Guinea

At the outset, on behalf of the Guinean delegation, which I have the honour of leading, I would like to pass on to the President, Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki, Secretary of African Union Affairs of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the congratulations of the Guinean people and Government on his brilliant election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session. I would also like to convey the 09-52604 20 congratulations of Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, President of the Republic, Head of State, President of the National Council for Democracy and Development and Commander-in-Chief of the Guinean armed forces. My delegation is convinced that because Mr. Treki is a seasoned diplomat, our work will be crowned with success. We assure him of our full cooperation. I would also like to tell his predecessor, Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, how much my delegation appreciates his wisdom and the devotion with which he led the work of the Assembly at its sixty-third session. The Republic of Guinea salutes the remarkable work that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has accomplished at the helm of our Organization in favour of peace, development and prosperity in the world. Mrs. Gallardo Hernández (El Salvador), Vice-President, took the Chair. On 23 December 2008, all the people of Guinea enthusiastically welcomed the arrival of the National Council for Democracy and Development, the CNDD. Guinean armed forces decided to take the destiny of the country into their hands after the death of President Lansana Conté on 22 December 2008 in order to avoid the social implosion that would have damaged peace, security, stability, unity and harmonious development in the country. Poor political and economic governance and its related effects of corruption, impunity, the consumption of and trafficking in drugs, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, organized crime and the abdication of republican institutions had considerably weakened the authority of the State. The National Council for Democracy and Development, faithful to its commitments, has undertaken specific actions, the results of which are encouraging. Such actions include, inter alia, the preparation of a timetable for transition, designed and accepted by all parties involved on the basis of a participatory and inclusive dialogue, which should lead to democratic, free and transparent elections with a view to returning to constitutional order. There is also the fight against drugs and narcotics, against the embezzlement of public funds, organized crime and other social ills. Additionally, there will be a special programme to meet the basic needs of the population, including water and electricity, as well as the beginning of reform of the security and defence sectors. In this context, the National Council for Democracy and Development enjoys a close working relationship with national stakeholders. This synergy of activities has allowed for the establishment of an ad hoc committee that has evaluated and revised the transition timetable. Following the new timetable, the presidential elections will be held in January 2010 and the legislative elections in March of that year. In parallel, a relationship of trust and cooperation has been established with the International Contact Group on Guinea, whose mission is to accompany this process of transition. The CNDD and the Government attach particular importance to the fight against drugs and narcotics in our country, which, unfortunately, in recent years has become one of the hubs of this trade in West Africa. The recent discovery of toxic substances and underground laboratories in certain towns of our country illustrates the seriousness of the situation. The bold operations undertaken by the new authorities have led to arrests within the highest echelons of the security and defence forces and the civil service. The Republic of Guinea is seeking the support of the international community in this stabilization effort. We call for the application of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem adopted by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs at its fifty-second session, held in Vienna in March 2009. The Guinean Government has also carried out activities to bring ethical management to the handling of public finances. In this area, audits have revealed many cases of financial misappropriation at high levels within the State. The funds recovered so far have been used to partially finance the programme to provide water and electricity for all, launched by the CNDD to improve the living conditions of the population. My delegation renews its call to development partners for increased material, financial and technical support during the period of transition in Guinea. On behalf of the CNDD and the President of the Republic, His Excellency Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, the Guinean Government expresses its profound gratitude to all those who support its efforts in the framework of a peaceful, consensual and 21 09-52604 successful transition. The Guinean authorities wish to thank all those who have shown their goodwill, in particular the leader of the Libyan Revolution and His Majesty the King of Morocco, as well as Their Excellencies the Presidents of Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Mali, for everything they have done in favour of unity, reconciliation and stability in Guinea. The Guinean authorities also express their thanks to all leaders from Africa and elsewhere who have been prepared to provide various kinds of help to ensure the historic and exemplary success of the transition process in our country. The agenda of the Assembly’s present session includes several recurrent questions, real challenges to the construction of a new world order founded on justice, solidarity and sustainable development. Realizing these aspirations remains dependent on the international community fulfilling its commitments to developing countries, which are bearing the brunt of the global economic and financial crisis. This is yet more necessary because, despite the progress that has been made in the fight against pandemics, illiteracy and extreme poverty, immense efforts are still needed for the full and harmonious achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Therefore, the establishment of a partnership that prioritizes the development of Africa through substantial increases in aid and investment flows is clearly indispensable. The question of foreign debt, which seriously compromises our efforts to eradicate poverty, merits particular attention. Furthermore, the low prices we receive for basic commodities, together with the unpredictability of nature, the harmful effects of human activity on the environment and climate change, all contribute to rendering African economies fragile and lead to precarious agricultural and food production. With regard to peace and security, significant progress has been made in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. However, areas of tension still exist here and there, with the associated loss of human life, unspeakable suffering, destruction of property and flows of refugees and displaced persons. In Africa, the peace and reconciliation process at the national level is making progress, thanks to concerted actions on the part of the African Union and subregional organizations, supported by the international community, despite human rights violations and bad economic and political governance. In the Mano River basin, the success of the vigorous peacebuilding measures in Sierra Leone and Liberia gives us cause for comfort and hope. Through the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, Côte d’Ivoire is consolidating its reunification and is in the process of organizing free elections. The Republic of Guinea supports this process. Elsewhere on the continent, the successful holding of presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania augurs well for a new era, conducive to national reconciliation, peace, stability and progress. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations, the African Union and neighbouring countries are engaged in a dialogue that will without a doubt lead to the re-establishment of peace in the east of the country, which is a yardstick for stability, security and development in the Great Lakes region. With regard to Somalia and the situation in Darfur, the international community must step up its efforts alongside the African Union in order to bring about a rapid and durable political solution. Regarding the Western Sahara, while we welcome the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy, my country welcomes the Moroccan initiative for the negotiation of an autonomous status for the Sahara region. We urge the parties concerned to find a mutually acceptable political outcome to this dispute. With regard to the Middle East, Guinea remains convinced that solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict necessarily requires a comprehensive solution, leading to the creation of an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian State living side by side and in peace with Israel within secure and internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the road map of the Quartet. The international community has a duty to ensure that this comes about. In Asia, Guinea reaffirms its commitment to the principle of one China and to the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula. Terrorist acts are proliferating throughout the world, indiscriminately affecting innocent victims, including women, children and the elderly. Those forms of barbarism and intolerance must be condemned in no uncertain terms. My delegation welcomes the 09-52604 22 adoption by the United Nations of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We remain in favour of developing a comprehensive international convention against terrorism and hope that consultations on this issue will continue in a spirit of full cooperation. My country continues to pay great attention to international efforts in the area of disarmament and weapons control. We express our support for the banning and total destruction of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, as well as the eradication of the trade in fissile materials. In Africa, the illicit and uncontrolled circulation of small arms and light weapons is a source of instability for States and of insecurity for the population. The Economic Community of West African States has adopted a convention on this issue with the objective of establishing a climate of peace through a framework for cooperation between member States for the systematic control and elimination of these weapons, which fuel civil wars. The success of this programme requires the commitment of all member States and the support of bilateral and multilateral partners. The world finds itself facing a grave and unprecedented financial and economic crisis. Africa has not been spared the contagious effects of this crisis. The report of the Secretary-General details how our continent has seen setbacks in such crucial areas as economic growth, agricultural development, the eradication of poverty and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. The time has come to rethink the international financial architecture in order to adapt it to the realities of the twenty-first century in terms of its representation of Member States and its working methods, as well as the equitable distribution of resources. Innovative initiatives are essential in the areas of trade, official development assistance, debt alleviation, technology transfer and financing for developing countries in general and least developed countries in particular to enable them to benefit as much as possible from globalization. In that context, the commitments made at Monterrey, Johannesburg, Doha, London and Pittsburgh within the framework of the Group of 20 are grounds for hope. It is important that the Doha Round negotiations swiftly lead to an agreement on measures to promote development and put an end to abject poverty. My country attaches the greatest importance to increasing and improving official development assistance and making it more predictable and more aligned with national priorities, in accordance with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Guinea welcomes the progress made in implementing the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative. Given the debt burden, we urge donors to work to strengthen resources and national and international capacities to support the strategies put in place to make the requirements for reaching its completion point more flexible. The international community must fully support the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, which commits the continent to developing infrastructure and promoting human rights, the rule of law, democracy and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The problems related to climate change have drawn the attention of all States because of the threat that phenomenon poses to humanity. Guinea, which occupies a central place in the implementation of policies and strategies for sustainable development and the restoration of ecological balances in West Africa, is aware of the seriousness of the situation and the urgent need for action. My delegation strongly calls for concerted and courageous international action to put an end to the paradox wherein countries and populations that have contributed least to global warming are suffering its most serious consequences. We hope that the forthcoming Copenhagen summit will meet the great expectations of humanity. In addition, particular attention must be accorded the problems related to migratory flows and the many issues underlying them. It is only by promoting effective solidarity that we will be able to manage migratory flows. Today’s world is beset by swift, complex and profound changes. Peace, development and the interdependence of nations remain undeniable realities and factors essential for a prosperous world of solidarity. Therefore, multilateralism is the only viable alternative for addressing the global challenges facing humanity. My delegation remains convinced that the present session will further strengthen the role and the activities of our universal Organization in the defence of just causes.