Uganda

On behalf of the delegation of Uganda, I should like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab and all the Vice-Presidents on their election to guide the deliberations of the General Assembly at its last session of this century. I also thank the President of the General Assembly at its fifty-third session for the effective manner in which he discharged his responsibilities. Allow me also to pay a well-deserved tribute to the Secretary- General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his tireless efforts on behalf of the United Nations, especially in the area of the maintenance of international peace and security. Uganda is pleased to welcome to membership of the United Nation the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga. At the end of this turbulent century and on the eve of what my delegation hopes will be a more peaceful and prosperous new century, the United Nations stands out as the best hope for the future of humankind, international cooperation and solidarity. Uganda believes that a strong and effective United Nations is the best guarantor of world peace and the most effective instrument to prevent another world war. My Government is therefore determined to play a constructive role in ensuring that the United Nations of the twenty-first century will be increasingly dedicated to the noble principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter. Those principles and purposes, which have stood the test of time, must continue to serve the peoples of the world and guide this world Organization. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the economic situation in Africa and the living conditions of the vast majority of Africans are a cause of concern for my delegation. By virtually any standard, the African continent remains marginalized. The statistics for the continent are dismal. With slightly over 10 per cent of the world's population, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for a meagre 1.5 per cent of world trade. The region receives less than 0.6 per cent of total foreign direct investment. Coupled with this is the fact that Africa's export earnings have been on the decline due to a significant decrease in the demand for primary commodities; Africa's terms of trade have not improved; a crushing debt burden and a serious lack of capacity to generate domestic savings have worsened the economic situation. These negative trends have increased the dependence of most sub-Saharan African countries on official development assistance, but official development assistance itself has also been on the decline, falling from 0.33 per cent of the combined gross national product of donors members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 1992 to 0.22 per cent in 1998. This is a far cry from the 0.7 per cent target agreed upon by the international community in the early 1970s. The current state of economic globalization indicates that Africa remains the least integrated continent and the most marginalized economically. Africa has effectively been locked out of the benefits accruing from globalization. The challenge before the international community is to adopt and implement, as a matter of urgency, concrete measures to mitigate the negative consequences of globalization on African economies. The United Nations must take the lead in efforts to restructure the international monetary system to make it more responsive to the plight of African and other developing countries. Uganda believes that fundamental restructuring of the present international economic system is essential to transform the world from a mere constellation of wealthy cities surrounded by a galaxy of abject poverty into a truly global village. 33 The pivotal role played by transnational corporations in this inequitable economic system demands that the United Nations play a more active role in our collective efforts to regulate the activities of these powerful non-state actors. My delegation would like to propose the revival of the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations and the United Nations Commission on Transnational Corporations for that purpose. The increasing control and dominance exercised by global corporations over the world economy has serious consequences for many of us. It is time Governments, and not multinational corporations, set the international agenda for economic cooperation and development. I would like to underscore Uganda's commitment to uphold the tenets of human rights and fundamental freedoms. We believe in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all other international human rights instruments. At the national level, Uganda has incorporated the universal principles of human rights into the basic law of the country, and we are committed to the principles of good governance, transparency and accountability. The world is aware of the great debate taking place in Uganda about the process of our democratization. In accordance with our Constitution, the people of Uganda will exercise a free choice to determine their system of governance in a referendum next year. I take this opportunity to invite observers and others who may wish to witness the referendum to do so when the time comes. With regard to internal conflicts, Uganda has granted a blanket amnesty to all who lay down their arms and become part of civil society. An amnesty Bill is before our Parliament, and in a very short time will be passed into law. I would be remiss if I did not emphasize Uganda's commitment to the observance, in the region, of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In 1994 the world was witness to genocide in Rwanda in which an estimated 1 million people were massacred. A similar act was about to be perpetrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the course of 1997 and 1998. Apart from our legitimate concerns about our national security and territorial integrity, Uganda finds it unacceptable that gross violations of the right to life should again be carried out in its neighbourhood or anywhere else in the world. It is vital for all of us to recognize the sanctity of the right to life. We are glad to note that the evolution of international law on human rights no longer condones genocide under the guise of non-interference in a country's internal affairs. The principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States has been so fundamentally eroded that the international community should now openly adopt a definitive convention which will permit instant intervention in cases of massive threats to the right to life. In July 1998 the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries overwhelmingly adopted the Statute for the establishment of an International Criminal Court. Uganda has consistently identified itself with the entire process which culminated in the adoption of the Court's Statute. It was to many a triumphant moment for those hitherto yearning for a world in which individual persons, regardless of their socio-economic or political attributes, would be held personally accountable for acts or omissions resulting in genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. At present work is under way in the Preparatory Commission for the Court to define aggression as a core crime. Once the Statute comes into force, it holds humanity's best hope for a new world legal order under which nobody, however high or low, can engage in horrendous crimes with impunity. We urge the international community to support our efforts in the Great Lakes region focused on stopping, averting and reversing progression towards further chaos and restoring peace. Such support must include real improvement of the socioeconomic wellbeing of our peoples through debt cancellations, promotion of democratic governance, adherence to sustainable human rights standards and, above all, strengthening our regional conflict- resolution mechanisms, peacemaking and peace- building initiatives. Throughout this year world attention has been repeatedly drawn to the fact that citizens of the world are about to enter a new millennium. I would like to share with the Assembly Uganda's expectations for the new century and millennium with regard to the role of the United Nations. We in Uganda recognize that the United Nations played a pivotal role in the decolonization of Africa and other parts of the world. The United Nations played an equally vital role in the eradication of institutionalized racial discrimination in southern Africa. For all these efforts we are grateful. The question arises as to what should be the vision and goals of the United Nations through the next century. 34 It is the view and expectation of the people of Uganda that the focus of the United Nations should be the elimination of poverty in Africa and the rest of the underdeveloped world. The factors underlying underdevelopment have been mentioned several times. However, implementation of solutions has fallen short of expectations. We urge the United Nations to adopt concrete measures to deal with problems of the external debt burden, illiteracy, disease and famine. We expect the United Nations, through the World Trade Organization, to create a more favourable international trading regime which can promote fair competition and permit the ascendancy of primary commodity producers from abject poverty to reasonable wealth. Uganda supports the heroic struggle of the Sahraoui people for self-determination, and we look forward to the holding of a referendum by the United Nations to enable the people of that territory to freely determine their destiny. My delegation would like to express deep appreciation to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, and former United States Secretary of State, Mr. James Baker, for their tireless efforts in this regard. We appeal to the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco to respect the verdict of the Sahraoui people and to facilitate the implementation of whatever decision they make. The situation in the Great Lakes region, and particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been cause for serious concern, not only to the countries in the region, but also to the international community. On its part, Uganda continues to view issues of peace and stability in the region with the utmost seriousness, which they deserve. Uganda's desire for peace and stability is born out of its conviction that without regional peace and security there can be no meaningful economic development and social well-being of its people. Uganda is hopeful that the conflicts that today beset many countries in the region will give way to peace and eventual socio-economic transformation. We are also hopeful that, with the region's resolve, we shall be able to surmount the challenges and exploit the opportunities of the new millennium. Indeed, sustained efforts are being made to put an end to the crisis and contribute to the search for peaceful solutions to the problems facing the region. And whereas efforts and contributions towards peace in the region have traversed a long and difficult road, there is optimism for the future. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the countries in the region, with the support of the international community, have been working tirelessly towards promoting a peaceful solution to the crisis. We acknowledge the regional efforts, under the leadership of President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia, which culminated in the signing of the ceasefire Agreement. I pay tribute to all the parties concerned for this achievement and to all well-wishers for their continued support for the peace process. The Agreement was thoroughly negotiated to the satisfaction of all the parties. Uganda appeals to the international community to assist in efforts to operationalize the Joint Military Commission and the Political Committee, which are organs of the Lusaka Agreement and the key to the success of this Agreement and, therefore, to peace in the subregion. Uganda is committed to the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement and believes that all the signatories to the Agreement are committed to its success. Against this background, it was unnecessary for this matter to be included on the agenda of the current session of the General Assembly. The Ceasefire Agreement essentially covers the two primary causes of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, namely, the external and internal dimensions. Regarding the external dimension, a mechanism was established to handle the security concerns of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighbouring countries, including Uganda. In particular, the Security Council was requested, in collaboration with the Organization of African Unity, to constitute, facilitate and deploy an appropriate peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure implementation of the Agreement, including the tracking down, disarming and documenting of all renegade forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Regarding the internal dimension, the Congolese parties agreed to undertake political negotiations as a result of which the parties are expected to conclude an agreement leading to a new political dispensation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the restructuring and rebuilding of a new national army in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to the establishment and strengthening of State administration over the entire territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is Uganda's hope that the inter-Congolese negotiations will provide an opportunity for the Congolese parties to address issues of good governance. Our desire for the 35 Congolese people to reach mutual understanding derives from the fact that political instability in any neighbouring country directly impinges on our own security and economic development. We will look forward, therefore, to the early beginning and success of the inter-Congolese negotiations. Regarding the conflict in the Sudan, Uganda supports the ongoing peace initiative launched under the auspices of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and with the facilitation of President Daniel arap Moi of Kenya. As a neighbour and a member of IGAD, Uganda has been working closely with the other countries in the region in efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of the conflict. However, peace in that country remains elusive. Uganda is convinced that the fundamental issue in the Sudanese crisis is the link between state and religion. In a multireligious and multicultural society such as the Sudan, the only way to achieve good governance is to guarantee freedom of worship, equality and respect for all. At the bilateral level, we are concerned at the increasing hostility towards Uganda from the Sudan, as manifested in the consistent violation of Uganda's territorial integrity and in active support for rebel groups that are destabilizing us. Uganda has embraced and will continue to embrace all initiatives aimed at reconciliation with the Sudan, despite the fact that all previous initiatives have failed. I would like to single out initiatives by former President Rafsanjani of Iran, President Bakili Muluzi of Malawi, President Qadhafi of Libya, former President Mandela of South Africa and others — all these efforts have come to naught. The three East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are very conscious of the fact that political stability is a prerequisite for economic development and have taken the necessary measures to achieve this objective. The three countries, together with their partners in the region, are engaged in regional peace efforts for Burundi, the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, through organizations such as IGAD and the Southern African Development Community. The three countries have invested in peace in order to ensure regional stability because of the recognition that peace and political stability are vital if the region is to attract investments. Today, our region has created a favourable environment for foreign investment. There exists a very strong political will to move the region towards closer cooperation. We have harmonized many of our economic policies, and a number of joint activities in support of regional economic integration are being undertaken. The three countries are now in an advanced stage of cementing the relationship by signing a treaty that would establish the East African Community before the end of the year. We thank our development partners who have been supporting our efforts towards regional economic integration and look forward to continued cooperation, especially in the area of infrastructure development and in the field of capacity-building for the private sector, which have been identified as the key areas. In conclusion, I would like to state that Uganda shares the vision of an African renaissance in which African peoples participate fully in their systems of governance and in the process of determining their destiny. We believe that this is a recipe for rapid economic development and therefore for the eradication of poverty in Africa.