A/65/PV.25 General Assembly

We thank the Secretary-General for the presentation of his annual report (A/65/1). The report acknowledges the complex world situation, in particular with regard to the devastating effects of the global economic and financial crisis. As the Secretary-General points out, the measures taken to stimulate growth and global economic recovery have not always met the needs of the poor and the most vulnerable. On the contrary, despite promises, developed countries have resorted to the most shameless protectionism as part of their policies in response to the crisis, to the detriment of underdeveloped economies. At the recent High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals, it remained clearly apparent that the lack of financial resources continues to be the main reason for delays in meeting those modest objectives. The calls for new and additional resources to try to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 were once again ignored by rich countries, which did not allow even a single mention in that regard in the outcome document of the High-level Meeting (resolution 65/1). It has become clear not only that the majority will not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, but also that other internationally agreed development goals will remain an illusion. It should be pointed out that all such commitments made within the framework of major United Nations conferences and summits are also part of what the report calls the concrete framework that serves as a guide for the Organization’s development activities. Introducing radical changes in the consumption and production patterns of the societies of the North and building a new international economic order are the only way to meet the goals and objectives to which we have committed. The creation of a new global financial architecture must be a priority in the Organization’s deliberations. We are pleased that the report acknowledges the work of the General Assembly working group on the world financial and economic crisis as an important initiative. Cuba hopes that that working group can continue its work to discuss in greater depth the topics on its agenda and to decide on them. The report mentions the nine joint initiatives designed by the United Nations system to respond to the crisis. We underscore that all initiatives of that kind must be duly discussed with States before their implementation. We express similar concern about the creation of the High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing and the High-level Panel on Global Sustainability, established by the Secretary-General without due consultation with the Secretariat and Member States. We trust that such situations will not recur. The report proposes the development of low- carbon economies in developing countries. In that regard, we underscore that developed countries must shoulder their historic responsibilities, as well as the commitments made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, and meet the ambitious reduction commitments at the sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention. For their part, developing countries have the priority goal of achieving sustainable development. They need the support of the international community, in particular that of developed countries, in order to gain new and additional financial resources, capacity- building and technology transfer under preferential conditions. Moreover, we are concerned about the assertion in the report that the so-called Copenhagen Accord “was an essential step forward in global efforts to address the climate challenge” (see A/65/1, para. 108). The Copenhagen Conference generated a crisis of confidence owing to the lack of transparency with which the negotiations were conducted, disregarding the very standards and procedures of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations. The Framework Convention is and must continue to be the only framework for international negotiations on climate change, which should continue along the two tracks agreed in Bali. The sixteenth Conference of the Parties must achieve agreements on mitigation and adaptation under the Convention that enable developing countries substantially and predictably to address the increasing threats associated with climate change. The main challenge before us is that of reforming the United Nations so that it serves the interests of all nations equally. We cannot allow the reform to end up turning our Organization into an instrument for the interests and whims of a few rich and powerful countries. We must revitalize the guiding role of the General Assembly, the only United Nations organ where there is no room for hegemony, where we all have the right to speak and vote and where the obsolete right to veto does not exist. We cannot speak of true reform of the Organization without real reform of the Security Council. The intergovernmental negotiations on reforming the Council have still not produced the concrete results that we hoped for. We trust that real progress will be made during this session. We urgently need a truly balanced and representative Security Council that acts on behalf of all and within the mandate entrusted to it by the Charter. Cuba welcomes the creation of UN Women, which was a historic step forward towards achieving gender equality and empowering all women of the world. We hope that the new gender entity will, in accordance with its mandate, develop mechanisms to follow up all the commitments made at the Beijing Conference. Furthermore, while we note the results enshrined in resolution 64/289, we reiterate that United Nations development assistance is not subject to unique models and we reaffirm the principle that it must be guided by national priorities and led by national Governments. Cuba reaffirms the importance of international cooperation and genuine dialogue concerning human rights. We must eradicate forever political manipulation, selectivity and double standards with respect to human rights. We must not allow these evils to affect United Nations human rights mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council. In his report, the Secretary-General refers to the upcoming review of the Human Rights Council, which we believe should be a single, transparent and inclusive process of an intergovernmental nature. All of us must work to preserve the positive aspects of the Council, including the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, which is the ideal space to consider the human rights situation in all countries under equal conditions. Moreover, Cuba will give special attention to debates on human resources reform, because we must take a final decision at the current session on simplifying the contracting regime and harmonizing conditions of service. In this context, we will advocate for better geographic distribution in Secretariat staff, especially in entities such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, where an imbalance in its staff composition plays a key role in the severe distortions of its activities. It is also essential that the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination be more accountable for its activities and achieve greater transparency in the election and selection of the senior officers of the Organization. In this vein, the Joint Inspection Unit has posited several ideas that should be taken into account. In the report, it is stated that the international community has made significant progress in the fields of disarmament and non-proliferation, especially in the nuclear context. Reality gives much greater cause for concern. There are 22,600 nuclear weapons worldwide, of which 7,560 are ready for immediate deployment. These are much more powerful than those that sowed death and destruction in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The prohibition and complete elimination of nuclear weapons remains an urgent pending task. While millions of people suffer the effects of the worst economic and financial crisis since the Great Depression, international military spending continues to increase at a dizzying pace. Currently, it totals $1,521 billion — a figure many times greater than international development aid. Cuba reiterates its proposal that at least half of current military spending be devoted to responding to economic and social development needs through a fund managed by the United Nations. We also propose that a global action plan be agreed without delay on achieving complete elimination and prohibition of nuclear weapons within not more than 15 years. The challenges facing us are very serious. More than ever, the world needs the United Nations and our united action. Cuba will continue to work tirelessly for a better world for all.

We would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the work of the Organization (A/65/1). The past session of the General Assembly brought some important breakthroughs in the United Nations reform agenda. The creation of UN Women in particular was a major contribution to a more coherent and less duplicative Organization. The timely appointment of Ms. Bachelet at the head of the new entity should guarantee a smooth transition without major operative interruptions. We also consider the reformed Taliban and Al-Qaida sanctions regime of the Security Council to be a big step in the right direction. The new Office of the Ombudsperson, headed by Ms. Kimberly Prost, will contribute to the legitimacy and effectiveness of the sanctions regime and the Council itself. The United Nations, as a whole and in its parts, needs these qualities urgently in order to secure its standing as the centre for global governance. The choice of “global governance” as the theme of this year’s general debate was received positively by Member States. We thus hope that it will remain the overarching topic of the entire session. An indispensable element of global governance based on the principle of sovereign equality is that any global governance system must have a set of clear applicable rules. We therefore see a close connection between the topics “rule of law” and “global governance” and would therefore welcome a thematic debate on the rule of law during this session of the Assembly. The United Nations has the broadest legitimacy of all intergovernmental organizations based on its membership and the democratic structure of its main deliberative body, this Assembly. But legitimacy cannot be based solely on structural and institutional aspects. United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, as well as its peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions, are the face of the United Nations to the outside world and must strengthen the Organization’s legitimacy as a whole on the basis of the daily work they deliver to States, individuals, the general public and civil society. We continue to see a lot of potential in this field. Operational legitimacy is earned through transparent and efficient work and through independent accountability mechanisms. The work of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is therefore very important. OIOS makes an essential contribution to raising awareness within and outside the United Nations of necessary management reforms and structural deficits in the organizational set-up of the United Nations. We are concerned that, after a period of responsiveness to the recommendations of the Office, the eagerness to implement them is in overall decline. We believe that the United Nations has a particular responsibility to urgently address all allegations of sexual misconduct and misappropriation of funds. Past experience has shown how detrimental system breakdowns in the area of management oversight can be. We hope that the Assembly will engage in an open and productive discussion of these issues. The agenda of the current session provides us with the opportunity to streamline and optimize processes in the areas of peacebuilding and human rights. We hope that the review of the Peacebuilding Commission will strengthen the Commission’s preventive dimension and sharpen its focus to address the root causes of conflicts. We believe that substantial improvement in the coherence of the different human rights bodies is possible and, indeed, necessary. The relationship between the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly — that is, its Third and Fifth Committees — has been unclear and inefficient in the past. We hope that we, as Member States, will take the opportunity of the review to address this relationship and the issue of providing a regular and steady mechanism to fund decisions by the Council, where necessary. A successful review process would strengthen the governance of the United Nations in this field. I am personally grateful for the trust that the President of the Assembly has placed in Ambassador Loulichki of Morocco and myself to assist in leading this Assembly on the matter of review of the Council. In the Security Council, the United Nations has the most powerful tool in international law at hand. Yet it is perceived as lacking political legitimacy due to its unrepresentative composition. Political progress on this issue has been deadlocked for a long time, and States need to be aware of the risk of an institutional crisis of this Organization as whole if this situation prevails for much longer. We continue to stand ready to make our contribution to a serious enlargement discussion. In parallel, we will vigorously pursue the agenda of the group of five small countries on the working methods of the Council, where progress has been less than satisfactory. In a letter sent to the Chairman of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions of the Security Council, we have taken note of the updated presidential note of the Council (S/2010/507), which has the merit of providing an overview of the current state of play. At the same time, it offers very little in the way of effective measures to improve the accountability, access and inclusion of non-members of the Council — the areas where we believe the most work remains to be done. We will continue to pursue these goals, including in this Assembly.

At the outset, allow me to extend my deep appreciation to His Excellency Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his remarkable devotion in guiding the diverse activities of the United Nations and for his report on the work of the Organization (A/65/1). The most urgent challenge facing the United Nations at this time is the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We are concerned about the impact of the financial and economic crisis on the efforts of developing countries to attain the MDGs. Now that this year’s High-level Plenary Meeting has been successfully concluded, we must follow through on all the commitments and promises, without losing any time, in order to accelerate progress and achieve the MDGs by the target year of 2015. Japan, for its part, will deliver on the promises made by Prime Minister Kan, focusing on the two crucial sectors of health and education. Efforts for the reduction of poverty alone will not translate into the achievement of the MDGs. A significant proportion of the bottom billion of the poor are caught up in conflict or barely surviving in tenuous post-conflict situations. It is often said that as many as 50 per cent of post-conflict countries relapse into hostilities within 10 years after the conflicts end. In order to break the vicious circle of conflict and poverty, it is essential to address the two factors comprehensively. Once a conflict has been resolved, there should be quick delivery of a peace dividend, which can be discerned by the people in the form of tangible improvements in their daily lives and which is supported by urgent measures to enhance social and economic stability. In this context, Japan appreciates the activities undertaken by the Peacebuilding Commission to promote such an integrated strategy and to fill some of the most conspicuous gaps. During its presidency of the Security Council this year, Japan hosted an open debate of the Council on post-conflict peacebuilding (see S/PV.6299). We will continue to endeavour to promote this seamless approach to peacebuilding, taking into consideration the perspective of human security. The concept of human security represents a human-centred and integrated strategy aiming at actualizing freedom from fear and want for every individual. It is also a bottom-up approach, beginning with the protection and empowerment of the individual and the community. In this regard, I welcome with appreciation the adoption of resolution 64/291, entitled “Follow-up to paragraph 143 on human security of the 2005 World Summit Outcome” in July of this year. The adoption of this resolution was a crucial milestone in the efforts to materialize the commitments of the 2005 World Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1) and to integrate the human security approach into United Nations activities. We commend the assistance rendered by the Friends of Human Security and look forward to continuing the discussion on this concept during the next session. Gender equality and the empowerment of women now play a central role throughout the work of the United Nations. We welcome the establishment of UN Women, which will lead to the strengthening of the United Nations commitment to gender mainstreaming. Japan is committed to contributing actively to help to ensure that all activities related to gender in the United Nations will operate collaboratively in the most effective and efficient manner possible. Moreover, we intend to utilize this momentum to renew our commitment to furthering the advancement of gender equality and women’s empowerment both in Japan and in the wider international community. Peacekeeping remains the core activity of the United Nations. Japan will continue to participate actively in United Nations peacekeeping operations and disaster relief operations, as we have done in the case of the earthquake in Haiti and the floods in Pakistan. At the same time, United Nations peacekeeping now faces unprecedented challenges in terms of both the capacity of Member States and the complexity of mission mandates. Therefore, all the stakeholders responsible for these activities, such as the General Assembly, the Security Council, Member States and the Secretariat, must cooperate proactively to formulate improvement measures that will ensure that peacekeeping operations are assigned clear and achievable mandates and managed effectively and efficiently, with adequate resources. We welcome, as measures to advance global peace and security, the recent positive developments in the area of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including the successful outcome of the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Assuming its moral responsibility as the only country that has ever suffered the tragic consequences of atomic bombings, Japan is determined to exert every effort to achieve a world without nuclear weapons. To that end, Japan will submit a draft resolution during this session outlining concrete measures towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons. I also take this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General once again for making his visit to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August to attend the sixty- fifth Peace Memorial Ceremony — the first United Nations Secretary-General to do so — and for demonstrating his earnest resolve to realize a world without nuclear weapons. Another major challenge confronting humankind at this juncture is climate change. Aiming at the final objective of adopting a new, comprehensive, legally binding document, Japan will continue to coordinate with other States and the United Nations to lead international negotiations for the success of the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cancún, Mexico. We will also steadily support those developing countries that are making efforts to reduce emissions and are vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change through various channels, including partnership between the public and private sectors. Japan will host the Tenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya this month, and believes that every effort must be made to come to agreement on commencing new actions to halt the rapidly progressing loss of biodiversity. We are determined to play an important role in resolving this issue. The role and functions of the Human Rights Council are to be carefully reviewed by the close of the year 2011. The Council thus stands now at an especially important juncture. Japan is fully committed to taking part in the discussions in various forums, such as the General Assembly, the Third Committee and the Human Rights Council, to make further contributions to enhancing the promotion and protection of human rights. Reform of the United Nations cannot be considered complete without meaningful Security Council reform. Japan recognizes the solid progress made in the intergovernmental negotiations during the sixty-fourth session of the General Assembly, and looks forward to international negotiations based on the second revision of the negotiation text in the current session, as mandated by General Assembly decision 63/568. It is Japan’s view that the Security Council must be reformed through the expansion of both the permanent and non-permanent memberships, so that the Council will reflect the realities of the geopolitical configuration of the world in the twenty-first century. In that regard, we are pleased to note that the President of this General Assembly is clearly focused on the need for early reform of the Security Council, and we count on his steady leadership to guide us to a concrete outcome during this session. Japan wishes to reaffirm the importance of transparent, accountable and efficient management of the United Nations. The determined efforts of the Secretary-General to work towards a more efficient and responsive Secretariat have our full and enthusiastic support. We are all well aware that the current state of the world economy negatively impacts the financial situations of Member States. In that light, it is clear that the recent trend in United Nations fiscal management characterized by continuous expansion of the Organization’s regular and peacekeeping budgets can no longer be sustained. The Secretariat must be streamlined for greater effectiveness and efficiency and in order to facilitate the fulfilment of its mandates within the available financial resources of Member States. We look forward to carefully studying the proposal to be made by the Secretary-General related to human resource management with a view to establishing a robust and lean Organization. From that point of view, the Secretariat should make a concerted effort to rationalize expenditures and develop strategies for implementing mandated activities at lower cost. To the extent possible, new requirements should be met through the redeployment of existing resources. Rigorous financial discipline must be exercised in the implementation of the 2010- 2011 programme and peacekeeping budgets. I conclude my remarks today by reiterating Japan’s determined commitment to continuing to work towards a more efficient United Nations.

The Chinese delegation welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (A/65/1). Currently, the international security situation is generally stable, but various global threats and challenges are prominent. The profound effects of the international financial crisis have gradually become clear amid various growing uncertainties. Faced by diverse threats and challenges over the past year, the United Nations has actively engaged in multilateral cooperation and played an important role in implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), carrying out preventive diplomacy, deploying international peacekeeping operations, implementing post-conflict peacebuilding, responding to climate change, fighting terrorism and protecting human rights. We take this opportunity to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his hard work and good efforts over the past year. The High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals injected new vigour into the international development agenda. The next five years will be critical to achieving the MDGs. The United Nations should prioritize the timely achievement of the MDGs and establish an MDG assessment mechanism as soon as possible. It must, with a greater sense of urgency and responsibility, intensify efforts to ensure that the task will not be interrupted or delayed. It must encourage the developed countries to honour their commitments effectively and to assume the primary responsibility for assisting developing countries and providing them with long-term, stable and predictable financial support. It should focus on helping Africa to develop itself and eliminate poverty, and it should promote and intensify support for the least developed countries. At the High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (see A/65/PV.9), Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao declared that China will continue to promote development to improve the lives of people in developing countries. It will donate $14 million to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; further reduce the debt burden of the least developed countries; deepen financial cooperation with developing countries; continue to provide substantial support in the form of concessional loans and preferential export buyer’s credits; and explore and develop financial and economic relations and strengthen agricultural cooperation with developing countries and help them to develop their human resources. China will continue to support United Nations efforts to promote the development agenda and to make a greater contribution towards the early achievement of the Millennium Development Goals to the benefit of humankind. Climate change concerns the common interests of the entire world and the development interests and well-being of the peoples of developing countries. China is the most populous developing country in the world and still faces many development challenges. However, on the basis of the long-term interests of the Chinese nation and all humankind, the Chinese Government attaches great importance to the issue of climate change. Currently, the twelfth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the fourteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol are being held in Tianjin, China. This is the last formal negotiating conference before Cancún and the first time that China has hosted a formal negotiating conference on climate change within the United Nations framework. In order to promote the successful outcome of the Cancún conference, China believes that it is necessary to uphold, first, the basic framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the decisions of the Bali Road Map; secondly, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities; and thirdly, the principle of sustainable development. We must give full consideration to economic development, the eradication of poverty and climate protection; achieve development while responding successfully to climate change; and ensure respect for the developing countries’ right to development. Global governance is the main issue facing the world’s countries in their common efforts to respond to the various new threats and challenges. Global governance should focus on the achievement of comprehensive security, common development and human rights protection. It should underpin the principles of equity and justice. All countries — be they big or small, strong or weak, poor or rich — have the right to participate in the process of governance on an equal footing. It is necessary to follow the rule of law, proceed on the basis of norms, and uphold the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter. Global governance should advocate the principle of democracy and a spirit of inclusiveness; promote negotiation, cooperation and the peaceful settlement of international disputes; and strive for mutual benefits and win-win situations. Global governance should establish effective multilateral mechanisms, further multilateralism, and ensure fairness and efficiency. As the most universal, representative and authoritative intergovernmental international organization, the United Nations is the most important arena for the practice of multilateralism. Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon has said that the United Nations remains the indispensable global institution for the twenty-first century. China supports the United Nations in carrying out necessary and rational reforms so as to better perform the duties entrusted to it under its Charter. United Nations reform should be multidimensional and multisectoral. It is particularly necessary to focus on increasing development input in areas of concern to developing countries, to ensure that development resources strengthen development institutions, and to promote the timely achievement of the Millennium Development Goals so as to benefit developing countries in general.

Indonesia welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (A/65/1). We support the efforts of the Secretary-General to discharge his mandate in full and on time. The review of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has just been concluded. Our respective leaders vividly described the progress made so far. They also laid down measures to bridge the gaps. We, the community of nations, must therefore re-energize our determination to achieve the MDGs by 2015. Key to that achievement are multilayered partnerships and a comprehensive approach. We must also recall that the 2005 World Summit stressed the three robust pillars of the United Nations: human rights, peace and security, and development and economic advancement. The three issues are closely interlinked; one cannot survive without the other two. That trinity of purpose must be kept. Let me start with the first pillar: human rights and its related subjects. The monitoring, protection and promotion of human rights are among the most important responsibilities of the United Nations. The global economic and food crises have had a devastating impact on the promotion of human rights. That demonstrates the interlinkage of the three pillars, as I stipulated earlier. The United Nations must continue in its efforts to help Member States to integrate human rights into their development efforts. Our experience reveals that efforts to implement human rights will fail to bear fruit if there is no enabling environment. Therefore, it is extremely crucial that we establish good governance, strengthen the rule of law and reform key democratic institutions. Indonesia embraces democracy, Islam and modernization in the same breath. Surely, the ultimate beneficiary of that effort is not Governments, but our respective societies. The review of the Human Rights Council in 2011 will give us ample opportunity to further strengthen that body. It is pertinent to note that, for the first time, the United Nations body dealing with human rights truly represents the diversity of the global community. That was not the case with its predecessor. Moreover, Indonesia welcomes the creation of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and the appointment of Under-Secretary-General Michelle Bachelet as its first Executive Director. The key to empowering women is to give them better opportunities and access to health and education facilities so that they become the principal agents of change and progress. The past few years have been marked by successive massive natural disasters. The capacity of the United Nations to deliver international humanitarian assistance must therefore be strengthened. Turning to peace and security, Indonesia faithfully remains loyal to the ideals set forth in our 1945 Constitution. We are duty-bound to help to maintain a world order based on independence, abiding peace and social justice. There is no better way to do so than to send our men and women to serve that noble objective under the United Nations peacekeeping umbrella. We strongly support the participation of more female peacekeepers and the greater participation of women in peacebuilding. We recognize the difficulties and complexities of peacekeeping. The New Horizon process will provide for better and stronger peacekeeping wherever it may be needed in the future. The progress that has been made in the efforts to combat terrorism, including the establishment of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, should not make us complacent. We must not let our guard down against that global menace. Thus, the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy merits our united support. The 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was truly historic, yet much remains to be done. We are disappointed, however, that the Conference on Disarmament has remained stalled, and we look forward to its resumption of negotiations on the main substantive issues. On an issue related to regional peace and that is dear to us — the Palestinian question — we strongly support the recent resumption of direct negotiations between Palestine and Israel. Regrettably, the promising talks are now being jeopardized by Israel’s decision not to extend the moratorium on the building of settlements in the occupied territory. The United Nations, in the framework of the Quartet, as well as other members of the international community, must recognize that serious development and take remedial actions. Indonesia, for its part, will continue to work with other members of the international community to assist the fate of Palestine. Regarding the last pillar, the report makes cautious prognoses, with particular reference to the beginnings of a global economic recovery following the global experiences of the past few years. Indonesia shares the view that the chances of economic recovery are high if the need for strong commitment, leadership and political will on the part of Member States is fulfilled. Moreover, climate change remains a major threat to equitable and sustainable development. Indonesia looks forward to the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Mexico, and urges Member States to work towards a consensus agreement that would address climate change effectively on the basis of the Copenhagen Accord and the progress made in the two working groups for the fifteenth Conference. I will conclude with a few remarks on the Organization itself. Indonesia firmly believes that confronting today’s massive challenges requires multilateral action with the United Nations at its centre. No single country, big or small, developed or developing, is equipped to meet those challenges on its own. Working together is therefore in the interests of all. The United Nations must continue to enhance cooperation with vital regional organizations, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Organization must also pursue its reform agenda to the fullest so as to ensure that its organs function at an optimal level. The General Assembly must be revitalized and the Security Council restructured to reflect current realities. Indonesia, for its part, remains fully committed to playing its role and cooperating in the work of the United Nations as the platform and hub of a renewed global partnership.

First, the delegation of Kazakhstan would like to thank the Secretary-General for presenting his comprehensive report on the work of the Organization (A/65/1). In our opinion, it is a good reflection of every aspect of the Organization’s hard work. Over the past year, the world has moved from a global economic depression to the first manifestations of a global recovery. The Secretary-General is quite right when he says that “the recovery is fragile and uneven, and there is no guarantee that a relapse will not occur” (A/65/1, para. 1). Unemployment remains unacceptably high and vulnerable employment continues to rise. Economic volatility, eruptions of conflict, natural disasters, challenges to food security and strains on natural resources are unlikely to disappear. In this regard, Kazakhstan considers that the major responsibility for making substantial efforts to stimulate growth and development still lies with the Governments of Member States. We are happy that there are grounds for a new optimism as we observe several important elements that will help guide the United Nations through these uncertain times. The Organization has a concrete framework to guide its action: the Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It has significant resources and knowledge that can help it address the current challenges, as well as increasingly robust partnerships with business, civil society and academia that can help improve its responses. But these measures can be taken only if the United Nations is able to mobilize the collective global political leadership and will. As was indicated in the outcome document of the recent summit on the MDGs (resolution 65/1), over the next five years the Organization and its Member States must focus on accelerating progress through further measures. These include using innovative financing and investments in order to support the provision of global public goods, dedicating resources to the promotion of peace and security, and mobilizing to meet humanitarian and human rights needs around the world. Let me focus on gender issues. No one would argue that, without the full engagement of women, the international system cannot meet the demands made on it. This year, which marks the fifteenth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the tenth year of the global effort towards the Millennium Development Goals, the message to Member States and the Organization is clear: gender equality and women’s empowerment are indispensable goals that the United Nations must champion for the benefit of all. In this regard, we recall that on 2 July the Assembly endorsed the Secretary-General’s proposal with its unanimous adoption of the landmark resolution 64/289 on system-wide coherence, which merged the four areas of the United Nations system dealing with women’s issues into one composite, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, to be known as UN Women. Kazakhstan welcomes the recent appointment of an Under- Secretary-General to head the new body and the establishment of an Executive Board to provide intergovernmental support for and supervision of its operations. We consider these developments to be among the most remarkable achievements of United Nations reform in the past year. In 2010, the Secretary-General has encouraged the United Nations to lend its full support to programmes that empower women and protect them from discriminatory practices and violence. And, of course, the leadership of Member States is essential. Over the past decade, the international community has made considerable progress towards reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development, securing peace and stability, and promoting women’s empowerment. As the Organization and its Member States look to the next decade, they should be even more ambitious. And we share the optimism expressed by the Secretary-General in his report. Indeed, it is only by working together that we can strengthen the Organization so that it can be a driving force for multilateral action and fulfil the commitments made in September. Five years from the target date of 2015 agreed for achieving the MDGs, success is still within reach but not guaranteed. The Organization and its Member States have made a great push forward, yet progress is uneven, gaps are wide and new challenges have yet to be met. The intensified efforts of every Member country are needed urgently in order for us to accelerate our pace towards achieving the Goals. This Assembly has a mandate to facilitate the acceleration of progress towards the MDGs. Kazakhstan is ready to contribute actively to this process and to set an example that can prove that the Millennium Goals are achievable. The year 2010 is an important one for meeting the promises that the United Nations and the international community have made to those most in need around the world. By identifying and embracing the MDGs, Member States have put human development at centre stage and resolved to spare no effort to transform our world into a safer and more equitable, sustainable and prosperous place. We are proud that this year, for the first time, the world community celebrated 29 August as the International Day against Nuclear Tests, initiated by President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan. Unanimous support for resolution 64/35 effectively reaffirmed the international community’s commitment to the process of reducing the nuclear threat. I take this opportunity to once again thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who started his visit to my country last April with a tour of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. We remember that, standing on the former ground zero, he urged the international community to redouble its efforts to achieve a world free from nuclear threats. We are following a number of important changes initiated by the Secretary-General in human resources policy, budget planning and the accountability framework, with a view to strengthening the Organization. Important progress has also been made on system-wide coherence and the further strengthening of the Organization’s cooperation with regional organizations. We also take note of efforts made by the Secretary-General, as he continues to implement his human resources reform agenda, including by reducing the various types of employment contracts, harmonizing conditions of service between staff in the field and those at Headquarters, and launching a new talent management system to modernize recruitment, performance management and staff learning and development. In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm that Kazakhstan supports the ongoing efforts of the United Nations Secretariat aimed at creating a stronger United Nations and at forging strong working relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including regional organizations and civil society. For that reason, outreach and the building of partnerships are important elements of the Organization’s activity.

First of all, I would like to reiterate to the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session, Mr. Joseph Deiss, the sincere congratulations and support that President Paul Biya conveyed to him on behalf of Cameroon from this rostrum on his election as President. The same applies to his predecessor, Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki of Libya, as well as to the Secretary-General of the Organization, Mr. Ban Ki-moon. Once again, it is a pleasure for me to commend the Secretary-General for the quality of his report on the activity of the Organization, published as document A/65/1 and submitted under agenda item 108 (see A/65/251). The report provides us with supplementary information about the vision and the expectations of the United Nations, as well as the role of Member States, so that the international community can meet the challenges that continue to affect us, namely, a global economy that shows the signs of a recovery that is still fragile and unequal, unemployment that is still high, ongoing conflicts in some areas of the world, natural disasters, problems of food security, ongoing pressure on natural resources, the impact of climate change, and so on. In that regard, first and foremost as regards development issues, my delegation agrees with the Secretary-General that the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (see resolution 55/2), if they are indeed implemented, will guide the work of the United Nations, if there is more political will from the Member States. The High-level Plenary Meeting, which took place here from 20 to 22 September and where my country was represented at the highest level, is a good illustration of that fact. Indeed, that meeting provided the United Nations and its Members with the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to speed up the achievement of the MDGs by 2015. For its part, the vision of Cameroon on the MDGs, as presented on that occasion by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Paul Biya, focuses on three main factors, namely the implementation of Goal 8 on creating a global partnership for development, access to energy and job creation. Cameroon is indeed convinced that the complementarity between the MDGs should not cause us to lose sight of the fact that there is one among them that conditions the implementation of all the others, namely, Goal 8, because efforts to mobilize resources for development require the establishment of a fairer financial and economic system, a comprehensive treatment of the debt issue and a flow of official development assistance that is stable, predictable and effective, as well as access to essential medications. The second key factor for the implementation of MDGs is access to energy, because that facilitates an increase in both agricultural production and water supply, as well as the blossoming of activities that generate income. The third important factor is to solve the crisis in employment, in particular the employment of youth, who represent the main part of our population. Cameroon welcomes the results that the High-level Plenary Meeting achieved on the MDGs, as long as the international community implements the commitments set forth in the outcome document. Indeed, regarding official development assistance, the heads of State and Government undertook to give great attention to respecting all commitments, including the commitment under which many countries by 2015 have committed to allocate 0.7 per cent of the gross domestic product to official development assistance and in 2010 to achieve the interim objective of 0.5 per cent. They have also promised to study the possibility of using innovative financing mechanisms, such as taxing financial transactions. As regards international trade, the heads of State and Government affirmed their support for a universal multilateral trade system, rejecting protectionism and subsidies for agricultural product exports. They also reaffirmed that States have the right to fully use the provisions of the World Trade Organization agreement on trade regarding universal access to medication. Regarding the issue of the debt, the heads of State and Government said that they wanted to facilitate its financing and alleviation and that they planned to set up improved structures for restructuring sovereign debt. If those commitments are kept within the deadlines set, they would most certainly support and strengthen the efforts that have already been undertaken by each of our countries. The Cameroon Government itself has already undertaken to implement a strategy document for growth and employment that focuses on the development of the productive sectors and infrastructure, without which it would be impossible to see an improvement in living conditions for people. Other efforts have also been undertaken, including pursuit of fiscal reforms to act as an incentive and improvement of the business climate, in order to have greater mobilization of domestic savings and to attract more foreign direct investment and increase the absorption capacity of external debt. Regarding Africa’s particular needs, in paragraph 35 of the report, the Secretary-General rightly underscores that, “Africa’s people need neither pity nor charity; they need the tools to create jobs and generate incomes. Developed countries should make good on promises made repeatedly at summit meetings of the Group of Eight and the Group of 20, and at the United Nations, to double aid to Africa.” (A/65/1, para. 35) Of course, we welcome the role played by the Africa Steering Group set up by the Secretary-General, which has laid out the way forward for the international community in terms of helping Africa achieve the MDGs in areas of strategic interest, such as health, education, agriculture, infrastructure and trade. The impact of this will, nonetheless, be limited, if the main donors of official development assistance do not respect their commitments. Here, the African Union quite rightly notes that, while Africa has made remarkable progress in achieving the MDGs, the pace and quality of the achievements allows us to be only somewhat pleased, at best, with the results. Allow me to comment briefly on another important pillar of the work of this Organization, one that is mentioned in paragraphs 37 through 73 of the Secretary-General’s report, namely, peace and security. The report shows that, over the past year, this Organization has continued to work on the ground, in particular in Africa. This involvement has led it to employ every means at its disposal for intervention, from conflict prevention to peacekeeping missions to support for peacebuilding. With the modest means at its disposal, Cameroon has continued to be involved by making available and deploying military observers and police forces in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire and Darfur, on the borders of Chad and the Central African Republic, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Haiti. My country welcomes the progress made in various places, thanks to the work or the assistance of the United Nations. Indeed, we commend the progress made in Côte d’Ivoire in implementing the Ouagadougou agreements and in peacebuilding there. In Burundi, the process is also moving forward, with the holding of elections, thus moving the country from the peacekeeping phase to the peacebuilding phase. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo too, the United Nations Mission has turned into a stabilization mission. In Haiti, we are moving towards stabilization, despite the delays caused by the 12 January 2010 earthquake. We are, of course, aware of the fact that the available resources are not keeping pace with the constant increase in deployments, let alone the diversity and complexity of mission mandates. This is why we encourage the Secretary-General to continue his consideration of this issue, in collaboration with Member States, as part of the New Horizons initiative, in order to find solutions to those problems. For its part, my country supports the implementation of that programme, which has repeatedly received widespread support from many Member States, both in the Security Council and in the General Assembly. The need to reform United Nations peacekeeping leads me to speak, in conclusion, about the need to reform the Organization and the system in its entirety, given the human tragedies we face, in particular in Africa, with regard to both development and peace. The central role of the United Nations in global governance is an undeniable fact. It is clear that, faced with the challenges that confront us, the United Nations is undertaking praiseworthy efforts. But, in order to fully guarantee the effectiveness of its work, the Organization must receive the resources that it needs from all its Members. To do so, it must always reflect our common desires and remain the crucible of multilateralism and of the democratization of international relations. In that regard and in terms of the issue of development, the desire for increased solidarity and for an overhaul of the international system aimed at achieving a fairer trade and financial system must be heard. This is where the work that the United Nations will pursue with the Group of 20 and Group of Eight is cause for hope. As regards the United Nations itself, the often- mentioned need for Security Council reform, which should enable Africa to have a permanent presence there, requires us to take determined action. That would be a good course of action for an Organization that, ultimately, is the mediator of our higher interests, with peace, security and the well-being of each and every person at the forefront of those interests.

I wish to thank the Secretary-General for his annual report on the work of the Organization (A/65/1). The commitments that we undertook in 2000, enshrined in the Millennium Declaration, were renewed by our leaders two weeks ago at the High- level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As we take stock of the MDGs, it is evident that the progress reported by the Secretary- General on various fronts, such as poverty reduction, primary education enrolment, narrowing the gender gap in education and access to clean water, is tempered by the uneven reach and significant gaps that persist in all the MDG categories, in particular the health-related MDGs. Never before in the 65 years of the existence of the United Nations has there been such a groundswell of global support for taking development to the poorest and the most vulnerable among us, the overwhelming majority of whom are found in developing countries. Never before has there been a clearer picture of what needs to be done to address the many dimensions of poverty and inequality and to build a global partnership for development. It is, therefore, imperative that we ensure that our collective commitments are achieved in the agreed time frame. While countries bear the primary responsibility for their own development strategies and goals, there is no denying that resource constraints pose a significant impediment to progress in achieving the MDGs. The global partnership on financing for development is crucial to ensuring that the developing countries can meet their MDG targets, particularly as they relate to the special needs of Africa and the least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked least developed countries. They must continue to receive priority attention. We could not agree more with the Secretary- General that the achievement of the MDGs requires unswerving commitment, proactive engagement and collective global political leadership and will. It is time now for the high words to translate into action. India shares the priority placed by the Secretary- General on climate change. We are aware of the consequences it has for vulnerable communities and regions in our countries. We welcome his initiative on a High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing and a High-level Panel on Global Sustainability. India will participate constructively in efforts to achieve an ambitious and equitable outcome in the negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. While the Secretary-General’s report captures the priorities that have engaged the Organization and its membership, as well as the progress achieved on a number of fronts, we are struck by the singular lack of mention of the important progress made in advancing the agenda of Security Council reform. The launch of text-based negotiations and the overwhelming and emphatic support extended by the membership of the United Nations for expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council cannot go unacknowledged and needs to be properly recorded. Intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reforms acquired a positive momentum in the sixty-fourth session, with a decision by the membership to “immediately continue intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform” (decision 64/568, para. (a)) on the basis of the negotiation text. The Organization’s success in meeting the diverse and complex challenges it faces is to a great extent based on our willingness to accept and undertake the crying need for reform of the principal organs of the United Nations, in particular the Security Council. It is our firm belief that the effectiveness and relevance of the multilateral endeavour that constitutes the United Nations and its activities diminishes every day that we delay implementing real reforms of its governance architecture. I also draw attention to the progress made in the revitalization of the General Assembly. Its pre-eminent role as the chief deliberative, policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations should be respected in letter and in spirit. The Ad Hoc Working Group on the revitalization of the General Assembly did commendable work during the previous session. In that connection, we welcome the adoption of consensus resolution 64/301 on the subject based on the conclusions in the report of the Ad Hoc Working Group (A/64/903). A number of forward-looking provisions were agreed on, including those relating to enhancing the Assembly’s role in the selection and appointment of the Secretary-General, enhancing the role of the Assembly in the maintenance of international peace and security, strengthening the institution of the presidency of the General Assembly and improving the quality of reporting by the Security Council to the General Assembly. Terrorism poses a grave threat to all States and societies. It is a global threat that requires a coordinated and concerted global response to combat it. In this regard, India believes that the adoption of a comprehensive convention against international terrorism, which has been under negotiation for over 15 years, would provide a solid legal basis for the fight against terrorism. We therefore welcome the Secretary- General’s assertion in his report on measures to eliminate international terrorism (A/65/175) that comprehensive implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy cannot be complete without the conclusion of the comprehensive convention on international terrorism. Ongoing efforts, such as the recent second biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, institutionalization of the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force and the strengthening of the sanctions regime created by Security Council resolution 1267 (1999) are steps in the right direction. India will continue its active involvement in all the counter-terrorism efforts of the United Nations. Peacekeeping continues to be the most visible contribution of the United Nations towards the maintenance of peace and stability in conflict-torn regions around the world. As one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping operations, both in terms of troops and resources, we support efforts by the Secretary-General to strengthen the capability of the Organization to keep peace in increasingly complex situations. The challenge is to ensure that field missions are equipped with adequate resources and expertise to satisfactorily execute peacekeeping mandates. My delegation is following with close interest the Secretary-General’s efforts to enhance the Secretariat’s ability to support peacekeeping operations. In that regard, we expect the Secretariat to closely consult with us and other troop-contributing countries in further taking forward the global field support strategy that was unveiled last year. India remains acutely conscious that peacekeeping cannot be a substitute for the task of nation-building and peacebuilding. The Government of India is committed to the principle and practice of peacebuilding. We have been actively involved in the process of the ongoing review of the peacebuilding architecture that is centred on the Peacebuilding Commission and its instrumentalities. There have been a number of innovative mechanisms put in place to bolster United Nations peacebuilding efforts, including collaboration with the World Bank, expanding the footprint of post-conflict consolidation through enhancing civilian capacities, maximizing the positive role that women can play in peacebuilding and strengthening the catalytic role of the Peacebuilding Fund. We support those innovations. We would further like to stress the imperative of national ownership and the anchoring of international peacebuilding efforts at the country level. We are encouraged by the positive signs of an invigorated international debate on global disarmament in 2010. India attaches the highest priority to the goal of universal nuclear disarmament and has an impeccable non-proliferation record. Nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are mutually reinforcing processes, and they require concerted and cooperative international efforts. We would like to express our appreciation for the Secretary-General’s initiative to convene the High- level Meeting on Revitalizing the Work of the Conference on Disarmament and Taking Forward Multilateral Disarmament Negotiations. We believe that it has rightfully sent a clear message of support for the Conference on Disarmament as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum and that it provides political impetus to the multilateral disarmament agenda. We appreciate the efforts of the Secretary- General in advocating the principles of promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law. We also recognize their synergistic link with human welfare and socio-economic development, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The review exercise of the Human Rights Council should explore ways to preserve transparency and inclusiveness and to ensure that, while urgent human rights situations are addressed, duplication and overlap are avoided. The Council should also streamline the number of resolutions put forward in each session, rationalize its work and the mandates of its special procedures, without in any way undermining our commitment to human rights and make the dialogue between the Council and Member States genuinely interactive. The institutional strengthening of the Organization to better enable it to deliver on its vision and mandate received a boost with the adoption of General Assembly resolution 64/289 on system-wide coherence. India particularly welcomes the landmark decision to create a unified gender entity, UN Women. We look forward to the early operationalization of the entity and welcome the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as the first Executive Director and Under- Secretary-General for UN Women. In closing, I pledge my delegation’s full support for efforts to achieve the important goals we have set for ourselves and take forward the important mandates entrusted to the Organization. We look forward to building on the positive momentum from last year on crucial issues and working towards meaningful and result-oriented discussions on the various items on the agenda of the General Assembly.

I thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his report on the work of the Organization (A/65/1). It presents the activities of the United Nations during a period in which the world’s demands of and expectations for the Organization were very high. We appreciated the continued efforts of the Secretary-General and the Secretariat to help Member States meet such expectations and respond to those demands. More than ever, multilateralism is a political and practical imperative. Dealing with the many global challenges with which we are confronted requires enhanced cooperation and decision-making processes that are more participatory. In some areas, the traditional players have already understood that. In others, there is still resistance to sharing power and responsibilities. We must all constantly work to strengthen the General Assembly with concrete initiatives. Just as importantly, the Security Council must be reformed and expanded to allow for greater participation on the part of developing countries, including as permanent members. Africa is — and rightly so — a key priority in the various fields of the work of the United Nations. Such a priority should be permanently translated into specific initiatives. The continent occupies a very special place in Brazilian diplomacy. Through trade and investment, we are joining forces with several African Governments to develop the enormous potential of the continent and reduce its dependency on foreign assistance. This year, in which a significant number of African nations are celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of their decolonization, Brazil is renewing its commitment to an independent, prosperous, just and democratic Africa. Among the many activities undertaken by the Organization, those in the social domain deserve particular attention. The Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are key guides to our collective endeavours. Brazil is proud to have achieved almost all of the Millennium Development Goals and to be well on the way to meeting them all by 2015. We consider, however, that achieving the MDGs will not be possible without the allocation of significant additional financial resources in a stable and predictable manner, particularly to the poorest countries among us. All Member States must fulfil their international obligations in this regard. The inability of a country to reach those Goals is a responsibility to be shared by the international community, as the promotion of development is a task for us all. Reaching a global, comprehensive and ambitious agreement on climate change remains a major challenge that requires actions commensurate with our common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Brazil and other developing countries are doing their part. A positive outcome from the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, with tangible progress on forests, financing for adaptation and mitigation, access to technologies and the reaffirmation of the Kyoto commitments is paramount. As Minister for Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim stated here in his intervention during the general debate, the Mexican presidency can count on Brazil’s engagement to achieve this objective. Human rights are a basic pillar of the United Nations and a central part of its work. Brazil’s commitment to the promotion of human rights is unwavering. The Human Rights Council must continue to operate in a non-selective and constructive manner, especially through the Universal Periodic Review, while maintaining the capacity to address situations of particular concern. In our view, human rights are most effectively ensured by dialogue and cooperation. We welcome the establishment of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Brazil is ready to work with President Michelle Bachelet and Member States to further advance gender equality and the empowerment of women. As the Secretary-General has stated, “by empowering women, we empower societies”. The year 2010 will be remembered as the year that the capacity of the international community to respond to humanitarian emergencies was put to the test. From Haiti to Pakistan, we have seen genuine success stories, but also witnessed the limits of current mechanisms when facing calamities of biblical proportions. It is imperative that we redouble our efforts in order to ensure timely life-saving assistance to those in need, as well as the means to promote the transition to recovery and development. With regard to Haiti in particular, we believe that the holding of the International Donors Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti was an important example of the Organization’s aid to a country devastated by a natural disaster. For such a response to be effective, however, it is imperative that donors live up to their pledges in a timely manner. United Nations peacekeeping continues to be one of the most crucial aspects of the Organization’s work for millions of people around the world. We strongly support the continued partnership among the troop- and police-contributing countries, the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Secretariat to make peacekeeping more effective. In the coming year, we hope to see continued progress in areas such as the linkage between peacekeeping and peacebuilding, interaction with local populations and the protection of civilians. One challenge of particular importance today is how to address the complex problems of security and development in ways that are distinct and yet mutually reinforcing. This is not simple, but absolutely must be done. In order to achieve a truly secure world, the promise of the total elimination of nuclear weapons must be fulfilled. Unilateral reductions are welcome but insufficient, especially when they occur in tandem with the modernization of nuclear arsenals. There is a clear and inextricable link between disarmament and non-proliferation. They are mutually reinforcing processes, in which the best guarantee against nuclear proliferation is nuclear disarmament. We strongly support the rejuvenation of the Conference on Disarmament. The balance between the three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons must be maintained. Our times are surely challenging, but are also very promising. The world is changing and it can be made a better place. The United Nations is and must remain a valuable instrument to help us achieve that shared goal. Brazil renews its full commitment to the Organization.

The delegation of Belarus welcomes the conceptual approach of the Secretary-General’s report (A/65/1) to solving topical issues on the international agenda, in particular in the context of implementing commitments to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We support additional measures to establish innovative financing and investment mechanisms and to provide resources to strengthen peace and security and to meet humanitarian needs and uphold human rights. We share the view of the Secretary-General on the main mechanism for implementing this approach — multilateralism and partnerships, to which there exists no alternative. An excellent example of the partnership policy playing out in practice in the United Nations is the General Assembly’s consensus adoption, at its sixty- fourth session, of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons (resolution 64/293). We all have painstaking work to do together to ensure the full and effective implementation of this comprehensive document. A few days ago, from this rostrum, the Belarusian delegation put forward a new idea in the area of global partnership aimed at supporting talented young people and protecting the younger generation from social decline. We hope that Member States will respond to Belarus’s initiative and support the holding of thematic debates in the Assembly on the issue. The current global economic instability demonstrates the need for taking measures to establish a sustainable economy. One pillar of such an economy, along with other sectors, should be the energy sector, based on the exploitation of new and renewable power sources. We are convinced that work in the area of energy could facilitate the establishment of a comprehensive energy agenda for the United Nations. We note the contribution of the Secretariat to finding solutions to the problem of energy supply. In that regard, we commend the conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change, particularly regarding the provision of access to modern energy technologies. We expect the United Nations to continue its assistance in establishing a global partnership in the energy sector, with special attention to the transfer of modern energy technologies. Belarus is ready to make its contribution to this effort, and has already set up an international laboratory on renewable energy sources, based at the Institute for Energy of the National Academy of Sciences. Belarus is interested in the successful outcome of the negotiations on climate change. The modest achievements of the Copenhagen Conference are a convincing demonstration of the necessity of taking specific measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts by Belarus for several years to ensure the entry into force of its amendment to Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — and thus to make its contribution to the overall protection of the climate — have unfortunately so far been unsuccessful. In that regard, however, we note the support of China, Egypt, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Morocco, the Republic of Korea and Ukraine, which all approved the Belarus amendment during the Assembly’s sixty-fourth session. We believe that the Secretary-General’s authoritative position as depositary of the Convention and Kyoto Protocol will play a decisive role in accelerating the approval process of the Belarus amendment. In the context of United Nations assistance to Member States beset by natural and man-made disasters, we note that the impact of the Chernobyl catastrophe is still being felt today, 25 years after the accident. We are convinced that the successful mitigation of the results of the Chernobyl explosion is in the interests of the entire international community. In that regard, we call for the Assembly’s support for the draft resolution on Chernobyl. We recognize the positive effect of measures taken by the United Nations to improve the social and economic situation in the world. We note, however, that implementing such measures is impossible without enhancing the economic capacity and political role of middle-income countries, which can make an important contribution to the stable growth of the world’s economy. Belarus therefore requests the United Nations to undertake a more productive modernization of its working methods, first and foremost by ensuring its economic and social effectiveness. We commend the leading role of the Economic and Social Council, which has a key part to play as coordinator in this area. At the same time, we consider that more attention should be paid to the work of intergovernmental mechanisms, in particular the Economic and Social Council’s Development Cooperation Forum. Participation in the Forum by interested parties, including the private sector, will enable it to deal with many thorny issues, including the achievement of the MDGs. National voluntary presentations at the Council’s high-level segment are another important tool for sharing experience and fostering coordination. Belarus will submit its national report at the annual Economic and Social Council session in 2011. The achievement of the MDGs is an international issue. However, the main responsibility for it lies with national Governments. The Belarusian Government’s strong social policies have meant that over the past 10 years our country has seen a threefold increase in income, an eightfold decrease in those living below the poverty line and a threefold drop in the unemployment rate. Our maternal and child mortality levels are approaching those of developed countries, and the proportion of women in Parliament now exceeds 30 per cent. Belarus has thus already attained most of the MDGs and intends to achieve the rest by 2015. In its progress towards achieving the MDGs, Belarus has demonstrated in practice its commitment to human rights. In that regard, we note the observation in the Secretary-General’s report that the protection of human rights should be an integral part of efforts by Member States in the area of development. Belarus is in agreement with the Secretary- General’s opinion that 2010 has been a significant year for work in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation. The year was marked by a number of international activities relating to disarmament. The outcome of those meetings demonstrates that of all the many issues linked to international security, the topic of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation is still very pertinent. The May Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons showed the importance of maintaining and strengthening this international instrument. We hope that the outcome document of the Conference (NPT/CONF.2010/50), which includes, among other things, a specific list of future actions, will be a productive basis for the work of Treaty member States to achieve the Treaty’s aims swiftly. We believe that providing non-nuclear-weapon States with negative security assurances based on a legally binding document will significantly shore up the non-proliferation regime. Belarus welcomes United Nations efforts to counter the illicit and uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons. We hope that this area will remain an important part of the Organization’s work on the disarmament track. We were pleased to hear of the Secretary-General’s efforts to revitalize the work of the Conference on Disarmament. Belarus supports the convening of a fourth special session of the General Assembly on disarmament, during which important issues with regard to revitalizing the Conference could be reviewed. We hope that this important negotiating body will soon emerge from crisis and renew its substantive work. Belarus has consistently held to the opinion that the successful implementation of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy depends on a reliable international legal basis for action by States in the fight against terrorism. We believe that the General Assembly — without substituting for the Security Council — can make a significant contribution to the efforts of the international community to combat terrorism by the speedy completion of its work on a comprehensive convention on terrorism. Belarus is prepared for constructive discussions on proposals for the completion of the final draft of the convention. We also underscore the importance of technical assistance provided by bodies such as the Counter-Terrorism Committee, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Interpol and other organizations. Belarus welcomes the establishment of the composite United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, as well as new approaches to regulate operational activities and other important elements included in resolution 64/289, on system-wide coherence. Unfortunately, it would seem that that is the only clear example of successful reform of the United Nations. We therefore call on the Secretary-General to continue efforts in that area. We believe that our combined efforts on revitalizing the work of the General Assembly should be given high priority.

We thank the Secretary-General for presenting his report on the work of the Organization (A/65/1) during the past year as we initiate this sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly. We find the report to be complete and balanced, and, above all, it has suggestions regarding the major challenges that the United Nations faces in meeting our expectations in an international context characterized by more shadows than light. The Secretary-General has proposed that those challenges can be grouped in three broad categories: a more prosperous world that is free of poverty, a greener world that is environmentally sustainable and a more secure world that is liberated from the risk of a nuclear holocaust. Those certainly are challenges of the first order, although from our perspective we would add three additional categories, to which I will allude presently. As to the first category, the recent High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals once more demonstrated not only our Organization’s power to convene at the highest political level but its effectiveness in its advocacy role for development. We must persist in that core task and insist that all parties meet the responsibilities they agreed to in the year 2000. In any case, although the United Nations might not be called upon to play a central role in addressing the effects of the economic and financial crisis of 2008 — one of the major adverse events of our times — its moral authority and universal membership surely warrant that it be seated at the table where such matters are discussed. Likewise, our intergovernmental forums — among others, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the regional commissions, as well as their respective secretariats — continue to influence the priority development agenda at the international level and in each of our countries, while the system’s programs and specialized agencies make an essential contribution to development cooperation. As to the second category, the United Nations certainly showed the way forward with the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, whose enormous impact, in the sphere of both actions and ideas, will be the subject of an assessment in another two years. At the same time, the Organization is making great efforts to address what is perhaps the most relevant emerging issue of our generation: climate change and how it is affecting all aspects of human endeavour. It is essential that progress be made at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Cancún. Here again the United Nations is called upon to play a crucial role. The third category — seeking a safer world — manifests itself in a number of ways. It starts with the core function of our Organization — fostering and maintaining peace — complemented by peacebuilding. It could be argued that this is the category where the most innovations have taken place in our Organization, ranging from the conceptual framework offered in the New Horizons Initiative in the area of peacekeeping to the establishment five years ago of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund. Conceptual and practical progress has also been achieved in diverse areas such as the protection of civilians in situations of conflict, especially of vulnerable civilians, including women and children. Recent events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo illustrate just how difficult that task really is. We also value the renewed impetus that the Secretary- General has given to the subject of disarmament, a matter that has been rather stagnant and neglected in the last decades. As a complement to the three large categories of topics alluded to by the Secretary-General, he could very well have added three additional categories: first, the basic purpose of the United Nations, which is to promote and defend human rights; second, the growing importance of the Organization in providing humanitarian assistance; and third, cross-cutting issues such as gender equality. With regard to the promotion of human rights, in recent years new topics have surfaced, such as the responsibility to protect our respective populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity; a stronger commitment to the situation of indigenous peoples; the effort to combat impunity and establish the rule of law; and the possibility of reviewing the work of the Human Rights Council in the near future. The role of the United Nations as a provider of humanitarian assistance became dramatically apparent in the last year, with the earthquake that levelled Port- au-Prince in Haiti and, very recently, the flooding that affected millions in Pakistan. In spite of the extraordinary demands placed on the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Food Programme and other specialized agencies, the system was able to respond in a satisfactory manner. Finally, as to the cross-cutting issues, the creation of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women — UN Women — appears at the forefront of our agenda. The appointment of the former President of Chile, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, a very well-respected person, as its first Executive Director has contributed to expectations of an impetus that the Organization will be able to provide in this area. This small sample of the broad and diverse agenda we have before us — without even touching on other high-priority issues, such as combating transnational crime, implementing the Counter- Terrorism Strategy and analysing international migrations — underscores the singular nature of the United Nations and its continued relevance, in spite of the shortcomings that we are all familiar with and the criticism that the Organization’s detractors continuously hurl at it. That said, we must recognize that we are still wed to an institutional structure designed to respond to twentieth-century problems, not necessarily those of the twenty-first century. Some progress has been made in the area of administrative management and in coordination and consistency, and the agenda has slowly moved towards embracing emerging issues. However, it could be argued that progress has been slow, insufficient and, in some cases, superficial. The mother of all reforms, the reform of the Security Council, continues to languish. It is high time that we seriously address that issue, since a solution making the Council more representative would not only be justified in itself but would also open the way for the other reforms the United Nations needs in order to reach its full potential. To conclude, I would like to say a few words about the Secretariat and about the staff that serves it. I am moved to do so by the memory of the 105 staff members who lost their lives in Haiti in the performance of their duties. And perhaps I am also moved by my current status as Chair of the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly. Having a Secretariat that inspires respect in Member States is a central point for the sound functioning of the United Nations. It requires the unshakeable leadership of the Secretary-General and highly competent and motivated staff both at Headquarters and in the field. We believe that we are fortunate that the Secretariat already meets those criteria to a very high degree. But like everything else in life, it is subject to improvement. That is why the exercise that the General Assembly is to conduct this year to review human resources policies is of such importance, and it is also part of the strengthening that we seek for our Organization.

I would like to take the opportunity offered us by the consideration, at the beginning of this session, of the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (A/65/1) to reiterate to the President the sincere congratulations of the Senegalese delegation on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session. No one doubts that his qualities as an outstanding diplomat and his great experience on the international scene will enable us to make significant progress in our shared quest for solutions to problems that humanity is facing. In carrying out his noble mission, he can count on the active support of the Senegalese delegation. Today more than ever the globalization of crises that transcend borders and differences reminds us of the pressing need for a more committed, more inclusive multilateral approach if together we want to have a collective effect on the future of the generations to come. The thoughts that we shared during the general debate just a few days ago all make us see that we need to think in new ways of how we can act as the international community to draw up bold solutions with a view to freeing our world from the numerous vices that hamper the flourishing of humankind. The summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that concluded about two weeks ago reminded us of the unpleasant assessment of the timid progress made in our common plan for achieving the Goals that we had undertaken to accomplish by 2015, as, incidentally, the report of the Secretary-General underlines. Through the commitments in the outcome document of the summit on the MDGs (resolution 65/1), we have made a date with the poor and the vulnerable of this world in 2015. We have the collective and historic responsibility to achieve those Goals, which are clearly the minimum conditions that every person can expect for a decent existence. The time for action has come, and we must act quickly. Let us try to do so, so as not to disappoint the expectations of millions of men and women who are confronted daily with illness and despair. But each — developed countries as well as developing countries — should play its part, because it is true that whatever the urgent efforts that our countries need to undertake, they can do so only if the commitments made in other frameworks and partnerships are acted on — for example, managing debt, promoting free and fair trade, improving the volume and quality of assistance and the mechanisms for granting it, and facilitating access to modern technologies. With regard to Africa, which is lagging behind significantly in achieving the MDGs, it is for us, following the Secretary-General, to forcefully reaffirm that “Africa’s people need neither pity nor charity; they need the tools to create jobs and generate incomes” (A/65/1, para. 35). In truth, more than a need, it is an urgent requirement that we rethink and reform the methods and modes of action that have guided our approach until now in order to adapt them to the geopolitical realities of the twenty-first century. The issue is, most of all, to break with the status quo that marginalizes the majority of Member States and to establish a global order in which Africa will fully play the role it should have. Transparency, openness and inclusion should be the key words of the new order that we want to build together. Significant progress has been made in the security situation in Africa in terms of settling crises and conflicts in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and the Sudan. But such progress does not mean that we should lose sight of the tragic situation that Somalia has plunged into, which deserves greater attention from us. The United Nations and the African Union should plan a joint action to bring an end to that human tragedy, which continues to unfold before our eyes. Despite some satisfying progress here and there, with regard to the ever-increasing complexity of conflicts, we continually question the way the United Nations intervenes in theatres of operations. Should we not be considering integrating peacebuilding into peacekeeping operations, including a civil component that is more significant and better equipped? That question will undoubtedly be taken into account as part of the review of the Peacebuilding Commission. It would also make sense to further explore the paths of preventive diplomacy, given the exorbitant cost of peacekeeping operations and the tragic consequences of conflicts. In that context, the accent should be on promoting good governance and combating drug trafficking, the illegal arms trade and all forms of human rights violations. Concerning that very question of human rights, we should take advantage of the review of the operations of the Human Rights Council, scheduled for the current session, to correct its functional and structural shortcomings, in order to dispel the polemics and confrontations and to turn that body into an area for dialogue, where dynamic compromises can emerge that could preserve human dignity. The United Nations must also fully play the role of guarantor of the international legal order, which, to be fair and effective, should be based on respect for and promotion of the rule of law. It is when we are united under one impetus that we are best able to prevent such serious crimes as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, and, when such crimes are committed, to react promptly and effectively. We truly have a shared responsibility to act in order to ensure that the atrocities that these serious crimes expose us to never happen again, and so that we can work towards the emergence of an effective, fair, impartial and apolitical international criminal justice system. In the same way, we must do all we can to succeed in our crusade against terrorism. The challenge is enormous, of course, but it is within our reach if we can display the faith and commitment that the challenge demands. It goes without saying that effective implementation of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy by all the relevant actors would be a notable step forward in our common struggle to utterly eradicate the scourge of terrorism. While it is undeniable that through its actions the United Nations is an essential platform in the search for solutions to existing concerns, we must note that the complexity of emerging challenges, the gravity of new threats and the more or less serious failures and shortcomings threaten to render our actions less effective. As a universal Organization, the United Nations has the primary responsibility for facing up to that, in fully exercising its prerogatives, to produce optimum responses to the obstacles that block our ongoing quest for progress. It is thus fortunate that our Organization has been enriched by the arrival of a new organ, UN Women, which places the gender dimension on the international agenda. I would like to assure the Assembly of Senegal’s complete support for that new entity and its Under-Secretary-General, President Michelle Bachelet, while expressing my fervent wish that its contribution will enrich our Organization, whose universal mandate and scope will thus be strengthened in this area. In conclusion, I would strongly encourage the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, condemned as they are to live together, to find the necessary resources to create the conditions in which they can coexist in peace and security. That will unquestionably come via the creation, at the side of Israel, of an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian State, with defined and internationally recognized borders. That is the way to salvation in that region, and it is the earnest desire of my country.

We began the current session only a few weeks ago, and the work that the Assembly has done is already quite extensive. That is why I would like to express my special appreciation for the exemplary way in which the President has conducted discussions and for the manner in which the work has been developing during the session. As aptly noted by the Secretary-General in his report (A/65/1), the United Nations has a concrete framework to guide its actions: the Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is therefore extremely important that the High-level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals served as the framework for the reaffirmation of our commitment to meeting the Goals we set for ourselves in 2000. We are all aware of the enormous challenges we face for 2015. Recent progress by the Organization has shown that it is possible to develop specific tools to achieve substantial improvements in the welfare and living conditions of the most needy and to ensure basic rights to all persons. Let me mention two examples of that progress: the adoption of the action plan for the next five years approved by Member States in September, and the launch of the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, promoted by the Secretary-General, which has received pledges of more than $40 billion. Colombia also recognizes the special priority that the Secretary-General has given to the challenges that climate change creates for the international community. We appreciate the fact that the actions defined by the United Nations system in this area are subject to appropriate consultations with the States. As a highly diverse country that is vulnerable to climate change, Colombia is confident that we will reach agreements, both in Nagoya at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity, and in Cancún at the Conference on the Climate Change Convention. It is also essential to recognize the intrinsic relations between climate change and biodiversity, and, based on those relations, to coordinate the actions taken by the Conventions to address both themes in the context of the United Nations. We reiterate that in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals, international cooperation must play a role of the greatest importance. The world economy is beginning to show signs of recovery from one of its worst crises, and it is time to get back on track to making good on the cooperation and assistance commitments undertaken by the entire international community. Colombia has managed to overcome challenges that called into question its viability as a State. Now, we are seen as a role model because of our strengthened democratic institutions, the radical improvement in our security, and our socio-economic development potential. The experiences in the fight against adversity allowed us to develop technical and operational capabilities that we are sharing with various countries. Issues such as the conservation and sustainable use of forests, renewable energies, the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking, the fight against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, humanitarian assistance, and the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of illegal armed groups are just some of the areas in which Colombia can contribute to ensuring the protection of and access to the global public goods to which the Secretary- General referred to in his report. In connection with some of those issues, we would like to encourage the work of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, given the need to move forward more firmly and decisively with the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. I take this opportunity to reiterate our call to all States to reinvigorate efforts to agree on and promptly promulgate a general convention against terrorism. Similarly, in 2012 we must achieve a balanced, legally binding arms trade treaty with the highest possible common standards, because, as noted in the Secretary-General’s report, unregulated arms transfers have many negative effects on stability, development and human rights. On the other hand, the efforts made by the Organization in the maintenance of international peace and security deserve special mention. It has been expanding its role of supporting peace and stabilization processes and has made innovative use of the resources at its disposal in the exercise of preventive diplomacy. With regard to the role of peacebuilding and peacekeeping operations, it is important to continue to strengthen coordinated working mechanisms among the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Secretariat and other bodies, so that, within their respective competencies, comprehensive and inclusive work can be developed, given that, as the Secretary- General stated, peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities are not substitutes for lasting political solutions to crisis situations. This year, the world has faced some of the worst natural disasters ever seen, and the Organization faced particular challenges in attending to those suffering their consequences. It is time to reinforce measures in disaster prevention and risk mitigation, as well as the coordination of humanitarian assistance and efforts to strengthen stable transitions to development. The case of Haiti deserves special attention because, as President Juan Manuel Santos said before this Assembly (see A/65/PV.15), the people of that brotherly country are still suffering the consequences of the earthquake of 12 January 2010. Approximately nine months have passed since the tragedy, and many of the commitments we made to the Government and people of Haiti have yet to be realized. We cannot forget those who need us and have pinned their hopes on the Organization, especially when we aim to provide long-term solutions. There is a cross-cutting theme of utmost importance in the report of the Secretary-General. I am referring to the topic of gender equality and the empowerment of women. We welcome the adoption by consensus of resolution 64/289, which established the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. I congratulate former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet on her appointment as Under-Secretary-General to lead that new entity in its dual mandate of promoting the incorporation of gender perspectives in the work of the Organization and strengthening cooperation with States in this area. In this the year in which the United Nations suffered its greatest ever loss of life in the line of duty, Colombia would like to add its voice to that of the Secretary-General in paying tribute to all personnel who lost their lives in pursuit of the ideals of our Organization. Finally, Colombia thanks the Secretary-General for presenting his report on the work of the Organization, which reflects the diligent work he carries out, together with the entire team of the Secretariat, towards the realization of the goals we have set ourselves. I reiterate my delegation’s steady support for him in carrying out his work successfully and effectively.

I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report (A/65/1), which he presented to this body on 23 September (see A/65/PV.11). The thrust of this year’s report is more positive than in previous years, indicating that the Organization has managed to achieve more in this past year despite the ever-present global challenges. We congratulate the men and women of the United Nations, who have been able to ensure delivery of the Organization’s mandate. One obvious addition to the United Nations family over the past year, and one which my country is pleased to welcome, is the establishment of a dedicated entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women — UN Women, for short. Women’s empowerment is nothing new for Malaysia, which has had such a policy since the days leading up to our independence. Women have always been a major part of the Malaysian workforce, rising up through the ranks to hold positions such as Governor of the Central Bank, Attorney General, Solicitor General and Accountant General, even as early as the 1980s. Then, of course, there were the ambassadors, the heads of departments and the chief executive officers of companies. But for some reason there has never been an abundance of women in politics, with national figures only hovering around the 10 per cent mark, and well below the 19 per cent average internationally. When Member States voted unanimously to establish UN Women in July of this year, it signalled a significant milestone in the work of the Organization. It meant that global movement for the empowerment of women had finally arrived and the goal of achieving true gender equality was inching ever closer. It also meant that the streamlining of women’s participation within the United Nations would be even greater than before. The Secretary-General has done a commendable job in naming to his cabinet, and to the posts of Under-Secretaries-General, a number of competent, prolific and dynamic women, in recognition of their work and capabilities. This past year also saw a number of historic events both in the work of the Organization and in the mandate with which the Organization was entrusted. In the final month of 2009, Copenhagen welcomed climate change negotiators from near and far, but the Conference failed to deliver on its promise of a better future. Even though expectations of a breakthrough agreement in Copenhagen were high, they were in no way unrealistic, particularly for those nations whose very survival is already in jeopardy. When we convene in Cancún this year, we will have another chance to make a real change for the future. The Organization can play a leading role in ensuring that we do not waste yet another opportunity to effect a sustainable and satisfactory post-Kyoto world. The second historic event to occur this past year with regard to the Organization had to do with the regular budget of the United Nations itself. This year, the United Nations regular budget topped the $5 billion mark for the first time since the Organization’s establishment. Only two cycles ago, the regular budget for the biennium 2006-2007 stood at $3.8 billion. That means that, in a mere four years, the United Nations expanded its budget by 30 per cent. While the figures themselves are not particularly earth-shattering, in a world of increasingly limited resources where sustainability is key, the United Nations must find innovative ways to halt this budget expansion. For one, work duplication within the United Nations system that results in the creation of administrative posts must be stopped. It must also be remembered that this figure does not include the nearly $8 billion allocated for peacekeeping activities alone. Thirdly, the deployment of United Nations peacekeeping personnel in 2009 reached, as the Secretary-General put it, unprecedented levels, rising to 124,000 deployed personnel. As one of the cornerstones in the work of the United Nations, the deployment of United Nations personnel to maintain peace and security remains an important aspect of United Nations work overall. But it is hoped that these figures will decrease significantly with the scheduled withdrawal or drawdown of the United Nations in three of its current 16 peacekeeping missions. We hope too that the integrated approach being introduced will help bring about greater efficiency in the way the United Nations conducts its presence on the ground. The fourth milestone for the Organization this past year had to do with the number of new humanitarian emergencies it had to handle. A total of 43 new emergencies within a period of some 12 months could stretch United Nations resources even further, thus hindering its ability to respond effectively and efficiently to such emergencies. Malaysia notes that the number of natural disasters continues to rise on a yearly basis. We believe that, to a certain extent, this may be attributable to the climate change phenomenon. The only solution to the growing incidence of natural disasters would be to address the problem of climate change now, as it is now more imperative than ever to gather the collective will to tackle this global challenge. On the issue of humanitarian assistance, Malaysia remains deeply concerned by the rising attacks on humanitarian workers under the United Nations banner. These attacks, while in no way excusable or acceptable, must surely have some grounding in perceived grievances or distrust in the Organization as a whole. In the short term, the Secretary-General’s proposal to review and adjust security arrangements would enable the Organization to continue to carry out one of its mainstay activities. However, in the longer term we must reconsider the way we do business. Long-term programmes must be established to ensure the safety and security of United Nations workers on the ground, including through embarking on favourable public relations. It was not so long ago that those who wore United Nations blue helmets or worked under the United Nations banner were given sufficient deference to go about their tasks. We need to reclaim that level of respect for the work of the Organization, which would be more effective in ensuring safety and security than flexing our military might or cocooning ourselves in a bubble. The two cornerstones of United Nations work — peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance — must not be compromised. Every year, all of us in this Hall look forward to the Secretary-General’s report on the work of the Organization. We do so because as Member States of the Organization we have a stake in its success, in its shortcomings and, most of all, in the work that it carries out for the global village we live in. As so many people have put it, including the Secretary-General himself, the United Nations is more than just a collection of buildings, or principles, or ideas and ideals. The United Nations, working together, is more than just the sum total of its present Members. It is an Organization bolstered by the multiplier effect of its Members’ strength. This is why so many nations are committed to making the Organization work and to ensuring the continuity of the good work it carries out around the world. For many small or developing countries worldwide, the work of the United Nations fills the capability gap that individual nations alone cannot hope to fill. Even though the United Nations cannot become everything to everyone, it is still the best hope we have of building a better, just and secure world.

I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive presentation of the report on the work of the Organization (A/65/1). The report contains observations and insightful suggestions on some of the key issues on the United Nations agenda. On the whole, the report provides a good basis for comprehensive and constructive intergovernmental deliberations on issues of major importance to the global community. We are pleased that the level of sensitization to development issues at the global level has increased prominently this year, yet there remains a long way to go before the relevant commitments achieve the development goals. The 2010 high-level review of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) last month concluded that accelerated progress is required if all the targets were to be met by 2015. We are glad that there was general acceptance that while progress has been made on many fronts, we must scale up our efforts more consistently and comprehensively, in particular through global partnerships. It was particularly stressed that countries and regions lagging behind, such as least developed countries (LDCs), would need additional concrete support from the international community towards national leadership of programmes to meet the MDG targets. The already precarious conditions of LDC populations living in poverty and hunger have worsened in the wake of multiple yet mutually exacerbating economic, financial and food and energy crises, together with the adverse and disproportionate impacts of climate change. As reflected in the earlier report entitled “Keeping the promise” (A/64/665), we would have liked to see the situation of the LDCs clearly articulated in the Secretary-General’s current report in terms of their monumental development challenges as the most vulnerable group. It is our considered view, and one generally accepted by all, that the MDGs and other internationally agreed development goals cannot be achieved unless they are achieved by the LDCs as well. That should be duly reflected in all United Nations reports. The maintenance of international peace and security is the primary responsibility of the United Nations. In today’s interconnected and globalized world, the notion of security transcends the confines of military threats and challenges. Therefore, preventive diplomacy must encompass this aspect alongside support for peace processes in countries emerging from, or in, conflict. In recent years the demand for increased United Nations involvement in preventive diplomacy, crisis management, conflict resolution and building sustainable peace has increased phenomenally. Increased responsibility calls for increased political commitment and resources. New and changing patterns of conflicts and crises require commensurate responses that often involve new and innovative solutions. We share the concerns expressed by the Secretary-General in paragraph 66 of his report. We must take full ownership of all United Nations peacekeeping missions and provide them with clear and unambiguous mandates, which need to be designed in close cooperation with troop-contributing countries while also taking into account the concerns of the parties involved. Guided by its profound commitment to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security, Nepal has consistently participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world. We remain steadfast in our commitment. The ongoing review of the peacebuilding architecture offers an opportunity to consider further measures to strengthen its effectiveness on the ground. We will fully engage in its deliberations in the days ahead. The consolidation of national ownership and capacity-building and greater involvement and coordination among United Nations organs on peacebuilding issues, with a key role for the Peacebuilding Commission and the realization of the Commission’s full potential, with more resources and political commitment through the effective implementation of the integrated strategic framework, will be essential to laying a strong and sustainable foundation for peace, reconstruction and recovery. We should also make sure that we integrate peacebuilding efforts early on with peacekeeping operations. We welcome the recent efforts to establish collaboration and partnership with the World Bank and other financial institutions to mobilize resources for peacebuilding efforts. We also call for greater involvement of women in peacebuilding to ensure inclusiveness for its long-term sustainability. Natural disasters, poverty and hunger, financial crises, resource scarcity, population growth and growing urbanization have increased humanitarian challenges. The devastating earthquake in Haiti and the unprecedented floods in Pakistan and elsewhere have underscored the imperative need for building enhanced capacity for disaster management and risk reduction. Similarly, it is worrisome to note that the economic and food crises and climate change continue to have a negative impact on human rights, with increased incidences of xenophobia and discrimination against non-citizens in certain parts of the world. This has underlined the fact that guaranteeing economic security to all is critically important in order to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by all. The universality, indivisibility and non-selectivity of all human rights help promote global adherence to human rights values and norms. Poor and vulnerable countries must be provided with adequate resources and means to guarantee the practical benefits of globalized human rights norms and values to their citizens. It is in this context that the significance of the right to development also needs to be underlined. We attach importance to the review of the Human Rights Council. The Universal Periodic Review, which is an important feature of the Council, must be preserved and further strengthened with a view to promoting and protecting human rights globally. I would like to reaffirm that Nepal’s commitment to all human rights is unequivocal. We have thus made substantive progress in protecting and promoting fundamental human rights over the past few years. The report states in paragraph 106 that addressing climate change, advancing on a global health agenda, countering terrorism and making progress on disarmament and non-proliferation have been priorities for the Secretary-General. However, in our view, poverty and hunger should also be treated with the equal priority they deserve within the overall strategic orientation of the Organization. This is obvious as the world, with over 1 billion people living in poverty and hunger, cannot be considered as a safe place for all to live in. The climate negotiations in Cancún, Mexico, later this year must work towards producing an ambitious and legally binding instrument to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. The cost of delay and failure to act on this existential issue will be colossal. The international community must provide much-needed political support to push the process forward while respecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Building trust among countries, ensuring transparency in the negotiations and finding effective and innovative solutions for deeper emission cuts should underpin the dialogue. An early agreement on financing mechanisms would greatly contribute to enhancing confidence in the negotiation process. Least developed countries, which are highly vulnerable to climate change, are bearing unacceptably disproportionate impacts as compared to their negligible contribution to climate change. My country, Nepal, also falls in this category. Global warming has caused rapid melting of snow in the Nepali Himalayas. About two dozen of our glacial lakes could burst at any time, causing a huge loss of life and property. In addition, we face extreme weather patterns, floods, soil degradation and desertification. The protection of mountain ecology, which is fragile and a great repository of biodiversity, is critically important to preserve the Himalayas, which are also the perennial source of fresh water for over 1 billion people living in South Asia and beyond. The international community must agree on new, predictable, transparent and substantially enhanced resource mobilization and a fast-track provision to ensure resources for mitigation, adaptation, transfer of technology, REDD-plus and capacity-building in least developed countries, commensurate with their needs and vulnerabilities. Nepal has consistently called for general and complete disarmament with respect to all weapons of mass destruction and for the elimination of nuclear weapons in a time-bound manner. Nepal stands for the early operationalization of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty and an early conclusion of a fissile material cut-off treaty. We concur with the apt remark of the Secretary- General that the world is over-armed and that development is under-funded. The international community must make serious efforts to promote complete and general disarmament and divert resources from armaments to invest in long-term peace, stability and prosperity for the world. This is what our conscience dictates, and this is what is just and equitable. Terrorism is a crime and cannot be justified on any grounds. Concerted global efforts are required to wipe out this deadly menace from our planet. Similarly, the global health agenda must receive continued priority, especially given the fact that most countries are lagging behind in meeting health-related MDGs, particularly those related to maternal health. We agree with the Secretary-General that the importance of health for economic productivity, social stability, security and poverty reduction must be stressed. Nepal has expressed support for a change in the composition and working methods of the Security Council. We support expansion in the membership of the Council in both categories. We welcome the recent efforts to structure the debate on the expansion. We are of the view that all five core issues identified must be addressed in a holistic manner to agree on a reform package. We must also ensure that the power and authority of the General Assembly, as the only representative body, must be enhanced in a manner commensurate with its standing. In that context, we welcome the ongoing discussions on the revitalization of the General Assembly, as envisioned by the founders, to strike the right balance between the different organs of the United Nations. We welcome the establishment of UN Women and the resolution on system-wide coherence (resolution 64/289). It is not only the General Assembly and the Security Council that are in need of reform, but also the Economic and Social Council. The role of the Economic and Social Council must be enhanced in promoting global economic relations and advancing the development agenda in close cooperation with the Bretton Woods and other relevant institutions. We are happy with the recent progress in the reform of the Economic and Social Council, but we would like to see this process further accelerated. The United Nations must take a lead role in ensuring coherence and consistency in global economic, financial and trading systems. In conclusion, Nepal has an abiding faith in the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter as an indispensable instrument for global peace, stability and progress. It must promote all its pillars coherently and vigorously. A strong and capable United Nations buttresses multilateralism, which is essential today more than ever before to deal with the global problems of our time.

Allow me to begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his annual report (A/65/1), which provides a comprehensive and clear overview of the Organization’s achievements, as well as its challenges, and lays out a coherent blueprint for future accomplishments. As the Secretary-General reminds us in his report, “The challenges are immense, but experience has shown that when strong commitments are backed by the right policies and adequate resources, even the greatest needs can be met and real progress can be achieved.” (A/65/1, para. 12) My delegation believes that the international community’s most pressing challenges should be tackled efficiently through sustained global and collective action. The United Nations is at the forefront of that effort, as the preeminent international Organization bestowed with authority and legitimacy. The High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in September was a good opportunity to consolidate political will and galvanize the efforts of the international community. With just five years remaining until 2015, many delegations shared the concern that the prospects for achieving the MDGs did not seem bright. However, we should note that our determination to achieve the MDGs is stronger than ever. Indeed, this has been demonstrated by the successful launch of the Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health. My delegation believes that the Strategy will serve as an effective kick-start for the enhancement of maternal and child health, an area in which there has been little progress in most developing countries since 1990. The success of the MDGs depends on action to deliver. Member States should keep their commitments and continue to strive in their efforts towards strengthening global partnerships based on mutual accountability. The outcome document (resolution 65/1) will serve as a valuable guide and tool in such efforts. Keeping in mind the need to take a more active role in the global partnerships for development, the Republic of Korea is going to take concrete steps to fulfil its commitment to triple its 2008 official development assistance volume by 2015, to contribute $3.2 billion on an annual basis. In addition, by fully recognizing the special needs of Africa, the Republic of Korea is implementing its Korea-Africa initiative as a long-term programme for partnership with African countries. Turning to climate change, our future greatly depends on how effectively and urgently we can address this issue. In that regard, my delegation appreciates the leadership of the Secretary-General in making this issue a priority since he first came into office. My delegation believes that such sustained leadership will lead to a successful agreement at the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cancún. Allow me to take this opportunity to refer to the efforts of the Republic of Korea on the issue of climate change. In an effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the Korean Government has set itself a voluntary reduction target of 30 per cent of current levels by 2020. To shift from an energy-intensive to a green- growth economy, the Government of the Republic of Korea has also adopted a pilot low-carbon green- growth initiative to promote the growth of green industries. In the area of peace and security, the intensifying demand for peacekeeping, with progressively complex and multidimensional mandates, reflects the world’s faith in United Nations peacekeeping operations. The Republic of Korea also participates in the international support for peacekeeping operations. This year alone, the Government of the Republic of Korea has dispatched 240 contingents to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. Currently, some 650 Korean soldiers are serving in 11 peacekeeping missions. To ensure sustainability and ultimate success, peacekeeping operations today must not just involve the military dimension, but must also encompass intertwined strategies rooted in development, human rights and disarmament. Similarly, preventive actions or alternatives to sizable peacekeeping operations need to be actively pursued. In that regard, my delegation appreciates the mediation support effort by the Department of Political Affairs. Mediation and other preventive measures should be viewed as complementary and integral parts of everyday peacekeeping operations. Furthermore, peacebuilding efforts have now become an important feature of many peacekeeping missions. My delegation hopes that this year’s review process will contribute to constructive improvement in United Nations peacebuilding, with a view towards enhancing transition during post-conflict periods and building lasting institutions. With regard to humanitarian issues, despite the dedicated efforts and leadership of the Secretary- General, we still face enormous gaps and challenges on many fronts. The most prominent seems to be the funding shortage. Also, more efforts should be made to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers operating in high-risk environments. Strengthening partnerships with civil society and the private sector has become increasingly important in that regard, as the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile have shown us. In the area of human rights, despite the significant progress made, serious violations continue to be committed in many parts of the world. Multiple global crises have served to further deteriorate the overall human rights situation. In crafting responses to multiple global challenges, Member States should fully recognize the relevance of human rights and demonstrate further determination to work together in promoting and protecting them. Against that backdrop, my delegation looks forward to the forthcoming review of the Human Rights Council, which should serve as a good opportunity to strengthen the role of the United Nations in the field of human rights by promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of that organ. My delegation believes that women’s rights and gender issues are an essential part of human rights. However, we are concerned that progress in those areas is slow and, in some cases, is being reversed. In that regard, the emphasis of the Secretary-General in his report on the issue of gender equality and women’s empowerment as indispensable goals of the United Nations is both timely and appropriate. The United Nations has played an indispensable role in setting international norms and principles. As the United Nations makes progress on the implementation of the responsibility to protect, the world will be better prepared to prevent any recurrence of mass atrocities. The contribution of the offices of the Secretary-General’s Special Advisers for the Responsibility to Protect and on the Prevention of Genocide has been highly valuable in that regard. My delegation expects that a joint office, achieved by merging those two offices, will contribute to developing conceptual norm-setting work by enhancing information-sharing, early warning and assessment. A new consensus now seems to be forming in the international community, not only with regard to nuclear non-proliferation but also as concerns the eventual goal of a nuclear-free world. With many promising signs in every corner of the globe, we need to redouble our efforts to ensure that they lead to tangible results. In particular, my delegation welcomes the recent high-level meeting convened by the Secretary-General aimed at revitalizing the work of the Conference on Disarmament and taking forward multilateral disarmament negotiations. We should revive the Conference as a key element in the robust machinery of the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime. With that in mind, we will spare no effort in supporting follow-up actions to the high-level meeting during the current session of the General Assembly. More than ever, great demands are being placed on the United Nations to respond effectively to the most daunting challenges of our era. I believe that the United Nations can do better. We must persist in our efforts to strengthen the world body through reform, which will enable the United Nations to be better equipped to confront the challenges of the future. To achieve that goal, Korea fully supports the important initiatives the Secretary-General has taken to promote the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of the Secretariat. In particular, my delegation welcomes the establishment of UN Women, a singular synergistic gender entity. My delegation believes that it will strengthen the overall accountability of the United Nations system and, at the same time, promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. Let me conclude by renewing the Republic of Korea’s support for the Secretary-General in leading the Organization effectively and carrying out its mandate successfully. The Republic of Korea remains fully committed to a strong and effective United Nations that can make our world safer, more secure, more prosperous and more peaceful.