This year marks the twentieth
anniversary of the adoption, in 1989, of General
Assembly resolution 44/27 A, on international
solidarity with the liberation struggle in South Africa.
That was one of numerous Assembly resolutions in
which the nations of the world pledged their support
for the eradication of apartheid.
Within months of the adoption of that important
resolution, the ban on South African liberation
movements was lifted. Nelson Mandela and other
political prisoners were released. The stage was thus
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set for the negotiations that would eventually lead to
the achievement of freedom and democracy in our
country.
The role of the United Nations in the struggle to
end apartheid is an exceptional example of the
collective political will of the international community.
It represented the victory of unity over division and of
negotiation over confrontation. It represented a clear
commitment to the promotion of basic human rights.
As South Africans, we will always be grateful for that
international solidarity.
Since the advent of democracy in 1994, we have
built a solid, stable democracy, founded on the
principles of unity, non-sexism, non-racialism and
democracy. As we continue to build our young nation,
we are cognizant of the need for a conducive
international environment. For that reason, we are
committed to playing our part, with the rest of the
international community, in taking forward the fight
against poverty and in responding to the crises that are
confronting the world today. We must act now,
together, to halt the degradation of the environment.
We must act now, together, to prevent the global
economic crisis from undoing the gains that we have
achieved over decades.
The eradication of poverty must remain central to
the work of the United Nations. The Organization must
continue to work harder to unite the world to work to
alleviate the suffering of the world’s poor and
marginalized. The global economic meltdown has dealt
a heavy blow to world efforts to eradicate poverty. But
it should not diminish our resolve.
The United Nations must play a significant role
in finding solutions to the global economic crisis. The
crisis should not be an excuse to delay further action
on the delivery of the Millennium Development Goals.
Rather, it should urge us to double our efforts to
achieve greater and faster progress. Developing
countries did not cause the economic crisis, but they
are severely affected by it. The crisis has further
highlighted the urgent need for fundamental reform of
the Bretton Woods institutions, including their
mandate, scope, governance and responsiveness.
These institutions have been unrepresentative
since their formation half a century ago. The current
arrangements are inadequate and unfair. They do not
reflect the changes that have taken place in the global
economy. We should ensure that the election of the
heads of all those institutions is more democratic, and
opens opportunities to developing countries. The
emerging and developing countries, including the
poorest, must have a greater voice and greater
participation in those institutions. Similarly, if we are
to eradicate poverty there is an urgent need to conclude
the Doha Round of trade negotiations in a manner that
prioritizes development.
We continue to work for an African renewal, and
welcome the ongoing support of the United Nations
system in addressing the challenges facing the
continent. Now more than ever, it is necessary for the
United Nations to ensure that the international
community collectively implements the commitments
made to Africa. We have a viable socio-economic
development blueprint, the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development, which should be used in
mobilizing resources for Africa. We appreciate that
there can be no lasting peace without development, and
no development without security.
Over the past 20 years, Africa has made much
progress in working to end conflicts and to promote
democratic practices and institutions. However, some
pockets of conflict persist. For its part, South Africa
has been engaged in mediation, conflict prevention and
peacekeeping on the continent, in, among other places,
Burundi, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
The African Union has the political will to
resolve conflicts on the continent. However, it lacks
resources to run effective peacekeeping interventions
and conflict prevention mechanisms. We appeal for
support for African peacemaking efforts, and for
greater cooperation between the United Nations and
the African Union. In this regard, we call on the
General Assembly to align itself with resolutions of the
African Union and the Southern African Development
Community that do not recognize Governments that
come into power by force or other unconstitutional
means.
The search for global peace, stability and security
cannot be separated from the pursuit of justice,
self-determination, human rights and economic
development. We need to constantly reaffirm the
inalienable human rights of all people. We call for the
full and effective implementation of the outcomes of
the World Conference against Racism and the
subsequent Durban Review Conference. It is of
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concern that at the close of the first decade of the
twenty-first century there are still nations that find
their lands occupied and their peoples oppressed.
We are convinced that urgent and concrete steps
are needed to resolve the situation in Western Sahara.
We must work with similar urgency towards the
achievement, through negotiations, of peaceful
coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. This
must be based on the creation of a viable Palestinian
State, existing side by side with Israel, within the 1967
borders, which must be secure and internationally
recognized.
We also call for the lifting of the economic,
commercial and financial embargo on Cuba.
We also appreciate the recent pronouncements by
some nuclear-weapon States on their intention to
reduce their nuclear arsenals.
Let us take up this new momentum and utilize the
opportunity of the 2010 Review Conference of the
Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to recommit ourselves to the
full implementation of obligations under the NPT. We
should ensure a balance among the objectives of
disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful use of
nuclear energy.
For Africa, the impact of climate change is
devastating and will severely undermine development
and poverty eradication efforts. We need to act now to
ensure that there is an inclusive, fair and effective
global agreement on this critical challenge. The
agreement must recognize that solving the climate
problem cannot be separated from the struggle to
eradicate poverty. Developed countries bear the
greatest responsibility for climate change and its
impact. We must therefore strike a balance between
adaptation and mitigation. Our goal should be to
significantly reduce emissions across the globe without
constraining development in the countries of the South.
Ms. McClean (Barbados), Vice-President, took
the Chair.
Developed countries must make ambitious,
quantified and legally binding emission reduction
commitments that are in line with science and that
address their historical responsibilities. At Copenhagen,
there needs to be agreement on new, additional,
sustainable and predictable financing for adaptation.
This should be for programmes that reduce the
vulnerability of developing countries to the effects of
climate change.
In a world that is increasingly interconnected and
interdependent, international problems can be resolved
effectively only through multilateral cooperation. The
United Nations must continue to be at the centre of
multilateralism, but it needs to be reformed if it is to
carry out its mandate effectively, efficiently and
transparently.
We remain committed to the view that no reform
of the United Nations can be complete without the
fundamental reform of the Security Council. It must be
representative of the international community and
reflect the geopolitical realities of today. If the Security
Council is not reformed and does not have permanent
representation for Africa, the legitimacy of the
Council’s decisions will continue to be questioned.
South Africa continues to advocate an expansion in
both the permanent and non-permanent categories of
membership.
Let me express our appreciation to the world for
the celebration of the inaugural Nelson Mandela Day
on 18 July this year. Scores of people engaged in a
minimum of 67 minutes of voluntary action in the
service of humanity, in honour of our icon, President
Mandela. The Non-Aligned Movement has joined the
call for this General Assembly to declare 18 July
Nelson Mandela Day. This would be in recognition of
President Mandela’s contribution to the struggle for
democracy and the cause of humanity, and to promote
community service across the globe. In this regard, we
hope that the General Assembly will adopt a consensus
resolution in support of Nelson Mandela Day.
South Africa is privileged to host the 2010
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
World Cup in the middle of next year, which will be
the first time that the tournament has been held on
African soil. We look forward to hosting the peoples of
the world, who will enjoy unique African hospitality
and vibrancy.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the
outgoing President of the General Assembly for his
leadership at the sixty-third session of the Assembly. I
thank the General Assembly and representatives for the
opportunity to address this esteemed gathering.
Working together as a global family, we can do more to
create a better and just world.