I would
like to warmly congratulate Mr. d’Escoto Brockmann,
on his election to preside over our debates and to
assure him of the full support of Burkina Faso. I would
also like to express to his predecessor, Mr. Kerim, all
my appreciation for the skill with which he guided the
work of the sixty-second session.
It is also my pleasure to pay well-deserved tribute
to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who is
investing his efforts with foresight and dedication to
ensure the success of the reform of our Organization in
order to build a safer world and to ensure continuing
progress. I would like to reiterate in particular our
warm thanks to him for the visit he made to our
country last April.
This session of the General Assembly is taking
place at the midpoint in the timetable for attaining the
Millennium Development Goals and in an international
context marked by threats to global peace. The food
and energy crises have been joined by a financial crisis
of exceptional seriousness. This session is therefore
crucial and provides us with a great opportunity to
assess the measures that have been taken and to take
the necessary corrective measures.
In that respect, I welcome the initiative to
organize a high-level meeting on the midterm review
of the Millennium Development Goals. The
31 08-51749
conclusions of that meeting, I firmly believe, will help
us to establish appropriate strategies to speed up the
achievement of the Goals.
The current food crisis throughout the world has
amply demonstrated the ineffectiveness of our
agricultural policies and the fragility of our production
and trading systems. It is urgent to improve how
international institutions function, to relaunch
investment in agriculture and to support farmers’ and
professional organizations in innovative partnerships.
To that end, it is important that we commit ourselves to
major investment in farming, improved organization
for producers, greater control of water resources, more
effective distribution of seeds and fertilizers, and
simpler access to land.
The energy crisis helps us to prioritize our search
for lasting solutions in favour of renewable
resources — solar, nuclear, wind and bioenergy
resources — because of the impact of energy-related
factors on States’ development strategies.
Official development assistance has decreased in
recent years in terms of the level of funding and its
effectiveness. Beyond the central and recurring
question of the level of official development
assistance, there are four other dimensions that I
believe are crucial. Those dimensions are, first,
ownership of economic policies and support for
capacity-building in governance in our States;
secondly, harmonizing and simplifying donor
procedures; thirdly, the gradual alignment of assistance
with national development priorities and programmes;
and fourthly, improved coordination between our
technical and financial partners on the ground, under
the leadership of Governments.
Those are the main requirements with regard to
ensuring more effective public aid. I take this
opportunity to express my thanks to all our
development partners who have always supported us as
we strive for encouraging results.
The scourge of drugs and narcotics is a threat to
Africa in general and the West African subregion in
particular. Used as departure and transit points for
exporting illegal drugs, some parts of our countries are
experiencing a genuine cross-border crime wave. The
rapid eradication of that scourge requires the solidarity
and active support of the international community.
With regard to environmental issues, the
international community must invest more if it is to
bring appropriate responses to the climate change
affecting our planet. Scientific and political ideas must
be aimed today at protecting and preserving a fully
functioning ecosystem for future generations.
Resolving conflicts throughout the world, and
particularly on the African continent, represents a
major challenge for the community of nations. Burkina
Faso, which currently holds the presidency of the
Economic Community of West African States and the
West African Economic and Monetary Union is making
its contribution to enhancing peace and security, which
are indispensable to ensuring progress and democracy.
In Africa, centres of tension remain, but we can
welcome the remarkable progress achieved by
numerous mediation efforts in various regions, which
have demonstrated the capacity of Africans to resolve
their disputes for themselves.
In Darfur, the Security Council’s decision has
allowed the deployment of the African Union-United
Nations Hybrid Operation. Burkina Faso, which is
taking part in that peacekeeping operation, welcomes
the appointment of Mr. Djibril Yipènè Bassolé as the
Joint African Union-United Nations Chief Mediator for
Darfur. Given the complexity of his mission, I call on
the international community to give him its full support
and to ensure a rapid resumption of the political
dialogue and to strengthen the operational capacities of
the hybrid force.
We are also concerned by the erosion of the
Somali State and its post-electoral crises. With regard
to Western Sahara, we are encouraged by the efforts
made by the parties to the conflict, particularly the
Kingdom of Morocco, and by the Security Council’s
call for a realistic settlement.
The Sahelo-Saharan region has been affected by
persistent insecurity for many years. Collective efforts
at dialogue and cooperation are required to restore
peace and security there. In that regard, we welcome
and support the Algiers accord reached recently
between the Government of Mali and the Tuareg
rebels.
Burkina Faso also welcomes the progress made in
the Middle East. The strengthening of Lebanese
sovereignty, the creation of a viable Palestinian State
and security guarantees for Israel will contribute to
establishing lasting peace in that region.
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With regard to the Iranian nuclear issue, I hope
that reason will prevail and that negotiations will
reconcile Iran’s rights to civil nuclear power and the
legitimate fears of the international community with
regard to military nuclear proliferation.
In Afghanistan and Iraq, the situation continues to
be tragic and to claim new victims every day, most of
whom are innocent civilians. Burkina Faso will
continue to invest with the entire international
community in re-establishing peace in those countries.
The news today is dominated by the conflict
taking place in the Caucasus. While reasserting its
support for negotiations by the European Union,
Burkina Faso hopes that the solution to the crisis will
be based on inclusive dialogue and respect for
international legality.
I note with pleasure an improvement in relations
between the Republic of China or Taiwan and the
People’s Republic of China. I deeply hope that this
new spirit will open the way to Taiwan’s participation
in the activities of international organizations.
For many years now, the United Nations has been
committed to a process of reforms that should lead to
the improved effectiveness of its activities in the face
of the demands of the modern world. Despite the
progress that has been made, much remains to be done.
Our resolve to reach that goal must remain constant.
Burkina Faso has deep faith in multilateralism
and solidarity among peoples. We reassert our
willingness to make our contribution wherever it is
requested to maintain and consolidate peace,
development and democracy.