A/68/PV.36 General Assembly

I now have the honour to deliver a statement on behalf of the President of the General Assembly, His Excellency Ambassador John Ashe. “I am pleased to welcome members to these important debates, in particular that on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), since it provides us with a timely opportunity to review our collective efforts in providing international support for NEPAD and is an *1353026* 13-53026 (E) appropriate way to culminate this year’s Africa- NEPAD week. “In many ways, it is an auspicious time for the African continent and it is fitting to begin by taking note of some of the positive developments on the continent. Experts now agree that Africa offers the most promising prospects for economic growth in the world, with sub-Saharan Africa as the second- fastest-growing region. Throughout the continent, we have seen significant progress in political governance, with a number of elections offering promise for future stability. Many countries can also take pride in recent developments in peace and security, and we look to those examples with the hope that the nations that are still struggling will soon follow. While we cannot deny that there are challenges confronting the African continent, the African people and African leaders are poised to face them as never before as they continue to harness their productive powers and grow in solidarity. “Today, as we assess international support for NEPAD, we can also acknowledge Africa’s collaborative efforts to tackle its shared challenges. NEPAD, first launched in 2001, is a success story. Through the Organization of African Unity (OAU)  — now the African Union (AU)  — the African region has found a mechanism to facilitate a cohesive approach to its challenges and opportunities. It has chosen that type of strategic and progressive coordination as an effective means to realize goals in the areas of peace and security and socioeconomic development. As 2013 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the OAU, I warmly congratulate the people of Africa on this important milestone. “NEPAD remains a strong framework for pan-African socioeconomic development and the essential blueprint for promoting development on the African continent. The latest report of Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon on the implementation of and international support for NEPAD (A/68/222) suggests notable progress. I commend those positive developments and Africa’s commitments in the areas of infrastructural projects, agriculture and food security, health and primary education and, last but not least, redoubling efforts to achieving the remaining Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. “The continent can also be justly proud of the establishment of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), which has become a key component of NEPAD and marks its tenth anniversary this year. Through the Mechanism, African countries have committed themselves to the promotion of good governance in all its dimensions  — corporate, political and economic. With over 30 African countries voluntarily joining the APRM, the continent is clearly demonstrating its commitment to good governance, transparency and democratic principles. As we celebrate that important milestone, I would like to encourage the countries of the region to keep up the momentum and consolidate gains achieved through the APRM. That review process is vital for promoting good governance practices among peers. “Because NEPAD is so critically important for pan-African socioeconomic development, it is vital that the international community continue partnering with African countries and the AU on its implementation and on alleviating developmental challenges on the continent. That support cannot be overstated and is integral to the overall success of the programme. While many countries have been affected by the recent global financial and economic downturn, international partners should continue to work with African countries to ensure that NEPAD commitments are translated into concrete results on the ground. “The United Nations is an integral and committed partner to NEPAD in realizing its objectives. I would like to commend the ongoing efforts of the United Nations, in particular the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, in supporting the full implementation of the programme. As President of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session, I pledge to continue to promote a good working relationship between the General Assembly and African Member States, as well as international partners, to ensure that NEPAD remains a high priority on the agenda of the Assembly. “I also hope that several thematic debates and General Assembly-mandated meetings will contribute immensely to support for NEPAD — for example, the meetings on the contributions of South- South and triangular cooperation and information and communication technology for development to the post-2015 development agenda and the high-level thematic debate on the promotion of investment in Africa and its catalytic role in achieving Africa’s development. “My remarks began with a focus on the great achievements, and I conclude with a reminder of the challenges that remain. It is widely reported that many countries are unlikely to achieve most of the MDGs by the 2015 deadline. In the remaining time before the 2015 target date, we need to accelerate efforts and summon the necessary political will. And as we set the stage for the post-2015 development agenda, the General Assembly will need to focus on how that agenda relates to Africa. Africa’s development priorities, as clearly embedded in NEPAD, must be skilfully incorporated into the new development agenda. “It is my sincere hope that today’s debate will be a strong demonstration of solidarity and support. As we are one united international community, let us continue to chart a practical way forward on successfully implementing NEPAD and creating meaningful change for people across the continent.”

Let me, first of all congratulate His Excellency Mr. John Ashe on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session. We wish him every success and assure him of our fullest cooperation. I am honoured to address today’s joint debate on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the promotion of peace and development in Africa, including in its efforts to fight malaria. Allow me to also convey our sincerest appreciation to the Secretary- General for his timely and extremely informative reports on the agenda items under discussion today (A/68/220 and A/68/222). Epitomizing the spirit of pan-Africanism, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, with its strong emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture and governance, is indeed firmly on course in realizing the vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful African continent. India lauds the progress achieved by Africa in the implementation of NEPAD priorities over the past 10 years through multisectoral initiatives in agriculture, infrastructure, health, education, science, information technology and the environment. However, despite those positive strides, serious challenges remain to be addressed before the African continent can achieve all- round development and prosperity. Extreme poverty, hunger, a lack of adequate nutrition, conflicts and other ills continue to shackle the tremendous potential of the African people. It is therefore important to acknowledge that addressing Africa’s development needs and challenges requires an unwavering commitment backed by resolute action, not only from within Africa but, equally important, from outside the continent. As has been pointed outin the Secretary-General’s report (A/68/222), total official development assistance to Africa has further declined, from $133.7 billion in 2011 to $125.9 billion in 2012. The report also points out that, despite a strong average growth of 6.6 per cent in 2012, it has not been inclusive or sustainable. Persistently high unemployment threatens to undermine the recent gains made towards social development and to derail the progress made towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is therefore imperative that the international community remain resolute in its support for Africa through sustained cooperation, including the transfer of technology, resources and an enabling international environment, and immediately address the gaping gap between the promise and delivery of pledged commitments. In these times of political uncertainty and economic meltdown, it is more crucial than ever for the continent’s development partners to stay the course and help African countries achieve their developmental goals. The India-Africa partnership is based on firm historical foundations. Over the decades, it has grown into one of the most productive and durable partnerships. For the people of India, Africa is the land of awakening of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and our ties continue to be rooted in our history of solidarity against colonialism and apartheid. Our engagement with Africa has come a long way since then and today we have built a new template for partnership in the form of the India-Africa Forum Summit. That partnership is based on mutual respect and guided by the vision and priorities of our African brothers and sisters. India and Africa are committed to pursue the ideals of democratic governance in multicultural and multilingual societies and inclusive development for the benefit of their peoples. India and the African Union launched a Plan of Action of the Enhanced Framework for Cooperation on 6 September in New Delhi. India is committed to assisting Africa, including in human resources and institutional capacity-building, education, science and technology, agricultural productivity and food security, industrial growth, including small and medium enterprises, the health sector, infrastructure and information and communication technology. Those activities are being implemented directly with Member States in close consultation with regional economic communities, the African Union Commission and the NEPAD Agency. India is also extending concessionary financing to develop socioeconomic infrastructure. Over the past decade, 170 lines of credit totalling $9.7 billion have been allocated, of which $5.8 billion was allocated for African countries. There has been a spectacular increase in India- Africa trade over the past two decades. India-Africa trade has grown from a small $967 million in 1991 to more than $70 billion in 2012. A target of $90 billion has been set for 2015. There is significant scope to enhance and diversify it with coordinated and sustained efforts. India also actively supports African initiatives for peace and security on the continent. In the pursuit of that commitment, more than 6,500 Indian soldiers support United Nations peacekeeping operations in various parts of Africa. There is a lot we can learn from each other’s development experiences. We have redirected our age-old bonds of friendship to respond to the contemporary aspirations of our peoples and to build a partnership that is increasingly being cited as the beacon of South-South cooperation. The India, Brazil and South Africa facility for poverty and hunger alleviation, which recently celebrated a special event here in New York on the occasion of the United Nations International Day for South-South Cooperation, on 12 September, has already completed several successful projects in Burundi, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone to strengthen infrastructure and capacity-building. Our partnership with Africa has the potential to strengthen global governance systems and to democratize multilateral institutions. It is indeed ironic, and a continued question as to the credibility of its representative character, that the Security Council does not represent the entire continent of Africa in its permanent membership category, despite nearly 75 per cent of its work being focused on Africa alone. Along with our African friends, we continue to stress the urgent need to reform the Security Council and to address historical injustices, by making that a reflection of contemporary realities. The year 2015, which marks the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations and 10 years since the 2005 World Summit mandate by our Heads of States and Governments to achieve early reforms, would be a fitting occasion to deliver concrete outcomes on our pledged commitment to reform global governance institutions.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in today’s joint debate on the items “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in implementation and international support” and “2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa”. Our delegations thank the Secretary-General for his insightful reports (A/68/220 and A/68/222), which amply inform our consideration of the issues under those agenda items. We also appreciate the role of the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, in conjunction with the Department of Public Information, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and other relevant agencies, in organizing the Africa-New Partnership for Africa’s Development week, which provides useful background to our deliberations today. The current debate takes place on the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union. That seminal African institution was established on 25 May 1963 by visionary founders who foresaw a united continent assuming full responsibility for its future, in partnership with the international community. In this year of pan-Africanism and African renaissance, CARICOM is pleased to renew its solidarity with Africa and its support for the attainment of durable peace and sustainable development on the continent. The founding of the OAU preceded by a decade the establishment of the Caribbean Community, in 1973. Not long after that, the 1975 Georgetown Agreement united our two regions, along with countries of the Pacific, in the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) group, a cross-continental alliance committed to South- South cooperation and to a partnership with Europe for development. Our two regions, the Caribbean and Africa, have been animated by a common aspiration to chart a course of our own design informed by the wisdom of our respective experiences while learning from one another and the experiences of others. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that CARICOM has welcomed and continues to support the African-led and -owned approach to growth and socioeconomic development that the New Partnership represents. Through it, Africans can chart their own course to higher standards of life in larger freedom, surmount the ravages of conflict and poverty and fulfil the rich promise of their potential. The progress that has been made thus far illustrates the effectiveness and relevance of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as a development model for Africa. Africa has witnessed major development gains, even as it continues to grapple with significant challenges to peace and development. Seven of the 10 fastest-growing economies across the globe are based on the continent. Today, Africa as a whole is the world’s second-fastest-growing region. Moreover, a growing middle class  — currently 34 per cent of the population — is projected to reach 1 billion people by 2060. The World Bank’s Africa Overview 2013 notes that the region’s poverty rate fell from 58.1 per cent in 1999 to 47.5 per cent in 2008, and growth in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to rise from 5.3 per cent in 2012, to 5.6 per cent in 2013. Various assessments indicate that Africa is on its way to achieving some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, notably MDG 2, regarding universal primary education; MDG 3, with regard to gender parity in school enrolment; and MDG 6, on reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Despite those achievements, major challenges remain. The rate of poverty reduction in Africa is not enough to reach the target of halving extreme poverty by 2015. The continent therefore continues to run the greatest risk in the entire developing world of falling short of achieving the MDGs. Also, with about 65 per cent of Africans today below the age of 35, and over 35 per cent between the ages of 15 and 35 and with youth unemployment accounting for 60 per cent of continental unemployment, Africa’s Governments will no doubt face increasingly pressing demands from their young population for decent jobs and better standards of living. Support for major continental undertakings such as those in agriculture, infrastructure, health and governance will therefore be crucial to Africa’s future. The burden of disease poses a continuing impediment to Africa’s progress. Even in the wake of the 2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa, nearly half of the world’s population remains at risk of malaria, and an estimated 219 million cases in 2010 led to approximately 660,000 deaths, most of them children under the age of 5 living in Africa. The World Malaria Report 2012, issued in December, makes a compelling case that international funding for malaria appears to have reached a plateau well below the level required to meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed malaria targets. CARICOM urges renewed international commitment to support Africa and other affected regions against that preventable disease. Given those realities, the international community’s partnership with Africa will remain of great importance not only to Africa but to the world. Commitments made to Africa with respect to official development assistance, trade, the transfer of technology and capacity-building must therefore be honoured and sustained. The role of South-South and triangular cooperation will remain integral to the global response to Africa’s development challenges as a complement to the commitment of traditional development partners. CARICOM supports Africa’s quest to improve governance and accountability, reflecting our shared commitments in that regard. The role of the African Peer Review Mechanism, now in its tenth anniversary year, has been instrumental in that process. In that context, we note that 33 countries have voluntarily acceded to the Mechanism and, of those, 17 have completed their self-assessments and have been peer-reviewed by the Forum of Heads of State and Government. We express the hope that the stability being experienced by most African countries will be sustained and that setbacks to peace and security will be overcome, in the interests of the countries and peoples concerned. CARICOM therefore supports United Nations and African Union (AU) efforts in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, which are critical to the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development. We also support Africa’s aspiration to have a permanent and non-permanent presence on the Security Council. Turning to the bilateral relationship between our two regions, I am pleased to report that the Caribbean’s age-old relations with Africa are being consolidated in modern times through strengthened diplomatic engagements, increased people-to-people ties and the pursuit of economic and technical cooperation for mutual benefit. The ACP group endures as an important mechanism for collaboration and in our relations with the European Union. A key emphasis of current efforts is on the structural transformation of ACP economies to ensure that a significant proportion of the wealth generated from our natural recourses, especially minerals and agricultural commodities, remain within our countries for their sustainable development. CARICOM and the AU continue to partner in the AU diaspora process, which constitutes an ongoing link among member States of our two regions. At the United Nations, CARICOM and Africa have engaged together and with other partners in undertaking to erect in a place of prominence at United Nations Headquarters a permanent memorial to the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. We reached an important milestone in that endeavour with the unveiling, last September, of the winning design for the memorial. We will continue to work with all partners to see that project through to a successful conclusion. CARICOM and Africa will have much on which to collaborate in the development of the post-2015 development agenda. In conclusion, the Caribbean Community takes this opportunity to express its confidence in the prospects for Africa’s continued progress. Africa’s renaissance heralds the promise of a brighter day not only for the people of that great continent, but also for the people of the world at large. We therefore renew our commitment to partnership in the cause of mutual success. Dato Ismail (Brunei Darussalam): I have the honour to address the General Assembly this morning on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which comprises Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports (A/68/220 and A/68/222). ASEAN attaches great importance to its friendship and cooperation with Africa, and we share the same aspirations for the development of our regions. Relations between the countries of our two regions have also been enhanced through solidarity, cooperation and mutual respect. We acknowledge the good progress that many African countries have made in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We also acknowledge the challenges faced by African countries, and we understand their difficulties in attaining the MDGs by 2015. We note that the efforts of African countries have been slowed by economic crises, political upheavals, natural disasters and the decline of humanitarian assistance. In that regard, ASEAN continues to encourage efforts through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to address those concerns, especially by prioritizing and mainstreaming the issues of health, education and gender in the agenda. Furthermore, ASEAN welcomes the valuable contributions made by the African Peer Review Mechanism to strengthening the engagement between African Governments and their peoples. At the international level, ASEAN welcomes the constructive role and assistance of the United Nations, such as the launching of the United Nations monitoring mechanism to review the implementation of commitments made to Africa’s development. Individually, ASEAN countries have also strengthened their relations with African Member States. Each of us, in our own way, has offered capacity- building programmes and provided educational scholarships to the African countries.We hope that our assistance has benefited African countries and helped them make progress towards attaining the MDGs by 2015. Above all, we share the view of many African countries that have placed great emphasis on the importance of including poverty eradication in the post-2015 agenda. Turning to the issue of malaria, both ASEAN and African countries have been affected by that contagious disease. ASEAN therefore supports Africa’s efforts to combat malaria and other diseases, including HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. ASEAN welcomes the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to help developing countries eradicate those deadly pandemics. Each ASEAN member State has different experiences and areas of expertise, and we stand ready to share our best practices with African countries. In that regard, ASEAN joins the Secretary- General’s call upon other countries in a position to contribute, as mentioned in his report, to continue and to redouble efforts to help accelerate the achieving of MDGs and sustainable development and sustainable growth in Africa. In addition, ASEAN looks forward to sharing and exchanging information and experiences on development-related issues. We hope all those combined efforts will aid our African colleagues in achieving their Goals.

I now give the floor to the observer of the European Union.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The candidate countries Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland and Serbia; the country of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. Let me start by emphasizing the importance the EU and its member States attach to the EU-Africa partnership and to the economic and social development of African countries. We are proud of having built a strategic partnership between Europe and Africa  — the first region-to-region strategic partnership in the world  — having at its heart the principles of African unity, mutual interdependence and enhanced cooperation. The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership, established in 2007, reflects the shared vision and commitment to work towards the common goals of Africa’s 54 countries and the European Union’s 28 member States — a combined population of 1.5 billion citizens. Next April in Brussels, Europe and Africa will meet for the fourth Africa-Europe Summit to take that Partnership to a new level. We will advance further in promoting sustainable development in our two regions, in nurturing and defending democracy and basic freedoms and in offering a better future to our citizens. Africa is in the process of a long-term political and socioeconomic transformation, as we have heard from presentations and discussions this week in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the African Peer Review Mechanism and the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union. It is with great satisfaction that we witness Africa realizing its huge potential, with impressive levels of growth — 5 per cent on average, and up to double that in some countries. Seven out of the world’s 10 fastest- growing economies are African. There is a rapidly emerging middle class and a young, dynamic, fast- growing population that is expected to double by 2050. Those are all huge assets that are already transforming the continent for the better. Africa’s economic and social development benefits first and foremost the people of Africa, but we believe it is also in the interests of the European Union. Recognizing the principle of African solutions for African challenges, we acknowledge the essential role of the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in the definition of continent-wide economic and political governance policy frameworks and programmes to underpin that transformation and to address the significant challenges still ahead of us, in particular in eradicating poverty and making sure that growth and wealth benefit the largest number of people. For our part, we would like to reassure delegations that the European Union is and will remain Africa’s most important partner as far as development aid is concerned and, more important, in trade, investment, security and people-to-people contacts. The EU and its member States remain Africa’s most important donors, providing 45 per cent — equivalent to €21 billion — of the aid targeting the continent in 2011 alone. The support covers all of NEPAD’s strategic focus areas. It includes, inter alia, support to the African Peer Review Mechanism as the main African-led framework to monitor and promote good governance on the continent, and support aligned to two NEPAD programmes recommended by the General Assembly in resolution 67/294, on NEPAD, adopted a few months ago, for increased alignment by development partners: the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme. It is estimated that the lack of adequate infrastructure can reduce productivity by as much as 40 per cent. That is why Africa gives great importance to its Programme for Infrastructure Development, and that is why a cornerstone of our cooperation is the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund, which has a total funding of €746 million. Boosting agricultural productivity, food security and resilience is another major priority in achieving the goal of eradicating poverty and tapping Africa’s potential. That is why we are providing support to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme at the continental, regional and national levels. The European Union also remains the biggest trading partner for the African continent, accounting for one third of Africa’s total trade. European Union countries also invest considerably in Africa. From 2005 to 2010, European Union countries were responsible for 43.7 per cent of foreign direct investment in Africa. Africa continues to face a huge burden of potentially preventable and treatable diseases. We know that malaria and other communicable and non-communicable diseases inflict a heavy burden on Africa, particularly on women, children and the most vulnerable. The European Union and its member States will continue their collective support, always seeking the most efficient modes of delivery, by working through national Governments, but also with the relevant organizations and mechanisms. Those include the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which the European Commission has been associated with since it was founded 12 years ago. Since then the Commission has contributed more than €1.1 billion to the Global Fund. Collectively, the EU and its member States have been contributing 50 per cent to the Global Fund’s budget so far. Combating diseases such as malaria, through strengthened national health systems that are responsive and able to deliver comprehensive, quality health services for the entire population, is, in our view, one of the most effective ways to alleviate poverty and promote equitable and sustainable economic growth. The Africa-EU partnership goes beyond development to tackle other issues of common interest, such as peace and security, which are essential for the development and prosperity of any country. It is universally recognized that development, peace and security and human rights are interlinked and mutually reinforcing. The African Union is stepping up actions to help to resolve the conflicts on the continent. We welcome that development and are directly supporting Africa’s capability to manage African problems. Since 2004, the EU has provided more than €1.1 billion to the African Peace Facility to fund the African-led Peace Support Operations Division, strengthen the African Peace and Security Architecture and operationalize the early- response mechanism. Let me conclude by emphasizing that the European Union and its member States remain fully committed to supporting Africa and Africans in their quest for peace, democratic governance, human rights and sustainable development.

My delegation welcomes the opportunity to discuss agenda item 63, entitled “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in implementation and international support”, along with its sub-items (a) and (b). We have taken note of the two reports of the Secretary-General contained in documents A/68/220 and A/68/222, which emphasize the political measures taken by Africa countries and organizations to implement the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). We have also reviewed the evident progress made over the past 12 months on the implementation of NEPAD. In his report, the Secretary-General emphasizes the need to continue to strengthen partnerships in security, food security, development, women’s education and empowerment, the enhancement of the rule of law, and general education with a view to promoting social, political and economic development in Africa. Kuwait considers those matters highly important, given the close and historic links between the State of Kuwait and the African continent and in the light of the difficult concerns and challenges faced by the continent, which require the stepped-up efforts of the international community to address them. Africa continues to face drought, desertification, disease and armed conflict and other obstacles to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It has been 12 years since African Heads of State and Governments adopted NEPAD as a global partnership to achieve economic and social development in Africa; it has been 11 years since the General Assembly convened a high-level dialogue on NEPAD (see A/57/PV.11), in September 2002, and adopted resolution 57/7 (see A/57/ PV.43) in November of that year. It has also been 12 years since United Nations organs and other specialized agencies established true development partnerships with Africa in support of development efforts. It is unfortunate, however, that despite the significant economic progress seen in a number of African countries, many people and nations continue to suffer owing to rising poverty and the incidence of contagious diseases, malaria and HIV/AIDS, in parallel with a lack of economic development support projects. That is why the international community must seriously redouble its efforts to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, particularly the MDGs, with a long- term ambitious view to the Agenda 2063 Vision. We firmly believe that development must be stepped up through the comprehensive efforts of all African and Arab States. From the start, Kuwait has persisted in fulfilling its pledges to that end through all of its partnerships and international commitments. In that context, Kuwait affirms its ongoing tireless efforts to support developing countries generally, and African countries in particular, both officially and via the private sector. Kuwait’s official development assistance remains an ongoing aspect of its foreign policy, for we strongly believe that economic development will benefit all and will strengthen partnerships and cooperation, while at the same time strengthening the global economic and trade regime. My country will continue to support the aspirations and efforts of developing countries to that end, especially African countries. The State of Kuwait has enjoyed partnerships with African States throughout history, which have been reinforced at the political and economic levels through unique bilateral relationships. We would recall the key role of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and its presence in 48 of the 54 African Union States. Today, the Fund is continuing to expand its activities and financing efforts in 102 States, including projects in agriculture, transportation, energy, water, infrastructure, health and education. The African continent has been a priority of the Fund, which has invested more than $6.4 billion therein. It has also contributed to an initiative of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in 1996 to reduce the debt of 24 African Union countries. Kuwait has also launched and contributed to a fund of $100 million aimed at ensuring a life of dignity, as many countries have been unable to attend adequately to their needs owing to the 2007-2008 global food crisis. We have also contributed more than $300 million to various other funds aimed at reducing famine and poverty in Africa. We also contributed the substantial sum of $500 million to the holding of a donors conference in support of the eastern part of the Sudan. All of those efforts show our deep commitment to Africa. Kuwait, which this year is celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its admission as a State Member of the United Nations, has provided support to many of the Organization’s agencies, organs and bodies. We recognize the importance of the coordinated action needed to address the difficulties and challenges facing the United Nations. In that connection, from 18 to 20 November, the State of Kuwait will host the third Africa-Arab Summit on partnerships for investment and development. We hope it will serve to strengthen cooperation and stability on both continents. Kuwait underscores that, in the light of the historical relationships, legacy, interests and common destiny of Kuwait and Africa and the international community and Africa, the international community, the private sector, Government and non-governmental organizations and civil society should assist the countries and peoples of Africa in fulfilling their aspirations and achieving their economic and development goals.

The United States welcomes the Secretary-General’s report on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (A/68/222), as well as his report entitled “2001 to 2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa” (A/66/169). The United States strongly supports the ongoing efforts of many African countries to generate broad- based, sustained and inclusive economic growth that enables them to reduce poverty and unemployment and integrate more successfully into the global economy. We are encouraged by their work to create a more enabling business environment in their focus on infrastructure development and cooperation. We commend the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency for its efforts to support initiatives of individual Governments alongside the African Union, the United Nations and the African Development Bank. This is critical for attracting domestic investment and encouraging a vibrant private sector. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the United States commends its participants and their determination to share experiences and reinforce best practices. We observe as well the obvious dedication of the APRM secretariat to that process. The United States continues to support the New Partnership for Africa’s Development as the African States’ collective vision and strategic framework for socioeconomic development in Africa. We support NEPAD’s priorities for democratization, good governance and economic transparency, as well as its initiatives to enhance regional and national infrastructure, food security and nutrition. I would like to highlight briefly some United States initiatives in the area of food security and energy infrastructure development that support NEPAD objectives. African countries are essential partners in United States food security initiatives. In 2012, the Feed the Future initiative has helped over 7 million food producers worldwide to adopt improved agricultural technology for over 4 million hectares of land under improved cultivation and management practices, to increase the exports of targeted commodities by $84 million and to increase the value of agricultural and rural loans by $150 million. The programme also reached over 12 million children with nutrition programmes that have reduced anaemia, supported community gardens, fostered fortification and treated acute malnutrition. The United States also supports the work of the African Union and African nations to invest in the development of their agricultural sectors under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme. In 2012, the United States leveraged its presidency of the Group of Eight (G-8) to deepen the global commitment to food security. At the G-8 Summit hosted by President Obama at Camp David, African Heads of State, corporate leaders and G-8 members pledged to partner through the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, working with the African Union and Grow Africa, to lift 50 million people out of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa by 2022. Later this year, we plan to launch the Climate-Smart Agriculture Alliance, working with South Africa and others, to underpin and accelerate the implementation of climate-smart agricultural practices. In June President Obama launched the Power Africa initiative, one of a number of United States actions to support infrastructure development. With an initial set of six partner countries, Power Africa aims to add more than 10,000 megawatts of cleaner, more efficient electricity generation and to improve the governance and transparency with which Africa’s conventional energy resources are managed. The trend towards increasing domestic-resource mobilization in support of those projects is remarkable. We agree with NEPAD participants that effective and transparent revenue collection and procurement structures are key enablers and that public investment catalyses private investment. Turning to the report on malaria, the United States has for many years demonstrated a commitment to the prevention and treatment of malaria, and we will continue to work with national Governments and other partners to lead the effort to end deaths from malaria. The President’s Malaria Initiative, launched in 2005, represented a historic $1.2 billion five-year expansion of United States Government resources to fight malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2008, $5 billion over five more years were allocated to halving the burden of malaria in 70 per cent of at-risk populations in sub-Saharan Africa. The President’s Malaria Initiative now focuses on 19 countries in Africa. In 2012 alone, over 50 million people were protected against malaria through those efforts. The global malaria fight is succeeding. Deaths decreased by one third over the past decade, from 1 million to an estimated 600,000 annually. We are particularly proud of the catalytic role that United States financial and technical contributions have played in reducing the devastating burden of malaria in terms of child mortality. Working in close partnership with host countries and other development partners, the United States goal over the next five years is to sustain and build on those successful efforts. We encourage all donor and recipient nations to support global malaria control efforts through appropriate financial contributions and stronger political commitments. If each affected African country works with partners in malaria prevention, as many did in HIV/AIDS prevention programmes, the goal of a malaria-free Africa will be attainable sooner.

Thailand aligns itself with the statement delivered earlier by the representative of Brunei Darussalam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. At the outset, Thailand wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports entitled “New Partnership for Africa’s Development: eleventh consolidated progress report on implementation and international support” (A/68/222) and “Causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa” (A/68/220). Africa is a continent with enormous potential, endowed with human capital, a diverse environment and natural resources. Through the unwavering commitments and efforts of African countries, their partners and regional organizations, we have seen progress in some flagship development programmes, as stated in the Secretary-General’s report. However, as the Secretary-General also notes, persistent challenges to development in Africa remain. With the year 2015 fast approaching, some countries still lag behind and are unlikely to achieve their Millennium Development Goals. Both persistent and emerging global challenges remain unresolved, including famine, poverty, pandemics, climate change, economic crisis, political turmoil and terrorism. Those challenges need to be urgently addressed in a holistic manner. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is proof that establishing partnerships for development is the right approach. It makes far-reaching goals achievable and some seemingly impossible goals possible. Thailand therefore attaches importance to fostering partnership with our brothers and sisters in Africa. The year 2013 marks a new chapter in Thai-African relations. We are set to enhance our strategic partnership with Africa through the Thai-Africa Initiative, which is one of the most important items in Thailand’s foreign- policy agenda. The partnership will be based on three main pillars, namely, development, economics and cooperation. As part of the Initiative, Thailand hosted the second senior officials meeting in September, with participants from 37 African countries. The meeting discussed modalities for advancing the Initiative. Several areas of possible cooperation were identified, including food security, agriculture, agro-processing, energy, human resources development, sustainable development, infrastructure and the empowerment of women. A high-level dialogue between Thai and African leaders, which Thailand will host on 3 and 4 February 2014, will give further impetus to the Initiative and put it into action. Food security remains a serious issue. Greater efforts must be made to raise Africa’s agricultural productivity, as recommended in the Secretary- General’s report. Thailand is determined to increase our cooperation through the exchange of know-how on sustainable agricultural development and food processing with our African partners. We will also offer agricultural cooperation programmes specifically tailored to the needs of individual African countries. Human capital is the most valuable resource for development, and therefore Thailand gives high priority to cooperation with our African partners in human resource development. We will continue to offer scholarships for higher education and fellowships for training. We will also carry out joint development projects in areas in which we have expertise that could be of value to Africa, such as fisheries, health care and rural development. Thailand, as one of the three donor countries to the Yokohama Action Plan for the period 2013-2017, will continue its participation in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). We see TICAD as a very important platform for enhancing the development of Africa. Thailand will also continue its engagement with Africa in a wide range of areas, in the spirit of South-South cooperation. We value highly and hope to increase our triangular cooperation with such United Nations agencies as the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development through the International Trade and Development Centre based in Bangkok. Health is another vital issue, for sustainable growth and development cannot be achieved without a healthy population. Thailand has undertaken a proactive policy to roll back malaria. We have set a target of reducing the malaria-affected area of Thailand to 20 per cent by 2020. Not only have we forged close cooperation with our neighbours in the greater Mekong region, but we have now extended our support to Africa. Our African partners now include Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Gambia, Mali and Senegal. Technology-transfer projects for the local production of malaria drugs have also been successfully implemented. Thailand is also committed to, and actively advocates, universal and equitable access to treatment and medication without discrimination. It is Thailand’s firm belief that sustainable development and durable peace and security are mutually reinforcing. We agree totally with the Secretary-General, who states in his report that the consolidation of democracy and the entrenchment of the rule of law and good governance are critical to Africa’s economic and political stability. On our part, we will continue to play our role in contributing to peace and security in Africa. Our men and women have participated, and are currently participating, in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, the United Nations Mission in Liberia and the counter-piracy task groups in the Gulf of Aden and in Somalia. Our African brothers and sisters and the international community can continue to count on Thailand to support Africa and the international community in achieving and maintaining peace and security. Thailand is committed to strengthening the global partnership for development in Africa. We will be more than happy to share our experiences and best practices in the various areas of development with our African brothers and sisters, so that our two continents, while geographically far apart, will become ever closer through the spirit of cooperation.

Recently, the African continent has seen strikingly positive changes. The main credit for that belongs to Africans themselves. Despite ongoing challenges, Africa continues to confidently move towards broad transformation and modernization. Russia welcomes the efforts that the African community is making. The active participation of African countries in global political, economic and humanitarian processes is an important factor in the successful implementation of the priorities of the global socioeconomic agenda. We support coordinated measures to help achieve the sustainable development of the African continent. We attach high priority to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and we are currently participating in agreed steps to provide NEPAD with comprehensive assistance, both bilaterally and through existing international mechanisms, including the Group of Eight (G-8) and the Group of 20. For many decades, Russia has been providing direct assistance to the African continent. We have already written off the main debt of African States  — over $20 billion, a figure that places Russia firmly in first place among the G-8 countries. We intend to continue to help relieve the continent’s debt burden. Relevant international agreements through the debt for development swap have been concluded with Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique, totaling $263.6 million. Russia’s contribution to implementing the initiative agreed by the G-8 at the Camp David Summit in May 2012 — the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition  — for the period 2013 to 2015 amounts to $110 million. Our country is actively involved in international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to African countries. Through Russia’s contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme Fund in 2012, food assistance was provided to Djibouti, Kenya, Guinea, Somalia, Ethiopia and Chad, totalling $13 million. In November 2012, the Russian Federation provided emergency humanitarian assistance on a bilateral basis to Mali and Guinea; in February of this year, to Mali and Mozambique; and in June to Kenyan flood victims. The Government of the Russian Federation has decided to earmark a contribution of $1 million to the International Civil Defence Organization in order to provide humanitarian assistance to Lesotho. States of the region are given broad trade preferences. Goods traditionally exported from least developed countries, most of which are in Africa, are not subjected to Russia’s customs import duties. Significant assistance is also being provided to African countries in the areas of health and staff training. Russian institutes of higher education are currently training approximately 8,000 Africans, about half of whom are granted State funds. In 2012, the countries of Africa received around 1,000 stipends from the Russian State. This year we intend to increase that number again. Russia attaches great importance to achieving the goals of the Decade to Roll Back Malaria. In 2011, we contributed approximately $20 million towards the implementation of the World Bank programme to combat malaria in African countries. Russia’s voluntary contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria total $100 million. Russia’s contribution to the World Health Organization for implementing the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is $18 million. Despite the general decline over the past decade in the intensity and number of conflicts, Africa remains vulnerable to many forms of crisis. That has been shown in particular by the situations in the Sahel, the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa. The successful prevention and resolution of conflicts on the continent depends on the skilful use of a whole range of specific tools, including early-warning and response, preventive diplomacy, mediation, good offices, reconciliation and confidence-building measures. We also place great importance on systemic work to overcome the underlying causes of conflict, primarily those of a long-standing political, socioeconomic and humanitarian nature. Russia provides consistent political support to the efforts of the African community in that regard, and we stand ready to provide further assistance in strengthening the capacity of African States to counter crises. We note with satisfaction the increasingly active involvement in crisis response by the African Union and subregional organizations in Africa. The Peace and Security Council of the African Union plays a central role in that regard, as do the Continental Early Warning System and the African Standby Force. We call for increased partnership between the United Nations and the African Union on efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts. We note the joint efforts of both organizations on Darfur and Somalia and on the Sudan track. No less important is the need to further coordinate actions regarding the crisis situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Guinea- Bissau and the Central African Republic. As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia makes a considerable contribution towards developing a strategic policy for the international community and practical steps to strengthen peace and security in Africa. We are expanding our training for African peacekeepers and representatives of Africa countries’ law enforcement bodies. Last year, Russia made a voluntary contribution of $2 million to the African Peace Fund. Russia is keen to develop mutually beneficial and multifaceted cooperation with Africa of a long-term, strategic nature. We are confident that our partnership would be further enhanced by the implementation of the initiative launched by President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation at the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) forum held in Durban in March. That initiative is designed to establish political and economic cooperation between BRICS, the African Union, NEPAD and subregional organizations.

At the outset, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Under-Secretary- General Maged Abdelaziz and the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa for their commitment to promoting international support for peace and development in Africa. Winston Churchill once said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”. No one would argue that the countries of Africa have not had more than their fair share of difficulties. Despite their many challenges, the continent is rich in talent, energy and hope — the building blocks needed to unlock the continent’s vast potential. My personal understanding of Africa does not come from Hollywood movies or stories in National Geographic. I speak from personal experience. I was a young child living in what was then Tanganyika, and I recall the warmth and the sense of community of the African people. I also vividly remember the feeling of excitement that followed when nations earned their independence. In the 1950s and 1960s, dozens of African countries pulled down the flags of their colonial Powers and raised their own. Since then, nation after nation has begun the difficult transition from war towards peace, from dictatorship towards democracy and from poverty towards economic stability. We are here today to discuss the progress in Africa’s development. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is an initiative led by Africans for Africa. It provides unique opportunities for African countries to take control of their development agenda, to work together and to cooperate more effectively with their international partners. From Zululand to Yorubaland and from the Nile River to the Niger River, NEPAD is helping to advance Africa’s common goals. One could say that NEPAD is the launching pad for Africa in the new millennium. The nations and peoples of Africa have made tremendous progress on the path towards greater prosperity. Yet, for all of the promise and opportunity on the horizon, there are still daunting challenges, including extreme poverty, drought, famine, conflict and gender disparity. In Burkina Faso the average working day for men is 8.5 hours, but for women it is 14 hours. In Gabon women perform 95 per cent of farm work and usually work 15 hours a day. In contrast, even during peak agricultural periods, men spend only two to three hours per day on agriculture. Studies show that if African women were given the same access as men to vocational training and technology, the African economy would expand by at least 40 per cent. That is a staggering figure and one that cannot be ignored by anyone in this Hall. It goes without saying that the African nations have the primary responsibility for their own social and economic development. But the international community must do all it can to support their efforts. In its earliest days, Israel was a fledgling State barely able to provide for its own. It was surrounded by enemies and struggled to cope with the absorption of hundreds of thousands of refugees. In 1958, then- Foreign Minister Golda Meir travelled to the African continent and saw the many challenges that the African nations and Israel shared. She said, “Like them, we had shaken off foreign rule; like them, we had to learn for ourselves how to reclaim the land, how to increase the yields of our crops, how to irrigate, how to live together and how to defend ourselves”. Driven by the Jewish value of “tikkun olam” — the obligation of every person to play a part in making this world a better place — we launched an ambitious programme to share our nation-building knowledge with the newborn countries of Africa. Today, Israel is an oasis of innovation in an otherwise arid region. We have more start-up companies than many of the world’s wealthiest countries. Our doctors and researchers have made medical breakthroughs that have saved countless lives. We lead the world in green technologies, such as solar power and desalination. And our scientists have found innovative ways to vastly expand the yield, quantity and quality of crops. Israel has been eager to share the secrets of its success with the rest of the world. Through Israel’s National Agency for International Development Cooperation — known by its Hebrew acronym, MASHAV — we are sharing our innovative solutions with countries throughout Africa and around the world. Israelis are helping to save lives through organizations such as Save a Child’s Heart, which provides paediatric cardiac care to children from developing countries who suffer from heart disease. That organization has helped thousands of children around the world, including from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana and Angola. An Israeli irrigation company introduced a low- pressure, low-cost drip irrigation system for subsistence farmers, providing them with enough water to raise crops year-round. In the Kenyan village of Kitui, farmers began using that system instead of hauling water from wells. They saw a 140 per cent increase in harvest yield and a 200 per cent increase in income. Israeli scientists are also helping to overcome many of the most pressing problems faced by African farmers. After discovering that 50 per cent of every grain and pulse harvest in the developing world was lost to pests and mould, Israeli researchers designed inexpensive bags that protect crops from water and air. Those bags are being used by countless African farmers to keep their grain market-fresh. There is a wonderful African proverb that says “If you want to go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”. That is what NEPAD is about: Africans forging Africa’s future, together. A new wave of optimism is sweeping through the plains, mountains and savannahs of Africa. But in order for that optimism to take hold, every child, every family and every community must have the opportunity to build a brighter future. Let us therefore pledge to empower the people of Africa, let us commit to ensuring that they have equal opportunities and let us strive to ensure a brighter future for all of Africa’s people. As musical superstar Shakira says in her song “This time for Africa”, “Today’s your day, I feel it. You paved the way, Believe it. This time for Africa!”

At the outset, Japan would like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports (A/68/220 and A/68/222). Today Africa is achieving strong and steady growth. In 2012, the average annual economic growth rate on the African continent was 6.6 per cent. On the other hand, Africa still faces various challenges, including conflict and poverty. We must urgently strengthen our efforts to work with Africa so that it can take full advantage of its natural resources and growing population to realize economies and societies from which all people on the continent can benefit, including the socially vulnerable. We must also strengthen efforts to realize societies that are resilient against natural disasters, such as droughts and other crises arising from economic and social changes. Needless to say, we must also recognize that peace and stability provide the foundation for Africa’s development. Japan had the privilege of hosting the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) in June. The Conference was co-organized with the United Nations, the African Union Commission, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank. Since 1993, the TICAD process has been promoting African development by emphasizing both ownership by African countries and partnerships with the international community, including Japan. Since the launch of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), in 2001, the TICAD process has been contributing to the realization of NEPAD priorities and serving as an important framework for partnership. With the support of an increasing number of co-organizers, as I have mentioned, TICAD has grown into an international forum with participants from African and partner countries, international and regional organizations, the private sector and civil society. The year 2013 was indeed a special one for the holding of TICAD V, as it marked the tenth anniversary of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the twentieth anniversary of the TICAD process and the fiftieth anniversary of the Organization of African Unity, which was the precursor of the African Union. The outcome documents of TICAD V — the Yokohama Declaration 2013 and Yokohama Action 2013-2017 — serve to align the Conference agenda for the coming five years with the continent’s priority objectives and initiatives of the African Union and NEPAD. As the report of the Secretary-General indicates, such alignment will foster the implementation of continental programmes in ways that will enable Africa to meet its development needs effectively and ensure African ownership and leadership of its development agenda. Also at TICAD V, Japan committed itself to providing an assistance package for Africa, utilizing private and public means of up to $32 billion, including $14 billion in official development assistance (ODA). The emphasis is on infrastructure and human resources development, areas where African countries and the Japanese private sector have shown strong interest. For their part, African countries committed themselves to making infrastructure development their top priority through the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), as mentioned in the report of the Secretary-General. In order to strengthen and diversify sectors that will foster robust and sustainable growth, Japan strongly supports working through PIDA with financial assistance amounting to $6.5 billion for infrastructure. What Africa needs now is private-sector investment. Japan will leverage private investment in Africa through public-private partnerships, including the provision of public finance. Agriculture and food security are also key issues in Africa. In particular, rural development, with special care for women and smallholder farmers, also contributes to poverty eradication. Japan welcomes the fact that African countries are collectively committed, through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, to the goal of annually increasing their agricultural productivity by 6 per cent and allocating 10 per cent of their national budgets towards agricultural investment. Along with that initiative, Japan will continue to support the efforts of the Coalition for African Rice Development, which seeks to double rice production in sub-Saharan Africa to 28 million tons by 2018. The Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Shinzo Abe, held a summit round table on agricultural development, with the African regional economic communities, NEPAD and TICAD as co-organizers, during the week of high-level meetings at the General Assembly in September and reaffirmed the strategic approach of TICAD V to empower farmers as mainstream economic actors. Climate change is another serious issue, as many of Africa’s major economic sectors, such as agriculture, livestock and fisheries, are being increasingly severely impacted by it. Africa’s efforts to address climate change include the strategy on climate change and drought risk preparedness and resilience. Japan has been contributing to those efforts through ODA projects, including the African Adaptation Programme. Japan also made a commitment of financial support on the occasion of TICAD V, amounting to $2 billion, to promote low-carbon energy. Health constitutes the foundation of human development for growth, and progress in the field of health is essential to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Yokohama Declaration decided that universal health coverage should be promoted throughout Africa. Japan will promote universal health coverage in Africa with the goal that all people will be able to receive basic health services. At TICAD V, Japan announced that it had set aside $500 million to address health issues in Africa and had been setting up training programmes for some 120,000 health and medical service providers. Also, Prime Minister Abe, in his address to the General Assembly in September (see A/68/PV.12), announced his intention to make an appropriate contribution at the upcoming fourth replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. TICAD has made clear that peace and stability are fundamental prerequisites for socioeconomic development in Africa. African initiatives such as the African Peace and Security Architecture, in close cooperation with regional economic communities and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), play a pivotal role in peacekeeping in Africa. Japan will assist the APRM and other programmes to promote good governance in 30 countries. Also, Japan will help the capacity of the African Union’s regional economic communities to implement their initiatives on peace and stability, including through financial support to funds. Human security is an effective approach that focuses on individuals and helps build societies in which everyone can live with dignity by protecting and empowering individuals and communities that are exposed to actual or potential threats. In 2011, the General Assembly adopted by consensus resolution 66/290, on human security. Japan is determined to contribute to further promoting human security in all parts of the world in collaboration with all stakeholders. That is true in the case of Africa, since human security was included as one of the overarching principles in the Yokohama Declaration 2013. TICAD V welcomed the African Union Commission as a new co-organizer. That made TICAD, in a true sense, an African-owned, African-led and African-managed process, in cooperation with the United Nations system, the World Bank and Japan. Japan sincerely hopes to strengthen both ownership by African countries and partnership with development partners in the TICAD process. We are also considering ways in which civil society and the private sector, whose involvement is critical for the long-term, self-sustained development of Africa, can be further incorporated into the process. Let me conclude my statement by reaffirming Japan’s unwavering long-term commitment to African development.

I speak on behalf of the Group of African States. To say the item before us is of great importance to Africa would be an understatement; I should say it is of vital importance for Africa. I would like to express our deep appreciation to the Secretary-General for his leadership and commitment in seeking to put Africa’s agenda at the centre of the work of the United Nations system. We associate ourselves fully with the statement to be delivered later by Mr. Ibrahim Hassane Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Planning and Coordinating Agency. The year 2013 is an important one for Africa, as it marks the golden jubilee of our continental organization, the Organization of African Unity. It is in that context that we wish to underline the important role that NEPAD has played as a common and shared vision for Africa’s renewal. That vision is premised on the need for Africa to take its rightful place in the global system, based on a self-defined transformative agenda and ownership. The Constitutive Act of the African Union set out the core values and principles that are necessary if the continent is to achieve democracy and economic development, while NEPAD seeks to implement those values and principles in a concrete manner on the ground. Over the years, NEPAD has matured into the flagship development programme of the African Union. It programmatic activities in priority areas, including infrastructure, agriculture, health and technology, have promoted stronger African ownership through active and effective cooperation with partners. NEPAD has also been making immense contributions to the transformation of policy design and the implementation of Africa’s development objectives. In the same vein, the African Peer Review Mechanism has enabled the countries of the continent to learn from each other’s experiences on issues of economic, political and social governance. Because of those milestones, Africa has indeed witnessed a new era of renewed momentum, and the foundations for the renaissance of Africa are being laid. Over the past decade, several African economies have entered a high-growth trajectory. In addition, the number of conflicts affecting our continent has slowly subsided. Moreover, we are witnessing improved governance, with the resurgence of a democratic dispensation in many of our countries. No longer is our continent the marginalized part of the world, fit only for consideration from the perspective of humanitarian assistance. Even during what are difficult times globally, Africa has continued to register growth. Undoubtedly, for us to achieve more, the global situation has to improve, including in terms of financing for development and the multilateral trading system. In that regard, we wish to agree with the comments and recommendations reflected in the report of the Secretary-General (A/68/222). However, despite the significant progress in accelerating growth and social development, as reflected in that report, persistent and serious challenges remain, including limited progress towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the ambitious Agenda 2063 Vision. Negative global realities have continued to influence Africa’s development outlook since the turn of the new millennium. The global financial and economic crises, worsened by the fiscal disarray and climate change, have impacted Africa’s progress directly and indirectly. In that light, we feel that Africa has done its level best to address the many challenges it faces, which justified the appeal contained in the Millennium Declaration and subsequently led to a series of commitments made in the outcomes of international conferences in favour of Africa’s special situation. Obviously, without going into the details, we can by no means assert that commitments made to Africa have been delivered. That can be seen in the lack of sufficient progress made with respect to the MDGs. The implementation of MDG aid has left much to be desired. A few countries have made notable progress on a large number of MDGs but, overall, progress has been largely disappointing. More therefore needs to be done in the period remaining before 2015. For that reason, we call on the international community, including the United Nations, to redouble its efforts to ensure that those challenges are overcome. In that regard, it is our considered view that the international community has a responsibility to meet its commitments to Africa, which represents a special situation. There is a large deficit that needs to be addressed in the remaining period for MDG implementation and in connection with the post-2015 agenda, as well as in connection with the elaboration of the sustainable development goals. I wish to emphasize that the priority areas of NEPAD need to be front and centre. For our part, I wish to assure the Assembly that Africa will do its best to achieve the vision of an integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena. To conclude, I thank all those who have stood with us and who will, I am sure, continue to stand behind us.

At present, peace and development in Africa have entered a new, critical stage. With its booming economy, Africa has one of the fastest growth rates in the world. United and resolute, African countries have kept taking new steps to advance integration and sustained stability and development. Much headway has been made in the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and Africa’s international status is rising. At the same time, however, as the result of such factors as the international financial crisis and the slow pace of the global economic recovery, Africa is faced with a deteriorating external development environment. Regional conflicts and hot spots also keep flaring up and humanitarian crises have become more serious, posing huge challenges to Africa’s efforts to seek peace, stability and development. At the beginning of the second decade of NEPAD, the international community should continue to increase its attention to and engagement with Africa so as to achieve greater progress in the implementation of NEPAD and promote stability and prosperity. Africa is an important member of the international community. Its peace and security are closely linked to the interests and welfare of other members of the international community. Finding effective ways to help African countries tackle security challenges and achieve durable peace and sustainable development is an important task for the international community. In that connection, China would like to make a number of proposals. First, all commitments to Africa should be honoured. The international community should scale up assistance to Africa. Developed countries should follow through on their official development assistance commitments, deliver on their promises of assistance and debt relief and help Africa in finance, technology and capacity- building. Developing countries should help Africa by enhancing South-South cooperation, which offers a framework for them to share experiences in poverty alleviation and development and to supplement North- South cooperation with a view to achieving common development. The international community should improve Africa’s development environment and should increase support to Africa in various aspects, including finance, trade and debt relief. Secondly, Africa should feature more prominently on the post-2015 development agenda. The international community should continue to help Africa accelerate progress towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. At the same time, priority attention should be given to Africa’s special challenges and development needs in formulating the post-2015 development agenda, in order to ensure that it is in line with the NEPAD priority areas, which are centred on poverty reduction and aimed at promoting Africa’s overall development. Thirdly, the autonomy of African countries should be respected. The international community should recognize Africa’s reality, respect the will of African countries and support them in handling their affairs by themselves. At the same time, in carrying out economic and technical cooperation with Africa, we must fully take into account the specific situation of African countries, accommodate their concerns and give them ample policy space in order to achieve mutually beneficial, win-win results and common development. Fourthly, recent years have witnessed more pronounced instability and uncertainty in Africa, where regional hot spots keep flaring up and non-traditional security threats, such as terrorism, have grown. The international community should adhere to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and, on the basis of full respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of African countries, make active efforts to promote peace and facilitate negotiations with a view to resolving any disputes through peaceful means. Moreover, it should strengthen coordination and collaboration with the African Union (AU) and African subregional organizations, take concrete measures to help Africa reinforce its collective security mechanisms and support the settlement of African issues by Africans in African ways. China and Africa have always been linked by shared destinies. Similar historical experiences, identical development tasks and shared strategic interests have bound us together. The China-Africa relationship is characterized by sincerity, friendship, mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development. Since the establishment of the new China-Africa strategic partnership, we have deepened our relationship with African countries and regional organizations such as the AU. China actively supports African integration and has steadily stepped up its support to NEPAD. In 2012, trade between China and Africa approached $200 billion, and over 1.5 million people travelled between our two sides. By 2012, China’s total direct investment in Africa exceeded $15 billion. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of China’s dispatch of medical teams to Africa. Over the past 50 years, China has deployed 18,000 medical personnel to Africa, who have treated 250 million patients throughout the continent. During his visit to Africa in March, President Xi Jinping elaborated on the tenets of the cooperation between China and Africa, which include sincerity, real results, kinship and good faith, and announced a series of new initiatives to support Africa’s development. Those include providing Africa with a $20 billion loan over three years, translating the partnership for transnational and transregional infrastructure development into reality and implementing the African Talents Programme. Over the next three years, we will train 30,000 African professionals in various fields, while offering 18,000 scholarships to African students and scaling up technology transfer to and sharing know-how with the continent. China is actively following up on an initiative on partnerships for cooperation between its Government and Africa aimed at strengthening peace and security, and is steadily increasing its constructive participation in the peace and security affairs of Africa in order to help create the conditions for Africa’s social and economic development. China plays an active role in United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa. Currently, we have 1,400 troops in six United Nations peacekeeping missions on the continent. China has increased its support for peacekeeping and capacity-building initiatives in African countries, the African Union and African subregional organizations. We have also provided the African Union with military aid valued at RMB 50 million in support of African efforts to resolve the continent’s problems on its own. China’s development is inseparable from that of Africa and the world. China will always consider Africa a friend through thick and thin. While 1.3 billion Chinese people are working to make the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation come true, over 1 billion Africans are also trying to realize their dream of unity, self-reliance, development and prosperity. China is willing to join hands with African countries in expanding and deepening cooperation in all areas and in ways that broaden cooperation between China and Africa in a mutually beneficial manner, ultimately leading to the attainment of our shared aspirations.

At the outset, allow me to thank the Secretary-General, the Special Adviser on Africa and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) for the report on progress in the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (A/68/222) and the report on the causes of conflict in Africa (A/68/220). NEPAD represents Africa’s aspirations to take its its affairs into its own hands. It is an African- owned instrument aimed at reducing poverty and putting Africa on a path to sustainable development. NEPAD reflects Africa’s common vision to achieve its development goals in specific thematic areas: agriculture and food security; regional integration and infrastructure; human development; and information and communication technology. Over the past few years, NEPAD has achieved a new mandate through the adoption of a new approach. It is working to change its management from a sector-based approach to one focused on programmatic and thematic activities. Egypt is a proud founding member of NEPAD. We have proposed an ambitious infrastructure project to establish a navigable route from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea through the Nile River, serving the economies of the countries of the Nile basin. NEPAD’s development focus is complemented by the governance focus of the African Peer Review Mechanism. This year marks the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Mechanism. It currently has 33 members that have joined voluntarily, representing more than 75 per cent of all African countries and the African population. The African Peer Review Mechanism is another manifestation of Africa’s commitment to enhancing good governance and respect for human rights and democratic values. African Governments and their partners must redouble their efforts to build stronger partnerships with the private sector and civil society, in addition to the mobilization of adequate resources to sustain inclusive economic growth that is more resilient to external shocks, as well as ensuring that the growth dividends are shared by all segments of society, including the most vulnerable people. Egypt is doing its part through a dedicated fund for Africa that finances a number of development programmes in many African countries. Achieving NEPAD’s objectives requires the support of the international community. It also requires the creation of a conducive environment that supports fair trade, alleviates the burden of debt on African countries, increases foreign direct investment and enhances Africa’s participation in international economic decision-making processes. Within the United Nations system, that will mean the integration of the NEPAD agenda and programmes within the sustainable development goals process, as well as the broader post-2015 development agenda. It is important to emphasize the need to sustain and consolidate the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, as the leading United Nations entity dedicated to advancing African issues. The Office needs to be empowered so that it can undertake its role as called for by the General Assembly to address the special needs of African development, coordinate the Inter-Agency Task Force on Africa and monitor the delivery of many international commitments towards financing development in Africa. The international community has achieved significant progress in the elimination of malaria from developing countries, halving the number of deaths each year. However, malaria still kills hundreds of thousands of people every year, 90 per cent of them in Africa. We recognize the vital role played by the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, which is instrumental in helping to sustain the efforts exerted by African Governments, particularly in the areas of prevention, access to medicine and diagnostic tools. Malaria has serious negative repercussions. It costs the world almost $12 billion each year. In order to succeed in combating malaria, the international community should provide enough resources for programmes aimed at early diagnosis as well as scientific research and the production of the necessary medicines, vaccinations and pesticides in Africa. Eliminating malaria requires a multisectoral approach that treats malaria not just as a disease, but also addresses the developmental and social aspects of it. That includes providing clean water, infrastructure projects and decent housing, among other things. The international community needs to encourage continued technical and financial support for malaria programmes in African countries. Finally, it is important to note the relationship between peace, security and development. There is a need to focus on development strategies in order to address the linkages between the challenges of peace and development. Egypt calls upon all stakeholders, including African States, the United Nations, the African Union, African subregional organizations and, of course, international partners to adopt a comprehensive approach and to address the challenges to peace and security in Africa. In order to address the root causes of conflict in Africa, such an approach should use all the available tools within those organizations, alongside partners working in preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his reports submitted under today’s agenda items (A/68/220 and A/68/222). I would also like to thank Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Africa, for his efforts to support the African continent. I would also like to express my delegation’s support for the statement just delivered by the representative of Ethiopia on behalf of the African Group. Launched more than 10 years ago, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is an African-owned partnership by African leaders committed to implementing a continent-wide development programme based on infrastructure, agriculture and governance, all of which are essential for reaching the goal of ensuring a prosperous continent that can enjoy peace. However, in spite of the progress made in recent years, particularly in terms of socioeconomic growth and development, the African continent still faces many challenges that have to date prevented it from achieving all of the Millennium Development Goals. In that regard, in order to help the African continent, development partners should redouble their efforts to support Africa’s commitment to development, particularly those related to providing assistance. It is also important to end the current deadlock in the Doha Round trade talks. An agreement should also be reached on allowing countries access to global markets. In terms of food, it is important to bolster agricultural productivity in accordance with the commitments undertaken by the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. It is also important to review our agricultural priorities in order to increase private investment, because the African continent is the region that has suffered the most from the impact of the global financial and economic crisis. At the global level, economic recovery is under way, yet it remains weak and unequal. Nevertheless, it is important to strengthen national efforts to achieve food security on the continent by increasing the budget allocated to agricultural development in rural Africa. There is also a need to improve how those efforts are managed. In that regard, the international community could provide technical support. We would like to emphasize that such assistance should fall within the United Nations framework for helping countries affected by desertification, drought and soil degradation, especially in Africa. With regard to peace and security in Africa, we must bolster institutional cooperation for conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding and work towards post-conflict recovery, while ensuring stable economic growth, sustainable development, human rights, the rule of law and sound public administration. Overall, we also need to strengthen security-sector reform while promoting democracy, the rule of law and good governance in Africa. In that regard, the United Nations system and other partners should continue providing African countries with the assistance they need, so as to increase efforts towards peacebuilding and security on the continent. In conclusion, my delegation would like to underscore that, as a member of NEPAD, Libya will continue to take effective action alongside other African countries in order to attain NEPAD’s goals. That will enable us to reap the benefits of peace, growth and prosperity through coordinated efforts, and to implement cooperation agreements among a great number of African countries. All of that should, in turn, enable African countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and to play an effective role in the global economic order. It should also help us attain the sustainable development goals in the post-2015 area, all the more so since our continent has human and natural resources that could allow it to attain such goals.

My delegation would like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (A/68/222). The report coincides with a number of significant milestones for the African continent. The first of them is the fiftieth anniversary of the Organization of African Unity. This year also marks 10 years since the African Peer Review Mechanism was launched. South Africa welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the progress made in implementing the goals of NEPAD over the past year. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. lbrahim Hassane Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of the NEPAD Agency, for the enriching briefings he has provided us this week. In the light of the ongoing discussions on the post-2015 development agenda here at the United Nations, those talks have been timely indeed. The inherent message that has emerged from the discussions about NEPAD is that Africa is undergoing significant transformations. In comparison with the period just after decolonization, when we were cast as the dark and hopeless continent, years later the narrative has changed for the better. We should ensure that that narrative continues to improve with the Agenda 2063 Vision. In response to socioeconomic transformation, NEPAD has been a crucial blueprint for Africa. It has been particularly important in contributing to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, as the African continent is still lagging behind on a number of MDGs, it is important to redouble our efforts, in the time remaining, towards focusing on the MDGs that are challenging us. More important, it is also imperative that the new development agenda be aligned and coherent with the needs of Africa and that it builds on the existing MDGs. Over the past couple of years, NEPAD has yielded certain positive results. It has transformed, and is continuing to transform, historical legacies such as the lack of cooperation within the continent. Through NEPAD’s infrastructural programmes, various corridors are being opened up to boost intra-African trade as well as development within the continent. For instance, there is the North-South corridor, a road and rail project from Cape Town to Cairo currently being championed by South Africa, as well as a number of other projects being championed by other countries on information and communication technologies, road and rail and gas pipelines. On the agricultural front, South Africa notes that the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) has steadily grown in importance as a result of increasing participation by African Union (AU) member States. Significantly, 34 members have signed the CAADP Compact, and 23 have finalized their national agriculture investment plans. The CAADP is an African initiative that addresses the continent’s agricultural development needs, an important fact since the majority of Africa’s economies are agrarian. The CAADP is contributing positively to the eradication of poverty, as many countries are increasing their investments in agriculture. With regard to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), my delegation is encouraged by the steady pace in accessions, notwithstanding its voluntary nature and the fact that the APRM is the first Afro- centric programme that promotes good governance on the continent. However, the challenges relating to the financing of APRM need to be addressed in order to ensure the effectiveness of the mechanism. South Africa has no doubt that those challenges will be overcome as Africa strives to consolidate the governance gains already registered as a result of the APRM. We also appreciate donor countries’ ongoing support to our initiatives, and we call on the international community to continue such assistance, particularly at this crucial time when official development assistance is declining. South Africa remains committed to supporting the continent’s blueprint for socioeconomic development, as well as the APRM. We will continue to fund developmental projects within Africa through the African Renaissance Fund of South Africa, thereby meeting the NEPAD objectives. The South African Development Partnership Agency, set to replace the African Renaissance Fund, will also continue to provide development assistance. The goal of providing people with access to the highest standards of physical and mental health is far from being achieved. Non-communicable diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and other diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS, are of global concern. In the light of today’s discussion on malaria, although noticeable progress has been recorded in malaria control in Africa since 2011, my delegation adds its voice in support of strengthening the fight against malaria. We will continue to support the African Leaders Malaria Alliance. We would like to express our appreciation for the efforts of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership and other partners. One of our own compatriots, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, is the Roll Back Malaria Goodwill Ambassador and is continuing to do a phenomenal job in mobilizing resources for the plight of people who face the disease’s scourges. On peace and security issues, my delegation concurs with the Secretary-General’s observation made at his 2013 Freedom Lecture at Leiden Univesity that the lessons learned from conflict and post-conflict countries demonstrate that “[t]here can be no peace without development [and] no development without peace, and neither can be achieved without full respect for human rights and the rule of law”. Since the establishment of the African Union Peace and Security Council Architecture, the number of conflicts in the continent has significantly decreased. That can be further enhanced with United Nations collaboration with and support to African initiatives. South Africa is encouraged by the continued cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, in particular between the Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council. We appreciate the annual consultative meetings between the two Councils. A number of milestones provide a testament to the benefits of that relationship, such as the adoption of resolution 2033 (2012). In instances where the two Councils have cooperated positively, the results have been concrete, such as in the case of the African Union Mission in Somalia, the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur and the endorsement of the African Union road map on the Sudan and South Sudan in resolution 2046 (2012), the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei and the joint assessment mission into the Sahel region. However, it is important that that relationship spread across the whole United Nations system so as to support economic communities at the regional level. In conclusion, we express our special gratitude to the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Africa and his team for their sterling job in streamlining the African agenda in the work of the United Nations. Given the increasing volume of work on Africa and the need to follow up on a number of decisions and commitments made, it is important that that Office be strengthened.

Indonesia associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Brunei Darussalam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Indonesia would also like to express its gratitude to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports pertaining to the agenda items that we are deliberating today (A/68/220 and A/68/222). Without a doubt, Africa is making noteworthy progress, 12 years after the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was adopted. Nevertheless, tremendous challenges still lie ahead for Africa. We are also aware that efforts to accelerate Africa’s economic growth are hindered by very substantial obstacles. African countries have also taken strides to overcome obstacles by becoming more interdependent with the global economy. However, that cannot be achieved by African countries alone, as creating sustained growth and peace requires partnership and cooperation. Global partnerships and international support underpin NEPAD’s success. Bilateral and triangular cooperation, as well as South-South cooperation, are important components of the global partnership. Ensuring an equitable global trading and financial system is central to creating sustained growth. The World Trade Organization talks, however, have yet to reach any satisfactory or meaningful conclusion. The ninth ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization, held in Bali, Indonesia, in December, will be one such opportunity to reverse the deadlock in trade talks. The conference should strive to strengthen multilateral trade rules, avoid protectionism and sustain levels of global trade, including the trade agreement affecting Africa. For its part, Indonesia, through the New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership and the Non-Aligned Movement Centre for South-South Technical Cooperation in Jakarta, has built a solid base for extensive cooperation with Africa. Indonesia has assisted in capacity-building in agriculture and food security. We are continuously working with a number of countries in Africa to develop rice fields with varieties that suit the continent’s weather and farming conditions. Furthermore, we should not forget that public- private and private-private partnerships play an important role in expanding Africa’s creative capacities. Economic growth requires peaceful conditions. Indeed, the number of armed conflicts in Africa has steadily declined — from approximately 30 at the end of the Cold War to little more than a dozen today. From only three democracies, today there are 25 democracies of varying types in the region. However, conflicts are still occurring, and peace remains fragile in a number of places. Peacemaking, peacebuilding and development will therefore need to be continually deepened. For that, African citizens and their elected leaders must be the drivers of progress. Lasting success requires robust support from, and collaboration with, the United Nations and its partners. However, sustainable development results ultimately depend upon Africans themselves. The principle of national ownership, which has been steadfastly advocated, particularly in the Peacebuilding Commission, remains the dominant principle. In that regard, Indonesia commends the important development and progress made on the ground in Liberia with the launching of its national reconciliation strategy, and in Sierra Leone with its successful elections, among other countries. We also underline that support from the international community and the United Nations in assisting post-conflict recovery in various countries in the region also requires deeper cooperation and partnerships, not only with the host Governments concerned but also with regional and subregional organizations. For its part, Indonesia stands ready to work with the United Nations, particularly through its active contributions to peacekeeping operations, its membership in the Peacebuilding Commission and its long-standing role in advancing mediation and conflict prevention. Unprecedented efforts have been invested in the fight against malaria for over a decade, yet malaria remains a serious problem. Its prevalence, particularly among children and pregnant women, remains alarmingly high, especially in the African region. Therefore, in the 700-day countdown to the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, we need to further accelerate efforts at all levels to halt malaria by 2015. During that period, let us seize the opportunity to reverse its incidence. At the global level, the countries with the greatest incidence of malaria, especially on the African continent, require accelerated assistance, including financial assistance, to procure and distribute life-saving interventions. Although the Global Malaria Action Plan has contributed significantly, further strengthening of and innovation in the financing mechanisms is vital. We also need to further develop our capacity to track progress in malaria control. In global terms we can currently detect only one tenth of the estimated number of cases. We need to further develop and strengthen malaria-surveillance systems, including at the regional level. At the national level, we have to continue giving priority to the fight against malaria and integrate that goal into national health policies and frameworks. To reach the zero-malaria goal requires a multisectoral approach and cooperation that goes beyond the health sector. In that connection, Indonesia welcomes the launch of the Multisectoral Action Framework for Malaria on 24 September. We hope that the Framework will serve as the strategic platform for multilateral cooperation and coordination in eradicating malaria. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that Africa must be given a chance to find solutions that concretely address the continent’s situations and realities by basing themselves on its population’s basic needs. Only through such mechanisms will we see achievements in Africa similar to those in other regions.

We thank the Secretary- General for the reports on the agenda items under consideration today (A/68/220 and A/68/222). We congratulate African countries on the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union, and on the tenth anniversary of its unique initiative, the African Peer Review Mechanism. Africa is undergoing a transformation. Today Africa is determining its own destiny. The weak global economic performance notwithstanding, African gross domestic product grew by an average of 6.6 per cent in 2012. Seven out of the 10 fastest-growing countries in the world are in Africa. The 18 per cent decline in global foreign direct investment notwithstanding, flows to Africa increased in 2012. Higher trade growth in Africa as a whole, despite the deceleration in international trade in 2012, is a notable exception. Africa today is progressing through Africa-owned and Africa-led frameworks. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development represents the African leadership’s vision of the continent’s social and economic progress. Projects such as the Trans-Sahara Highway and the Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline are a clear demonstration of Africa’s resolve to unlock its immense socioeconomic development potential. The commitment and progress on achieving the budgetary allocation targets set for the health and agriculture sectors underline Africa’s seriousness about realizing the promise of a better future. Africa has taken up the challenges to its peace and security head on, and it is determined to succeed. It has established a solid Peace and Security Architecture. Successes in conflict resolution and management in Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire prove that Africa is forging ahead. The conduct of successful elections and progress towards greater political stability is increasingly replacing the narrative of conflict in Africa. Although Africa’s response to opportunities is commendable, challenges remain. They range from bridging the gaps in achieving the Millennium Development Goals to ensuring food security, employment generation, particularly for youth, and mobilizing financing for its huge infrastructure and industrialization requirements. Despite the progress made, health challenges, including malaria-related ones, continue to cause tragic loss of life in Africa. According to the World Health Organization, the funding gap for malaria commodities and their distribution for Africa for 2013- 2015 is $3.6 billion. The continued and strengthened international support to Africa’s development efforts is therefore vital. The recent decline in official development assistance and in aid-for-trade indicates that pledges are not being translated into action. International support is also essential so as to assist Africa to overcome setbacks to its peace and security. Pakistan has a long-standing and abiding commitment to stability and progress in Africa. Our economic and trade relations with Africa are growing. In 2012 and 2013 we organized “Africa Shows” in Pakistan to further cement our economic and commercial ties. We continue to work with partners from Africa in the economic, social and technical spheres in the context of South-South cooperation. Since 1986, under Pakistan’s special technical assistance programme for Africa, hundreds of young African professionals received training in Pakistan in diverse fields, including public administration, management, banking, customs, accounting and diplomacy. Pakistani peacekeepers have contributed to peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding in Africa. More than 132 of our peacekeepers have laid down their lives, 119 of them in Africa. Today out of 8,221 Pakistani troops in six peacekeeping missions, 8,075 are deployed in Africa. We will continue our collaboration with Africa. The international community has started deliberations on the post-2015 development agenda. We wish to underline that that agenda must also respond to Africa’s needs and priorities. The international community’s commitment to assisting Africa in realizing its aspirations is critical. Pakistan wishes Africa success and glory.

I thank the President for convening this joint debate. Malaysia wishes to align itself with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. I would like to express our appreciation to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive reports submitted under agenda item 63 (A/68/220 and A/68/222). Malaysia would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our African friends on the tenth anniversary of the African Peer Review Mechanism and its achievements so far. That celebration’s significance is made even greater by the fact that it coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the African Union and the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, which has been tasked with global advocacy and support for Africa’s development, in particular the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Malaysia attaches great importance to its relations and cooperation with Africa, especially in the areas of peace and security, trade, investment and the holistic development of the region. We truly believe that, in the framework of the solidarity involved in South-South cooperation, relations between Malaysia and countries in Africa have been enhanced through cooperation and mutual respect. As is reflected in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s Global Investment Trends Monitor No. 12: The Rise of BRICS FDI and Africa, issued in March, Malaysia is Asia’s biggest source of foreign direct investment going to Africa. In 2011, Malaysia was the third-biggest investor in Africa, after the United States and France, with a total of $19.3 billion in investment in the continent. Investment from the Malaysian private sector has led to the creation of more decent jobs and the transfer of knowledge and technology, and has contributed to promoting Africa as a vibrant world investment destination. While we welcome the progress made by many African countries, Malaysia also acknowledges the challenges and difficulties that some of them face in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The renewed call for accelerating the implementation of the MDGs made during the High-level Meeting on the MDGs held in September (see A/68/PV.3) should be responded to by the United Nations development system and its developed partners. The decline in official development assistance for two years in a row has seriously undermined efforts to meet the MDGs, especially for least-developed countries, including those in Africa. Malaysia wishes to reaffirm its support in the MDG area and its willingness to continue to be an active dialogue partner with Africa within the framework of South-South cooperation. Malaysia cooperates with African countries by organizing specific technical courses under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) and through triangular cooperation initiatives, such as the MTCP-Japan International Cooperation Agency- Africa collaboration. Malaysia has also launched specific cooperation programmes with African countries through dialogue platforms, which include private-sector involvement through the Malaysian South-South Association and Malaysian South-South Cooperation. As of the end of 2012, a total of 6,797 participants from 45 African countries had benefited from the MTCP. And in conjunction with the sixty- eighth United Nations Day celebration held in Kuala Lumpur on 24 October, the MTCP received the MDG Global Partnership for Development award in recognition of its outstanding contribution to United Nations development goals. Malaysia remains committed to promoting South- South cooperation in Africa. In that regard, our Prime Minister led the Malaysian delegation to the Global Smart Partnership Dialogue (GSPD) 2013, held in Dar es Salaam from 28 June to 1 July. The theme for GSPD 2013 was “Leveraging technology for Africa’s socioeconomic transformation: the smart partnership way”. The Dialogue was attended by 14 Heads of State and Government from the African and Asian regions. During the Dialogue, Malaysia shared with others its new policies and approach for achieving its vision to become a fully developed nation by 2020 — namely, through a science-, technology- and innovation-based policy, Government and economic transformation programmes and the creation of a national key results area and key performance index. Malaysia was pleased to participate in GSPD 2013 and looks forward to participating in the next one, to be held in South Africa in 2014. Malaysia also wishes to reaffirm its commitment to hosting a future smart partnership dialogue within the framework of the Langkawi International Dialogue (LID), at a date to be announced. Malaysia believes the Smart Partnership Dialogue is a good platform for its continuing engagement with African countries outside the bilateral engagement process. Malaysia’s presence during the Dialogue in Africa and our commitment to hosting the LID, which it has organized since 1995, demonstrate our continuing support for Africa’s economic development. The Dialogue has been successful in forging smart partnerships between Governments and the private sector in the South. Since its inception, a total of nine such dialogues have been held, aimed at fostering smart partnerships at all levels in society, engaging the political leadership, the civil service, business, labour, civil society, the media and the population at large. The success of the LID has prompted African countries to organize a similar dialogue in southern Africa, namely, the Southern Africa International Dialogue. Malaysia welcomes the progress made by African countries over the past 10 years in the implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism, an initiative established under NEPAD. It has succeeded in fulfilling its objectives of encouraging and building transformative leadership and constructive national dialogue among African countries through an inclusive and participatory self-assessment process. The APRM has successfully fostered policies and practices directed at reaching NEPAD’s goals of political stability, high economic growth and sustainable development, and accelerated subregional and continental economic integration. Although it is a voluntary process, the increasing number of countries participating in it indicates the importance that African countries attach to strengthening their institutions of governance. Malaysia hopes that more African countries will participate in future, thereby further enhancing the development of Africa as a whole. We hope that all such consolidated efforts will help our African friends to achieve their goals. Turning now to the issue of malaria, Malaysia welcomes the launching of a road map on shared responsibility for and global solidarity on AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria response in Africa for the period 2012-2015. Malaysia has also had its fair share of experience with the disease of malaria. However, we are pleased to report that we have achieved major success in virtually eliminating malaria from urban and other densely populated areas of the country. Over the past 50 years, the number of malaria cases in Malaysia has declined dramatically. In 1961, there were 243,470 malaria cases in Malaysia; in 2010, that number had fallen to 6,650. The continued decline is the result of several effective strategies adopted by the Government, beginning with a malaria-eradication programme in the 1960s. Malaysia has built on its experience and past achievements in order to strengthen current efforts and secure further commitments to eliminating malaria by 2020. To that end, a 2010-2020 national strategic plan for the elimination of malaria was formulated with the goal of eliminating locally acquired malaria by 2020. Malaysia is committed to eliminating malaria, as that would bring the country’s population and economy many benefits, such as reduced health-sector costs and absenteeism, and improved education, productivity and foreign investment levels. The elimination programme will also ensure equality, since its activities must be implemented at all levels so as to include the impoverished, marginalized and vulnerable. To conclude, Malaysia recognizes that, while a lot has been achieved, there is still more work required to halt and reverse that epidemic disease. We are prepared to share our national experience in that regard.

At the outset, my delegation would like to express its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his insightful and comprehensive reports on the agenda items under consideration (A/68/220 and A/68/222). My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Brunei Darussalam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The year 2013 is a special year for the development of Africa, since it coincides with the tenth anniversary of the introduction of the African Peer Review Mechanism and the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union. We welcome the designation of Africa Week and the holding of commemorative activities at the United Nations during this week highlighting the progress in the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). We are pleased to witness the remarkable progress achieved by many African countries in recent years, which can be substantially attributed to the implementation of NEPAD. Despite global economic and financial uncertainty, Africa’s economic growth has been relatively positive as a result of its continued improvements in macroeconomic policy management, structural reforms and the production and export of commodities. It is gratifying to note that many African countries are among the world’s fastest-growing economies and fewer Africans suffer from extreme poverty. We are also pleased that Africa has achieved great progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Despite all those positive developments, Africa still faces many challenges. Millions of Africans still lack jobs, health care and food. Many countries will have difficulties meeting the MDGs by 2015. Economic uncertainty, political instability, natural disasters and a decline in development assistance have hampered the efforts of some African countries to develop their economies. It is therefore essential that NEPAD’s efforts continue to address those challenges, particularly by prioritizing and mainstreaming issues of health, education and gender in their agendas. Peace, stability and the prevalence of the rule of law are prerequisites for sustainable economic development. It is encouraging to learn that the majority of African countries have been experiencing stability. We recognize and commend the efforts made by the African Union and regional economic communities to undertake conflict-prevention and mediation initiatives, such as finalizing a continental conflict-prevention framework and developing support structures for mediation and conflict resolution. We wish, therefore, to add our voice to those urging the international community, including the United Nations, to enhance their support to and cooperation with the African Union and regional economic communities for conflict prevention, resolution and mediation within the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture and the United Nations Framework for the Ten-Year Capacity-Building Programme for the African Union. We welcome the role of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in encouraging principled leadership and constructive national dialogue, thereby opening up more room for citizens in decision-making. The increasingly positive trend towards broader democratic practices in Africa is also commendable. According to the report of the Secretary-General, there were altogether 18 elections held in 2012, and another 17 are expected to be held in 2013. The regularity and frequency of elections have been fostering greater stability in the region in recent decades. The progress made in the implementation of NEPAD and the success of the APRM show the good leadership and capacity of African leaders to bring more peace and development to their continent. At the same time, a strengthened and sustained global partnership will still play a significant role in bringing about peace, stability and development in African nations. In that respect, it is worrying to see that assistance from development partners is declining. Although development partners have committed themselves to help meet Africa’s development needs, including through the implementation of NEPAD priorities, official development assistance to Africa dropped from more than $50 billion to $43 billion in recent years. We hope that the success achieved in all areas of NEPAD implementation and other ongoing governance and structural transformations will help convince development partners to honour their commitments. We are confident that, with sustained external financial support, the strong determination of the Governments and peoples of Africa and sound economic management, the implementation of NEPAD will achieve greater progress and contribute to Africa’s efforts to meet the MDGs. It is important for the international community, United Nations agencies and development partners to enhance their assistance to the African people in order to ensure that Africa’s priorities and needs are fully reflected in the post-2015 development agenda. As one of the organizers of the historic Bandung Conference, Myanmar wishes to reiterate the importance it attaches to the spirit of friendship and solidarity with Africa. Like many countries in Africa, Myanmar is a country in a process of rapid transition. In parallel with our efforts to promote peace, stability and national reconciliation, we have opened up our economy with bold economic reforms and the liberalization of economic policies. The new political and economic climate in Myanmar has opened up greater opportunities and potential for promoting trade and economic relations with our African brothers. In concluding, my delegation would like to reiterate Myanmar’s solidarity with and strong support for the efforts of the African countries to achieve greater progress in implementing the NEPAD agenda for the development of the African peoples.

In accordance with resolution 2011 (XX), of 11 October 1965, and decision 56/475, of 15 August 2002, I now call on the observer for the African Union.

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Organization of African Unity and the tenth anniversary of two African Union flagship programmes of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD): the African Peer Review Mechanism and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). NEPAD has played a critical role in promoting democracy and good governance with the launch of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), in 2003. The APRM is a bold, unique and innovative approach to governance, designed and implemented by Africans for Africans. Through the APRM, African countries diagnose governance deficiencies, share best practices and commit to implementing solutions. That includes implementing transparent, predictable and credible public policies through national programmes of action. As a result, APRM findings have supported the institutionalization of domestic accountability, citizen empowerment and the improved delivery of services, thereby opening up political space for good governance. Although it is a voluntary mechanism, membership has steadily increased, to the current number of 33 African countries, which shows the significant progress in the deepening of the peer-review process. The year 2013 also marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme. Over the past decade, agriculture and food security have remained top priorities for the African Union and its NEPAD Programme. Africa recently endorsed the “Sustaining CAADP Momentum” consultative process as the main framework for engagement, with the declaration of the year 2014 as the African Union Year for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition. As of today, 50 countries have engaged in CAADP-related interventions, while 28 African countries have developed national agriculture and food-security investment plans with technical support provided by the NEPAD Agency. In mobilizing the necessary global partnership support for the CAADP, NEPAD is engaging in the Scaling- Up Nutrition initiative and the Group of Eight’s New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition to achieve Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 1. The future of African agriculture is brighter than it was 10 years ago, but a lot still needs to be done. In collaboration with the African Union Commission, regional economic communities and development partners, we recently launched the NEPAD Gender, Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Nutrition Programmes and the NEPAD Rural Futures Programme. Those initiatives specifically support women farmers and young entrepreneurs so as to enhance knowledge and skills and foster rural transformation. Africa is at a critical juncture in its quest for development effectiveness. Without a doubt, Africa has been making tangible economic progress. However, we must address increasing social inequalities and the urgent need to lift about 400 million people out of poverty. In response, we must implement appropriate strategies to provide employment for an additional 215 million young men and women in the next 10 years. Importantly, a major aspect of that strategy is to promote value addition and sustainable industrial development as a means to enhance growth, job creation and economic transformation. With less than 1,000 days remaining before the 2015 deadline, Africa has made remarkable progress towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals. However, challenges remain. Based on the decision of African leaders, multistakeholder consultations are being conducted aimed at synthesizing African priorities on the post-2015 development agenda. To that end, a bold African common position is evolving within the High-level Committee of African Heads of State and Government on the Post-2015 Agenda. That is taking place in cooperation with the African Group at the United Nations and the African Union. We therefore appeal for the common position, when finalized, to be taken into consideration in framing the post-2015 agenda and the sustainable development goals, bearing in mind Africa’s special needs. NEPAD is ready to fully engage in monitoring the post-2015 agenda on the continent. For Africa to truly become the next growth pole, the mobilization and effective utilization of our own resources is paramount. In that equation, private and public partnerships will advance the ideals of Africa’s transformation. African leaders have championed the cause as a compelling agenda to energize the ownership of the continent’s development. NEPAD has completed a comprehensive study on domestic resource mobilization, which was conducted in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Development Programme and the African Development Bank. Curtailing illicit financial flows from Africa is also a top priority. The late Prime Minister of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi, who chaired NEPAD for six years, once stated, “Without the private sector, there is no development. Our policy is to have rapid and equitable growth, but you cannot have that without a clear division of labour in partnership with the public and private sectors.” Overall, regional integration remains the pathway to equitable and inclusive growth on an accelerated economic scale. NEPAD continues to strongly collaborate with the regional economic communities, which are the catalysts for the implementation of regional projects. Permit me also to recall the words of Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and current Chairperson of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee: “The world has changed; Africa has also changed. Let us therefore change our paradigms and visions” (A/68/PV.8, p. 16). It is of particular significance that the international community continues to be actively engaged in Africa’s peace and development efforts. Indeed, partnership with Africa should truly reflect and support our transformative ambitions. In that context, NEPAD commends the outcomes of the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), which took place in June. TICAD V represented an important milestone in Africa-Japan cooperation. Furthermore, we applaud the quality of the development partnership with the Governments of Germany, Norway, Sweden, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, France and the European Union, inter alia. NEPAD appreciates the continued support for the implementation of its continental sector policy strategies. We equally commend Africa’s strong partnerships with the BRICS countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and with the Group of 20, and welcome the increasing number of opportunities for South-South and triangular cooperation. Before concluding, I wish to particularly commend the sound collaboration between the NEPAD Agency and the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, headed by Under-Secretary-General Maged Abdelaziz. We fully support resolution 67/294, which calls for strengthening the Office of the Special Adviser to enable it to effectively fulfil its mandate, including monitoring and reporting on progress related to meeting the special needs of Africa and coordinating the Inter-Agency Task Force on Africa. It is essential that the Office continue to play its role in supporting NEPAD at the United Nations, particularly with respect to the implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the acceleration of the Millennium Development Goals and the post-2015 development agenda. I cannot end this statement without commending the leadership of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In particular, we appreciate his commitment to the continent. As he stated at the commencement of the 2013 Africa-NEPAD Week, “What APRM does for governance, NEPAD does for development. Together they help Africa to advance along the path of democracy and development to benefit the continent’s people”. (spoke in French) We are convinced that the second decade of the implementation of NEPAD, the landmark African Union programme, as well as the implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism, a framework for governance in Africa, will benefit from the support of all States Members of the United Nations.