As in previous years, I am pleased to join in today’s celebration of Africa Industrialization Day. Since the General Assembly first proclaimed this special observance seven years ago, the United Nations system has worked hard to raise global awareness and obtain international support for Africa’s in…
I was deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of Ahmed Zaki, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations, and of Paul Lusaka, former President of the General Assembly.
Mr. Zaki was appointed Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations in 1994, having…
The World Summit for Children was held six years ago in this building. Six member States — Canada, Egypt, Mali, Mexico, Pakistan and Sweden — convened that important meeting, with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) serving as secretariat. Seventy-one Heads of State or Government and 88 mini…
Greetings to you all, at the end of this historic Meeting. Greetings to the leaders of the world.
Ladies and gentlemen, you are part of the largest gathering of world leaders in history. Your presence speaks, as you have spoken, with eloquence, of confidence in the future of the United Nations.
On…
May I welcome you all, Kings, heads of State and Government of the world. Welcome to your home, the home of the world’s peoples. Welcome to the forum of the United Nations, the forum of peace, concord and development. Welcome to you all, and heartfelt greetings for your leadership. We meet to commem…
Spirituality is the greatest gift to humanity. All peoples have been touched by faith. Belief in a higher reality provides a common bond among nations. But the horrors we witness today deny the values of the spirit. Terrible examples on every continent tell us that to deny our spiritual nature is to…
It is my great pleasure to welcome you today to this ministerial meeting of the Security Council of the United Nations. It is also an honour for me, Madam President, to greet you on this historic occasion — historic for two reasons: First, it coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of this Organizat…
I congratulate you, Your Excellency Mr. Freitas do Amaral, on your election to the presidency of this great Assembly. You bring to your task the wisdom and creativity for which your nation is known. This is enriched by your own depth of diplomatic experience and achievement.
I also wish to express …
In 1969, Secretary-General U Thant called for a
"global partnership, to improve the human environment, to defuse the population explosion, and to supply the required momentum to development efforts."
Out of U Thant’s concern, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) was born.
Now…
Five years ago, the General Assembly decided that 1994 was to be the International Year of the Family.
At the time, there was no consensus. Some did not see the point of an International Year of the Family. Opinions were divided as to what the Year was about. Some people argued that support for the…
Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me this opportunity to speak to the Assembly about the financial situation of the Organization.
Many Member States have addressed this issue during the general debate - often in candid terms.
It has been pointed out that there is no use talking about reshaping …
The people of South Africa have found their voice. A new South Africa now takes its place among the family of nations. Today South Africa regains its place as a full partner in the work of the United Nations.
South Africa’s success, therefore, is also a success for the United Nations. Through the U…
The family is the oldest and the most basic unit of human organization. It is the link between generations. It helps to carry and to transmit culture. It sustains the disadvantaged. It provides for those in need. Families mould and feed us. We rely upon their esprit de corps, their solidarity, their…
I welcome everyone on this important occasion.
Today is International Human Rights Day, and today we award the United Nations Human Rights Prizes. But today also marks the forty-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a birthday that we have good cause to celebrate.
The Dec…
I welcome the adoption by the General Assembly
of this resolution on "An Agenda for Peace". It follows a previous resolution
of the General Assembly, resolution 47/120, and eight presidential statements by
the Security Council on this subject.
Today’s resolution is an important step forward in t…
This is the fifth World AIDS Day. I pay a
tribute to the work of the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO first alerted
us in the mid-1980s to AIDS as an epidemic disease.
The theme of World AIDS Day 1992 is "A Community Commitment". It is a
call to the world to mobilize to mobilize money, energ…
I have looked forward to the opening of this
debate. It is an occasion to share with you my thinking on the United Nations
as an agent of development. The report of the Conference on Environment and
Development (A/CONF.151/26, Vol.I-IV), ranging so widely over economic and
social questions, give…
It qives me qreat pleasure to open this
special plenary meeting of the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly.
This is the first time the Assembly has addressed, in plenary, the question of
population aqeinq. It is therefore an important occasion. I welcome
participatinq deleqations, and …
Disability issues have been a concern of the
United Nations since the early days of the Organization. And that concern is
rooted in the deeply humanitarian outlook of the Charter. Today, the
disability programme touches the lives of millions of disabled people - and
indirectly affects the lives …
Yesterday when welcoming the new
Secretary-General, I said that the renaissance of the Organization has not yet
been reflected in its financial situation. The irony of the contrast between
the high expectations rightly placed in the United Nations and the financial
indigence to which it has been…
