My delegation would like first of all to congratulate the President on his assumption of the presidency for this session. We know full well that the tasks that lie ahead are indeed challenging, but we are confident that with his vast experience and wisdom he will discharge his responsibilities successfully. Whilst we wish him luck, let me also reassure him of the full cooperation of our delegation at all times. In the same vein, we would also like to congratulate his predecessor, Mr. Hennadiy Udovenko, for the admirable manner in which he conducted the activities of the Assembly during the fifty-second session. My delegation is very proud of Mr. Kofi Annan, our able Secretary-General, for the efficient manner in which he has been running the affairs of our Organization. His impressive contributions in the field of preventive diplomacy, as amply demonstrated on numerous occasions, are worthy of praise. Likewise, in the delicate business of reforms he is equal to the task, for no sooner did he assume office than he embarked on the reform of the United Nations. His success is our success, and therefore we will lend him our full support in our common endeavour to revitalize the Organization and make it more relevant to the realities of these changing times. We in the Gambia have also been busy with the transformation of our own society under the dynamic and enlightened leadership of President Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh, whose ideal it is to serve the youth and people of Africa by endeavouring to help them to realize their 23 aspirations for peace, stability and justice and progress in socio-economic development. Since we renewed our new democratic tradition, every effort is being made to consolidate this process in an orderly way, mindful of the fact that better and lasting results will be achieved only through a systematic approach. Moreover, cultivating democracy in the midst of poverty is not an easy task because democracy is, after all, about participation. If the basic needs of the people are not satisfied, they are simply not interested in any political process. Conscious of this hard reality, the Government of President Jammeh quickly put in place a programme of socio-economic development to empower the people and their families, placing great emphasis on social sectors such as health, education and agriculture. In this way, an impressive number of schools have been built around the country, and now we can boast of providing schools for all communities in the Gambia. Health facilities are within reach of all Gambians and are also affordable. May I at this juncture, on behalf of my Government, express our most sincere gratitude to the Governments of those friendly States — in particular, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cuba, Egypt and the Republic of China on Taiwan — for the medical assistance they continue to give us during these times of need. This is a meaningful SouthSouth cooperation worthy of emulation. I am only attempting to share our perception of what inter-State relations should be: caring, sharing, consulting and cooperating for the mutual benefit of all. I cannot think of a better way of cooperation between States for mutual economic development in a world in which the gap between the rich and the poor continues to expand. Now, whilst we are concerned with bridging this gap, we are overwhelmed by another hurricane-like phenomenon, called globalization and liberalization. Globalization and liberalization were recognized by many to hold many attractions. They were perceived to be the gateway to the integration of developing countries into the global economy. We however observe that while they are yielding ample benefits for developed countries, they have further widened the gap between developed and developing countries, as well as the inequality gap between rich and poor. Their impact on employment and socioeconomic development in general has been largely negative. We are concerned at this growing marginalization of the least developed countries in world trade. The volume of our total exports continues to be under 0.4 per cent of global exports. Increased globalization is further worsening the situation. This negative trend merits coordinated action to alleviate the situation. In this context, we welcome the General Assembly’s decision to hold the first high-level dialogue for two days earlier this month on the theme of the social and economic impact of globalization and interdependence and their policy implications. We hope that this meeting will have brought about active engagement of both developed and developing countries, in a spirit of genuine partnership, with a view to reaching a meaningful and successful conclusion and strengthening international economic cooperation for development. Globalization and liberalization must be managed through concerted international effort in order to avoid the further marginalization of developing countries. The overwhelming burden of external debt today poses one of the most challenging and daunting problems for developing countries. Much has been said about this, and very little has been done to alleviate the problem. We believe that there is a dire need for new financial flows to debtor developing countries, in addition to debt relief measures that include cancellation and concessional financial assistance to enable developing countries to reduce their debt overhang. In this context, we welcome the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and encourage early and urgent application of its measures. We would also encourage any refinements of the initiative to reduce the structural adjustment period to three years, to increase the debt reduction level to 90 per cent and to ease the terms for reduction of multilateral debt. The least developed countries have always received the attention and support of the international community, particularly with the adoption of the Paris Declaration and Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s. The realization of the primary objectives of the Programme — to arrest and reverse the deterioration in the socio-economic conditions in the least developed countries — so far remains elusive. The lack of progress in this regard is attributable in the main to the failure of the international community to fulfil its commitments. We hope that the declaration of the ministers of least developed countries at this year’s session will encourage our development partners to come forward and work with us in a genuine partnership. Poverty, deprivation and environmental degradation are the greatest evils facing developing countries today. 24 We agree with the analysis of the Secretary-General in his report on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, in particular with regard to the interrelationship between development and peace. Today, the world is besieged with conflicts, both interand intra-State. From the Balkans to the Great Lakes region, human beings continue to prey on one another with guns and knives, machetes and all other sorts of weapons. Unfortunately, women and children suffer the most from these conflicts. We cannot continue to allow this to go on. The time has come when people have to take individual responsibility for crimes they have committed against humankind. Ethnic violence and human rights abuses, a common feature of present day conflicts, cannot be countenanced and cannot be committed with impunity. My delegation supports fully the resolve of the international community to deal with the problem, and in this context welcomes the establishment of the International Criminal Court. We share the philosophy of Benjamin B. Ferencz, a former Nuremberg prosecutor, that “there can be no peace without justice, no justice without law, and no meaningful law without a court to decide what is just and lawful under any given circumstances”. The establishment of the International Criminal Court will ensure that henceforth humanity’s response to crimes against humanity will be swift and will be just. Henceforth, no army, no ruler, no junta anywhere can abuse human rights with impunity. The people and the Government of the Gambia look forward to the coming into effect of the statute of the International Criminal Court. One of the most cherished aspirations of our Organization is to ensure that all men live in peace. The attainment of international peace and security therefore remains one of the most vital preoccupations of our noble Organization. It is for these reasons that my delegation joins the rest of the international community in supporting the efforts of the United Nations to ensure peace and the resolution of conflicts around the world. My delegation would like to take this opportunity to commend the members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its Military Observer Group (ECOMOG) and other regional and subregional arrangements in Africa and beyond for the good work they continue to do in their bid to ensure peace and security. My delegation is particularly thankful to ECOWAS for the restoration on 10 March 1998 of the legitimate and constitutionally elected Government of Sierra Leone. We are still concerned that the rebels have up to this moment refused to lay down their arms. We urge the international community to assist the Government of Sierra Leone in its effort to restore control over all its territory and to concentrate its energies on national reconciliation, reconstruction and economic development. In this regard, my delegation welcomed the holding of the Special Conference on Sierra Leone that was held here in New York at the initiative of the Secretary-General and which we hope will contribute to the process of national reconciliation. In neighbouring Guinea-Bissau, we hope that the joint peace initiative of ECOWAS and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries will bear fruit, leading to a final settlement of the dispute. In this context, we recognize the need to respect the ceasefire agreed upon in Praia, Cape Verde, on 26 August 1998, which we consider to be an important step in enhancing peace and security in the West African subregion. The Government of the Gambia is concerned over the number, intensity and interrelationship among conflicts in Africa, and especially at the emergence of new conflicts during the past year. The border conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the resurgence of conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the impasse in the peace process in Angola, the continued violence by the rebels in Sierra Leone, and the complex humanitarian emergencies in Guinea-Bissau, Somalia and Sudan, among other problems, cause grave concern to us. In addition to what I have just said, we are also concerned at the difficulties attendant upon the present conflict situations in Africa, in particular human rights abuses, refugee outflows and the humanitarian needs of innocent persons affected by such conflicts, in particular women and children. The international community, in responding to these conflict situations, must address these issues and the root causes of the conflicts, including in particular the troubling issues of children in armed conflict and the flow of small arms. In this context, my delegation welcomes the actions taken by the Security Council to address these issues following the report of the Secretary-General on Africa. We hope that there will be a United Nations-wide approach to tackle these important issues. 25 The Lockerbie issue has dragged on for too long. It is about time that a settlement was reached so that the people of the great Libyan Arab Jamahiriya can be relieved of the bite of the excruciating sanctions imposed against them. In accordance with the position taken by the Organization of African Unity, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the League of Arab States and other regional organizations, the Government of the Gambia welcomes the concurrence of the Governments of the United Kingdom and of the United States of America to the proposal to have the two Lockerbie suspects tried in a neutral country, the Netherlands. Consequently, the Government of the Gambia reaffirms its full support for the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in its bid to secure a fair and just trial for the two suspects. In the light of the recent developments, in the quest to alleviate the immense suffering caused by the economic sanctions imposed on the Libyan nation by Security Council resolutions 748 (1992) and 883 (1993), and to avert any further tightening of sanctions on the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the Government of the Gambia is desirous of the urgent finalization of the arrangements for a lasting solution to this long-drawn-out problem. Following a review, therefore, of the latest correspondence on the matter between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the Secretary-General, and the agreement concluded between those two countries and the Government of the Netherlands relating to arrangements for the transfer of the suspects to the Netherlands and their trial there, the Government of the Gambia is of the view that the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya must be given the opportunity to make an assessment of those documents in order to ensure that its views and concerns are fully taken into consideration with regard to the final arrangements. Whilst acknowledging the great lengths that all parties have gone to in order to ensure that justice is meted out — and this at the earliest possible opportunity — my country firmly believes that Libya should have a greater input into the final arrangements regarding the hand-over of the two Lockerbie suspects and, most important, that the appropriate guarantees for a just and fair dispensation of justice should prevail. This would be in the spirit of the decision taken in Ouagadougou by the heads of State of the Organization of African Unity at their last summit. My Government would like to see justice done and the real culprits in the Lockerbie bombing identified and brought to trial very quickly. However, whilst we persist in urging that Libya be associated fully in the quest for mutually acceptable conditions of transfer of the two suspects to the Netherlands and trial there, we will also insist on the need to have all the proof of their direct involvement in this tragic affair being provided to us in the first place. As soon as a reasonable and acceptable terrain d’entente is reached, the sanctions must be lifted immediately and unconditionally. The Gambia’s foreign policy is directed by its national interest and that of the continent, as well as by the quest for peace and justice in the world. As members of the Security Council, we are obliged to ask some pertinent questions when certain actions and initiatives have a devastating impact on the lives of human beings. One such issue for which we would want straightforward and clear answers relates to the recent bombing by the Government of the United States of a pharmaceutical complex in Khartoum. What my Government seeks to know in this respect is whether, assuming in good faith that the complex was indeed involved in the production of deadly and prohibited substances, the Government of the United States fully weighed the consequences of such a terrible strike on the innocent people of the Sudan before sanctioning the bombings. In other words, in the view of the United States Government, did the satisfaction derived from the destruction of the complex in the Sudan outweigh the value and premium placed on the lives of innocent men, women and children on the scales of their moral values? This matter has to be investigated so that the international community’s conscience may be at peace. About the Middle East, we are disappointed that the peace process, which gave so much hope, has virtually collapsed. This undesirable state of affairs does not diminish our faith in the peace process. We recognize the right of all peoples to self-determination. We therefore respect the rights of the Palestinian people to emerge fully as an independent sovereign State. In this context, we welcome the adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 52/250 on the participation of Palestine in the work of the United Nations. We look forward to the day when Palestine joins the ranks of other States as a fully fledged Member of the United Nations. It is the wholehearted belief of my delegation that every people has a right to self-determination. This belief inspires the Gambia’s strong support for the aspirations of the 21.3 million people of the Republic of China on 26 Taiwan to exercise their right to share and participate in the activities of the United Nations. The legitimacy of their aspirations, both legal and moral, has been reinforced by similar actions and measures taken by the United Nations on the issue of parallel representation, which now stands as a useful reminder. We believe, in the same vein, that the people of Cuba have an inalienable right to determine their destiny. The practice of unilateral imposition of sanctions by one Member State against another should end with the demise of the cold war. As we enter the new millennium, all States should be committed to shaping a better world, a world wherein all States, big or small, are equal, a world in which relations between States are based on mutual respect and strict observance of international law. The situation between Iraq and Kuwait continues to be one of the most important issues before the United Nations. We would wish to stress the need to have this matter resolved expeditiously. We hope that those who have influence on Iraq will be able to secure its compliance with its international obligations and that it will resume cooperation with the United Nations and its bodies. In this respect, we urge the release of all prisoners of war, including missing Kuwaiti nationals and third country nationals. We encourage sincere cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross for that purpose. We also call for the return of the properties of the Government of Kuwait, including official documents removed from their national archives. My delegation is also concerned about the humanitarian situation in Iraq and the dire plight of the Iraqi people. We encourage Iraq to cooperate fully with the United Nations, which would end the present logjam and pave the way for a comprehensive review of the sanctions. All of us remain concerned about the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. We believe that there is no military solution to the conflict there. We urge all Afghan factions to find a political settlement to the conflict, under the auspices of the United Nations, which addresses all the interests and concerns of all the people of Afghanistan. Let me at this juncture reiterate my Government’s condemnation of the killing of Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan. We hope that the perpetrators of this heinous crime will be pursued and brought to justice. As we approach the new millennium, we are confronted with long-drawn-out conflicts and new ones that are emerging. Our world is thus far from being a peaceful and quiet place. At this stage in our history, we must all strive to enter the twenty-first century as a united, peaceful family that can proudly bequeath to future generations a developed, secure world where democracy, justice and equality are guaranteed to everyone, irrespective of origin, race, religion or political persuasion. We hope that the Proclamation of the year 2000 as the International Year for the Culture of Peace, which was first suggested by the Gambia during the 1997 session, will bear fruitful results. Apart from the numerous conflicts, old and new, my delegation is also concerned about the drug menace, which threatens the very fabric of our societies. This problem has now assumed monumental proportions, leaving no society safe from its lethal and tenacious tentacles. We believe that all of us have a stake in this problem — big and small States alike. We must therefore join forces as a common front in our battle against this evil. The Government of the Gambia is committed to curbing the problem of drugs in its territory and will continue to cooperate with all countries in that regard. The Government of the Gambia welcomed the twentieth special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem held in New York from 8 to 10 June 1998. We also fully support the Political Declaration, the Declaration of the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction and the action plans adopted at the special session. We wish to reiterate our concern for the growing and dangerous links between terrorist groups, drugtraffickers and their paramilitary gangs, which have resorted to all types of violence, thereby undermining the democratic institutions of States and violating human rights. In addition to the drug menace, the international community is faced with another challenge: international terrorism. The Government of the Gambia condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. While we again extend our sympathy to the injured and to the families bereaved as a result of the recent bombings in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, we call on all countries to work together to fight against the scourge of terrorism. 27 The issue of anti-personnel landmines and its attendant consequences is of concern. My delegation welcomes the coming into force of the Ottawa treaty banning antipersonnel landmines. With the end of the cold war, nuclear disarmament should be given priority in our efforts to ensure the safety of humankind. In this context, my delegation is encouraged by what India and Pakistan said about signing the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. We join those who call for a negotiated and phased programme for the complete elimination, by all countries, of nuclear weapons. In order for us all to enter into the new millennium with our collective vision for a better world, we will obviously need to reform and revitalize our Organization to make it more relevant and more responsive to the challenges of contemporary times. This idea has indeed taken hold, leading to the consideration of reform measures proposed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his report “Renewing the United Nations: A programme for reform”. May I take this opportunity to pay tribute to our able Secretary-General for his unswerving commitment to the reform of our Organization and his cooperation in this regard. It is our fervent hope that the success of any reform programme for the United Nations will be judged by the ability of the Organization to make a significant impact on the lives of all people, in particular those of the developing countries, as well as by real improvements in its functioning. In this context, we feel very strongly that reform measures should focus mainly on strengthening the role of the Organization in the promotion of peace and development. Any such reform programme should address the need to enable the Organization to meet the challenges of modern times and preserve the sanctity and centrality of the principles of the Charter. The last session witnessed a lot of debate on this issue. It is sad to note, however, that no substantial progress has been made. As we pursue this important task, we hope that the Assembly will defeat the hostile offensive which seeks to portray it as a “house of words”. Any concrete and workable decisions that may evolve out of our deliberations on this issue will serve as the litmus test of the political will of the membership to forge ahead with genuine renewal and revitalization of the Organization. No reform of the United Nations would be complete without the reform of the Security Council — the main organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. While some consensus has emerged on a number of issues on the question of equitable representation and increase in the membership of the Security Council, important differences still exist on many other issues. We urge Member States to continue to negotiate constructively on the outstanding issues with a view to arriving at a compromise that is agreeable, if not satisfactory, to all. Finally, as we continue to grapple with the reform of the United Nations and its organs after 50 years of operation, so must we also continue to address the weaknesses, inequalities and inadequacies that plague the international economic and social system, global trade, finance, investment, international development, and so on. We must continue to do this so as to achieve more meaningful cooperation and partnership geared towards the promotion of socio-economic development and the preservation of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. It therefore bears recalling that the important issues of women in development and the rights of the child should continue to be at the top of the international agenda. In this endeavour, development must be given the priority it deserves. Africa, Asia and Latin America must be given the opportunity to emerge from their devastating past into a future which guarantees for them all the benefits of democracy and peace, respect for human rights, development and the restoration of the dignity of all their peoples. This objective is realizable if we all work together, drawing inspiration from the Charter of the United Nations. North and South, rich and poor, together we can do it — if we believe in it. The United Nations provides the forum and the necessary framework to achieve the objectives that we set for ourselves on this small planet that we share. Before the United Nations was founded, the world experienced bitterly two devastating wars. When the United Nations was founded half a century ago, it helped to avoid another global war despite the cold war that ensued. Today, in this post-cold-war era in which we are confronted with localized ethnic and internal political strife, we need the United Nations more than ever before. This world body has withstood the test of time and history. There is no alternative to the United Nations; countries big and small, rich or poor, all have a vital 28 stake in strengthening the United Nations rather than weakening it. The United Nations is more relevant today than it has ever been, and we all should strive for its vitality and the respect of its decisions. We can do this only when it is clear in the minds of all that it is the common house of all the States of the world and that it should be perceived as being just and fair to all, in particular in the resolutions adopted by its Security Council. These resolutions should always be in the spirit of fraternal cooperation and understanding that prevail here in this General Assembly Hall. We in the Gambia remain very optimistic, and we know we share this optimism because the General Assembly is the asylum of humanity at large against the cruelty and pain of the outer world.