165. Mr. President, the Niger delegation whole-heartedly associates itself with the congratulations extended to you on your election by acclamation to the high post of President of the nineteenth session of the General Assembly. In your eminent person, not only your beautiful country, Ghana, but all Africa has been honoured by your election. Your many years spent in this Assembly, the experience which you have acquired here and your outstanding qualities as a diplomatist made you the natural choice to fill the high office to which you have been appointed. My country welcomes this appointment and wishes you every success in a task which has now been made a delicate one but to which we know that your talents are equal.
166. My delegation wishes also to pay a warm tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Carlos Sosa Rodriguez, of Venezuela, for the competence, great distinction, objectivity and dignity with which he conducted our often difficult and sometimes heated debates.
167. Next, we wish to welcome our three new sister nations upon their admission to the international family. For Africa, this marks another step towards its complete liberation and the total elimination of foreign rule. The presence of Malawi, Malta and Zambia in our midst today represents not only a victory for a noble and just cause — the liberation of men — but, above all, a tangible pledge of the radiant future awaiting all oppressed peoples.
168. Since the opening of the General Assembly’s last session, international life has been rich in events; some of these events have been tragic, like the dastardly assassination of President Kennedy, while others have been unexpected, such as the sad death of Prime Minister Nehru. Important changes of government have also taken place elsewhere. There has been no lack of areas of friction; in many parts of the globe armed conflicts have arisen, or have, alas, continued, with the danger >that at any moment they might degenerate into a conflagration which it would be impossible to control.
169. The Government of the Niger has been happy to note that on each occasion it has been possible to avoid the worst, and that there has been no question of any change in the policy of "détente" which was initiated some years ago and confirmed last year by the partial nuclear test ban treaty. While we welcome that situation, we remain conscious that this timid beginning is still a long way from the attainment of true peace based on justice and mutual respect among nations.
170. The dissemination of atomic weapons and the fact that, little by little, further Powers are acquiring nuclear arms are a cause of serious concern to us, as to others. Let us only hope that from an excess of evil will come forth good, and that the dangers inherent in the proliferation of these terrifying weapons will lead finally to the realization that a complete and controlled ban on nuclear arms is essential for the world's survival. Pending the achievement of this goal, the Niger will support any initiative aiming at progressive and controlled disarmament, and hopes to see an agreement at once on the denuclearization of vast regions which are and must remain outside the sphere of great Power rivalries, and in particular the African continent.
171. Unhappily, that continent is still troubled by grave problems: problems which the independent States of Africa are unanimous in wishing to solve, at whatever cost. As an African State, my country has been profoundly concerned by recent developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Unswervingly committed to the principle of non-interference, we roundly and unequivocally condemn all forms of intervention, regardless of their origin.
172. We consider it absolutely essential that the Congolese and African peoples should be given a chance to settle this problem in an African context, with the wisdom of which Africa has repeatedly shown proof. We are sure that the efforts of the Organization of African Unity, which has already given its attention to this distressing problem, will always be guided by the sole desire to find a sound, just, African solution.
173. This leads me to another thorny question, that of the active support given by certain States to subversive movements aiming to overthrow by force the lawful Governments of other countries. This systematic policy of undermining the foundations of other independent States in time of peace is completely intolerable and, in the long run, jeopardizes any true policy of "détente". We therefore fully support the inclusion in the present session's agenda of the item proposed by Madagascar concerning "observance by Member States of the principles relating to the sovereignty of States, their territorial integrity, noninterference in their domestic affairs, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the condemnation of subversive activities" [A/5757 and Add„l]. Although these principles are implicitly at the basis of all international relations, we think it useful, when they are being systematically ignored, often with tragic consequences as in the Congo, that they should be explicitly reiterated and that their non-observance should be categorically condemned by our Organization.
174. Vast areas of the African continent remain under colonial rule, despite the condemnation of colonialism by the world conscience. Every year large majorities in the Assembly have branded and condemned the colonial policies of Portugal and the apartheid policy of South Africa. However, these fine resolutions have thus far remained a dead letter. What is worse, the two States concerned have further hardened their policies, as is evidenced by the recent executions carried out in South Africa notwithstanding the flood of indignant protests to which these measures gave rise. Furthermore, powerful interests have so far prevented many countries, particularly certain great Powers, from implementing the resolutions of the United Nations. We export these Powers to reconsider their attitude in this regard.
175. In addition to the problems posed by the Portuguese colonies, by South Africa, and by South West Africa where the Pretoria Government is still refusing to implement United Nations resolutions, another cause for concern is the situation in Southern Rhodesia. Naturally, should the present minority Government decide, in defiance of world opinion, to proclaim the country's independence without first granting equal rights to those who constitute the vast majority of the population, we should regard it as our right and duty to support by every means the just struggle of the people of Southern Rhodesia. However, we place our confidence in the United Kingdom Government, which has clearly defined its position, and trust that the United Kingdom, in virtue of the responsibilities which it still has in that Territory, will provide for the drawing up of a new constitution establishing universal suffrage and ensuring the free functioning of democracy.
176. We call for recognition of the right of self- determination not Only for the African peoples, but for all the peoples of the world who are not permitted to choose freely the regime under which they wish \o live. Both in Asia and in Europe there are nations which have been divided in two as a result of the political fanaticism and rivalries of. the great Powers; the abnormal situation in these countries is not only an intolerable hardship for their peoples but also a permanent source of danger to peace.
177. We are thinking particularly of Germany which, nearly twenty years after the end of the war, is still not allowed to achieve reunification through the free choice of its population. While we welcome the modest signs of an easing of tensions to be found in the recent measures to facilitate movement between the two halves of Berlin, my delegation associates itself with the efforts of the people of the Federal Republic of Germany, by every means in their power, to bring about self-determination through free negotiations, and the disappearance of the wall of shame, so that the German people, reunited forever, may live and prosper in brotherhood.
178. We are sorry to note the continuing deterioration of the Palestine problem and regret that the States directly concerned have not heeded the various resolutions adopted on the question by the Security Council and the General Assembly. Nevertheless, we remain confident that this painful story will have a just and happy ending.
179. With regard to the situation in China, south-east Asia, Viet-Nam and Korea, our position, which was clearly defined at the eighteenth session remains unchanged,
180. I shall not hide the concern of my Government at the grave situation resulting from the failure of certain States to pay arrears owed to the Organization. We African States are more aware than anyone of the need to sustain, at all costs, the constructive activity of the United Nations and its role in preserving peace. We therefore consider, in view of the findings of the International Court of Justice regarding certain expenses of the United Nations, that there is no room for doubt as to the obligation to pay the arrears owed to the Organization for the operations aimed at restoring peace in the Congo and the Middle East. Any stubborn refusal to bow to the decisions of the General Assembly would not only make it impossible for the United Nations to continue its manifold activities but would represent a serious set-back on the road of international co-operation. We therefore believe that the Powers with major financial responsibilities in respect of the United Nations should do their utmost to prevent this question, which is now political in character, from becoming a question of prestige and leading to a dramatic rupture which would be sadly reminiscent of the fatal errors of the League of Nations. Every avenue should therefore be explored in the quest for an honourable and just solution that will enable the United Nations to continue its work for the greater good of the international community.
181. For we still expect a great deal from the efforts of the United Nations, particularly in the economic field. 1 need only to recall the hopes placed by so many. States in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, held this year at Geneva, Even if the results fell short of our hopes, my country considers that the Conference represents a first step along a new road, and hopes to see new international machinery established for harmonizing trade relations between the industrialized powers and the developing countries.
182. The Niger commends tills Conference for proposing the establishment of a committee on the preparation of a draft convention relating to transit trade of land-locked countries. This step, which we consider very timely, has my country’s unreserved support.
183. The United Nations has an essential role to play in connexion with the grave problem of economic inequality among nations, a problem underlying all the other issues now dividing the world. Unless a determined effort is made today to reduce the gap separating those peoples which have all that they need from those which have little or nothing, we will move inexorably towards a more and more explosive situation between rich and poor nations. There is still time — although barely enough — to reflect on this situation and to remedy it.
184. These are the thoughts of my country on some of the problems listed on our agenda. This year as always, the Niger will give unswerving support to any plan or action that will enable the nations of the world dither to settle their difficulties or to work in peace for the development and prosperity of all, and, because we know that these objectives and this hope are the permanent concern of the United Nations, this Organization will always enjoy the resolute and unshakable support of the Government and people of my country.