A/48/PV.60 General Assembly

I call upon the representative of the Sudan to introduce the draft resolution in document A/48/L.26.

It is an honour for me to introduce, on behalf of the Group of Arab States, draft resolution A/48/L.26, submitted under agenda item 27, "Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States". This record is subject to correction. Corrections should be sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned within one week of the date of publication to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Section, Room C-178, and incorporated in a copy of the record. NEW YORK Members will recall that the General Assembly set the parameters of that cooperation in its resolution 36/24 wherein the League of Arab States was invited to participate in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly and its subsidiary organs as an observer. In that resolution the General Assembly recognized the importance of continued close cooperation by the United Nations and its specialized agencies with the League of Arab States in promoting social and economic development. That resolution also requested the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary measures to strengthen cooperation at the political, economic, cultural and administrative levels between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. Since 1981, such cooperation on all those levels has increased, and, at its forty-seventh session, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General in resolution 47/12 to continue to strengthen cooperation for the purpose of implementing United Nations resolutions relating to the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East with the aim of achieving a just, comprehensive and durable solution to the conflict in that region. That resolution also highlighted the efficacy of cooperation between the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and the United Nations Secretariat in realizing the purposes and principles of the Charter and in facilitating the implementation of the proposals adopted at the Tunis meeting in 1983, as well as the need to hold annual coordinating meetings between the General Secretariat and the United Nations. The frameworks of cooperation between the League of Arab States and the United Nations have been defined and its targets set with regard to a highly sensitive region that has been sorely tried throughout its recent history. The Organization’s credibility itself has been called into question. If we are to look to the future with confidence, we must turn away from the past, with all its negative aspects. That is the Distr. GENERAL A/48/PV.60 2 December 1993 ENGLISH The world is moving steadily towards an age of regional groupings and, consequently, towards the achievement of the goals of lasting peace and development. In order for such goals to be achieved, all regional groupings should be allowed to play their part in the common endeavour of building the sort of future envisioned by the Charter for all peoples. However, in aspiring after such a future and in looking forward to peace, we can never lose sight of our human dignity or accept to become a nation that is relegated to the status of a second class citizen of planet Earth. Draft resolution A/48/L.26 on the question of cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States that is now before the General Assembly, contrary to last year’s resolution, focuses on strengthening that cooperation on the administrative and technical levels. The paragraphs relating to political aspects have been excluded, not because of any irrelevancy but because they have been considered to relate to other draft resolutions that have a political bearing. On the other hand, the preambular paragraphs of the draft resolution underscore the desire of the Arab League to strengthen the current close ties with the United Nations in the political, economic, social, humanitarian, cultural and administrative fields with a view to realizing the purposes and principles of the Charter. The preambular paragraphs also welcome the general meeting in Geneva last August between representatives of the United Nations General Secretariat, the General Secretariat of the Arab League and the specialized agencies of both organizations, in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the first meeting of cooperation between the two organizations. The draft resolution, in its operative paragraphs, welcomes the Secretary-General’s report, commends the continued efforts of the League of Arab States to promote multilateral cooperation amongst the Arab States and requests the United Nations system to continue to lend its support within this framework. It also takes note of the conclusions and recommendations adopted by the general meeting held at Geneva, to which I have just referred. In operative paragraph 4 the General Assembly expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the follow-up action taken by him to implement the proposals In general, the draft resolution’s operative paragraphs call for further and closer cooperation between the United Nations, the League of Arab States and all the specialized and subsidiary organizations of the two bodies, with a view to achieving progress in the economic, social and development fields. In the draft resolution’s operative paragraphs, especially the tenth, the General Assembly decides that a general meeting between the United Nations and the League of Arab States should take place once every two years for the purpose of dealing with questions of importance in the development of the Arab States; and, in the eleventh operative paragraph, that the next general meeting on cooperation between representatives of the secretariats of the United Nations system and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and its specialized organizations should be held in 1995. Operative paragraph 12 calls for periodic consultations between representatives of the Secretariat of the United Nations and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States. The General Assembly also decides to remain seized of the issues of cooperation between the two organizations. The States members of the Arab League are fully aware of their responsibilities at this crucial juncture in the region’s history. The League of Arab States calls for serious, constructive and fruitful cooperation with all members of the international community with the aim of achieving a lasting, comprehensive, just and overdue solution to conflicts whose consequences will otherwise be felt by future generations. On this basis, we call for the consensus adoption of the draft resolution that is before the Assembly, just as we call for consensus in respect of draft resolutions concerning cooperation between the United Nations and all other regional organizations.

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 477 (V) of 1 November 1950, I now call on the Observer of the League of Arab States. Since its inception in 1945 - the year in which the United Nations was established - the League of Arab States has striven to emphasize and strengthen cooperation with the United Nations. It has followed with interest the General Assembly’s sessions, as well as the resolutions adopted by the Assembly since 1950, at which time the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to invite the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States to attend the Assembly’s sessions as an Observer. This cooperation was further developed in 1981, when the General Assembly asked the League of Arab States to participate in the work of all its other organs as well as that of the specialized agencies. The Assembly also asked the Secretary-General to take all necessary measures to strengthen cooperation between the two organizations at the administrative, cultural, political and economic levels. In June 1983, an important high-level meeting was held in Tunisia between the United Nations and the League of Arab States and their specialized agencies. This was followed by two other meetings in Geneva in 1988 and 1990. In those meetings, agreement was reached on cooperation between the two organizations in six areas - international peace and security; agriculture and food production; manpower, trade, industry and the environment; social questions; information, culture and education; and communications. In 1989, the Secretariats of the two organizations signed another cooperation agreement. The purpose of that agreement was to secure effective coordination of the work and programmes of the two bodies in respect of specified matters and to provide for consultation and for the exchange of representatives. Several other agreements between the United Nations and the League of Arab States and their specialized agencies were entered into with a view to strengthening cooperation in various fields. Cooperation between these bodies was crowned with the meeting at Geneva, last August, in which representatives of the two organizations and their specialized agencies took part. This meeting led to further arrangements for future cooperation in various fields - for example, international peace and security; technical, financial and economic matters connected with development; and respect for human rights - and for the consolidation of further The new agreement underscores the fact that the League of Arab States and the United Nations are partners in formulating and implementing the programmes and activities that relate to the consolidation of international peace and security and the promotion of economic and social development in the Arab world as well as in coordinating long-term programmes that aim at furthering cooperation between the two organizations. Today’s world faces the challenge of a new international situation that is characterized by numerous changes in regional and international relations. This puts the onus on the United Nations to seek solutions to a multiplicity of questions and particularly to those issues which have surfaced in the wake of the cold war to threaten peace and security in many parts of the world. The League of Arab States follows with great interest the efforts deployed by the United Nations and its Secretary- General in searching for peaceful solutions to those problems. In this respect, the League wishes to reiterate its support for the role of the world Organization and the resolve to cooperate with it in consolidating peace, security and stability, particularly in our region. The League of Arab States has expressed its appreciation of and support for the views and recommendations set out by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in his report "An Agenda for Peace" (A/47/277) and particularly for the contents of that Agenda relating to cooperation with regional arrangements in implementation of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. In this respect, I wish to commend the ongoing cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States, particularly in the field of preventive diplomacy, with the aim of reaching peaceful solutions to some of the disputes in our region. I would mention in particular the cooperation between the two organizations and other regional organizations in trying to put an end to the conflict in Somalia and to reconcile the various factions there. The League of Arab States has participated in all the meetings the United Nations has called for in this respect with a view to coordinating the efforts deployed to help our brotherly Somali people put an end to its plight. The League of Arab States will accept the Secretary-General’s invitation to participate in the forthcoming meeting scheduled to be held in Addis Ababa at the end of this month. In this context, the Council of the League of Arab States, at its one-hundredth meeting in September 1993, issued a statement wherein it considered the Declaration of Principles between the Palestinians and the Israelis to be an important first step towards the objective of realizing the land-for-peace principle that should be followed urgently, by other steps on all the other tracks and should ensure the achievement of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right of return of Palestinian refugees since 1948, in accordance with United Nations resolutions. The peoples of the world expect the role of the United Nations to be based on respect for and adherence to the principles of the Charter, respect for and defence of the rights and sovereignty of all States on their territories, respect for the obligations arising from all treaties, the defence of fundamental human rights, and cooperation with all, on an equal footing, with the same standard. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm that our support for the United Nations stems from the commitment by the United Nations to the purposes and principles of its Charter and from our desire, as a regional organization, to continue to support and consolidate the role of the United Nations in all fields so that a comprehensive and just peace may be reached on the basis of the principles of the United Nations Charter.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/48/L.26. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt that draft resolution?

I shall now call on representatives wishing to explain their position.

The delegation of Israel joined the consensus on the draft resolution just adopted because we are committed to the establishment of peace with our neighbours. We are encouraged by the recent signing of the Declaration of Principles between Israel and the Palestinians, and the Agreed Common Agenda between Israel and Jordan. We hope that these breakthroughs will enable us to achieve further progress in the peace process. Our goal is to sign formal peace treaties with each of our neighbours. Peace and economic cooperation go hand in hand. We cannot create one without being equally committed to the other. Economic ties based on equality and mutual interests constitute an important step in building a solid and lasting peace between countries. Economic cooperation in the Middle East can serve not only the interests of the countries in the region, but also those of the entire world community. Economic cooperation provides opportunities for regional development and economic growth, and helps open new doors to world markets. Possible areas of regional cooperation include: agriculture, energy, infrastructure, tourism and health. Given the enormous advantages of regional economic cooperation, we would like to express our regret that the League of Arab States persists in maintaining its policy of economic boycott against Israel. It should be noted that this boycott officially began in December 1945, two and a half years before the State of Israel was born. Economic boycott runs counter to the principles of the peace process and delays reconciliation between countries of the region. We call upon the League of Arab States and its members to put an end to this policy and to establish normal political and economic ties with Israel. The resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States is the first resolution adopted by the forty-eighth session of the General Assembly on an issue related to the Middle East. We are pleased that it was possible to adopt this resolution by consensus and look forward to the adoption of additional resolutions using the same procedure. In this respect we would like to make the following observation: We believe that the criterion for adopting resolutions during this session of the Assembly on the Middle East should not be the content, tone or language used in previous resolutions: rather, the criterion should reflect the positive developments that have occurred in the framework of the peace process and our hopes for a better future for our region. We call upon members of the League of Arab States to help us in achieving this goal. Such changes would also serve to make resolutions adopted by

The United States was pleased to join in the consensus on this resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. The first three years a draft resolution was introduced on this subject, 1981 to 1983, the United States joined in the consensus. From 1984 to 1992, however, for well-known reasons the United States could not join in the consensus, although we continued to support increased cooperation between the United Nations and the Arab League. We are pleased that the sponsors of this resolution have modified the language of the resolution. Now it is a technical resolution focusing on cooperation between the United Nations and a regional organization, like other such resolutions. Thus, we joined in the consensus. The United States seeks to support the work of the Arab League and supports increased cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States. Adopting this resolution by consensus was consonant with the new spirit of progress in the Middle East peace process, as reflected by recent dramatic breakthroughs. We all recognize that much hard work remains to be done in implementing agreements signed and in reaching further agreements between the parties directly concerned to achieve the goal of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). Other actions, such as eliminating the outdated Arab boycott, could greatly assist in this process.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 27?

I call first on the representative of Peru to introduce draft resolution A/48/L.20. The main goal of the draft resolution is to strengthen and broaden cooperation between the United Nations system and SELA, at a time when it is necessary to face new problems and find solutions that integrate the global vision of the United Nations and the specific contributions that regional entities can make. Thus, the draft resolution aims at truly implementing in our region the purposes of the United Nations. Since activities related to the economic and social development of our countries are accorded top priority - and this is at the basis of our Organization - and since it is imperative that there be a new agenda for development addressing future challenges at the dawn of a new century, we think it fitting further to improve and strengthen the cooperation between the United Nations system and regional economic systems. The prevailing trends in the world economy, marked by the globalization of economic activities, growing interdependence and the consolidation of regional spheres, are a true indication of the need for the Organization to remain in the vanguard of political and economic events. Regional mechanisms, such as SELA with its double focus on economic cooperation and economic harmonization, can be a key element in coordinating the international community’s efforts on a world-wide scale with the regional implementation of the measures generated by those efforts. We note that the budget of the United Nations is gradually shifting towards activities in the areas of peace- keeping, the defence of democracy and respect for human rights. These are matters of paramount importance, whose high-minded purposes we support. But there is a dangerous imbalance related to the continuing decline in investment in economic activities connected to cooperation, the promotion of trade in the context of free competition, and sustainable development: fundamental elements of the structural basis of the world’s problems. In that connection, we strongly support the concept of preventive development offered for our consideration by the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) a few days ago. It is precisely in that area that we need to take advantage of the coordinated presence of regional economic systems, in each region, with a beneficial installed capacity and infrastructure and with experts, projects and experience Despite constraints on new funding, we can try to implement imaginative proposals demonstrating the opportunity offered to our countries by stepped-up cooperation between the United Nations and SELA. We have had some experience in that regard, which should be followed up and developed, such as the close cooperation between UNDP and SELA in the area of technical cooperation between developing countries. Moreover, thanks to UNDP’s programme of support for SELA, Latin American delegations have been given help at the multilateral trade negotiations of the Uruguay Round. There is a reference to UNDP’s support in paragraph 35 of the Secretary-General’s report (A/48/409). This year, another regional project began - as mentioned in paragraph 46 of the report - in cooperation with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): LATINTRADE. It will help SELA member States with projects related to technical cooperation on international trade and trade relations in Latin America and the Caribbean in the post-Uruguay-Round era. Besides activities already under way, we think account should be taken of helpful ideas that would enable us to return to the consideration of the concept of an up-to-date agenda for development, concerning which the current Administrator of UNDP, Mr. Speth, made some important comments only a few days ago. SELA already has studies and proposals on this matter; these have been considered at the highest regional level, and could now be usefully explored for the common good. We believe that the time has come to increase cooperation in areas that are increasingly important for what we all advocate and aspire to: sustainable human development. The preamble of the draft resolution refers specifically to the many activities carried out by SELA together with various bodies of the United Nations system, as well as to SELA’s carrying out of priority programmes for the economic development of the countries of our region. In the operative part the General Assembly takes note with satisfaction of the Secretary-General’s report (A/48/409) and urges the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the United Nations Development Programme to expand and strengthen their coordination and support activities with SELA; it also urges The draft resolution contains nothing controversial, and it reflects the hopes of the Latin American and Caribbean countries that cooperation between the United Nations and SELA will be expanded and strengthened. Accordingly, the Peruvian delegation, on behalf of all the co-sponsors, comprising the entire membership of SELA, hopes that it will be adopted without a vote.

In an era of deep and continuing change in the international political and economic arena, Latin America and the Caribbean are persevering in a process of unprecedented modernization and reform. The region is now efficiently and actively becoming part of the major global trends of the world economy. In recent years Latin America and the Caribbean have been making completely new efforts at integration and cooperation, in the most varied and imaginative ways, including bilateral and multilateral agreements and frameworks for extraregional participation. In this context, the Latin American Economic System (SELA) has become a catalyst for regional agreement and cooperation. The work it is now doing reflects the will of Governments in the region to undertake joint activities in areas of common interest. Through ongoing analysis, SELA is contributing to bringing its member States closer together and encouraging a coming together of interests and mechanisms for cooperation. Cooperation between our organizations is just one of the many ways in which mechanisms are being established for collaboration in development. The agenda item we are considering shows how fruitful those joint efforts can be. We thank the Secretary-General for his report on this item, which describes the many and growing activities being carried out by the United Nations together with SELA. We note with satisfaction that in recent years this cooperation has been broadened and deepened. The list of agencies within the United Nations system participating in these efforts includes many whose mandates are directly related to encouraging and strengthening development. In the domain of technical cooperation, the United Nations Development Programme has been contributing in many different ways to SELA’s support and cooperation activities to benefit our region. Action is being taken within the framework of a joint project involving innovative areas of cooperation. We reiterate in this regard that we should continue to strengthen cooperation in the struggle against poverty. We are concerned, however, over the reduction in financial resources being made available for technical cooperation for development in general and for Latin American projects, promoted through SELA, in particular. With the participation of specialized agencies of the system, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, we have been exploring in recent months the potential of cooperation in agriculture, and in many cases have made it a reality. Activities in other key development areas, such as science and technology, the environment, education and public health, have been broadened, thanks to the participation of agencies such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the World Health Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization. We welcome in particular the growing cooperation with international financial institutions. On the eve of the twenty-first century, Latin America and the Caribbean look forward with greater optimism to the future. The economic and political reforms of recent years have improved the region’s development prospects. Efforts such as those being made by SELA and the United Nations system are a positive contribution. The Latin American Economic System has offered its members invaluable services ever since it was established by the Panama Convention of 1975. Throughout its existence, member States have been able to strengthen their mutual relations and their activities outside the region through initiatives relating to consultations and coordination as well as to intra-regional cooperation. These initiatives have derived in large part from joint positions in many international forums, particularly here at the United Nations, and in mechanisms for cooperation dealing with many different aspects of our economies. Our efforts have been productive and have enabled our region to be an active participant in endeavours by this Organization and its specialized agencies to channel international cooperation for development. The outcome of the XIX Latin American Council, which was held last October in Caracas, showed the scope of the issues that concern our region and link SELA to the United Nations. Among them, I would like to highlight the mandate given SELA to cooperate in preparing Latin America and the Caribbean for the World Summit for Social Development and for the fifth session of the General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization; its role in supporting member countries in the area of environment and development; its work in assessment of and follow-up to the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations; and its efforts to increase coordination of the various integration projects within our region. The links between SELA and the United Nations are particularly relevant in these areas, as is the crucial role that must be played by the Organization and the United Nations system in providing assistance to our regional forum. SELA is a small organization, and it is designed primarily to be an effective one. Member States rely on its analyses to guide us in taking our positions in the multilateral economic area, in promoting our efforts towards economic integration and complementarity, and in strengthening high-level dialogue on our region’s position in the international context. Stable and significant international cooperation in the projects that the member States recommend to it has always been of immense importance. In this, the United Nations Development Programme and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean have played a crucial role, as have many other bodies in the While thanking all these agencies for their technical and financial support for SELA’s activities, we call on them to strengthen, broaden and diversify them. The results that have been achieved so far fully justify this, and we have no doubt as to their potential for the future of the region. The Venezuelan delegation is happy to join in sponsoring draft resolution A/48/L.20, and is confident that it will be adopted by consensus.

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 35/3 of 13 October 1980, I now call on the Observer of the Latin American Economic System.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/48/L.20. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to adopt the draft resolution?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 28? COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (a) REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL (A/48/422 and Add.1) (b) DRAFT RESOLUTION (A/48/L.27)

I now call on the representative of Pakistan to introduce draft resolution A/48/L.27.

On behalf of the members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), I have the honour to introduce draft resolution A/48/L.27, dated 19 November 1993 and entitled "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference". The objective of this draft resolution is to ensure the further strengthening and consolidation of the extremely useful cooperation which exists between these two organizations. Since its inception, the Organization of the Islamic Conference has remained deeply committed to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It is therefore essential that the two organizations continue to cooperate in promoting their common objectives of preserving peace and security and promoting social and economic development. We, the members of the OIC, remain convinced of the ever-present need for increased cooperation between our organization and the United Nations in the pursuit of our common goals. The member States of the OIC are conscious that our organization’s role is cast in the overall framework of the Charter of the United Nations. The Charter of the OIC explicitly reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations Charter and to fundamental human rights. It further emphasizes the determination of its members to contribute towards the attainment of progress, freedom and justice throughout the world by promoting global peace and security. Guided by the spirit of seeking the furtherance of common goals with the United Nations, the OIC has made consistent efforts to expand and consolidate cooperation with this world body ever since it obtained observer status in 1975. The United Nations has been represented at the OIC ministerial conferences and summit meetings by special representatives of the Secretary-General and, whenever possible, by the Secretary-General himself. The efforts of the Secretary-General to broaden the extent of the existing cooperation between our two organizations are highly appreciated by the Islamic community. In this context, I should like to express our particular gratitude to Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the Secretary- General of the United Nations, for the excellent report he has submitted to the General Assembly in document A/48/422 and Add.1, on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. As is brought out in this report, the Organization of the Islamic Conference continues to forge its cooperation in a number of fields with the specialized agencies and other bodies of the United Nations system. The Organization of the Islamic Conference, in the pursuit of the aims and objectives of its charter and with a view to complementing the efforts of the United Nations in important areas of common concern, has at all its meetings, including the summit- and ministerial-level conferences, adopted numerous resolutions on important global issues, such as disarmament, international peace and security, decolonization, the right of self-determination, human rights, and economic and technological development. For this purpose, the Conference has also taken a number of initiatives, both within and outside the United Nations. As a manifestation of the OIC’s concrete contribution, I should like to mention that, in its last special ministerial meeting held in Islamabad, Pakistan, in April 1993, it decided to offer to the United Nations over 20,000 troops belonging to its members for peace-keeping duties in the United Nations Protection Force in the former Yugoslavia. Similarly, the OIC has remained in the forefront of promoting the cause of peace and the end of conflicts around the world. The draft resolution which I have the honour to introduce today is similar to resolutions adopted under this item at earlier sessions of the General Assembly. It represents the desire of the members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference for greater cooperation with the United Nations in our common search for solutions to global problems. In the preamble, the General Assembly stresses its conviction that the strengthening of cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference contributes to the promotion of the purposes and principles of the United Nations, and it recognizes the need for closer cooperation between the United Nations system and the OIC and its specialized institutions in the implementation of the proposals adopted at the coordination meeting of the focal points of the lead agencies of the two organizations. Under the draft resolution, the Assembly would also request the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to continue to cooperate in their common search for solutions to global problems, such as those relating to international peace and security, disarmament, self-determination, fundamental human rights and economic and technical development. It would encourage specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to continue to expand cooperation with the Organization of the Islamic Conference. It would request that a general meeting of the secretariats of the two organizations and the specialized institutions be organized at Geneva in May 1994. It would urge the United Nations to provide technical and other forms of assistance to the Organization of the Islamic Conference. On behalf of the States members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, I would request the members of the Assembly to support the draft resolution and to facilitate its adoption by consensus.

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 3369 (XXX) of 10 October 1975, I now call on the Observer for the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

It is a privilege for me to address the General Assembly again on an item of particular importance to the United Nations and the Organization I represent, namely, "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference". As this is the first time I have spoken at this session of the Assembly, allow me to begin, Sir, by extending our warmest congratulations to His Excellency Ambassador Insanally on his election to the high office of President of the General Assembly. His election is a tribute to his well-known personal qualities, to his vast experience and to his country, Guyana. I can assure the President that he can count on the full cooperation of my organization as he discharges his responsibilities. I wish also to seize this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, not only for his excellent report which is before us (A/48/422 and Add.1) but also for the significant contribution he has made to the effectiveness and smooth functioning of this world body. His numerous achievements in the name of peace during a short span of time speak for themselves. We wish him the best in the future and assure him of our full cooperation in the undertakings he has initiated, in the form of particular cooperation between the United Nations and our organization relating to specific matters. I would also like to avail myself of this opportunity to congratulate our sister international, intergovernmental and regional organizations for the adoption by consensus of the resolutions providing for cooperation between the United Nations and their respective bodies. The unanimous adoption of the resolution on cooperation between the League of Arab States and the United Nations is a source of particular joy for us. This indeed signifies the new spirit of progress prevailing in the Middle East peace process. The founding fathers and the members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference clearly identified from the outset the role of our organization within the overall framework of the United Nations Charter. The charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conference underlines the determination of its 51 member States to make effective contributions to the enrichment of humankind and the achievement of progress, freedom and justice throughout the world by promoting global peace and security. The Organization of the Islamic Conference derives its inspiration from the eternal and noble message of Islam, and its establishment was predicated on the principles of peace, harmony, tolerance, equality and justice for all. The charter of our organization reaffirms the commitment of our members to the Charter of the United Nations. The perceptions of the members of our organization, all of which are also Members of the United Nations, are identical to those of the vast majority of the United Nations membership on important international issues. It is only natural that the two organizations should work closely together to promote the ideals, principles and objectives that they share. Cooperation between the two organizations received an important boost in 1975, when the Organization of the Islamic Conference was granted observer status by the United Nations. By the late 1970s, it was felt that the ever-increasing interaction of the two organizations should be given an institutional framework in which the secretariats and the specialized agencies, organs and bodies of the two organizations could hold regular consultations to review their ongoing work and to examine the possibilities of expanding and enlarging their areas of cooperation. Since the adoption in 1980 of General Assembly resolution 35/36, which was the first resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, a number of cooperation agreements have been concluded by our organization with specialized agencies and other bodies of the United Nations system, such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities and the United Nations bodies concerned with technical cooperation for development. The cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference has been mutually satisfactory and has been developing in a meaningful manner. Ever since the first meeting, held in 1983, between the representatives of the Secretariats of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and its specialized institutions and those of the United Nations system, the two organizations have expanded their cooperation on a number of important projects in the nine already-identified priority areas in social, economic and cultural fields; these are described in the Secretary-General’s report of 24 September 1993. Since 1983, the two organizations have made concerted efforts in the common search for solutions to regional as well as international conflicts and to problems relating to peace and security and economic, social and cultural development, as well as in combating terrorism and working to protect human rights. Thus, 1993 marks the tenth year of active cooperation between the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations. In pursuance of General Assembly resolution 46/13, the two organizations held a sectoral meeting on "Science and Technology with Special Emphasis on Environment" at Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 19 to 22 December 1992. We welcome the conclusions and recommendations adopted by that meeting, which are covered in the report of the Secretary-General, and appreciate particularly the valuable contribution made by the participating organizations and the agencies of the United Nations system to the success of the meeting. The next general meeting between the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations is expected to take place in Geneva early next year. In the meantime, let me assure the Assembly that the Organization of the Islamic Conference is fully conscious of the financial constraints on both organizations, and, therefore, our cooperation process takes that factor into account. The draft resolution before the Assembly in document A/48/L.27 of 19 November 1993, which has been introduced in detail by the Permanent Representative of Pakistan, Representative of the current Chairman of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, reflects the firm determination of the two organizations to go ahead with cooperation in several fields. In view of the fact that the draft resolution has no additional financial implications, I am confident that it will be approved unanimously by the membership of this body.

I should like to inform the Assembly that action on draft resolution A/48/L.27 will be postponed to the morning of Wednesday, 24 November, as the last item. COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY (a) REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL (A/48/475 and Add.1) (b) DRAFT RESOLUTION (A/48/L.23)

I call on the representative of Algeria to introduce draft resolution A/48/L.23.

It is a great pleasure for me to speak today as Chairman of the Group of African States on a question to which the delegations on whose behalf I am speaking attach great importance. At the outset I should like to thank the Secretary-General for his report, which is a new milestone in the positive development of cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The follow-up and encouragement of cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity has been provided by the General Assembly since 1965, through the regular adoption of specific resolutions on the matter. But this exercise cannot be reduced to a mere ritual, since it so expressively reflects the various stages of contemporary African history and the various manifestations of multifaceted continent-wide action organized with the help of the United Nations. The important reference point of decolonization has proved its worth in cooperative relations between the United Nations and the OAU, which form an exceptionally strong umbilical cord and support for the particularly fruitful complementarity of regional and international efforts to achieve a common goal. Therefore, going back over the history of cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU since that cooperation began is, in the present conditions of profound change in international relations, a way to consolidate gains and, on the foundation of shared experience, to build new aspirations. The pan-African organization will thus, with the help of the United Nations, deal with the exigencies of a single continental destiny and make its contribution to meeting the great challenges that face the international community as a whole. At the same time, while the renewed interest in multilateralism is giving the United Nations ever more numerous and complex missions, of ever increasing scope, consideration of cooperation between the United Nations and In this context, the Organization of African Unity, which at its inception inscribed in its charter its faithfulness to the purposes and principles of the United Nations, can be seen as an especially well-suited partner for effective cooperation with the United Nations to make the African continent an outstanding example with regard to the prevention and settlement of conflicts and regional economic recovery and integration in a context of global economic growth. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity has, to its credit, yielded worthwhile results. Thanks to the perseverance behind this cooperation, which is moving it towards new horizons, considerable progress has been made over the past year. The report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations gives a comprehensive overview of the diverse and numerous fields of cooperation. However, it also reports on shortfalls and the wide range of tasks yet to be accomplished, the problems of Africa being so many and so complex. Some political successes have been scored. The peaceful dismantlement of apartheid and the establishment of institutional machinery opening the way towards a transition to a united, democratic and non-racial South Africa is a superb example of cooperation between the two Organizations. But that should not make us forget the political instability, the persistence of old hotbeds of tension and the emergence of new crises, all of which give rise to grave situations that highlight the vulnerability of a continent whose efforts at recovery are slowed down by ravages of man or nature. One need look no farther than Africa’s sad record in the matter of numbers of refugees and displaced persons to be convinced of the need for the international community to give the African continent special consideration. In these circumstances, for cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity to be effective it must not only help in responding to Africa’s urgent, priority situations and needs, but also give a vision of the future role a stable and prosperous Africa would play on the international stage. Africa’s energies are today directed to peace, development and democracy. It is clearly demonstrated by the democratic experiments proliferating throughout the continent, at a pace dictated by specific local circumstances, Indeed, despite the enormous sacrifices made by the African countries in bold economic reform processes, the continent’s situation is more precarious than ever. Economic recovery and development in Africa are still seriously hampered by the continued decline of commodity prices, the heavy burden of foreign debt, the negative transfer of financial resources and the shrinking of financial flows and direct investment, all compounded by the harmful effects of natural disasters, such as the scourge of desertification and the ravages of locust infestation. We must therefore redouble our efforts and do everything possible to strengthen and give new impetus to cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity in the economic and social spheres. The United Nations medium-term plan rightly places Africa’s economic recovery among the highest priorities for United Nations action. We welcome this, and call on all organs of the United Nations system to give due thought to this priority in conceiving, formulating and implementing their programmes and activities designed to benefit the African countries. Here, it is fitting to underscore once again the particular importance all of us should attach to the firm implementation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s, as a pact of solidarity which should help to lay the foundation for the sustainable development of the African continent. Draft resolution A/48/L.23 on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity, which I have the honour to introduce to the Assembly on behalf of the African Group, is a text which attempts to reflect the spirit and objectives of such cooperation. This text is rooted in tradition and reflects the developments that have occurred over the last year while projecting a vision of cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU into the future. Its objective is to take note of Africa’s concerns and also to set forth the main lines of cooperation that the Secretaries-General of our two organizations are to implement. Beyond formulations, it is important that Africa’s message of hope and of productive harmony in Given the proposals for amendment of the draft resolution which were suggested to us by some of our partners, and in the hope of achieving a genuine consensus on this text, I should like to beg your indulgence, Mr. President, and request that you accept deferring a decision on draft resolution A/48/L.23 until a revised text can be introduced, which will be very soon.

My country, which has the honour of being the current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity, takes pleasure in speaking on this important agenda item concerning cooperation between the OAU and the United Nations. Egypt, as a founding member of both organizations, and given its conviction of the importance of the roles performed by both, attaches particular importance to the strengthening of cooperation between the two organizations and to the positive results that may arise from such cooperation with regard to the achievement of the goals of the two organizations on the political, economic, social, cultural, artistic, technical and other levels. We have carefully studied the report of the Secretary- General (A/48/475) and welcome its contents relating to the progress made in the area of strengthening cooperation between the two organizations, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 47/148. We have also studied carefully the report in document A/48/475/Add.1 which deals with the discussions and recommendations of the coordinating meeting between the Secretariats of the two organizations held in New York from 8 through 10 September 1993, as a follow-up to the resolutions and recommendations which came from the meeting of the two Secretariats held in Addis Ababa in 1992. We should like to commend both reports and the continued efforts deployed by the Secretary-Generals of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity towards the strengthening of cooperation between the two organizations. We also welcome the decision by the two Secretariats to expand the scope of their cooperation, beyond the economic and social spheres, to the areas of preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping, as well as the promotion of democratization through the monitoring of elections. Our support for this stems from our conviction that there exists an indissoluble link between the consolidation of We have also welcomed the joint meeting of the two Secretariats which re-emphasized the need to strengthen their economic and social cooperation in such areas as continuing the progress achieved in the implementation of the Abuja Agreement towards the establishment of an African economic community, following up the results of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s, following up the results of the Dakar Conference on African Children and addressing the problems of refugees, displaced persons and issues relating to humanitarian assistance as well as issues relating to the environment and to population problems. We welcome the contents of the report of the Secretary- General on cooperation between the two organizations concerning the prevention, management and resolution of African conflicts, as was the case in South Africa, Somalia, Liberia, Rwanda and elsewhere. We urge a strengthening of cooperation between the two organizations to implement the recommendations of the Secretary-General’s report. Specifically, there is a need to take advantage of the benefits the OAU derives from its geographic proximity and its knowledge of local conditions and the historic and cultural backgrounds of conflicts in Africa. In addition, the OAU represents the political will of the African peoples and embodies their determination to resolve their conflicts by themselves. These considerations were the reason for the creation of a machinery for the prevention, management and resolution of African conflicts within the framework of the OAU, in conformity with the Cairo Declaration resulting from the African Summit Conference held in June 1993. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt, who presided over the central body of the joint meeting held in Addis Ababa from 17 to 19 November 1993, referred to the need to establish close cooperation between the two bodies in this area, in view of the limited resources available to the OAU, on the one hand, and the experience acquired by the United Nations in the areas of peacemaking and peace-keeping, on the other. We should like to seize this opportunity to appeal to the United Nations to encourage and support this new African machinery. We should also like to declare our support for the recommendations of the joint meeting of the Secretariats of the two organizations to update the cooperation agreements between the two bodies concerning prevention and management of African conflicts. We also support the same meeting’s recommendations on the strengthening of such cooperation, while stressing the need for the United Nations to provide the necessary assistance for the establishment of We wish to refer to another new field of cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU, namely the cooperation with the African countries in facilitating and monitoring their transition to multi-party systems, including the monitoring of elections at the request of those countries. We note with interest the paragraph in the Secretary- General’s report that notes that the United Nations has handled requests for electoral assistance from 27 countries and that that accounted for about 80 per cent of all such requests received by the United Nations. This highlights Africa’s unremitting efforts towards democratization. The Organization of African Unity has participated with the United Nations in monitoring those elections. This has opened the door to cooperation between the two organizations in this important area. We urge the United Nations to provide the required technical and financial assistance in the area of training, so that specialized OAU cadres may perform this important role of monitoring elections at the request of African countries. When speaking of African disputes and African democratization we must refer to the problem of African refugees, and displaced persons who now number some 6 million. There is a need for coordinating humanitarian emergency assistance in this area. Here we should like to pay tribute to the efforts of the United Nations, its specialized agencies and to its various operational programmes and funds in this field, as well as to the role played by the Department of Humanitarian Affairs in coordinating relief to the African countries within the framework of General Assembly resolution 46/182. We call for the consolidation of cooperation between the two organizations in implementing that resolution in Africa, particularly in respect of speedy response to relief requirements in the early stages of emergency situations. There is also a need for raising the degree of preparedness of the African countries themselves to deal with emergency situations. In this respect, we must move from the relief stage to the rehabilitation and development stages. We also call for cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in coordinating assistance to African countries of asylum for African refugees and displaced persons, in implementing the provisions of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and in preparing for participation by the African countries in the Yokohama conference which will be held in Japan next year. There is an urgent need to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in promoting African efforts towards the achievement of sustainable The worsening of these problems was the reason behind the adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development. However, that Programme has not been able to prevent the 1980s from becoming a wasted decade as far as Africa was concerned. The faltering international effort to address the continued worsening of Africa’s problems in 1980s led to the adoption by the General Assembly of the New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s. The New Agenda contains various important elements that are necessary for Africa’s economic development, such as economic reform, the encouragement of investment, the development of human resources, dealing with the problems relating to the environment, population, agriculture, rural development, food security, foreign debt, financial inflows, commodities, diversification of African products, cooperation, regional and subregional integration and many others. We have studied the three reports presented by the Secretary-General on the progress achieved in implementing the New Agenda within the framework of item 24 of the General Assembly’s agenda and should like to stress the need for strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in implementing the New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s. We should like also to emphasize the important role that the OAU and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) could play in this connection as well as in the follow-up of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, which was held in Japan on 5 and 6 October 1993, and the follow- up mechanism referred to in the Tokyo Declaration. The Egyptian delegation attaches great importance to cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in implementing Agenda 21 and wishes to commend the efforts deployed by the Organization of African Unity on the one hand and, on the other, by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the ECA and the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office (UNSO) in this connection. We should like to commend, in particular, cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU within the framework of the intergovernmental body entrusted with the drafting of an international convention on combating desertification in countries which suffer from drought or desertification. We also commend the efforts of the team of Our interest in desertification and soil deterioration issues in Africa embraces another problem, namely locust infestations in Africa and its adverse effects on the environment, agricultural production and food security. We pay tribute here to the important role played by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in cooperation with the OAU and African subregional organizations in dealing with the problem. We seize this opportunity to invite the United Nations to increase its cooperation with as well as its financial and technical support to the OAU in implementing Agenda 21 in keeping with the recommendations included in the Secretary- General’s report, with special emphasis on building Africa’s capacities together with the mobilization of the new and additional financial resources required for such implementation. The international economy is now witnessing an increasing tendency towards integration and association. In this context, Africa has given shape to its vision and aspirations with regard to regional integration in the framework of the Abuja Agreement on the establishment of the African Economic Community. The establishment of that community will require great efforts by the African countries and support for such efforts by the international community. We attach great importance to cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU in mobilizing such international support as well as in disseminating information on the Agreement at the regional, subregional and international levels. The United Nations should also provide technical assistance in the area of formulating the frameworks and programmes as well as conducting the studies needed to establish the African Economic Community, in line with the Secretary-General’s recommendations in his report. Last but not least, we should like to refer to the International Conference on Assistance to African Children, held at Dakar from 25 to 27 November 1992, in close cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU. This international meeting resulted in the adoption of two important documents - the Consensus of Dakar and the Plan of Action. These were subsequently adopted at the last OAU summit, which was held in Cairo in June 1993. We support the Secretary-General’s recommendations concerning early implementation of the recommendations of the Dakar Conference - in particular, those relating to public health, education, combating drugs and assistance in caring for disabled and mentally retarded children. We should like to conclude by urging the General Assembly to adopt by consensus draft resolution A/48/L.23 on cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU submitted by the African Group.

It gives me great pleasure to be able to participate in the discussion on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). I should like, in that regard, to convey our warm appreciation to the Secretary-General for the two reports on this subject that are before us. This debate comes at an opportune time, as cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU - a process that started nearly 30 years ago, in 1965 - has vastly expanded in scope. The United Nations has cooperated closely with the OAU in the areas of assistance to refugees, the decolonization of the African continent, including that of my own country - Zimbabwe - and the efforts towards the total eradication of racial discrimination, racism and apartheid on the continent. The United Nations has also supported the continent’s efforts to promote multilateral cooperation and regional and subregional economic integration among African States. Indeed, as the reports before the Assembly indicate, the majority of the operational agencies, as well as other bodies of the United Nations system, continue their valuable activities on the continent, at both the national and the regional levels. The past year has been, in general, one of severe and trying social, economic and political crises in Africa. In eastern and southern Africa, the most unremitting drought in living memory devastated the region, resulting in, inter alia, reductions of between 50 and 70 per cent in the cereal output of the various countries of the region. Insecurity and civil strife continued to stalk many parts of the continent, The growing magnitude of the refugee problem in Africa poses one of the most formidable challenges facing the OAU and the United Nations today. Whereas, in 1990, there were 5.7 million refugees in Africa, it is estimated that today there are 6 million - 30 per cent of the world’s refugees. We wish to express to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) our appreciation for the efforts that are being made, in collaboration with the OAU, to alleviate the plight of the refugees in Africa. Furthermore, we hope that the review that was begun in June 1993, during the fifty-eighth session of the OAU Council of Ministers, with a view to updating some of the provisions of the OAU-UNHCR Cooperation Agreement in order to meet the new challenges posed by refugees and displaced persons in the 1990s and beyond, will be completed at an early date. When His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe, Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe, addressed the General Assembly on 28 September this year, he welcomed the Secretary-General’s proposal - contained in his report "An Agenda for Peace" - relating to cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations in the resolution of conflicts, in peacemaking and in peace-building. Cognizant of the fact that the onus for taking the initiative in conflict prevention, management and settlement in our continent lies on the African people themselves, our Heads of State or Government, at their thirtieth summit meeting, which was held at Cairo in June this year, resolved to create a mechanism for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts. We are pleased to point out that, in spite of severe financial constraints, the OAU has established a special fund to support its activities in the field of the prevention and settlement of conflicts. Indeed, we are pleased to note that, with a view to putting the mechanism into operation, the organization’s central organ held its inaugural ministerial meeting in Addis Ababa last week, between 17 and 19 November 1993. It is our hope that the United Nations will lend its fullest support to the OAU’s mechanism as we are convinced that these efforts are complementary, and not at odds with each other. Even as I speak of the creation of the mechanism for conflict resolution in Africa, the OAU has been playing an increasingly important role in the United Nations peacemaking and peace-keeping operations on the continent. My delegation wishes to support, in this regard, the recommendations that emanated from the meeting between the secretariats of the United Nations and of the OAU that was held in New York in September 1993 - in particular, those relating to preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peace-- keeping and post-conflict peace-building. We wish also to commend the Secretaries-General of the two organizations for their regular consultations aimed at preventing and resolving conflicts in Africa. We from the African continent are fully cognizant of the need to achieve sustainable development and growth through self-reliance and interdependence. As the World Economic Survey 1993 correctly points out, African leaders: "have renewed their commitments to strategies and measures to accelerate economic integration." (E/1993/60, p. 87) These measures include production, institutional and infrastructural harmonization between neighbouring States, market integration through trade liberalization, streamlined payments arrangements and currency convertibility. Thus, when we in southern Africa came together as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in August 1992, foremost among our objectives were deeper economic cooperation and integration, on the basis of equity and mutual benefit, providing for cross-border investment and trade and the freer movement of factors of production, goods and services, capital and labour across national boundaries. It is our hope to achieve complementarity between our national and regional strategies and programmes. SADC, therefore, together with the other regional economic organizations, such as the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Arab Maghreb Union, is one of the building blocks for the continent’s ultimate objective: the African Economic Community. We hope to continue to enjoy the tangible support of the international community and the United Nations in our endeavours. Only two weeks ago the Assembly made a preliminary review of the implementation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s. My Let me conclude by recalling the Secretary-General’s words when he addressed the Panel of High-Level Personalities on African Development on 28 December 1992, in Geneva: "Africa and its resources, notably its human resources, are of enormous potential. The end of the cold war allows us to think afresh: to recommit ourselves to the social and economic development of the continent, and to reappraise our approach." (Press Release SG/SM/4887, p. 2) We fervently hope that the consolidation of the cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity will further buttress this recommitment.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. That the European Union is committed to regional cooperation has been amply demonstrated. Suffice it to recall that in 40 years the European House has grown from six to twelve, evolving from a Coal and Steel Community into a Union which officially entered into force on 1 November last. Through many different agreements, the European Union has close political and economic ties with virtually all regions of the world. More specifically with regard to our relations with the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the European Union had occasion to meet the Secretary-General of the OAU, Mr. Salim Salim, and to have an important dialogue with him last June in Copenhagen. We can therefore only commend the efforts of the Organization of African Unity which, while continuing its work to strengthen the political and economic independence of its members, is also trying to increase cooperation between them. This cooperation, which is in keeping with Accordingly, the European Union welcomes the establishment by the OAU last June in Cairo of a mechanism for conflict prevention, management and resolution in Africa. That decision was based on a clear awareness, reflected in the Declaration by the Heads of State and Government of the OAU that: "No single internal factor has contributed more to the present socio-economic problems on the Continent than the scourge of conflicts within and between our countries." (A/48/322, p. 107, AHG/DECL.3 (XXIX) Rev.1, para. 9) Within the framework of this mechanism the OAU intends to coordinate its activities with those of regional and subregional organizations and neighbouring States while, where necessary, also having recourse to United Nations assistance. The European Union welcomes and supports this double approach: internal coordination and cooperation with the United Nations. Indeed, we think that very often that is the best way to guarantee regional peace and security. This dual approach has already been applied in Rwanda, with encouraging results. The European Union welcomes the conclusion of the Arusha Agreement, which is to lead to free elections in Rwanda. We pay tribute to the ceaseless diplomatic efforts of the Tanzanian conciliator and the activities of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations. We hope that the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) will be deployed without delay and will be able to help to establish an atmosphere of trust between the Rwandese parties, which is indispensable for the establishment of a just and lasting peace in that country. In other parts of Africa the international community has made great peace-keeping efforts. In addition to Rwanda, the United Nations is present in Western Sahara, Liberia, Somalia, Mozambique, Angola and South Africa. About half of the peace-keeping operations decided upon by the Security Council are in Africa. Unfortunately, while some of these operations seem to be on the right track, in others the results achieved so far have not measured up to our hopes. In Western Sahara, we recall our support for the settlement plan for the holding of a self-determination In Angola, UNITA’s refusal to accept the outcome of elections certified to be generally free and fair has plunged that country into widespread violence once again. The European Union hopes that the Lusaka talks begun by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative will lead to a rapid solution to the Angolan crisis through negotiations carried on within the context of the "Acordos de Paz", with full respect for the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. In Mozambique, after a difficult beginning, implementation of the General Peace Agreement, signed at Rome on 4 October 1992, was given fresh impetus when the Secretary-General visited Maputo, as clearly indicated in the most recent report of the Secretary-General on the subject. We earnestly hope that the important agreements achieved on that occasion by President Chissano and the head of RENAMO, Mr. Dhlakama, which involved such matters as a new timetable, will be scrupulously adhered to, particularly in respect of demobilization and the electoral process. Also, full heed must be paid to the appeal the Security Council issued in its resolution 882 (1993) for help in ensuring the success of the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (UNOMOZ). We rely on a favourable response by Members of the United Nations to the Security Council’s appeal in its resolution 882 (1993) to contribute to ensuring the success of UNOMOZ. In Liberia, we encourage all parties faithfully to implement the Cotonou Agreement and to participate under the conditions it sets forth in the interim institutions that will administer the country pending elections. We have taken note of the Secretary-General’s most recent report on Somalia. It shows clearly that, despite the considerable success of the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II) in many respects, and in most of the country, Somalia is now at a crossroads. We hope that the increasing importance given to the political process, to the establishment of district and regional councils and of a local police force will promote the reconciliation and recovery agreed upon at Addis Ababa in January and March this year. But true national reconciliation must involve disarming the factions; otherwise the efforts of the United Nations and the international community in Somalia could be gravely compromised. We reaffirm that in the final analysis it is the Somali people themselves who are responsible for their future. They must manifest the political will necessary to resolve the Somali crisis. In that connection, the conference In South Africa, we warmly welcome the successful conclusion of the multi-party negotiations and the agreements on an interim constitution, on an independent electoral commission, on an independent media commission and on an audio-visual authority. This constitutes a historic milestone on the road to true democracy in South Africa. The European Union has already begun its preparations to help in the process that will culminate in democratic elections on 27 April 1994. The European Union also understands that South Africa’s transition to democracy must involve its economic reconstruction and development. We reiterate our determination to make an appropriate contribution to that process. Citizens of European Union members participate in all the United Nations operations in the countries I have mentioned. The European Union and, on a bilateral basis, some of its members are providing assistance to the countries where those operations are taking place. Since the late 1980s there has been a huge movement of political, social and economic reform in Africa; this could lay the foundation for a more open society able to determine its own future. We pay a tribute to the Africans and the African political leaders who have taken the path of democracy. In some countries the process of democratization has been interrupted, but we can only welcome the successful referendum in Eritrea, which gave birth to an independent State and put a peaceful end to a 30-year-old conflict. We are also gratified at the peaceful and effective way in which the referendum in Malawi was carried out. In that context, Burundi is a particularly tragic case. Five months after that country’s first free and democratic elections, an attempt at a coup d’état brutally shattered the movement towards openness and national reconciliation that had been so nobly undertaken by President Ndadaye. The European Union will support OAU initiatives to enable the legal authorities to resume governing Burundi. The European Union will continue to help African countries in encouraging democracy. At the Community level and at the level of its member States, it has demonstrated its readiness to respond favourably to requests for assistance in verifying elections. The European Union will also continue to help Governments encourage good public-affairs management and respect for human rights. "There can be no flowering of development without ... democratization. Peace is a prerequisite to development; democracy is essential if development is to succeed over the long term". (A/48/1, para. 9) We are pleased that a consensus is emerging on full respect for universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms and on the establishment of a pluralistic society and a governmental system responding to the wishes and needs of the people. We hope the OAU will continue to strengthen that consensus. We reaffirm our commitment to helping African countries in this process. Although it possess abundant resources, Africa continues, alas, to face serious economic problems. It confronts a drop in the flow of private resources, including investment; growing populations; problems of indebtedness; and disasters such as drought and desertification - not to mention the internal conflicts and civil wars about which I have just spoken. The European Union will cooperate with all relevant organizations to promote economic growth and development in Africa. In that connection, we attach special importance to cooperation with the OAU and to that organization’s contribution to intra-regional cooperation in Africa. Let me recall the close links binding the European Union with the States members of the OAU through the Lomé Convention and the new Mediterranean policy. On the strength of its own experience with economic integration, the European Union welcomes the prospects of integration opened by the Abuja treaty. Indeed, Africa remains the focal point of European policy with respect to cooperation. The recent Tokyo Conference provided a fresh opportunity for the European Union to emphasize the priority the international community gives to development in Africa. Some countries, battered by civil wars or other conflicts, have especially large requirements. Last May, the European Union decided to put in place an Initiative for Africa of at least 100 million European Currency Units; this will finance rehabilitation projects in a number of African countries. The Initiative will support aid measures to be inserted between humanitarian assistance and long-term development programmes. Two problems are of particular concern in that respect. The first is population growth, which hampers improvements The second problem is the situation of the least-developed countries, some 30 of which are African countries. Many continue to bear a heavy debt burden. The European Union strongly supports the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s. In the Lomé-Convention programmes and in the bilateral programmes of members of the European Union, specific attention is given to the fight against poverty. That priority is testimony to our desire that development budgets should remain intact. The European Union believes that the OAU will continue to play an important role in African and world affairs, in keeping with the principles of the Charter and in cooperation with the United Nations. We believe that the ties of friendship and cooperation binding the members of the OAU to the members of the European Union will continue to develop in the years to come.

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 2011 (XX) of 11 October 1965, I now call on the Observer of the Organization of African Unity.

I should like to inform the Assembly that action on draft resolution A/48/L.23 is postponed to a later date, to be announced in the Journal.