I am honoured to
address this body. I do so at a time when the world
continues to face multiple challenges, foremost of
which for small island developing States such as
Grenada is the fragile economic, financial and
ecological situation. But despite those difficult
circumstances, the people of Grenada demonstrate
tremendous resilience. Resourcefulness, patience and
abiding faith in God keep us going forward. We will
therefore not relent. Our resolve is firm. Dedication,
creativity, renewed commitment to our fellow beings,
unwavering commitment to multilateralism and, most
of all, solidarity will help us survive these trying times.
Indeed, as it did in the past, this body can again
prove to be the perfect partner in our quest to solve our
problems, if only we commit ourselves to cooperate
more with each other. Carefully targeted technical and
other forms of assistance to countries most in need
would make a vast difference in the lives of millions.
It is in that spirit that I join the many speakers
who preceded me in congratulating you, Mr. President,
on your election to guide the General Assembly at its
sixty-fifth session. You have Grenada’s full support.
We commend the outgoing President, Mr. Ali
Abdussalam Treki, for his dedication and able handling
of the Assembly’s work in the year just ended and wish
him the very best for the future. In addition, Grenada
recognizes the tireless stewardship and leadership of
the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, as the United
Nations tackles the very complex array of global
issues.
In her July address to the United Nations, Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, head of the
Commonwealth of Nations, concluded her remarks
with customary clarity and insightfulness, affirming
that the United Nations is a real force for common
good (see A/64/PV.105). Grenada supports that
statement.
At the very inception of the Organization, 65
years ago, its objectives were to avoid future wars and
maintain the peace, and to partner with developing
countries in their social and economic development.
Grenada is satisfied that after more than six decades of
existence, those goals remain worthy of continuing
pursuit.
In times of conflict, strife, natural disasters and
other humanitarian matters, the United Nations has
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been the first place to turn to. Its relevance, role and
involvement in global affairs remain unquestionable.
Any weakening of its authority and effectiveness
cannot be in our best interests. The United Nations
must remain the premier organization for global
diplomacy and negotiations. We must do nothing to
hinder the United Nations continuing as a real force for
good in the world. Indeed, the United Nations must
lead, not follow, in global governance.
Times have changed. The world is facing new
realities, and the United Nations must adjust
accordingly. For that reason, the recent advances made
in United Nations system-wide coherence deserve
special commendation. The formation of the new body,
UN Women, aimed principally at promoting the rights
of women and girls and equality between the sexes, is
an early success of United Nations reform and is
embraced by Grenada. Our desire to actively
participate in the fulfilment of the noble objectives of
UN Women has led us to seek membership on its
Executive Board. I am hopeful that Grenada’s
candidacy will receive strong support and be elected.
Similarly, the United Nations must recognize the
inherent imperatives of democracy. Continued failure
to meaningfully reform the Security Council will deny
that body the political legitimacy it needs to maintain
and indeed enhance its leadership role. Grenada joins
with the Caribbean Community and calls for a Security
Council seat for small island States as soon as possible.
Climate change is rightly described as one of the
most urgent issues facing humanity and must remain at
the top of the global diplomatic and negotiating
agenda. Left unchecked, its potential consequences
could be catastrophic, particularly for small island
developing States. Recent studies confirm that over the
past five decades the planet has heated up and that 93
per cent of this warming has occurred in the oceans.
The consequential rise in sea level is already affecting
low-lying countries in the Caribbean and beyond and is
undermining small economies, ruining their societies
and threatening their very existence.
In that connection, we continue to call for
ambitious mitigation targets and to welcome climate
financing. Fast-start funding in the amount of
$30 billion, announced in 2009 and intended to assist
developing countries, especially the most climate-
vulnerable nations, has reached only a small percentage
of developing countries, and just a fraction of promised
funds has been released. Clearly, that situation has to
be corrected, for financial assistance must be
commensurate with the scale of the threat faced and
should be sustained, especially for small island
developing States.
Grenada welcomes the empanelling of the
Secretary-General’s High-level Advisory Group on
Climate Change Financing and the High-level Panel on
Global Sustainability. We anticipate that in their
reports the matter of appropriate and sustainable levels
of climate-change financing will be properly addressed
and promoted.
What an important review year 2010 is. We
applaud the High-level Plenary Meeting on
biodiversity (see and PV.10) and support the
call to halt species loss. We welcome the convening of
the High-level Review Meeting on the implementation
of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further
Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action
for the Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States (MSI+5) (see and
PV.18). In its capacity as Chair of the Alliance of Small
Island States, Grenada was privileged to play a
coordinating role in that important review process, and
we thank all, including our development partners and
the United Nations, for undertaking the process with
us. Now that this body has endorsed the political
declaration, we call for quick and full implementation
of the MSI+5 decisions.
Similarly, Grenada welcomes the Millennium
Development Goals and remains firm in its
determination to achieve them. Our report submitted in
the just-concluded review process indicated that while
Grenada has made progress, there is much more to be
done to achieve the established Goals within the five
years that remain.
It is our view that if our countries are to eliminate
poverty and realize their true potential, there must be a
comprehensive review of the criteria for determining
middle-income status. Many countries placed in that
category, including Grenada, are highly indebted and
deserve special attention in order to achieve
sustainable development. Small island developing
States cannot attain their full potential if they are
prematurely set adrift in the development ocean with a
false diagnosis of full preparedness. No matter what its
growth pattern or level, a country with 37 per cent
poverty and debt-to-GDP ratio of over 100 per cent —
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as is the case with Grenada — cannot be ready to sail
the high seas of development financing autonomy. That
day will come, but it is not yet here.
Grenada registers its strong support for the call for a
United Nations high-level meeting on non-communicable
diseases — NCDs. Currently, NCDs constitute the main
cause of morbidity and mortality in our region. Life
expectancy depends to a great extent on the avoidance
of such illnesses, and thus preventative policies must
be aimed at promoting changes in lifestyles. Therefore,
we view with a great degree of satisfaction the progress
made by our Caribbean representatives here at the
United Nations in articulating the need for such a
meeting in 2011. I pledge Grenada’s participation at
the highest level.
Grenada has confidence in the United Nations
and in the work it can do. We unreservedly support the
pursuit of international peace and security, the rule of
law, the promotion of democracy and human rights, the
fight against terrorism, the fight against the illicit drug
trade and the many other issues that threaten our world.
We also believe in justice. The economic progress
and realization of the full potential of a fellow
Caribbean nation continues to be stifled by a now
infamous economic embargo of over 45 years. As a
result, its people are humiliated by shortages and
deprived of basic necessities essential to decent human
existence. The vast majority of countries in the world
have consistently and overwhelmingly voted in this
very forum for its removal, but the irony persists.
Grenada again urges the United States of America
to do what is right and completely lift the harsh
economic measures against the people of Cuba, if only
on humanitarian grounds. In the spirit of fair trade and
good-neighbourliness, Grenada also calls on the United
States to honour the recent decision in favour of
Antigua and Barbuda in the World Trade Organization,
as that too would show respect for the decisions of
international tribunals.
Grenada reminds the world of the Caribbean
Community’s instant and pivotal response and
continuing presence in Haiti, following the devastating
earthquake earlier this year. The successful rebuilding
of Haiti will benefit all, and Grenada calls for a swift
delivery of the pledged commitments made to that
sister Caribbean nation.
We are obliged to work selflessly to preserve the
world for future generations. The avoidance of a
nuclear confrontation is one sure way. We therefore
congratulate the Government of the United States and
all other Governments that have put much time and
effort towards the non-proliferation of nuclear
weapons.
We are also encouraged by recent positive signs
of engagement between warring parties, and we hope
that political and military conflicts around the world
and, moreover, in the Middle East will soon come to an
end. Grenada is particularly pleased that the
Palestinians and Israelis are prepared to resume talks
over their long-standing dispute with a view to finding
a lasting peace once and for all.
We empathize with the many countries that have
had to cope with recent natural disasters: Chile, China,
Pakistan, New Zealand and Guatemala.
Over the decades, the United Nations has played
critical roles in almost every facet of global affairs:
political, economic and social. That is its strength, its
enduring mission. Grenada remains ready to work with
all who are partnering in political, economic and social
development and seeing the United Nations as a forum
for working through all thorny issues.
However, there will be no international peace and
stability if people are unhappy, if they have no food or
clothing, if they have no potable water or shelter from
adverse climatic conditions. There will be no security if
disputes cannot be settled amicably, if nations are not free
to determine their own destiny and if diversity among us
is not recognized and fully respected. The world would
certainly be a better place if we shared our world’s
resources to assist the more vulnerable among us.
I challenge this Organization, for another 65 years
starting with this sixty-fifth session, to harness our
strengths and continue to make the United Nations what
we all want it to be — a real force for good in the world.