My delegation wishes at the outset to thank the Secretary-General for his excellent report on cooperation between the United Nations and all relevant partners, in particular the private sector. This document and its annexes give an extremely exhaustive overview of existing ways and means for coopera…
As this is the first time that my country is speaking at this session, allow me, Sir, to convey the heartfelt congratulations of Switzerland on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session. I can assure you of my delegation’s full support throughout this session…
When Switzerland invited the General Assembly to
hold its twenty-fourth special session on the follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development, in Geneva, its objective was to promote a dialogue between international organizations, Governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). There w…
Allow me first of all to congratulate the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs along with his whole team for the excellent job done in the course of the last year. Thanks to their commitment and dedication to the humanitarian cause, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs…
Today we are commemorating the end of the United Nations Decade of International Law. The year 1999 has also been marked by other celebrations. I might mention first the centennial of the first International Peace Conference, the fiftieth anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and the tenth anniversa…
Since this is the first time that I am addressing this year's Assembly, allow me first of all to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election to the presidency and to extend to you my best wishes for success in carrying out this important function.
Less than nine months from now, the General A…
Many speakers before me have emphasized the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is the “mother” of all human rights conventions and whose anniversary we are commemorating. However, they have also underlined how far we still have to go before this
The recent adoption by th…
Switzerland would like to thank the Secretary- General for his report on United Nations reform in the field of environment and human settlements. We commend in particular the excellent work of the Task Force on Environment and Human Settlements under the chairmanship of Mr. Toepfer, and we thank him…
Switzerland welcomes the progress that has been made since the establishment of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the appointment of Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello. The reform of the humanitarian sector is certainly on the right track and the office of the Emergency Relief Coor…
The current economic and financial crises affecting a large part of the world have made the implications of globalization and interdependence clear: no longer is it possible to remain an island of prosperity when the rest of the world suffers from a serious economic crisis; poverty anywhere constitu…
The Swiss delegation is grateful for this opportunity to address the item on the coordination of humanitarian activities, a matter to which my Government attaches great importance.
I wish first to express our satisfaction at the recent appointment of Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello as United Nations Eme…
