Togo

First of all, I would like to express to the President my sincere and warm congratulations upon his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. My delegation is convinced that his skills, his perfect mastery of international issues and his unstinting efforts will bring the work of our session to a satisfactory conclusion. In the same context, I would like to assure him of my delegation’s readiness to cooperate with him in the discharge of his lofty mission. It is also a pleasure for me to commend the remarkable work done by his predecessor, Mr. Diogo Freitas do Amaral, who stamped the fiftieth session with the seal of his effectiveness and dedication. I pay tribute to him on behalf of my delegation. I would also like to congratulate Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali for the noteworthy way in which he has devoted his energies to the achievement of the objectives of our Organization and to enhancing day by day its credibility. He has all the respect of the Togolese delegation. The economic, political and social context of this session hardly seems to differ from that of previous years: the ongoing conflicts continue to take many victims. Moreover, terrorism continues to have a great impact on the world, and the burden of debt, with all its implications, holds in check the development of many countries, particularly those of Africa. All these phenomena cast a shadow over the international landscape and prompt concerns regarding the genuine advent of peace, security and prosperity, to which all of humanity legitimately aspires. It is in this context that Togo has endeavoured to consolidate the basis of a state of law and to confront the imperatives of sustainable human development to ensure the social well-being of its people. Togo has begun the process of democratizing national political life, and the process has had a normal and encouraging development, particularly in the last three years. The calm, orderly and transparent holding of partial legislative elections on 4 and 18 August 1996 illustrates the resolve of the Togolese people, with the impetus of the Head of State, Mr. Gnassingbe Eyadema, 16 to move forward along the road to democracy, peace and political stability, which guarantee social and economic development. Having learned the lessons of a difficult democratic transition, which ripped the social fabric and cast into doubt the achievements of its development process, the population of Togo is more aware than ever before of the need to preserve and strengthen its unity. By doing so it will be able to effectively meet present and future challenges, ensure its prosperity and make its modest contribution to the building of a better world. The President of the Republic and the Government of Togo intend to continue to work tirelessly in this direction, in concert with other members of the international community. They are satisfied to note today that the people of Togo, through the hardships that they have endured, have acquired a clear awareness of self-responsibility. Thus, having supported the efforts of their leaders for several months, they more and more firmly reject political formulas and organization approaches designed in other climes that have proved unsuitable in the context of their history and culture. In the view of many observers, the Togolese people, through the countless manifestations of its political will, is cultivating the authentic African democracy that we all desire. Last year the United Nations commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of its founding. On that occasion, the General Assembly observed in its Declaration: “The determination, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war' is as vital today as it was fifty years ago.” (resolution 50/6, first para.) The many ethnic or religious armed conflicts that still scar the international landscape confirm this view of the General Assembly and demonstrate the magnitude of the task still facing the Organization. Africa remains one of the world’s regions of tension, and our continent has been sorely tested by cruel conflicts persisting in a number of States. The Government of Togo deplores the fact that conflicts such as those in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Burundi and Angola have not yet been definitively resolved. The huge numbers of victims, refugees, displaced persons and the massive destruction caused by these conflicts should be enough to convince the parties concerned of the need to put an end to their disputes, which could tire the patience and perseverance of the international community in its efforts. Concerned over the deteriorating situation in these countries, the Togolese Government urges the various actors to seek a peaceful solution to their disputes, through dialogue and cooperation, so that their peoples can at last find the peace and stability necessary for their development. With respect more specifically to Liberia, my delegation welcomes the bold measures taken by the Committee of Nine of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at its meeting in Abuja last August, aimed at successfully concluding the peace process begun many years ago. These measures, accompanied by sanctions, attest to the determination of the ECOWAS countries to do their utmost to find a definitive and lasting solution to this fratricidal and seemingly endless conflict. At this new stage of the process, it is important for our Liberian brothers to recognize the tremendous efforts made by the ECOWAS States, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations, and to show good will in order to facilitate the effective implementation of the Abuja Agreement of 19 August 1995, which provides the means to end this conflict and to return to peace and to constitutional normalcy. With respect to the dispute over the Bakassi peninsula, my country would like to pay tribute to the Secretary-General’s efforts towards a peaceful settlement. These efforts, which recently took the form of the dispatch of a good-offices mission to Cameroon, Nigeria, Bakassi and Togo, may help strengthen the interim measures aimed at reducing tensions, while waiting for a judgement to be handed down by the International Court of Justice. Togo is determined to work towards resolving all conflicts by peaceful means and to safeguard peace and security on the African continent. Thus my country and its President are prepared to contribute to the restoration of peace on the peninsula and to the normalization of relations between the two countries. In the same spirit, the Government of Togo hopes that the good will shown by the two parties during the visit of the Secretary-General’s good-offices mission will continue to prevail, so that the desired goal may be achieved as soon as possible. The persistence of these conflicts, which deeply undermine our continent’s development efforts, compels me to recall the proposal made at the thirtieth session of the OAU conference of Heads of State and Government 17 by President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo aimed at establishing an inter-African force charged with keeping the peace wherever it is threatened or breached. We welcome the various initiatives undertaken to that end to make this idea a reality, so that Africa, with the support of the international community, might better manage conflict situations, which divert the efforts of the African peoples from the priorities of economic and social development. Along the same lines, given the numerous conflicts the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution will have to face and in light of the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, it is important to strengthen the activities of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, headquartered in Togo. To that end, it would be appropriate if the Centre, established pursuant to resolution 40/151 G of 16 December 1985 by the General Assembly at the request of OAU Heads of State and Government, could benefit from adequate and appropriate resources so that it could fully discharge its duties. In that context, I should like to reaffirm that the Government of Togo, which attaches great importance to this Centre, will do its utmost to honour its commitments as the host country. The 1991 Madrid Peace Conference on the Middle East and the Washington agreements of 13 September 1993, inter alia, have sparked hopes regarding a negotiated settlement of the question of Palestine and the conflict in the Middle East as a whole. The evacuation of certain occupied territories of Palestine, the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the repeal of anti-Israel provisions from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) charter, and the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, are positive occurrences that bear witness to the progress achieved in the context of the Middle East peace process. Togo welcomes this progress. However, the difficulties that have confronted this process in the last few days, jeopardizing its normal development, are a source of grave concern for my delegation. The delegation of Togo is particularly concerned at the tragic events that took place last week in Jerusalem, which claimed many Palestinian and Israeli victims. Togo, which endorses Security Council resolution 1073 (1996), adopted on 28 September 1996, calls for greater energy in the continuation of the process until it achieves concrete results. It urges the evacuation of all occupied Arab territories, the existence of Israel within secure and internationally recognized borders, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. At any rate, it is important to achieve a just and comprehensive peace benefiting all countries of the region, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. With respect to the war in the former Yugoslavia, I should like on behalf of the Togolese Government to heartily congratulate the architects of the Dayton Agreement, signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, and to express our appreciation at the acceptable development of the situation in the light of the implementation of that Agreement. We would like to encourage the main actors in that conflict to continue to seek a negotiated settlement aimed at a definitive return to peace and stability in that part of Europe. Aside from hotbeds of tension, we must note that terrorism, which we condemn, is, because of its pernicious objectives and criminal acts, one of the gravest threats today to international peace and security. We welcome the holding of the Summit for Peacemakers in Sharm el-Sheikh and the recent meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 7 major industrialized countries and of the Russian Federation in Paris. The Government of Togo welcomes the various measures advocated at these two meetings in order to energetically thwart the activities of transnational criminal organizations and their agents. With respect to the safeguarding of peace through disarmament, Togo reiterates its firm commitment to general and complete disarmament, and supports unreservedly the efforts of the international community to achieve that objective. In this connection, my delegation considers that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), opened for signature by States on 24 September 1996, and which I have just signed on behalf of the Government of Togo, will undoubtedly contribute, if it is accepted and applied by all, to a reduction of the nuclear threat. This would allow the international community to make headway towards the definitive elimination of nuclear weapons, which is one of the most ardent wishes of humanity. As the Declaration on the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the United Nations states: “A dynamic, vigorous, free and equitable international economic environment is essential to the well-being of humankind and to 18 international peace, security and stability.” (resolution 50/6, para. 2) This unanimous recognition of the positive effects that a sound international economic climate can have on world stability is absolutely accurate. The growing indifference of a large part of the international community to the search for appropriate solutions to the current economic crisis is becoming increasingly disturbing. Indeed, while in the industrialized countries the overall socio-economic situation is experiencing positive developments and while the disparities in their economic performances are decreasing, we note with regret that the developing countries, particularly in those of Africa, still languish under the debt burden and have great difficulty in extricating themselves from the situation they have been in for several years. As has been repeatedly pointed out, the solution to the economic problems of the developing countries requires radical and innovative solutions, inter alia, the cancellation or appreciable reduction of their debts and the implementation of bold measures aimed at promoting their progress. My delegation welcomes the efforts made so far by creditors to resolve the debt problem. It appreciates the resolve expressed by the seven major industrialized countries at the G-7 Lyons Summit to take additional action to reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries vis-à-vis multilateral institutions and bilateral creditors that are not members of the Paris Club. It welcomes in particular the recent decision of the Ministers for Finance of the seven major industrialized countries, at their meeting in Washington, to alleviate the debt burden of the poorest countries, up to a limit of 80 per cent. Aside from the question of debt, my delegation is also concerned with other problems of development. Aware that they are primarily responsible for promoting their own development through sound and consistent economic and social policies, the developing countries involved in structural adjustment programmes have made enormous sacrifices, which, unfortunately, have not yet achieved the desired results. Thus most of these countries face serious social problems, including endemic disease, hunger, unemployment, a high number of unemployed graduates, strident claims by its citizens and poverty. To confront and resolve these various ills in a lasting manner, the international community must show greater solidarity and mobilize, together with these countries, to render them the necessary assistance. Moreover, in order for it to take off economically, Africa must stop being viewed as just a reservoir of raw materials. At this time of globalization of the economy and the liberalization of markets, it is imperative that African States become competitive in international trade. To this end, they must meet the challenges of industrial development through sustained technical and financial cooperation with the industrialized countries. Moreover, it is important that Africa not become dependent on the exploitation of raw materials, whose prices are constantly deteriorating. The pace of its industrialization must be encouraged to accelerate through international cooperation based on partnership and the support of developed countries, development-related bodies and the relevant multilateral financial institutions. In that connection, the Government of Togo, which created and continues to strengthen conditions that favour foreign investment in its free zone, inter alia, would like to express its gratitude to both its public and private partners and to the industrial development institutions that, through their investments and various forms of assistance, have supported its initiatives in this domain. The World Food Summit will be held in Rome next November. The Government of Togo hopes that the work of the Summit will meet with success and that the recommendations that will be adopted there will help to improve the food and agricultural situation so that the needs of peoples in this sphere can be met. Togo welcomes the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative on Africa, launched on 15 March 1996 by the Secretary-General. We see in this initiative a confirmation of the commitment of the Secretary-General and the United Nations system to give concrete reality to the objectives of the San Francisco Charter in order, inter alia, to support development in Africa. At a time when the economic and social situation of Africa is constantly deteriorating, it is important to duly appreciate this Special Initiative promoting a partnership between political and economic institutions and African Governments. One of the Initiative’s good points is that it deals substantively with problems and focuses primarily on action towards peace, political stability and development on the continent. However, in order for it to achieve its objectives, the international community must become effectively involved in its implementation by making a decisive contribution to the mobilization of the necessary financial resources, so that it does not become 19 simply just another initiative for Africa. My Government will devote the necessary attention to it in order to turn the situation to best account. In today’s world, where nations are confronted with the paradox of fragmentation and globalization, the United Nations, more than ever before, has a key role to play. Thus, in connection with the severe lack of resources that has brought the United Nations to the brink of bankruptcy, my Government is among those which believes that no reform of the Organization can succeed if the Organization has to fight for its own survival. It is therefore urgent that drastic measures be taken to ensure a stable financial base for the Organization and to put a definitive end to this payments crisis, which has paralysed it. The principal States in arrears should show the political will to help resolve the crisis. In the view of my delegation, improved effectiveness of the United Nations is a must; but it is also important to promote its democratization. We believe, therefore, that the Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council is proceeding in the right direction. Given the present configuration of the United Nations, and as noted by the Working Group, it is necessary to contemplate an equitable and responsible increase in the number of permanent and non-permanent members of the Council and to strengthen its links with the main organs of the United Nations and with the Member States, so as to enhance transparency. For many decades, thanks to the sustained efforts of the United Nations, multilateralism has clearly been the most appropriate framework for resolving problems relating to international peace and security and to development. The balance sheet drawn up last year, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Organization, was encouraging despite certain shortcomings. Nevertheless, much remains to be done. Greater efforts are required on the part of Member States, as well as greater resources, so that a reformed and revitalized United Nations, better adapted to current realities, can respond effectively to the expectations of humanity as a whole. In the discharge of the lofty mission assigned to the Organization, Togo, for its part, will associate itself without reservation to any initiative aimed at safeguarding international peace and security and promoting justice, human rights and progress for the benefit of all nations.