The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic has been very instrumental in the search for peace in that country. It should also be recognized that the people of the Central African Republic made it possible for the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA) to be …
Mr. President, let me begin by commending you for your foresight, which led you to include this important issue in our programme of work for the month. Our meeting today takes on particular importance for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the presence among us of The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy…
Like previous speakers, my delegation would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting on a subject of common concern to the international community. We are also grateful to Under-Secretary-General Vieira de Mello for his comprehensive and thought-provoking briefing.
The question …
My delegation is grateful to Ambassador Dahlgren and, through him, to the Government of Sweden for the keen interest that they have always shown in Sierra Leone. Ambassador Dahlgren’s recent trip to that country is a clear testimony to his commitment as Chairman of the Sierra Leone sanctions Committ…
In his widely acclaimed report entitled “The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa”, the Secretary-General defined post-conflict peace-building as
“actions undertaken at the end of a conflict to consolidate peace and prevent a recurrence of arme…
It is a pity that things have to be this way. There is, however, no need to cry over spilt milk. The die is cast. This morning, when we looked at the options offered by the Secretary-General following the latest report of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), we thought that they constitut…
It will be recalled that following the recent visit to Afghanistan and the neighbouring countries by the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Ambassador Brahimi, my delegation, having listened to him with rapt attention congratulated him warmly on what he had been able to achieve durin…
My delegation is grateful to Mrs. Ogata for her comprehensive briefing on a subject of particular concern and interest to the international
As the High Commissioner has rightly pointed out, West Africa has had its fair share of conflicts, but, with the great regional efforts deployed so far, peace …
The appalling humanitarian situation in Kosovo has been haunting the collective conscience of the international community for some time now. It cannot be gainsaid that the present situation is a result of the wider underlying political problems that have plagued the area for so long. The key to a la…
My delegation would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report. We find it to be very instructive in its analysis of the problem of protection for humanitarian assistance to refugees and others in conflict situations. We would also like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on arranging this o…
My delegation would like first of all to congratulate the President on his assumption of the presidency for this session. We know full well that the tasks that lie ahead are indeed challenging, but we are confident that with his vast experience and wisdom he will discharge his responsibilities succe…
My delegation would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, Madam President, on your country’s assumption of the presidency for this month. I think this a happy coincidence, when we consider the role that your country has played since the years of independence in monitoring and participat…
Almost 10 years ago, Pan Am flight 103 was brought down over Lockerbie, in Scotland, killing all 259 passengers and 11 other people. Since then the families of the deceased from this tragedy endured untold grief as they waited for justice to be meted out. Three years later, the Security Council came…
We are yet again faced with an urgent situation, but have limited options at our disposal to deal with a conflict that is seemingly intractable. We have seen it before: each time the situation in Angola is discussed, no sooner are our hopes raised than they are dashed again for one reason or another…
The situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, is still extremely volatile, notwithstanding the efforts of the international community to bring about peace in the area. My delegation was deeply disturbed by the recent events in May in the Gali district. We are particularly disturbed by the burning of houses co…
Let me at the outset express my delegation’s gratitude to the delegation of the United Kingdom for the timely initiative taken to come up with the draft resolution before us, geared towards the establishment of a United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL). Such a mission, in our view,…
Peace is a priceless commodity. For a region of the world that has hardly known any meaningful peace for so long, any action that is likely to raise questions, no matter how good the intentions might be, should be avoided at all costs in the interest of peace. This is why my delegation cannot but ex…
The rightful place for a child is certainly not in the battlefield, but in the classroom or on the playground. The Graça Machel report on the impact of armed conflict on children has been an eye-opener on an issue which constitutes a cause for serious concern. With the appointment of the Secretary- …
Let me begin by thanking the sponsors for the great effort that was put into the draft resolution before us and, indeed, for the high degree of flexibility that they have demonstrated throughout, in reaction to various proposals and counter-proposals, to arrive at a consensus.
The early adoption of…
Essentially, all that we are trying to achieve through the draft resolution before us is to give ourselves the necessary legal framework within which to continue, together with the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the long-term process of rebuilding civil society in that country. The key eleme…