Angola

At the outset, I would like to salute the international community, legitimately represented here today. I would also like to take this opportunity to personally congratulate Mr. Ban Ki-moon on his election to the post of Secretary-General of our Organization. I am confident, Sir, that your able leadership, steadfastness and commitment will assist us in our search for consensual solutions to the issues that affect humanity in order to make the world an increasingly safer, freer and fairer place. Today, the world is confronted with global warming, a consequence of the atmospheric pollution resulting from human activity on Earth, which is causing dramatic and dangerous climate change. The world is also confronted with extremists who resort to terrorism and the use of religion for political ends; with growing militarism as a would-be response to terrorism; and with the hoarding of capital, information and know-how, all of which widen the gap between the rich and the poor and generate social tensions around the world. On the issue of terrorism, the model of an open, democratic and tolerant civilization, with a State that serves the interests of all, has shown that parties that alternate in political office in the post-cold-war period can coexist and fight for their principles and values through peaceful means. I believe that the same model can be successful if properly adjusted to the concrete realities of other regions. At the same time, we must continue to deepen our study and analysis of the threat of terrorism and use peaceful means to seek an ever-broader consensus on the collective responses needed to counter it. Islam can peacefully coexist in societies with other religious beliefs. However, it is necessary to neutralize fanaticism and prevent the Islamization of the State, which is contrary to humanity’s modern legal concept of a secular State. In our opinion, it is necessary to defend cultural diversity and to render more inclusive and fair the process of political, economic and social development; to support and stimulate, in countries that are predominantly Islamic, all the forces and movements that defend modern life and the separation of State from religion; and to support the values and privileges of the universal culture that are enshrined in conventions, charters and international treaties. This movement is immense, it continues to grow and it can be more effective than military action, which in our understanding should only constitute a last resort. Ecumenism and dialogue among cultures are other avenues for action that can be better and more frequently used to bring together the dominant religions and all the people of the world, based on the ideals of peace, solidarity and fraternity. The fight against poverty and hunger in the world, with a global plan monitored by the United Nations as an international convention, higher and fairer remuneration for commodities or natural resources extracted from developing countries and technical support to poor States would contribute greatly to eliminating social inequalities and the social seedbed and support of those who prefer violence. In this regard, the globalization of the economy must be regulated in order to mitigate the asymmetries between the centre and the periphery of the economic system and to ensure that each person has the necessary means for survival with dignity. Such regulation should further address environmental matters. There are countries that have experienced rapid industrial development without paying due attention to the protection of the environment. Other countries are now involved in an identical endeavour, thus increasing the production of carbon dioxide and worsening the greenhouse effect. It is plain that a new meeting of all world leaders is urgently required in order to approve and begin the execution of a global plan of environmental protection. We therefore support the initiative of the Secretary-General to that end, convinced that the countries that most pollute the atmosphere, such as the richest countries, should contribute more resources to its protection. Today, the Republic of Angola is in a position to engage more actively in this collective effort of solidarity for humanity, because the country has been at peace for a little more than five years and is moving towards complete normalization of its political, economic and social life. Proof of that lies in the fact that Angola has already signed all the international protocols in favour of environmental protection, such as the Kyoto and the Montreal Protocols, while contributing to conflict resolution and peace in its region and in the African continent as a whole. As a country that has recently chaired the Peacebuilding Commission, we are pleased to learn of the important progress achieved in consolidating the peace processes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Serra Leone. However, the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea and the conflict in Darfur, Sudan, still prevail, while the issue of Western Sahara’s self-determination remains unresolved. I am convinced that the Organization will remain engaged in the search for a solution to these problems in the shortest time possible and that United Nations forces will be urgently deployed in Darfur. The Commission of the Gulf of Guinea is currently headquartered in Luanda, where the representatives of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic met recently at the initiative of Angola. Both institutions promote peace, security, stability and multiform cooperation among their members, in consonance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. I must highlight the decisive role that regional and subregional organizations can play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. At the same time, they can alert everyone to the need to strengthen the mandates and the financing of United Nations peacekeeping operations, without prejudice to post- conflict activities, such as disarmament and the resettlement of populations, among other actions. In the particular case of Africa, it is in our interest to see the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) fully achieved, so that the growth rate of the entire continent can be aligned with that of the world economy. The reduction of extreme poverty by 50 per cent by 2015, as foreseen by the United Nations, must be accompanied by a decisive fight against hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and other endemic scourges. The effectiveness of these actions depends, however, on complementary achievements, such as fairer trade with developed countries, greater fluidity in the transfer of capital, official development assistance and forgiveness of foreign debt. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the reform of the United Nations system. It is nevertheless important to continue to move forward in that process, especially in regard to the Security Council, with the objective of strengthening the authority and the effectiveness of the Organization and making it more representative, more democratic and more participatory in the areas of international security, development and human rights. In spite of criticism and some known failures, the United Nations remains the only institution at the international level with the prestige and credibility to resolve inter-State conflicts and crises that, due to their dimensions, escape the control of the authorities of a State or endanger its population. The United Nations-led fight against conventional, nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and landmines, in addition to the peacekeeping and humanitarian operations of the Blue Helmets in many regions, have contributed to greater world security. In that regard, it is important to strengthen the monitoring of the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), so as to move towards a global disarmament process and discourage a new arms race. It is also urgent to relaunch the Middle East peace process in a committed and comprehensive manner, for the Middle East remains unstable and the source of a constant threat to world peace. A recurring theme in the Assembly’s agenda is the embargo against Cuba. It is imperative to put an end once and for all to the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America, as it violates the principles of international law and Chapters I and II of the United Nations Charter. Angola hopes that the United Nations will state its view on this matter and remain faithful to the core of its Charter, according to which all actions must be the result of a debate and a collective decision, thus excluding unilateralism. The challenges that lie ahead of us entail a constructive dialogue among all the countries involved, especially among heads of State and Government, who will have to overcome possible differences and impediments and will have to find middle ground between the possible and the desirable, between boldness and realism. We believe that through joint action, the promotion of dialogue among civilizations and the revitalization of the spirit of international solidarity, it will be possible to build a better world for all. A world of peace, based on justice and the rule of law, without weapons of war and without dangerous pollution is a safer world. Its construction depends entirely on the political will of all States Members of the United Nations, especially the permanent members of the Security Council. Let us all unite our forces for a better world for all.