Swaziland, may I congratulate you most sincerely, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-second session. We are confident that the wisdom, experience and diplomatic skills that you bring to the office will ensure success in the many issues facing this session. Swaziland would also like to commend the work of your predecessor, Ambassador Razali Ismail, who presided with such skill over the deliberations of the fifty- first session. The Kingdom of Swaziland would like to place on record its deep appreciation for the work of Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali during his tenure as our Secretary-General. Much was achieved during the five years of Mr. Boutros- Ghali’s leadership, and the whole world owes him a huge debt of gratitude. We would like further to welcome our new Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, who has shown in his first year that he has the vision and qualities effectively to lead our Organization into the twenty-first century. All of us in Africa are proud of what he has achieved in such a short time. One of the main challenges facing our Secretary- General is the reform of the United Nations into a cost- effective, accountable, credible, well-managed and fully representative Organization. Swaziland gave its full support to the initial Track 1 proposals put forward by the Secretary-General. In particular, we supported the various initiatives designed to reduce administrative costs in favour of increased efficiency in the development programmes in the field. We trust that the welfare of those affected by the necessary cuts has been carefully considered. We have also welcomed the Track 2 reforms, announced in July, and again, we support the Secretary- General’s proposals on economic and social reform, development cooperation, humanitarian relief and human rights. We believe that the Secretary-General’s address at the first meeting of the general debate struck exactly the right note of wise optimism. The responsibility now lies with the General Assembly to support the Secretary-General’s bold approach, and the Kingdom of Swaziland urges its fellow Member States to back the proposals and allow the reforms to forge ahead. One area of reform that will have a major impact on the openness and accountability of the United Nations decision-making process is the question of the membership and expansion of the Security Council, in particular the need for greater representation of the developing world among the permanent members. The Kingdom of Swaziland fully supports the updated African Common Position, which calls for, among other things, membership in the Security Council to be based on an equal geographical formula, on a regional or continental basis. This would make the Council more democratic and ensure that all Members would feel fairly and equally represented in our Organization’s most influential body. Africa believes that the continent should have at least two permanent seats, with full voting and veto rights, to represent the views and concerns of the other 51 countries. These two permanent seats would be appointed through the mechanism designed by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), following the established traditional practice in force. At the heart of the debate on overall United Nations reform is the question of finances. Most of the reforms initiated by the Secretary-General are aimed at making the Organization more cost-efficient and accountable and at allowing more of our finances to be available for the programmes in the field. This is a timely and necessary initiative and is deserving of the strongest support of all Member States. These reforms also justify the recommitment of all Member States to keep up to date with their dues. The Kingdom of Swaziland has consistently tried to maintain a good record in fulfilling its financial obligations to the United Nations. We pledge to do our best to continue to keep up to date, and we would urge all our fellow Member States to show similar confidence in, and support for, our Organization. The Kingdom of Swaziland would also like to add its voice to the appreciation expressed to Mr. Ted Turner for his extraordinary display of confidence in our Organization. His act of generosity, from the private sector, reflects a new spirit of optimism in the United Nations, and we would call on others with the resources to do so to follow Mr. Turner’s example. Hopes for future global stability have been raised by the various initiatives for reducing the numbers and spread of nuclear weapons and warheads. The Kingdom of Swaziland in particular commends the commitment of the United States of America and of Russia to the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) programmes, whose implementation will contribute significantly to a more peaceful world for future generations. We are also encouraged by the global support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and for the Chemical Weapons Convention, both of which have been signed by the Kingdom of Eswatini. All these initiatives are important indications of the real commitment of almost all countries to promote international peace and security. We fully support the Secretary-General’s proposal to create a new Department on Disarmament and Arms Regulation as a necessary addition to the Organization. The Kingdom of Swaziland continues to support all moves to bring about a total ban on the production, use and sale of all types of landmines. We participated at the recent Oslo negotiations on anti-personnel landmines and welcomed the signing of the treaty. We regret, however, that not all countries could be parties to the treaty, while understanding the reasons behind their decisions. We sincerely hope that a way can be found soon to achieve universal agreement on this crucial humanitarian issue. As a consequence of situations of instability on our borders, we have experienced first hand the terror of landmines, and we have great sympathy for all who have undergone the suffering associated with them. We also watched with great admiration the efforts of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, to bring to the world an 2 awareness of the horrors of these indiscriminate tools of war. We therefore call on all Member States to support the initiatives aimed at ending for ever the threat of all types of landmines. The Kingdom of Swaziland views with great concern the situation in the Middle East and in particular the strained relations between the Israeli and Palestinian people. The climate of reconciliation and hope inspired by the Oslo peace accord has given way to suspicion and dread. It is clear that the international community must continue to support the peace initiative as the only way forward and make every effort to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table on a basis of mutual trust and confidence. The Kingdom of Swaziland supports the efforts of all who are trying to achieve a breakthrough in this area. We call on the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, for the sake of their own people, to find a way out of this apparent deadlock and return to the spirit of compromise which prevailed during the Oslo negotiations, and which held out the promise of lasting peace. The Kingdom of Swaziland has been encouraged by the recent developments in Northern Ireland, with all-party talks on the future of that troubled province at last under way. We commend the determination of the British and Irish Governments to involve all stakeholders in the negotiations, and we call on all involved to make every effort to ensure that these negotiations lead to lasting peace and stability. The continent of Africa continues to experience situations of instability and conflict which have unfortunate effects on all of us who call it our home. In the past 12 months we have seen crises in Sierra Leone, the Congo and the Comoros islands, and the continuation of problems in many areas and countries such as the Great Lakes region, the horn of Africa and Angola.The Kingdom of Swaziland prays for the many millions caught up in the violence of these and other situations of instability on our beloved continent, and continues to support efforts to find peaceful solutions. At the same time, we welcome a number of encouraging events on the continent, in countries such as Liberia, where United Nations efforts towards peace over the years contributed significantly to the elections earlier this year.We applaud the peaceful nature of that process, and we hope and pray that lasting, sustainable peace has at last come to the Liberian people after so many years of conflict. And we commend the appointment by the Secretary- General of Personal Envoy Mr. James Baker to oversee the situation in Western Sahara. We are most encouraged by developments in this long-running dispute, and we look forward to a lasting resolution in the near future. In the light of continuing instability on much of our continent, one practical measure undertaken by the whole African community has been the recent initiatives by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and subregional organizations, such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and our own Southern African Development Community (SADC), to become better prepared to cope with our continent’s crises using the resources available to maintain peace in our region. One element of this has been the training and preparation of African peacekeeping forces for deployment throughout the continent. The Kingdom of Swaziland has pledged its commitment to provide troops for such forces, once adequate training and preparation have been completed. We should like to record our appreciation to the United States of America for its African Crisis Response Initiative, which is focusing a number of African countries, including the Kingdom of Swaziland, on the requirement for such things as standardized procedures, training and equipment. It is clearly essential for this type of peace force initiative to have the support of the international community and for the OAU to maintain close cooperation with the United Nations in our joint attempts to provide adequate policing of crisis situations in Africa. For almost 30 years the Kingdom of Swaziland has enjoyed excellent relations with a nation which, despite an outstanding record in international development assistance, and while fulfilling all the requirements for membership of our Organization, is nonetheless excluded from participating in the activities of the United Nations. I am referring to the issue of the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan. In October 1971 the United Nations adopted a resolution which withdrew membership from the Republic of China. That resolution has the effect today of denying the rights of almost 22 million people to be represented here in the United Nations, and to contribute to all the global initiatives undertaken by our Organization. The Kingdom of Swaziland has been in a position to recognize and experience at first hand the peace-loving nature of the Republic of China on Taiwan and its 3 willingness to help foster peace and prosperity throughout the world. The Government and people of the Republic of China have made enormous advances in economic, social and political terms, and have shown themselves ready and able to share their experience and advice with all the nations of the world. Many countries and political groupings over the years have also recognized the need to involve the Republic of China on Taiwan in global development activities, through the offices of the United Nations and its agencies. There is also a growing voice of international opinion, including in the European Parliament, the American Congress and among many countries on all five continents, that membership of the United Nations is necessary for the huge resources and wealth of expertise of the Republic of China to be put to the best possible use for the benefit of all mankind. One of the founding and guiding principles of our Organization has been that of universality, of granting all peoples of the world the right to belong to the United Nations and to be heard in our chambers. It is a reality that almost 22 million people believe that that right is denied to them, by virtue of their country's exclusion from the activities of the one truly global development Organization. The Kingdom of Swaziland therefore proposes to its fellow Member States that the time has now come to review the resolution of 26 years ago. We believe that there is an urgent need to re-examine this issue, taking into account the profound changes in the situation that have occurred since 1971. The Kingdom of Swaziland has viewed with concern the recent report of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, which highlighted once more the economic plight of the developing world. Globalization and liberalization are economic principles with which we all agree, but not at the expense of a greater concentration of wealth in the developed countries and an increase in poverty amongst the underdeveloped. It is all very well to quote the long-term benefits of trade liberalization, but we must understand the severe short-term penalties for those countries which are least prepared to meet them. The Kingdom of Swaziland understands very well what is required of us in a world of free trade, in terms of becoming a producer of finished goods and services in a manner which will allow us to compete effectively and on an equal basis with the rest of the world. But for us to achieve the growth and standards of technology and production required, we and the rest of the developing world need the understanding and support of the developed countries in what will be very difficult economic times ahead. To meet this economic challenge, the Kingdom of Swaziland is continuing its efforts to develop in a sustainable manner, and to create an environment in which our people can prosper. We have been following up recent national initiatives designed to address our short- and long-term social and political challenges and to enhance the right conditions to allow our private sector to continue to be the engine for growth. We have just completed our latest national development strategy, which will set out Government priorities for the next 25 years. Our own internal restructuring programme is continuing, and Government has begun a series of short-term measures to improve the economy. The Kingdom of Swaziland is a developing nation which is largely dependent on agriculture for its survival. In common with other Member States in our position, we continually find ourselves at the mercy of Mother Nature, and in particular we are dependent on adequate rainfall. Our economy is only just recovering from the devastating drought of 1991 and 1992, and now we have learned with great dismay that the dreaded El Niño is once more present in the Pacific Ocean. If true, this will have the gravest consequences for all of us in southern Africa. The Kingdom of Swaziland has learned the lessons of the last drought, and we have begun a programme of dam construction throughout the rural areas. But the threat of a renewed period of reduced rainfall has come much too soon, and we hope for the support once more of our Organization and our fellow Member States. In addition to addressing its economic concerns, the Kingdom of Eswatini has also begun a review of the nation's Constitution. In response to the call by the Swazi people for a fundamental and far-reaching review of our existing Constitution, a Commission has been established and is in the process of conducting a constitutional education programme, reaching even to the most remote areas of the country. This will be followed by a period of submissions from everyone in the Kingdom, after which a constitution, in accordance with the wishes of the whole nation, will be drawn up for national approval. It will truly be the people's constitution, since the process allows the free participation of all Swazis. National participation in important matters such as these 4 is a crucial guiding principle of the Swazi people and, over the years, has ensured the peace and stability we have always enjoyed. We have welcomed the encouragement and support for our constitutional review process from the international community, including the United Nations Development Programme office based in the Kingdom. We are confident that, with the involvement of all Swazis, we will produce a document reflecting the wishes of the whole nation, one that will serve us well for generations to come. There is much vital work to be done in this fifty- second session of the General Assembly. The Kingdom of Eswatini believes that our Organization is at a major crossroads in terms of its own development. We have the opportunity now to carry out the correct reforms and ensure that our Organization is equipped to face the many global challenges that lie ahead in a more efficient, accountable and open manner. We must choose our steps carefully and wisely. Those for whom we are responsible — our people — look to the United Nations to provide the global development leadership that we so desperately need. We cannot afford to fail them. On behalf of Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, the Government and the whole Swazi nation, it is my proud duty to reaffirm the commitment of the Kingdom of Swaziland to the Charter and principles of the United Nations. May God watch over the Assembly's deliberations here in the coming months and guide it in its decisions.