Mr. President, allow me to congratulate
you most warmly on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at
its forty-seventh session. I am confident that, given your skills and
experience, you will successfully guide our deliberations. I wish also to pay
a well-deserved tribute to your predecessor. Ambassador Samir Shihabi of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the excellent manner in which he steered the work
of the forty-sixth session.
It is with a sense of pride and satisfaction that I take this
opportunity, firstly, to congratulate Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a
distinguished son of Africa, on his deserved election to the important post of
Secretary-General of our Organization; and, secondly, to express sincere
appreciation to him for the commendable leadership he has showed in carrying
out his duties. Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali's long and valuable service to
Africa, especially within the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the central
role he played in peacemaking under the Camp David accord, and the
considerable familiarity he has with the burning issues of the developing
world give him impeccable credentials for this Organization's highest and most
challenging post. We wish him every success; he enjoys Uganda's full
confidence; and he can count on our constant cooperation and support.*
Uganda welcomes the 13 new Members of the United Nations, with which we
look forward to forging close and mutually beneficial relations. An important
principle of this Organization is self-determination by the people of the
Member States. The admission of new Members is in keeping with that principle.
When we gathered here at the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly,
it was against a backdrop of international political developments which had
profoundly altered the global landscape. The transformation of international
relations has, over the last year, increased in pace and ushered in a new
pattern of relations. In place of the cold war between East and West, we now
Mr. Kalpage (Sri Lanka), Vice-President took the Chair.
see a more cooperative relationship. Mutual suspicion, conflict and the
attendant arms race between the major Powers have been replaced by dialogue
and joint endeavours. Dictatorships are giving way to democracies, and
conflicts are being resolved through dialogue.
As a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Uganda has always urged the
major Powers to put an end to their rivalry and, instead, pool their efforts
to promote international peace and security and also the economic and social
development of all countries, as envisaged by the Charter. We therefore
welcome the emerging peaceful relations among the major Powers, and we
accordingly have a good basis for hoping that investment in economic and
social development worldwide will now receive a higher priority. In this
connection, special note must be taken of the important address to this
session of the Assembly by President George Bush of the United States when he
put forward new ideas about international economic cooperation. These ideas
merit serious consideration.
It will be recalled that the cold-war divisions hampered the efforts of
the Organization in fulfilling its mandate. But now the correspondence of
objectives among the permanent members of the Security Council, as
contemplated by the founding fathers, has facilitated the United Nations
central role in finding solutions to various regional crises. From Yugoslavia
and Cambodia to Somalia, to name but a few, it has now become possible for the
United Nations to handle the underlying causes of crises without its actions
being hamstrung by the ideological differences between its Members.
As the confidence being reposed in the United Nations has increased, so
have the responsibilities the Organization is being called upon to undertake.
Yet its resources remain precarious. There is an urgent need for the
Organization to be strengthened, in order to be able to be appropriately
restructured, and to be provided with adequate means meet the challenges
before it.
It is critical that the United Nations organs be made more representative
so that they can cater more meaningfully to the interests and aspirations of
all its Members. The objective should be to make the decision-making process
in the United Nations, including the Security Council, more democratic and
transparent. It is with this in mind that Uganda will positively examine the
various proposals for reform of the United Nations. We are thus prepared to
examine proposals for reform and expansion of the Security Council to reflect
contemporary realities that will lead to a more equitable and balanced
representation without, however, sacrificing capacity and efficiency.
The present structure of the Security Council reflects the realities of
1945 and the resultant cold war. Countries were designated permanent members
because of their capacity, at the time, to contribute to the maintenance of
international peace and security and to prevent war. For the record, it ought
to be stated, with appreciation, that the Organization's structures have
discharged their principal obligations well, and have, in particular,
safeguarded the international community against a world war and against a
nuclear catastrophe.
It must, however, be acknowledged that we are now moving into an age
where new issues such as development, environmental protection and
technological advancement are critical in international relations and affect
the security of the world. We therefore believe it is necessary to review the
criteria for permanent membership in order to take into account the capacity
of countries to contribute in this regard.
If only for the sake of accountability, it is imperative that Member
States, on which our Organization will increasingly depend as the main source
of contributions for the implementation of its new agenda for the next
century, should also have a say in the decision-making structures of the
United Nations.
Secondly, in any restructuring of the Council, it is also important that
consideration be given to having for each major region a permanent member,
which would be designated through consultation with the relevant regional
groups or organizations. An important criterion to take into account is that
a country, large or small, seeking membership on the Security Council must
fully embrace, and be seen to act in accordance with, the underlying values of
the United Nations mandate for peace, respect for human rights,
democratization and other accepted international norms. In our view that
would enhance both confidence in the Council on the part of the Members of the
Organization and the acceptability of the Council's decisions.
While the rapprochement between the super-Powers, as well as the
prevailing international climate, has been instrumental in the resolution of
long-standing conflicts, we should not be lulled into complacency. There are
still many formidable obstacles to overcome in our quest for a more peaceful,
secure, just and equitable new world order. Along with increased integration
among States and increased democratic governance, we see centrifugal forces
tearing States and societies apart, be it in Europe or in developing
countries. Many of those conflicts are driven by ethnic, religious, racial or
other sectarian differences and have resulted in the loss of many lives and
the suffering of very large numbers of innocent people on account of
displacement, the destruction of social and economic infrastructure, the
breakdown of law and order, and the lack of food, medical facilities and
shelter. Quite appropriately, these conflicts ought to be the focus of our
attention in our deliberations. In addressing ourselves to such conflicts, it
is legitimate for the international community to press for their peaceful and
prompt resolution and to resort to such mechanisms as are deemed practical in
coming to the immediate rescue, with humanitarian assistance, of those who are
suffering. National sovereignty should not be invoked for the prevention of
delivering needed humanitarian assistance to the innocent.
In South Africa we were encouraged by the positive steps taken by
Mr. De Klerk towards the dismantling of the apartheid apparatus. The repeal
of the legislative pillars of apartheid the Population Registration Act, the
Group Areas Act and the Land Act followed by the convening of the Convention
for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), gave us hope that at long last we were
on the verge of putting in motion an irreversible process towards the
establishment of a united, non-racial and democratic South Africa. It was
therefore a matter of deep regret that the process was subsequently undermined
and endangered by the violence which claimed thousands of lives among the
black population. We vividly recall the carnage at Boipatong early this year
and more recently in the Ciskei bantustan. The failure of. the South African
Government to prevent and contain violence clearly raised doubts about the
Pretoria Government's commitment to the process of fully dismantling apartheid
and ushering into the country a truly democratic order.
We welcome the recent talks between Mr. Nelson Mandela and Mr. De Klerk
aimed at breaking the impasse. Those talks should give impetus to the
process. The De Klerk Government needs to take drastic steps to control
violence and to engender confidence in the negotiation process. It should
also release all remaining political prisoners without delay. We commend the
decision of the United Nations to station observers in South Africa at this
time to monitor the situation and to assist in the process towards democratic
change. It remains our conviction that many more observers are needed in
order to ensure an effective international presence.
This Organization has been at the forefront of the struggle against
apartheid and it is imperative for it to stay the course until the objective
is achieved. Uganda's position remains that until the apartheid constitution
is scrapped and replaced with one which guarantees human rights and political
freedoms to all South Africans on equal terms, we shall not have achieved our
goal. While agreeable to the phasing out of sanctions in response to the
progress registered, we believe the international community should maintain
the necessary pressure to keep the South African Government negotiating in
good faith. It is critical to agree on a constitution that enjoys the widest
consensus. To that end, it becomes crucial for all parties in South Africa to
take part in the negotiations and for South African leaders and the
international community to spare no effort in encouraging all necessary
consultations to ensure that no significant group feels left out.
The events in South Africa have a great impact on developments elsewhere
in southern Africa. Apartheid has always been a source of destabilization for
the region, especially for the front-line States, with Angola and Mozambique
being the most affected. Over the years, those countries have been the object
of a destabilization campaign that encouraged fratricidal internal conflicts.
We are glad to note that in both countries progress has been made towards
reconciliation and the comprehensive resolution of their internal conflicts.
Angola has just held an election in which all the parties have participated.
The United Nations, through the United Nations Angola Verification Mission,
(UNAVEM) II, has greatly contributed to the creation of an atmosphere
conducive to reconciliation. In Mozambique, the Government and RENAMO have
reached an accord, which is spelt out in the Joint Declaration signed in
Rome. We welcome that accord, and it is our hope that a cease-fire agreement
will soon be signed so as to facilitate elections and pave the way for an
enduring peace.
Mozambique, Angola and other front-line States have borne the brunt of
the struggle against apartheid. Their economic and social infrastructures
have, in the process, been damaged. Their economies will therefore take a
long time to recover. The long drought they are currently experiencing has
compounded these problems. I wish to call on the international community to
render them the requisite assistance for their economic recovery and
development.
In Somalia we have a disaster of enormous proportions which, on the one
hand, is man-made and, on the other, is compounded by drought. Both the OAU
and African leaders in the regional and subregional contexts have made
strenuous efforts to resolve the underlying political differences, but without
success. Last Saturday President Museveni of my country, with a view to
promoting dialogue between the parties, had discussions with, among others,
Somali interim President Ali Mahdi and General Farah Aideed of the United
Somali Congress, in which he appealed to both of them to resolve their
differences. Already the conflict has brought misery and massive loss of life
to the Somali people. A major problem now is that the continued fighting is
making it extremely difficult to distribute food. We appeal to the various
groups in Somalia to put an end to the conflict. We commend the efforts of
the United Nations and its agencies, such as the United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF), at providing humanitarian assistance, and we call on the
international community to increase support for this initiative. We appeal to
the various groups involved in the fighting in Somalia to cooperate with the
United Nations and work for national reconciliation. We support the call by
the current OAU Chairman, President Abdou Diouf of Senegal, for the convening
of an international conference on Somalia after due preparation.
The Secretary-General, in his annual report and in "An Agenda for Peace",
underscores the role of regional and subregional efforts in defusing tension
and in working out long-term solutions. We agree with the Secretary-General's
observations.
In East Africa the efforts of our Heads of State have gone a long way
towards finding long-term solutions to regional problems, in particular that
of refugees.
The joint commissions we have with our neighbours have been most helpful as
confidence-building measures. The United Nations should be supportive of our
efforts.
As regards Liberia, Uganda will continue to support the initiative of the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a peaceful settlement.
The groups in Liberia should cooperate with the EOWAS Cease-fire Monitoring
Group (ECOMOG) and abide by the terms of the accord they reached at
Yamoussoukro, which were recently reaffirmed by the Dakar summit of ECOWAS,
especially with regard to demobilization and peaceful transition to democratic
governance. There is also need for active involvement of the United Nations
to assist the subregion in preventing the situation from getting* worse.
The conflict in southern Sudan has been a source of anguish for us. The
people in this area have for long experienced the agony of war with the
attendant loss of lives and the problems of refugees and population
displacement. The path towards a long-term solution lies in dialogue and
reconciliation among the parties in the Sudan. Time is of the essence in this
situation. Uganda appreciates and encourages the efforts of President
Babangida and of the OAU towards this end. I wish to register our gratitude
to the international community for coming to the rescue of. the civilian
population with humanitarian aid. It is our hope that both the Government of
Sudan and the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) will facilitate the
international humanitarian relief effort, which at the moment is, regrettably,
suspended, with only little help reaching the affected population.
Uganda commends the fruitful regional and international initiatives for
the resolution of the social and armed conflict in Rwanda. Uganda
acknowledges and supports the ongoing dialogue, under Tanzanian mediation,
between the Government of Rwanda and the Rwandese Patriotic Front, in
accordance with agreements and recommendations reached in regional conferences
and under OAU auspices. Uganda appreciates the constructive and helpful role
played by the international observers in these negotiations.
As to Western Sahara, Security Council resolution 690 (1991) remains the
only agreed basis for the resolution of the problem. It is our hope that the
obstacles with regard to the criteria of eligibility to vote will soon be
resolved so that the way can be paved for holding the referendum as envisaged
in the settlement plan.
The Middle East crisis, at the core of which is the question of
Palestine, has been one of the most intractable problems on the agenda of the
United Nations. Peace in the region will continue to be elusive if a solution
is not found to that question. Uganda thus welcomed the United States
initiative in launching negotiations between all the parties concerned,
beginning with the Madrid conference last year. While we regret that no
breakthrough has yet been made, we are encouraged that the dialogue is still
continuing. We call on the parties to persist in their negotiations, remove
mutual suspicion, engender confidence, and grapple with the real issues that
will bring forward a comprehensive, just and durable solution.
Uganda welcomed the restoration of Kuwait's independence, in which the
United Nations played a key role. It is our hope that with the Gulf War
behind us, it will be possible to restore prosperity and to refocus the
energies of the countries in the region on economic and social development.
As regards Cyprus, we support the Secretary-General's efforts to reach an
agreement on fundamental principles for an overall settlement. We maintain
our position that the settlement should safeguard the sovereignty, unity and
territorial integrity of Cyprus.
In the Korean peninsula, Uganda continues to be supportive of the
aspirations of the Korean people for peaceful reunification. We wish to
encourage them in their dialogue for. this purpose.*
In Cambodia, we note the progress made by the United Nations Transitional
Authority in implementing the agreements for a comprehensive political
settlement. It is for us a matter of regret that there are problems with
regard to the second phase of the cease-fire regarding the regrouping,
cantoning and disarming of the various armed forces. We call on all parties
to the agreements to live up to their undertakings so that peace and stability
can return to that country.
Uganda has been deeply concerned at the continuing conflict in the former
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia was a pillar of the
Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. It contributed a lot to the Movement and
to the struggle for the independence of our States when the cold war was at
its height. It is, therefore, a source of great anguish to see that in its
breakup, Yugoslavia has become a region of instability, strife and war based
on ethnic and religious differences. We reject the notion of "ethnic
cleansing" as being repugnant to accepted norms.
The United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) has been functioning under
very dangerous and trying circumstances. It deserves our maximum support as
it endeavours to restore peace in the area. We call on the parties to embrace
the path of peace and reconciliation.
In the field of disarmament, Uganda welcomes the successful conclusion of
the negotiations regarding the Convention on the complete and effective
prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of chemical weapons
and on their destruction, which is due to be submitted to the Assembly at this
session for adoption. As a party to the non-proliferation Treaty, Uganda also
looks forward to actively participating in the preparation for the 1995 Review
Conference, which will decide on the extension of the Treaty. It is our hope
that the review will strengthen the Treaty by removing the present imbalances,
and result in increased assistance to developing countries in the peaceful
application of nuclear energy.
Uganda is happy to see that the question of human rights has a place of
pride on the international agenda. In both our domestic and our foreign
policies, we give high priority to this issue. As part of its commitment to
this end, a preoccupation of my Government has been to strengthen the rule of
law and our capacity to enforce those rights. We regard the proper training
of law enforcement officials as crucial. Therefore, this has been given due
priority in our programmes. Currently, Uganda has embarked on a process for
the enactment of a new constitution that should have built-in safeguards for
fundamental human rights and political freedoms. I wish to place on record
our appreciation to those countries that are rendering assistance to Uganda in
this regard.
Uganda looks forward to the third World Conference on Human Rights
scheduled to take place in Vienna next year. That Conference should provide
us with an opportunity to enhance the implementation of existing human rights
instruments, to develop new norms where necessary, and to examine fully the
intrinsic relationship between human rights and development.
It has been emphasized that people must be at the centre of development.
We agree. This requires us to strive for the attainment of social justice and
equality for all peoples. Our avowed commitment for human rights and
democracy cannot be taken seriously if it is not equally matched with a
commitment to address the problems of underdevelopment, mass poverty and the
social misery in which the overwhelming majority of the world population is
trapped. Durable peace can only be anchored in the bedrock of economic
progress among and within nations.
Regrettably, as we approach the next millennium, the economic and social
problems of the developing countries continue to worsen. The overall external
environment remains unfavourable, with most of our countries confronted with
worsening terms of trade, a crippling debt burden and a reduction in the flow
of resources earmarked for development. While there is increasing integration
in the process of production and the globalization of world trade, the trend
of marginalization of the least developed countries continues.
Of grave concern is the critical economic situation in Africa. The
Secretary-General in his annual report aptly describes the plight of Africa as
follows:
"Most Africans are poorer today than they were when their countries
achieved independence in the late 1950s and 1960s. The continent as a
whole accounts for 32 out of the world's 47 least developed countries.
Africa is the only low-income region in the world where the number of
people living in poverty is, if the current trends continue, likely to
increase by the year 2000. It is also the only region of the world whose
total debt equals or exceeds its economic output. The freshly-witnessed
momentum for political pluralism in Africa can hardly withstand a
continuing assault by desertification, famine and deprivation. Poverty
is infertile soil for democracy. It breeds a search for survival that
cannot be held back by national frontiers. The African countries need to
become masters of their economic destiny in a more supportive global
framework." (A/47/1, para. 62)
In response to this plight, the General Assembly adopted at its
forty-sixth session, in resolution 46/151, the New Agenda for the
Development of Africa in the 1990s, whose objective is to accelerate the
transformation, integration and diversification of African economies. The New
Agenda aims at achieving an average real growth rate in gross national product
of about 6 per cent a year through the decade, paying special attention to
such goals as increased life expectancy, lower rates of child and maternal
mortality, and improved health, water, sanitation, basic education and shelter.
Most African countries have undertaken major reforms of their internal
economic policies and mechanisms. In Uganda, for example, we are committed to
the liberalization of the economy and have enacted an attractive foreign
investment code. These reforms can be meaningful only if the external
economic environment is supportive and there is a positive response in the
form of increased investment and trade. It will be recalled that the United
Nations Programme of Action for African Recovery and Development 1986-1990 did
not achieve its objectives because of the failure of the international
community to provide the requisite resources. For the New Agenda to succeed,
therefore, our partners must have the political will to live up to their
commitments.
The System-Wide Plan of Action which is before the General Assembly
provides a framework for the United Nations system to give more focussed
attention to Africa. In this regard, Uganda strongly welcomes the
International Conference for Assistance to African Children, scheduled to take
place in Dakar in November, and we commend the United Nations Children's Fund
for the preparatory work already undertaken.
We appeal to the international agencies to earmark resources for the
implementation of the New Agenda. In this connection, we commend the
International Fund for Agricultural Development's Special Programme for
Sub-Saharan Africa. I also wish to register my appreciation to the Government
of Japan for initiating and arranging to host, in 1993, an African development
conference that will bring together African countries, major aid donors and
international agencies to discuss ways and means of accelerating African
economic development.
Two major conferences were held last year: the Eighth United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD VIII) and the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development, which culminated in Agenda 21. It
is necessary to maintain the momentum achieved at Rio and at UNCTAD VIII by
putting in place measures to implement those decisions. The Rio Summit
established a clear link between environment, growth and development. The
need to help developing countries achieve sustainable development was
underscored. It is our hope that the Uruguay Round will soon be successfully
completed and that it will remove the impediments to our products reaching the
markets of the industrialized countries.
In the report "An Agenda for Peace" (A/47/277), issued as a follow-up to
the statement adopted at the conclusion of the Security Council's historic
Summit meeting of 31 January 1992, the Secretary-General outlines his
proposals on how the United Nations role in the maintenance of international
peace and security can be strengthened. The report contains a number of
useful proposals on preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peace-building and the
role of regional groupings which, if adopted, will enhance the effectiveness
of the United Nations. We agree that regional arrangements in many cases
possess a potential for early warning of.
monitoring and defusing conflict situations, a potential that should be
realized. The United Nations and the international community should help them
to improve that capability.
The Organization of African Unity, for example, is in the process of
trying to establish a mechanism for conflict-prevention, conflict management
and conflict-resolution. Such a mechanism would strengthen the OAU's
peace-keeping capabilities. Any assistance given in this regard will be an
important and useful investment for peace and development in Africa.
I wish to emphasize that, as indicated in the Secretary-General's annual
report, underdevelopment and poverty are prime sources of conflict. The
United Nations, through its macroeconomic policy formulation and
implementation, has played a central role in forging global consensus on
development issues. As envisaged by the United Nations Charter, the
Organization must continue fulfilling this function, especially now, when many
developing countries are restructuring with a view to integrating their
nations into the global economy. We should therefore endeavour to integrate
our agenda for peace with our agenda for development. By strengthening the
Organization's peacemaking and peace-keeping capabilities, we should not, by
default or neglect, reduce the United Nations focus on economic and social
issues. Clearly, development and peace are so intimately related that they
must be tackled under a common agenda.
We stand at a historic watershed, especially given the fact that the
global transition period we are entering is marked by contradictory trends.
At this crossroads, however, a unique opportunity exists for the United
Nations to achieve the objectives envisaged in the Charter. Whether or not
the United Nations can help create a better world for the twenty-first
century, in which the interests of us all are adequately catered for, depends
on the structures we create now. History will judge us harshly if we fail to
construct a firm foundation for the edifice of the future. That is our
challenge.