Malawi

At the outset, allow me to join other speakers in congratulating Mr. Harri Holkeri on his election to preside over the Millennium Assembly. I am confident that under his able stewardship we the peoples, and particularly those of us from the developing countries, can look forward with optimism to a highly proactive session of the General Assembly. His election to the presidency is a clear reflection of the confidence which the international community has in his great country, Finland. He can count on the continued support and cooperation of the Malawi delegation in this momentous task. Let me also pay tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Namibia, for his highly successful presidency of the fifty-fourth session. Less than a fortnight ago, our leaders gathered at this very venue to map out the way forward in this millennium. The enthusiasm with which the deliberations were conducted culminated in a highly inspiring outcome document, which gives a clear outline of what needs to be done. Malawi welcomes the outcome of the Millennium Summit. At the same time, we recognize that the strategic partnership required for the implementation of the outcome document calls for the political commitment of the international community. It is therefore our hope that the enthusiasm with which the world leaders approached the Millennium Summit will translate into genuine political will in the implementation of the measures that were adopted. Let us all build on the consensus that emerged from the Millennium Summit. Recognition by world leaders of the urgent need to address issues bedevilling humanity today is the first step towards building a prosperous and better tomorrow. A multiplicity of factors are constraining the efforts of the developing countries towards achieving economic development. There is therefore a need for a multidimensional approach in order to address the plight of these countries. Such efforts must, of necessity, be pursued at both the national and international levels. Not long ago, Malawi joined other members of the international community in welcoming the process of globalization. We joined the chorus in acknowledging the inevitability of the march towards a global village. In our enthusiasm, we looked forward to meeting the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities that globalization was envisaged to offer. Today, the experience has proved daunting. A number of constraints dog our march towards the global village. Along with other sub-Saharan African countries, Malawi has yet to meaningfully enjoy the benefits of modern information technology. We all know that the process of globalization is centred on the swift and accurate flow of information. The interconnectedness which information technology brings about offers the benefits of choice. Those who possess the technological capacity are, hence, ahead of the rest in the march towards the global village. Malawi therefore calls upon the donor community to level the playing field by assisting those who lack the capacity to meaningfully take advantage of a modern global information network. There is need to close the existing digital divide. International trade is critical if the economies of most developing countries are to thrive. Malawi's export-oriented economy is, in this regard, no exception. With no mineral wealth of significance, our economy depends almost solely on the export of primary agricultural products and the importation of manufactured goods. The steadily deteriorating barter terms of trade for the primary products has long been a source of concern to us. As if this were not daunting enough, the situation is compounded by the imposition of protectionist measures by countries that offer markets for our exports. A range of non-tariff barriers is being subtly put in place, rendering it difficult for our products to reach those markets. These protectionist measures run counter to the spirit of free trade which we all profess and which we all believe to be necessary for the growing interdependence among 21 countries. As long as barriers to free trade among countries are erected, global integration will face a serious setback. Malawi therefore calls upon the development partners to open up their markets to products from the developing countries. Increased market access is one way in which a country like Malawi could be empowered to meaningfully participate in the globalization process. Time and again, we in the developing countries have expressed serious concern over the existing problem of external debt. Debt servicing has compelled our Governments to divert meagre resources from development programmes. As a result, basic social services and investment in other infrastructure programmes suffer. We welcome initiatives adopted by the development partners to address the problem of debt. The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative is, among other measures, notable. We all looked forward with hope to the recent G-8 Summit held in Okinawa, Japan. However, the lack of commitment to deal with the problem of debt decisively means that the burden still remains virtually intact. Malawi therefore believes that the only way in which the problem of external debt can meaningfully be addressed is through outright cancellation. We invite our development partners to exercise the political will for debt cancellation. We need to free resources for investment in basic infrastructural services. Official development assistance and foreign direct investment are necessary if developing economies like Malawi's are to develop. It is largely in recognition of this reality that the United Nations set the target of 0.7 per cent of the gross national product of developed countries for official development assistance. The general decline in official development assistance flows to the developing countries therefore runs counter to the internationally recognized target. We therefore pay tribute to those development partners who have either met or exceeded the 0.7 per cent target. At the same time, we call upon those falling short of it to live up to the expectations of the international community. Malawi welcomes the trend towards a rise in foreign direct investment over the past few years. However, we observe that, in spite of the steady rise, the distribution itself has been uneven, with sub- Saharan Africa making no meaningful gains. We hope that efforts will be made to address the disparity. Just over 10 years ago, the Berlin Wall came tumbling down in a highly symbolic move marking the demise of the cold war. All peace-loving people in the world who wanted humankind to live in dignity welcomed that momentous development. The concept of “peace dividend” gained currency as the international community welcomed the opportunity to turn swords into plowshares. Today's reality has not borne out our expectations. Trouble spots, both long-standing and emerging ones, dot the globe. During the cold war, we blamed conflicts on super-Power rivalry. Yet conflicts today have assumed different dimensions, and they continue to divert meagre national resources away from development programmes. The protracted civil war in Angola, civil strife in Sierra Leone, the Great Lakes region of Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kosovo and Central Asia, among other areas, perhaps reveal causal factors that we glossed over during the cold war. Greed among politicians and the ruthless pursuit of profit by multinational corporations have, in a number of cases, coalesced to prolong conflict. We have all noted the role that a precious mineral like diamonds can play in unleashing human tragedy. Malawi welcomes the recent adoption by the United Nations Security Council of a resolution that aims at regulating the trade in diamonds, especially those acquired illegally. The international community can count on our unflinching cooperation in the implementation of the resolution. We have also noted the untiring efforts of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. However, the lessons of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone, and indeed elsewhere, clearly point to the need for a serious review of the mandate of such missions. The embarrassment that the peacemakers were subjected to is something that, we believe, must not be allowed to happen again. In this regard, my delegation welcomes the recommendations made in the Brahimi Report. We, at the same time, join the international community in condemning the recent murder of three 22 United Nations relief workers in West Timor. We call on those responsible to desist from further interfering with the safety and freedom of refugees and humanitarian workers in the region. Malawi recognizes that the United Nations alone cannot provide miracle solutions to conflicts that rage in the various regions. It is largely incumbent upon the primary players to exercise political maturity and restrain their passions. We note that in most conflict areas, there exist negotiated frameworks for resolution of the differences. And yet, the sheer lack of political commitment has led the parties to wantonly renege on agreements that they so painstakingly negotiated. We therefore call upon all warring parties to respect existing peace agreements and pool their efforts towards nation-building. The Government of Malawi welcomes efforts by the United Nations to rid the globe of weapons of mass destruction. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) represent some of the notable efforts by the international community to bring about lasting global peace and security. Malawi would like to express its readiness to join the international community in the adoption of measures that seek to advance the cause of international peace and security. We waste meagre resources to keep conflict going, while in the process sacrificing the welfare of our people. His Excellency Dr. Bakili Muluzi, President of the Republic of Malawi, time and again decried this, saying that we, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, are too poor to divert meagre resources to sustain conflict. The above factors present a front which impedes economic development in the developing countries, especially the least developed among them. Investment in basic infrastructure suffers as a result of, directly or otherwise, an interplay of these forces. As long as the international community holds back the political will needed for decisive action, the playing field will remain uneven. As such, the developing countries will continue to be marginalized in the march towards the global village. My delegation does not intend to heap all blame on international factors alone. At the national level, we in the developing countries have to take stock of our domestic policies. Malawi, for one, is doing its part in this regard. The democratic governance which the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) ushered in the country in June 1994 is well on course. The people's confidence in the UDF-led government was manifested when they re-elected it in the June 1999 general elections. In the seven years of its existence, the Government has put in place institutional mechanisms aimed at promoting human rights and other freedoms that form the core of good governance. Malawi's commitment to the consolidation of democracy is now irreversible. In November this year, the country will take yet another step forward with the conduct of local government elections. We fully recognize the contribution which good governance makes to economic development in a country. In this regard, I would like to pay tribute to the United Nations and those development partners who have contributed to our effort towards the promotion of good governance. As the process goes on, we shall count on your continued assistance. We in Malawi further recognize the central role that a vibrant private sector plays in economic development. For long, the previous government in Malawi neglected the private sector, opting, instead, to boost parastatal enterprises. The new political dispensation has opened up the country to a competitive, free market economy. Inefficient parastatal organizations are falling into private ownership through a privatization programme. Already, there are discernible benefits accruing, most notably marked improvements in the quality of products and services on the domestic market. The existing political stability and the general warmth of the friendly people of Malawi create an inviting climate to the foreign investor. The Government has, in addition, adopted measures which are aimed at creating a conducive investment environment. We, therefore, welcome entrepreneurs to come and sample the market. At the core of Malawi's fight against poverty is the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) which the UDF-led Government launched upon its assumption of office. Within the context of the programme, the Government later launched the Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF), a bottom-up framework that involves the villager in taking decisions on development 23 programmes. MASAF is making the difference in the lives of the citizenry. The face of infrastructure in the countryside, where nearly 80 per cent of the country's population resides, has been considerably transformed. We, therefore, thank the World Bank for the support it is extending to the Malawi Social Action Fund, which is currently in its second phase. Among other strategies, Malawi has adopted measures aimed at empowering vulnerable groups in society. A systematic programme aimed at empowering women through micro-credit and improved access to education for girls are some of these. A few years ago, the Government established the Ministry of State in the President's Office Responsible for Persons with Disabilities, whose impact is beginning to show. Our determined efforts to rid the country of excruciating poverty are impeded by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In the last decade, the extent of devastation caused by the pandemic in Malawi has been frightening. By targeting the productive age bracket of the population, HIV/AIDS has clearly begun to reverse the hard-won gains that the nation had made towards the close of the last decade. At the same time, we are aware of the advances that the West has to date made in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The prohibitive cost of the drugs precludes developing countries like Malawi from gaining access to them. And yet, these are the countries that are in the greatest need of such therapy, in view of their high incidence of HIV/AIDS. My delegation appreciates the effort of the United Nations, through the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), to deal with the pandemic. We welcome the fact that the Security Council gave centre stage to HIV/AIDS issues early this year. We believe that the devastation left by the scourge deserves a high international profile. Malawi further calls on those countries with the capacity to make the necessary arrangements to render the drugs affordable for all those who need them. It is clear that if the international community is to forge the strategic partnership needed for a smooth march towards the global village, we need to level the playing field. This calls for political will on the part of all of us. We need to fulfil our shared responsibilities for the benefit of humankind. Malawi welcomes the recent admission of Tuvalu as the 189th Member State of the United Nations. On behalf of my Government and the people of Malawi, I extend our support and best wishes to the Government and the people of Tuvalu. Time and again, Malawi has spoken in favour of granting the Republic of China on Taiwan the role that it deserves in the international community. The hard- working and peace-loving people of Taiwan have clearly demonstrated that they are ready to actively contribute to the goals and ideals for which the United Nations stands. We therefore appeal to the Organization's membership to look beyond narrow political considerations and face the geopolitical realities that obtain on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The continued isolation of Taiwan does not bode well for the spirit of globalization, which we all acknowledge, has to be all-inclusive. Finally, allow me to reaffirm the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Malawi to live up to the obligations enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. This is the only universal body that is well placed to take us all into the millennium.