It is with
legitimate pride that I address the General Assembly, a
symbol of the resolve of peoples to pool their potential
in order to forge a better world where peace, security,
prosperity and solidarity will allow humankind to face
the many challenges before it.
My pride is as great as my country, since we as
a nation have just reached an important stage in our
history by finalizing the transitional process and holding
legislative elections on 28 September. Guinea has thus
joined the melting pot of democratic nations that respect
human rights and fundamental freedoms. It was able
to do so thanks to the assistance of its partners whose
action catalysed a fruitful dialogue among the actors
of Guinean political life. The elections have certainly
opened the path to widespread development blazed by
the Government so that the Guinean population can
finally take advantage of its rich potential.
I could not find a better opportunity than from
this rostrum to convey the gratitude of the people and
Government of Guinea to the international community
and to reiterate my country’s commitment to the
principles and purposes of our Organization, . I should
also like to pay a well-deserved tribute to Secretary-
General Ban Ki-moon, whose devotion and, above all,
competence have strengthened the central role of the
United Nations in managing crises and improving the
living conditions of our populations.
I am firmly convinced that the new President of the
General Assembly, Mr. John William Ashe, a man of
the South, will understand better than anyone what is at
stake in the theme for this session. I assure him of the
full cooperation of my delegation in carrying out his
noble mission. We also express our great appreciation
to his predecessor, Mr. Vuk Jeremi., for his efforts in
maintaining the Assembly at its highest level.
World peace and security are at the heart of our
concerns and should be the subject of our full attention.
A number of conflicts have been ended. Countries such
as Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Burundi have
been able to turn the page of war in order to dedicate
themselves to peacebuilding, thereby guaranteeing
national reconstruction and sustainable development.
The international community has the duty to support
and assist them.
In this context, I should like to evoke the case of
Mali, which is emerging from a period of crisis. Sadly,
the recent past of that brotherly country reminds us
of the vulnerability of our States to terrorism and
extremism, as well as the fragility of our institutions.
The international community mobilized unanimously
to maintain Mali’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
and to restore the authority of its State and constitutional
legality.
The peace that reigned in the presidential election
in Mali certainly augurs a new era of prosperity for
the country. Mali urgently needs assistance in order
to build peace, reconcile the Malians and rebuild their
country. It needs assistance to strengthen its security,
which is indivisible from the Sahelo-Saharan region.
We must always recall that terrorism never sleeps; we
must combat and defeat it. International security is at
stake.
Guinea will never abandon its solidarity with Mali.
Its presence within the United Nations Multidimensional
Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali testifies to our
commitment to the stabilization of the subregion. The
Guinean Government reiterates its determination to
work for the re-establishment of constitutional order
in Guinea-Bissau on the basis of the recommendations
of the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS), the African Union, the International
Contact Group on Guinea-Bissau, the Community of
Portuguese-speaking Countries, the European Union
and the United Nations.
The Mano River Union is an essential link for the
consolidation of peace in West Africa and deserves
our full attention. The international community, and
in particular the United Nations and ECOWAS, must
work to support that organization in its global approach
to meeting the security and socioeconomic challenges.
We welcome the determination of the Peacebuilding
Commission to assist Sierra Leone, Liberia and
Guinea in their efforts in security and defence sector
reform, while promoting youth employment and
the empowerment of women on the basis of national
reconciliation.
With respect to the Great Lakes region, we urge
the parties to renounce violence and to firmly commit
to bringing peace to the region via adherence to the
Framework Agreement of 24 February. We thank the
Mediator, President Denis Sassou Nguesso, for his
efforts to re-establish sustainable peace in eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes
region.
As for the Central African Republic, urgent
measures are needed to prevent a collapse of the State
and to avert the chronic instability that threatens the
country. We urge the Sudan and South Sudan to pursue
dialogue in order to solve pending questions, specifically
the status of Abyei province, and to relaunch bilateral
cooperation.
Given the deteriotation of the situation in Syria, the
international community must strive further to bring an
end to the relentless violence and massive destruction
of lives and property. Guinea condemns the use of
chemical weapons, which violates international norms
and human dignity. Robust action must be undertaken
for the destruction of the chemical arsenal in Syria, in
accordance with the Russian-American initiative and
Security Council resolution 2118 (2013). At the same
time, the legal framework prohibiting the manufacture,
stockpiling and use of chemical weapons must be
strengthened.
I cannot fail to raise the issue of Western Sahara,
where we call on all stakeholders to spare no effort to
arrive at a political solution. Our solidarity with Cuba
is as strong as ever as we seek to have the embargo
unjustly imposed on its people lifted.
I should like to weigh in on a subject of major
concern that is the focus of the international
community’s attention — the Palestinian question.
In spite of the many injunctions of the international
community, the Palestinian people continue to suffer.
Arbitrary violence, settlements and the seizure of goods
continue to be the people’s daily lot. Guinea reiterates
its unceasing support for the Palestinian cause, in the
belief that peace and stability in the Middle East require
the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the
Security Council and the road map of the Quartet, which
foresees the creation of an independent, sovereign and
viable Palestinian State living side by side and in peace
with Israel within safe and internationally recognized
borders. We express the hope that the negotiations
under way will enable the Palestinian people to finally
enjoy their inalienable rights.
Ever since its creation, the United Nations has
spared no effort to promote peace, security and
international cooperation in order to ensure the
harmonious development of humankind. In this context,
the Millennium Development Goals were a source of
real hope for developing countries. The undeniable
progress made in many areas — growth, education,
gender equality, and maternal and child health — has
largely contributed to pushing back the borders of
poverty. Nevertheless, many important challenges have
still to be met.
At a time when the international community is
investing in the creation of a post-2015 development
agenda, we must recognize that the results achieved by
the Millennium Development Goals have not lived up to
our hopes. The eradication of extreme poverty depends
on the strengthening of the human development base and
the promotion of a competitive economy that respects
the environment, which is an engine of inclusive growth
and decent work. It also depends on governance that is
favourable to sustainable development in the context of
peace and security.
In this quest, the focus must be on the monitoring,
transparency and management of our natural resources.
We must join in international partnership on the basis
of reaffirmed solidarity and shared responsibility. That
must be our new vision. In the formulation of the post-
2015 development agenda, we must take into account the
synergies arising from the complementarity between
the Millennium Development Goals and the sustainable
development goals. We must also particularly stress
South-South and triangular cooperation, and promote
innovative financing in order to bridge the gap in
official development assistance.
In the unanimous resolve to fight marginalization,
my delegation remains convinced that Africa’s fight
to master its own destiny will be understood. The
determination of Heads of State on the continent to
adopt a common African position and to create a
high-level committee charged with forging regional
and intercontinental alliances around the post-2015
development agenda are part of the dynamic to build
a better world without conflict and poverty and their
corollaries.
My country has always believed in the value
of multilateralism, the only guarantor of peace,
international security and shared development. The
United Nations is still the irreplaceable framework
for cooperation and the management of world affairs.
Guinea, as in the past, will continue to contribute to
this lofty fight in order to ensure a better future for
humankind. That is why it shares the concerns of the
international community and invites it to begin setting
the post-2015 stage.
We leaders must outline how this new world
partnership will work. It is time to draw lessons from
the past in order to launch a fruitful dialogue in which
all development actors will participate with mutual
respect and collective responsibility in the emergence of
an international society that is more just, equitable and
more unified. There is a need for a new international
architecture. The world would do better if all nations,
large and small, strong and weak, effectively played
their part towards achieving the overall well-being of
humankind.
The Republic of Guinea will not cease its call
for the United Nations system to be reformed and
adapted to the needs of the moment. It is a question
of equity and justice. Our will is unshakeable and the
momentum is irreversible because the aspirations of
people who are passionate about peace, freedom and
progress are profound. It is high time to listen to the
voices of those who do not have a voice — the poorest
and most vulnerable. No one should suffer from hunger,
fear, illness or the spectre of ignorance. Our duty is to
leave to future generations an environment conducive
to sustainable development. Together we will save
humanity.