Belgium

Twelve months ago, I stood here and insisted upon the importance of the principle of accountability. This year there is even more reason to underscore this core value in national and international politics. In several countries of the Arab world — in Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere — people are transforming the outlook of their societies, moving towards more accountable leadership. On the African continent, in Côte d’Ivoire a leader who repeatedly plunged his country into violence did not stand the test of democratic legitimacy. With parliamentary elections scheduled to take place later this year, Côte d’Ivoire is now ready to make a fresh start. And in Europe the arrest of Ratko Mladic confirms what leaders should know all too well: that war crimes will not remain unpunished for ever, that this world will not accept impunity. The past year has shown that, more than ever, history is on the side of those who, worldwide, strive for more accountability. They will find Belgium on their side. Accountability means first of all legal accountability: the obligation to implement international treaties and to respect international law. A former Nuremberg prosecutor, Benjamin Ferencz, stated, “There can be no peace without justice, no justice without law and no meaningful law without a Court to decide what is just and lawful under any given circumstance”. Some of the examples I have just mentioned illustrate that all too well. Ratko Mladic is on trial in The Hague. Mass atrocities committed in Côte d’Ivoire and Libya have been referred to the International Criminal Court. From this place, I would like to launch a strong appeal to those Member States that have not yet done so to adhere to and shoulder the Rome Statute, as a contribution to a sustainable and accountable international legal system. But accountability is of course much broader. It also implies political accountability. Governments, 5 11-51378 politicians and civil servants are accountable and responsible to their citizens, be it through the ballot box or through constructive engagement with representative organizations. Let me be frank: this is also a challenge in the continent I come from, Europe. We, as European leaders, should not run away from the obligation of being accountable to the people we represent. In the Durban spirit of non-discrimination, let me add: accountable to all the people, regardless of their ethnic background, their religion or belief, their gender, sexual orientation or social position. Worldwide, the challenges are sometimes of a different order. Let us be clear. Leaders who believe that they can cling to power through terror and suppression make a cruel mistake. Leaders who believe that pointing guns at their own people, that sending death squads on to the streets, that stoning women to death is acceptable, have lost touch with humankind and are bound to lose all support, not only from their own people but also from the world. Warlords who think that they can get away with sexual abuse of women and recruiting child soldiers should be stopped and held accountable by a united and firm international community. Belgium will not stand idly by when people claim a future free of coercion and terror. Instead of non-interference, Belgium believes in non-indifference. Sovereignty cannot be a wall that leaders can use to violate the rights of their citizens. Sovereignty cannot be used as an excuse to run away from the responsibility to protect their people. This is one of the main lessons that I draw from recent events in the Arab world: that democracy and accountability are of a universal nature; that they cannot be claimed, and should not be claimed, by any nation or group of nations. Take the case of Libya, where the Security Council was able to prevent a massacre in Benghazi. Belgium decided, with almost unanimous support in Parliament, to take part in the military Operation Unified Protector, assuming the risk and the cost. That was because Belgium is convinced that the international community has the responsibility to take action when populations are exposed to imminent danger. Molière said long ago that we are responsible not only for what we do, but for what we do not do. Today, now that the immediate danger is fading, the international community has a responsibility to help in the reconstruction of Libya. Let us not forget that that responsibility is an integral part of the responsibility to protect. Belgium will contribute. Let us look at the rest of the African continent, whose peoples want their voice to be heard through free and fair elections. In that context, I wish to make specific mention of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where, after years of violence, undeniable progress has been made. The important part played by the United Nations, and in particular by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, cannot be ignored. There are still significant challenges to be overcome. They include the continuation and strengthening of stabilization efforts in the east of country, the reform of the security sector, the establishment of the rule of law and countering impunity and sexual violence. Those are essential ingredients in the consolidation of democracy. The 2006 elections put the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the road to democracy. The elections to be held at the end of November should confirm that the Democratic Republic of the Congo is ready once and for all to move on from its bloody past. As an important partner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, my Government is contributing financially to the preparations for the elections, and demands that every candidate and every citizen be able to participate peacefully and with full respect for democratic rules. Let us finally look at the Middle East, a conflict region that has this week received much attention here in the Hall. Dag Hammarskjöld, to whom this week is dedicated and who himself devoted much of his effort to finding a lasting peace in that region, said more than half a century ago: “The building of a firm bridge … over which you can pass without any difficulties may be a long story”. More than 50 years later, we still do not have such a “firm bridge”. That is not acceptable. 11-51378 6 The parameters of a sustainable solution are well known. Both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples have legitimate aspirations. People want statehood. People want to live in peace and security. These were the messages that President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu brought us yesterday. It must be possible to satisfy both legitimate needs. Over the past few months, the European Union and its High Representative have spared no effort to get a process of negotiations started. There is no alternative to negotiations, however difficult and risky the path may be. It is therefore my sincere hope that the steps proposed by the Quartet yesterday will be fully implemented. It is also clear that the Palestinian Authority has successfully progressed on the road to statehood, also thanks to the important and sustained contributions by the European Union and by Belgium, and that it has now reached a level of statehood that the world cannot ignore. Now is the time to show leadership. After all, that is what accountability towards the people of the region is all about. Many have said it before: the global challenges we face are multiple. They range from terrorism to climate change and sustainable development — in which regard the upcoming United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development will ask a lot of our energy and creativity in the months ahead; from financial turmoil to terrible humanitarian tragedies like the one in the Horn of Africa; from banning cluster munitions to curbing nuclear proliferation, notably in North Korea and Iran; from guaranteeing the responsible and transparent exploitation of natural resources through schemes such as the Kimberley Process; through to fully implementing the indicators of the landmark Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security. For Belgium, the only way to address those challenges is through a multilateral approach. No country, however big or important, is capable of tackling global challenges alone. No country, however modest in size it may be, should think that it cannot be part of the solution. Multilateralism is not about blocking solutions. It should lead to change, and should have at its centre the United Nations, which indeed has proved its added value in so many fields. Let me mention just one such field to which Belgium attaches particular importance: international conflict mediation. When the Secretary-General addressed us earlier this week he mentioned Guinea, Kenya and Kyrgyzstan as United Nations mediation successes. The list is undoubtedly longer, but so are the needs. I am therefore grateful to the President of the General Assembly for choosing mediation as a central theme for our debate. I strongly believe that the United Nations should continue to invest in strengthening its mediation capacities. I am proud to announce that Belgium has decided to financially support the United Nations Mediation Support Unit and to actively engage with the President and with other Governments and non-governmental stakeholders to strengthen the role of United Nations mediation efforts. Some say that the United Nations is losing its power as a global platform for discussion and decision- making. Some say that global trends point towards a more fragmented structure of global governance. I do not think that that is true. I would certainly not think that it was desirable. Belgium remains a staunch supporter of the United Nations. Our current engagement in the Peacebuilding Commission and our bid for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the period 2019-2020 show our willingness to play our role in the United Nations. Today I am also proud to introduce Belgium’s candidacy for the Human Rights Council for the period 2015-2018, to add our voice to those who fight impunity and discrimination; to give a voice to those men, women and children who worldwide see their rights curtailed; to turn the principle of non- indifference into a living reality. That is not for the sake of ourselves, but for the sake of those to whom we are accountable.