Mozambique

Mozambique associates itself with previous speakers in congratulating you, Sir, on your unanimous election to preside over the sixty-fifth session of the United Nations General Assembly. Indeed we feel confident that your wisdom and diligence will provide positive leadership and success for our deliberations. We reaffirm our commitment to support your presidency and pledge to fully cooperate with you and all the other members of the Bureau in the discharge of your noble mission. We wish to express our gratitude to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, for his commitment to our Organization and for his strong leadership in carrying out the work of the United Nations, both productively and effectively during the previous General Assembly session. Equally, I would like to commend the Secretary- General, Ban Ki-moon, for his engagement in promoting peace and justice and, in particular, for his tireless efforts to mobilize the United Nations family to adequately address the global challenges facing the world and humanity through concerted multilateral approaches. Recognizing the steering role of the United Nations in global governance and highly appreciating the wise choice of reflecting this important and timely item during the present debate, I request your indulgence to seize this opportunity to share some information about developments in Mozambique. As we move steadily towards strengthening the democratic institutions in Mozambique, we are proud to see that 49 10-55128 there have been significant achievements in both the political and the socio-economic spheres of the country. Indeed, thanks to the strengthened political stability that Mozambique currently enjoys, the Government is undertaking a comprehensive public sector reform and decentralization process in the area of public administration. Similarly, political and social stability and good macroeconomic management, supplemented by the attractive investment legislation already in place, have contributed immensely to creating conditions conducive to promoting economic growth and sustainable development. Our main goal is to eradicate poverty, as it is one of the major challenges facing our people in their efforts to improve their living conditions. We are fully aware that in fighting poverty we need also to simultaneously address other related challenges, namely, climate change, the energy crisis, food insecurity and the global economic and financial crisis, whose impacts constitute an enduring challenge, especially for developing economies such as that of Mozambique. All those challenges are interrelated and have multiplier effects on our competitiveness and growth efforts. The threats posed by the negative impact of climate change on our environment need to be continuously dealt with as a priority and should be comprehensively addressed at the national, subregional, regional and international levels. The devastation due to problems originating in climate change is degrading our environment at an astonishing pace. In fact, Mozambique and many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa are being ravaged by cyclical natural disasters that destroy major arable lands and thus reduce land productivity. There is no doubt that small island developing countries face the risk of disappearing from the world map. At the same time, it is also important to recognize the plight of coastal developing countries like Mozambique, which are suffering from the rise in sea levels. The heavy burden resulting from the adverse effects of climate change constrains the ability of our Governments to allocate the necessary financial and human resources to decisively address problems related to the environment. Hence, developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan countries, do not have the required financial resources to undertake the necessary steps to mitigate the impact of climate change. To that end, we are committed to continue working in a concerted manner with international development partners, especially the United Nations and other stakeholders with a focus on creating conditions for adaptation and local community resilience to the impact of climate change. Bearing in mind the principle of common but differentiated responsibility, we would like to underline that our association with the Copenhagen Accord on climate change is based precisely on our understanding that the global nature of climate change demands a true multilateral response. In that regard, we look forward to a successful outcome of the sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — COP 16 — to be held in Cancún later this year. We commend the active role of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to ensure a meaningful result of the climate change negotiations. In addressing all the aforementioned challenges, strong and able global governance is of utmost importance to ensure the spurring of the political will needed for concrete actions. The United Nations is the only intergovernmental organization with a universal character and the ability to mobilize such a capacity. That is why we believe that concrete steps to strengthen the central role of the United Nations in global governance are required, through providing it with the adequate resources and authority commensurate with its global responsibility to fully respond to the growing global needs. Mozambique will remain engaged in the ongoing process of reforming the United Nations to ensure its efficiency and effectiveness, to increase its credibility and legitimacy as a representative of the people of the world. In that regard, the revitalization of the role and the authority of the General Assembly as the most representative and legitimate organ of the United Nations cannot be overemphasized. It is here where everyone is represented and every vote counts in deciding on matters of common interest. So it is here where all the most important decisions should be taken — from issues related to the maintenance of peace and security, the promotion of economic cooperation and social and humanitarian matters to the promotion of human rights. 10-55128 50 Everyone should abide by and implement all decisions and resolutions taken here. Therefore, we need a strong General Assembly, well resourced and with the necessary authority to assume its responsibilities on behalf of the international community. Another important track of reform that we are very much attached to is the reform of the Security Council. Although there is no agreement yet on the level of attainment, we all agree that reform of the Council should be a priority in the whole United Nations reform process. It is clear that we need a more balanced representation in the Council. Moreover, we are of the view that a Council that is more fair and democratic in its decisions and actions would adequately meet the security necessities of the international community. For a meaningful reform of the Security Council, it is imperative that the historic injustice with regard to the African continent be corrected. Indeed, today it is no longer acceptable that a continent that represents almost 30 per cent of the whole United Nations membership and whose concerns constitute more than 60 per cent of the Council’s agenda is not represented in the category of permanent member. In that light, Africa deserves to be allocated permanent seats in any Security Council reform, based on the Ezulwini Consensus. There is also a need for a more coherent and effective United Nations system, capable of efficiently addressing and advancing durable solutions for the pressing economic, social and humanitarian problems currently facing the world. Member States should also continue to discuss and find measurable solutions on how to ensure coherence between policy decisions and the implementation of commitments agreed in United Nations international conferences and summits in the field of development. In that regard, Mozambique is proud of the progress made by the General Assembly on system- wide coherence. In particular, we commend the Assembly for its recent major step in the establishment of UN Women. I seize this opportunity to reiterate our congratulations to Her Excellency Ms. Michelle Bachelet on her appointment as Under-Secretary- General of the new entity and pledge our full support for and readiness to collaborate on the successful accomplishment of the task of bringing gender equality and the empowerment of women to the forefront of the United Nations work. It is also a fact that, although we are open to seeing the result of the independent evaluation of the One United Nations pilot country initiative, it is our strong belief that the progress made so far in the implementation of that initiative is extremely encouraging. Therefore we call on the United Nations to support all countries that voluntarily decide to embark on the process of making the United Nations system work in a more coherent manner at the country level. With regard to the maintenance of international peace and security, Mozambique is committed to continuing to share its experience in the peaceful resolution of conflicts, particularly in southern Africa. In our subregion, we share important responsibilities in the promotion of peace and security, as well as with regard to regional integration as part of subregional and regional efforts to promote international peace and security and sustainable development. We advocate international peace and security because we truly believe that they are part of the enabling conditions that allow countries to concentrate their attention on dealing with other pressing needs, such as the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, the fight against international crime and drug trafficking, addressing poverty-related problems and the promotion of sustainable development. It is worth noting that the political situation and stability in Southern Africa have improved. Indeed, the process of implementing the Global Political Agreement in Zimbabwe has made significant strides. We also remain committed, under the auspices of the Southern African Development Community, to finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict in Madagascar. We are encouraged by the progress being made in stabilizing the political situation in Guinea-Bissau, especially the ongoing reform of the armed forces and the public administration. I take this opportunity to call on the international community to continue supporting the ongoing efforts of the Community of Portuguese- speaking Countries and of the United Nations to find a sustainable and lasting peace in that sister country. Mozambique reiterates its support for the efforts of the international community to find a lasting 51 10-55128 solution to the problem of Western Sahara, and for the right of that country’s people to self-determination. Mozambique is concerned that despite all continued international efforts, it has not been possible to bring about peace and stability in the Middle East. Mozambique is deeply concerned about the volatile situation in that region, where the conflict between Israel and Palestine continues to deprive the Palestinian people of the realization of their fundamental human rights, including the right to their own land and resources and to live in peace with all neighbouring countries, including, obviously, Israel. We need a strong United Nations that can play a central role in mobilizing Member States and the international community at large to commit and fully contribute to regional and international peace and security and to an enabling environment for the promotion of sustainable development. That is why we believe in multilateralism. We reiterate our commitment to work in collaboration with all States Members of the Organization in the pursuit of our common goals to make the world a better place for all humanity.