Benin

We have gathered together here, as we do every year at this time, in the supreme body of the United Nations system, the General Assembly, to think about and exchange views on the important problems which concern the international community as well as our respective States. 151. First of all, I should like to discharge a most pleasant duty-to extend our warm congratulations to Mr. Hoilai, on behalf of the delegation of the People's Republic of Benin, and express the great satisfaction we feel about his election to the presidency of the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly. We regard his unanimous election as a tribute to his great merits and outstanding qualities as a statesman and seasoned diplomat and at the same time as eloquent testimony to the respect in which the international community holds his country, the Hungarian People's Republic, for its active participation in our common task of peace and co-operation among all nations. Our delegation is convinced that under his enlightened leadership our deliberations will lead us to important decisions that will help to bring about concrete action designed to establish a new international order based on principles of justice and solidarity among peoples and for the maintenance of international peace and security. Our delegation would also like to take this opportunity to express its gratitude and admiration for the masterly way in which his predecessor, Mr. Kittani, of Iraq, guided our work and the good will he displayed during the thirty-sixth regular session of the Assembly as well as the second special session devoted to disarmament and the seventh emergency special session, on the question of Palestine. We would also like to express once again to the Secretary-General the appreciation of our country, the People's Republic of Benin, for the thought he is giving to ways to make the working of the United Nations system more effective and to enable it fully to shoulder its responsibilities in the face of the serious problems facing the world. We would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the action the Secretary-General has taken with vigour and determination since his election in dealing resolutely with the delicate task of making the voice of the United Nations heard amidst the clamour of passions and injustices of every kind. 152. The international situation is extremely distressing. The world is in a state of crisis at all levels -political, economic, cultural and social-and we feel powerless when we see that, despite our efforts, the resolutions and recommendations we have managed to adopt in this Hall have not had the results we had hoped for in settling the grave problems with which we and mankind as a whole are faced. 153. The self-same problems thus re-emerge in a more acute form. The serious events that have recently shaken the world and that continue to persist show the extent to which the international situation has deteriorated. Indeed, we are witnessing a sudden increased level of tension in the sensitive areas of the world that defies reason, and the exacerbation of conflicts is moving the world swiftly towards an explosion fraught with unforeseeable consequences. 154. .We are extremely concerned-how could we not be?-when we note that some Powers employ force with disconcerting ease as a means of settling disputes. Flouting international rules and conventions, those colonialist, imperialist, expansionist, racist Powers have systematized their irregular, illegal, immoral, amoral practices. Armed aggression, military intervention, the occupation of the territories of other States, the use of mercenaries and open interference in the internal affairs of other independent States have become their favourite means of imposing their domination and of achieving the triumph of their selfish and hegemonistic interests, to the detriment of the rights of other peoples. 155. With the exception of the problems connected with general and complete disarmament and periodic crises, the majority of the world's political problems are centred in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The agenda of the present session of the General Assembly, like the agendas of preceding sessions, merely reflects this situation. Hence, the delegation of the People's Republic of Benin believes that the poor countries, which an unjust international economic system continues to make poorer with each passing day, are the very same countries as are being subjected to the most despicable policies and in which situations that no longer exist in the northern hemisphere have become everyday practice, although their peoples seek only to live in peace and understanding with others in an international community in which rules of conduct are respected. 156. In Africa, we must once again stress the importance of the problems of Namibia, Western Sahara and apartheid. It is not our intention to go back over the origin of those questions; rather, we wish to emphasize that the efforts of the Organization are being flouted by a coalition of powerful States Minded by sordid short-term interests, to the detriment of justice and the protection of the vital interests of the African peoples. 157. The situation in southern Africa can be explained only on those bases, and we have no hesitation in saying that the key to the solution of the Namibian problem, for instance, like that of the apartheid and the racist South African regime, is being held by those Powers friendly to the white racists of South Africa. In that region, where the voice of reason has been stilled and where relevant resolutions of the United Nations, particularly Security Council resolution 435 (1978), have been Routed by an oligarchy of criminals and racists, the oppressed populations have been constrained to resort to the only solution still open to them, namely, armed struggle. It is time for the reactionary supporters of colonialism and racism in Pretoria to realize that there can be no peace, stability or security in southern Africa as long as Namibia has not regained its true independence and as long as the abhorrent system of apartheid has not been completely eradicated. It is time for the Pretoria clique to abandon the easy resort to delaying tactics and temporising and to Ml into line with the course of history by participating in the process of negotiations on Namibia's independence. 158. That is why our country, the People's Republic of Benin, has supported and will continue to support the Namibian people and its leaders, SWAPO, headed by our brother Sam Nujoma, until the achievement of total victory and independence without any political or territorial restriction. For the same reason we categorically reject the claim that there is a link between the presence of Cuban forces in the People's Republic of Angola and the process of decolonization of Namibia. 159. Likewise, the South African combatants struggling for the establishment of equality Justice and the eradication of racism in their homeland have always enjoyed the support of the People's Republic of Benin and deserve a greater degree of support from the Organization. In this connection the People's Republic of Benin has always advocated and will continue to call for the cessation of the organized murder of South African nationalists and for the liberation of Nelson Mandela and all the South African patriots and nationalists imprisoned or arrested by the Pretoria clique for having spoken out loudly against a system of government founded on racial discrimination and for having taken vigorous action to put an end to the anachronism and the scourge of our century, must be denounced and condemned by the international community. 160. Caught up in the spiral of a policy which seems to embody human folly those who practise apartheid attempt to export to countries of the region the violence and desolation which they inflict every day upon the people of many districts which for them are nothing but Bantustans. States Members the United Nations are daily attacked by South Africa, and with impunity. Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe are constantly diverted from their task of national reconstruction and development in order to defend themselves against an enemy financed by and under the protection of international imperialism. In the face of these intolerable acts of the so-called South African Republic, the Organization must make greater efforts to prevent its decisions from being cynically flouted and treated with derision. We owe it to ourselves to condemn the acts of aggression and destabilization perpetrated by the South African racists against Angola and the front-line States, and we must also disapprove of the use of mercenaries, a particular scourge of our century. 161. The international community must remain firmly behind SWAPO and support its just struggle for self-determination, national liberation an independence of a united and prosperous Namibia. The Security Council must take all necessary measures to ensure respect for its resolutions and decisions. It must consider undertaking global sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter, including an oil embargo, against South Africa, to make it see reason. Resolution 435 (1978) remains the basis for the settlement of the problem of Namibia, and any other approach must be rejected. 162. In the same context we deplore the paralysis of the Committee of the Security Council established under its resolution 421 (1977), entrusted with the supervision of the mandatory embargo on arms for South Africa. Our delegation hopes that the report of the Committee, which is at present before the Council for discussion, will be adopted in order to strengthen the means of surveillance of the mandatory arms embargo. 163. We must with the same determination consider the situation in Western Sahara, which we mention with sorrow because the colonial invasion in this case is African and does not come from outside. The United Nations, in co-operation with the OAU, has adopted bold resolutions aimed at achieving the self-determination of the martyred Sahraoui people. Our country condemns the obstructionism and the refusal of frank and open collaboration displayed by the invader in the face of all the constructive proposals designed to find a solution to the illegal occupation of the territory of another country, an occupation which threatens the peace and security of the region, with increasing risks of internationalizing the conflict. 164. The People's Republic of Benin supports the just cause of the Sahraoui people and condemns most strongly the colonialist and expansionist policy which continues to deprive that courageous people of the exercise of its inalienable rights. The People's Republic of Benin reaffirms its solidarity with the Sahraoui Arab Democratic Republic in its heroic struggle against foreign occupation. The desire to restore peace in the region demands that the Sahraoui Arab Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco consider forthwith the ways and means of bringing an end to that conflict. 165. Regarding the situation in the Middle East, no one should underestimate the dangers of the tension in the region. The aggression perpetrated by Israel in its invasion of Beirut and its policy of genocide against the Palestinians constitute a characteristic aspect of the policy of global Zionism of the Tel Aviv authorities in the Middle East. The stubbornness of the Zionists of Tel Aviv in pursuing this policy of aggression, occupation and extermination is encouraged by the unconditional and massive support of international imperialism, which provides them with logistic support, the arms and the finance-which is no secret to anyone. The barbaric aggression and genocide perpetrated by Israel, such as the recent massacres of Sabra and Shatila, deserve nothing but indignation and strong and unequivocal condemnation. 166. Israel must withdraw its occupation forces forthwith and unconditionally from Lebanese territory and all Arab territories occupied since 1967. Israel must return to the strict practice of international morality for the right to one's own life does not imply the right to exterminate others. 167. The Palestinian people have the right to a national life, a country with recognized, secure and guaranteed boundaries and their own territorial entity. The People's Republic of Benin will always join in bilateral and multilateral efforts effectively to achieve that objective. 168. The international community must become increasingly aware of the grave situation in the Middle East and find the means to make the Zionist aggressors understand that they are placing international peace and security at risk, for peace in the Middle East necessarily involves the proper settlement of the Palestinian problem. The People's Republic of Benin condemns the Zionist policy in the Middle East and supports the struggle of the Palestinian people and their right to their own homeland. The People's Republic of Benin reaffirms its political and diplomatic support for the PLO, the sole representative of the oppressed people of Palestine. By the same token we should like to reaffirm our support for the people of Cyprus in their legitimate struggle for the reunification and integrity of their territory, for peace between the two communities, and against foreign interference. 170. In Asia, although the echo of gun fire seems to have diminished lately, political and military tension is nevertheless high. Hence our delegation stresses its condemnation of all imperialist manoeuvres in that region designed to revive those crises that the determination of the peoples involved is gradually resolving. The Kampuchean and Afghan peoples alone have the right to choose their own political systems and we condemn any interference in the internal affairs of Kampuchea and Afghanistan. The peoples of those two countries must be left free to decide their destiny, and threats to their security and foreign occupation must cease. This is a meaningful massage for real peace in the region. 171. The People's Republic of Benin has recognized and will continue to recognize the People's Revolutionary Council of Kampuchea and supports all its efforts to achieve the political unification of the country and oppose foreign aggression and interference by international imperialist factions. 172. The people of Korea aspire to peace and to the peaceful reunification of their homeland free from foreign interference. This is the feeling in both the south and the north of the peninsula. The People's Republic of Benin welcomes the efforts of the North Korean authorities to bring about the peaceful reunification of the great Korean country. In order to achieve this objective the Korean people must be free to decide their future. Thus we call for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the peninsula. This is the only way to ensure a definitive and viable settlement of the Korean crisis. The People's Republic of Benin affirms its firm and unswerving support for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in its valiant efforts to put an end to the artificial and arbitrary division of Korea by the satisfaction of the legitimate aspiration of the entire Korean people, that is, independent and peaceful reunification and the establishment of the Confederated Republic of Koryo. 173. We also support the people of East Timor in their legitimate struggle for freedom. 174. The People's Republic of Benin supports those peoples in Central America and the Caribbean that aye courageously extricating their countries from the grip of international imperialism and striving to take their destiny into their own hands. AH peoples aspiring to independence in that region should be able freely to express their views on their future. In this context, my delegation believes that the relevant resolutions of the United Nations must be borne in mind and respected by all. Blackmail and military plots of all kinds are constantly used to ensure the failure of the revolutionary experience of the countries of the region. The heroic resistance of the Latin American peoples, whose political maturity grows stronger every day, deserves our full admiration and support. Peoples that cherish peace and justice must continue to support the peaceful cause of independence and freedom of Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Grenada and others. 175. The Indian Ocean has become an area of competition where the great military Powers are building their own gigantic arsenals for a possible future confrontation. Gigantic observation, control and communications complexes rise above the peaceful waters of that immense Ocean and there are huge stocks of the most modem and sophisticated weapons on those floating bases. All these means of destruction stockpiled on that Ocean constitute a threat to international peace and to the security of the coastal States. The People's Republic of Benin, concerned at this race to militarize the Indian Ocean, reaffirms its support for all measures and decisions aimed at transforming the Indian Ocean into a zone of peace. In this context, the bold proposals of the President, Didier Ratsiraka, of Madagascar should be accepted and given concrete form. 176. The subject of the demilitarization of the Indian Ocean brings us to the problem of disarmament. It is by now no secret that when we bear in mind mankind's problems of life and survival the exorbitant expenses involved in the arms race are truly scandalous, if not utter madness: $450 billion are spent on it each year, when $20 billion would suffice for development assistance. Apart from the fact that this accumulation of increasingly dangerous equipment heightens the risk of general confrontation, it is also a heavy burden for the major Powers that prompts them to shirk their international responsibilities. We in the People's Republic of Benin are convinced that this arms race threatens not only the survival of mankind but also the economic development of the world. For the limitation or complete elimination of the arms race would enable the Powers which now engage in that arms race to channel more money into development assistance and the improvement of the living standards of their own citizens. 177. My delegation regrets that at the second special session devoted to disarmament the General Assembly failed to make any progress, despite the many proposals from all sides. The Organization must continue its efforts to achieve general disarmament, which at this time of chronic economic crisis could permit the enormous financial resources that are today squandered on destruction and death to be reallocated to the fulfilment of the noble ideals of preserving life and promoting international peace and security. 178. We make a most urgent appeal to the conscience of both the Soviet and American peoples to induce their respective Governments to engage in sincere and decisive negotiations to put an end to the arms and to achieve a balanced arms reduction so as to release large quantities of resources which could then be devoted to the promotion of the well-being of peoples and to assistance to developing countries. 179. Those, in our opinion, are the main political concerns of the international community. They are not new, and the Organization has continually been adopting resolutions to deal with them. But we must note that a great number of Member States flout United Nations decisions to such an extent that we must wonder whether the Organization would not gain from a restructuring-particularly the Security Council. It must be recalled that the Charter not only stipulates rights: it imposes duties upon States, as well. Legally adopted decisions must be implemented. At this juncture we would like to pay a sincere tribute to the Secretary-General for his commendable efforts to preserve international peace and security. 180. The critical situation in the world not only political in nature; it is also economic. Indeed, the international economic situation gives us growing cause for concern. The persistence of this economic crisis, which has lasted more than a decade and continues to deteriorate, brings to light a long-term structural phenomenon: monetary upheaval, galloping inflation, constantly soaring interest rates, unbearable instability in the balance of payments, and increased indebtedness are its main characteristics; they have harmful effects upon the economies of the developing countries. 181. The development of those countries is seriously handicapped by that situation. Their investment capacity is reduced. The acute deterioration in the terms of trade dangerously decreases their expected export revenues. Their production effort is affected and economic stagnation is compounded by social stagnation because of the increase in unemployment. 182. Until recently we have devoted our efforts only to the external manifestations of this economic crisis and have attempted to solve them with stopgap measures, but to no great avail. Is not the fundamental question really the problem of development itself and the establishment of new relations in the system of co-operation among nations based on international solidarity, justice and equity? 183. Since the holding of the special sessions devoted to the problem of development and to the establishment of a new international economic order, and the various North-South dialogues in Paris, followed by the global negotiations under the aegis of the United Nations and the Cancun meeting, there has certainly been an evolution, in terms of vocabulary, if not of ideas. But the facts have changed little. The intransigence of certain rich countries blindly attached to the privileges and advantages they have unjustly acquired prevents the appeal for solidarity from being heard and in no way fosters the establishment of a new international economic order. 184. The failure to restructure international economic life has resulted in a continuing, alarming deterioration of the world economy, which is not likely to reduce international political tension, since the economically weaker countries have come to realize that the economically stronger countries have deliberately been contributing to keeping them in the status of marginal States. If we want to strive for international peace and security, it is clear that this intolerable situation cannot be allowed to go on much longer. 185. International co-operation is obviously adversely affected by the situation. Indeed, we note a deteriorating spirit of multilateral co-operation, the principal cause of the stagnation in international negotiations. There is also a discernible disproportionate indebtedness in the developing countries. 186. How can those developing countries honour their foreign debt commitments, which amount to hundreds of billions of dollars, we know that they are undergoing an economic recession which seriously affects their budgets, when we know that their populations are suffering hunger, malnutrition and disease, when we know that 25 per cent of the people proceeds from their meagre exports is sacrificed to pay the interest on the various loans needed for their investments in the public sector? The gap, the imbalance, between the rich countries and the poor countries is continually increasing. 187. The rich countries alone monopolize 70 per cent of the revenues from world trade, 80 per cent of industrial activities and 90 per cent of technology. They are doing all they can to block the process of co-operation through the selfish practice of protectionist measures; we have seen an emerging and growing tendency towards selectivity in aid, accompanied by its progressive decline. 188. Rather than accepting the idea of global negotiations, which, in our view, could improve the chances of emerging from the present economic stagnation and promote justice among nations, the countries of the North are clinging to palliatives, to caricatures of solutions, which hardly conceal their desire to maintain their long-standing domination and economic exploitation of our countries. 189. The delegation of the People's Republic of Benin believes that the present economic crisis is extremely serious and deserves our full attention, and that no viable and lasting solution can be found without understanding among all parties, and without a spirit of solidarity. It would be pointless to think that a national or sectorial search for solutions could solve the problems. 190. Only global negotiations, bringing together both developed and developing countries, are likely to improve the situation, in the framework of the establishment of a new international economic order. 191. In the short term, we believe that the developed countries must try to reach the level of 0.7 per cent of their gross national product in aid devoted to the development programmes of the economically weak countries. Multilateral assistance must be revived; in that connection the rebuilding of the financial resources of institutions such as the International Development Association is of high priority, and there is an urgent need for a far-reaching reform of international assistance machinery and the establishment of a code of conduct for transnational corporations, which must cease to plunder the wealth of the host countries with impunity. 192. It is appropriate now to bring to the attention of the international community the inadequacy of the Resources of UNDP and the great needs of the countries that benefit from its assistance. The People's Republic of Benin associates itself with the appeals launched from this rostrum that UNDP be granted the necessary means, to enable it to carry out successful its activities for the benefit of the developing countries. 193. Our country, the People's Republic of Benin, suffers the consequences of the economic crisis all the more intensely not only because it is among the least-developed countries, but also because the consequences of the armed aggression to which it was victim are still being felt. 194. My country thanks the United Nations for the programme of special economic assistance established at that time and for the measures which are to be taken by the Assembly at the present session to complete the achievement of the goals of that programme. L would also like to thank all the States which have contributed to the implementation of that programme to assist the people of Benin. 195. That demonstration of solidarity constitutes support for our country at a time when it is making enormous sacrifices to build the foundations of its economic development. A round-table of the partners in Benin's development will be held in June 1983 at Cotonou. We earnestly hope that the States which have been invited and the United Nations bodies concerned will respond positively and massively to our appeal for broad participation. My delegation would be grateful to the Secretary-General for any steps he might take to that end. 196. We thank the Secretary-General in advance, and through him, Mr. Farah, the Under-Secretary-General, who personally worked to establish the special programme for the benefit of the People's Republic of Benin. His report, which will be considered at this session by the Second Committee, will make it possible to continue efforts for effective international assistance in support of the development effort of the courageous people of Benin. 197. We should also like to express our gratitude to Mr. Bradford Morse and, through him, to Mr. Doo Kingue, for UNDP assistance in organizing the round-table which is provided for in our 10-year social and economic development programme. 198. We should like also to reiterate the gratitude of the People's Republic of Benin to all the friendly countries and organizations which have tangibly demonstrated their solidarity with the people of Benin, who have been stricken by the recent floods in the south of our country. 199. The People's Republic of Benin, which is among the least-developed countries, is waging a courageous national struggle Car economic development. The People's Republic of Benin, its people, its party, its Government and its President, Mathieu Kerekou, hope that our appeal from this rostrum will not be a voice crying in the wilderness. We rely on international solidarity and co-operation for the success of the round-table planned in our country and for the achievement of the objectives of our programme of special economic assistance. 20C. Despite the accusations of ineffectiveness so often levelled at the United Nations, the Organization is an indispensable instrument for the protection of peace and security. Thus, it is the historic duty of Member States to overcome their national selfishness to make the Organization better able to function by granting it means commensurate with its purposes and its universality. Member States must act to ensure that the United Nations is not merely a gadget to gratify their selfishness; further, we must turn it into a real tool, operating full time in the service of peace, freedom, justice and the development of the people. Member States, large and small, rich or poor, must resolve to turn the United Nations into a real centre of consultation and action to promote understanding and co-operation among peoples and to bring about peaceful coexistence between States with different political systems. 201. May that thought inspire the representatives at this thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly to guarantee the success of the Assembly, a success to which the delegation of Benin pledges itself to contribute by means of dynamic and constructive participation. 202. Ready for the revolution, the struggle continues!