Let me first, on behalf of the Sudan delegation, congratulate Sir Leslie Munro on his election as President of this General Assembly. We are sure that he will discharge his duties with skill, ability and impartiality.
41. I would like to comment very briefly on the international situation from the point of view — as it must be in this case — of a small and under-developed country. For today not even small and under-developed countries can afford to ignore the developments and implications of the international scene. The world today, for good or ill, is more closely knit than it has been at any other time in the long and turbulent history of man.
42. The last session of the Assembly witnessed some tragic events, notably the attack on Egypt, from which the Egyptian people emerged strong and more united, and with the Suez Canal under Egyptian management functioning smoothly and efficiently. Great credit goes to the United Nations and its Secretary-General; to counsels of wisdom that prevail in the end; to world public opinion; and to the part played behind the scenes by some Member States, notably among these the Government of the United States.
43. At the same time, the world was witnessing the grave events in Hungary. Our position on this question was dictated not by opportunism or animosity towards any country, but by our sincere belief that armed intervention, or any other intervention for that matter, in the domestic affairs of an independent and sovereign State should not be accepted among the principles that govern relationships between independent and sovereign States, irrespective of the reasons which might have led to this state of affairs.
44. Again, the Algerian war of liberation is still raging furiously, and no settlement is as yet in sight. The tragedy of the Palestine Arab refugees remains the same and scores of thousands of these refugees are still living under conditions of immeasurable misery and injustice. Racial conflict in the Union of South Africa, far from decreasing, is gaining momentum every day, every week and every month.
45. For these and other reasons, the Middle East will continue to be a very dangerous area, pregnant with explosive possibilities, unless solutions based on the basic principles of human rights and the principles of the Charter are reached without delay.
46. But the situation, grave as it is, should not blind us and prevent us from seeing that there are signs that, owing to two catastrophic world wars, humanity has begun in earnest to learn its lesson through slow but gradual realization that another world war may bring about the total annihilation of the human race and all that has been achieved in the various fields of progress by hard labour, sweat and blood. But even this cautious mood in the world today should not lead us — any of us — to relax our efforts for the achievement of peace, without which it would be futile for nations to map and plan for the future.
47. But the realization of peace demands positive action. First, and most important, an agreement should be reached regarding disarmament questions, upon which the fate of the world depends. We must abandon once and for all the assumed right of the strong to govern the weak. We must condemn the economic domination of one country over another. We must liquidate colonialism and replace it by mutual trust, mutual co-operation and mutual interests. We must fight racial superiority and racial conflict, if only for the reason that they are the negation of democracy and rational thinking. The "cold war" is another dangerous phenomenon which must be eliminated. There is plenty of room for peaceful coexistence amongst the nations of the world, big and small, if only confidence and trust are allowed to penetrate deep into our hearts and minds. And I feel sure that there is not one single nation in the world today that dares take the risks and consequences of modern warfare lightly.
48. I wish to turn now to another aspect of the international relationship. It will be remembered that, during the old days of the League of Nations, there was a phrase which had wide circulation and wide popularity, namely, that of the "haves" and the "have-nots". Today we have the developed and the under-developed countries. And I believe it is an open secret that, in the under-developed world, Africa today is termed the most under-developed. Also, many parts of Asia and the Middle East fall into the same category.
49. Millions of peoples in these countries stand today at the cross-roads of the world. It is inconceivable that they will be expected to wait where they are indefinitely and watch, as disinterested spectators, the procession of prosperity and progress. They are anxious to satisfy their essential needs, which revolve primarily around food, clothing, shelter and education. Their economy is still based on agricultural and pastoral products. But what is more significant in this respect is the fall in world prices of agricultural exports in countries where such exports are the main item in the balance of payments. Such a fall in world prices of primary commodities, coupled with the fluctuation and variations of such prices, constitute uncertainties contrary to the basic interests of the peoples of the under-developed countries who are anxious to raise their national revenues in order to be able to finance development projects in hand, and plan to undertake new ones in the future.
50. There is no alternative open to the peoples who produce major crops and who have not as yet made great strides in the industrial field if they wish to raise their standard of living. There is no escape from the fact that only by securing adequate and guaranteed prices for their major crops will the under-developed countries be able to share in the prosperity of the modern age, and take firm steps forward towards progress and peace.
51. But in order to overcome the immediate difficulties, it is imperative that the whole situation should be reviewed in the widest possible way. Such revision has become even more urgent because of the apparent desire of some parts of the world for the creation and consolidation of economic areas based on preferential treatment.
52. For these and other considerations, a conference — it might be a world conference — between those who produce major crops and those who depend on such crops for feeding their industrial machine can no longer be postponed. Such a conference, in order to achieve its objectives, must be conducted in a spirit of accommodation and with the understanding that, like peace and justice, the prosperity of the world is indivisible.
53. It is natural and reasonable that the Sudanese people, having achieved political independence, should demand autonomy in the monetary and financial fields. It is our objective to have an all-round development in every field with a view to securing a strong balanced economy that leads to stability, prosperity and peace. In this respect, we realize fully the important part played by the United Nations and its specialized agencies in providing technical and other useful assistance to the under-developed countries.
54. In the Sudan, our policy is to see to it that the best use is made of existing resources. At the same time, an expert inquiry is being conducted into alternative and new sources for agricultural expansion and the development of our mineral wealth. We are in favour of the inflow of foreign capital for the expansion of our agricultural projects and the development of our mineral wealth and light industries. Such capital is usually placed in good hands and is devoted to its legitimate uses.
55. A prerequisite for social evolution in the underdeveloped countries in the world today is the improvement of productive capacity Involving the installation, maintenance and operation of modern equipment and the rational exploitation of natural resources. This will add moral and material benefits not only to the people directly affected, but also to the world at large. It will ultimately bring to the under-developed countries the methods and advantages of modern life.
56. And, lastly, the Government and the people of the Sudan place full confidence in the future of the United Nations. We hope that it will be a citadel of peace where international grievances and disputes may be resolved without fatal risks and where men and women of all nations may join hands in the building up of a better future for humanity. This is a dream of thinkers and philosophers throughout the ages. We have no doubt that, through the joint efforts of all of us, it will be achieved.