A/56/PV.59 General Assembly

Last year at the Millennium Summit the heads of State and Government adopted the Millennium Declaration, whereby they pledged to uphold and promote the principles and goals laid down as the foundations of the Organization. The Summit and the Millennium Declaration became an outstanding achievement in the history of the United Nations. They provided us with a momentum in the new millennium that should be maintained through the active implementation of the guidelines unanimously endorsed by the leaders of the world. The indefensible acts of terrorism perpetrated against the United States on 11 September severely undermined our hope that peace and prosperity would be important hallmarks of the new century. The new threats and risks which confront the global community have come to the fore. The measures we are taking now to find an effective and lasting solution to the grave challenge that international terrorism has defiantly issued to the world should form part of our overall efforts to resolve the problems of underdevelopment, increased poverty, economic strife and disease, and to create new relationships in the international community. As previous speakers have done, I should also like to express my delegation’s appreciation to the Secretary-General for the road map document, which concisely and comprehensively outlines potential strategies for action that are designed to help us reach the goals and commitments embodied in the Declaration. We believe this document will help us in practical terms to combine our efforts to meet those lofty commitments. This year alone a number of events have marked the action-oriented approach of the international community towards the goals proclaimed. During this period the United Nations has organized five conferences and special sessions, and other meetings that are an integral part of the follow-up and implementation of the Millennium Declaration. The General Assembly special sessions on HIV/AIDS and Habitat and the Conferences on small arms and light weapons and on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, represented bold steps towards resolving the various problems affecting humanity and constitute concrete measures in the implementation of the provisions of the Millennium Declaration. We believe that the United Nations, and each Member State, should continue to demonstrate its determination to achieve all the goals embodied in this document. We are pleased to note the Secretary-General’s emphasis in the road map on the need to intensify collective efforts to reduce the number and effects of natural and man-made disasters. In this connection, I cannot but mention that although 15 years have passed since the Chernobyl disaster, the problem of eliminating its consequences is still acute in Ukraine and presents a serious obstacle to achieving the goal of sustainable development. The socio-economic, medical and environmental problems associated with the Chernobyl disaster have continued to exist since the closure of Chernobyl’s nuclear power plant. We believe that taking into consideration the long-term nature of these consequences, the United Nations should continue to coordinate international activities to study and mitigate the consequences. The delegations of Member States affected by the Chernobyl disaster will submit a draft resolution on the strengthening of international coordination and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster under the relevant agenda item. I should like to take this opportunity to appeal to all our partners to support the draft resolution. We fully share the opinion that it is vitally important to ensure that the millennium development goals become national goals and serve to increase the coherence and consistency of national policies and programmes. While primary responsibility for creating the necessary domestic environment rests with the sovereign nations themselves, we believe that increased international cooperation and dialogue are needed to assist developing countries and countries in transition to respond adequately to the challenges of the twenty- first century. One such challenge of a global dimension faced by the international community at the beginning of the new century is the transformation of the globalization process into a positive driving force, and ensuring that the benefits of this phenomenon are made available to all. Another is the fight for the eradication of poverty, which feeds political and social instability, criminality, terrorism and the degradation of nature. The problem affects all countries, is on the agendas of all Governments — even in prosperous nations — and requires solution at a global level. We share the view that the United Nations, with its universal mandate and unique potential, has a leading role to play in implementing the Millennium Declaration goals. Ukraine, as a newly elected member of the Economic and Social Council, stands ready to actively participate in and contribute to the work of that principal United Nations organ, which plays a central role in coordinating the Organization’s efforts in the economic, social and humanitarian fields. Making the United Nations more effective in maintaining peace and security is another important task before us. We share the view of the Secretary- General that conflict prevention is a complex issue that cannot be implemented in isolation from policies in the development, security, political, human rights and environmental areas, and that “Effective conflict prevention strategies need to be based on a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach, tailored to the unique circumstances of each situation.” (A/56/326, para. 36) I should like to focus my statement on some key proposals made by the President of Ukraine, Mr. Leonid Kuchma, in his statement at the Millennium Summit, in particular, “to develop a comprehensive strategy of the United Nations for conflict prevention ... based on a large-scale use of preventive diplomacy and peace-building”. (A/55/PV.5, p. 10) Ukraine is of the view that it is upon that premise that the peacekeeping strategy of the United Nations and its Member States should be built. It is satisfying to us to know that the issue of conflict prevention has been increasingly touched upon by the Secretary-General and the Member States. We welcome the Secretary-General’s report in document A/55/985, which reviews the progress achieved over recent years in developing the conflict prevention capacity of the United Nations system, and spells out specific recommendations on how to enhance it further in cooperation with Member States. In our view, that document represents a remarkable step forward in making the United Nations potential for conflict prevention more effective and moving the Organization from a culture of reaction to a culture of prevention. We also welcome concrete steps made in this regard by the Secretariat by applying a long-term vision of prevention in addition to the traditional political and military conflict prevention activities. We feel sure that the establishment of regional centres of conflict prevention, where appropriate, will enhance the United Nations capacity to monitor and assess existing and potential trouble spots in the world. We think that their purview could include monitoring developments in inter-ethnic relations and timely detection of the separatist tendencies that are usually one of the major causes of conflict. I should like to commend the Secretary-General for his proactive approach to the implementation of the decisions of the Millennium Summit. We welcome his idea of annual reports on progress in fulfilling the millennium commitments. The idea of a comprehensive report to be prepared five years after the Millennium Summit also deserves our full support. We are looking forward to working closely with other delegations in achieving the goals and commitments made by the heads of State and Government in the Millennium Declaration at the beginning of a new millennium.

Since the United Nations Millennium Summit in September last year, it has become an important task of the United Nations and the international community to achieve the series of goals set by the Millennium Declaration. Over the past year the United Nations has dedicated itself to strengthening its peacekeeping capacity. It also held a series of important meetings on issues such as the human habitat, HIV/AIDS, children, small arms, and racism, thus starting the process of implementing the follow-up to the Millennium Summit. The road map towards the implementation of the Millennium Declaration submitted by the Secretary- General has set out strategies for moving forward towards all these goals. We express our appreciation of his efforts in this regard. However, at present the pace of the follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit falls far short of the requirements of the various goals in the Millennium Declaration. The events of 11 September have demonstrated that terrorist, separatist and extremist forces are an increasingly grave threat to both national and international peace and stability and even to economic development. But it will be a long, complex and arduous task to totally destroy the breeding ground of terrorism, separatism and extremism. The United Nations needs to redouble its efforts to strengthen the implementation of the follow- up to the Millennium Declaration. If progress can be made towards solving global issues such as poverty, regional conflict and sustainable development, it will be beneficial both to the strengthening of international cooperation against terrorism and to peace and development the world over. Over the years the United Nations has set many development goals. Few of these, however, have been implemented. The Millennium Declaration has also set a series of goals in this respect, which embody the solemn commitment of leaders of all countries. The United Nations should take as its overriding current priority the realization of these development goals and formulate concrete, feasible implementing plans and methods with clear time frames in accordance with the specific realities and actual requirements of developing countries. The two important meetings on development to be held next year — the International Conference on Financing for Development and the World Summit on Sustainable Development — should face up to the reality that economic globalization has resulted in widening the gap between the rich and the poor. Developed countries should take concrete actions to fulfil their commitments and help developing countries rid themselves of poverty through practical steps such as providing increased official development assistance, providing debt relief, transferring technology and improving the market access of the developing countries. Also, the World Trade Organization will launch a new round of multilateral trade negotiations. We hope that this round will take into full consideration the concerns and interests of developing countries and become truly a round enhancing development, or a round for development. This year African leaders have formulated the New African Initiative, taking an important step towards the realization of African economic and political integration and sustainable development. At the same time, however, we should realize that Africa still faces a host of special difficulties. To attain its goal of sustainable development, Africa will have to achieve an average annual growth rate of 7 per cent for the next 15 years. We hope that the United Nations will play a bigger role in helping to meet the special needs of Africa. We appeal to the international community, developed countries in particular, to make a positive response to the Secretary-General’s recommendations and make substantive efforts to alleviate the special difficulties of African countries. China has always supported African countries in their efforts to maintain national stability, promote economic development and realize social progress. China attaches great importance to strengthening its cooperation with African States. Since the China- Africa Forum on Cooperation held in Beijing last year the Chinese Government has made specific arrangements with relevant African countries for the implementation of the cooperation plan between the two sides, including fulfilling China’s pledge to forgive a total of 10 billion RMB yuan of their external debt. As a developing country itself, China also has problems that are crying out for solution. Still, we are committed to continue to help Africa, within our capacity, to achieve its development goals.

At the outset, my delegation wishes to thank the Secretary-General for preparing the road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. We are grateful that he has suggested possible strategies and actions to meet the goals and commitments in the Declaration. I shall focus on a selected number of goals and the corresponding strategies in the road map. However, that should not be construed as prioritization of their importance, for all the proposed strategies in the report are, in the final analysis, interconnected and mutually reinforcing. As the report notes, many of the problems and issues addressed by the Millennium Declaration need to be tackled simultaneously across a broad front. At the same time, the proposed strategies should not be viewed as exhaustive. The road map should be sufficiently flexible. Particular strategies may require adjustments through time, or new strategies may be needed to suit changing circumstances and needs. More important, however, is the necessary political will and commitment to implement any proposed strategy. We know what has to be done. But translating these strategies into action remains the biggest challenge for each nation and the international community. At the beginning of the century humankind is faced with both traditional and non-traditional threats to global peace and security. In the latter category fall transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, money- laundering, trafficking in humans and terrorism. The horrors of 11 September add more urgency than is suggested in the road map for States to sign, ratify and implement the conventions and protocols relating to terrorism, and also for States to develop and adopt corresponding laws and administrative procedures at the national level. We must supplement the courses of action in the road map with other tools and instruments to fight terrorism. On conflict prevention the Secretary-General has advanced a number of strategies aimed not only at improving our ability to address the root causes of conflict and improve coordination among United Nations bodies, but also to create a culture of prevention. We subscribe to a number of the Secretary- General’s recommendations in this field. Nevertheless, it is important that conflict prevention measures be undertaken in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and be sensitive to the historical background of the situations under consideration. The strategies set forth by the Secretary-General to strive for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, through the full implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and other weapons conventions, have never been more relevant. We must continue to work for the full implementation of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and NPT. The Secretary- General’s proposal to support the efforts of civil society to eliminate weapons of mass destruction should also be heeded. We also support the convening of an international conference devoted to disarmament. The successful conclusion of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects was a bold step in the right direction. We welcome its Programme of Action and look forward to the review of its implementation in two years. The Millennium Declaration stresses the need to overcome the obstacles that developing countries face in mobilizing resources to finance their sustained development. We must therefore make every effort to ensure the success of the forthcoming International Conference on Financing for Development. The strategies on international trade proposed in the report of the Secretary-General, such as ensuring that developed nations fully comply with Uruguay Round commitments to improve market access for developing country products, the elimination of trade barriers and ensuring that the next round of trade negotiations fully takes into account the needs and priorities of developing countries, provide a good basis to enhance the global benefits of international trade. Debt relief for developing countries remains an essential component of any development package. We agree with the Secretary-General’s proposals, especially with the need for donors to mobilize resources to finance debt relief. Developing countries also need greater access to global capital goods and markets. It is equally important, as stated in the report, that debt relief should be additional and not at the expense of other forms of development assistance. At the same time, globalization as a process needs to be addressed. The highly uneven spread of its benefits should not condemn more lives to the margins. Globalization and adequate social safety nets are not incompatible. Appropriate strategies for this purpose should be included in any road map. The Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 must be implemented. Meeting the special needs of Africa, especially with respect to poverty eradication and sustainable development, is equally important. It is also our hope that the Rio + 10 Johannesburg Summit becomes the occasion for all countries to muster and commit the required resources to achieve the Rio goals. Combating all forms of violence against women and implementing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women are key goals of the Millennium Declaration. National efforts guaranteeing women equal access to education and social and health services are important measures towards meeting that goal. The Secretary-General’s proposals to support State efforts to ratify and implement the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and continuing United Nations work on specific policies dealing with migration issues and their implications are equally important. It is important to continue efforts to revitalize the General Assembly and streamline its working methods, rather than its work, in order to meet the Millennium Declaration’s goals of enabling the General Assembly to reaffirm its central position as the chief policy- making organ of the United Nations. With respect to the reform of the Security Council, we support the Secretary-General’s proposal on the need to continue to reform the Council’s working methods. However, the deadlock on expansion requires a sincere search for a compromise solution. One can only support the Secretary-General’s call for all States to pay their dues in full, on time and without condition in order to meet the Millennium Summit’s goal of ensuring that the United Nations is provided, on a timely basis, with the resources it needs to carry out its mandates. Finally, we support the submission of an annual report on the progress made in fulfilling millennium commitments, and a more comprehensive report every five years. The highlighting of particular themes for each year is attractive, but it should not suggest prioritization of attention to a certain issue to the detriment of others at any point in time. We also believe the General Assembly should have an appropriate role to play in selecting particular themes, should this approach be adopted.

Let me first express the appreciation of the Polish delegation to the Secretary- General for his very comprehensive and useful report entitled “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration”. The report can help us, the Member States, in identifying the best strategies and actions that can be chosen to fulfil the commitments contained in the Millennium Declaration. It should be noted, however, that the report was prepared prior to the tragic events of 11 September and that our discussion takes place on the heels of the general debate. Both circumstances should be kept in mind when considering the follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit. Before turning to the issue before us today, I should like to make some remarks on the Declaration itself. The United Nations Millennium Declaration firmly stands as a strong and visible milestone on our common road towards the prosperity and well-being of mankind. World leaders have already spoken — in the Millennium Declaration — with very resolute and lucid language and with determination and certainty. Commitments have been taken up. Not a single challenging problem of the contemporary world has escaped the attention of heads of State or Government. All of them are important and interconnected. The main message that our leaders have brought to the world in the Millennium Declaration is the following: that managing the world economy and social development, dealing with threats to international peace and security and promoting sustainable development are matters of the collective and shared responsibility of all States, international organizations, civil societies and individuals. Now the time has come for the practical implementation of those commitments. That is what the world is expecting. That is what the people deserve to get. We must not let the words dry up and public opinion find another example of a notable document never transformed into action. We need continuously to enjoy the confidence and trust of the peoples of the world, since that is crucial for our success and a necessary condition for building up a new spirit in international relations. The road map is ready. Let us get into the vehicle and start driving. I turn now to some details and proposed goals to be achieved. I will concentrate on three: first, strengthening the rule of law, including taking action against international terrorism; secondly, the eradication of poverty; and, thirdly, human rights, democracy and good governance, in particular strengthening the capacity of all countries to implement the principles and practices of democracy and human rights. All the other goals are equally important, and we are of the view that all of them must be implemented expeditiously and vigorously without any exception. No priorities among priorities should be established since the Millennium Declaration is a comprehensive document of an integral character and must be implemented as a whole. Any selective approach to the implementation of the Declaration should not be welcomed unless it is justified by the limited resources or capacities of the particular country or countries involved. In the light of the current developments in international relations and, in particular, the horrible acts of terror that challenged order, stability and peace on a world scale, upholding and strengthening the rule of law must be adequately addressed. Poland agrees that the legal framework in this field needs to be improved and further supplemented, but States should first adopt more effective and action-oriented policies in order to eradicate terrorism. Therefore, we must cooperate more closely and exchange information and data in order to prevent and combat terrorism. Combating it requires joint and coordinated action since acts of terror cross State borders and strike transnationally. Since terrorists and their supporters are mobilized and desperately committed to attack peace and stability, we must be mobilized and committed much more to protect our common values. International terrorism attacked us with fury and no moral or any other consideration. The lives of hundreds or thousands are meaningless for terrorists. Therefore, we strongly support the statement of the Secretary-General, contained in his report, that there is a need to take concerted action against international terrorism. Poland, for its part, is ready to act with its allies and friends, and with all other countries of good will, in order to destroy the forces of evil and to protect the safety of the world. We will not limit our efforts or slow down the process when the first effects become visible. As the Secretary-General stated in his report, in order to significantly reduce poverty and promote development it is essential to achieve sustained and broad-based economic growth. The goal to halve by the year 2015 the proportion of the world’s people whose income is less than $1 a day, was clearly stated in the Millennium Declaration. However, in the light of the projections made by the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank, attaining that poverty reduction within the prescribed time frame would be rather difficult, if not very unlikely. Poland is very concerned about that assessment. The Bank, making its well-grounded projection, warns us that the number of people living in poverty will increase, and if progress in life expectancy, school enrolment and child mortality is not achieved, the gap between the poor and rich regions of the world could widen significantly. Such a scenario calls for all States to do everything to accelerate growth and distribute the benefits of growth equitably. In this context, many changes seem to be necessary, such as structural economic reforms, the effective use of public resources, improvements in the services and infrastructure available to the poor and essential reduction of vulnerability. In the absence of those steps, progress will be much slower and many more people will, regrettably, join those who are currently enslaved in poverty. Responses to this real challenge must be given at both national and international levels. All policy makers must understand that accelerating economic growth and social development and improving the distribution of income and wealth are necessary in order to make concrete progress towards a substantial reduction of poverty in the world. The new Government of Poland takes this responsibility very seriously. We are working hard at the national level, as well as with our partners, to address the issue in the most effective manner, taking into account, however, our limited resources. In mobilizing resources for development and achieving growth, the main role must be played by countries themselves, but they should not be left alone in their efforts. Donors and international agencies must support those who are trying to resolve their economic problems and showing their determination. The burden of debt for many developing countries and countries in transition represents an important obstacle to development. Therefore, effective steps to alleviate the debts of those countries must be taken. The Polish commitment to democracy and human rights is well known. That is one of the canons of its foreign and domestic policy. Contemporary Poland continues to develop its long tradition of democracy, tolerance and good government as a State of law. Poland will continue its engagement in promoting human rights and supporting democracy since it is convinced that universal and full enjoyment of human rights cannot be provided without a democratic form of government, and, furthermore, that democracy cannot flourish without developing good governance. Democracy is usually a natural way of organizing and governing a society. Respect for human rights, the rule of law, political openness, transparency, responsibility and accountability are fundamental. No one should be deprived, by any means, of inalienable human rights and freedoms. The term “good governance” has been in use in the United Nations language for only a couple of years, mainly with reference to human rights. My delegation is proud to say that Poland was among those countries that introduced the philosophy and concept of good governance into the United Nations forum. This uncontroversial and attractive idea was welcomed with appreciation first by the Commission on Human Rights and later on by this Assembly. It must be pointed out that a clear and strong reference to good governance is contained in the Millennium Declaration. Poland is convinced that more systematic and comprehensive debate on this complex issue should also be carried out within regional bodies and organizations. The idea of good governance is helpful in bridging substantial gaps among members of the international community, and in bringing closer a variety of opinions, in particular in the human rights field. Being broad and flexible, it can accommodate different approaches and facilitate the emergence of common grounds for understanding. The concept of good governance can also be very useful in a dialogue among civilizations. There is a lot of evidence how a lack of good governance can negatively affect development. At the same time, substantial interaction between human rights and equality of governance has been strongly confirmed. Those links and interrelations, which, by their very nature, are complex, deserve our further consideration and thought. It is a matter of fact that economic prosperity, including in terms of foreign investment and capital flow, flourishes and develops only in good governance environments. Since this is a vital question for many countries and regions of the world, it might be wise to suggest elaborating a set of universal good governance principles or guidelines for the economy too. Some work on the implementation of the Millennium Declaration has already been done, but much more is still ahead of us. Visible and resolute action in order to implement the Millennium Declaration must continue to be our principal goal. The elaboration of indicators of progress in this respect might be a good idea. Let us look again at our capacities and resources, evaluate them and allocate appropriately, without any delay. We must bring new hope to those who are hopeless and do not see any chance of change. There is still a chance and we must not miss it — not this time.

I was sworn in only one hour before the general debate began on 10 November. At the first opportunity I will come to you, Mr. President, to pay my respects and seek your wisdom. In the meantime, I wish you every success. The Millennium Summit last year addressed many of the challenges the international community faces in our common effort to improve the lot of humanity everywhere. The United States commitment to addressing these challenges remains firm. Last year the fight against terrorism was one of many shared international goals. Sadly, 11 September magnified the importance of this goal. The great coalition against terrorism formed in these past weeks is a testament to the consensus that terrorism and civilization are not compatible. It is also a testament to the 5,000 innocent victims, who came from more than 80 nations. Terrorism is one aspect of the violence that hampers progress in raising living standards worldwide. Countries suffering from armed conflict have witnessed a dramatic, prolonged failure to meet basic human needs. Resolving conflicts depends primarily on the conflict participants themselves. However, the international community should also support their efforts to resolve conflict. One of the pillars of United States development assistance is conflict prevention and resolution. We are a substantial contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations, both financially and with personnel. We support NATO-led peace operations in the Balkans and the multinational force and observers in the Sinai. My country reaffirms its strong commitment to upholding human rights. The war against terrorism requires a renewed resolve to support democracy-building, judicial reform and respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights for all. A world of democracy, accountability, opportunity and stability is a world in which terrorism cannot thrive. One of the gravest threats to developing countries, especially in Africa, is HIV/AIDS. The United States Government fully supports the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. President Bush has pledged $200 million to the Fund, with more to follow as the Fund demonstrates success. He has also increased funding to our own bilateral programmes on HIV/AIDS, malaria and other infectious diseases. We remain committed to supporting developing countries’ efforts to eradicate poverty and to achieve sustainable development. The upcoming International Conference on Financing for Development and the World Summit on Sustainable Development will each address these twin priorities. The best way to reduce poverty is through strong, sustainable economic growth. Such growth begins with solid national economic policies and institutions. National investment in human capital, particularly in health and education, is essential. Donors, development partners and multilateral organizations can only provide support. Whatever the level of resources available for development, there is not enough to waste, so aid must be used effectively. In our interlinked world national performance is also influenced by global economic growth. Unfortunately, the short-term prospects for such growth, in particular in the aftermath of 11 September, are poorer than they have been in decades. That is why the United States worked closely with its trading partners, and in particular with developing nations, at last week’s ministerial meeting in Doha to launch new World Trade Organization negotiations. Just three weeks ago President Bush met with trade, finance and commerce ministers from 35 African countries for the first meeting of the United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum. The President called the Forum a unique opportunity to build ties of trade and trust between the United States and Africa. He announced a new $200 million Overseas Private Investment Corporation support facility to promote our investment in Africa. President Bush praised the visionary African leaders who launched the New African Initiative. To fulfil this vision of progress, he stressed, we must return to the steady, patient work of building a world that trades in freedom. The Global Development Alliance initiative of the United States Agency for International Development will create strategic alliances with such new partners as non-governmental organizations, private foundations, corporations, the higher education community and even private individuals. This will leverage significant resources, expertise and new technologies to address development challenges. With the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, the United States is a full participant in the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Twenty-four nations have now demonstrated the required commitment to poverty alleviation. They have begun to receive debt relief under the Initiative. President Bush has also proposed that multilateral development banks substantially increase the share of grants in their assistance to the poorest countries. The road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration prepared by the Secretary-General contains many useful ideas, as well as some on which international consensus has not been reached. Each country must devise its own procedures for addressing the issues mentioned in the Declaration. The Secretary-General’s road map can help that process. We look forward to Member States’ consideration of the language in the newly formulated millennium development goals and the suggested indicators. The challenges we face are immense. Yet we have seen how the international community can come together in a common cause. That is the hope that guides us into the future.

At the outset, allow me to express my delegation’s sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General and Mr. Michael Doyle for publishing the Secretary-General’s report entitled “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration” in a timely manner. This road map report can be regarded as a good first step towards the implementation of the Millennium Declaration, as it provides useful guidelines for carrying out the lofty commitments embodied in the Declaration. The value of the report is further enhanced by the annex, entitled “Millennium development goals”, which pinpoints concrete time-bound indicators that will be used to monitor progress towards eight development goals. Last year the Millennium Declaration was adopted in a euphoric atmosphere, with Member States expressing high expectations for the future work of the United Nations. One year later, however, the optimism and political will mobilized at the Millennium Summit do not seem to be as vigorous. Therefore, the international community needs to reaffirm its commitment to achieve the policy goals set out in the Millennium Declaration. In the light of the rocky negotiation processes for international conventions and the downturn in the world economy over the past year, the concerted efforts of the international community are required more than ever before. As the millennium report of the Secretary- General emphasizes, global issues, by nature, cannot be resolved by any one country. That was made all the clearer by the 11 September terrorist attacks. With a view to ensuring the successful implementation of the Millennium Declaration, we need to reaffirm once again that concerted efforts based on multilateralism are the most effective means of addressing the sundry challenges facing the international community. Having said that, we appreciate that the road map report suggests a concrete strategy for moving forward towards each of the objectives and goals outlined in the Millennium Declaration. Many of these strategies, comprehensively compiled in the report, have already been under discussion or review within the framework of the United Nations system. Nevertheless, they will no doubt be useful in materializing the vision embodied in the Millennium Declaration. In particular, they can serve as a good guideline or benchmark for Member States, United Nations agencies and upcoming international conferences and events as they try to formulate policies at their own respective levels. The only part of the road map report that requires the endorsement of the Member States is the follow-up reporting system detailed in the last section, entitled “The road ahead”. As part of the follow-up reporting process, the Secretary-General is expected to issue an annual report that deals with two different themes. If the intention is to have the annual report deal with two different themes with a view to expediting the follow- ups in a greater number of areas, we believe that two themes could be selected in such a way as to give the report more logical and practical coherence. We hope that Member States can hold further discussion on this matter on the basis of the proposal made in the section “The road ahead”. While basically concurring with the views and suggestions contained in the seven areas of the road map report, I should like to briefly comment on two areas in which we can take more tangible measures at the United Nations level: peacekeeping operations and the strengthening of the United Nations. First, in the field of peace and security, it is widely recognized that conflict prevention is the most cost-effective and politically sound means of ensuring long-term peace and stability. Therefore, the preventive capacity of the United Nations needs to be further reinforced. In this regard, it deserves to be mentioned that the working methodology of peacekeeping operations has been improved considerably over the past year in accordance with the recommendations of the Brahimi report. We hope that the peacekeeping operations capacity of the United Nations will be further expanded in the years to come. Secondly, it goes without saying that the follow- up to the Millennium Declaration cannot be successfully carried out without strengthening the United Nations. According to the Millennium Declaration, the foremost policy objective in the field of strengthening the United Nations is to reaffirm the central role of the General Assembly and enable it to effectively play its role. With that end in mind, we hope that future United Nations debates can be conducted in a more practical manner. To make the debates more substantive, my delegation believes we should concentrate more on a critical review of past achievements. With regard to future debates on the annual thematic report, we are of the view that those debates should serve as a forum for Member States to report on their activities in the designated thematic area and share best practices and experiences. It is our hope that this new mode of debate can also be adopted in the debates on other agenda items. That being said, let me briefly touch upon the actions taken by the Government of the Republic of Korea in the context of implementing the outcome of the Millennium Summit. In the spirit of joining the international effort to curb missile proliferation, the Republic of Korea became a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) last March. In addition, my Government has demonstrated its commitment to reducing the use of anti-personnel mines by acceding to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and accepting its Amended Protocol II. As part of the effort to strengthen the implementation of democratic principles through institutional reform and civic awareness, the Republic of Korea will host the second conference entitled “Towards a Community of Democracies” in Seoul next year. Furthermore, the Korean Government is making continuous efforts to increase its official development assistance and expand its participation in the donors’ conferences. Finally, I conclude by underlining the importance of inviting the engagement of the private sector and civil society in the implementation of the Millennium Declaration. In this context, I should like to highlight the need for Member States to take specific measures to give widespread publicity to the Millennium Declaration and to increase the dissemination of information on the Declaration.

The Czech Republic aligns itself with the European Union statement presented by the representative of Belgium earlier today, and that allows me to confine myself to the few following remarks. The Millennium Summit was an important milestone for the United Nations. It set up or reframed its agenda for the coming years and mobilized political support for its implementation. During last week’s general debate the vast majority of delegations, including a number of heads of State, made references to the outcome of the Millennium Summit and to the process of the implementation of goals enshrined in the Millennium Declaration. The support of more than 14 months ago seems to be still in place, despite the almost empty General Assembly Hall this morning, which was not indicative of the fact that we were about to discuss one of the crucial strategic issues on our list. We all know that the goals and targets of the Summit were not invented by the Summit itself but were taken from various global forums. In our view, the main added value of the Summit was consolidating our goals and targets into one package, thus securing more synergy in their pursuit. Is that happening? It may be too early to say, but let me quote Mr. Harri Holkeri, the President of the last session of the General Assembly, who is to be praised for taking a firm lead at a Millennium Summit full of activities. In his farewell statement he pointed out that the “Member States and the respective entities of the Secretariat seem to be unable to break the habit of viewing and considering different issues in isolation.” (A/55/PV.112, p. 2) Thus, coordination seems to be one of those areas where we need to further strengthen our efforts. In this regard, a major test before us will be the two conferences in the year 2002, the International Conference on Financing for Development and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Mr. Holkeri delivered his statement on 10 September 2001. The following day we found ourselves in a different world, facing new ominous threats. The United Nations response to the terrorist attack on the United States of America has been prompt and resolute, reconfirming its pivotal role in handling global affairs. Terrorism became overnight the overriding focus of our activities, and all Member States have stood unprecedentedly united in efforts to combat this evil. We spontaneously adopted — to use the words of Secretary of State Jack Straw of the United Kingdom — the agenda of 11 September. The scope of the change has been substantial. There was not much on terrorism in the excellent report “We the peoples” (A/54/2000) prepared by the Secretary-General for the Millennium Summit, and our commitment in the Millennium Declaration to take concrete action against international terrorism was just one among many others. Indeed, the issue of terrorism, mainly a topic for legal experts in the Sixth Committee, did not loom very large at that time. Last year’s report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization did not touch upon it at all. Today’s core challenge is to combine our immediate priority of combating terrorism with our long-term strategies and goals endorsed by the Millennium Summit. We need to strike a balance between the agendas of 10 and 11 September, and even more importantly, to secure a symmetry of commitment to both tasks. We believe that the implementation of the long-term strategy guided by the Millennium Declaration can strongly benefit from the renewed unity and spirit of multilateralism. We hope that the same amount of determination with which we forged the anti-terrorist alliance will find its way into cooperation in other areas such as conflict prevention, poverty eradication, peace- building, demining, promoting democracy and human rights and protecting the environment, if only because all these areas are interrelated and, when neglected, can feed the roots of terrorism. In another high-quality document, “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration”, the Secretary-General rightly stresses that “What is needed ... is ... to demonstrate the political will to carry out commitments already given and to implement strategies already worked out.” (A/56/326, para. 7) We now know that such political will can be generated. Let us further explore this potential vis-à-vis the goals of the Millennium Summit.

At the outset, Mr. President, I should like to express, on behalf of the Government of Japan, our appreciation for your leadership in convening this meeting. The Millennium Declaration adopted at the Millennium Summit clearly laid out the goals and tasks for the international community in the twenty-first century, and the “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration”, which the Secretary-General presented in September, provided guidelines for pursuing them. Today I should like to present the Japanese Government’s views on some salient issues stressed by the Millennium Declaration and the road map. Combating terrorism, providing humanitarian assistance to the people in Afghanistan and the Afghan refugees, ensuring security and attaining political stability, social and economic rehabilitation and reconstruction in Afghanistan — these are the difficult tasks with which the international community has been preoccupied since 11 September. In addition, the situation in the Middle East is increasingly worrisome. From Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Kosovo and East Timor, the United Nations is faced with ever greater demands for peacekeeping. At the same time, the international community is confronted by a wide range of global issues, such as those relating to poverty, environmental degradation, refugees and displaced persons, public health, narcotic drugs and so forth. While each of them requires the cooperation of the international community, as the Millennium Declaration has stressed, two issues in particular demand our urgent attention: global environmental degradation, and HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. In the area of global environmental protection, a significant step was marked with the agreement reached at the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on specific rules for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. It is now our responsibility to bring the Kyoto Protocol into force by 2002. The Japanese Government, for its part, has begun preparations to this end. At the same time, in order to ensure the effectiveness of measures for preventing global warming, Japan will continue its maximum efforts for the formulation of one universal framework for cooperation, with the hope that the United States and developing countries will participate in it. Japan will also make its best efforts for the success of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which is to be held next year in Johannesburg. I should like to stress the importance of adopting at the Johannesburg Summit guidelines for international environmental efforts to promote the utilization of market mechanisms and innovative scientific technologies and to contribute to the resolution of multifaceted issues such as mega-city management and water issues. In order to address the issue of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, it is important for the international community to develop a well-coordinated approach to respond to the needs of each country in a wide range of areas, including education, prevention, treatment, establishment of sanitation systems, and research and development. To this end, the Japanese Government last year announced the Okinawa Infectious Diseases Initiative, under which it will extend over the next five years financial and technical assistance amounting to $3 billion to help combat HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases in developing countries. Japan has also committed itself to contribute $200 million to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Recognizing that what the Secretary-General refers to as a “war chest” will be essential to combat these deadly pandemics, I should like to take this opportunity to reiterate my appeal for increased support for this Fund. It is beyond debate that, unless the problems stemming from conflict and poverty in Africa are effectively addressed, there will be neither peace nor prosperity in the world in the twenty-first century. With this recognition, since 1993 the Government of Japan has been promoting the process launched by the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), with the aim of enhancing the ownership of the development process by the countries of Africa and their partnership with the international community. To further advance the TICAD process, in December of this year the Japanese Government will hold a ministerial meeting in Tokyo in order to prepare for TICAD III. The Government of Japan welcomes the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, launched by African countries. That is indeed a strong manifestation of the determination of these countries to assume ownership of their own future. We look forward to having a substantive discussion at the forthcoming TICAD ministerial meeting on how the international community can best support this initiative. Equally important for the future of the international community is to realize a world in which children can develop and expand their innate creativity. The Japanese Government strongly hopes that the second World Congress against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, to be convened in Yokohama in December, will be fully productive towards that end and will contribute to a successful special session of the General Assembly on children next year. In addressing these issues, which range from terrorism and conflicts to environmental degradation, infectious diseases and the future of children, it is crucially important to overcome poverty and, to that end, to promote development. The International Conference on Financing for Development, which will be held in March next year, is important in this context, for it can provide a significant opportunity for the international community to reaffirm its strong commitment to mobilizing financial resources and utilizing them efficiently and effectively for the cause of development. With this recognition, the Japanese Government will continue to work together with other governments concerned, in order to make the Conference a success. Trade also plays an important role in the developing countries’ pursuit of sustainable development. We welcome the agreement reached at Doha earlier this month that makes possible the launching of a new round of multilateral trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization. Japan intends to actively engage in the new round, taking fully into account the importance of reflecting in the negotiations interests and concerns expressed by developing countries. I should also like to underline here the importance of focusing our attention on human security, that is, protecting the life and dignity of people, as we address these global issues. Human security is the basic requirement of human beings, no matter where they live. It is our hope that the trust fund for human security, which the Japanese Government has established at the United Nations, will help to advance such a human-centred approach to global issues in the years to come. We anticipate that valuable contributions will be made to this end by the Commission on Human Security, co-chaired by Mrs. Sadako Ogata and Dr. Amartya Sen, which has commenced its work with the strong support of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. I want to point out here that Security Council reform is another important issue stressed in the Millennium Declaration. Indeed, the debates at the Millennium Summit and the Millennium Assembly clearly demonstrated that an overwhelming majority of Member States support Security Council reform, including the expansion of both its permanent and non- permanent membership. As I pointed out at the General Assembly’s most recent debate on Security Council reform, on 30 October, developments in the international political situation since 11 September have entailed an expanded role for the Council, casting the issue of the Council’s legitimacy and effectiveness in a new light. As a result, the need to accelerate efforts for Council reform is now more urgent than ever before. We must cooperate in order to move forward on this important issue. As I stated on 30 October, the Japanese Government considers it advisable to focus our discussions in the forthcoming meetings of the Open-ended Working Group on the question of the size of the expanded Council as part of a focused step-by- step approach to a final reform package. Finally, I wish to emphasize that whether we are able to achieve the various goals of the Millennium Declaration will depend to a large extent upon the efforts of each Member State. It is also important that the General Assembly and each of its committees, as well as the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council, strengthen their efforts to achieve the goals of the Millennium Declaration. Indeed, there is already some encouraging progress in this context. For example, over the past year, such conferences as the special session of the General Assembly on HIV/AIDS and the conference on small arms proved to be effective in promoting the efforts of the international community to implement the Declaration. It is also becoming increasingly important for the United Nations to strengthen its collaboration with various international organizations, including the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization. There are, I might add, some remarkable developments in this direction as well. The Japanese Government for its part will continue to participate in, and contribute to, such efforts of the United Nations with a firm commitment to realize the goals of the Millennium Declaration.

Let me begin by expressing the sincere appreciation of my delegation to the Secretary-General for providing us with the comprehensive report on proposed strategies, entitled “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration”. It should be of tremendous assistance in our deliberations now and a credible blueprint or plan of action for our future activities in cooperation for development. The heinous terrorist events of 11 September in our host city and country have brought a new awareness of the interdependent and globalized nature of our world. We must seek to understand the root causes of these tragic events, particularly by coordinating our efforts to respond in a comprehensive way. In doing so, we must choose the path of engagement, dialogue and partnership. It is precisely for these reasons that the Millennium Declaration, which represents a remarkable convergence of views on the challenges of the twenty- first century, is now more compelling than ever. Indonesia therefore commends the Secretary-General for his road map report and supports his comprehensive and coordinated approach. We believe it will lead us — the United Nations, Governments and all relevant sectors of civil society — towards mutual cooperation and partnership. It should greatly help in overcoming the formidable obstacles to peace and prosperity facing us all, while at the same time reinforcing the principles and purposes of the United Nations. Inevitably, the road map will complement the agreements and programmes already agreed upon during the major conferences and summits of the 1990s to achieve sustainable development. It is crucial that those agreements and commitments already in place should be implemented as a priority. That is why, as we look across the global landscape today, we have no doubt that combating terrorism is crucial for the future of peaceful coexistence between States. It is also true that the multiple threats and challenges that were already preoccupying our intergovernmental deliberations before the 11 September attacks have not gone away. They are still with us. The threat of nuclear annihilation has not fully faded, despite the recent promising and very welcome disarmament negotiations. Nor can we neglect the daunting challenges of conflict prevention. In addition, inextricably linked to these issues of war and peace, are the issues central to advancing development — pervasive underdevelopment, marginalization and wrenching poverty. It is crucial that we vigorously pursue them through dialogue and partnership, not confrontation. In answering these challenges, and especially in our efforts to revitalize cooperation for development and eradicate poverty, we must maintain a balance in addressing the issues of environment, social development and economic growth. A major means and mechanism that could be effectively used is that of building on the momentum and high commitment to sustainable development. In this context poverty eradication is central. Indonesia fully supports the target of the Declaration and the strategy in the road map report for halving the global poverty level by the year 2015. In following up this call there is a crucial need for country- defined initiatives including a focus on building human and institutional capacities at the national level. The issue of sustainable development will also be part and parcel of the forthcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development, in Johannesburg in September 2002. To achieve a successful outcome at the World Summit we must reintegrate our global commitment to sustainable development through partnership at the highest level. For its part, Indonesia is committed to the success of the Summit, and the Chairman of the World Summit on Sustainable Development preparatory process is determined to do his utmost to ensure that the preparation of the Summit is successful. We are hosting the final session of the Preparatory Committee at ministerial level next May before the World Summit. To move the process of sustainable development forward we must ensure the soundness of national policies. We thus welcome several of the guidelines set forth for human rights, democracy and good governance in section V of the road map. Since Indonesia is currently in the midst of building and strengthening its institutions for good governance, we appreciate and support the Secretary-General’s call for good governance based on participation and the rule of law. We also support its strong focus on combating corruption and ensuring safeguards for private investment within each country. Indonesia supports the goal to respect and uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to strive for the protection and promotion of all human rights, including minority rights. We have recently signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, further strengthening our commitment to human rights. At the same time, we concur with the Secretary-General that “the gulf between commitments and concrete action must still be bridged”. (A/56/326, para. 197) Indonesia also welcomes the road map as a way to strengthen democracy. As was recently stated by the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, speaking before the General Assembly “Indonesia today stands proud as one of the largest democracies in the world” (A/56/PV.54), and the challenge for us all is to ensure that democracy works and actually delivers a better life for all people. Empowering the United Nations is an ongoing central task of the international community. It is also central to promoting people-centred sustainable development. A revitalized General Assembly and reformed Security Council designed to reflect the contemporary development of international relations are essential to the creation of a more democratic world. We support such strategies. With regard to reforming the Security Council, we should take into account the views of Member States. Indonesia also supports the continuing efforts to consider the size and composition of the Security Council, as well as its methods of work. Nevertheless, if we are serious about translating rhetoric into action and reality, we simply must have the necessary resources to move forward. We believe that these resources must be commensurate with the tasks of carrying the mandates of the United Nations forward, including the implementation of the Millennium Declaration and the strategies contained in the road map. The Organization must receive its financial contributions in a timely and predictable manner. We must, at the same time, be sympathetic to the situation of Member States that, due to genuine economic difficulties, are temporarily unable to meet their financial obligations. In this context, we are concerned that despite the priorities approved in General Assembly resolution 55/233, some areas of activity outside of those priorities have in fact received growing resources, while the important area of international cooperation for development has seen only a modest amount of growth. Furthermore, the forthcoming International Conference on Financing for Development, in Monterrey, Mexico, in March 2002, is uniquely designed to address and promote the overall global development goals, including those of the Millennium Declaration. We should do our utmost to make full use of this opportunity to enable us to shift the paradigm in favour of development. Let me just add that the General Assembly has already decided to convene that International Conference, which has received the endorsement of the Millennium Summit. It thus seems to me we should now move beyond questioning the rationale of the Conference and instead focus on how best to achieve a successful outcome. I hope that the Secretary-General will be successful in bringing this important matter to the attention of all Member States.

I should like to begin by recognizing the tremendous amount of work done by the Secretariat of the United Nations in preparing the road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration, an exercise to which all departments, funds, programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations contributed ideas, as did the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and representatives of civil society. The result of this collective exercise in evaluation and planning is a document that takes up the objectives of the Millennium Declaration and proposes a series of specific strategies to progress towards their achievement. The road map, the annual reports of the Secretary-General and the comprehensive progress report to be presented by the Secretary-General in the year 2005 are indispensable instruments for ensuring that Member States maintain their commitment to achieve the objectives of the Declaration so that we can measure the state of progress towards this end. In the introduction to the road map the Secretary- General points out, as has been mentioned by previous speakers, that most of the objectives laid down in the Millennium Declaration were not new, but were taken from the world conferences held in the 1990s and the various international juridical instruments codified over the past 50 years. We cannot forget that precedent when we attempt to implement the Millennium Declaration, since any tentativeness in the commitment of the international community to achieve these objectives would detract from the seriousness and legitimacy not only of this important gathering but of half a century of work by the United Nations. The road map also recognizes that “the problems facing humanity are closely intertwined, and that each tends to complicate the solution of one or more others” (A/56/326, para. 3). The tragic events of 11 September, and the signal that those events sent — with regard to the capacity of terrorist organizations to threaten international peace and security with such damaging effects on the world economy, particularly in the areas of trade, tourism and other services — are a clear example of this relationship. It is for that reason that the phenomenon of terrorism should not be treated in isolation; rather, in the course of considering strategies to combat it we should examine its causes and motives, as well as the link between terrorism and other transnational phenomena and actors that also constitute a threat to international peace and security, such as organized transnational crime, drug trafficking and money-laundering. In this regard, I should like to refer to a statement made this weekend, at the meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Ottawa, by the Minister of Finance of India, who, in speaking of how the world has changed since 11 September said that today we are living in a more integrated world, with a greater awareness that both the developed and the developing countries must remain united, since exclusion, poverty, degradation, anger, violence and impatience, wherever they may exist, are a threat to peace and prosperity. Recognizing that integration and interdependence of the various areas of national action and international cooperation is perhaps the most important feature of the road map proposed by the Secretary-General. In none of the seven areas considered in that road map will any substantial and irreversible progress be made if it is not accompanied by decisive movement in the same direction in the remaining areas, from peace, security and disarmament to strengthening the United Nations, passing through development and poverty eradication; protecting our common environment; human rights, democracy and good governance; protecting the vulnerable; and meeting the special needs of Africa. In the first year after the adoption of the Millennium Declaration it is probable that the international community is moving further away from some of these objectives rather than closer to them. The simultaneous slowing down of economic activity in the major industrial economies and, consequently, in the world at large will probably mean for many countries a halt in the decline — or possibly even an increase — in the number of people living below the poverty line, thus making it more difficult to achieve the objective of halving, between 1990 and 2015, the number of people living below that line. The slower growth of the economy and world trade is also complicating the achievement of environmental objectives and is affecting social and political development goals. Sustained economic growth and development are essential prerequisites for progress along the lines proposed by the road map towards achieving the objectives of the Declaration. From this standpoint the International Conference on Financing for Development to be held in March 2002 in Monterrey, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in September next year in Johannesburg, offer opportunities for returning to the path to more just and equitable development. Mexico, as host of the Monterrey Conference, trusts that the agreements and conclusions to be reached will facilitate the adoption of the strategies for progress suggested by the Secretary-General in the road map. In the area of protecting the vulnerable, we must design and put into practice a strategy for progress aimed at handicapped persons. Their number, estimated to be some 600 million, would make up the third most populous nation on the planet. It is indispensable that this valuable contingent of human capital should be fully incorporated into society, overcoming the marginalization and discrimination from which they often suffer. A broad and integrated convention that protects and promotes the rights of handicapped persons would make it possible for this segment of the world population to contribute significantly to the achievement of the economic, social and political objectives laid down in the Millennium Declaration. The international community organized, around the United Nations system, is confronted by the enormous responsibility of continuing to build for future generations a peaceful coexistence, beneficial to all and ecologically viable. Governments, multinational corporations and non-governmental organizations all have a road map for guiding our action in order to achieve a better life in the first decades of the millennium just starting. Only through all of us working responsibly every day will we achieve these goals. The United Nations is not an abstraction but is a real reflection of what is wanted by those who make it up and what they are ready to make of it.

The adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration last year by our leaders was a landmark achievement. The Declaration embodied within it our common aspirations for a better, more secure and more prosperous future for humankind, with 56 definite goals in seven broad clusters of activities. If these were ordinary times we would have by now spent the better part of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly working together to fine-tune and undertake concrete measures to attain these millennium goals. But the horrifying terrorist incidents of 11 September have diverted our attention to the agenda of immediate importance. However, as we, the Member States, mobilize our political will and resources to fight international terrorism, we must heed the advice of the Secretary-General in his statement to the General Assembly at the 44th meeting, on 10 November, when he said, “Let us remember that none of the issues that faced us on 10 September has become less urgent”. As important as our common effort against international terrorism is, we must not forget many other priorities that rightly deserve our equal attention and commitment for prompt action. The debate of the General Assembly on this item, “Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit”, is thus timely and significant. Here we have to take stock of our accomplishments thus far and examine tangible ways to take our work forward with the road map. We appreciate the efforts of the Secretary-General in coming up with the document “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration”, which provides useful information and thought-provoking suggestions on the strategies to reach these goals. In our view, a significant portion of the Millennium Declaration and the suggested road map highlight the importance of achieving human security by attaining both freedom from want and freedom from fear. The message that human beings should be at the centre of all our efforts, whether in promoting peace and security or pursuing development, is one that pervades the Declaration and the road map. The onus of attaining freedom from want is best reflected in the Millennium Summit’s commitment to development and poverty eradication. That should be one of our highest priorities. Only by ensuring that the basic needs of people are met — by overcoming hunger, having access to safe water, having equal access to education and getting treatment for diseases ranging from malaria to HIV/AIDS — can individuals feel genuinely secure and live their lives to the fullest potential. Poverty also breeds another serious threat to both human and national security, and that is the threat from narcotic drugs. This drug traffic is inextricably linked to multiple forms of transnational crimes, including money- laundering and international terrorism. Therefore, Thailand is determined to redouble its efforts to implement its commitments to counter the world drug problem, as called for in the Millennium Declaration. We must work together to do away with poverty. At the global level it is our hope that in following up the World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Doha we will address poverty issues effectively and help defeat this scourge through, inter alia, enhanced market access for products from developing countries and increased capacity of developing countries to reap the benefits from trade. Likewise, we hope that the upcoming International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, will spur further concrete initiatives to effectively tackle development needs and other freedom from want issues of the developing countries in a holistic manner. We are all aware that much of the initiative must also be undertaken at the national level. To this end the Royal Thai Government has made poverty eradication one of its top policy priorities. The establishment of microcredit schemes for both rural and urban poor is but one concrete manifestation of this policy. To ensure that these policies bear fruit, we pursue them by applying strictly the principles of transparency and good governance, including anti-corruption measures. Attaining freedom from fear by providing people with an environment of peace and security is the other key ingredient of human security, the ideas of which are embraced both in the Millennium Declaration and the road map. A culture of peace and tolerance needs to be more actively promoted to help prevent disagreement from escalating into conflict. This could involve developing effective conflict-prevention strategies and following up on various recommendations in the report of the Secretary-General on the prevention of armed conflict. Peacekeeping is an important arm of the United Nations in helping to maintain international peace and security. As a major troop-contributing country, particularly in South-East Asia, we hope that the United Nations will give priority to completing the peacekeeping reform process in line with the Brahimi report we endorsed at the Millennium Assembly last year. We also support follow-up work that would lead to more effective peace-building and rehabilitation and reconstruction strategies to ensure long-term stability in the post-conflict phase. It makes no sense for the United Nations to win a conflict by simply ending it, only to lose the peace thereafter. We hope that continued political support and the commitment of resources for rehabilitation and reconstruction in places such as East Timor and Afghanistan will be the trademark of United Nations policy in this regard. Furthermore, Thailand fully subscribes to nuclear non-proliferation and the total elimination of nuclear weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction. In this connection we support the proposal to organize an international conference to identify ways to eliminate nuclear dangers. We also support the reform of sanctions regimes so that they become more targeted and effective while minimizing the negative impact on people and on third countries. I have merely touched on some aspects of the many goals embraced in the Millennium Declaration. We believe that the road map deserves our consideration. The strategies therein could be fine-tuned in the course of our deliberations. However, at the end of the day, both the Declaration and the road map should not remain documents but should be implemented in their entirety. We the Member States should show our political will and mobilize the necessary resources to translate these commitments into concrete action, individually and collectively. For the United Nations to fulfil its task in meeting the challenges of the decades to come, it is incumbent upon us to give it the necessary resources and tools and, more importantly, the requisite support. Thailand for its part will work closely with the United Nations and the international community in our common effort towards the realization of the goals set forth in the Declaration.

We applaud the initiative in introducing the draft resolution on the follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit. We accord it our fullest support. It is our view that reporting on the Summit annually and reviewing it every five years will facilitate the achievement of our goals. The advent of the new millennium has been accompanied by an interest in a resurgence of the fundamental values and principles that we share and cherish. These found fruition in a number of events at the beginning of the new century which focused global attention on the eradication of poverty and promoting sustainable trade and development. A major event undoubtedly was the convening of the Millennium Summit leading to the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration, which consists of specific commitments with the objective of improving the collective progress and welfare of humanity. The Declaration adopted some concrete measures in the priority areas of development and poverty eradication; protecting our common environment, the needy and the vulnerable; meeting the special needs of Africa; and strengthening the role and effectiveness of the United Nations. The new millennium has therefore ushered in, and rightly so, an era of rising expectations and promises. We thank the Secretary-General for the praiseworthy road map report contained in document A/56/326. It attempts to delineate in detail how the commitments of the Millennium Declaration could be realized. The report is timely and provides a useful input towards the successful conclusion of the two major international events in 2002: the International Conference on Financing for Development, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development. These conferences are important for us. They will, to a considerable extent, determine whether we can bequeath to future generations a sound environment whereby the three fundamental freedoms — that is, freedom from want, freedom from fear and the freedom of sustainability — can be assured. They will also provide us yet another opportunity to undertake conscious attempts to bridge the gap between promise and performance. The Financing for Development conference assumes special significance in view of the observation by the Secretary-General in the report that “none of the millennium development goals can be reached unless significant additional resources are made available”. (A/56/326, para. 9) With a view to achieving the goals of the Millennium Declaration, at least three major conferences have been held in the year 2001. That is encouraging. The conferences are the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries and the special sessions of the General Assembly on the Habitat Conference, and HIV/AIDS. The core recommendations made at these events should be integrated components of any strategy to achieve the goals of the Millennium Declaration. Though not formally connected, the outcome of the World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting in Doha should, hopefully, support our aims. While we commend the report, we would like to make some observations on a number of areas of concern to us. Paragraph 82 of the report emphasizes the need to integrate the millennium development goals with national goals to narrow the gap between expectation and achievement. However it does not take adequate note of the fact that poverty reduction is already an overarching priority for many developing countries and that their domestic policies and strategies place the utmost emphasis on it. It also fails to mention that national plans and programmes can have only limited success as these countries face significant challenges in the implementation of the poverty reduction programmes due to lack of resources and supply constraints. Paragraph 86 suggests strengthening capabilities to improve basic social services. However, for the least developing countries that often lack the requisite productive and institutional capacity because of resource constraints, initial support by the development partners may be necessary. In this context we feel that the crucial aspect of providing external financial and technical assistance should have been highlighted here. Most of the social malaise identified in the Millennium Declaration exists in an acute form in the least developed countries. That is in the nature of the systemic and structural problems of the least developed countries. These problems must be addressed on a priority basis if a significant dent is to be made in worldwide poverty. In our considered view, this issue should have received special attention in the road map. If the road map is intended to be a primary plan of action, the special needs and concerns of the least developed countries should receive attention with a view to achieving the goal of poverty reduction. There should therefore be greater focus on the constraints on the least developed countries in future reports. Peace, security and disarmament are vital aspects of ensuring freedom from fear. Bangladesh is constitutionally committed to basing its external relations on the maintenance of international peace and security, as enshrined in the principles of the United Nations Charter. As an elected member of the Security Council, Bangladesh is playing an active role in its various deliberations. As a major troop-contributing country, we have a deep interest in the reform of peacekeeping operations. In this context, we welcome the recommendations of the Brahimi report as a concrete contribution towards that end. The Millennium Declaration has as one of its goals the elimination of weapons of mass destruction. We believe that peace and development are intertwined and interrelated. Therefore, in the field of disarmament, total elimination of nuclear weapons is a priority for us. Bangladesh is constitutionally committed to general and complete disarmament. In South Asia we stand out as a country which has manifested uncompromising and unwavering commitment to the international disarmament regime for all categories of weapons of mass destruction as well as for conventional weapons. We are also a State party to the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and have signed and ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty (CTBT) in reaffirmation of our total commitment to nuclear disarmament. The millennium goal calling for concerted action against international terrorism has assumed special significance in the wake of the 11 September terrorist attacks. Bangladesh has always unequivocally stated that it is strongly opposed to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and that it stands firmly committed to all international efforts towards the elimination of terrorism through acceptable legal norms, at both national and international levels. It is our belief that the eight millennium development goals, along with the specific targets, are achievable provided the political will and commitment generated through the convening of major conferences in the area of socio-economic development are sustained. The commitment will provide the basis for international support, cooperation and assistance in creating a conducive and supportive external environment. The will will buttress our sense of resolve. The challenges for the future are formidable but not insurmountable. Given our collective will and determination, I have absolutely no doubt that, just as the kite rises against the wind, so shall we be able to better our performance even in the face of adversity.

The solemn Declaration of our heads of State or Government, gathered here in New York in September of last year at the dawn of the new millennium, reaffirmed, inter alia, their determination to establish a just and lasting peace throughout the world, thus acting in full compliance with the purposes and principles of the Charter considered to be timeless and universal. The fundamental values deemed to be essential to international relations in the twenty-first century are freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and shared responsibility among the nations of the world. One year on, world peace has been shaken by the consequences of the unspeakable terrorist assaults of 11 September, thus posing two paramount questions. Are we now, a year later, closer to realizing the vision of a better future for the world, enshrined in the Millennium Declaration, than we were a year ago? What will we all do to reaffirm the timeless and universal character of these fundamental values and principles? Some of the commitments and goals set out in the Millennium Declaration, in the eyes of some now seem to carry more weight than others, or at least, are considered priority issues without the relevance and importance of the long-term goals and perspectives being questioned. The issue is how to preserve the fine balance among these priorities in the globalized and interdependent world of today without neglecting or marginalizing some of them, while coping with the problems that some parties consider to be their priority. To prevent that we have to act as a global community in all respects. That means confronting terrorism, international crime and money-laundering, and combating HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, building an equitable global trading system, promoting financial stability, preventing deep and sudden crises and safeguarding natural resources and the environment. My delegation appreciates the efforts of the Secretary-General in preparing the timely and comprehensive report entitled “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration”, as requested under resolution 55/162. Indeed, most of the targets set out in the Millennium Declaration are derived from various international forums and global conferences from the 1990s and earlier. However, that does not diminish in any way the complexity of identifying and implementing the appropriate strategies for achieving these goals at different levels. As is rightly pointed out by the Secretary-General in his report, it is only the sustained political will of States that will enable us to carry out the commitments given by world leaders a year ago. Those more fortunate must be courageous in taking the larger share of responsibility for the betterment of all, and they must live up to their commitments, however unpleasant that may be in the short term. By the same token, those less fortunate must do everything in their power to ensure that the efforts of the former are not in vain but are beneficial to all. The global fight against terrorism was elevated to the top of the international agenda by the horrific scenes of human loss and destruction of familiar, valuable landmarks. The prompt reaction by the General Assembly and Security Council to the terrorist attacks on 11 September and the setting up of the Security Council Committee to oversee the implementation of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), are further proof of the indispensable role of the United Nations in the global fight against international terrorism. In this regard, my delegation endorses the strategies to combat international terrorism at the global level indicated in the road map. We are hopeful that the legislative work done in the Ad Hoc Committee established by General Assembly resolution 51/210, in elaborating drafts of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism and a convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism, will bear fruit. We are also hopeful that the Ad Hoc Committee will succeed in reaching agreement on the draft conventions as soon as possible. In our view, the international response to the global threat of terrorism has to be measured. There must be not only effective justice vis-à-vis all those who committed, perpetrated or supported these heinous acts, but also manifold action to alter the environment that was conducive to such destructiveness and depravity. Particular attention should be attached to strengthening the international rule of law, and in particular supporting States in designing domestic legal frameworks consistent with international human rights, norms and standards; universal adherence to all major multilateral non-proliferation regimes and strengthening of the implementation and verification mechanisms of the Biological Weapons Convention and Chemical Weapons Convention; effective countering of the world drug problem and illicit drug trafficking, fighting transnational crime, including the trafficking and smuggling of human beings, and in particular money-laundering, as reliable sources for financing international terrorism; and concerted action to end the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons by supporting regional disarmament measures and cooperation, that is, by providing technical assistance and financial support to the countries affected in the fragile regions of the world, one of them being South-Eastern Europe. For reasons that are more than obvious the fight against terrorism is a predominant issue throughout the proceedings of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly. However, the millennium development goals must remain high on the agenda of the international community. Broadening understanding among civilizations, addressing regional issues and problems — many of them related to development — and seeking comprehensive and effective remedies are essential on a global scale. If it succeeds in outgrowing the divisions and stereotypes of the past, which are not suited to the present age of globalization and interdependence, the forthcoming International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey next year could mark a turning point in addressing the issues related to mobilizing resources for financing development. Reducing poverty and promoting development are essential to achieving sustained and broad-based economic growth. Cutting the number of people living in extreme poverty in half by 2015 and alleviating hunger requires strong international assistance in creating and enabling political, social and economic environments. We are hopeful that the forthcoming review conference of the World Food Summit will succeed in identifying new strategies at international, national and regional levels to reach the goals set. The fact that almost 1 billion people in the developing world still lack access to clean water supplies and the fact that 2.4 billion people still lack basic sanitation point to the urgency of also addressing these issues. Of no less importance is the achievement of the other developmental goals addressed by the Millennium Declaration, at the heart of which are the economic, social and cultural rights set forth in the international covenants and relevant conventions. We hope that the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held in Johannesburg next year to review progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 of the Earth Summit in Rio, will be successful in accelerating the process. Let me point to one specific issue that is particularly pressing for my country: the development and implementation of strategies to reduce youth unemployment, which has now reached more than 40 per cent of the world’s total unemployment. We welcome the recommendations of the High-level Panel of the Youth Employment Network, formed at the initiative of the Secretary-General in collaboration with the International Labour Organization and the World Bank, and based on a new political commitment and approach given at the Millennium Summit. Young people are an asset, not a problem, in building a better world for today and tomorrow. The United Nations, above all, must find the strength to reaffirm faith among nations and people concerning fundamental human rights, human dignity and equality for all. All human rights — civil, political, economic, social and cultural — are universal and interdependent, and any violation of human rights is an attack on human dignity. That is the only effective path towards strengthening the relevance of our Organization at the dawn of the new millennium. Following that path we will face enormous challenges. We must rise to those challenges for the sake of making a better world for the 6 billion people on the planet and the 2 billion more who will join us in the next 30 years. Only a well-coordinated strategy, based on greater policy coherence and close cooperation among the international institutions and agencies within the United Nations system, supportive interaction between the United Nations system and its partners at the national level, including non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector, can lay the foundation for confirming the commitment to the noble goals of the Millennium Declaration. Not only will that make the United Nations a more effective system but it will also create a more suitable environment for the follow-up process to the outcome of the Millennium Summit to become the driving force of the United Nations itself.

My delegation wishes to convey its thanks to the Secretary- General for the detailed report that he has presented to us, in which he proposes a road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. The objectives laid down and the strategies proposed have earned the support of my country as necessary and adequate instruments to ensure a more peaceful, prosperous and just world. The Millennium Summit made it possible to identify issues that affect all of us, and that we must confront as part of a challenge that no State can avoid. It lays down an agenda for peace, development and hope for a world beset by absolute poverty, intolerance, illicit drug and arms trafficking, terrorism, transnational crime, corruption, the proliferation of arms, discrimination, the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, deterioration of the environment and unbalanced development, among other things. The heads of State and Government reaffirmed their decision to establish a just and lasting peace throughout the world by the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law and the principles of justice and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Tolerance, equality, solidarity, freedom, respect for nature and mutual responsibility were recognized as fundamental values essential for international relations in the twenty-first century. Unfortunately, today we are meeting in the shadow of the terrorist acts of 11 September. More than ever before, we have a common objective that unites and identifies us: confronting international terrorism in an effort that transcends frontiers, ideologies and religions, races and cultures. The terrorist attacks have changed our perception of the world and call for the consolidation of a global alliance against that scourge, which should be headed by the United Nations. This makes even more urgent the prompt implementation of the Millennium Declaration. Overcoming terrorism calls for stepping up the struggle against related phenomena such as drug trafficking and money- laundering. As Colombia has said in countless international meetings, we must control the production and consumption of illegal drugs without forgetting that this is a complex, transnational business whose profits circulate throughout the international financial system and finance terrorism. Laxity in the control of financial institutions and the existence of tax havens and bank havens make it easier for international criminal organizations to finance violence and terrorism. We must also eliminate the uncontrolled trading in and production of chemical precursors and intensify the struggle against transnational crime, including the trafficking in and smuggling of human beings. As the President of Colombia stated during the general debate, “None of the priorities identified [at the Millennium Summit] was stressed as much as the need to ensure that globalization benefits all peoples of the world. ... We need, through deep reflection, to become aware of our responsibility for humanizing globalization and ensuring that it reflects the interests of all countries and regions.” (A/56/PV.45) It is therefore necessary to create, as a strategy for developing the Millennium Declaration with the aim of eradicating absolute poverty, a multilateral, open, equitable, predictable and non-discriminatory trading and financial system, a new framework for world partnership that would ensure sustained economic growth and sustainable development for the least advanced countries. For this to be viable we must eliminate all trade barriers and obstacles facing the developing countries and mobilize the necessary resources to finance their development. In this context, the International Conference on Financing for Development, to be held next year in Mexico, assumes particular importance. There can be no doubt that unless we mobilize the necessary financial resources and make progress towards a new structure that would ensure the stability of the international financial system, the commitments and course laid down at the Millennium Summit will remain dead letters. From the same standpoint, we must promote the outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held next year in Johannesburg, where a shipping charter will be adopted that will make it possible to achieve genuine balance between the pillars of economic growth, social development and environmental protection. Another priority of the road map towards implementation of the objectives laid down at the Millennium Summit is the protection of civil society in armed conflict — in particular, women, children and humanitarian workers. There must also be an increase in international cooperation for the prevention of conflict, a greater capacity for helping countries to consolidate and restore peace. To enhance the effectiveness of the United Nations in the maintenance of peace we must give it the necessary tools and resources for conflict prevention, peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction. My delegation shares the views of the Secretary- General with regard to the importance of putting an end to the culture of impunity by bringing to trial the perpetrators of serious crimes. Here we would highlight the historic importance of the creation of the International Criminal Court and reaffirm our support for measures to promote its rapid establishment and effective functioning. Another great challenge is that of HIV/AIDS. We believe it is essential to undertake intensive global action to fight this disease. We also need an extra injection of resources for programmes to reduce its impact. At the Millennium Summit world leaders reaffirmed their responsibility for and commitment to a new course for the international community in the twenty-first century aimed at two essential objectives: peace and development. We must work wisely to design and implement concrete, effective and efficient measures to meet the commitments laid down in the Millennium Declaration. Colombia supports any initiative that will make these goals achievable. We must consolidate a new United Nations that can meet these challenges. The precise objectives and strategies of action, which are included in the Secretary-General’s report, constitute an important advance towards that goal. We trust that we will be equal to this challenge. I should like to conclude by saying that the road map must be translated into effective action that helps to consolidate the principles of justice and equality. The active participation of all States in the implementation of the Millennium Declaration will ensure a better future for mankind, a future in which all human beings will be free from fear, hatred, poverty and war.

I should like to express my appreciation for the Secretary-General’s report on implementing the Millennium Declaration. The report will certainly help us focus on the major issues we face. The tragic events of 11 September have understandably been at the centre of our attention. Yet, as the Secretary-General reminded us a few days ago, “none of the issues that faced us on 10 September has become less urgent. ... The agenda for peace, development, and human rights set for us in the Millennium Declaration is no less pressing.” (A/56/PV.44) In fact the major themes of the Millennium report were echoed throughout last week’s general debate, when many delegations recalled that the fight against terrorism was inseparable from the challenge outlined in the Millennium Declaration. The road map prepared by the Secretary-General is a useful tool for addressing those challenges. On the one hand, it offers an overview of how the world community and the United Nations are putting into practice the goals set at the highest level a year ago. It enables us, collectively and as individual countries, to identify those areas where progress is being achieved and where further efforts are most required. On the other hand, it outlines a creative vision of the role of the United Nations in the years ahead and presents strategies for actions relating to each of the commitments in a clear and precise way. The report covers a vast amount of material ranging from maintaining international peace and security to development and poverty eradication, thus enhancing our awareness of the generally global nature of the challenges and priorities we face. We welcome the fact that it identifies yardsticks to be used in evaluating the implementation of the eight fundamental development goals set out at the Millennium Summit. Clear and stable numerical targets on matters ranging from infant mortality rates to environmental sustainability can help trigger action and measure its effectiveness. Another positive aspect of the report is that it is truly integrated and comprehensive. It draws on the work and expertise of Governments, the entire United Nations system, international organizations and civil society. It reflects an understanding of the importance of the coordinated strategies that allow us to tackle many intertwined problems simultaneously across a wide front. As the report recalls, many of the goals set in the Millennium Declaration have been with us for years. They are well known. We must take to heart the admonition that “What is needed ... is not more technical or feasibility studies. Rather, States need to demonstrate the political will to carry out commitments already given and to implement strategies already worked out”. (A/56/326, para. 7) That will require hard decisions by all countries, both individually and collectively, yet these millennium goals reflect above all our global partnership to foster growth and allow for poverty eradication. We therefore welcome the proposal to include indicators on such relevant components as official development assistance, market access, debt and sustainable development. That will help us test our progress on the road to global solidarity. We agree with the Secretary-General that to be effective the assessment must be continuous. We therefore endorse his proposal to follow up the road map with yearly reports supported by strategic five- year evaluations on the long-term implementation of the millennium goals. We support the setting of priorities for the first three-year period and believe all will agree that the most urgent tasks are in the fields he has rightly identified: the prevention of armed conflict; the treatment and prevention of diseases, including HIV/AIDS and malaria; strategies for development and for sustainable development; bridging the digital divide; and curbing transnational crime. These choices of priority areas are especially appropriate as we prepare for the global conferences scheduled for next year dealing with the issues of sustainable development, financing for development and children. My delegation welcomes especially the convening by the Secretary-General of the High-Level Panel of the Youth Employment Network, which has proposed a set of concrete recommendations to give young people across the world better opportunities to find decent and productive work. Brazil endorses the vision set out in the millennium report of a global partnership of all stakeholders, bringing together governments, civil society and the private sector to consider innovative measures to fight poverty and disease above all. The road map we are considering goes a long way towards helping us to gauge our progress in bridging the gap between the United Nations and the growing demands of “We, the peoples” of the world for greater international cooperation and solidarity.

We have before us a document that is of particular importance, which covers almost all areas of activity of the United Nations and is structured according to the basic goals defined by the leaders of the world in the new century. It is oriented towards the future and action, and sets forth a true vision. It contains a number of recommendations for a strategy of action for the international community. The Secretary-General has set out for the international community’s action concrete stages in each priority area, while highlighting the interdependent and mutually reinforcing nature of these areas. The scope of the report and the short period of time that the General Assembly can dedicate to its study means, of course, that we can focus on only some of the issues that it contains. I will, therefore, convey our principal observations on the report, following the headings of the chapters of the Millennium Declaration itself. In the area of peace and international security, of course, the issue of international terrorism is not new. The Millennium Declaration speaks of it and establishes goals in this area. The Secretary-General expands in his report on elements of that strategy in order to implement the declared objectives and proposes specific measures in order to complete the international legal framework to combat terrorism in accordance with the Declaration. However, the terrorist attacks on 11 September against the United States unfortunately have shown the dangerous scope of international terrorism, which, by using various pretexts and ploys as cover, seeks to sow confrontation and destabilize the world. Tunisia had already sounded the alarm about the real dangers of this scourge at the beginning of the 1990s. Today I would like to reiterate the need for a truly global strategy to combat this scourge, including taking preventive steps against the underlying reasons and potential sources of violence and extremism. It is urgent for the international community to take concerted action. It is a collective responsibility and each one should be ready to contribute to it. Maintaining peace and international security requires resolute action by all nations and protagonists on other fronts. The consolidation of the rule of law is very important at the national level, but also at the international level. It is also crucial to prevent armed conflict. We all recognize the need for a strategy of prevention aimed at the underlying sources of those conflicts. We fully support the strategy proposed by the Secretary-General on this topic. We think that disarmament is a key area where determined action must be taken to eliminate the arsenals of weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear weapons continue to be a serious threat to humankind, despite the end of the cold war. The Millennium Declaration has established the following goal: “to strive for the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, and to keep all options open for achieving this aim, including the possibility of convening an international conference to identify ways of eliminating nuclear dangers”. (resolution 55/2, para. 9) We consider that every effort should be made to make that goal a reality. In the area of development and poverty eradication, we note that the density of the relevant chapter in the report of the Secretary-General reflects the importance that world leaders place on these issues. We fully subscribe to the strategy proposed by the Secretary-General that the international community clear the way towards the substantial implementation of these goals, which are at the very heart of the concerns of the United Nations — whether they be general policies to be followed or recommendations dealing with specific sectors such as combating hunger, access to drinking water, combating AIDS, improving housing and so on. As for the question of financing for development, we think that it is urgent to increase both the contribution of private capital and also official development assistance (ODA). On this point we think it is vital for industrialized countries to commit themselves to effectively achieve the ODA target of 0.7 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP). That kind of commitment is needed now more than ever. As the Secretary-General mentions in paragraph 135 of his report, official development assistance decreased by $10 billion in the period 1994-1999, whereas it should have increased considerably. That is a paradox because, as the Secretary-General noted quite aptly, that period saw a string of major United Nations conferences which put forward a clear programmatic basis for development cooperation, an increasing number of developing countries undertook major economic and political reforms and the fiscal situation in donor countries also improved significantly during that period. As a topic closely related to the topic of poverty eradication, I should like to recall Tunisia’s initiative in establishing a global solidarity fund to combat poverty at the international level. Far from being a duplication of already existing mechanisms, this fund seeks to be a useful complement to them by promoting small projects that generate jobs in the poorest regions of the world. It would be funded by voluntary contributions to an account managed by the United Nations Development Programme. It would be a flexible and innovative tool. We think the fund would enhance the capacity of the international community to quickly provide operational solutions to the most urgent needs of the poorest countries. If such a fund were to be set up it would contribute to providing a more tangible illustration of the principle of solidarity solemnly proclaimed by our leaders in the Millennium Declaration, in addition to the other fundamental values they underlined as essential in international relations in the course of this new century. The Tunisian proposal is very much along the lines of the spirit of the Millennium Declaration. Another topic is the protection of the most vulnerable groups. The Secretary-General devotes an important chapter to this topic and offers us various recommendations. I should like specifically to focus on the issue of protection of civilians during armed conflicts. On this point we must recall the serious deterioration in the situation of Palestinian civilians in occupied territories due to the policies and practices of Israel, which are contrary to international law and international humanitarian law, in particular the fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. It is urgent that the international community gives the necessary attention to the establishment of effective international protection for Palestinian civilians and does everything to make sure that Israel respects international law and international humanitarian law. Aware of the specific difficulties that the African continent has encountered, the leaders of the world set aside a chapter on Africa in the Millennium Declaration. In fact, they expressed determination to take special measures to address the challenges of poverty eradication and sustainable development in Africa, including debt cancellation, improved market access, enhanced official development assistance, increased flow of foreign direct investment, and transfer of technology. The strategy proposed by the Secretary- General to reach these goals merits the active support of all Member States and the international and regional institutions and organizations involved. Aspects of this strategy to implement the other goals of the Millennium Declaration are also worthy of our closest attention. In sum, Africa today more than ever needs the support and solidarity of the international community. Before concluding, I should like to express our support for the proposal in the final chapter of the Secretary-General’s report, specifically in paragraph 306, pertaining to the topics that are to be developed in the annual reports that he will submit to the General Assembly in the years 2002, 2003 and 2004. They are, first, preventing armed conflict and the treatment and prevention of diseases, including AIDS and malaria; secondly, financing for development and strategies for sustainable development; and thirdly, bridging the digital divide and curbing transnational crime. These will then be followed by another, comprehensive report in 2005. My delegation is ready to take an active part in the discussion in the Assembly on this item and on the draft resolution that has been submitted to us.

I should like, first, on behalf of the Moroccan delegation, to express our gratitude and congratulations to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, on his very detailed report, the road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. We finally have a document that we really needed, because it gives us a vision of the future and enables the international community to glimpse where we are going and shows us a way. In this brief declaration I will not dwell on all the various aspects of the document, which is very rich, but will focus mainly on the issues which are of the greatest importance to the Moroccan delegation and which will probably dominate in the upcoming years, and that is the central topic of strengthening the United Nations by reforming it. It is true that our leaders made their commitment to enter the new millennium by establishing new boundaries for humankind based on how well we perform in justice and how compassionate we are in solidarity. That is the key to the success of any efforts to give concrete expression to the commitments contained in the Millennium Declaration. It is also true that when faced with the multiple and dangerous problems that the world’s population is encountering, it is the duty of all of us who represent our countries to strengthen the Organization’s capacity for action in order to build a world that is established on the principles of the global security of mankind. Indeed, in the new millennium the United Nations must serve as an arena for more concrete steps aimed at the well- being and prosperity of humankind as a whole. The implementation of these goals requires, without a doubt, renewing and modernizing the universal institution. Without a doubt, sooner or later we will have to reform the Charter of the United Nations by updating some of its provisions that have become obsolete, while at the same time preserving those principles that have universal value and scope. Likewise, we will need to make progress in discussions on how to restructure the Security Council so that that body adequately reflects the new world geopolitical order in the best conditions of impartiality, effectiveness, representativeness and legitimacy, which will be incontestable. It is unfortunate that since 1993, and as a result of a lack of political determination, very little progress has been made in the examination of the issue of the size and makeup of the Security Council. The urgency of reform is now obvious, a just and equitable reform of this important body. The reform requires a strategy with a specific timetable, on the basis of which the Working Group set up for that purpose would be able, we expect, to complete the mandate entrusted to it. The reform should take into account the deep changes that have occurred in the international arena for the past 50 — soon to be 60 — years, while making sure that the Council remains an effective body, because it watches over and acts as necessary to maintain peace and international security. That does not mean that the work of the Working Group I mentioned is hopeless. Not at all. To the extent that this is a truly necessary reform it will take place, sooner or later. It is important that the powerful of this world also conclude that. Furthermore, the work of the General Assembly should be given a renewed dynamism and should be simplified and oriented towards concrete action. The central role of the Assembly as the principal representative organ of the United Nations is to develop international cooperation in the political area, to encourage the progressive development of international law and its codification and to promote international cooperation in economic, social and other vital areas. Hence we cannot accept that the General Assembly should be seen simply as a passive body, in which dialogue does not lead to any concrete action. That would seriously undermine the credibility of the Assembly and of the United Nations as a whole. That is why our efforts should concentrate on an in-depth study of General Assembly reform so as to substantially improve its functioning by rationalizing it. I believe the process of rationalization has begun, but we need to continue it. From the point of view of economic development and the international community’s efforts in this area, we will without a doubt have to rethink the structure and operation of the Economic and Social Council. Certainly in the corridors everyone seems to be convinced of that. We will need to discuss it by appropriate procedures. Furthermore, in order to strengthen international law, we share the comments of the Secretary-General with respect to the recent disturbing increase in international judicial bodies, which carries the risk of fragmenting international law. In order to avoid that risk the International Court of Justice should be seen, as has been said, as a focal point to allow us to maintain unity in the interpretation and application of international law. We should not lose sight of the fact that the International Court is the main judicial body of the United Nations, and it ordinarily should intervene when statutes of other international jurisdictions are put in doubt in order to give a direct judicial interpretation of the Charter. We believe this interpretation should come within the competence of the Court, which is the main judicial body of the United Nations. It is clear that we need to build a synergy among all the various bodies of the United Nations. We must make sure that there is an effective partnership between the United Nations and other multilateral institutions, the private sector — this partnership has already started — and civil society. We support all the efforts of the Secretary-General towards involving the private sector in financing all activities aimed at improving the lot of the most disadvantaged people in the world. All members of the United Nations family should work together closely in order to make the United Nations the forum for the indispensable bringing together of mankind and allowing us to express our common aspirations for peace, cooperation and development. Finally, the current globalization automatically requires the globalization of the playing rules. As those rules are globalized, we will need to take the global interests into account in the United Nations. That can only be done here, in this forum in which we find ourselves, whether we are talking about protection of the environment, financing for development, or eliminating terrorism, just as examples. With this in mind the tragic events of 11 September unfortunately have come to remind us that the strengthening of the United Nations and adapting its structures is absolutely indispensable. The task is a noble one, and the Moroccan Government is ready to make a positive contribution to it in order to build a better future for new generations in this new millennium.

One year ago the leaders of the world gathered here in New York to write the history of the future, to reclaim the future for individuals, the people of the world, to whom our work belongs. Like the group that gathered in San Francisco 55 years earlier to establish this United Nations, our leaders united around a vision of peace, freedom and prosperity rooted in timeless values common to all humanity. More specifically, they agreed on a set of goals and objectives towards which all nations and individuals would strive, and delineated the role of the United Nations in coordinating our response to the challenges of a rapidly changing world. While barely a year has passed since the Millennium Declaration was adopted, it is proper for us to revisit the commitments that we made, assess our progress in implementing measures to eliminate poverty, disease, environmental degradation and armed conflict — made all the more urgent by recent tragic developments — and recommit ourselves to the imperatives of our time. In the past year the world’s attention has been drawn to the daunting challenges facing the African continent. At the Millennium Summit, and again at the HIV/AIDS conference, the international community undertook to make special provisions for the unique situation facing the African people. The development of the African continent and our assistance in providing Africa with the necessary tools to address the manifold social, economic, and political problems that it is facing will be a major challenge for the international community in the years ahead. In this connection, Israel has been following with great interest the development of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which began last year at the Millennium Summit as the millennium programme for Africa. This courageous new economic and social programme calls for greater international cooperation to assist Africa’s development in the midst of a crucial period for the continent. Israel, for its part, has a long record of cooperative work throughout Africa and is continuing this tradition of friendship and solidarity by offering its experience and expertise to help NEPAD succeed and the African continent to recover. We remain committed to cooperating with Africa, to providing humanitarian aid when needed and to working in close partnership with the relevant international actors and specialized agencies to ensure the success of this ambitious new programme. If we are to succeed in promoting sustainable development both in Africa and around the world, we must not neglect the more fundamental threats to peace and security, to our environment and to public health. This past summer the nations of the world committed themselves to stopping the deadly spread of HIV/AIDS, a humanitarian catastrophe of immense proportions. The magnitude of the threat and the tremendous human cost which it entails require us to act decisively. Israel supports the Secretary-General’s call to action and is fully committed to engaging in the global fight against AIDS. Israel’s development of a comprehensive educational programme and its work on producing a compact mobile unit to provide services in hard-to-reach areas are but two ways in which we can assist other nations suffering from the burden of this terrible disease. In addressing the issue of development worldwide, but especially in Africa, we cannot afford to ignore the centrality of education to the broadening of economic opportunities and the acceleration of development. The key to development in the modern age is integration with the global economy and worldwide information networks. But that can occur only when education is widely available and accessible to all. In this regard, the Millennium Declaration drew our attention to the problem of the digital divide and to the fact that many countries cannot provide their people with the basic tools to succeed in the information age. In Israel we have developed a programme to enable youth from underprivileged backgrounds and underdeveloped towns to learn the valuable computer skills that will enable them to succeed in the global village. We presented this programme to the Information and Communication Technologies Task Force and explained the way in which volunteers use the Internet to communicate with participants, exposing them to equipment and technologies they had never before experienced. That programme can serve as a model for other developing countries to enhance computer and technological skills and help their young people succeed. The challenges facing the developing countries — in particular the least developed countries, countries with economies in transition, landlocked countries and small island developing island countries — are truly daunting. Not long ago, Israel was itself a developing nation, dependent almost exclusively on agricultural exports for foreign exchange. In the course of our transformation to a technology-based economy, we have acquired tremendous experience and know-how. Over the years we have shared that experience with many nations through, the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Centre for International Cooperation (MASHAV). Since its inception, MASHAV has trained 175,000 individuals from more than 140 countries and in six languages. MASHAV’s activities focus on areas in which Israel has a certain advantage or has developed a particular expertise, such as irrigation, desert agriculture, food security, water management, early childhood education, community development, emergency and disaster medicine, refugee absorption and others. Israel values its tradition of international cooperation and assistance and is committed to continuing this work, together with local actors, focusing on human capacity- building, the empowerment of women and the diffusion of modern technologies. When our leaders gathered to address the threats to peace and security of the new millennium, the world had not yet been stunningly reminded, as we were on 11 September, of the global menace of terrorism. Member States moved quickly to condemn the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., and the Security Council adopted unprecedented measures to stop the flow of funds and other assistance to terrorist organizations. As part of our commitment to the new millennium, we must scrupulously abide by Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) and reject any and all attempts to justify the murders of innocent civilians, regardless of cause or grievance. Indeed, the Millennium Declaration speaks about freedom from fear, and there can be no greater fear than the fear that gripped our host city on 11 September and continues to oppress millions of innocent civilians around the world: the fear of being suddenly and indiscriminately a target of deadly aggression. Terror has the potential to single-handedly disrupt all the noble and worthwhile objectives that we have committed ourselves to achieving in the new millennium. Just as buildings that took years to build were brought to the ground within an hour, so too can the efforts of thousands, undertaken over generations, be violently undone by a single act of terrorism. We cannot allow the threat of terror to deny the promise of tomorrow to the millions of people throughout the world who look to this body for hope and leadership. The dawn of the new millennium has ushered in a period of unprecedented possibility as well as tremendous challenges. The United Nations has the potential and the obligation to undertake the necessary reforms that will enable it to serve as the primary international forum where these challenges can be addressed and the full potential of our ever-changing world can be realized. Israel is committed to working with other nations as well as United Nations bodies, in a spirit of friendship and cooperation, to formulate a collective response to the challenges of the new millennium and to ensure that the coming century is one of freedom, development and opportunity for all the peoples of the world.

It was only a year ago that the leaders of the world community celebrated the turn of the new millennium with an extraordinary Summit here in this Assembly. It was a moment in history celebrated with zeal, as a path was laid for greater cooperation in our collective vision for a more prosperous future. My delegation fully endorsed the framework for the follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit presented last year in resolution 55/162 by the former President of the General Assembly, Mr. Harri Holkeri, and we endorse also the Secretary-General’s report in document A/56/326, “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration”. The report reminds us all of the celebrated goals set and commitments made last year and catalogues the strategies for moving forward. Consistent with the ideal of meeting our commitments, Nauru has been working with the Pacific Islands Forum, and our development partners to develop a regional strategy to enable us to better respond, collectively and individually, through measures that are practical and acceptable to our communities. In support of regional peace-building efforts, the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat, in consultation with member countries, has begun to address key areas identified in the Forum’s Biketawa Declaration, adopted in Kiribati last year. Nauru has offered to participate in a regional observer mission of eminent persons drawn from Forum member countries, to help monitor the forthcoming elections in Solomon Islands. In terms of disarmament, Nauru has ratified several important conventions, including the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty. We signed more than 15 treaties and protocols last week during the treaty-signing ceremony, and also ratified, within 12 months of signing it, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Governance continues to be the main area of concern for my country and our region in general, and, in consultation with the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat, we are taking the necessary steps to implement the Honiara Declaration on law enforcement and the Aitutaki Declaration on governance and accountability. We recognize that governance remains an integral part of our development assistance programmes and national development plans, and we are now increasingly looking at ways to improve and strengthen our law enforcement mechanisms to make them more effective. We are also encouraged by the increasing participation of non-governmental organizations and the private sector in governance issues. My country recognizes implicitly that health and education are fundamental building blocks for society. In May this year, Education Ministers met in New Zealand and adopted the Forum Basic Education Action Plan. Nauru, along with other Pacific leaders, agreed to work further on the provision of resources for basic education, the development of partnerships with non-governmental organizations and the incorporation of gender and governance issues in basic education. The ongoing challenge is to source and allocate adequate budgetary resources to ensure basic education at an early age for our children. Nauru supports the Secretary-General’s proposed themes for next year — preventing armed conflict, and the treatment and prevention of diseases, including HIV/AIDS and malaria. These diseases are becoming more prevalent in our region, and we take them seriously. In collaboration with specialized United Nations agencies, much work has been undertaken to increase awareness of AIDS among communities in our region that face sensitive cultural barriers. We are putting into place measures to address problems related to HIV/AIDS, dengue fever, tuberculosis and malaria. These include improving health standards, expanding the availability of treatment and specialized training throughout the region. Nauru endorses the Millennium Declaration’s strong emphasis on integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes. One of the more important goals of the Declaration for us was the commitment called for in chapter III to address the special needs of small island developing States by implementing rapidly and in full the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly. The Barbados Programme of Action identified a number of priority areas in which specific actions are needed at the national, regional and international levels. In conjunction with the regional strategy developed in the Pacific through the Forum and the South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme, we continue to advocate a stronger global response to global problems such as climate change and loss of biodiversity. Nauru has also been supportive of the work of various regional agencies, particularly the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, in the development of an environmental vulnerability index, which we hope will be taken up and further developed by the Climate Data Programme and the Economic and Social Council. Turning to the United Nations itself, my delegation notes that reforms are at present ongoing to meet the goals of the Millennium Declaration concerning the administration of this great body. The goal of reaffirming the central position of the General Assembly as the chief policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations is warranted, and to play that role effectively we need to continue our efforts to revitalize and streamline our work. We also need to intensify our efforts to reform the Security Council. It needs to be enlarged and its working methods made more transparent to reflect new political realities and provide equal geographical representation for all regions of the world. Any reform also needs to enhance the Security Council’s ability to anticipate, prevent and react to events on short notice. Finally, my delegation agrees with the Secretary- General’s approach for a more comprehensive review and assessment to be undertaken by the Assembly in five years’ time. We should draw from the review sessions that have already been held since Rio, as well as the forthcoming International Conference on Financing for Development and the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held next year. With these brief comments, Nauru is pleased to support the draft resolution being proposed on the follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit.

We compliment the Secretary-General on his “Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration”. Last year our leaders assembled here and adopted the historic Millennium Declaration, reaffirming their faith in the United Nations and its Charter as indispensable foundations for a more peaceful, prosperous and just world. The Millennium Declaration presented humanity with a new hope for a better world based on peace, justice and equity. We were looking forward to a new century of peace and tranquillity governed by eternal human values and civilized norms, unlike the last century, which was full of upheavals and great wars. We were hopeful. But the terrorist acts of 11 September gave us a wake-up call. The forces of darkness raised their ugly heads yet again to halt our millennium march just when we were about to embark upon it. But we should not be deterred. We must not let these devilish forces succeed. We must foil their evil designs. We must continue our journey together and unitedly fight the scourge of terrorism. In doing so, however, we must not overlook the legitimacy of peoples’ struggles against foreign occupation and alien domination in exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination, a right that is enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. In his road map the Secretary-General has comprehensively dwelt upon the issues contained in the Millennium Declaration. We look at this road map as a normative guideline, which will be evaluated and reviewed by the United Nations membership on a regular basis, in terms of both its relevance and its implementation. The Secretary-General’s emphasis on the importance of establishing global peace and security for achieving the goals of the Millennium Declaration is noteworthy. His focus on replacing the culture of reaction with that of prevention and peacekeeping reflects a positive approach. We fully agree with the Secretary-General that there is a need to address the underlying causes of conflicts if peace is to be maintained. We believe that unresolved political disputes, including those in Bosnia, Kosovo, Palestine, Kashmir and other places, have a destabilizing effect on world peace. The lack of progress in the resolution of these disputes has given rise to a sense of injustice, deprivation and hopelessness. The frustration of the oppressed people is understandable when disputes, such as those in Kashmir and Palestine in particular, despite being on the agenda of the United Nations for years, remain unresolved. Indeed, global peace and security will remain elusive if these conflicts, which have been sources of tension and devastation, are not addressed. Needless to say, if we do not wish the Millennium Declaration to become another piece of waste paper lying buried in the archives of the United Nations we will have to seek its implementation in all sincerity and in its entirety. The rapidly changing international environment demands a fundamental appraisal of the United Nations capacity to deal with diverse and proliferating conflicts and crises in various parts of the world. The purpose of this review should be to equip the United Nations with the necessary means to reduce the possibility of the outbreak and recurrence of conflicts and violence through preventive measures, including dispute resolution, on which there is one full chapter, Chapter VI, in the Charter of the United Nations. For its part, in fulfilment of its obligations under the Millennium Declaration, Pakistan has striven hard to defuse tensions in South Asia. Pakistan went to the Agra Summit last July in that spirit. President Pervez Musharraf has proposed the resumption of dialogue with India for the settlement of the Kashmir question in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people, so as to pave the way for normal relations between two estranged neighbours. We reiterate our readiness to address all outstanding issues with our neighbour in the larger interest of the peace and security of the region. Pakistan is also deeply conscious of the nuclear dimensions of the security environment of our region. President Pervez Musharraf, addressing the General Assembly last week, expressed Pakistan’s readiness to discuss a South Asian security mechanism involving peaceful resolution of disputes, preservation of nuclear and conventional balance, confidence-building measures and the non-use of force prescribed by the United Nations Charter. The people of Afghanistan have been suffering the ravages and devastation of conflict for more than two decades. It is time to heal their wounds, to alleviate their sufferings and to empower them to rebuild their society. They do not need to be abandoned once again. A stable and peaceful Afghanistan is in the vital interest of the region, and in particular of Pakistan. We fully support the efforts of the Secretary- General and his Special Representative, Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi, to build a broad-based, multi-ethnic, demographically representative Government in Afghanistan. In our view, any future political arrangement in Afghanistan must be home-grown and not imposed from outside, and must ensure the unity and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. It is also our hope that the political process in Afghanistan will be simultaneously accompanied by a resettlement plan for the more than 3 million Afghan refugees now sheltered in Pakistan. Peace-building in post-conflict Afghanistan will require a gigantic effort by the international community through sustainable measures, as part of a three-pronged strategy — a military, political and humanitarian/ rehabilitation/reconstruction strategy. In the road map, the Secretary-General has elaborated on the issues of development and poverty and their impact on the socio-political life of societies. Indeed, peace and development are indivisible. We believe that poverty and deprivation provide the breeding grounds for extremist groups and organizations. The extremist survives and thrives in an environment where injustice and indignity prevail. We hope that the international community will give due attention to the underlying causes of extremism and terrorism and take concrete measures in responding to the Secretary-General’s request to address the issues of poverty through substantive economic uplift, poverty alleviation and social action programmes in developing countries. A major step in this direction would be to reduce, if not eliminate, the debt burden of the poor and underdeveloped countries. We fully agree with the Secretary-General’s observation that the developed countries should increase official development assistance (ODA) to 0.7 per cent of their gross national product, which is the prescribed target. Regrettably, the net ODA to developing nations declined from $58.5 billion in 1994 to $48.5 billion in 1999. That decline has come at a time when ODA should have actually gone up substantially. Obviously, our hopes of achieving the targets set out in the road map cannot be achieved given this lack of commitment. We also look forward to the United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development, in Mexico next year, as a unique opportunity to evolve a new development paradigm in the form of new patterns of cooperation and partnership involving a comprehensive strategy for domestic resource mobilization, increased private capital flows and official development assistance, the removal of trade barriers against developing countries, rationalization of the unstable debt burden and, finally, the systemic issues. Economic imbalances will have to be removed in order to attain a just, equitable and harmonious world order, and the developing world will have to be given a role in managing the phenomenon of the globalization of the world’s economy. Turning to another issue, the President of Pakistan, in this house last week, invited the attention of the world community towards the tragedy of the third world, where rulers, together with their minions, plunder countries’ wealth and are afforded easy access and safe havens to stash the loot in the first world. If restrictions have been imposed on the laundering of drug money and money held by terrorists, why can similar restrictions not be imposed on the laundering of this kind of loot? We hope that the Secretary-General will evolve a mechanism to address this problem. We particularly urge the developed countries to legislate against deposits of ill- gotten money, to assist in investigations against the looters and to ensure the early return of the plundered wealth to its countries of origin. The road map spelled out by the Secretary- General also rightly focuses on human rights, democracy and good governance. Over the past two years the Government of Pakistan has remained actively engaged in improving governance, through political restructuring and introducing genuine democracy in the country. A sound democratic structure of elected local governments has been established on the basis of adult franchise, which has been in place since August this year. Another revolutionary step has been the allocation of one third of the seats to women in these elected bodies. The ongoing process of democratization will culminate in the elections to the provincial and national assemblies and the Senate by October 2002, in accordance with the road map announced last August, which the President said he was determined to implement. We fully share the views of the Secretary-General on making concerted efforts to meet the special needs of Africa. We also appreciate the efforts being made by the Organization of African Unity — what is now known as the African Union — in this regard. Pakistan fully supports the endeavours of the world community towards promoting peace, economic development and tackling the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other infectious diseases in the continent. We hope that the world community will assist the African countries by enhancing official development assistance, increasing investments, debt relief and private market access for their products and services. Pakistan feels proud to be in the service of its African brothers by contributing its troops for peacekeeping operations in conflict situations on the African continent. Similarly, we support the need for special attention to small island developing States, the least developed countries and landlocked countries. We agree with the Secretary-General that the United Nations is a uniquely global institution with universal membership. We reaffirm the central position of the General Assembly as the chief deliberative, policy- making and representative organ of the United Nations. The global community must make common cause for making the United Nations system more democratic and responsive to the collective interests of its Members. We also support the demand of the overwhelming majority of the world community that the Security Council be reformed on the principle of the sovereign equality of States, without expanding the existing oligarchy or creating new islands of privilege. We feel that the enlargement of the Security Council must reflect the increase in the general membership of the United Nations, making it a more democratic, representative, transparent, accountable and effective body. There is also a need to enhance the Council’s ability to anticipate, prevent and react to events at short notice. Peacekeeping operations of the United Nations constitute an important element of United Nations activities in the maintenance and preservation of peace and security. Pakistan is one of the oldest, largest and most consistent contributors to these peacekeeping operations. Our commitment to and involvement in the United Nations peacekeeping operations is based on a fundamental belief in international peace, collective security, preventive diplomacy, conflict resolution, peacemaking and post-conflict peace-building. We believe that the goals of peacekeeping should not merely be to separate the warring factions but to identify the root causes and help in a resolution of the conflicts. Peacekeeping operations must have a clear direction, a precise mandate and an effective command-and-control structure, as well as clearly defined uniform rules of engagement. The United Nations must ensure that a conflict has been resolved before it disengages itself. These are some of the challenges confronting United Nations peace efforts, of which peacekeeping is an essential element. We believe that the millennium development goals identified in the road map, if implemented in all earnest, could usher in an era of peace, progress and prosperity for our planet. We need only to redouble our efforts in the direction of realizing these objectives. We owe it to future generations. This will be our contribution to posterity. In conclusion, I quote what the President of Pakistan said in his speech in this forum last week at the 45th meeting: “Let justice prevail; let no people be wronged; let sufferings be eliminated; let discontent be addressed; let humanity rise as one nation to eliminate subjugation of the weak; and let there be peace.”

At the outset, I should like to welcome the report of the Secretary- General on the implementation of the Millennium Declaration, in which world leaders unanimously acknowledge the collective responsibility of the international community to achieve the goals of the twenty-first century. The report of the Secretary-General outlines measures to strengthen the role of the United Nations in promoting human security, achieving sustainable development, exercising human rights and protecting our common environment. We highly appreciate the Secretary-General’s action plan, designed to meet the commitments made by the heads of State and Government. We also support the draft resolution prepared by the President of the General Assembly, which gives an additional input for further progress in implementing the goals before us. My delegation highly appreciates the intention of the Secretary-General to submit a comprehensive progress report every five years, starting from 2005. These reports, reviewing the implementation of decisions taken at United Nations conferences, will enable the international community to fully implement the Millennium Declaration. In his report, the Secretary-General expresses his concern that the turn of the millennium has brought new challenges in the field of peace and security. The maintenance of international peace and security remains the top priority of the United Nations in a new era. We believe that without peace and stability there is no chance to foster dialogue between States for peaceful solutions. Without peace and stability, socio- economic development is impossible. We cannot resolve global problems by using force, terrorism and racial discrimination. Wars and conflicts are not among key elements for creating a new, better world, free from violence. The recent terrorist acts called for a coordinated response against terrorism from the international community. Taking into consideration developments in the world characterized by the growing threat of this phenomenon, my delegation expects the working group to finalize the draft of the comprehensive convention against international terrorism during the year 2001. Kazakhstan expresses its full support for the activities of the international anti-terrorist coalition to eliminate the terrorist network in Afghanistan and bring a long-awaited peace to its suffering people. My Government also supports the intention of the coalition to vigorously prosecute the war against the terrorists and remaining Taliban hold-outs. Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1377 (2001) are the international community’s best instruments against terrorism and will be fully implemented by my country. My delegation concurs with the view expressed by other delegations that it is highly important to consolidate the success of the recent military operation of the coalition by moving forward the process of the comprehensive settlement of the situation in Afghanistan under United Nations leadership. Kazakhstan is ready to participate actively in any mediation or peacekeeping mission that would help to establish peace in Afghanistan and bring stability and security to our region. The Millennium Declaration identified the six key areas requiring the collective commitment of the international community. We support the strategies of the road map prepared by the Secretary-General. My Government is committed to a peaceful, stable and environmentally safe world, and supports all the objectives of the Millennium Summit. We stand for the strengthening of the central role of the United Nations in its efforts to ensure global stability and to build equitable relations between States and peoples based on mutual respect and universal values. Kazakhstan particularly welcomes the commitment made by world leaders in the Millennium Declaration to promote the survival and development of children, gender equality and the empowerment of women. My Government will continue to implement the decisions of the Millennium Summit, strengthening cooperation with the United Nations system in key areas of peace and security and social and economic development.

A little more than a year ago, in this very place, the Millennium Summit concluded with the adoption of an important Declaration. It was probably the biggest gathering of leaders from throughout the world ever organized. The Millennium Declaration committed the heads of State and Government, as well as other high dignitaries from throughout the world, to spare no effort in finding solutions in the course of this century to the expectations, hopes and legitimate aspirations of millions of human beings throughout the world — aspirations to peace, cooperation and development. To that end very ambitious priority goals were set. By its resolution 55/162, on the follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to draft a report proposing detailed strategies to put into practice the Millennium Declaration and to achieve its aims. The reports of the Secretary-General that we have before us, which, respectively, contain the road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the recommendations of the High-level Panel of the Youth Employment Network, formulate detailed strategies and concrete actions that we should give the attention and focus that they deserve. I should like to congratulate the Secretary-General on the excellent reports, and the imagination, realism and relevance of the strategies and specific actions that he has proposed. It is now up to the Member States of the United Nations, which is to say the international community as a whole, to make sure that the commitments will be lived up to and translated into concrete steps. In short we must translate words into deeds. It is quite encouraging to see that the major international conferences that took place in the inter- sessional period have already produced results in respect of the goals of the millennium. The Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, which took place in Brussels from 14 to 20 May 2001, adopted a political Declaration, a Programme of Action for the decade and seven commitments, taking into account the particular needs of the least developed countries. These include duty- and quota-free access to northern countries for exports from the least developed countries because of the important role of trade in development, debt alleviation and the mobilization of external financial resources for those countries. However, it remains to set up a mechanism for effective implementation of and follow-up to the recommendations, and we call for this to be done. The General Assembly devoted its twenty-fifth special session, which took place from 4 to 8 June this year, to the examination and assessment of progress accomplished in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. That session led to the adoption of a Declaration on Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium, reaffirming the commitment to provide decent housing for everyone, which corresponds to the millennium goal of achieving by 2020 a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers, as proposed in the “Cities without Slums” initiative. With that in mind, supplying drinking water and cleaning up slums should be considered measures leading in the right direction. However, any strategy recommended should aim at the complete elimination of slums and shanty towns. It is undeniable that, despite the drop in the number of armed conflicts, international peace and security continue to be seriously threatened. The terrorist attacks against the United States on 11 September provided a clear and tragic illustration, and they call for the international community as a whole to become aware of how we must deal with issues of peace, security and disarmament. Now more than ever before, the United Nations will have to play a key role in ensuring the primacy of law in international affairs, particularly in examining the links between peace and development, and in combating impunity, international terrorism, transnational crime, drugs and other problems. It is appropriate to reaffirm the key role that the International Court of Justice will have to play in the peaceful settlement of conflicts. Cameroon regards that as a very important concern, and that is why we urge Member States to submit their disputes to the International Court of Justice and to implement its decisions in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Likewise, it would be a good idea to take advantage of all the opportunities provided by international conferences to relaunch and intensify the campaign for the signature and ratification of a broad range of legal instruments that are at the very foundation of international legality. We should also step up our efforts in the current context in order to promote the rapid entry into force and effective implementation of a number of international conventions that pertain to terrorism and disarmament. Cameroon, which is already a party to most of the multilateral international conventions on combating terrorism and on disarmament, is actively engaged in signing or acceding to conventions to which it is not yet a party. Specifically on the topic of disarmament, it is obvious that in the light of recent events the strict application of all the conventions in this field is urgently imperative. Furthermore, we must reaffirm the need for a constant and more decisive engagement of the United Nations and the international community in the prevention, management and settlement of conflicts. With this in mind, we should welcome the fact that in the past few years the Organization has garnered considerable experience in this area, leading to the recent award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Secretary-General. However, to further strengthen United Nations capacities in the area of peacekeeping we must provide sufficient human, financial and material resources. On this point the Brahimi report contains some good proposals for reform that are currently being implemented. This reform process, which we fully support, must continue. We also support the idea that strengthening African capacities in the area of prevention, management and the solution of conflicts would not mean stripping the Security Council of its main responsibility for maintaining peace and security throughout the world, including Africa, nor would it lead to the disengagement of the international community from maintaining peace in Africa. The twenty-sixth special session of General Assembly, on HIV/AIDS, from 25 to 27 June 2001 was a milestone in the implementation of the goals contained in the Millennium Declaration, because of the negative impact that this pandemic has on the development of the economies of poor countries. The Declaration of Commitment adopted at that special session contains specific goals and is a decisive step in the right direction to combat the pandemic of HIV/AIDS. This is the place to launch an appeal to the international community and to the major pharmaceutical corporations throughout the world so that medication against HIV/AIDS, particularly anti-retroviral drugs, will become more widely accessible at affordable prices. As for the special needs of Africa, the high-level debate at the 2001 substantive session of the Economic and Social Council was devoted to the role of the United Nations system in assisting African countries to attain sustainable development. At the end of that debate the Council adopted an historic ministerial declaration by which member States of the United Nations bodies, and international commercial and financial institutions, pledged to take special measures in favour of Africa in order to achieve for that continent the goal established by the Millennium Summit, and that is, to take up the challenges: the elimination of poverty, attaining sustainable development, debt cancellation, improved access to markets, increased official development assistance, increased foreign direct investment flows and the transfer of technology. We hope that the efforts of the Economic and Social Council to follow up the Millennium Summit’s recommendations concerning Africa will be better taken into account in the next report of the Secretary-General with respect to the road map, specifically with a view to encouraging Governments and international institutions to live up to their commitments. The ministerial declaration of the Economic and Social Council integrates the strategic priorities of the New African Initiative adopted by the heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at the summit held in Lusaka in July 2001. We urge the international community to provide firm and concrete support for this initiative, which in a very short time has become the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. I am happy to say that with the help of the agencies of the United Nations system, Cameroon is one of the first States to have developed a progress report on the implementation of millennium goals. This report describes the results already achieved and those that are expected on the socio-economic and environmental levels and will henceforth serve as a point of reference to guide the final implementation of the strategy document for the reduction of poverty. My delegation welcomes the fact that starting from next year the Secretary-General will submit an annual report which will take stock of progress achieved in the implementation of the commitments undertaken in the Millennium Declaration up to the year 2005, when all of the millennium goals will be evaluated. To conclude, I should like to express the hope that neither the road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration nor the recommendations of the High-level Panel of the Youth Employment Network will remain a dead letter. We hope that the political commitments of our leaders will be translated into reality in line with the hopes that have been raised.

First, on behalf of my delegation, I will make a very brief statement, since most previous speakers have emphasized the concepts of the obligations which demonstrate the great importance of this subject for the international agenda in future decades. Permit me also to express our gratitude to the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, for the document that we are discussing today, the road map towards the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration, because it gives us very clear-cut guidance that makes it possible for us to meet the challenge of the twenty-first century at a good pace and with a firm course. The meeting of heads of State and Government last year was an historic milestone of great importance. The United Nations succeeded in bringing together a great number of world leaders in order to bring concerted action to the agenda of the twenty-first century, principally with regard to subjects connected with peace and economic and social development as essential prerequisites for the future. The results of that summit are embodied in the Declaration, which spells out common fundamental values for international relations among States: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature, and common responsibility for managing economic and social development and for confronting threats to international peace and security. But at the same time, it includes the new commitments to make the work of the United Nations even more effective for the peoples of our planet, particularly the poorest of them. My delegation wishes to endorse the commitment assumed by the Government of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Mr. Hugo Chávez Frías, to achieve the objectives and goals laid down at the Millennium Summit. However, we know that the effort cannot be individually directed by nations but must be a collective effort by the Organization to which we are representatives. My delegation believes that the General Assembly has great responsibility for following up the themes of the Millennium Declaration. We believe the Organization possesses the necessary structure to perform this task. I would add that my country from the very first moment, proposed that use be made of this session so that the heads of State of the four round tables that met during the Millennium Summit — which we had the honour to share, along with the heads of Government of Singapore, Poland and Algeria — would meet and make evaluations, together with the heads of State and Government of other countries so that presidential diplomacy could follow up commitments and support the work of the Secretary-General and the General Assembly. The events of 11 September prevented us doing it at that time. I should like to stress once again the importance of presidential diplomacy and its contribution to the work of the United Nations, the Secretary-General and the General Assembly. We will see to it that all members of the Assembly receive the document specially prepared by the Mission of Venezuela containing the statement, translated into the official languages, that my country made on that occasion. We must make concrete commitments, such as reducing poverty by half by the year 2015. We must reduce infant mortality, fight the AIDS epidemic, improve the human rights situation and promote democracy and good governance in a climate of total liberty. We believe that we need to make a greater effort to find formulas to facilitate the participation of the individual in the economic and social development of our peoples. The Monterrey summit is of great significance because it will be an opportunity to bring about a more balanced and more equitable world with regard to the means of obtaining financing for development, and at the same time to bring about a fair distribution of wealth and enjoyment of happiness for the peoples, particularly for those who have least. Renewing the North-South dialogue is a challenge, as is promoting South-South cooperation by overcoming the gap between the countries that are Members of the United Nations. Another gap — the digital gap — must be one of the major targets of the work to follow up the Millennium Summit. The World Summit on Sustainable Development, in South Africa, is another opportunity to evaluate the implementation of Agenda 21, to honour the commitments made in Rio a decade ago and to reaffirm the urgency of following that path today. I should also like to take up some of the proposals made at that time. Apart from the Security Council, there is a need for a development council that would meet the challenge of reducing poverty indicators and improve living standards in the poorest and least advanced countries. We must democratize the Security Council and eliminate the right of veto, which is based on a situation that prevailed in the year 1945, and we must find a way to bring it up to date. We must institutionalize, strengthen and energize regional groups in the United Nations so that they can make recommendations with regard to the grave problems confronting us. For all these reasons, I should like to state that my delegation requests that the draft resolution presented by the President of the General Assembly on this subject be adopted by acclamation as testimony of our faith in a more humane and just world, and that we be inspired by the new needs of the United Nations.

In accordance with the decision taken by the General Assembly at its 58th plenary meeting, on 19 November 2001, I now call on the observer of Switzerland.

The tragic events of last September and those that have followed seem to have profoundly changed the way we understand the issues that are being debated today at the international level. Today more than ever we understand that poverty, conflicts, the swift deterioration of natural resources, the denial of human rights and the poor management of public affairs are interactive and interdependent. The major problems with which we will have to deal are all closely linked. That is why it is so important to have a global approach and a coherent strategy that allows us to deal simultaneously with multiple problems. That is precisely the main goal of the road map presented by the Secretary-General. The road map follows the main guidelines of the Millennium Declaration and specifically proposes concrete guidelines to help States, the United Nations system and the international community as a whole to move from words to deeds. The road map is very action-oriented. It also has a transversal approach that highlights the interdependence and interactiveness among the various areas of activity. As the Secretary- General himself has underlined, conflicts and pandemics often strike regions where inhabitants are poor and illiterate. It is increasingly clear that without equitable development there can be no sustainable peace throughout the world. Likewise, if no reliable security can be established, all efforts for development will lead to nought. This vicious circle, unfortunately, has often contributed to worsening the situation despite the best of intentions. The road map can help us get out of this trap. First, we need to make the many strategies proposed, operational. But we also must avoid scattering our efforts in every possible area of activity; that would run the risk of our actions cancelling each other out because of a lack of consistency and coordination. However, this effort should be facilitated if we all focus on achieving the goals set out at the Millennium Summit. These goals correspond to the main concerns of the international community in the areas of peacekeeping, poverty eradication, environmental protection, the protection of human rights and the promotion of democracy. If all pursue these goals, it will help us to focus our efforts. But first and foremost we need to prove that we have the firm political will needed to live up to our commitments. That will should be applied not only to the achievement of the goals by all partners but also to ensuring that our actions converge. We need to considerably improve the way we coordinate actions between ministries, Governments and institutions. In other words, we must improve our working methods. Switzerland has attached particular importance to this since the 1992 Earth Summit, both in its own administration and in its policy of international cooperation. We know that considerable efforts are still necessary and that innovative approaches are often difficult to apply, but we also know that considerable progress has been made, and that has encouraged us. We particularly acknowledge the fact that in the past few years the United Nations has often paved the way and has worked hard to improve and strengthen itself. However, much remains to be done to implement the recommendations of the Secretary-General contained in his road map, which we support. We have no doubt that the United Nations will achieve this with the help of everybody. The Organization has unique advantages and features to serve as a catalyst of change, and it should continue to play this role in a world that is ever more complex and interactive. In this regard, it is very important for the Organization to ensure that its various bodies work better together. It should also strengthen its partnership with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and other multilateral organizations. We should also get all the protagonists involved — national and international, public and private, each in its area of competence and influence — to pool their efforts so as to achieve the millennium goals. They should all contribute to a coherent, effective and efficient approach, avoiding waste and unnecessary losses, and reducing transaction costs. It is essential to have the full support of all relevant partners in order to implement the road map, including civil society and the private sector. In this context, we think that it would be particularly useful to build public-private partnerships that could serve the common interest effectively. To conclude, one last comment about follow-up. The reports that the Secretary-General plans to submit will provide an opportunity to identify and analyse the progress achieved, the obstacles met and the lessons to be drawn. They should also highlight instances of lack of coordination and coherence between and within institutions. This process should gradually allow us to refine the road map. Finally, a real effort should be made in the area of indicators, which must become more relevant and consistent with respect to the main methodological tools adopted at the international level.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item. Statement on the occasion of the twelfth Africa Industrialization Day

Before adjourning the meeting, I should like to remind the General Assembly that tomorrow, 20 November, is Africa Industrialization Day. Since there is no plenary meeting tomorrow, I shall now read my statement for that occasion. Since 1990 we have observed this Day in order to mobilize the commitment and resources of the international community in support of the industrialization of Africa. I think it is very appropriate that the challenges of Africa’s industrialization for the new millennium has been chosen as the theme of this year’s observance. The new millennium is being shaped by the rapid process of globalization, driven by information and communication technologies. Globalization provides us with both opportunities for economic development and, at the same time, challenges which include, inter alia, the marginalization of developing countries. In particular, many African countries are among the most vulnerable to such marginalization due to lack of capacity and resources, persistent poverty, rampant HIV/AIDS and chronic conflicts. Africa therefore offers some of the most pressing and difficult challenges to the international community. At the Millennium Summit last year, world leaders resolved to address the challenges of poverty eradication and sustainable development in Africa. As President of the General Assembly, I likewise accord high priority to issues of special concern to Africa. Industrialization is a necessary stage along the path of development. In the era of globalization and liberalization, diversifying economies and enhancing competitiveness are generally recognized as essential steps to promote sustained economic growth. The competitiveness of African enterprises depends heavily on their technological innovation, absorption and management capability. Access to developed markets is also a prerequisite for sustainable development in Africa. In this regard, donors and developed countries are urged to provide adequate resources and technical assistance to African countries, as well as beneficial treatment for African products, in order to enhance the industrial capacity and market access of African producers. At the same time, the concepts of ownership and partnership should be seen as integral to national development and industrialization. African and other developing countries need to forge partnerships that will enable them to attract needed capital, technology and expertise from both within and beyond their borders. That in turn requires creating investor-friendly business environments to stimulate macroeconomic growth, expand markets, develop human capital and enhance technological capacity. In this regard, I wish to commend the historic initiative of African leaders in proclaiming the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. I believe that the New Partnership for Africa’s Development frankly addresses the stark realities of African development and holds out great promise of success. Its great strength lies in its comprehensive approach, encompassing peace, security, good governance and economic development issues, all of which are central to successful industrialization. Thus, it deserves the full support of the international community. I sincerely hope that the United Nations system, including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which has a mandate to promote sustainable industrial development, among others, will continue to work more closely to mobilize resources and expertise in support of the African-led endeavours. On this Africa Industrialization Day I invite all Members to join the ongoing efforts to assist African countries to adapt their industrial policies to changing global conditions and to create a supportive environment for sustainable development.