I would like
to take this opportunity to congratulate the President of
the General Assembly on his election to preside over
the work of the Assembly at its sixty-sixth session and
to assure him of Angola’s support and cooperation in
ensuring success in the work of this session. I also
want to express our gratitude to his predecessor,
Mr. Joseph Deiss, for the competent and impartial
manner in which he conducted the proceedings of the
Assembly at its sixty-fifth session.
Allow me to also congratulate the Secretary-
General on his reappointment and to assure him of my
Government’s support for the success of his very
complex and demanding mission in the service of
peace and cooperation among nations, a cornerstone of
the mandate embodied in the Charter of the
Organization.
We congratulate the Republic of South Sudan on
its admission as a Member of the United Nations. We
wish South Sudan a future of peace and prosperity and
would like to say that the Government of Angola
stands ready to cooperate with this new State’s efforts
to consolidate its independence and its socio-economic
development.
We also welcome the establishment of
UN-Women. We are certain that it will give further
impetus to the promotion and empowerment of women
and the achievement of their legitimate rights.
This session of the General Assembly takes place
at a particularly complex juncture in the international
situation, which is characterized by so many crises that
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I believe it is not an exaggeration to say that they
challenge the very foundations of our international
Organization. If we were to list them, although not
exhaustively, we could mention the current economic
and financial crisis, which triggered the most serious
social crisis witnessed to date by our generation; a
dangerous environmental crisis of unpredictable
consequences for the future of humankind, which will
be irreversible unless the international community as a
whole applies immediate and courageous measures;
and a general escalation of violence and outbreak of
conflict, which, combined with the environmental
crisis, has caused the most serious humanitarian crisis
that humankind has witnessed since the end of the
Second World War. In brief, we are living in dangerous
times, where a combination of factors is endangering
stability, peace and security in the world.
The analysis of the current international situation
made by the majority of the speakers who preceded
me, and which we agree with, constitutes an appeal to
our collective responsibility.
A particularly disturbing factor is the current
economic and financial crisis, which has affected
virtually every country in the world, in particular
developing countries, with serious consequences for
political stability and social cohesion.
It is therefore urgent that we find solutions to
these problems. That will require strengthening
international cooperation on the basis of greater justice
and equality. Moreover, it is urgent that we take
measures aimed at deepening economic reforms within
States that promote economic growth and social
development.
Angola is extensively affected by the
international economic and financial crisis. We have
therefore adopted a set of measures to mitigate its most
adverse effects. Without prejudice to the maintenance
of macroeconomic balance, we have focused
considerable resources on social development and
combating poverty.
The theme of this session of the General
Assembly — “The role of mediation in the settlement
of disputes through peaceful means” — reflects the
deep concern of the international community with
regard to the need for an integrated approach to
resolving conflicts that affect it. That is what makes it
necessary to implement mediation efforts after
conflicts have started. Conflict prevention should be
the key element in the management of any area of
tension.
Respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, the
rule of law and good governance are key elements in
ensuring that any human society can live in peace and
harmony. They are also the main guarantors of
effective conflict prevention.
There are other elements I would like to mention
that are also important causes of the spread of conflict.
I am referring here to external interference, which, in
gross violation of international law, frequently
obstructs efforts at mediation and peaceful resolution
and prevents the reaching of solutions to conflicts.
Angola has paid a very high price as a result of
such interference, which for too long compounded a
fratricidal conflict that Angolans were finally able to
settle and wisely overcome with magnanimity, fairness
and inclusion, thanks to the leadership of our President.
The role of Angola and its contribution to internal and
regional peace should be seen in the broader context of
conflict resolution. In that regard, the implementation
of the landmark Security Council resolution 435 (1978)
led to the independence of Namibia and created the
conditions for peaceful coexistence in a region that had
endured extreme hostility and constituted a permanent
threat to world peace.
Imbued with a spirit of fraternity, the
Government of Angola has spared no effort in pursuing
its policy of effective reconciliation, which has allowed
the reconciliation of all its children who were
previously involved in the conflict. There has been
genuine investment in peace, which has been a decisive
factor in the process of post-conflict reconstruction.
Angola has served as a reference point for the
resolution of several conflicts on the African continent.
Moreover, we have spared no effort in sharing our
experiences with other peoples and countries.
Also in the context of conflict resolution, it is
important to strengthen the role of multilateralism
while adhering to the principle of shared responsibility
and shared benefits, recognizing the legitimate
interests of all parties and engaging in consultations
and dialogue in the search for workable solutions to
international peace and security issues.
There is therefore a need to refer to the
instruments of cooperation between the Security
Council and the African Union, as well as to the role of
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the United Nations and regional institutions in
preventing and resolving conflicts. It is of crucial
importance to strengthen the action of regional
organizations in the management of situations that may
constitute threats to peace and security. In that
connection, the Security Council has the primary role
in preventing and resolving conflicts and in
maintaining peace, in accordance with the powers
conferred upon it by the Charter of the United Nations.
The central theme of our debate has drawn
attention to the need for reform of the Security
Council, including the imperative of achieving fair
representation for all regions and increasing the
number of permanent members, thereby adapting the
Council to contemporary reality.
With regard to peaceful cooperation at the
regional level, Angola is a member of the Southern
African Development Community (SADC), the
Economic Community of Central African States, the
Gulf of Guinea Commission and the Community of
Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), which, with
several partners, has acted on the basis of preventive
diplomacy in the search for peaceful solutions to the
various crises that have arisen.
With regard to the constitutional crisis in
Madagascar, SADC mediated the recent signing by all
parties involved of the road map for the
implementation of the reconciliation process, which is
intended to lead to elections and the restoration of
constitutional order. That was an important
breakthrough in the process, which Angola welcomes.
Guinea-Bissau, our brotherly country and partner
in the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries,
has been the subject of special attention by Angola. As
part of the CPLP, Angola and other member States
have striven to establish a strategic partnership with
the Economic Community of West African States under
the coordination of the United Nations, aiming to bring
political stability to the country so that it can carry out
major structural reforms, in particular the reform of the
defence and security sectors. We welcome the positive
developments that the country is now experiencing and
we encourage the authorities of Guinea-Bissau to
vigorously pursue the process of stabilization.
The drought in the Horn of Africa is a cause of
deepest concern for my country and the entire
international community. The consequences of drought
in Somalia are felt even more profoundly due to the
prevalence of armed conflict, which compounds the
humanitarian crisis, shocks the world’s conscience and
calls for a redoubled effort by the international
community. Angola has joined the international
humanitarian assistance efforts under way, as well as
the search for political solutions to end the armed
conflict and open new prospects for a better future for
the Somali people.
With regard to the situation in Libya, the Angolan
Government hopes that the Libyan people can find
stability in the very near term. That can only be
achieved through the free exercise of their democratic
rights. In that regard, Angola urges the National
Transitional Council to promote genuine national
reconciliation and to form an inclusive Government, as
those are prerequisites for ensuring that Libya can
regain its rightful place in the African and international
arenas. However, we must make use of lessons learned
with a view to achieving more effective cooperation
between external partners and the African Union in
seeking joint solutions based on international law and
mutual respect.
Angola remains concerned about the limited
progress in addressing the problem of Western Sahara,
which remains an important issue on the international
agenda. We call on the warring parties to resume
negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations
and the African Union, so that the people of Western
Sahara can exercise their right to self-determination.
The situation in the Middle East, particularly in
the Palestinian territories, is one of the most serious
problems facing the international community. Angola
is witnessing with great concern the escalation of the
conflict and the lack of progress towards a solution of
the Palestinian question. In line with the general
position of the international community regarding the
conflict, my country advocates the establishment of an
independent Palestinian State, living side by side with
the State of Israel, in peace and security, within secure
internationally recognized borders.
As in previous sessions, the sixty-sixth session of
General Assembly will address the embargo imposed
on Cuba, which violates the rules of international free
trade. In spite of the timid steps taken towards
normalizing the situation, Angola reiterates its position
of principle by reaffirming the need to end the embargo
against Cuba.
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Angola has been making its contribution to
finding solutions to the most pressing problems. Within
the broader international community, we have sought
to cooperate with all countries based on mutual respect
and interests, upholding the highest ideals of peace and
cooperation for development. We will continue on this
path, firmly believing that the defence and promotion
of these principles contribute to the development and
advancement of all peoples.