Norway

I, too, congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its sixtieth session. Sixty years ago, the United Nations rose out of the ashes of the Second World War. The creation of our Organization was the fulfilment of people's hopes for a better and safer future. Norway was honoured to provide the United Nations with its first Secretary- General, Trygve Lie. Last week, we saw agreement on a summit outcome document (resolution 60/1). The document falls short of our expectations. Still, it provides important direction on how to improve and strengthen the role of the United Nations in building peace and security and promoting human rights and development. In some areas, Member States made considerable progress; in others, better results should have been achieved. In particular, I had hoped for ó and worked for ó a substantial text on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction represents a fundamental threat. There is a growing risk of proliferation and of catastrophic terrorism. At the same time, we see a reluctance on the part of some to accept that all States must advance disarmament and non-proliferation. During the past week, I have repeatedly heard in the General Assembly that we are willing to solve common problems. Yet it has not been possible to reach any consensus on how to address these truly global threats. I can assure members that Norway will take up the challenge set out by the Secretary-General and will continue to seek consensus and concrete results. We will do that together with Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Romania, South Africa and the United Kingdom and with all those countries that supported our efforts. Further progress is also urgently needed to prevent the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. Norway welcomes the outcome document's call for implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons. We would have liked, however, to see a stronger commitment to controlling international transfers of such weapons through legally binding agreements. The international community needs to cooperate in order to meet global challenges. We are faced with an array of new threats and challenges: I just spoke of the risk of proliferation; terrorism is another. The spread of new and infectious diseases is also a frightening prospect. Multilateralism is the answer. We must face all these threats together and reach agreement on how to meet them. The global arena must be continually reformed and adapted to make sure that we have a United Nations that is in the best possible shape. We cannot blame others if it does not function. As the Secretary-General said in his statement to the 11 summit, "Whatever our differences, in our interdependent world, we stand or fall together" (A/60/PV.2, p. 5). Our greatest responsibility is to ensure that the strong protect the weak. Our greatest failure is when we, the Members of the United Nations, are unable to prevent atrocities against innocent civilians. For the first time, Member States have endorsed the principle of the ìresponsibility to protectî. That creates an important new basis for collective action in cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and war crimes. We now have the tools to prevent another Srebrenica or another Rwanda. A greater consensus on collective action and early diplomatic response are needed to prevent violent conflicts. Addressing the needs of countries under stress is a demanding challenge for the United Nations; so is assisting countries suffering from conflict and in transition from war to peace. The peace process that Norway is facilitating between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has benefited from United Nations support. The Organization's role in providing humanitarian and development assistance to all areas of Sri Lanka has been indispensable. I therefore welcome the initiative to establish a Peacebuilding Commission to marshal resources, give advice and propose comprehensive strategies for peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery. The situation in the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other conflict-afflicted areas clearly demonstrates the need for a Peacebuilding Commission. As long as the Security Council remains actively seized of a matter, the Peacebuilding Commission should provide advice to the Council. Norway will contribute $15 million to the Peacebuilding Fund. The role and the needs of women should be duly reflected in the establishment of a Peacebuilding Commission. The Commission should contribute to the follow-up of the binding commitments set out in Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security. While supporting the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission, Norway places great emphasis on the need to maintain and strengthen the activity of the Secretary-General to take initiatives through his good offices. As we convene here in New York, an estimated 10 million people are facing severe food shortages in Southern Africa. According to the Secretary-General, the chronic state of emergency in the region is caused by a combination of HIV/AIDS, food insecurity and a weakened capacity for governance. During recent months, there has also been a severe drought in Niger and in parts of the Sahel region. The response capacity of the United Nations is in need of reform. That means improving the speed, equity and predictability of humanitarian response. An upgraded and expanded Central Emergency Response Fund is an important step in the right direction; so is improved coordination at the field level, including the Humanitarian Coordinator system. The General Assembly must now take the decisions necessary for the new Fund to become operational as early as possible. Norway has pledged $15 million to the Fund, and we stand ready to assist in putting in place the necessary organizational framework. The United Nations is making a significant contribution to development. The universal endorsement of the Millennium Development Goals and the renewed commitment to achieving them by 2015 are key results of the summit; so are the strengthened commitments concerning increased official development assistance (ODA) and debt relief made during the preparations leading up to the summit, particularly by the European Union and the Group of Eight. The world community must now make sure that promises are followed by payments and that the focus on Africa remains strong. Norway will do its part by increasing its ODA contributions to Africa for 2006 by $150 million. International trade is a prerequisite for economic growth and development. Norway is committed to the further development of a rule-based and fair multilateral trading system. The ongoing World Trade Organization negotiations are approaching a crucial crossroads in Hong Kong in December. We must redouble our efforts to achieve the fullest possible realization of the Doha work programme in order to successfully complete the Doha development round in 2006. Particular attention must be paid to the needs and interests of developing countries. No cause can justify acts of terror. The United Nations should have a central role in leading and coordinating the international fight against terrorism. A 12 broad-based strategy is necessary to counter this threat, as recommended by the Secretary-General. The fight against terrorism must be based on the rule of law. The role of the United Nations is essential, because it can provide the legal instruments and frameworks we need. I encourage all States to sign, ratify and implement the 13 United Nations conventions related to terrorism. Norway strongly supports the efforts to conclude a comprehensive United Nations convention on international terrorism. Terrorism must be fought by a broad range of means, including military and legal means. Other threats to peace and stability must also be addressed, such as poverty and unemployment, lack of social and political rights, absence of the rule of law and lack of access to education. The United Nations has a vital role to play in all those areas. It has more experience on those issues than any other organization and possesses the most suitable tools to address them. Defending human rights is a principal universal objective. When human rights defenders are silenced, violations of human rights go unnoticed, unexposed and unopposed. The issue of individuals and groups subject to human rights violations should be put firmly on the agenda of all countries. I call for members' continued support for a draft resolution to that end. It is vital that we assign human rights their rightful place as a fundamental pillar of the United Nations. Our goal in the coming months must be to bridge the gap between expectations for credible United Nations action in the field of human rights and the capacities of the Organization. We must take the following steps. We must create a new standing human rights body as soon as possible, preferably as a principal organ of the United Nations. It must focus on both implementation and capacity-building. It must also be able to deal swiftly with human rights violations worldwide in a credible and effective manner. The strengths and best practices of the Commission on Human Rights must be retained and its weaknesses left behind. And we must strengthen the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights by respecting, in the Fifth Committee, the decision of the summit to double the regular budget resources of the Office. There is a need for stronger executive leadership and thorough administrative reform of the Organization. Corruption, mismanagement and sexual exploitation and abuse are examples of conduct that cannot be tolerated. We have decided to make the Office of Internal Oversight Services more independent. The Office's capacity to carry out audits and investigations will be significantly strengthened. It is necessary to further strengthen the accountability of the Secretariat and improve management performance, as well as reinforce ethical conduct. Responsibility for many of the weaknesses in the United Nations system, however, lies with the Member States themselves. We need a more relevant General Assembly as the chief policymaking body of the Organization. That will require strategic leadership on the part of Member States. The Secretary-General, as the chief administrative officer, must be granted sufficient authority and flexibility to carry out his duties. In order to strengthen the Organization's capacity to ensure that mandates are fulfilled, we need to provide the necessary resources. In order to maintain an efficient organization, we need to review existing mandates and revoke those that are no longer relevant. The management reform process provides a golden opportunity to increase the recruitment of women at all levels of the United Nations. Good governance in a modern organization requires contributions from women on an equal footing with men. Some have called the results of the summit just another step along the way. In my view, many important steps were taken. Now it is up to the General Assembly to follow up. I promise that Norway will do its part. We will continue to work for reforms. The United Nations system must become more effective in securing global peace and security, combating poverty and promoting human rights. In the end, it is we, the Member States, who are responsible for making that a reality.