A/66/PV.33 General Assembly

Allow me, at the outset, to acknowledge the presence of Brazilian parliamentarians at this meeting of the General Assembly. They have come a long way from various regions of Brazil to lend their support to our work. In particular, I would like to thank Senator Petecão from Acre, Deputy Leréia, President of the External Relations Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Brazilian Congress, and Deputy Geraldo Resende from Mato Grosso do Sul, for being here with us this afternoon. I would like to thank the President for convening this joint debate on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and on the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries. This plenary meeting is an important opportunity for us to reaffirm our support for two initiatives that are central to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals in Africa, including the Millennium Development Goals. As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of NEPAD, it is becoming clear that Africa is undergoing a profound economic, social and political transformation. Over the past decade, Africa achieved rates of economic growth significantly above the world average. In fact, six of the 10 fastest-growing countries in the world are on the African continent. Between 2000 and 2010, sub-Saharan Africa grew 5.7 per cent annually, on average, compared to 2.4 per cent during the two previous decades. Economic growth has been accompanied by the expansion of domestic markets, increasing urbanization, and investment in social and human capital and infrastructure. The growing diversification and resilience of African economies was decisive in their rapid recovery from the financial and economic crisis in 2008. Yet many challenges still remain. The world economy once again faces renewed uncertainty, and many African countries depend largely on basic commodities for their economic well-being. Brazil remains fully committed to Africa’s economic, social and political development. Based on the principles of national ownership and leadership, NEPAD can count on our full and enthusiastic support for the effective framework it offers for cooperation and development, rooted in African perspectives and African priorities. Over the past 10 years, Brazil has been increasingly engaged with Africa. Culminating in 2011 with its recognition of the new State of South Sudan, Brazil has now established diplomatic relations with all 54 countries of Africa. In recognition of our growing partnership with Africa, we have also greatly expanded our diplomatic network on the continent, opening 19 embassies in the past 10 years, for a total of 37 missions today. In that context, the Brazilian parliamentarians who are here today have been of great help and understanding in enabling us to reach this level of representation. The Africa-South America Summit process has also played a crucial role in fostering closer dialogue and understanding between our regions and peoples. Bilateral economic ties between Brazil and Africa have also prospered. In particular, trade between Brazil and Africa increased significantly over the past decade, from approximately $4.2 billion in 2000 to more than $20 billion in 2010. We have also expanded investment in several countries on the continent, particularly in the construction, mining, energy and transportation sectors. Brazil looks forward to increasing its air and sea connections to Africa, with a view to establishing the transportation links necessary for supporting a diversified trade and investment relationship. Brazil fully supports the sectoral priorities established by NEPAD. In recognition of the priority role of agricultural and rural development for food security and poverty eradication, we have sought to work with African partner countries to develop joint initiatives in this area. Since 2002, Brazil has concluded more than 50 cooperation agreements in the area of agriculture with 18 African countries, including Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tanzania and Tunisia. In 2010, we were pleased to host 45 African countries at the first Brazil- Africa Dialogue on Food Security, the Fight Against Hunger, and Rural Development. The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation — the State company Embrapa — has opened an office in Ghana, with a view to supporting the technological and productive improvement of savanna agriculture in Africa. The office has a comprehensive collection of plant and animal varieties, as well as key data and know-how, adapted to tropical agriculture. It has provided assistance to over 30 countries in the region. As a rule, the cooperation projects aim to transfer skills, build local capacity and empower local workers, with the full engagement and ownership of African Governments. As a country afflicted by malaria, Brazil is committed to working with the international community and other developing countries, especially African countries, to rid the world of that disease. At the bilateral level, we have developed joint programmes for the prevention and control of malaria with a number of African countries so as to strengthen national health systems, particularly with regard to monitoring and epidemiology. We have also implemented initiatives in training and capacity- building in order to prevent and control the disease. At the multilateral level, we participate in the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the International Drug Purchase Facility and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, among others efforts. Based on our national experience, we believe that it is possible to reduce the number of cases by expanding health-care services and integrating control and care activities. The international community has made significant progress in the past decade in the pursuit of the goals to achieve universal coverage of malaria prevention and treatment by 2010 and to reduce global malaria deaths to near zero preventable deaths by 2015. At this stage, it is clear that it may be difficult to achieve the agreed goals unless donors fully meet their development assistance commitments, particularly with regard to the Gleneagles targets for doubling aid for Africa. In addition to traditional prevention strategies, such as the use of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying, national Governments should be able to count on the support of the international community to implement mechanisms to ensure universal access to free or affordable medicines for the treatment of malaria for those who are already affected, making full use of the flexibilities in the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health. The Brazilian Government remains fully committed to further strengthening the prevention and control of malaria in order to maintain a sustained reduction of cases of infection, especially in the most vulnerable areas of the Amazon region. To that end, we have launched our national programme for malaria control, which aims to reduce by 50 per cent the number of cases of malaria in the municipalities responsible for the majority of the infections registered in Brazil.

My delegation wishes to express its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his reports contained in documents A/66/202 and A/66/214, as well as for the organization of this debate. Nigeria associates itself with the statement made at the 32nd plenary meeting by the representative of Kenya on behalf of the African Group. The role that the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), supported by the United Nations and the international community, in transforming and improving the well-being of the citizens on the continent of Africa, particularly in the areas of democratic governance, domestic resource mobilization, improved economic growth, poverty eradication, the promotion of sustainable growth and the empowerment of women though building partnerships at the country, regional and global levels, can never be overemphasized. In that regard, my delegation congratulates NEPAD on its tenth anniversary, which was marked here at the United Nations last Friday. The anniversary is worth celebrating in view of the strong economic growth and improvement in socio-economic indicators that have been experienced during the period under review. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the few regions of the world to show great resilience in the face of the global economic crisis. While recovering from the impact of the global economic crisis that affected the international financial markets in 2008, many developing countries, including those in Africa, have embarked on macroeconomic reform programmes capable of transforming their economies and strengthening their financial institutions. Those efforts have led to lower rates of inflation and strong gross domestic product (GDP) growth. In addition, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is progressing gradually. So far, 30 States members of the African Union have acceded to the APRM; 14 countries have completed the first review process, and are being peer reviewed by the APRM Forum; while two countries have also received country peer-review missions and are slated for peer review in January 2012. The APRM process has created awareness among States, especially in the understanding of the nexus between peace and development. There has consequently been a significant reduction of political tension and violence within and between African States. The internationally acclaimed free and fair elections in Nigeria, the successful referendum in the Sudan, the adoption of a new Constitution in Kenya and the transitions in Guinea and Niger are changing the political space in Africa for the better. Nigeria’s current economic policies are focused on addressing key infrastructural shortcomings as a crucial element in setting the stage for long-term stable growth in an effort to break the past 30 years of uncontrollable boom-and-bust cycles. Our GDP grew from 7.0 per cent in 2009 to an estimated 8.1 per cent in 2010. The robust growth in 2010, in the aftermath of the global financial and economic crisis, underscores the resilience of the Nigerian economy. Medium-term prospects are also bright, with real GDP growth projected to remain strong and stable at 6.9 per cent in 2011 and 6.7 per cent in 2012. Medium- to long-term prospects will require addressing key reforms in order to advance infrastructure development and to broaden the economic base through enhanced private-sector participation. The Nigerian Government is therefore pursuing a transformation agenda as a strategic policy thrust to address the developmental needs and the challenges of the future. Indeed, there is a renewed sense of optimism and belief in our ability to create a new Nigeria on the principles of personal freedom, democracy, good governance and the rule of law. In spite of the progress in the political and economic sectors on the African continent, there are still challenges in the areas of armed conflict, fragility and erosion of the rule of law and chronic poverty, with severe implications for women and children. Similarly, reports of human rights violations, terrorist attacks, trafficking in small arms and light weapons, the scourge of piracy and unresolved electoral issues abound. The time has come for the United Nations and the international community to focus attention on the root causes of those conflicts and proffer enduring solutions. My delegation believes that cultivating peace and fulfilling the aims of Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter require the early identification of, and appropriate intervention in, conflict situations, in order to build confidence and trust and preclude the eruption of violence between opposing parties. Our goal should always be to present the peaceful alternative as a less costly and more effective way of achieving political and social objectives. In addition to other traditional tools of preventive diplomacy, democracy and good governance can be particularly important in building a just, equitable and inclusive society. By focusing on mediation as a tool for conflict prevention, we are able to address the real triggers of conflict. Otherwise we cannot achieve sustainable solutions. The African Union has sufficiently demonstrated the political will for peaceful resolution of the continent’s problems. It has served as a veritable platform to articulate the continent’s agenda. The United Nations, and the Security Council in particular, has been a worthy partner of Africa, especially in conflict resolution, peacekeeping, post-conflict peacebuilding and even economic reconstruction. The African Union’s efforts have proved that regional organizations are uniquely placed to tackle threats to regional peace and security. However, in view of recent challenges, there is a need to further strengthen and consolidate collaboration and partnership in the areas of peace and development between the secretariats of the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. That partnership should continue to be based on mutual trust and respect, on the basis of mutual support and shared responsibility and commitment. It should aim to address the main constraints on Africa’s economic growth and development. It is further hoped that, with increased consultations between the two bodies, they will be able to develop a robust regional structure for peace and security. Nigeria therefore calls for support for the African Union architecture and its full operationalization, including the implementation of the Framework for the Ten-Year Capacity-Building Programme for the African Union. In addition, there is a need for a robust special fund for the African Union, which will ensure sustainable, flexible and predictable funding for peacekeeping operations in Africa. It will also enable the continent to overcome the perennial problem of sustaining peacekeeping operations, which are marked by a lack of political will, insufficient funding, lack of military hardware, infrastructure and logistics and delay in deployment. My delegation holds the view that the envisaged relationship should be strengthened to support actions to foster the pacific settlement of disputes. We must, however, also focus on institutional capacity-building and adequate resource mobilization for sustainable development. We believe that conflict-prevention measures and peacebuilding mechanisms are fundamental to the resolution of conflict on the African continent. The challenges on the continent remain formidable. Whereas we have made considerable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS, malaria and non-communicable diseases are on the increase. In spite of the political momentum generated at the African Summit on Roll Back Malaria, held in Abuja in April 2000, malaria continues to kill millions of children. It is regrettable that, in spite of the enormous human, financial and material resources deployed by Governments and non-governmental organizations over the past 10 years, a child still dies every 30 seconds from malaria in Africa. In Nigeria more than 90 per cent of the population is still at risk of the disease. More than 52 per cent of them are children. The eradication of malaria should be a top priority on the international agenda. We recognize and commend the contribution of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and other bilateral donors, charitable organizations and foundations in the fight against malaria. But a lot more needs to be done if the goal of halving deaths from malaria is to be achieved in the near future. I assure the Assembly that we in Africa are not resting on our horse and that we are marshalling sustainable development strategies at the national, subregional and regional levels in order to take responsibility for our own development within the confines of available resources. Democracy, the rule of law, good governance, transparency and accountability, respect for human rights, peer review mechanisms and peaceful, democratic means of changing Governments are taking firm root in Africa. Of course, we have challenges of an endogenous nature as well, such as climate change, an unfavourable international trade system and endemic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, which impede our development efforts. To address those problems holistically, we need the collaboration and commitment of our development partners, as well as the support of the United Nations and the international community. Nigeria stands ready to share its experience with other developing countries where such is needed. We have strong faith that despite the challenges that face us in Africa as a result of the global economic crisis, this body will continue to address them until a secure and more sustainable and just global economic order is achieved.

My delegation is taking the floor under sub-item (a) of agenda item 63, entitled “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in implementation and international support”. Africa has seen many initiatives and proposed development solutions that never came to fruition. After numerous setbacks and disappointed hopes, African heads of State and Government, stirred by a common vision of the continent’s development, in 2001 adopted the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). In doing so, they took upon themselves the challenges of regional integration, accelerated growth, sustainable development, the eradication of poverty and the integration of Africa in the globalization process. Following a decade marked by a bold awareness- raising campaign, aimed especially at Africans taking ownership of it and to finally spur it into action, it seems to us that the time is right, at this symbolic tenth anniversary, to take a critical look back at the process of its launching, assess the road travelled and plot the major courses of action remaining to be taken to accelerate its realization. In terms of strengthening institutions, my delegation is pleased to highlight the efforts undertaken by the secretariat of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in the process of States’ ownership of the new rules on self-assessment for good governance, based on the concepts of democracy and political governance; economic governance and management; corporate governance and socio-economic development. Liberia’s signing of a memorandum of understanding at the end of the fourteenth forum of the heads of State and Government of the APRM, held in Addis Ababa on 29 January, expanded its membership to 30 African States, all resolutely committed to the path of good governance. Early on, Congo gauged the importance of governance for its development. That is why my country was among the very first States to join that self-assessment and evaluation process as soon as it was launched in 2003. At a time when uncertainty looms over the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by many African countries’ by 2015, Congo welcomes the involvement of NEPAD in efforts to achieve the MDGs in Africa as stressed by the Secretary-General’s 2011 report assessing the progress made by Africa in attaining the MDGs. That is clearly an indication of strong political will among our heads of State and Government. This is also a case for their unwavering commitment to work to accelerate the implementation of NEPAD, especially in priority areas. Such a commitment of course requires support from the international community. Congo continues to honour its commitment to the implementation of NEPAD. From 13 to 15 September in Brazzaville, we organized a workshop on information and raising public awareness about NEPAD programmes and projects, with special emphasis on progress in priority infrastructure projects in the context of regional and subregional integration. For African countries, those infrastructure projects comprise the cornerstone of socio-economic development. Among such infrastructure projects, which are tasked with linking together the countries of the subregion — Congo with Cameroon, Congo with Gabon and Congo with the Central African Republic — I would especially like to highlight the hallmark subregional integration project to establish a road-rail bridge over the Congo River to link Brazzaville and Kinshasa. A study is to be carried out on the road-rail bridge project over the Congo River and the extension of the Kinshasa-Hebo railway. Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have secured a $7.95 million grant from the African Development Bank to fund the study. The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, which was designated as the implementing authority, will be supported in those efforts by a joint technical committee comprised of experts from both countries and from ECCAS. The cost of the study totals approximately €6,615,200. As members of the Assembly are aware, energy plays a decisive role in any development process. Energy infrastructure is ultimately one of the key drivers of integration and economic growth on our continent. In that regard, Central Africa has substantial hydropower potential, which will foster cross-border electricity interlinkages based on a master plan on subregional energy, on which a study is already available. The implementation of these cornerstone projects in Central Africa will convey the shared will of the Governments of the countries of the subregion to transform NEPAD into a dynamic mechanism for integration and development. The strategic framework, whose aim is to address the crucial problems hampering the continent’s development, has enabled African countries to record encouraging progress in key areas such as peace and security, sustainable development, new information and telecommunication technologies, health, education and, in particular, agriculture, which is considered the most important subsector in order to ensure accelerated economic growth in the region through a detailed programme on agricultural development in Africa. It is clear that even greater efforts must be made, especially through capacity-building for regional economic communities, improving communication between NEPAD and regional economic communities, resource-mobilization, increased private sector investment and knowledge and the efficient use of support sources, including ownership of NEPAD by populations. With that in mind, Congo has set up a national coordinating structure for NEPAD that is tasked with tracking the implementation of NEPAD projects and programmes nationally to ensure that those are firmly rooted in the daily concerns of the Government. The tenth anniversary of NEPAD must serve to ensure African leadership of NEPAD’s implementation. However, we must acknowledge that prior years have been witness to African countries’ pledging resolutely to implement NEPAD. But they have also experienced frustration of their efforts due to successive crises and weak partnerships that have not always fulfilled their promises. The tenth anniversary should also serve as an opportunity to again recall the commitment of African countries to take in hand their destinies collectively and individually, and to prompt their respective Governments to further step up their efforts. At the same time, we are duty-bound to recall that NEPAD is also the new partnership that Africa has sealed for the rest of the world. The successful culmination of our efforts will depend, to a large extent, on a more dynamic and more sincere partnership, with a view to removing the hurdles and expediting progress towards attainment of NEPAD’s objectives.

The Zambian delegation has the honour to address the General Assembly on the subject of the 2001-2010 Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa. Zambia notes with appreciation the report of the World Health Organization in that regard (see A/66/169), which my delegation found useful. My delegation also aligns itself with the statement delivered this morning by the representative of Kenya on behalf of the African Group. As the immediate past-Chair of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Board, we wish to reiterate that malaria remains a major public health challenge in many African countries, especially among children under the age of five years, pregnant women and vulnerable members of society. In 2007, Zambia recorded 4.3 million cases of malaria, with over 6,000 deaths attributed to the disease. In addition to its direct health impact, such a high incidence of malaria causes a severe social and economic burden on individuals and households, and indeed on communities at large. The Zambian Government has therefore prioritized malaria in its sixth national development plan, which covers the period 2011 to 2015, in line with the Abuja Declaration to Roll Back Malaria in Africa and the Roll Back Malaria targets. Some of the measures that Zambia has put in place to combat this scourge include eliminating, through an act of Parliament, taxation on malaria control tools, including mosquito nets and relevant insecticides; banning monotherapy treatments using chloroquine and promoting artemisinin-based combination therapies; increasing the range of indoor residual spraying from five districts in 2003 to 54 districts in 2010, covering over 1 million households; and scaling up the provision, from 2007 to 2010, of insecticide-treated nets to over 6 million people. We are also providing intermittent presumptive treatment to all pregnant women as a way of preventing malaria during pregnancy; training health- care personnel in the proper diagnosis and treatment of malaria, using rapid diagnostic tests and artemisinin- based combination therapies; and strengthening community-based interventions through capacity- building for malaria case management. As a result of those high-impact interventions that the Zambian Government, in collaboration with international cooperating partners, has put in place, malaria deaths were reduced by 60 per cent during the Decade to Roll Back Malaria. However, despite the various interventions to prevent malaria, a number of challenges still remain. Those include the erratic disbursement of committed funds by some cooperating partners, lengthy procedures in the disbursement of funds, and inadequate human resources, among others. In concluding my remarks, I wish to take this opportunity to call upon the international community to continue to extend assistance to Zambia in the fight against malaria.

At the outset, I wish to congratulate the President on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. We pledge our full support and cooperation to him in ensuring a fruitful conclusion to the session. Myanmar associates itself with the statement made this morning by our colleague from the Republic of Indonesia on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). My delegation also wishes to thank the Secretary- General for his insightful and comprehensive reports (A/66/202 and A/66/214) on agenda item 63. Today, Africa faces both great opportunities and grave challenges in its pursuit of peace and development. To tackle the challenges faced by Africa, we are of the view that the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) can be an important tool to address poverty and underdevelopment throughout the African continent, as well as a collective vision and a strategic socio-economic development framework for Africa. Since the launching of NEPAD, 10 years ago, African countries have achieved great progress in such areas as infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, the environment, tourism, science and technology and information and telecommunications technologies, with the vigorous support of the international community. Africa has rebounded from the global economic and financial crisis despite the slowdown in the pace of the global economic recovery. We are happy to note that average economic growth in Africa between 2002 to 2010 was an impressive 5.5 per cent. However, Africa, like no other continent, remains heavily affected by the challenges of climate change and food security. We also know that Africa still lags behind other regions with regard to progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in particular those related to child and maternal mortality and access to adequate sanitation and safe drinking water. In that regard, we share the view that the international community should increase its support for Africa and help it attain greater progress in the implementation of NEPAD. In order to promote stability and prosperity in Africa, the international community should deliver the assistance it has committed to provide, in time and with respect for the right of self-determination of African countries. Moreover, they should build new and broad partnerships, expand South-South cooperation, strengthen the role of international bodies and mobilize innovative financing. Myanmar and Africa have a deep-rooted traditional relationship and friendship. As one of the organizers of the historic Asia-Africa Bandung Conference, Myanmar has always been committed to the cause of peace and development on the continent, as well as a strong supporter of decolonization efforts on the part of African countries. As a member of ASEAN, Myanmar confirms its commitment to continue building synergies and friendship with Africa under the framework of ASEAN — not only through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development but also the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership. Myanmar also recognizes the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme and the Africa Peer Review Mechanism, two of NEPAD’s innovative initiatives aimed at promoting good governance and creating the conditions for broad-based economic growth. In addition, Myanmar firmly believes that the Peace Building Commission can assist African countries emerging from conflict in moving forward to peacebuilding efforts by encouraging and supporting home-based programmes, including on youth employment, vocational training and education, in order to achieve stability and security in Africa. It is our firm conviction that the efforts of the people of Africa for economic revitalization and social progress should be given stronger support from the United Nations, development partners and the international community through strengthening their work and priorities on assisting African countries. Myanmar wishes to reiterate its solidarity with African countries in calling for the international community to enhance its contribution to the cause of peace and development in Africa.

Africa’s development is the key to promoting global peace and prosperity on a sustainable basis. Embracing Africa in the process of political, economic and social development will therefore be a core challenge for the international community as a whole. In that regard, the Republic of Korea welcomes the Secretary-General’s report entitled “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: ninth consolidated progress report on implementation and international support” (A/66/202). We are very much encouraged by the report’s assessment that Africa has made noticeable progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, the report also indicates that performance across countries and across MDG targets still remains uneven. It is crucial, therefore, that the international community reinvigorate its effort for all MDGs to be achieved by 2015 by broadening partnerships with development partners. In that respect, we believe that this year’s tenth anniversary of the adoption of the flagship programme of the African Union will carry particular significance. While warmly welcoming that occasion, my delegation wishes to reiterate that the Korean Government is ready to work closely with our partners in the region in strengthening our development cooperation. As a part of our own efforts, the Republic of Korea organized the second Korea-Africa Forum in 2009, where we announced our commitment to double our official development assistance to Africa by 2012, compared with the 2008 figures. At the Forum, the Republic of Korea also reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing its partnership with Africa in such diverse fields as green growth, climate change, food security, governance and capacity-building based on Korea’s development experience. More recently, the Korean Government decided to provide $5.4 million in humanitarian assistance to countries in the Horn of Africa, which are suffering from severe drought and a dire food crisis. An additional $10 million in assistance will follow to help to strengthen development capacity in that region. Next year, we will host the third round of the Korea-Africa Forum where we will assess the progress made in our efforts and commitments. We sincerely hope that this continuous partnership will complement the progress made on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. We are confident that, through this close cooperation, we can realign ourselves with Africa’s development needs and priorities. In order to obtain more development results from our development cooperation with Africa, we believe that partnerships should not be limited to such traditional players as donor countries, recipient countries and international organizations. Instead, further efforts are needed to engage, in our pursuit of African development, more diverse development partners, including emerging donors, civil society, private foundations and business sectors. In that regard, my delegation wishes to draw attention to the upcoming fourth High-level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, to be held in November in Busan. The Busan Forum is expected to provide an excellent platform to address this issue. My country will make an extra effort to seek to build more inclusive and broader partnerships by engaging all actors in development cooperation and by embracing diverse approaches to development. We will make every effort to reflect the concerns of the African region in the Forum. Before I conclude, I should like to reaffirm our belief that Africa holds great potential to become a driving force for global economic growth. It is in our common interest, therefore, to help Africa to achieve sustainable development through enhanced partnership. I wish to reiterate that the Republic of Korea will remain fully committed to closely working with our partners in Africa in that process.

My delegation welcomes the opportunity to take part in today’s debate, which is so important for the African continent. We thank the Secretary-General for the quality of his reports on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (A/66/202 and A/66/214). In addition to the statement made by the representative of Kenya on behalf of the African Group, which of course my delegation fully supports, I would like to add the following remarks. Less than five years before the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the African continent continues to face hurdles in achieving those Goals. Today’s debate provides an opportunity to discuss the various initiatives and approaches that will enable the continent to address the challenges of sustainable and human development. No one can deny the progress made by the African continent, primarily in terms of conflict resolution and the return to stability, without which sustainable development would be nothing but a distant and always elusive goal. Nor can anyone deny that African countries have implemented ambitious policies, which have enabled us to consolidate our democratic and macroeconomic achievements and good governance practices. In geo-economic terms, with its abundant mining, mineral and energy resources, along with its considerable human potential, Africa is playing an increasingly strategic role as a key player in the global economy. The average growth rate of 4.9 per cent in 2010 certainly surpassed that of 2009, estimated at 3.1 per cent. Nevertheless, the continent has yet to reach the threshold growth rate of 7 per cent required to ensure sustainable, comprehensive and inclusive development, as well as to improve the lives of its citizens and achieve its development goals. We must therefore think about how to give much- needed impetus to the collective initiatives and actions of Africa and its development partners at the multilateral, regional and subregional levels. This would facilitate efforts to foster the growth and the sustainable and human development of the continent. The situation that Africa is facing, which is marked by a series of social, economic and food crises, combined with numerous security and environmental challenges, requires a deeper commitment by Africa’s development partner countries. In view of the financial crisis and the resulting budget constraints adopted in many countries, official development assistance and fulfilment of the commitments made by the Group of Eight have taken on vital importance for African countries, in particular the least developed among them. We therefore urge the international community to keep its promises and to provide further support to the African continent by making it a central priority of programmes designed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. At the same time, we must step up South-South cooperation, a significant vehicle for Africa’s economic and social development, by boosting trade and optimizing partnerships. In that respect, the initiative of emerging countries to forge specific and targeted partnerships with Africa will give decisive momentum to South-South cooperation. Efforts must also be made to identify innovative cooperation mechanisms among the countries of the South that can drive their development and increase their prosperity. Moreover, regional integration continues to be an excellent means of capitalizing on regional development efforts. It is, furthermore, a prerequisite for creating the synergies necessary to ensure the proper and optimal use of individual capacities for the common good. The role of the private sector as a catalyst for development in Africa is clear. Growing and committed private-sector involvement in African development would not only mobilize the resources necessary for various development programmes, but also build Africa’s capacities and, more indirectly, its competitiveness, which would enable it to become a key link in the global economy, and not just a mere natural resource pool or a market for industrial goods. In that connection, my country laments the lack of progress made in the Doha Round of negotiations, particularly on quotas relevant to Africa. We urge the main stakeholders to accelerate their efforts to conclude the Doha Round. In terms of foreign direct investment, which is so crucial to the development of the continent, I wish to reiterate the special importance of convening a high- level meeting of the General Assembly on investment in Africa, which would serve as a tool for the development and economic growth of the continent. This proposal stems from the unfailing commitment of His Majesty the King of Morocco to Africa’s development. It takes the form of partnerships with the United Nations for peace and security in Africa, assistance for training and human resources development and the sharing of expertise in the areas of agriculture, fishing, tourism, electricity supply, water management and the fight against desertification. These partnerships involve various African and non-African countries. My country stands ready to further enhance such cooperation and to expand it in the interest of sustainable and harmonious development in Africa.

Sustainable economic growth is one of the key elements in poverty reduction. In particular, during the ongoing global economic crisis, we have seen that efforts in Africa to improve economic performance and private sector development have started to bear fruit. In fact, while many developed economies have been struggling to keep growth going, many African countries have shown enviable gross domestic product growth figures. Economic growth, investments in infrastructure, social protection systems, and the promotion of good governance and human rights are all key elements. In developing appropriate social protection mechanisms, we must pay particular attention to the promotion of women’s and girls’ rights and to the promotion of social equality. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has been one of the key players in those developments. Finland believes that the active cooperation with other international organizations that NEPAD has engaged in can further enhance sustainable economic development in Africa. The growth of economic integration in Africa is very important for the development of the continent. The African economy has to be strengthened, diversified and integrated into the world economy. Finland has been a strong supporter of the Africa Investment Initiative of NEPAD and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In particular, the Initiative supports a large-scale programme on unlocking investment potential in Southern Africa. It assists members of the Southern Africa Development Community in identifying and implementing concrete policy reforms to strengthen their investment climate. The programme entails four country-level investment reviews and facilitates the sharing of national experiences through regional forums and peer review. Zambia and Mozambique have started to assess their investment regime within the framework of the programme. Finland currently acts as Co-Chair for the Africa Partnership Forum, a high-level dialogue forum for the Group of Eight, NEPAD, the African Union and the OECD. As a co-Chair, Finland has stressed the development of Africa’s own capabilities and the issue of responsible investment. I would now like to touch upon sub-item (b) of agenda item 63, relating to the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, as well as to thank the Secretary-General for his excellent report (A/66/214). The report highlights a number of crucial issues, such as youth, education and employment and issues relating to conflict and natural resources. The report also stresses the importance of more active engagement of young people in the promotion of peace and security. I should now like to take up some examples of how Finland supports its African partners in the field of peace and security. First, Finland has supported the strengthening of the African Union’s mediation support capacity through a three-year project financed through development cooperation funds. The project has achieved good results, and it will continue. The purpose of this programme is to develop Africa’s own capabilities to prevent and resolve conflicts, including by supporting the participation of women and by ensuring adequate consideration of gender issues in peace processes. We would like to congratulate the African Union for its work in advancing the agenda on women, peace and security. Finland also contributed to the work of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel on the Sudan, led by former South African President Mbeki. It is also important to stress the role of non-governmental organizations in mediation and all peacebuilding efforts. Finland has, together with the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes, a South African non-governmental organization, established the African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme. The Programme focuses on enhancing coherence and coordination in peacebuilding, with the aim of promoting local ownership in peacebuilding processes and supporting the design and implementation of peacebuilding policy frameworks. We have also been a longstanding supporter of Femmes Africa Solidarité, most recently in their work in assisting the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi in the preparation of their national action plans on women, peace and security. Peace and security are prerequisites for sustainable development. At the same time, economic and social development, including the rule of law and human rights, is a major contributor to political stability and, ultimately, to peace and security. It is of the utmost importance for Africa and for the international community to strengthen peace and development, thereby allowing African countries to use their resources for human development and the well- being of their citizens.

My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Argentina on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and by the representative of Kenya on behalf of the African Group. We would like to highlight several issues that Tunisia believes are of particular importance. Today’s discussion is of special importance, as it concerns a number of matters that are of crucial importance to Africa and marks the tenth anniversary of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), following its adoption at the Organization of African Unity summit held in 2001 in Lusaka. Over the past 10 years, NEPAD has built up institutional and technical experience at the regional and international levels and has enabled the creation of a forum for reflection on political, economic and environmental matters. NEPAD has also enabled the African Union’s objectives to be translated into specific, visible and pragmatic projects, particularly when it comes to the objectives of strengthening regional integration, food security and the eradication of poverty. Thanks to NEPAD, Africa has been able to make some progress in recent years in the areas of peace, political governance and economic growth. Progress has also been made in upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms and in the organization of free and fair elections, notably through the activities of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism. In this regard, Tunisia is, for the first time in our history, preparing for credible, transparent and free elections, which will be held in less than a month, in order to elect a constituent assembly. We are determined to achieve this important milestone, which will doubtless constitute a significant step on Africa’s road to democracy and good governance. These elements of progress illustrate Africa’s determination to move towards sustainable growth and improve the image of our continent. However, despite these encouraging results, African countries are aware of the need for additional efforts, with a view to making economic growth more inclusive and more effective and to harnessing internal resources by involving the private sector in development activities to a greater extent. In the context of high youth unemployment, development partners are called upon to support and encourage the efforts being made by Africa, in particular, by honouring their official development assistance commitments, promoting foreign direct investment and removing barriers to African exports. Accordingly, Tunisia welcomes the adoption by the General Assembly of a review mechanism for commitments to Africa’s development needs. This mechanism should enable a greater focus on assessing and measuring the implementation of official development assistance commitments and other commitments made with respect to aid to Africa. The achievement of the objectives of the Global Malaria Action Plan has an impact on almost all of the Millennium Development Goals. It is therefore important to support the efforts of the global partnership to roll back this illness which is so costly to the African continent. In that connection, my delegation welcomes the increase in international financing for the fight against malaria over the past 10 years, which has enabled notable progress, particularly when it comes to increased access to insecticide-treated mosquito nets. We have thus increased the number of protected persons in sub-Saharan Africa from 13 million in 2005 to 75 million in 2009. This progress, although noteworthy, is not sufficient to achieve the objective we have set for ourselves in the area of malaria. It is therefore essential for all countries to work together to provide the funding necessary to fight against this scourge. In spite of the considerable progress made in peace, security and development, Africa remains confronted with many complex problems, including inter-State conflicts, unconstitutional changes of Government, the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and high unemployment, particularly among young people. In that connection, we thank the Secretary-General for his recently published report on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (A/66/214), which provides an analysis of the two most urgent problems afflicting Africa, namely, youth education and employment, and conflicts and natural resources, both of which have serious consequences for the political and economic development of Africa and its political stability. According to the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 60 per cent of Africa’s population, almost 1 billion people, is under 25 years of age. In view of the population explosion among young people, we are duty-bound to attach particular importance to the urgency at the international level of providing quality education, professional skills and decent jobs. We agree with the Secretary-General’s assertion that the uprisings seen in North Africa were partially due to youth unemployment, which has reached the alarming levels of 31 per cent in Tunisia and 34 per cent in Egypt. We also agree that unemployment can cause young people to become involved in criminal and violent activities. In that connection, my delegation calls upon development partners, including international and civil society organizations, to support the efforts of African Governments to address the causes of despair among African youth at the social, political and economic levels and to support national efforts in the areas of investment, job creation and poverty eradication in Africa. In conclusion, my delegation will always be committed to contributing constructively to these fundamental matters for Africa’s development.

Allow me to begin by congratulating the Secretary-General on the report published in document A/66/202, entitled “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: ninth consolidated progress report on implementation and international support”. I would also like to indicate that my delegation endorses the statement made from this podium on behalf of the African Group. As stressed at the outset by the Secretary- General, the publication of the report coincides with a number of salient events, namely, the tenth anniversary of the adoption by African leaders of the flagship programme of the African Union, which is the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD); the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly, held in this Hall in September 2010 on the margins of the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly, on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); the adoption, last May, of the Istanbul Programme of Action at the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries; and the adoption of the Framework for Implementation of the Recommendations of the Millennium Development Goals Africa Steering Group. In the opinion of the Secretary-General, all of this points to a resurgence of attention, which, at the same time, shows that African countries have experienced many difficulties in achieving the MDGs. In section II of his report, the Secretary-General analyses actions taken by African countries and organizations. In section III, we see the response of the international community. In section IV, the support provided by the United Nations system is analysed. Allow me to begin by providing an overview of the progress made in the implementation of NEPAD in the context of the four salient elements I referred to earlier, as well in the light of the main recommendations of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and those contained in the report under consideration. The recommended actions include: coordinating all forms of foreign aid in order to incorporate them into national development; contributing to the capacity-building of the regional economic communities; bolstering and developing local transit infrastructures and continuing to pool best practices so as to strengthen regional integration; and supporting the development of the private sector in Africa, the promotion of joint projects between the public sector and the private sector, and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in keeping with the decisions of the Executive Council of the African Union in this respect. In general terms, my delegation shares the view of the Secretary-General that in the context of the current fragile and uncertain global recovery, the implementation of NEPAD and the achievement of the MDGs will require unwavering resolve and leadership on the part of the African countries and development partners alike if we are to translate theory into practice. Like the Secretary-General, we welcome the fact that at the continent-wide level, the African Union in February 2010 approved the integration of NEPAD into the structures and processes of the Union and established the NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency, whose mandate is to implement priority programmes and projects at the regional and continental levels in Africa. With respect to the regional economic communities, which play a flagship role in the context of economic integration, we note with satisfaction that those communities are endeavouring to fulfil their leading role in the implementation of projects. Here I am thinking in particular of the Economic Community of West African States, the Southern Africa Development Community, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). At the national level, it is clear that the countries on the continent have each developed their own development programmes, consistent with the objectives of NEPAD. At these various levels, efforts are continuing aimed at implementing the programmes in the various sectors identified by the Steering Group set up by the Secretary-General with a view to attaining the MDGs in Africa, in particular agriculture and food security, education, health, infrastructure, trade facilitation and statistical systems. My delegation wishes to contribute to this assessment on the basis of the experience of my own country, Cameroon, in the context of the Central African subregion. With respect to coordinating all forms of foreign aid so as to integrate them effectively into national development, Cameroon in 2010 embarked upon the establishment of a joint strategy for development. The first phase of the strategy, which involves an assessment, has made it possible to conduct several studies: one on the factors that are hampering the consumption of foreign aid; one assessing the implementation of the Paris Declaration; and a further survey of the indicators related to the Declaration. With respect to the capacity-building of the regional economic communities, Cameroon, which is a member of ECCAS and CEMAC, is in the process of implementing all the resolutions adopted by those institutions. The most recent example was the launching in Yaoundé in July 2010 of the Steering Committee on the streamlining of the regional economic communities, which seeks to harmonize their policies and programmes in the long term, and the convening in September 2010 of the working group charged with identifying areas for streamlining and with outlining an action plan for the Steering Committee. As far as the strengthening and development of infrastructure is concerned, in recent years Cameroon has begun the construction of a transport network that is open to neighbouring countries. Cameroon’s strategic vision of the country as a trading crossroads in Central Africa is taking shape in the form of two comprehensive planning frameworks. The first is a national railroad master plan that takes into account the issue of regional integration through the interconnection of railway lines between Cameroon on the one hand and Chad, the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the other hand. The second is a national ports master plan that involves, inter alia, the construction of a deepwater port in Kribi, on the Atlantic seaboard, the aim of which is to provide access to the sea for the subregion as a whole. President Paul Biya laid the cornerstone for this important endeavour on 7 October 2011. On land, Cameroon and the Congo have undertaken studies on stretches of road in their respective territories, with a view to linking Sangmélima, in Cameroon, with Ouesso, in the Congo. Between Cameroon and Nigeria, the transport facilitation programme on the multinational Bamenda- Enugu road corridor is ready for implementation. Between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, the project to asphalt the Kribi-Campo road and build a bridge over the Ntem river, between Campo and Rio Campo, is under way. Between Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic, the regional flagship project is being implemented in the Douala-N’Djamena and Douala- Bangui pilot corridors. Other recommendations in the process of implementation concern support for the development of the private sector in Africa, the promotion of partnership projects between the public and private sectors, and the implementation of the MDGs, in accordance with the decisions of the Executive Council of the African Union in that area. In 2010, which saw the implementation of the strategy for growth and employment, Cameroon took an array of measures to develop the private sector spanning the period up to 2013. In the context of the implementation of the strategy document for growth and employment, Cameroon intends to rely on the following guidelines for developing the private sector, which include the diversification of the economy, in order to allow for the transition from a retail economy to a manufacturing economy, through the development of growth industries, capacity-building for businesses, with a focus on the consolidation of small units, improving competitiveness and the business environment. To that end, emphasis has been placed on the fight against corruption, market-access development and the diversification of sources of funding. Concerning access to local markets, the Government is encouraging the search for new outlets for local products. With respect to the diversification of funding sources, we are looking at developing public- private partnerships; facilitating access to loans for small- and medium-sized enterprises by offering loan guarantees, increasing the supply of decent jobs through business creation, diversifying the economy and improving competitiveness and the business environment. Turning now to attainment of the MDGs, the actions my country has taken with regard to eliminating extreme poverty and hunger consist of, among other things, promoting a stable macroeconomic framework; strengthening growth by diversifying the economy; reinvigorating the private sector as a driver of growth and a partner in the provision of social services; developing basic infrastructure; and supporting rural populations in their initiatives in relevant areas such as agriculture, animal husbandry, agriculture and food processing. Furthermore, the Government of Cameroon is implementing an education sector strategy designed, among other things, to expand access to education while reducing disparities and increasing quality and improving management and governance of the educational system. Cameroon has also ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. While we have seen a slight improvement in the ratio between men and women in every area, much still remains to be done, and the Ministry for the Advancement of Women has launched several actions. Similarly, with regard to reducing child mortality and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, officials expect to reach these goals through the implementation of our health sector strategy. Concerning a sustainable environment, the Government has formulated a strategy for biodiversity and a forestry-environment sector programme that seeks to ensure compliance with international conventions and regional agreements. We also have a framework law regulating environmental management. Cameroon is a key player in all the programmes that have been initiated in central Africa in this area, including the Central African Forestry Commission, the Subregional Action Programme for combating desertification in Central Africa, the Niger Basin Authority, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. Cameroon’s efforts to implement NEPAD have been made possible by its national policies and its establishment of a secure footing in the subregion, but also thanks to international cooperation. In that regard, my country generally welcomes the response of the international community as it seeks to fully exploit the momentum of international support for Africa’s development, the topic in section III of the Secretary- General’s report. However, it must be admitted that much remains to be done in terms of official development assistance (ODA), debt management, direct foreign investment, and trade. With respect to official development assistance, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), of the $128 billion in total donor contributions, $48 billion were disbursed in Africa, which represents an annual increase in real terms of 11.7 per cent. However, the MDG Gap Task Force, studying delays in achievement of the MDGs, has deplored the $18 billion ODA shortfall and estimates that Africa has actually received only $46 billion, far below the $64 billion pledged at the Gleneagles Summit. This is therefore an opportunity to remind donors of the need to continue to fulfil their commitments. There have been some efforts to relieve the burden of debt for African countries, such as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative, as well as bilateral debt forgiveness. On 28 July, 26 African countries, including Cameroon, reached the completion point and benefited from debt relief as provided for in the HPIC Initiative. We all know, however, that the economic crisis has been detrimental to such efforts through its adverse impact on Africa’s debt levels. In the area of foreign investment, we welcome the efforts of African countries to improve their investment environment, which has somewhat increased the flow of direct foreign investment, particularly for emerging countries. We encourage development partners to continue the support they are already providing through the NEPAD-OECD Africa Investment Initiative. Finally, with regard to trade, the Doha Round of negotiations have made very little progress towards reaching an agreement on issues of concern to Africa, including ending subsidies for agricultural exports. This is notwithstanding the commitments made at the Group of 20 Summit held in Seoul in November 2010. In section V of his report, the Secretary-General made various recommendations, including on the importance of African countries continuing their effective implementation of NEPAD projects and programmes; the need for robust African leadership in order to achieve tangible results; strengthening civic participation in Africa; the development of the agricultural sector to ensure food security, in accordance with the Maputo Declaration; greater participation by women, in the context of the African Women’s Decade 2010-2020; the integration of the climate issue into economic planning and management; the reduction of foreign aid dependency and the promotion of self-reliance; job creation; strengthening Africa’s contribution to world trade; and foreign debt relief. But how do we implement all of these recommendations? While the answer is unquestionably through greater commitment on the part of Africa itself, it is also through development partners’ respect for their own commitments, a conclusion shared by the Secretary-General’s report on NEPAD, the outcome document of the High-level Meeting on the MDGs (resolution 65/1), the Istanbul Declaration on the Least Developed Countries and the Millennium Development Goals Africa Steering Group. Before I conclude, allow me to add a few words on agenda item 13, “2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa”, the subject of a note by the Secretary-General contained in document A/66/169 and of the second part of this joint debate. There are basically three areas in the report that drew our attention, namely, section III, on funding the fight against malaria; section VIII, on the impact of the World Health Organization’s programmes aimed at combating malaria in the African region; and section XI, which contains the report’s summary and recommendations. First, on funding, we welcome the increase in disbursements, which increased from $0.3 billion in 2003 to $1.8 billion in 2010. I welcome the commitment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the United States Agency for International Development. However, despite such progress, I must note that the total level of funding is lower than the annual sum sought in the Global Malaria Action Plan. With respect to the impact of existing programmes, we are gratified to see the progress made. In general terms, the current trends, if confirmed, tend to demonstrate that intensive anti-malaria efforts could help many African countries. Finally, the Secretary-General’s recommendations are of genuine interest to my delegation. They include intensifying the battle by distributing pre-treated mosquito nets and diagnostic tests, access to combination therapy, continuing to seek foreign aid, greater respect for regulations governing the quality of medicines on the market, and capacity-building within health ministries, to name but a few. All those measures would buttress national efforts to combat malaria. I wish to reiterate my delegation’s gratitude to the Secretary-General and to convey to him, his Special Envoy for Malaria, the Director-General of the World Health Organization and all those operating in the field our encouragement in their efforts to combat malaria. To conclude, as my delegation has had cause to state in the past with respect to NEPAD and the fight against malaria, the United Nations needs to develop an articulate action plan that includes a matrix establishing a planning period of two or three years for all contributions to the implementation of these programmes, accompanied by clear-cut reference to benchmarks and the distribution of roles, so that at the end of the process we can gauge how far we have come and how much remains to be done. The office of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Malaria, which we commend for its arduous work, must begin preparing such a matrix.

Permit me at the outset to express our appreciation to the President for convening this plenary meeting of great importance to Africa and to fully associate ourselves with the statement delivered by the representative of Kenya on behalf of the Group of African States on the agenda items under consideration. Ethiopia welcomes the two reports of the Secretary-General on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (A/66/202) and on the cause of conflicts, the promotion of peace and sustainable development in Africa (A/66/214). We would like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports, which review progress made in the implementation of the development projects, programmes, strategies and challenges faced by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) over the past decade, as well as the steps that need to be taken to achieve greater progress in the years ahead. As we commemorate the tenth anniversary of NEPAD, Ethiopia is pleased to note that NEPAD has made significant progress in terms of owning and leading its strategies and programmes in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure, health and education, and in laying a solid foundation for sound socio-economic development in Africa. NEPAD’s sector-specific programmes, particularly in agriculture and infrastructure, are indeed critical to this progress and to the overall achievements obtained in other equally important areas of development. On the good governance front, NEPAD has also demonstrated its useful support to Africa in its efforts to further promote, respect and protect fundamental human rights and freedoms by implementing programmes aimed at improving good political and economic governance throughout the continent. In this regard, we are encouraged to note that 30 African countries have already acceded to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and that 14 African countries, including my own, have submitted their reports for review by APRM. We wish to take this opportunity to encourage other African countries that have not yet done so to accede to the APRM and to present their national reports. As the Secretary-General indicates in his reports, Africa’s leadership and commitment to social progress, sustained economic growth and good governance reforms are slowly but surely changing perceptions of the continent in the right and positive direction. However, the impact of pockets of conflict in different parts of the continent and widespread poverty still undermine Africa’s successful efforts to change its image. With regard to resources to support development programmes, African countries have committed themselves to achieving the Millennium Development Goals through, inter alia, the allocation of 10 per cent of their budgets to agriculture, 15 per cent to health and 20 per cent to education. We would like to recognize and express our gratitude for the support of the United Nations and development partners to NEPAD programmes and for their continued commitment to advancing NEPAD’s vision. However, much remains to be done if Africa is to extricate itself from the deep-rooted poverty and the economic problems it faces and assume its rightful place in the international community. The high rates of unemployment and the limited access to energy continue to hamper the continent’s ability to create wealth and jobs. In this regard, we share the Secretary- General’s view that firm determination and leadership are required from all of us — Africans, African countries and our international development partners — in order to achieve the goals that NEPAD has set out for Africa’s rapid economic integration and development. As clearly indicated in the Secretary-General’s reports, Africa’s share of global trade and incoming foreign direct investment is only 4 per cent. Ethiopia underlines the important role of trade and investment in promoting economic growth and bringing Africa into the mainstream of the global economy. It is our hope and expectation that the long overdue Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations should be accelerated with a view to creating a conducive and enabling environment. It is exactly 11 years since the international community expressed its determination to effectively address the serious impact of malaria on developing countries, particularly in Africa. Over the years, a broad range of national and international actions has been under taken to tackle this deadly disease. As is known, the impact of this disease on socio-economic development remains significant despite considerable political attention and financial support available at the national, regional and international levels. There is a need for enhanced financial, technical and other forms of assistance from the international community to ensure sustainable development in Africa. Malaria is one of the major public health problems of my country. Approximately 68 per cent of our population lives in malaria-prone areas and 75 per cent of our land mass is malaria-infested. Recognizing the adverse impact of the malaria epidemic on socio- economic development efforts, malaria prevention and control programmes in Ethiopia have been the priority in our health sector. We have adopted a 10-year national strategic plan aimed at rapidly scaling up malaria control interventions to achieve a 50 per cent reduction of the malaria problem within this specified time frame. The deployment of over 30,000 health extension workers for health-care service delivery at the community level is part of our national efforts to control the disease. As a result, malaria-caused deaths have declined substantially, falling by 55 per cent since 1990, and the effective scale-up of malaria prevention and treatment has also achieved a dramatic decline in outpatient malaria cases. Before I conclude, I would like reiterate our commitment to continuing to work with other African countries and the international community to translate into reality NEPAD’s long-term vision and to support its strategies and programmes designed to help Africa’s socio-economic development endeavours.

In accordance with resolution 49/2 of 19 October 1994, I now call on the observer of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) statement concerns the agenda item on the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies welcomes the note by the Secretary-General (A/66/169) transmitting the World Health Organization report on the progress made in addressing the goals towards malaria control over the past decade. The findings are cause for optimism and demonstrate that approaches of our global response to malaria work. Since 2002, the IFRC and its 186 member national societies, in partnership with other organizations, have contributed to these successes by distributing more than 15 million mosquito nets, protecting 25.5 million people and preventing more than 420,000 malaria deaths. As a member of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, we welcome the positive results outlined by the Partnership’s report released in September. The findings tell us that working in partnership is effective and has created a foundation that will allow for even greater results in the years to come. Despite the many successes in combating malaria, we recognize that malaria remains one of the most devastating global public health challenges and continues to have an impact on the lives of poor, young and vulnerable people, thereby affecting the future of many developing countries. In order to sustain the advances made, the IFRC welcomes the forward-looking recommendations highlighted in the report transmitted by the Secretary- General’s note. As stated in the report, it is important to recognize that “[a]t the heart of all malaria control programmes are people” (A/66/169, para. 73). From our long-standing experience, we reaffirm that if malaria control programmes are to succeed, the engagement of people in communities is essential. This is why the Red Cross and Red Crescent contribution to scaling up malaria prevention is focused on social mobilization, communication and direct assistance to people and households in communities. Every year, Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies reach millions of people and households through community-based activities. The direct delivery of services and active engagement empower caregivers and families with increased knowledge and enable communities to make informed decisions, recognize danger signs and take timely action. This work would not be possible without the tireless efforts of the volunteers who consistently carry out household visits and net distributions. In 2010 alone, over 18,000 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers reached more than 6.2 million people with malaria messaging. Community volunteers are able to facilitate behavioural change by combining net distributions with training, which ensures correct and consistent prevention practices. Our so-called flagship programmes of “Hang Up” and “Keep Up” campaigns have significantly contributed to reducing the incidence of malaria, especially when reaching the most vulnerable groups, such as those living in remote areas, refugees and people affected by stigma and discrimination. Good programming is only made better by good data. This year, the IFRC piloted the roll-out of a management survey tool. The tool uses mobile phones for data collection and can provide information on progress and gaps in project implementation. By using data-driven programming, it will be possible to improve the implementation of malaria prevention programmes and support progress to be made in the years to come. In order to sustain global and national progress in combating malaria, our key message is that communities must own the activities that support the prevention and treatment of malaria. When community-based volunteers provide knowledge, prevention and treatment options, communities are genuinely empowered to be the most effective first responders to this disease. Community ownership reinforces positive, healthy behaviours and can address barriers to healthy behaviour changes. Therefore, to ensure long-term sustainable results, we underline the importance of facilitating malaria prevention from a top-down, scale- up phase to a bottom-up, community-driven phase. By facilitating an enabling environment and strengthening the role of communities, we can move closer to achieving the internationally agreed goals, such as the health-related Millennium Development Goals, the goals set out by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership and those articulated in the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health. The Red Cross and Red Crescent, in partnership, will continue to support and improve effective malaria prevention. We remain committed to building on the successes gained while keeping malaria high on the health agenda at the global, regional, national and, in particular, community levels.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on the three agenda items under consideration. I shall now give a summary of our meeting. We have heard a total of 30 speakers from Member States, one from an intergovernmental organization and one from a non-governmental organization. One after the other, they have thanked the Secretary-General for his reports, in particular that (A/66/202) on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which marks the tenth anniversary of that programme. Member States have thereby joined together in celebrating the tenth anniversary of NEPAD by welcoming the progress achieved and highlighting their commitment to supporting this programme and to Africa’s sustainable development. Delegations welcomed NEPAD’s achievements and the crucial role of regional economic communities and of African States themselves in its implementation. Delegations highlighted the progress achieved at both the macroeconomic and sector-specific levels and through democratic good governance and good economic practices, as shown through the return to constitutional order in various States and the Arab Spring. Delegations highlighted the potential for growth of the African economy represented by NEPAD. In this respect, delegations underlined the exceptional economic growth of the first decade, the efforts agreed upon and the results achieved in agriculture through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, and in infrastructure, women’s independence, human resources development, education, health care and information and communications technology. Delegations welcomed efforts aimed at promoting economic and political governance through the African Peer Review Mechanism as a crucial pillar of socio-economic development in Africa. A number of delegations recalled that, in spite of the progress achieved, Africa continues to face persistent challenges. Those include the global economic and financial crisis, climate change, the food crisis in the Horn of Africa, official development assistance, the weak efforts of development partners to honour their commitments and promises, the deadlock in the multilateral trade negotiations under the Doha Round, infrastructure and agriculture development, and the problem of youth unemployment. To respond to those many challenges, Member States recalled the importance of industrial development, increased investment in infrastructure and agriculture development, the mobilization of the continent’s resources, the promotion of South-South cooperation to complement traditional assistance, the strengthening of the capacities of continental and regional institutions, the promotion of market access, and development-oriented outcomes in multilateral trade negotiations. On the subject of assistance, delegations underscored the importance not only of honouring prior commitments but also of going far beyond the provision of assistance through a strategy aimed at reducing the dependence of African countries on aid and improving development effectiveness. A number of delegations also expressed their support for the implementation of a strengthened mechanism to follow up commitments to development in Africa. Delegations further emphasized their full commitment to continuing to support NEPAD’s efforts towards Africa’s development. Delegations welcomed the efforts under way within the United Nations system, including those under the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, towards NEPAD’s implementation. (spoke in English) I would like to congratulate all participants for the stimulating discussion we have had today. The discussion has illustrated Member States’ strong solidarity and good will in supporting African development. Many delegations commended the increasing cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations, which has proven significant in addressing many of the challenges to peace and security in Africa. Member States called for a comprehensive approach to tackling the interconnected challenges of peace and development by addressing the causes of conflict, including their socio-economic impact. Focus on the roll-back of malaria added a special dimension to our joint debate. Some Members States called for a comprehensive approach to eradicating malaria and ensuring funding sustainability in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Malaria remains a global challenge to be tackled by global endeavours. As I conclude this summary, I would like to quote the statement delivered by the representative of Guyana on behalf of the Caribbean Community, in which he noted that: “As Africa charts its way forward, the continued support of the international community remains vital to its success. But that success will not be Africa’s alone; the fruits of progress on the continent will inevitably contribute to progress in other parts of the world” (A/66/PV.32). (spoke in French) The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 63 and its sub-items (a) and (b) and agenda item 13.