54/94 GA

Cooperation between the United Nations and the In the political and security field, this cooperation has reached a decisive turning point because of the impetus provided by the Secretaries-General of the two Organizations. I am pleased to note that they meet periodically, in particular during or immediately before OAU summits and General Assembly sessions, in order to coordinate better their activities in various areas. My delegation would like to welcome the establishment to that end of the United Nations liaison office with the OAU, which will facilitate synergy in the activities of the two institutions. The problems of security, and therefore of peace, are at the heart of the concerns of African countries. Despite the courageous reforms carried out in order to improve the macroeconomic framework and democratize political systems, the continent of Africa continues to be convulsed by many hotbeds of tension. The OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution illustrates the will of the African countries to establish and promote an environment of peace and security so as to strengthen those reforms for the specific benefit of their peoples. That is why my delegation appreciates the support given by the United Nations to the OAU in this field and welcomes the fact that the resources of the United Nations Trust Fund created for that purpose will continue to improve the ability to prevent conflicts and maintain peace in Africa. Likewise, the United Nations Development Programme is carrying out an important project in this area so as to enhance the capacity of the human resources of the secretariat of the OAU. With regard to the follow-up to major crises, my delegation notes with satisfaction that the Secretary- General of the United Nations, often working closely with his counterpart at the OAU, has appointed envoys or personal representatives to the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa. We are also encouraged by the consideration being given to the deployment of United Nations forces in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the These various achievements in support of peace are, of course, encouraging. But such measures, however positive they may be, have not been able to prevent resentment from being expressed towards the international community, which is often timid when it comes to managing crises breaking out in Africa. While the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security lies with the Security Council, supportive action by regional organizations, within the framework of concerted efforts, will always contribute to the proper management of crises that break out in various parts of Africa. With regard to the question of refugees in Africa, I should like to stress that, despite the scale of the task — I need hardly recall the fact that there are 7 million refugees and displaced persons in Africa — the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has always managed to implement its programmes for the return of refugees to their country of origin once the minimum security conditions have been met. The UNHCR has in the past successfully carried out such operations in countries such as Mozambique, and we wish to congratulate the High Commissioner and, particularly, her staff, who work in often dangerous conditions. My delegation attaches great importance to the return and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons in the West African subregion, especially in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea-Bissau, where the political situation has been evolving in a satisfactory way. My delegation therefore calls upon the UNHCR to continue its productive partnership with the OAU and lays particular stress on the importance of the mechanism for follow-up of the OAU Ministerial Meeting on Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons held in Khartoum in December 1998. Our consideration of the item before us also provides an opportunity to welcome the close — I might almost say