A/55/PV.105 General Assembly

The Assembly has before it document A/55/999, containing a letter dated 27 June 2001 from the President of the Security Council to the President of the General Assembly. That letter reads as follows: “I have the honour to inform you that the Security Council, at its 4337th meeting, held in private on 27 June 2001, adopted by acclamation resolution 1358 (2001) concerning the appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The resolution reads as follows: “‘The Security Council, “‘Having considered the question of the recommendation for the appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, “‘Recommends to the General Assembly that Mr. Kofi Annan be appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations for a second term of office from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2006.’ “(Signed) Anwarul Karim Chowdhury “President of the Security Council”. In connection with the recommendation of the Security Council, the General Assembly has before it a draft resolution submitted in document A/55/L.87 by Bangladesh, China, Colombia, France, Ireland, Jamaica, Mali, Mauritius, Norway, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Tunisia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. That is the only document before the Assembly on which action is required. I give the floor to the representative of Bangladesh, Mr. Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, who is also the President of the Security Council, to introduce draft resolution A/55/L.87.

It is an honour and privilege for me, in my capacity as the President of the Security Council, to address the General Assembly in order to convey to it the recommendation of the Security Council for the appointment of the Secretary- General of the United Nations. As the President indicated just now, at its 4337th meeting, held in private on 27 June, the Security Council adopted by acclamation resolution 1358 (2001), whereby it recommended to the General Assembly that Mr. Kofi Annan be appointed Secretary- General of the United Nations for a second term of office, from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2006. As the President of the Security Council, I have conveyed that recommendation to you, Mr. President, in my letter of 27 June 2001, which is before representatives as document A/55/999. You have also made a reference to this document, Mr. President. I now have the pleasure to introduce, on behalf of China, Colombia, France, Ireland, Jamaica, Mali, Mauritius, Norway, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Tunisia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and my own country, Bangladesh, the draft resolution contained in document A/55/L.87. It reads as follows: “The General Assembly, “Having considered the recommendation contained in Security Council resolution 1358 (2001), “Expressing its appreciation for the effective and dedicated service rendered to the United Nations by Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary- General of the United Nations, during his first term of office, “Appoints Mr. Kofi Annan for a second term of office beginning on 1 January 2002 and ending on 31 December 2006.” In presenting this draft resolution to the General Assembly, I recall the words of the President of the Security Council uttered in this Hall five years ago, as the Assembly was about to adopt the resolution appointing Mr. Annan as the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Recalling his over 30 years of dedication to the multifaceted tasks that the United Nations performs, it was said that there was no doubt that Secretary-General Annan would meet and exceed all expectations and carry out his duties in the most impeccable, impartial and independent way. Secretary-General Annan has lived up to those words. He has excelled in his office, delivering under trying circumstances. His efforts to reform the United Nations have made the Organization ready for the challenges of the twenty-first century. He has made the United Nations more relevant in today’s world, broadening its support base by developing partnerships with civil society and the private sector, in particular. His vision in making real the Charter commitment made in the name of “We the peoples” was reflected in the success of the Millennium Summit. His strong support for international development goals, particularly for Africa and the least developed countries, has positively impacted on the lives of people all over the world. From one conflict situation to another, he made a difference by advocating reason and hope and promoting the culture of peace and non-violence, often in the midst of hostilities and despair. He made United Nations peacekeeping more relevant and more respectable, enhancing its effectiveness in bringing peace to suffering millions. We have no doubt that he will only increase and intensify his efforts to serve the cause of the United Nations and of its peoples during his second term. We wish him the very best, and assure him of our wholehearted support. I would recommend that the General Assembly adopt draft resolution A/55/L.87, now before it, by acclamation.

The President of the Security Council has just proposed that the draft resolution contained in document A/55/L.87 be adopted unanimously. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to adopt draft resolution A/55/L.87 by acclamation?

I have the honour to announce that His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan has been appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations by acclamation for a second term of office, beginning on 1 January 2002 and ending on 31 December 2006. I request the Chief of Protocol to escort the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, into the General Assembly Hall.

I have the honour to inform you officially, Sir, that the General Assembly has appointed you Secretary-General of the United Nations for a second term of office, beginning 1 January 2002 and ending on 31 December 2006. I now invite His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan to make a statement.

I am deeply honoured by the decision you have just taken. Let me thank the President of the Security Council — my good friend, Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury — for proposing my reappointment, and to thank all of you for the great honour you have done me. When your predecessors re-appointed Dag Hammarskjöld to a second term, in 1957, he said that no one could accept the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations “knowing what it means”, except from a sense of duty. He immediately added, however, that no one could serve in that capacity “without a sense of gratitude for a task as deeply rewarding as it is exacting; as perennially inspiring as, sometimes, it may seem discouraging”. After four and a half years in the job, I can only echo both halves of his statement. I labour under a constant sense of obligation to you, the Members of the Organization; to all the world's peoples, whom you represent; and in particular to my fellow Africans, whom you have honoured in my person today. But at the same time I am sustained by a profound feeling of gratitude for the confidence you have placed in me, and for the encouragement and support I have received from so many quarters. I am well aware that, on my own, I could never have won that confidence or earned that support. Wherever I have travelled in these past four years, and whatever issues I have tackled, I have been inspired by the sacrifices that the staff of the United Nations make, every day, on behalf of the peoples we serve. In peacekeeping operations, in refugee camps and in countless other missions of mercy and of hope, their dedication to the service of mankind is constant and unswerving. Whatever I have achieved, I owe it to their commitment and support, both in the field and at Headquarters. It has been my privilege to serve as Secretary- General at a time of sweeping change and great challenges. My aims, I hope, have been clear. I have sought to equip this indispensable institution so that it can adjust to change, rise to new challenges and serve its Member States and their peoples more effectively, while remaining true to the principles of the Charter. I have sought to turn an unflinching eye on the failures of our recent past, in order to assess more clearly what it will take for us to succeed in the future. I have sought to speak out in defence of those who cannot speak for themselves — for the right of the poorest to development, and the right of the weakest and most vulnerable to protection. And I have sought to make universal human rights the touchstone of my work, in all their aspects, because I believe they belong to every faith, every culture and every people. Whether, or how far, I have succeeded in these aims is not for me to judge. I do know, however, that the task is far from done. Just this week, we have taken the measure of one particular challenge, which 20 years ago we could not have imagined: the global scourge of HIV/AIDS. As the Assembly knows, I have made that issue a personal priority, and I am now convinced that the battle can be won. Thanks to this week's work, and the long months of preparation that preceded it, we at last have an agreed, comprehensive strategy. Now we must put it into action. There are many other challenges, but I do not need to list them now. The heads of State and Government of Members have given us our marching orders in the Millennium Declaration they adopted last September. And next September, at the start of the fifty-sixth session, I will put before the Assembly a programme for carrying out those orders over the next five years. For now, let me simply renew my oath of office: I solemnly swear to exercise in all loyalty, discretion and conscience the functions entrusted to me as Secretary-General of the United Nations, to discharge these functions and regulate my conduct with the interests of the United Nations only in view, and not to seek or accept instructions in regard to the performance of my duties from any Government or other authority external to the Organization. Let me add the hope that five years from now the peoples of the world whom this Organization was founded to serve will feel that it is closer to them, working better to fulfil their needs and putting their individual welfare at the centre of everything it does. Only if their confidence in the United Nations has been strengthened will your confidence in me have been justified.

I thank the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, for his statement. In my capacity as President of the General Assembly, it is an honour and my personal pleasure to warmly congratulate you, Mr. Secretary-General, on your reappointment. The membership has demonstrated its strong support for and trust in your second term in office, especially by taking such a timely decision on this matter. This decision by Member States is a clear testimony of continued support for your ideas and actions. We, the Members of the United Nations, would like to thank you for accepting these responsibilities and duties for the second time. Last September, at the Millennium Summit, Member States committed themselves to ambitious principles and targets, such as halving poverty by 2015. In order to reach these goals, this Organization needs leadership with vision and wisdom. There is a sense of urgency to implement the millennium goals. Your continued commitment to an effectively functioning Organization with a new management culture, which I salute, is one of the keys to success. In the Millennium Declaration, we have recognized our individual and shared responsibility to implement these goals at the national level. The United Nations must also become more relevant to the world outside. We have happily noted your initiatives in this regard to build partnerships with other actors at the national and international level. I should like to assure you, Mr. Secretary- General, of the support of Member States as you guide this Organization during the next five years. I also wish to say that having been able to work with you has been a privilege and a pleasure. Please accept my personal wishes of good health and good luck to you and your family. I now give the floor to the representative of Nigeria, His Excellency Mr. Arthur C.I. Mbanefo, who will speak on behalf of the African States.

I feel particularly proud and privileged to speak today on behalf of the African Group. We have today unanimously re-elected the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for another term of five years to run from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2006. We have done so mindful of the qualities we all expect of the Secretary-General of our Organization and the quintessential credentials of Mr. Kofi Annan, for which we honour him by requesting of him another term in office. The task performed by the Secretary- General is not an easy one, and our expectations of him are simply awesome. His high responsibility is to exercise the highest integrity, fidelity to his oath of office and loyalty to the United Nations Organization. We are all familiar with the contributions this astute, distinguished diplomat and consummate international civil servant has, in his charismatic manner, made to our Organization, which have compelled all of us to act as we have done today. We look forward to continued support for him by all Member States as he strives for excellence in the service of our Organization. No one can talk about the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, without mentioning some of the innovative ideas he has brought to the United Nations, such as the Millennium Summit with its Outcome Document, the Global Compact, the Brahimi Panel report on peacekeeping operations, the establishment of the global fund to fight AIDS, and the establishment of Tribunals to fight impunity and crimes against humanity, as in Yugoslavia and Rwanda. I recognize and salute the presence of Mrs. Nane Annan, who has supported the Secretary-General through these past arduous years, ensuring that he gave nothing but his best in the service of our Organization. We know that it is a huge sacrifice that you and your family are making for humanity, because without your support the Secretary-General would not have been available to serve us, particularly with such distinction. We in the African Group are proud of this great son of Africa, who indeed has made a tremendous difference in that coveted high post of Secretary- General of the United Nations. This is why we solidly, unwaveringly and immensely supported and openly campaigned for his re-election. We salute you and look forward to a second term that will witness much greater strides in your service to our Organization. Stoutly, we shall walk side by side to ensure your continued success. At this point, I wish on behalf of our Group to thank the various regional groups for their unflinching support of this re-election. The same goes to all the members of the Security Council, permanent and non- permanent alike. This unique act of solidarity and support for a vision to move our Organization forward in the new millennium is commendable. Mr. Secretary-General, the world today looks to you, as always, with renewed hope that, calling upon your most unique qualities which have so eloquently recommended you for a second term, you will excel at tackling the difficult and complex issues facing our world. We are confident that you will lead our Organization towards ensuring that we carry out fully our leaders’ injunctions contained in the Millennium Declaration, as well as observe and guard the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. This we believe and trust you will do, as these hopes remain alive. The United Nations is, in the final analysis, what Member States want it to be. It is of cardinal importance, therefore, that Member States continue to provide the fullest support and commensurate resources to the Secretary-General during his second term to enable the United Nations to play the role envisaged for it in world affairs.

I give the floor to the representative of Oman, Mr. Fuad Mubarak Al-Hinai, on behalf of the Group of Asian States.

On this historic day, I am grateful for the honour bestowed upon me as Chairman of the Group of Asian States to express our congratulations to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, on his reappointment. The Member States of the Asian Group have unwaveringly favoured the enhancement of United Nations activities on the basis of its Charter, and in this regard they recognize the role of the Secretary-General in implementing the purposes and principles of the Charter. A little less than five years ago, the world community decided to put its trust in you, Mr. Secretary-General, as the Chief Administrative Officer of this Organization, to lead and guide us through good and sometimes difficult times, to dedicate yourself to the cause of peace and justice, to devote yourself to upholding the interests of this Organization and its entire membership — big and small, strong and weak, rich and poor — and to implement the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, but above all to maintain the Organization’s credibility and independence. You have not disappointed us. Today we reaffirm our trust in you by re- appointing you as Secretary-General to lead us for the next five years. We unanimously welcome the recommendation by the Security Council and the decision of the General Assembly. You will bring with you to your second term a wealth of experience in dealing with multilateral issues, preventive diplomacy, good leadership and excellent negotiating skills. You have never shied away from taking bold decisions at times of crisis when you felt that your intervention would help to defuse tensions, as we have witnessed when you have undertaken your diplomatic missions to different regions of the world. Your vision for the twenty-first century, as reflected in your report “We the Peoples”, formed the basis for the Millennium Declaration. It served as a timely guide as we embarked on our efforts to reinvigorate the role of the Organization and of its affiliated agencies and to cope with the requirements of this century in order to meet the needs of nations and the aspirations of their peoples. We, the Member States of the Asian Group, representing more than half of the world’s population, rejoice in your re-appointment and are convinced that, given your integrity, dedication, fairness and impartiality, you will continue to be devoted to upholding the interests of this Organization. In conclusion, allow me, on behalf of the Asian Group, to express to you, Mr. Secretary-General, our readiness to continue our cooperation with you to achieve the noble goals and objectives enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

I now give the floor to the representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Husein Zivalj, on behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.

It is my profound honour and privilege as Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Chairman of the Group of Eastern European States to address the General Assembly on behalf on the Group on this important occasion. It is also with great pleasure that we extend our warmest congratulations to Mr. Kofi Annan on his appointment to the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations for a second term. As we congratulate Mr. Annan on his re-election, we express our deepest appreciation for the achievements of his first term of office. The Secretary-General has served the United Nations at a critical period coinciding with the turn of the century, at a time characterized by the crucial challenges of a globalizing world, by tremendous opportunities and grave risks for humankind. His efforts to preserve international peace and security, to ensure sustainable development, to protect the environment and to promote human rights and social justice in a safer world deserve the highest marks from the international community. We would be remiss in not recognizing also Mr. Kofi Annan's personal contributions to the successful holding last year of the historic Millennium Summit at the United Nations, a momentous event which has charted a road map for the world Organization for decades to come. On behalf of the Group of Eastern European States, I would like to convey to Mr. Kofi Annan our best wishes for his tenure as Secretary-General of the United Nations for the next five years. The Group of Eastern European States pledges its support and cooperation to him in carrying out his not always easy mandate in the best interests of humanity.

I give the floor to the representative of El Salvador, His Excellency Mr. José Roberto Andino Salazar, who will speak on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States.

I call on the representative of Spain, His Excellency Mr. Inocencio F. Arias, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Western European and other States.

Occupying the presidency of the Group of Western European and other States brings with it the special honour today of warmly congratulating the Secretary-General on his re- election to a second term. The unanimous support shown by the regional Groups reflects the recognition of the various qualities that have characterized Mr. Kofi Annan’s work: first, his courage and determination in stressing the primacy of human rights, showing eloquently that no alibi can shelter the gross violation of these rights; secondly, his vision in advocating so firmly the urgency and seriousness of problems such as AIDS; thirdly, his honesty in recognizing the shortcomings of the Organization and pushing for its reform; fourthly, his enviable tact in dealing with de facto powers that affect the stability of the United Nations; fifthly, his handling of public relations, a vital skill for the United Nations in the twenty-first century; and, last but not least, his steadfast faith in the principles and potential of, and the need for, the United Nations. Someone has said — it might have been the Secretary-General himself — that if the United Nations did not exist in this tormented world in which we live, with its poverty, injustice, conflict and disease, someone would have to invent it. The statement is true; and I would go as far as saying, on behalf of my Group, that if Mr. Kofi Annan did not exist today, hic et nunc, we would have to invent someone with similar political and personal characteristics. The Western European and other States Group therefore will continue to give its full support to the admirable endeavours and efficient management of the Secretary-General. I wish you, Mr. Secretary-General, every success over the next five years, and we hope that we will be here to see it.

I call on the representative of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Mr. Fawzi Bin Abdul Majeed Shobokshi, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Arab States.

We appreciate the efforts of the Secretary-General to settle disputes by peaceful means and to consolidate the tenets of international peace and security, and we wish to recognize his contribution to the establishment of a just peace in the Middle East on the basis of international legitimacy and the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. At the Arab Summit held in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on 27 and 28 March 2001, the Council of the League of Arab States expressed support for the re-election of Mr. Kofi Annan to a second term of office as United Nations Secretary-General. While cognizant of the serious tasks entrusted to him by the international community, his outstanding record of work and continuous effort for realizing the hopes of the international community assures us that the international community has placed its confidence in the right person. Today, on this momentous occasion, and on behalf of the Arab Group, it gives me great pleasure to extend sincere congratulations to Mr. Kofi Annan on his re-election to a second term of office as Secretary- General. We wish him success in realizing the aspirations of the international community, establishing international peace and security and global stability, and we assure him that we look forward to fully cooperating with him in order to fulfil the hopes and objectives for which the United Nations was founded.

I call on the representative of the United States of America, His Excellency Mr. James B. Cunningham, who will speak on behalf of the host country.

On behalf of the United States of America, in its role as host country to the United Nations, I warmly welcome the reappointment of Mr. Kofi Annan as Secretary- General of the United Nations. As members may recall, President Bush heartily endorsed Mr. Annan’s second term as Secretary-General on the occasion of their first meeting, in March. My Government is especially pleased that the Secretary-General is willing to take up again this heavy responsibility. For the Government of the United States, the phrase “international community” is best understood as men and women of goodwill who not only represent the best values of their nations, but who also transcend their differences to strive for the common good of humanity. In Secretary-General Annan we have the personification of the international community, a global citizen who gives voice to all the people of our United Nations. To the suffering, he is the face of our compassion. For those who live under tyranny, he is the personification of our commitment to inalienable human rights. For those who live in zones of conflict, he is the embodiment of our commitment to peace and justice. And to all of us and our Governments, he has led the effort to reform the United Nations and to lead it into the twenty-first century. Secretary-General Annan’s life and career have been dedicated to meeting some of the greatest challenges of the twentieth century and the aspirations of the twenty-first. He has been a witness to some of the greatest accomplishments in our century and to some of its worst tragedies. The Secretary-General joined the United Nations in 1963 and has committed himself to its highest ideals over a career that spans nearly 40 years. Each United Nations success has been greeted with his characteristic humility and each setback with the equally characteristic deep introspection born of the conviction that we can improve — we must improve — our adherence to the United Nations Charter and the United Nations capabilities. Secretary-General Annan’s reappointment is especially timely just days after the General Assembly special session on HIV/AIDS. This historic session illustrates the compassion, innovation and determination the Secretary-General brings to the job. I would hope that all of us could emulate his example in this new millennium of promise. Kofi Annan often says he must be part general and part secretary. In the war on AIDS he has become our general. He has marshalled an unprecedented public-private coalition. He has broken false taboos that threaten millions of lives. He has persuaded the powerful and he has comforted the dying. I trust he will continue to challenge us in the name of the ideals that unite us. In addition to congratulating Secretary-General Annan, we must also thank him for his renewed commitment to the United Nations. As one of 189 proud Members of this Organization, we are grateful for his leadership, and we appreciate very much as well the contribution and sacrifice of his wife, Nane. We pledge our support for the Secretary-General as he leads this indispensable Organization into the twenty-first century.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item. We have thus concluded our consideration of agenda item 187.