Trinidad and Tobago

Mr. President, I congratulate Mr. Al-Nasser on his election to preside over the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly, and extend the best wishes of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and of the Government and people of my country, on whose behalf I address the Assembly. I also welcome South Sudan as the newest Member of the United Nations. More than six decades ago, the United Nations was established, among other things, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, promote social progress and better standards of life in greater freedom, and employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples. Notwithstanding instances of conflicts that have threatened to reverse the gains achieved since 1945, the United Nations, with the support of Member States, has achieved some success in maintaining international peace and security. An important ingredient fuelling this success has been the promotion by the United Nations of the principle of the settlement of disputes through pacific or peaceful means. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is very supportive of the President’s choice of the theme for this debate, “The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes by peaceful means”. It provides, in our view, an opportunity for members of the international community to reaffirm their commitment to this important principle, which is not only enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations but also widely accepted as forming part of customary international law. The Charter is the primary legal instrument governing the conduct of international relations among States. Indeed, Article 33 imposes a binding legal obligation on parties to disputes to settle them first of all through peaceful means. Under Chapter VII, the Security Council is also required, as a first resort, to use peaceful means to resolve disputes that constitute threats to peace, breaches of the peace, and acts of aggression. We meet at a time when peoples everywhere are seeking more direct roles in the governance of their societies; when they are not prepared to be silent spectators to their plight; when ordinary, law-abiding citizens are prepared to die for the cause of freedom from tyranny and for democracy; when leadership that is anything less than democratic is unacceptable; when social media have united the peoples of the world into a global community with one aspiration — the dignity of the human person; and when the hunger of the souls of peoples of many nations for democracy cannot be appeased by false promises of a distant utopia. Above all, we are witnessing levels of youth alienation and restlessness that challenge leaders to bridge the gap between old cultures and traditions of governance with 11-51398 18 new aspirations. There will be no future that is peaceful unless the cynicism of the young is addressed. Developments in the Middle East and in North Africa reveal a global growing dissonance among the masses with regimes that trample on the freedoms fundamental to democracy and do not allow for participation in governance. In a world linked by social media, the risk of a people’s uprising that transcends continents and borders is real. It is a kind of social chaos that as leaders we must all prevent. If we do not, the gains we have made will be lost and a kind of anarchy could be set in motion. What are the reasons for all of this? They have to do with the perception of a denial that people feel exists today. That denial is political in nature in terms of shared governance; it is also material in nature, as it relates to the way people feel about how resources are allocated in their countries; it is also spiritual in nature, because of the general emptiness that people feel when it comes to realizing their human potential. Politically, the age of totalitarianism and anti-democratic leadership styles is over. When it comes to the use of their countries’ material resources, people wish to see more equitable distribution and application in ways that improve basic standards of living. The ability to eat even a single meal or to receive basic health care, education, affordable public transport and housing is today at the top of the list of people’s priorities. As leaders of the world, we must stop and we must answer. Now more than ever, the world must allocate its resources equitably, ethically, sustainably and transparently. While we at the United Nations generally talk about mediation as settling differences among nations, perhaps the real mediation has to be between generations. Leaders must now adopt styles of leadership that embrace active listening to the views of those governed. Leaders must develop approaches that build consensus and promote participation, since people now demand a greater say in how their futures are shaped. They want to author that future, not be dictated to. They want to arrive at a destiny that they have shaped, not one that is shaped for them. The defeat of economic and social demons will come about only when there is unity of purpose, nationally and globally — a reality that is possible only when the energies of all stakeholders are harnessed around a common vision. A common vision cannot be fostered when conflicts, internal or external, are allowed to fester. This results in the further alienation of people who often resort to violence and socially disruptive behaviour to solve disputes. Trinidad and Tobago has always advocated the settlement of disputes by peaceful means. This is based on our support for an international order founded on respect for the rule of law. In this regard, we hold sacred the territorial sovereignty of States and the inalienable human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals. We also view the promotion of justice as indispensable to the maintenance of peace and security at the national, regional and global levels. Nevertheless, none of these objectives would be attainable if there were no systems encouraging Member States to settle disputes peacefully. That is why we have always been vociferous in our support of the work of the International Criminal Court and other tribunals established to promote peace by dispensing justice. Trinidad and Tobago relies heavily for its economic development on the exploration and exploitation of the living and mineral resources of the maritime zones within our national jurisdiction. In doing this, we have had to delimit our maritime boundaries with neighbouring coastal States in accordance with the relevant provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other applicable rules of international law. I can assure the Assembly that this has been done by peaceful means, either through diplomatic negotiations or by arbitration pursuant to the provisions of annex VII of the Convention. Trinidad and Tobago recognizes the importance of the need to settle disputes by peaceful means. Consequently, we have become parties to several conventions for settling commercial and investment disputes. These have been given the force of law in our jurisdiction. For example, our 1996 Foreign Arbitral Awards Act gives effect to Trinidad and Tobago’s obligations under the 1958 Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards. Additionally, as a State party to the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States, we also recognize that, like States, foreign nationals who invest in Trinidad and Tobago must be in a position to avail themselves of the conciliation and arbitration services provided by the International Centre for Settlement of 19 11-51398 Investment Disputes, which is an impartial international forum for resolving potential investment disputes. Such treaties not only provide the requisite reassurance for investors, who know that any dispute that may arise will be settled through an objective process; they also serve as incentives for would-be investors to do business in Trinidad and Tobago. We in Trinidad and Tobago support the position taken by the International Court of Justice and the International Law Commission that all Member States are bound to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations. It is for these reasons that we have always upheld the position that border disputes in our region or any part of the globe should he settled peacefully. It will be recalled that as far back as 1970, Trinidad and Tobago, through the good offices of our former Prime Minister, the late Mr. Eric Williams, facilitated the conclusion of the Protocol of Port-of- Spain, whereby Guyana and Venezuela agreed to a 12-year moratorium on their border dispute. Since then, Trinidad and Tobago has supported other initiatives mounted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organization of American States and the United Nations aimed at resolving this dispute by peaceful means. Elsewhere in our region, we have encouraged the use of good offices and mediation to resolve the border dispute between Belize and Guyana, as well as internal disputes in Haiti. Our support for these regional initiatives is in keeping with the provisions of Article 52 of the Charter, which envisions a role for regional organizations in the pacific settlement of disputes. Further afield, we have always advocated that the Middle East conflict should be settled peacefully. Trinidad and Tobago supports the quest of Palestinians for a State of their own with secure borders, alongside the State of Israel, whose borders must also be secure and free from terrorist attacks. The United Nations must continue to show leadership and work with the Arab League and other entities to resolve the decades- old conflict between Israel and Palestine so that there can be lasting peace in the region. For far too long, we, like the rest of the world, have witnessed the horrendous loss of life and destruction of infrastructure which have erased the hopes and prospects of many young people for a bright future in the place of their birth. The efforts of States at the national or regional levels for the settlement of disputes emphasize their primary responsibility under the Charter to settle disputes peacefully. These are supplementary to and reinforce the role of the United Nations as mandated under the Charter. Trinidad and Tobago therefore welcomes the renewed emphasis placed by the United Nations on mediation and other means for the peaceful settlement of disputes, as demonstrated in the report of the Secretary-General dated 8 April 2009 (S/2009/189), as well as the adoption on 22 June 2011 by the General Assembly of its resolution 65/283, entitled “Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution”. During her contribution to the general debate last year (see A/65/PV.20), The Honourable Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, took the political initiative to call on the General Assembly to adopt a resolution on women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. That resolution, which was eventually adopted by the Assembly as resolution 65/69, calls on States to promote the equitable representation of women in all decision-making processes with regard to matters related to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. One year later, the United Nations continues to make strides in placing women at the centre of all of its activities. This has been reflected, for example, in the establishment of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women). Consistent with this action, Trinidad and Tobago applauds the decision taken by Member States in resolution 65/283, which recognizes the importance of the full and effective participation of women at all levels, at all stages and in all aspects of the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution, as well as the need to address the lack of women as chief or lead peace mediators. Women are among the most vulnerable during conflicts, internal or otherwise, and hence must be involved in all vehicles relating to the settlement of disputes and conflict prevention. The absence of women in the process could result in the development of peace agreements which are not comprehensive in 11-51398 20 scope and which may not address those issues that affect women during periods of conflict and which continue thereafter. The inclusion of women in the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflict prevention is related to their involvement in the political process. Women, in whatever part of the world, must not be left out of the political decision-making process. The Honourable Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago continues to demonstrate her commitment to the participation of women in Government in meaningful ways, both nationally and internationally. Her advocacy with respect to this issue resulted in the hosting in Trinidad and Tobago in 2011 of regional seminars to promote this democratic and just cause. Bearing in mind the significance of this subject, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, together with other States, the United Nations Development Programme and UN-Women, successfully co-hosted a high-level colloquium on women’s political participation last Monday in the margins of the General Assembly. It was gratifying and fulfilling to see a room overflowing with women from all over the world championing the common cause of gender equality. The event clearly demonstrated that the small size of a country is not a deterrent to the realization of big dreams and the fulfilment of wholesome ideals in the pursuit of human development. As part of the colloquium, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago was among those leaders who signed a declaration on advancing women’s political participation. It is the hope of Trinidad and Tobago that the outcome of this event will promote greater global consciousness and discussions on the participation of women in Government and the advancement of democracy globally. In keeping with the objective of this meeting, Trinidad and Tobago calls on Member States to implement the provisions of resolution 65/283 on the inclusion of women as mediators in the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflict prevention. At the same time, we would also welcome greater efforts to recruit lead mediators from developing countries and from small countries, particularly small island developing States, including in the Caribbean, consistent with the principle of equitable geographic distribution in the recruitment of United Nations personnel. Like women, our young people are also very susceptible to the negative effects of strife and therefore they, too, must be protected. A number of cases before the International Criminal Court (ICC) show that the perpetrators are on trial or under investigation for committing war crimes because they conscripted or enlisted children under the age of 15 into their national armed forces or used them to participate actively in hostilities. In addition to mechanisms aimed at bringing the accused to justice, we support all those aimed at rehabilitating young people who have survived conflict so that they can advance, reach their fullest potential and contribute to the development of their societies. This can be achieved if they are able to enjoy their basic human rights. Thus we call on States that are in a position to do so to contribute to UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the ICC Trust Fund for Victims, which assist in the rehabilitation of children and other victims of armed conflict. Trinidad and Tobago endorses a number of other elements contained in resolution 65/283 relating to the strengthening of the position of the United Nations in assisting States to develop their capacity to employ mediation and other peaceful means to resolve disputes. While the adoption of the resolution is laudable, it is only a means to an end. Member States must ensure that all aspects of the resolution are implemented fully. In this regard, Trinidad and Tobago wishes to underscore the importance of the provision of adequate resources to the Department of Political Affairs and its Mediation Support Unit. Without the required resources, the Secretary-General will not be able to effectively use his good offices and other mediation capacities to help resolve existing and future disputes. The escalation of armed conflict and armed violence is fuelled by several factors. One component is the illegal proliferation of conventional arms, including small arms and light weapons which have been diverted from the legal market to the illicit trade. The United Nations, in keeping with its obligations under the Charter to promote and maintain international peace and security, has recognized the impact of the illegal trade in conventional arms on the peace and security of countries and regions and has adopted several resolutions and implemented different programmes to address this matter. 21 11-51398 But for us in Trinidad and Tobago and the CARICOM region, the most ambitious measure undertaken so far is the decision to convene a conference in July 2012 to negotiate the text of an arms trade treaty. Trinidad and Tobago and its CARICOM partners have been very active in the deliberations of meetings of the Preparatory Committee examining possible elements for inclusion in the treaty. As we approach the 2012 conference and begin to reflect on items to be included in the agreement, considerable care must also be taken to ensure that there are adequate provisions for the settlement of disputes which may arise among future States parties on the interpretation and application of the provisions of the arms trade treaty. The absence of peaceful means to resolve conflicts has led to genocide, war crimes and other pernicious misdeeds of concern to the international community. In many cases, they have stymied economic growth and social progress and have destroyed human lives. They have limited the capacity of many States in conflict, especially those in the developing world, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. We must save current and future generations from the plague of war brought about by intolerance, xenophobia, border disputes and disagreements over the allocation of resources. We in Trinidad and Tobago feel that a concrete way of doing this — an intervention strategy — is to focus, as my country is focusing, on universal preschool education, because we believe that the human values that are inculcated in children from birth until ages 5 or 6 help them to appreciate the value of peace and the value of interpersonal peace. Additionally, the United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations must address the impatience and restlessness of today’s young people, who are fed up with the misallocation of resources and the lack of both transparency and peoples’ involvement in the processes of governance. Their desires to reshape the world to reflect greater participation, empathy and democratic principles ought not be ignored by leaders. We are convinced that those aspirations will be achieved if mediation and other peaceful means of solving disputes, among other strategies, are adopted — and not just among nations, but among individuals and internally within countries. Trinidad and Tobago remains committed to working with regional partners, the United Nations and other actors to promote global peace. We must strengthen our capacity to use mediation, complemented by the introduction of new approaches to Government and governance, such as the greater participation of women and a desire to build consensus. We believe that unless leaders listen more, unless we employ mediation to resolve disputes, unless we incorporate our disenfranchised women in governance, unless we listen to the real message of today about greater participation in governance, and unless we realize that humankind has common challenges as it addresses issues like climate change, then the world will have missed a golden opportunity to advance the cause of humankind and promote global peace. Let us therefore endeavour to resolve our common global challenges, for to do otherwise would be to fail succeeding generations of humankind, for which we who meet here today will never be forgiven nor forgotten.