A/59/PV.35 General Assembly

My delegation is pleased to participate in this important debate to discuss the second report of the Secretary- General on progress in implementation and international support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) over the past year. We thank the Secretary-General for the high quality of the documents before us and Mr. Gambari for his devotion and skills at the head of the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa. We are pleased that the newly established Office is playing a key role in promoting international cooperation in meeting the challenge of NEPAD and in consolidating and extending peace, stability and progress in Africa. We are convinced that the implementation of NEPAD’s projects remains the solution to the diverse ills besetting Africa, including insecurity, armed conflict, poverty, famine, endemic diseases, the distressing issue of refugees and displaced persons, myriad cross-border problems and so on. Guinea is confident in that enormous programme of renewal, which reaffirms Africa’s responsibility for its own development as a stakeholder in the various changes under way today, and reaffirms its commitment to the implementation of NEPAD as the new partnership for the development of our continent. Guinea has thus established a national coordinating committee for NEPAD, under the auspices of the Ministry for Cooperation. It consists of representatives of the various ministerial departments concerned, the private sector and civil society. The coordinating committee is now at work; it has launched various programmes and projects in priority areas and begun to draft sectoral policy plans. Our Government is striving to mainstream NEPAD into our national development plan and to adapt the structure of budgetary expenditures to the priorities and objectives of NEPAD. In that regard, Guinea is encouraged by the progress made in advancing the implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism. We are actively preparing to join that process, convinced that self- evaluation will help African countries to identify their deficiencies in terms of institutions, policies and capacities, and to propose measures — as stressed by the Secretary-General’s report — to remedy the situation and to attain the Millennium Development Goals. It is clear that, if Africa is to continue to acquire ownership and leadership of NEPAD, it must master those complex problems and resolve the various constraints that exist in all sectors. The serious financial, technical, economic and coordination difficulties covered by the report help us to grasp how much is at stake for Africa and our partners. We need to act quickly. We need new and revitalized relations between Africa and its partners if we are to reverse the current negative trends. That is why, in addition to Africa’s huge efforts and sacrifices, we must continue to encourage the international community to shoulder its responsibilities. Our partners must give us the economic and financial resources, expertise and transfers of technology necessary for the speedy implementation of NEPAD’s objectives. My delegation welcomes the initiatives and encouraging steps taken in the context of South-South cooperation by the international community and the United Nations system to ensure the complete success of NEPAD. I also commend the various resolute initiatives taken by countries or by regional and international institutions, private and public alike, in response to the appeals made at the United Nations and other decision-making bodies on behalf of Africa. My country is also encouraged by the sound measures taken by our bilateral and multilateral partners to ease the debt burden of African countries. We ought not lose sight of the fact that even those recipients of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative that have completed the process have not enjoyed the relief they sought. Accordingly, we make an urgent appeal to our development partners to cancel our debt, which has become untenable, and to improve and enhance the quality and effectiveness of assistance to Africa, all of which could mobilize increased support for NEPAD and reduce poverty in Africa. Given the myriad stakeholders involved, however, we have a daunting challenge to meet. We must ensure the consistency of measures taken with international support for NEPAD. So long as consistent policies are not a core element of assistance to Africa, the partnership we seek may not be able to achieve those basic goals. The international community must base its actions on progress made by certain international bodies or by such friendly countries as Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands to promote integrated global development based on greater consistency and joint responsibility. In conclusion, I wish to express my country’s gratitude to its development partners, friendly countries and the entire international community for their commitment to Africa at this crucial stage of its development. In order to consolidate the progress made, my delegation advocates strengthened support from this Organization for the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa with a view to promoting the coherent and effective support of the entire United Nations system for the development of our continent. Adequate means and political and diplomatic support must be forthcoming to enable us to assist the African Union and its subregional organizations to support the efforts of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and other institutions of the international community to discharge their respective mandates to implement NEPAD and to ensure follow- up for the implementation of decisions taken at all the summit meetings and world conferences on Africa. The Republic of Guinea reiterates here that it will spare none of its energies and limited resources in contributing to the speedy realization of the noble and legitimate objectives so dearly sought by our peoples.

At the outset, my delegation would like to express its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports on progress in implementing the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and achieving durable peace and sustainable development in Africa. The Republic of Korea supports Africa’s ownership and leadership in implementing NEPAD. In that regard, we are pleased to note that the past year witnessed the firm commitments of African countries to advancing the implementation of NEPAD as they developed sectoral policy frameworks, implemented specific programmes and earmarked financial allocations to selected priorities, such as infrastructure and health. At the same time, the international community demonstrated its solidarity and partnership with NEPAD through proposals and actions to facilitate its implementation. Moreover, we applaud the continued commitment of the United Nations system to supporting NEPAD and we hope that the Office of the Special Advisor on Africa can play a greater role in enhancing the coherence, coordination and effectiveness of the United Nations in support of NEPAD. Furthermore, we welcome the steady progress achieved in peacemaking and peacekeeping in Africa. However, we do note with concern the assessment of the Secretary-General that progress has been modest and slow in democratic governance, administrative capacity, the independence of the judiciary, transparency and accountability. We believe that good governance based on the rule of law, participation, accountability and transparency is a sine qua non for sustainable development and durable peace in Africa. Accordingly, we welcome the recent development of the African Peer Review Mechanism process and we are especially pleased that the number of signatories to the Mechanism has increased to 23. We believe that the Mechanism is a very good way to put mutual accountability to work for good economic, political and corporate governance and human rights observance. For that reason, we encourage more African countries to join this important initiative and we hope that the Mechanism will soon become fully functional with technical support from the international community. For our part, in order to share various experiences and practices of good governance and Government reinvention, the Republic of Korea, in close cooperation with the United Nations, will host the Sixth Global Forum on Reinventing Government in May 2005, with the theme of “Toward Participatory and Transparent Governance”. We are confident that that forum will help all participants gain new ideas on good governance and contribute to renewing the commitments of the international community to building good governance. We are looking forward to the active participation of African countries in that forum. The Republic of Korea’s development experience has led us to the view that international trade is an effective tool through which developing countries can develop their economies and integrate into the world economy. However, in order for all countries, including those in Africa, to reap the full benefits of international trade, it is necessary to create a more liberalized and development-friendly multilateral trading system. In that regard, we are of the view that the successful completion of negotiations to fulfil the Doha Development Agenda and expanded market access to African products are essential. It is also vital for developing countries to focus on enhancing their production capacities and human resource development. To that end, the Republic of Korea has joined global efforts for the completion of Doha Development Agenda negotiations and expanded market access for Africa. My Government has also provided duty-free market access for 87 items originating from the least developed countries, the majority of which are in Africa, making Korea the world’s fourth largest importer of products from those countries, according to World Trade Organization statistics. In addition, we are considering further expansion of that preferential treatment for the products of the least developed countries. Based on our own experience, we cannot overstate the importance of human-resource building in the development process. In that regard, the Republic of Korea has invited 1,700 African trainees, ranging from Government officials to academics, to study in various fields, including education, public administration, health care, water supply, agriculture and trade policies. We have also dispatched 300 experts in various fields and medical doctors to African countries since 1991. We welcome the recent global increase in official development assistance (ODA) towards Africa and we hope to see further efforts to increase ODA to Africa, as well as to use the increased ODA more effectively. Moreover, we would like to see further progress made to solve the debt problems of the highly indebted poor countries in Africa. By exploring such options as debt restructuring and debt relief, we believe that a final resolution can be achieved that will contribute to the sustained economic growth of the highly indebted poor countries. For its part, the Republic of Korea has contributed approximately $260 million of ODA to Africa since 1991 and made a contribution of $10 million to the Trust Fund of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative last year. In addition to its contributions to Africa’s development in trade, ODA and debt relief, the Republic of Korea has joined in the global effort to consolidate peace and security in Africa. Toward that end, we are currently participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations in Western Sahara, Liberia and Burundi. Moreover, my Government has decided to make a financial contribution to support the United Nations Development Programme’s mine clearance programmes in Mozambique and Eritrea. In conclusion, we believe that NEPAD’s implementation process is making significant progress. However, the partnership between African countries and development partners needs to be further strengthened in such a way that African countries can continue to maintain leadership and ownership of the implementation process. At the same time, as the report of the Secretary-General (A/59/206) pointed out, development partners must better assist African countries by improving coherence in their trade, official development assistance and debt policies. The Republic of Korea would like to renew its commitment to assisting the African countries in their efforts for development. We remain confident that the resolute commitment and political will of the African countries, matched by an effective response from the international community, will facilitate further progress in the implementation of NEPAD.

I will focus my statement on the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), but first I would like to congratulate the Secretary-General for the excellent report that he has presented to us today (A/59/206), two years after the General Assembly’s adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development in resolution 57/2. This report, issued pursuant to resolution 58/233, highlights the measures and decisions taken by Africa in implementing NEPAD and the support of the international community, including the United Nations system, throughout the period under consideration. My delegation associates itself with the statement made yesterday by Nigeria on behalf of the African Union, and it will confine itself to making some basic comments on the various facets of Africa’s action and the international community’s support. The report of the Secretary-General rightly notes that Africa, over the period under consideration, has achieved notable progress, both in the area of peace and conflict resolution and in economic development. He underscores the endeavours of African leaders who have undertaken to build the new Africa on a strong foundation of democracy, respect for human rights, good governance and transparent management of natural resources. The report attests that the message of this new purposeful Africa, which has taken charge of its own destiny by relying on its own forces, has begun to move. We cite as proof of this the establishment and operation of mechanisms and institutions provided for in the framework of conflict management and settlement, strengthening the rule of law and economic reforms promoting investment and growth. We can now assert that in spite of constraints of all kinds, NEPAD is being implemented. Progress has been made in preparing sectoral guiding plans and in executing clearly identified programmes and projects. Granted, it will be difficult for many African countries to fulfil their commitment to allocate 15 per cent of their national budgets to health, 10 per cent to agriculture, 5 per cent to water and sanitation and so forth, but encouraging steps have been taken in executing priority projects affecting such vital areas as infrastructure — with a list of 20 projects — health, education, environment, agriculture, science and technology. As the keystone of this structure, the NEPAD secretariat takes an active part in formulating investment programmes for certain countries, particularly in the area of agriculture and food, an area in which it is also assisted in carrying out a comprehensive review of the food reserve systems across the continent. Africa’s various regions are integral to NEPAD’s implementation, and each of the major subregional communities is committed to reviewing the action to be taken, so as to better adapt their approaches. In order to identify the impediments to — and propose a timetable for — the implementation of 27 priority projects of a list of 83 projects selected for the Central African subregion, a seminar bringing together experts from 11 member countries of the Economic Community of Central African States met on 14 and 15 October in Libreville, Gabon, which provides coordination for NEPAD in Central Africa. The projects selected mainly concerned the building of regional roads, interconnection of electrical grids and development of water supply systems and telecommunications. Given all these endeavours aimed at the political and institutional facets of peace and security, as well as at economic reforms and initiatives, a number of observers now recognize the progress made by Africa — a gross national product growth of approximately 4 per cent in 2004 and probably 5 per cent in 2005, and a growth rate of 3 to 7 per cent in most of the sub-Saharan African countries. However, many observers also note that in view of the persistence of a number of negative factors, such as poverty, pandemics, unemployment and democratic pressures, this growth rate needs to be higher than 7 per cent per year in order to have a meaningful impact. Africa is therefore very mindful of the efforts that it still has to make in order to add to those already important steps. It likewise appreciates international support for the commitments it has undertaken and upheld. The report of the Secretary-General stresses the support that the international community, particularly the United Nations system, is giving to the implementation of NEPAD. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the Office of the Special Adviser for Africa, led by Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, which is doing excellent work in terms of information, promotion and analysis in support of NEPAD. Very recently, the current Chairman of the African Union, Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo, urged the Security Council to strengthen that Office, which should receive all the means necessary for its operation, given the role it is called upon to play and the expectations invested in it. I wish above all to pay tribute to the invaluable contribution of the whole of the United Nations system to the implementation of NEPAD in its various facets, and I stress that additional financial resources should be allocated to the entire system and its agencies, so as to enhance the commitment to implementing the programmes adopted. Moreover, it is important for the commitments undertaken under the Monterrey Consensus to be realized in the form of an increase in official development assistance, which would help to finance NEPAD’s projects. Likewise, efforts must be continued to relieve and cancel the debts of the poorest African countries. Mindful as we are of the urgent need for external support, we wish to thank all our partners from outside the continent. We convey to them here our warmest gratitude, which they have earned through their constant commitment that encourages us to undertake greater sacrifices. Lastly, we look forward with great interest to the conclusions of the panel of eminent persons that the Secretary-General has set up with a view to enhancing the international community’s support for NEPAD.

Guyana is most pleased to associate itself with the statements made by the delegation of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and by Barbados on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) States Members of the United Nations in the present debate on “The New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in implementation and international support”. The item under consideration today is of special significance to my delegation given Guyana’s longstanding ties of history, cooperation and solidarity with the countries of Africa. We are therefore grateful for the opportunity to voice our support for the efforts being made to promote durable peace and sustainable development on the continent. The Secretary-General’s reports, contained in documents A/59/206 and A/59/285, are especially useful in helping us to appreciate the progress made and the problems which still remain in the quest for peace and prosperity throughout Africa. In that quest, we are particularly heartened by the fact that African countries themselves are taking the lead. Their commitment deserves the unwavering support of the international community. In reviewing the report on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), a strong sense of ownership and leadership on the part of African countries and organizations can be seen in the increasing integration of NEPAD priorities into national policies and programmes. The progress being made in developing sectoral policy frameworks, implementing specific programmes and in establishing targets for expenditure on selected NEPAD priorities give us cause for satisfaction. We note the launching of specific initiatives in areas such as infrastructure, health, education, industrialization and so on, as well as advances in operationalizing the African Peer Review Mechanism. The increase in the number of countries that have signed on to the Mechanism may well reflect a growing confidence in its value as an instrument for advancing the NEPAD agenda. Notwithstanding the encouraging achievements made so far, we cannot help but be concerned that the quest to attain NEPAD objectives continues to be beset by many challenges and constraints. Africa’s heavy debt burden is a major drain on its development potential. The continent lacks the financial resources needed to generate the requisite levels of growth to reduce poverty. Africa’s share of global trade remains marginal, while the region has had limited success in attracting sufficient levels of foreign direct investment. This state of affairs represents a major impediment not only to the attainment of NEPAD targets but also to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Given those challenges, the positive steps taken by several countries to ease the burden of Africa’s debt, including through debt cancellation, as well as the increases in official development assistance to the continent, are to be welcomed. However, it is clear that much more is required in these areas as well as with respect to trade and foreign direct investment, if Africa is to be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the objectives of NEPAD. We therefore join in urging increased international support for the New Partnership. We call on our partners in the donor community to increase levels of official development assistance to the continent and to take bolder measures to relieve the debt burden faced by African countries. We also view South-South cooperation as an integral part of the international response to NEPAD and are encouraged by the role that developing countries are playing in support of Africa. As noted in the statement made by the representative of Barbados yesterday, CARICOM countries have been able to provide support in such areas as electoral reform and public sector reform and stand ready to extend further cooperation within the limits of our resources. If I may now turn to questions of peace and security, my delegation is pleased to note that the number of armed conflicts in Africa has declined significantly in recent years. According to the Secretary-General’s report, the number of countries in the region experiencing serious armed conflict or civil strife dropped from 14 in 1998 to six in the current period. Similar trends are to be noted with respect to countries in severe political crisis or experiencing turbulence. At the same time, it must be a source of continuing concern that some of the potentially richest countries in Africa are still affected by conflict and are thus unable to exploit the full potential of their own resources. The pursuit of development, therefore, cannot be separated from the continuing search for peace. It is my delegation’s hope and expectation that the newly established African Peace and Security Council will play a pivotal role in the resolution of conflict and disputes and in the promotion of durable peace on the continent. The active role played by the African Union in addressing major crises such as the one in Darfur commands Guyana’s strong support. We look forward to the further strengthening of cooperation between the United Nations and regional arrangements and institutions in Africa. The support of the United Nations and, indeed, of the wider international community remains crucial to the successful realization of the goals of peace and development in Africa. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm my Government’s continuing support for the process of positive change currently unfolding in Africa. We trust that the international community will stay the course with Africa to ensure that the vast potential of that great continent will be translated into tangible gains both for its people and for the world.

My delegation is pleased to participate in this debate on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, the causes of conflict in Africa, and lasting peace and sustainable development. We have read with interest the reports of the Secretary-General on the progress made in terms of support by the international community for NEPAD as well with respect to the efforts made to resolve conflicts in Africa. Kuwait attaches great important to these two items because they reflect the interests and concerns of African States, with which we have close historical ties based on our mutually supportive relationship in the process of facing common issues. We are carrying out varied economic activities in Africa, and we believe that NEPAD has consolidated a principle that we have always believed in — the close link between the success of the development process and political stability and peace. I wish to pay tribute to the efforts made by the African States themselves in integrating the priorities of the NEPAD initiative into national policies and development planning, as well as their efforts to create institutional mechanisms in the areas of good governance, peace and security, to ensure the success of that initiative. One of the major challenges facing African States is overcoming the vicious circle of debt relief in order to free up enough financial resources to attain their development objectives. The report of the Secretary- General states that 11 African States have reached completion point and achieved debt cancellation, and that that other African States have derived some advantage from debt cancellation. We welcome those developments. Well before NEPAD, Kuwait was one of the first countries that sought to relieve the debt burden of African countries, which is a major burden for many of them. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, within the framework of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative, has helped to relieve the debt of 12 African States: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, United Republic of Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, Mali and Mauritania. The debt burden of those countries was lessened by giving them more favourable terms and by rescheduling that debt over a period of 40 years, beginning with a grace period of 16 years with interest rates of 0.5 to 2 per cent. These terms are easier than the original terms of the loans. The Kuwaiti Fund is currently reviewing possibilities to help to reduce the debt of other African countries when they reach the end of their HIPC Initiative support. I would also like to note that partnership between developing countries themselves, as well as the role of the Fund of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), have all helped, within the framework of the HIPC Debt Initiative, to decrease the foreign debt of 18 African States. Indeed, Kuwait was one of the first countries to provide development aid to a number of countries in the world, including in Africa, and that aid has at times reached 8.3 per cent of Kuwait’s gross national product. The Kuwaiti Fund has given soft loans worth $637 million to NEPAD from its beginning in 1991. The Kuwaiti Fund also assisted a number of African development institutions to provide aid: the African Development Fund benefited from a number of grants, which by 2003 totalled $190 million; the African Development Bank has been granted $115 million; the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa received $48 million; and the Special Programme for Sub-Saharan African Countries was given $15 million in aid. The Kuwaiti Fund also gave technical grants totalling $220 million in mid-2004, 10 per cent of which went to African countries. The Kuwaiti Fund also participates in a number of rehabilitation programmes worth more than $100 million for the benefit of 11 African countries, to help, for example, make a success of the first programme to combat river blindness disease. A total of 19 other African countries were helped through this programme until 2003, including Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I would also like to mention our participation in efforts to combat tropical diseases within the framework of the Foundation for Tropical Diseases, of which Kuwait was a founder. The Kuwaiti Fund also participated in the International Development Law Institute, through which aid was given to a number of African countries. Kuwait, through the OPEC Fund, participates actively in a number of development projects in developing countries. Ninety-nine States have been assisted by the OPEC Fund, among them 46 African States. The volume of soft loans in 2004 was some $5.382 billion. To date, $3.482 million has been dispersed by the Fund. That partnership also includes participation by the OPEC Fund in the Common Fund for Commodities. It provides grants and opportunities for States to participate in combating HIV/AIDS. In conclusion, we would like to make a few additional comments. First, NEPAD is not a temporary exercise but an ongoing, long-term process that requires continuous evaluation. In Kuwait, through the participation of the Kuwaiti Fund, we have participated in ministerial meetings of the Southern African Development Community since the beginning of the 1980s. We have therefore been able to witness the evolution of NEPAD from its birth as an idea to the present, which could be said to constitute a policy of African renaissance. That idea was a success because of Africa’s determination to make it succeed. Secondly, African States and African specialized organizations must redouble their efforts to promote this initiative internationally and not just focus their efforts on one continent or one group of donor countries. They also need to mobilize international awareness for African countries. Thirdly, we appreciate the pioneering role played by the United Nations in mobilizing international assistance for NEPAD. We pay tribute to the Secretary- General for having established an advisory panel to support NEPAD. We would like to thank Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, who has highlighted the international role played by that initiative. Fourthly, African States have made considerable efforts to meet the requirements of the international community. Those countries have to play a crucial role in stabilizing Africa in order to encourage donor countries and the private sector to provide the necessary technical and economic assistance to that continent. It is high time for the international community to take further steps to encourage Africa by increasing political, material and technical assistance to build on the enormous efforts already expended to create the necessary peaceful conditions for development assistance.

From the outset, I would like to welcome the initiative to keep issues so crucial for our continent on the agenda of this session of the General Assembly, under items 38 and 46. I would also like to congratulate the Secretary- General for his relevant and encouraging reports on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the causes of conflict and promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa and on the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa. The joint debate on those items highlights the close linkage existing between peace, security and development and the need to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the challenges still confronting Africa. Cape Verde associates itself with the statements made by Nigeria’s representative on behalf of the African Union, and by the representative of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Allow me, however, to single out certain aspects that I deem to be quite relevant. The various speakers that preceded me in this debate have put it clearly: despite the pessimism of certain analysts about the situation in Africa, Africans have a new and clear vision of their future and are demonstrating assertiveness in its implementation. They are taking their destinies into their own hands. African countries and regional organizations have taken a series of initiatives aimed at tackling existing conflicts by, inter alia, promoting peace negotiations and brokering peace agreements. They have also created an enabling legal environment and institutional frameworks for conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacekeeping. Much progress has been achieved and Africa is suffering from fewer conflicts today than at the time of the publication of the original report of the Secretary-General in 1998 (A/52/871). The establishment of the African Peace and Security Council within the African Union has been a major step for that organization, allowing it to play an effective role in the management and resolution of conflicts. Since its establishment, the Peace and Security Council has monitored developments and examined conflict situations in 12 African countries. In this context, it is gratifying to underline the positive outcome of the peace process in Somalia, which culminated with the inauguration, last week, of the country’s highest authorities. That was made possible thanks to the determined involvement of the African Union, member countries of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the valuable support of the Kenyan Government, as well as other partners, particularly the United Nations. Closer to home for us in Cape Verde, the Economic Community of West African States has played an important role in facilitating conflict management in West Africa in the Mano River Union countries and in Guinea-Bissau, for which we highly commend it. Yet conflict and civil strife continue to be the primary roadblock on the path towards African development. There are gaps to be filled and challenges and constraints to be met. Moreover, there is the need to continue to address the root causes of conflicts and to deal with post-conflict situations in the most effective way. We cannot permit setbacks that could play havoc not only with the countries or regions affected by conflicts, but also with their close neighbours. Against this backdrop, Africa and the United Nations should enhance their cooperation in monitoring the situation in Guinea-Bissau, assist the legitimate authorities in tackling the structural causes of recurrent crises, consolidate stability and mobilize resources for economic recovery. The issue of the illicit proliferation, circulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons is another topic that deserves deeper consideration both inside and beyond African borders. Moreover, measures to halt it have to be strengthened. As the Cape Verdian head of State declared recently, peace cannot be considered as mere absence of war. A solid peace is time-demanding and requires confidence-restoration policies among the conflicting parties and a strategy to consolidate them. Moreover, peace and stability inside States require inclusive institutions and policies that are responsive to the legitimate political and economic aspirations of the populations and capable of ensuring protection of their cultural identities. It is true that the main responsibility for peace rests with the African States, but a concerted effort on the part of the international community is still crucial to dealing with existing conflicts and the new trends and sources of conflict or potential threats to political and social stability. In this context, the new partnership between the United Nations and the regional organizations has acquired particular importance. The Security Council’s Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa, as well as the Economic and Social Council’s Ad Hoc Advisory Group on African Countries Emerging from Conflict have paved the way to a more comprehensive approach in addressing conflicts. We also applaud other initiatives by international partners, such as those undertaken by the European Union, as well as the Group of Eight’s commitment to support efforts to enhance African regional organizations’ capacity to engage effectively in conflict management and resolution. While investing steadily in conflict management and peacebuilding, African leaders and societies have laid the foundation for sustainable development. As is widely recognized, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is anchored in the determination of Africans to extricate themselves and the continent from the malaise of underdevelopment and exclusion in a globalizing world. The social and economic dimension of NEPAD is crucial to helping Africa promote sustainable development and achieve the Millennium Development Goals with which it is linked. African countries have demonstrated their commitment to the implementation of NEPAD by earmarking financial resources for selected sectoral priorities. The increase in the number of countries joining the African Peer Review Mechanism indicates the growing appeal of its voluntary approach and of African ownership and leadership of the process. We believe that the Mechanism is a positive instrument to put mutual accountability to work for better economic and political governance. Again, as the Secretary-General put it, the progress achieved in crisis management has not been followed by substantial advances in the areas of economic and social poverty and social exclusion, which still affect large numbers of Africans. The lack of sufficient resources is a significant constraint in addressing challenges such as capacity-building, unemployment reduction, particularly among young people and women, easing demographic pressures, ensuring equitable distribution of resources and combating HIV/AIDS pandemics. On the other hand, the debt crisis in Africa is no longer merely an issue of temporary lack of liquidity but one of structural insolvency, representing a serious obstacle to the socio-economic development of the continent. That is why we fully agree with the Secretary-General’s stance on the need for a deeper consideration of the impact of debt-servicing on the financing requirements for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Despite international commitments, namely those entered into in Monterrey, policy coherence is not yet at the core of assistance to Africa, as the report points out. There is room for broader coherence in international assistance for Africa as far as trade, aid and debt policies are concerned to effectively support endogenous African efforts to effectively deal with those challenges. At this juncture, allow me to say a word about a topic of particular importance to my country. The African reality is diverse. Hence the need to effectively incorporate into NEPAD’s implementation the special dimensions of specific realities such as those of island and landlocked countries. Cape Verde, which together with other African island and partial island countries has launched a think-tank initiative on this issue, is pleased to note that there is growing awareness of that need. In that context, we welcome in advance the prospect of a broader discussion within the framework of the high-level meeting to be convened in the first half of next year with the support of the NEPAD secretariat and the United Nations system. I would like to reaffirm Cape Verde’s political will and commitment in the implementation of NEPAD. We remain confident that the effective response of the international community will encourage further progress in the implementation of NEPAD. That is in the interest of all, Africans and non- Africans alike. To conclude, it is gratifying to note the commendable role of the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa in keeping African issues on the global agenda and promoting international support for peace and development in Africa, as well as in coordinating efforts within the United Nations system to ensure policy coherence on NEPAD priorities.

My delegation associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Nigeria on behalf of the African Union and with the statement made by the representative of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. My delegation commends the Secretary-General for the high quality of his reports on the agenda items under consideration today. The adoption of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was a forceful political act by our leaders in their search for viable ways to achieve the integrated development of the African continent. The adoption of NEPAD by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization for African Unity (OAU) in Lusaka in 2001 marked the beginning of the convergence of the vision embodied by NEPAD and the OAU’s ambitions for economic integration. African ownership of NEPAD has enabled coherence between the existence of regional communities and a continental approach to development. Convergence efforts have been strengthened across the continent through contributions from the public and private sectors and civil society. During the period under review, NEPAD has moved from being a political vision to formulating guiding plans on specific issues and implementing programmes and projects in priority sectors. Expenditure targets have been set in certain priority sectors, such as infrastructure development, education, the environment, tourism, agriculture, science and technology, industrialization and health. It is urgent to strengthen national and regional programmes in the health sector in order to contain HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and reduce their negative impact on public health on the continent. More than 144 million people in Africa are at risk of contracting malaria. There have been some 12 million cases of malaria, causing approximately 310,000 deaths per year, including 200,000 infants. My delegation welcomes the convergence between the Plan of Action against malaria adopted by the African Heads of State and Government in Abuja in April 2000 and the Millennium Development Goals. That linkage of the two efforts has also been boosted by the action of the United Nations Roll Back Malaria Partnership and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as the action of civil society, in particular the Medicines for Malaria Venture. At the level of the African continent, national structures incorporate the objectives of the Abuja Plan of Action. Subregional networks are being put in place to harmonize programmes. The African Union and NEPAD have also integrated the fight against malaria and have established links with the secretariat of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. All efforts in the fight against malaria must work for prevention, the widespread distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, the creation of new insecticides and the inclusion of preventive measures in broad vaccination campaigns, especially for pregnant women and infants, vaccine research and the strengthening of health-care capacities. Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT), which is effective in cases resistant to traditional treatments, should be made more accessible. That will require additional resources given that, for example, ACT treatment will cost at least $1 billion in 2004, which is four times the cost of existing treatments. African countries must redirect their resources towards this priority sector and act to eliminate taxes and tariffs on mosquito nets, medicines and related technologies. Africa’s partners should substantially increase their level of assistance. In that connection, we welcome the fact that additional resources from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have been allocated to combating malaria; that priority sector now receives 29 per cent of the Fund’s resources. The translation of the NEPAD vision into quantifiable programmes and projects is the result of our ownership of the structures established to that end at the continental level. In that connection, my delegation pays tribute to the perseverance of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee. We also commend the African peer review panel of eminent personalities for the adoption of their work programme and rules of procedure. I welcome the fact that my country, Mali, along with 22 other countries, has joined the African Peer Review Mechanism. The NEPAD Steering Committee and secretariat also have an important role. Achieving NEPAD’s goals also depends on the regional economic communities within the African Union and on the African Union Commission. We must therefore ensure convergence between the priorities of the African Union and those of NEPAD. NEPAD programmes and projects can be conceived and implemented only with the support of the many partners outside Africa through the African Partnership Forum and with the support of the Commission for Africa created last February. South- South cooperation can also contribute to capacity- building and to the establishment of partnerships between the Asian and African public and private sectors. We call on them to continue their support in the implementation phase. Africa’s key partner is undoubtedly the United Nations system, through the Secretary-General’s Advisory Panel on International Support for NEPAD. The Panel will review and assess the scope and the adequacy of international support for NEPAD and make recommendations to the Secretary-General on actions that the international community can take to strengthen implementation of NEPAD. As well, all bodies of the United Nations system will contribute their expertise in their respective area of competence. My delegation would especially like to mention the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa and the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States for their commitment to NEPAD and to the Brussels Programme of Action, respectively. Among the actions that partners should take to support NEPAD’s implementation is to enable the continent to deal with its debt in a sustainable and viable way. A substantial increase in the volume of official development assistance is a prerequisite for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. To that end, official development assistance for Africa must rise from the current $23.09 billion to $50 billion per year. In addition, it is essential to harmonize and simplify preliminary administrative arrangements. With regard to the continent’s participation in international trade, in addition to preferences agreed upon bilaterally with certain countries, Africa’s capacities must be strengthened in the areas of trade negotiations and supply. That gives rise to the problem of productive investment. Today, Africa attracts only 2 per cent of total world capital flows. Foreign direct investment — which was $14 billion in 2003 — is concentrated in a few countries and in a few areas of activity. Partners could also help to create an environment conducive to investment. The report concludes that we need to exploit all existing coordination mechanisms to enhance the consistency of trade policies and debt assistance in order to create the complementarity needed for NEPAD. My delegation believes that the report does not sufficiently highlight the potential of the African diaspora with regard to the implementation of NEPAD’s programmes. The diaspora could provide two kinds of assistance. First, it could expertise, which is sorely needed for the conception and implementation of NEPAD’s programmes. African intellectuals have left en masse for areas where they can make good use of their knowledge. In addition, there are African descendants who feel linked to the continent. We must find ways in which to involve them in NEPAD’s implementation. The Conference of Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora, held several days ago in Dakar at the initiative of President Wade of Senegal, clearly defined that contribution. The diaspora’s contribution could also consist in mobilizing savings for productive investment in countries of origin. The transfers made by migrants throughout the world amounted to $80 billion in 2003. Africa should set about this task with both African expatriates and their countries of residence. That could provide opportunities in terms of money transfers. In the longer term, Africa must, as a priority, commit itself to improving the living and working conditions of the diaspora in their countries of residence. In that regard, ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families — whose Committee my country has the honour to chair — is becoming an imperative. The experience accumulated by the International Organization for Migration could also be useful in that context. Maintaining an environment of peace and stability on the African continent is a prerequisite for attaining the socio-economic development objectives defined within NEPAD. That in turn will have a positive effect on social peace, because NEPAD’s political and economic governance component aims precisely at eliminating the abuses and excesses that are often the primary causes of crises in Africa. We must also build capacity in the fight against the trafficking of small arms and light weapons and of natural resources, which fuels conflict. The United Nations system and the continent’s other partners should continue their cooperation with subregional organizations and with the African Union to build their peacekeeping capacities, emphasizing the protection of women and children in conflict situations. We must strengthen assistance and protection for refugees in Africa. Moreover, peacekeeping operations should provide political, technical and financial support to peacebuilding activities by ensuring the rule of law, economic recovery and sustainable development. We must establish long-term peace and stability. In conclusion, with the creation of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, the protection of human rights should be established as a vocation on our continent. In the view of my delegation, it is an essential condition for social peace. U Aye (Myanmar): My delegation is taking the floor to demonstrate its solidarity with and support for the African-owned initiative the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). My delegation is encouraged to see progress in the implementation of that initiative, which is now in its third year. The commitment of African countries to NEPAD is unequivocal. More African countries are joining in a voluntary process of self-assessment to identify and apply best practices in political and economic governance, which is called for in the African Peer Review Mechanism. The first support missions have been able to visit Ghana, Rwanda, Mauritius and Kenya to prepare for their reviews this year. The NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee has also been able to identify 20 top-priority infrastructure projects in areas including energy, transport, water, sanitation and information and communications technologies, which are critical to African development. We welcome the support that the international community has shown for the implementation of NEPAD’s initiatives, including through the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, the Sino-Africa process and the India-Africa Fund. We commend the commitment of the Secretary-General to assist NEPAD and the recent establishment of an Advisory Panel to assist him in monitoring international support. We are encouraged to note that international assistance to Africa increased in the past two years, rising from $22.2 billion in 2002 to $23.09 billion in 2003. Foreign direct investment also increased, from $11 billion in 2002 to $14 billion in 2003. Twenty- three African countries have benefited from debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative. We are encouraged to note that leaders of the Group of Eight have extended that initiative for another two years. In addition, African countries have benefited from various trade facilitation measures. However, despite such cooperation, Africa — as pointed out in the Secretary-General’s report (A/59/206) — still needs more aid, debt relief, foreign investment and trade assistance to implement NEPAD. We are confident that the international community will continue to provide sustained support to ensure the full implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. Peace and stability are prerequisites for economic development in Africa. Without an enabling environment of peace and stability, one cannot achieve progress in economic development. My delegation is particularly pleased by the statement in the Secretary- General’s recent report (A/59/285) that Africa is much more peaceful today than ever before. Yet some ongoing issues in Africa have demonstrated that further efforts are needed to achieve peace and stability. We commend the efforts of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States to play a greater role in peacekeeping. We applaud the establishment and formal launching of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council on 25 May 2004. The engagement of African peacekeeping forces in conflict areas in the region will undoubtedly contribute to achieving greater peace in Africa. One of the greatest threats challenging African nations is the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. This disease has the potential to deprive many countries in Africa of their most valuable human resources and productive labour forces. It also affects women and children, destroying their families and social lives. My delegation calls for the successful implementation of the World Health Organization’s 3 by 5 Initiative, which aims to put 3 million people into treatment by the end of the year 2005. From the depths of this health crisis a commensurate treatment plan must be rigorously pursued, in addition to prevention and education activities. My delegation also calls for the availability of affordable drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Another health concern in Africa is malaria. Over 300 million cases of the disease are estimated each year around the world, resulting in more than a million deaths. Ninety per cent of all malaria cases are found in Africa, especially south of the Sahara, affecting mostly young children and pregnant women. We commend the Roll Back Malaria campaign, jointly launched by WHO, the World Bank, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme, which aims to cut the number of deaths from malaria by 50 per cent by the year 2010 and by 75 per cent by the year 2015. As we enter the halfway point of the United Nations Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Africa is still facing the menace of that disease. United Nations agencies and the international community must redouble their efforts to achieve the aims of the Decade. In addition to international support measures, South-South cooperation plays an important role in African development. My delegation firmly believes that South-South cooperation will supplement the international community’s efforts to assist African development. In that regard, I wish to highlight the cooperation between the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Africa. As stated by the Permanent Representative of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the forthcoming Summit of ASEAN and Africa in Bandung in 2005 will undoubtedly reinvigorate the spirit of Bandung and further increase the cooperation in the social and economic fields between our two regional groupings. In a globalized world, one cannot remain indifferent to events unfolding in any corner of the globe. If we do not act aggressively enough to tackle the problems of Africa, it will affect lives everywhere. Accordingly, my delegation calls for a sustained momentum to implement NEPAD to the fullest extent possible and to enhance cooperation of the international community to help achieve the aspirations of our fellow African peoples.

It is a great privilege for me to participate in this important discussion today, which focuses essentially on the inextricable link between peace and development. The two reports of the Secretary-General — one on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (A/59/206), and the other on the progress in implementation and international support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (A/59/285) — complement each other. The reports offer a comprehensive and coherent picture of the continent’s efforts to resolve conflicts, stabilize peace and create the necessary conditions for development in Africa. The Secretary-General has reported steady progress in the areas of peacemaking and peacekeeping in Africa. It is heartening that, compared to 1998, the number of African countries in a situation of armed conflict or facing deep political crisis has decreased, due in part to progress in the implementation of NEPAD. African leadership and African institutions are increasingly involved today in seeking African solutions to African problems. The African Union (AU) and its Peace and Security Council are assuming important responsibilities. The Intergovernmental Authority of Development, the Economic Community of West African States and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community are making notable contributions to regional peace and security. The cooperation and coordination of the United Nations with these regional and subregional organizations has considerably evolved. In my delegation’s view, these trends are highly positive and must be sustained and further strengthened. We support the Secretary-General’s intention to explore new ways of collaboration between the United Nations and the AU. While these achievements are impressive, new conflicts and complex crises continue to afflict Africa. The risks today of relapsing into conflict are real as new trends and sources of conflict present potential threats to peace and security. The Secretary-General has mentioned poverty, and particularly youth unemployment, in that context. He has also mentioned illicit exploitation of and trade in natural resources as a major source of instability in Africa. We could not agree more with the views of the Secretary-General. In our view, many of the conflict situations in Africa today are the direct consequence of the politics of poverty and scarcity. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is another source of destabilization, as are demographic pressures and ecological factors, as acknowledged in the report of the Secretary-General. Pakistan is a significant stakeholder in the international community’s investment in Africa. We believe Africa’s potential cannot be fully realized as long as conflicts rage on the continent. Pakistan is convinced that sustainable peace can be assured only by evolving and ensuring a comprehensive conflict prevention strategy, addressing the root causes of conflict, strengthening long-term capacities for peaceful settlement of disputes and mobilizing resources for post-conflict peacebuilding, reconstruction and development. The United Nations system and the international community must work together to evolve a comprehensive, integrated and coherent policy response. We are pleased that efforts to build a viable and effective partnership to tackle the myriad challenges in Africa are already under way. We commend the African leadership for their vision in launching NEPAD, an Africa-led, Africa-owned and Africa- driven initiative providing an integrated and comprehensive framework for Africa’s sustainable growth and development. Fittingly, NEPAD sets out a broad vision for Africa’s future, outlines a strategy for achieving that vision and spells out a programme of action focused on a number of key priority areas. The Secretary-General’s report notes that NEPAD has made considerable progress in developing sectoral policy frameworks, implementing specific programmes and projects and establishing targets for expenditure in NEPAD sectoral priority areas, including, among others, infrastructure, health, education, agriculture and the environment. This is indeed very heartening. None of this could have been achieved without the determination and the collective political will of the African countries to make NEPAD work for development. The progress made is unmistakable, but, unfortunately, it is still far below the real potential of NEPAD. The African continent faces severe constraints in the effective execution of many of its programmes. Foremost is the serious inadequacy of fiscal resources to meet the targets and existing needs. There is overwhelming evidence suggesting that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will remain largely elusive for Africa unless something is done substantially to enhance existing development assistance flows to generate the resources required for achieving the MDGs. Africa’s inability to realize the MDGs would also be seen as a failure of NEPAD. The issue of resource flows has to be addressed effectively and expeditiously, with the support and assistance of the international community. The Secretary-General’s report cites various actions taken by the international community to bolster development activities and initiatives in Africa. But my delegation believes that more needs to be done, and urgently. An important endeavour, acknowledged in the report, is the grant of debt relief, including debt cancellation to Africa by the developed country partners. This is a welcome development. Such efforts need to be further expanded to include other countries in Africa that are in financial distress. The continuous rise in foreign direct investment flows into Africa is another encouraging sign, even though the numbers are still insignificant in terms of global foreign direct investment flows. We feel strongly that bolstering investments, expanding trade by allowing greater market access to exports from Africa, and building capacity and human resources are the most important tools to put Africa onto the track of fast development. These, we believe, should be the three main pillars for a strategic partnership between Africa and the rest of the world. We also see the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, the recent Asia-Africa Subregional Organization Conference and other similar initiatives as part of an important process that could complement efforts made in the framework of NEPAD. Policy coherence is as much a fundamental policy challenge for Africa as it is for the rest of the developing world in the context of international support. We would therefore like to take this opportunity to highlight the long-standing need for an integrated development strategy, not only for Africa but also for other developing parts of the world. For its part, Pakistan has always actively supported initiatives that seek to address the problems and crises faced by the countries of Africa. We have also been a strong supporter of the effective and early implementation of NEPAD. Pakistan has consistently supported the political and economic aspirations of Africa. We are equally proud of our participation in several United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa. Our military and civilian personnel have been part of United Nations operations in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Somalia and the Western Sahara. At the national level, the Government of Pakistan has been successfully running a special technical assistance programme for Africa since 1986, a fact acknowledged in the Secretary-General’s report. Hundreds of young African professionals in various fields have benefited from that ongoing programme. I wish to conclude by noting that conflict has sapped Africa’s potential for too long. The peoples of Africa continue to suffer as a consequence. The challenges that the continent faces are colossal, but Africa now has the opportunity finally to turn the corner. NEPAD represents a realistic framework to meet the challenges facing Africa. The commitments are there, and so are the plans. It is time for the world to turn words into deeds. This is a moral obligation as well as a political responsibility.

My delegation endorses the statement made by the representative of Nigeria on behalf of the African Union and the statement made by the representative of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We would echo delegations that spoke earlier in welcoming this debate on the important question of Africa’s development. We would like to take this opportunity to convey sincere thanks to the Secretary-General for his abiding interest in Africa. That interest was reflected in the appointment of a Secretariat official — Mr. Ibrahim Gambari — to deal with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). We congratulate Mr. Gambari on the excellent report on that item. For Africa, in this era of globalization, NEPAD represents a crucial instrument for all development strategies, at a time when regional and subregional blocs are being strengthened. The ongoing interest shown not only by African States but also by the international community in general and the Group of Eight in particular attest to its importance. The report of the Secretary-General entitled “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: second consolidated report on progress in implementation and international support” notes that considerable progress has been made despite the clear constraints and difficulties. Major infrastructure projects have been undertaken by heads of State and Government in the sectors of transportation, energy, sanitation, drinking water and new information and communication technologies. The health strategy adopted by the African Union to wage an integrated struggle against diseases is encouraging, since disease knows no borders. On the question of malaria in particular, whose consequences are as devastating as the AIDS pandemic in Africa, an increase in the resources of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria would make it possible to stem this other pandemic, which poses a real obstacle to the economic and social development of our countries. Education, the environment and sanitation all are priority sectors for sustainable development, but, unfortunately, they are not a focal point for investors. We welcome the fact that they have been taken into account by NEPAD and given a high profile. Côte d’Ivoire, whose economy is agriculturally based, welcomes the integrated programme whereby 10 per cent of the national budget is devoted to that vital sector, which employs more than half of its population. We support the African Peer Review Mechanism — a very original system that ensures that NEPAD is based on good governance and the observance of human rights. In an era of globalization, cooperation among States and among regional and subregional organizations has become the backbone of all poverty- eradication policies. In that respect, Côte d’Ivoire has always played and continues to play a very active role in subregional cooperation organizations — in the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) — as well as in organizations at the continental level — participating with the former Organization of African Unity and now the African Union (AU), to name just a few. In our poverty reduction strategy paper, and in all of our development plans, the subregional dimension has always been taken into account in a spirit of solidarity. Financing is the key to the success or failure of projects. Here, we note the major efforts being made by African countries to make resources available to NEPAD, despite their enormous national needs. We also welcome the support of the international community in general, in particular the support of the G-8, which has demonstrated its solidarity through various instruments and mechanisms. They include, among others, the Africa Partnership Forum, established by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); the Commission for Africa, established by the United Kingdom; the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the African Growth and Opportunity Act of the United States of America; the extension to 2006 of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative; and the European Union’s “Everything But Arms” initiative. In that context, Côte d’Ivoire welcomes the adoption by the General Council of the World Trade Organization, on 1 August 2004 in Geneva, of a set of framework agreements that stipulate modalities for negotiations within the Doha development agenda, including frameworks that deal with agriculture in general, and with the problems relating to cotton and the elimination of export subsidies in particular. However, international solidarity alone is not enough. Indeed, out of a total of $70 billion in long- term loans to developing countries by OECD in recent years, only 5 per cent have been allocated for Africa, of which only 1 per cent was slated for sub-Saharan Africa. We think it would be a good idea to enable African countries to obtain more resources by giving them easier access to markets and by reducing their debt burdens. To do that, African countries are counting on a constructive attitude on the part of the developed countries to ensure the successful fulfilment of the Doha development agenda, particularly in regard to agriculture. All the efforts made towards Africa’s development are at risk because of the constant succession of social and armed conflicts on that continent. Two thirds of recent peacekeeping operations have been deployed in Africa. Those conflicts — which have diverse and varied causes, both internal and external — very often find a fertile breeding ground in poverty. Although national, those crises have subregional and regional repercussions and because of their cross-border nature threaten to jeopardize the implementation of NEPAD projects. For that reason, Côte d’Ivoire believes that the resolution of such crises must take the cross-border aspect into account. In that context, we fully support the ECOWAS overall stabilization plan for durable peace in West Africa, a region where three countries are in a conflict or post-conflict situation. Conflict prevention, within the framework of ECOWAS or the United Nations, should also be given special attention. Prevention means honest, sincere cooperation among neighbouring States in the area of security. Côte d’Ivoire appeals at one and the same time for international solidarity and the observance of the principles of good governance and responsibility for the success of NEPAD.

To Cubans, Africa is far from being just a place in geography classes; it is a topic of vital attention. No one can deny the profound impact on the formation of what we know today as the Cuban nation of the legacy inherited from Africans brought to the island as slaves by Spanish colonizers. The fields of Cuba of that time rang with the cries of those forcibly separated from their loved ones, and the crack of the whips wielded by those who enriched themselves on the sweat of those men and women was often heard. Similar scenes were witnessed throughout the American continent and the Caribbean. The slave route was an integral part of the blatant exploitation and impoverishment of the continent. Nowadays many seek to ignore, justify or, worse still, to erase that sorry chapter from modern history. Cuba has been a remarkable witness to the spirit of rebellion of Africans and their descendants and of their contribution to independence struggles, and the creation of a genuine national culture is a source of pride to us all. Much has been said of the current conditions in Africa and the accumulated needs of that region after centuries of exploitation and plundering. As far as Cuba is concerned, as long as the current political and economic order continues to hold — in which a few consume almost everything and the majority of the population of the Earth is deprived of the so-called benefits of neo-liberal globalization — the problems of the third world, in particular those of African countries, will not be solved. Current international economic relations leave Africa at a total disadvantage. It is a reflection of an appalling inequality that the African population, which comprises 18.5 per cent of the world’s population and whose lands hold the greatest reserves of natural resources anywhere in the world, should share 1 per cent in the world’s gross domestic product and only 2 per cent of world trade. The initiatives described in the report of the Secretary-General concerning progress in implementing the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (A/59/206) indicate that modest improvements have been made in areas such as debt relief and the availability of official development assistance (ODA). However, the data supplied in that document is conclusive: in 2002 African nations received only $22.23 billion in ODA from donor countries, while they disbursed $39.53 billion in debt servicing to creditors — that is to say, to those very same donors. And the debt has continued to grow. Africa — along with the rest of the third world, because of the unjust international order that we suffer under — continues to finance the opulence of the rich countries. Together with the economic and social situation, the heritage of colonial geographical divisions continues to be felt. In Africa at present there are more armed conflicts than in any other region. They are an additional obstacle to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, as they have devastating effects on the economic and social development of the region. Regional efforts to resolve those problems have been substantial. More than ever, what is required of the United Nations is an integrated approach to resolve the problems relating to peace, security and development on the continent. The African peoples require the support of the international community. The resources that they possess must be dedicated to paying off their external debt at the same time as they try to achieve development. Africa today spends four times as much in debt servicing than on education and health combined. The situation is untenable, and cooperation must be freed from all conditions and interference. Indeed, there is an urgent need for cooperation to be designed to grant special and differential treatment, access to markets, stability of commodity prices, total and immediate forgiveness of debt, access to technology, a substantial increase in ODA and the necessary financial resources. A cardinal principle of Cuba’s foreign policy is the consistent practice of internationalism and solidarity with other peoples of the world. The genuine expression of that has been the policy of cooperation with the countries of the African continent, which has been followed since the early days of the Cuban Revolution. Cuba has provided disinterested cooperation and solidarity to almost all countries of the African continent. The main sectors in which cooperation has been provided are health, education, sport, agriculture, fishing, construction, water resources and physical planning. From 1963 to 2003 a total of 86,395 Cubans provided services in 38 African countries. In mid-2004, a total of 2,407 individuals were offering their services in 29 African nations. Among the cooperation programmes in which Cuba participates we would highlight those on comprehensive health care, food security, literacy, AIDS prevention, medical school support, combating malaria and other diseases, human resources training, and others. There are also other cooperative programmes in other socio-economic areas specific to certain countries. All of that takes place in spite of the fact that Cuba is a country of scarce resources that, for more than four decades, has been subjected to a rigid economic, trade and financial blockade, which during the past year has hardened and whose extraterritorial scope has broadened. Africa deserves respect above all: solidarity and respect. In order to resolve its problems, it does not need more advice or alien formulas for development. African countries require not paternalism, but financial resources, human capital formation and access to markets and technologies. Once and for all, Africa deserves settlement of the historical debt of centuries of exploitation and plundering.

Let me begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his report (A/59/206), prepared in response to the request of General Assembly resolution 58/233, on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and with the statement made by the representative of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). As we met here today to review the implementation of NEPAD, we are pleased to realize that over the past year, as highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General, African countries have achieved progress in developing sectoral policy frameworks, implementing specific programmes and projects and establishing targets for expenditure on selected sectoral priorities of the New Partnership. Both in conception and in specific actions, we have noted progress in major spheres such as infrastructure, health, education, environment and tourism, agriculture, science and technology and industrialization. Furthermore, much effort has been made to integrate the gender dimension into the planning and implementation of various aspects of NEPAD. The increase in the flows of foreign direct investment is also an encouraging sign. Such progress is of special importance given the difficulties faced by the majority of African countries and the low level of their development. After decades of prolonged tension and hostilities, Africa, at last, is moving forward on its path of development. Mutual support for each other in their struggles for independence and freedom has brought the people of Viet Nam close to the peoples of Africa. The peoples of Africa deserve our special and sincere congratulations on their achievements. In his report, the Secretary-General pointed to the challenges and constraints that African countries are facing in the implementation of NEPAD. He mentioned, among other things, fiscal problems, the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on various sectors, the possibility of uneven benefits from trade liberalization for different African countries. Those challenges and constraints are not new, and are not unique to African countries. What my delegation wishes to stress here is that while African countries are trying to maintain and build upon the initial, and modest, progress they have made in implementing NEPAD and in implementing the Millennium Development Goals, those challenges and constraints, if not effectively addressed, will make their tasks more difficult. In that context, besides assistance from developed countries, South-South cooperation and assistance is necessary for African countries in implementing NEPAD. We are pleased to note that over the years, many developing countries from other continents have provided assistance to African countries. We believe that the forthcoming Asia-Africa Business Forum, to be held later this month, and the Asian-African Summit to be organized next year are meaningful initiatives in that direction. The Secretary-General rightly said that the United Nations has a key role to play in mobilizing support for NEPAD. We welcome and highly appreciate the efforts of the United Nations and the relevant United Nations agencies in this connection and hope that the Secretary-General’s Advisory Panel on International Support for NEPAD will be successful in its dialogue with Africa’s development partners with a view to promoting support for NEPAD. Besides friendship and solidarity, Viet Nam sees in African countries great potential for mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, including agriculture, health, education, trade and investment, and others. Over the years, despite limited resources, Viet Nam has endeavoured to promote multifaceted cooperation with African countries. Hundreds of Vietnamese educational and medical experts are working in African countries. For years now, under a new form of cooperation — tripartite cooperation with the participation of Viet Nam, an African country and a third party such as the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations — hundreds of Vietnamese agricultural experts have been sent to Senegal, Benin, Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania and Madagascar to assist our African friends in agricultural development. In May 2003, we took the initiative of organizing in Hanoi an international conference entitled, Viet Nam-Africa: Opportunities for cooperation and development in the twenty-first century, with the participation of ministers and other high-ranking officials from 24 African countries, nine United Nations agencies, the World Bank, the European Union, and the International Organization of la Francophonie. The conference not only contributed to further mutual understanding but also helped create a new driving force in the development of cooperative relationships between Viet Nam and African countries. We look forward to making further contributions to the implementation of NEPAD.

My delegation associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Nigeria on behalf of Africa. My delegation also wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his second consolidated report on progress in implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (A/59/206), his report on the implementation of the recommendations contained in his report on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (A/59/285), and his report entitled “2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, particularly in Africa” (A/59/261). The second consolidated report of the Secretary- General on progress in implementation and international support for the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a welcome document that sheds sufficient light on NEPAD’s programmes, activities and developments and that underscores the extent to which African Governments have examined their conditions. The breadth of NEPAD’s plans and the implicit coordination and commitment that will be necessary are clear indications of Africa’s seriousness of purpose. The continent will surely continue to lag behind in its potential and remain a mere onlooker in the global economy if it does not make strides in coming together as a whole. What is gratifying to see in the Secretary-General’s report is the distance Africa has travelled, from mere slogans and posturing to concrete plans, structures and financial details. Africa’s history with regard to development has consisted to a large degree of individual country efforts, along with some regional collaborations. But with NEPAD, we are now facing a challenge: to think, design and perform on an increasingly continental scale. In that way, we can see our continental potential, set realistic targets in specific time frames and determine the resources that will be necessary to meet our goals and targets. We can also prioritize our efforts, monitor and evaluate our progress and recalibrate our targets accordingly. Even that too brief overview shows that we are coming to better appreciate the enormity of our tasks: where we are; the progress that we have made — and, at times, the lack of it; and the resources that we have, do not have and will require. As the Secretary-General aptly points out, a distinguishing feature of NEPAD is its combination of the presentation of policy frameworks on specific issues with the implementation of programmes and projects in priority sectoral areas. Last year was marked by progress in developing sectoral policy frameworks, implementing specific programmes and projects and establishing expenditure targets on selected NEPAD sectoral priorities. Chapter II of the Secretary-General’s report, on actions by African countries and organizations, highlights the NEPAD efforts in a number of critical areas, such as infrastructure, health, education, environment and tourism, agriculture, science and technology and industrialization. There is a clear impression that considerable work and analysis have taken place on the development of costs, priorities, strategies, action plans and policies. The inclusion of other players and actors, such as the private sector, civil society organizations, regional organizations and official bodies, demonstrates Africa’s intention to be inclusive in its quest for development and renewal. NEPAD brings together a wide array of institutions, organizations and leaders, including United Nations agencies, donors and investors. The report of the Secretary-General says that, “As the implementation of NEPAD moves forward, a strengthened partnership is needed, in which African countries deepen their commitments to the priorities of NEPAD and its development partners take a composite of carefully targeted measures and actions to give NEPAD a major impetus ... “African countries have demonstrated their commitment to advancing the implementation of NEPAD.” (A/59/206, paras. 66 and 67) What is necessary now is for donors to step forward to meet Africa half way, which in many ways was the understanding if Africa showed its seriousness. Obviously, the usual litany of constraints faced by African countries, such as commodity price trends, weak debt relief initiatives on the part of the industrialized world, insufficient official development assistance, continuing trade restrictions, limited and highly concentrated private investment and crippling macro-economic policies imposed by external institutions, only tend to exacerbate Africa’s dire situation. Any discussion of NEPAD must include the continuing threat of poverty in Africa. That condition alone makes more urgent the realization of NEPAD by creating conditions for sustainable development and the implementation of projects in priority areas. It is especially necessary to reverse the rising trend of youth unemployment, which could constitute a threat to stability in many countries. Equally, it is important to address the mounting demographic pressures. The progress report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the recommendations contained in his report on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (A/59/285) is encouraging but alludes to threats. On the one hand, there appears to be noticeable progress in reducing the number and the prevalence of conflict situations on the continent. There has also been significant movement in creating structures and mechanisms to address conflict in Africa — most notably in Africa itself, as well as in the United Nations and other international organs. The need to commit funds and resources to the prevention of conflict is clearly on the table now, and the creation of an African standby force, with its necessary equipment, skills, resources and leadership, is now a distinct possibility. It could be said that one must prioritize one’s challenges and deal with them accordingly. Conflict destabilizes and leaves everything in disarray. So, perhaps that situation must be dealt with first. In that respect, Africa has come a considerable distance. From 14 conflict situations in 1998, we are down to six today. Equally important, most African countries enjoy relatively stable conditions and are governed by democratically elected regimes. Twenty-three countries have acceded to the African Peer Review Mechanism of NEPAD, and all African States are signatories of the Algiers Declaration of 1999, which emphasizes the recognition of new Governments only when they are constitutionally elected. It is also encouraging to note the efforts made by African countries and regional organizations in promoting peace negotiations and brokering peace agreements. The creation under the African Union of legal frameworks and structures for dealing with conflicts, such as the Peace and Security Council and the Committee of the Wise also augurs well. The African Union has already proven its worth in peacemaking and peacekeeping by deploying forces and military observers in a number of conflict situations. While Africa’s newly enhanced role is a positive development, the skills, experience and resources of the United Nations remain critical. The Secretary- General’s report extensively outlines the many departments, agencies, committees and individuals of the United Nations system involved in conflict prevention and resolution, and the list is an impressive one. Many are working with the African Union, as well as with subregional organizations, in developing the necessary skills. There is little question that the resources and skills of the United Nations, as well as those of the industrialized countries, which are often reluctant to expose their own troops to danger in Africa, are needed to bolster Africa’s capacity. Obviously, other problems that need to be dealt with in conflict situations include the protection of civilians and their civil rights, the plight of refugees and internally displaced persons and the stress on neighbouring countries, situations which are often destabilizing and draining. Organizing humanitarian assistance is a challenge few outside the United Nations and selected international relief organizations can handle. None of that, however, says anything regarding the necessity for post-conflict peace-building. The picture is decidedly involved and complex. Here, the Secretary-General makes a major point in noting the division between assessed contributions for peacekeeping operations and voluntary contributions for critical humanitarian and development activities during transition periods. That remains an impediment to the seamless support necessary to take a country from the stage of humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping to that of building support for long-term development programmes. More resources are required on a predictable basis for peace-building in areas such as strengthening democratic governance, enhancing administrative capacity, ensuring the independence of the judiciary and promoting transparency and accountability. Progress in those areas has been modest and slow, to be sure. The continuing menace, death and destruction caused by malaria far exceeds that of HIV/AIDS. Looming ominously under the radar of public concern, it remains a dangerous threat to millions of people. Every year, it kills more than 1 million people. The General Assembly, by its resolution 57/294, called for support of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General (A/57/123), such as support for Roll Back Malaria partner organizations, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The recommendations also urge all African countries to implement the Abuja recommendations to waive taxes and tariffs on bed nets and netting materials that prevent infection and to increase domestic resource allocation to malaria control. What we are seeking in this and other relevant meetings is therefore an update on the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the General Assembly resolution. The recent report of the Secretary-General entitled “Implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration” (A/59/282) highlights disturbing statistics, relating particularly to sub- Saharan Africa. Clearly, Africa represents the major focus of the malaria crisis, where resistance is on the rise. Newer and more effective combination therapies and medicines are badly needed. In this context, it is important to note the promising results of a new malaria vaccine that is now in clinical trials with children aged one to four in Mozambique. According to the British medical journal The Lancet, the vaccine managed to reduce risk by about 30 per cent and cut cases of severe malaria by more than half. But developing such a vaccine is very costly and requires unambiguous support from advanced countries and from foundations. The global expenditure on malaria prevention and treatment today is around $400 million a year, and much of that comes from one donor, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, whose private efforts have been remarkable. As I stated last year in my intervention, what stands out is not only the size of their largesse, but also the intensity of their personal focus and concern for the lives and well-being of the poor. Creation of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is also a major breakthrough and holds the potential of access to funds for malaria control commensurate with the needs. Finally, it is essential to note the conclusion of the Secretary-General’s report that malaria is treatable, preventable and curable. This can be seen in the zero to low level of incidence in many areas of the world where malaria has been eradicated. Major advances are possible in many countries by simply utilizing existing tools. Developing new tools, such as a vaccine, deserves continued support, although such tools may be years away. We hope more Governments and organizations will join the noble cause of eradicating one of humanity’s scourges from the face of the Earth.

At the outset, I would like to join previous speakers in expressing appreciation to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports submitted under today’s agenda items. The detailed observations, thorough analyses and practical and forward-looking recommendations contained in those documents constitute a sound basis for our discussion. Last year was marked by a number of milestone events that will have a long-term impact on the process of integration of the African continent. Progress in the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), in particular through establishing its sectoral policy frameworks, was complemented by the institutional strengthening of the continent through the creation of the Pan-African Parliament and the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council. Thus, the commitment expressed by African countries to the principles of ownership, leadership and responsibility underpinning the New Partnership is steadily being translated into reality in three key areas: the economic, the political and the security spheres. Of particular importance is progress in moving the African Peer Review Mechanism process forward. We agree with the Secretary-General that the increase in the number of countries that have signed on to the Mechanism demonstrates the growing appeal of its voluntary approach. My delegation is of the view that practical implementation of this innovative feature will help many African countries reach higher economic and political standards through a transparent system of self-monitoring and self-control. There is no doubt that international support is a vital element for the success of NEPAD. In this regard, we welcome the growing number of international initiatives aimed at assisting Africa in achieving the Development Goals. These include the African Partnership Forum, the Commission for Africa, the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, among others. In this respect, we trust that, as it is important for the African countries to stand united in overcoming their problems, it is equally critical for the international community to ensure coherence in its African policy, if it wishes to speak with one voice in its dialogue with Africa. This is where the United Nations has a particular role to play. By effectively coordinating global advocacy and mobilizing international support for NEPAD, the United Nations should make a valuable contribution to the implementation of the New Partnership. This demanding mission necessitates the strengthening of collaboration and coordination among the various components of the United Nations system. In that context, we take positive note of activities undertaken by the Office of the Under-Secretary- General and Special Adviser on Africa, which serves as a focal point for NEPAD in the United Nations system. We also welcome the Secretary-General’s recent decision to establish the Advisory Panel on International Support for NEPAD, consisting of eminent economists, development practitioners and academics. As an active partner of Africa, Ukraine fully supports the principles and objectives of the New Partnership and is closely following the process of its implementation. We are ready to participate in the realization of programmes and projects in a number of NEPAD’s sectoral priority areas, such as infrastructure, industrialization, energy, transport, agriculture, education and the application of space technologies. Relevant proposals have already been submitted by Ukraine to the NEPAD secretariat, and we are looking forward to their implementation. Because it realizes that the active involvement of the African regional economic communities is essential to NEPAD’s success, Ukraine appointed a special envoy this year to one of those structures, the Southern African Development Community. It is well known that sustainable development is unimaginable without the consolidation of peace and security in Africa and elsewhere. Despite significant achievements in tackling the scourge of African conflicts, conflict still constitutes a major impediment to the renaissance of the continent. Today we feel satisfied at witnessing an encouraging change in the way that African conflicts are dealt with. More and more responsibility for conflict resolution is being shouldered by Africans themselves. Making full use of the expertise and potential of the African Union, as well as of the Economic Community of West African States, the Intergovernmental Authority of Development and other regional organizations, has proved to be the most effective way to restore peace. That is why we trust that one of the main priority tasks of the United Nations and the international community at large is to enhance the capacity and the proactive role of the African Union and regional bodies in conflict prevention, management and resolution and in peace consolidation. By doing so, the United Nations will encourage African leadership to eradicate the scourge of war, breathing new life into Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. We strongly believe that this new philosophy of interaction among the United Nations, the African Union and other African regional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security has to be further developed. In this context, my delegation welcomes the Secretary-General’s intention to instruct the relevant United Nations components to produce creative ideas on new ways of collaboration between the United Nations and the African Union in the light of changed realities. Ukraine has always been committed to the objectives of development, peace and stability in Africa. I would like to reaffirm Ukraine’s readiness to continue to take an active part in the promotion of international solidarity and partnership with the African continent.

I would like to express my delegation’s appreciation to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report (A/59/206) on agenda item 38 (a), “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in implementation and international support”. The report succinctly presents the actions taken by African countries and their development partners. More important, it draws the international community’s attention to the constraints on the implementation of the objectives and programmes of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). We believe that removal of those constraints should be the focus of our deliberations. Let me take this opportunity to highlight the major steps taken under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development at the national and regional levels, in accordance with the programme of action. With regard to the centrepiece of the NEPAD agenda, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, bankable projects have been prepared in more than 30 African countries. Initial steps have been undertaken to develop a tracking mechanism to monitor the commitment by African Governments to allocate 10 per cent of their national budgets to agriculture. Ethiopia is undertaking a food security strategy based on our agricultural-development-led industrialization. Regarding the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a panel of eminent persons has been identified. As of July 2004, 23 countries — including Ethiopia — have acceded to the APRM. The first group of countries to be reviewed have been identified, and consultations are being held with Ghana, Rwanda, Mauritius and Kenya. Ethiopia is making progress in establishing good political and economic governance. The Index of Economic Freedom, published annually by the Heritage Foundation, noted that, in 2004, Ethiopia offered the second most improved business environment in the world. In the area of infrastructure, progress has been made towards the implementation of a number of high- priority projects. Those projects are crucial in an effort to bring about economic integration on the continent, and they are crucial to Africa’s competitiveness in the world market. The NEPAD Environmental Action Plan, including detailed priority projects, has been adopted to protect the environment and to ensure sustainable development. Efforts are also being undertaken to improve the health, education, tourism, industrialization and science and technology sectors. These and other positive results have been achieved because of the new relationship between Africa and its partners. In our view, these results represent a beginning of a new era for Africa and its partners. However, they need to be further enhanced. In that regard, we note with appreciation the establishment of the Africa Partnership Forum, which is expected to deepen the policy dialogue in support of Africa’s development. We also take note of the Group of Eight’s reaffirmation of its support for NEPAD, and we look forward to the implementation of that commitment. It is imperative to recall that the General Assembly is debating the New Partnership for Africa’s Development against the background of the Secretary- General’s warning that, at the current pace, most African countries may not attain the Millennium Development Goals. We therefore wish to encourage all partners to continue and strengthen their support for Africa’s efforts to develop in the following areas. The first area is agricultural development and food security. Africa is the only continent where per capita food production has been declining over the past four decades. Nearly 200 million hungry people live on the continent. At present, 7.8 million people are in need of food assistance in my country alone. It is for that reason that we have accorded priority to agricultural development in general and to food security in particular. The second area is market access provisions, combined with the removal of supply-side constraints. Although we commend the recent decision by the World Trade Organization General Council with regard to the agreement reached on a negotiating framework in the areas of agriculture, services, development issues and trade facilitation, we would like to underscore the importance of speedy implementation of the agreed conclusions. Partnership in the area of trade capacity should be strengthened to remove the supply-side constraints that have stifled the recent market-access initiatives provided to some African countries. The third area is communicable diseases. HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are serious problems in Africa that undermine and even retard its efforts aimed at socio-economic development. Those diseases have become other key causes of poverty by depleting the scarce resources available, and thus they require urgent action on the part of the international community. Since the Assembly is considering the malaria problem, let me share my delegation’s view on that issue. Malaria is one of the 10 deadliest diseases in Ethiopia. Seventy-five per cent of the country is susceptible to malaria, and 20 per cent of the population is prone to the disease. In order to effectively combat this widespread disease, the Government of Ethiopia has been implementing malaria prevention programmes for the past 10 years. Since 2001, the national five-year malaria prevention strategy has been integrated into the country’s national health programme. Moreover, it is reported that the parasite is increasing its resistance to the inexpensive anti- malarial medicines currently in use. In that connection, new products such as artemisine-based combination therapies (ACTs) and long-lasting nets are proposed. However, those treatments have been found to be very expensive. My delegation therefore takes this opportunity to urge the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to re-examine the ACT funding programme submitted by Ethiopia. The General Assembly, in its resolution 58/237 of 23 December 2003, called on African countries to implement the plan of action relating to the “Roll Back Malaria” initiative. It is to be recalled that the heads of State or Government called upon African countries to reduce their taxes on anti- malarial medicines and long-lasting nets. Accordingly, Ethiopia has reduced taxes levied on nets imported from other sources from 35 per cent to 25 per cent. Ethiopia has also increased its budget to combat malaria from $1.5 million to $2.5 million. To effectively combat and eradicate the disease in Africa, consolidated technical financial and material assistance — especially through the Global Fund and the relevant international organizations — is essential. The international community should increase the resources available to the Global Fund. My delegation would like to call upon the World Health Organization, UNICEF and all other relevant international organizations involved in implementing the plan of action to effectively prepare for the 2005 mid-term review. As members are well aware, we in Africa are fully committed to NEPAD’s objectives. As we proceed with the implementation of NEPAD, we wish to underscore the importance of translating into concrete action the positive support provided to NEPAD in various forums. Such action needs to be strengthened. In that connection, we commend the Secretary-General for establishing the Advisory Panel on International Support for NEPAD.

I should like to take this opportunity to express to you, Mr. President, my delegation’s appreciation for having included on the agenda consideration of the Secretary- General’s report entitled “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: second consolidated report on progress in implementation and international support” (A/59/206). We thank the Secretary-General for his detailed and instructive report on the steps taken to strengthen the durable partnership between Africa and development assistance providers that is the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). My delegation fully associates itself with the statement made yesterday by the representative of Nigeria on behalf of the African Union. Africa has endured unspeakable ordeals, including the difficulties of the colonial period, the uncertainties of the early years of independence, the many recurring internal and inter-State armed conflicts, genocide, natural disasters and devastating pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, which every year takes away the best human resources of the continent. All that has taken place against a background of problems of poor governance, which have characterized some countries for several decades. In that context, efforts to achieve an acceptable level of development for African populations have been markedly slow and insignificant. The result of that sorry state of affairs is that the African continent is characterized by the very large percentage of the population living below the poverty line. While the long list of ills afflicting the continent are far from being overcome, we nonetheless note that Africa is undergoing a remarkable renewal in terms of taking charge of its own destiny. The question of Africa’s development has become a priority for most countries on the continent. That is attested to by the significant efforts undertaken by Governments to implement policies favourable to economic growth and the enhancement of the well-being of their populations. At the continental level, the inauguration of NEPAD is the result of Africa’s firm determination to take charge of its own destiny by emphasizing that the ownership of development programmes should belong to the beneficiaries and should be identified and prioritized by them. We welcome the international community’s recognition of this new framework for partnership and their unreserved support for it since it was established. We also welcome the efforts of the developed countries that, through various frameworks for cooperation, have demonstrated their determination to support the implementation of national and subregional programmes in the framework of NEPAD. The report of the Secretary-General and preceding speakers have been eloquent in that regard. I take this opportunity to pay warm tribute to the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Africa, Mr. Gambari, for his very committed advocacy in his campaign to give the world a real picture of NEPAD and its reason for being, as well as for his faith in what the African continent can do through that structure to achieve sustainable development. I strongly support the wish expressed by preceding speakers that the Office of the Special Adviser should receive the funding necessary to carry out its mission well. While significant steps have been taken towards defining the principles underlying the priority development programmes and the prerequisites for achieving them, we should identify the steps to be taken for implementing those programmes. We believe that it is time to move on to a more sustained stage of concrete activity that moves beyond the principles defined. It is useful to note in a debate such as this that most development programmes identified by African countries under NEPAD also fall within the overall framework for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Therefore, those programmes should be carried out in strict respect of the commitments made by the partners concerned, both the developed and the developing countries. In that regard, we are facing a genuine deadlock in which the two partners are shirking their responsibilities. The developed countries believe that the developing countries have not yet done enough to rehabilitate their political and socio-economic environment in order for the donor countries to make available their pledged financial support. For their part, the developing countries claim that they have met the necessary conditions and that financial donors must therefore respect their commitments. We Africans are aware that unresolved problems persist in the areas of security, good governance and the improvement of our policies for economic and social development. We are so conscious of this fact that we have committed ourselves to a genuine exercise of questioning all our old interaction strategies in order to resolve the problems. The completely new philosophy of the African Union has demonstrated in the few short years of its existence that the leadership of the African continent is more than determined to equip itself with the means to take charge of the problems that arise on the continent, while acting in concert with other multilateral institutions. The African Peer Review Mechanism — for whose panel of eminent personalities the work programme and the rules of procedure were adopted in February 2004 in Kigali — is an important sign of the collective resolve to create an environment conducive to sustainable development in all countries. The Mechanism will enable African countries to carry out a self-evaluation, to open up to one another and increasingly enrich one another by sharing their successful experiences, developing synergies of multisectoral action by breaking through deadlocks and bottlenecks identified in the common process of mutual evaluation. That approach will help to improve the methods of governance across the continent and enhance stability within all countries. The process will make it possible to prevent certain regional conflicts because it can help establish a climate of mutual trust and because it can provide a way to detect in advance causes of potential conflict. Rwanda is very proud to be among the very first countries to adhere to the African Peer Review Mechanism and to submit itself to the peer review exercise. The preliminary report of that evaluation could be submitted on the occasion of the conference on the Mechanism to be held in January 2005. The efforts of the African countries call for financial donors to have a less cautious attitude with respect to their commitments. At the same time, it is desirable that the action plans established in response to programmes submitted to them should be supported by coherent execution and follow-up plans, according to a precise timetable to be discussed with the beneficiaries. We hope that the upcoming high-level event of September 2005 will provide an opportunity to inaugurate a new era of international development assistance, in which all actions that have been identified can be carried out effectively and in a coordinated manner. The high-level event could also lead to a mechanism for consultation and self- evaluation on the part of donors, with the goal of providing permanent assistance for implementation of the major decisions for promoting international development.

First, I shall take this opportunity to say how greatly the Government of the Comoros appreciates this meeting, which allows us to consider the root causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa and to discuss progress in the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), as well as the international community’s support for the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, particularly in Africa. Allow me also to thank the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for the relevant information contained in the reports he has submitted to us in documents A/59/285 and A/59/206. My delegation associates itself with the statements made by the Ambassador of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and by the representative of Nigeria speaking on behalf of the African Union. The Union of the Comoros, like certain other African countries, has not been spared situations that have threatened national security and held back development. That is why my delegation very much appreciates the implementation of recommendations aimed at creating a favourable environment for the harmonious development of Africa. Since its independence, our country has several times been the victim of coups d’état perpetrated by foreign mercenaries. Other events have also taken place in our young republic that have prevented us from tackling development issues. In addition, in August 1997, a separatist crisis broke out in Anjouan — one of the islands that make up our State — that shook the very foundations of the republic. When the international community became aware of that problem, it redoubled its efforts. In December 1997, the Organization of African Unity convened the Addis Ababa Conference, followed by the Antanarivo Conference in April 1999, in which all parties concerned participated and which was to lead to the signing by the parties of the Antanarivo agreement. The refusal by the Anjouan side to sign that agreement was seen as a failure of attempts to settle the question and led to a popular uprising in Grand Comoros. The anti-Anjouan riots that were unleashed by certain social groups represented a real threat — one that could have led to the Balkanization of the Comoros. Given the imminent threat of a civil war, the national development army, under the command of army Chief of Staff Assoumani Azzali, took the wise decision to intervene in order to protect our people. While it is true that the seizure of power, which is anti-democratic, is neither desirable nor to be recommended, we must all agree on certain basic aspects of the question. We need to consider the circumstances that led to that decision, the way power was seized and the consequences of the coup d’état. In that framework, the intervention by the national development army on 30 April 1999 spared our country civil war. There was no bloodshed whatsoever, and at no time was the personal integrity of the political authorities violated. Furthermore, it was following that intervention that, for the first time since the outbreak of the separatist crisis in 1997, a direct dialogue was begun among the leaders of the separatist movement and the central Government. That is noteworthy because the inter-Comorian dialogue, initiated by Colonel Azzali, the President of the Union of the Comoros, led to the signing of the Fomboni agreement in June 1999, which laid the groundwork for the new Comorian Assembly. On the basis of that framework agreement — which was supported by the entire international community, whose representatives were present when it was signed — a referendum was held that produced a new Constitution granting broad autonomy to the islands. The agreement signed on 20 December 2003, the so-called Beit Salam agreement on transitional arrangements for Comoros, under the auspices of the international community, made it possible to relaunch the process of finalizing the creation of the institutions envisaged in the Constitution. That successful outcome was without a doubt the result of the combined efforts of the Comorians, guided by the President Assoumani Azzali, in the context of the inter-Comorian dialogue. We welcome the support provided by South Africa, the countries of the region and the international community as a whole, which made every effort to put an end to the separatist crisis in the Comoros and helped us to establish new national institutions. Lessons can be learned from that difficult experience. Economic and social problems are often the root causes of the difficulties and crises besetting our societies. The establishment of an institutional legal framework aimed at consolidating the rule of law is, without a doubt, a positive achievement. However, it is also clear that the country’s resources and capacities are not sufficient to fund the many new State institutions; the country simply does not have the financial means to do so — especially since the Union of the Comoros has been administered at island and Union levels. All the new structures envisaged in the Constitution are supposed to be put into operation with no increase in resources. Malaria, unfortunately, is another major obstacle to the development of our continent. It is a leading cause of death in the world. The international community should therefore mobilize the necessary resources to combat that disease as well as the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) — an ambitious project designed by Africans for Africa — should become a reality supported by all and beneficial to all. My country believes also that we should give in-depth consideration to the situation of small island States, and we believe also in Africa’s capacity to take ownership of its future with determination and a sense of responsibility. Furthermore, we have at our disposal a poverty- reduction strategy paper — a set of guidelines for our development priorities which takes on board the Millennium Development Goals and fully accords with the NEPAD strategy. In order for our development process to be successful — which is a sine qua non for lasting stability — we need the help of the international community. The support of members for the draft resolution on our country is essential, as is their support for the upcoming round table of Comoros donor countries. Mindful that peace is a prerequisite for genuine development in the country — indeed, without peace there can be no development — we believe that there is no better framework than this body to tackle the scourges that lead to the conflicts that are ravaging our continent, propose appropriate solutions and create conditions conducive to harmonious development, so that our peoples’ faith in the United Nations can be strengthened by seeing what the implementation of this body’s recommendations can do for Africa.

It is my privilege to associate myself with previous speakers who expressed appreciation for the Secretary-General’s report, entitled “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: second consolidated report on progress in implementation and international support” (A/59/206). I, too, wish to associate myself with the statement made by the representative of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the representative of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a pledge by African leaders, based on a common vision and a firm and shared conviction, that they have a pressing duty to eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development, and at the same time to participate actively in the world economy and body politic. That vision and that conviction has the support of the international community, including Indonesia. We note with interest that, as stated in the Secretary-General’s report, much progress has been made by African countries in developing sectoral policy frameworks, in the implementation of specific programmes and projects and in the earmarking of financial allocations to selected NEPAD sectoral priorities. Much progress has also been noted in moving the African Peer Review Mechanism process forward. In our view, however, such progress merely sets the stage for the necessary hard work to deal with current conflicts, crop failures, food insecurity and HIV/AIDS, which continue to inflict great misery on the African people. Therefore, addressing these challenges requires a far greater and integrated response from both the Governments of Africa and the international community. In that regard, the Millennium Declaration, NEPAD and the development objectives set out in the Millennium Development Goals, taken together, provide both a framework and mechanisms for the international community to assist Africa in responding to those problems. We believe that the United Nations has a key role in mobilizing international support for NEPAD. Particularly encouraging are the invaluable contributions currently being made by the United Nations system to ensure the success of the NEPAD initiative, including in the areas of conflict resolution and sustainable development. By placing NEPAD within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations system is making available a wide range of expertise and support to facilitate the achievement of NEPAD’s goals. My delegation believes that South-South cooperation is an important complement to international development cooperation. In that regard, cooperation between African countries and Indonesia has been established within the framework of technical cooperation among developing countries. The Secretary-General’s report notes that Indonesia provided a technical cooperation programme to 11 African countries in 2003. Indonesia stands ready to advance such cooperation. It is in the spirit of cooperation that the Government of Indonesia, together with the Government of South Africa, initiated the convening of the Asian-African Sub-Regional Organizations Conference (AASROC) in Bandung, Indonesia, in July 2003 and in Durban, South Africa, in August 2004. Inspired and guided by the spirit of Bandung — which became manifest in 1955 when the first Asian-African conference was held there — we are establishing a New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) to achieve a better future for countries on both the African and Asian continents. The NAASP is a partnership that allows countries of both continents to unite and make use of the world’s largest pool of natural resources and to engage all regional stakeholders in a concerted endeavour to achieve peace, stability and prosperity. Yet the NAASP will by no means duplicate existing regional initiatives; rather, it will add to them. It will build upon and support existing initiatives, such as NEPAD, the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, the Association of South-East Asian Nations, the Sino-Africa process and the India- Africa Fund, as well as other initiatives to help create conditions for sustainable peace and development in Africa. The AASROC process is also deeply involved in the preparations for the Asian-African summit to be held in Jakarta and Bandung from 21 to 23 April 2005, in conjunction with the golden jubilee of the historic 1955 Asian-African Conference. The theme of the summit will be “Reinvigorating the Bandung Spirit: Working Towards a New Asian-African Strategic Partnership”. The summit will endorse the NAASP as a renewed political spirit aimed at enhancing the cooperation of the two continents. In preparation for that event, Indonesia and South Africa will convene a meeting of eminent persons in December 2004 and a preparatory meeting in February 2005 in Bali, Indonesia. Finally, my Government looks forward to welcoming the participation of Asian and African leaders in the Asian-African summit in Indonesia. We also look forward to the participation and cooperation of the relevant bodies and agencies of the United Nations system and other international organizations and mechanisms, with a view to contributing positively to the success of the Asian-African summit, as it will contribute further to the implementation of NEPAD, with the NAASP as one of its building blocks.