Angola, 1996

Allow me at the

outset to congratulate Mr. Ismail Razali on his election as

President of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session,

which is being held at a particularly difficult juncture. I am,

however, persuaded that his personal attributes as well as

his proven diplomatic experience will ensure the success

that is expected from this Assembly.

Allow me to express to His Excellency

Mr. Freitas do Amaral my congratulations on the

outstanding commitment he demonstrated during his term

in office. Our best wishes for the future go to him as he

resumes his work as an educator and conducts research for

peace and progress for all peoples.

Allow me also to express my warm appreciation to the

Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Boutros Boutros-

Ghali, for the dynamic and visionary manner in which he

conducted the business of our Organization during a time

of great change in the international arena. At this time the

United Nations is more and more frequently called upon to

rise to new challenges and is compelled to face tests that

are not always peaceful. For this difficult mission the

Republic of Angola will continue to render its modest

contribution for the successful accomplishment of his

mandate.

At the threshold of the new century of the third

millennium we are increasingly faced with new and

greater challenges, the solutions to which require joint and

concerted actions by all States, irrespective of their size,

economic potential or military might. In this context,

countries that have Portuguese as an official language —

Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Portugal and

Sao Tome and Principe — have recently decided to

establish a community of Portuguese-speaking countries

in order better to serve the interests of their peoples. We

would like to thank the Government and people of

Portugal for fostering a cordial climate for this

community of Portuguese-speaking countries.

It is essential, therefore, that a broad and in-depth

reform programme be adopted for multilateral institutions,

which would make a decisive contribution towards the

democratization of international relations on the basis of

the primacy of law, the safeguarding of the sovereign

equality of States and reciprocity in the comity of nations.

It is along these lines that we approach with all

seriousness the restructuring of the United Nations and its

system.

Our goal is to optimize the functioning of bodies

that coordinate the work of maintaining international

peace and security and fostering social and economic

development. Although innumerable international

conferences held by the United Nations in recent years

validate this concern, a great deal remains to be

accomplished. We must go from words of intention to

deeds.

In this context, we believe that the current session of

the General Assembly must approach with daring and

political resolve all current issues of common concern,

including those in the areas of international peacekeeping

and security and the healing of the economic and social

crisis that afflicts the developing world.

Last year our Organization celebrated its fiftieth

anniversary, and there was unanimous recognition by all

mankind of its role as the most important forum for

concerted action among nations. Although the

restructuring of the United Nations has always been an

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issue of concern, it is now even more essential if we are to

rise to the challenges of the twenty-first century.

In this connection, I would like to avail myself of this

opportunity first of all to congratulate the Open-ended

High-level Working Group on the Strengthening of the

United Nations System for the positive achievements we

have witnessed. Nevertheless, there is still a long road

ahead before we achieve our final objectives and make it

possible for our Organization to play its true role. As a

matter of fact, we are quite concerned by the current

financial crisis, which is affecting the proper operation of

our Organization and even threatening its very survival. In

this context, we support proposals that suggest practical

action for the correction of the financial situation, such as

the revision of the scale of assessments, the downsizing of

the Secretariat and some of its bodies, with a view towards

rendering them more efficient, less bureaucratic and less

burdensome.

By way of example, allow me to point out that several

developmental assistance projects or humanitarian aid

programmes are entrusted to foreign officials while they

could perfectly well be carried out by local officials with

similar qualifications, which could cut down the

implementation costs to less than one third. This is only

one example among the many we could cite that could go

far towards assisting with the financial healing of the

Organization.

The measures we have alluded to are feasible and

could bring about greater benefits and substantially improve

the functioning of the Organization and its specialized

agencies.

As regards the Security Council, my Government has

always supported its restructuring in order to strengthen its

role and effectiveness and ensure greater transparency in

the decision-making process and in the implementation of

its resolutions. Our position therefore is identical to the one

adopted by the Organization of African Unity. It would

expand the Security Council and provide for fair and equal

representation by permanent and non-permanent members,

with equal rights and duties. Africa’s claim to at least two

permanent seats on the Security Council is nothing but its

proper and due right. We likewise support the right of other

regions to representation on the Council, with the status of

permanent members.

Regarding the modes of operation of the Security

Council, we believe that the areas concerned will find their

appropriate modus operandi.

In several regions of our planet, there are still

decades-old conflicts, and new sources of tension are

breaking out in areas that previously enjoyed a certain

peace and stability. This offsets the most optimistic

expectations of our peoples, who had hoped that the

world would be on the threshold of a new era of peace in

this post-cold-war period, paving the way for cooperation

and development.

It is therefore with great apprehension that we note

a proliferation of regional conflicts, social and economic

collapse in some of our countries, environmental decay,

and the coming of new scourges such as transnational

crime, drug trafficking, a rising wave of criminality, racial

disturbances, xenophobia, and religious and cultural

intolerance.

It is in the face of this bleak picture that we come

together for the fifty-first session of the General

Assembly, compelling us to pause in deep introspection

and firm resolve to handle this time bomb. In this context,

the Republic of Angola urges all Member States to do

their very best in the search for ways and means to

achieve this. One of the main tools available to us is

preventive diplomacy and the political resolve of all those

who are in a position to make a decisive contribution to

international peace and security.

In the Middle East, recent events are showing

dangerous trends, jeopardizing the Washington agreement

on the autonomy of the Palestinian people and the first

steps towards the joint peaceful settlement of peace issues

in that region, all of which are matters of the greatest

concern to the Republic of Angola.

The Republic of Angola reiterates the stand adopted

on the Middle East by African Heads of State or

Government at the thirty-second summit meeting of the

Organization of African Unity, in Yaoundé, and appeals

to the parties for strict compliance with their

commitments, because nothing can resist the resolve of a

people to be free. As stated by a great leader of our

century, Ho Chi Minh, “Nothing is more precious than

freedom and independence”.

We are likewise concerned at the grievous situation

in East Timor, a non-autonomous territory illegally

occupied by Indonesia, in violation of the principles

established in the United Nations Charter and applicable

resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security

Council.

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My Government reaffirms that the United Nations has

a great responsibility vis-à-vis the people of East Timor and

should not fail in it. In this context, the Republic of Angola

supports and encourages dialogue between Portugal, the

administering Power, and Indonesia in search of a

settlement that will bring self-determination and

independence to the people of Timor.

We are, likewise, profoundly concerned by the

difficult social and economic situation in the Republic of

Cuba resulting from the financial and economic blockade

imposed on that member State of the General Assembly.

The Government of Angola supports the General

Assembly resolutions appealing for the lifting of the

economic blockade in favour of the Cuban people, which

is suffering under the negative effects of that measure. We

therefore encourage a dialogue with a view to normalizing

relations between those two sovereign Member States of the

Organization, which we call the United Nations, not the

divided nations.

In the course of the next century, one of the greatest

challenges to the United Nations will be the protection and

promotion of human rights. The Government of Angola has

always recognized the indivisible and universal character of

the fundamental rights of every human being and the

intrinsic correlation between human rights, democracy and

development. Thus, at the Commission on Human Rights

and other forums, Angola has always categorically

condemned selectivity and its politicization.

We condemn human rights violations, wherever they

may occur. This attitude, however, should not serve as a

pretext for sectarianism, exerting pressures designed to

create political instability in sovereign States, or the

implementation of hidden agendas. This practice harms

rather than fosters the promotion and protection of human

rights.

Allow me to take this opportunity to inform the

Assembly that, at the proposal of President José Eduardo

dos Santos, and in coordination with the United Nations

Centre for Human Rights, the 32nd summit meeting of the

Heads of State and Government of the Organization of

African Unity decided to hold this year a ministerial-level

meeting devoted exclusively to in-depth consideration of the

issue of human rights in Africa. The Republic of Angola

will have the privilege of hosting this conference, which we

believe is of tremendous relevance in the lengthy and

difficult process of democratization in our continent.

The crisis that is currently affecting the global

economy is mostly structural in nature and results from

inconsistency, lack of coordination, and the adoption of

macroeconomic policies incompatible with the growth

needs of the developing world. Of great concern is the

realization that the current growth rate of some of our

countries is often negative. This compels whole

populations to lead lives of starvation and extreme

poverty. It is indeed unfair that, at the threshold of the

third millennium, there are still some 800 million

malnourished people across the world.

Africa is the continent most lacking in capital and

technology and, as a result, its population growth rate far

exceeds its food-production capacity. In turn, this

increases poverty and starvation and can lead to serious

social unrest. These consequences can be avoided if we

are able to rely on the understanding and goodwill of our

creditors and major international financial institutions,

which impose economic management prescriptions

without regard for each nation’s realities.

In our view, one of the basic keys to the economic

and social development of our countries lies in the

expansion and reorientation of economic cooperation for

development. We must map out as soon as possible a

global developmental strategy that will contribute to the

solution of the problems now affecting the survival of our

economies.

Today, our world has reached such a level of

interdependence that new levels of interaction among our

economies are required if we are to survive, enjoy

stability and avoid the threat of the imminent breakdown

suffered by the weaker nations. My Government reaffirms

its support for the United Nations special initiative on

Africa and, at the same time, underscores the need for

greater assurances of success, in view of our experience

with similar programmes in the past. Once again, a word

of praise is due to the Secretary-General for this initiative,

which again demonstrates that the world, and the United

Nations in particular, has not turned its back on Africa.

If the African continent is to overcome its social and

economic crisis, a broad marshalling of financial and

other resources will be necessary before the end of this

century in order to meet the social and economic

development needs of the continent. Likewise, we are

deeply concerned by the growth of the external debt of

Africa and other developing countries, as well as by the

heavy burden involved in debt servicing, which is one of

21

the causes of the continuous economic and social

deterioration of our standard of living.

We believe that a fair and lasting solution can be

found for the African foreign-debt crisis, as long as there is

understanding and a strong political resolve on the part of

creditors. For certain developing nations, the negotiation of

a debt roll-over is a feasible solution. For the less-

developed nations, however, the sole viable solution is total

forgiveness of the debt and a massive effort in the area of

international cooperation for development through

partnerships. The strengthening of South-South cooperation

and regional economic integration are processes that pave

the way for the establishment of a more equitable, new

international economic order, free from measures of

protectionism that hinder international trade and give rise to

discrimination against our nations.

Of equal concern is the deteriorating food situation in

Africa due to drought and other natural disasters. This can

be addressed only through special assistance from the

international community for the development of the food

and agricultural sectors and of food self-sufficiency in

African countries. We extend our best wishes for success to

the World Food Summit scheduled to take place in

November in Rome, of which His Excellency Mr. José

Eduardo dos Santos will be a sponsor.

My Government has focused special attention on

issues of environment and human settlements and we take

this opportunity to underscore the positive impact in Angola

of the programmes and related activities in our continent

sponsored by the United Nations Environmental Programme

and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements. In

spite of all the difficulties it faces, Angola has spared no

effort in combating desertification and drought in Africa.

We congratulate those countries that volunteered to host the

Convention to Combat Desertification and urge all countries

to ratify it, thus enabling it to enter into force as soon as

possible.

Illegal drug trafficking and the chemical-precursors

trade, together with money laundering, represent another

scourge that is destabilizing our nations. Drug trafficking

for us, therefore, is an international problem requiring

cooperation among all countries worldwide. With the

support of the United Nations International Drug Control

Programme and the assistance of other United Nations

specialized agencies, my Government has drafted and

submitted to our Parliament updated legislation relating to

our struggle against the traffics in illegal drugs,

psychotropic substances and chemical precursors. This law

was enacted recently, but we still lack the technical and

expert resources to ensure the success of that campaign.

In southern Africa, we have coordinated our policies

in this area so as to score significant successes, both

nationally and regionally. The results are satisfactory and

encouraging.

Today, just as it was 51 years ago , the struggle for

peace continues to be one of the fundamental goals of our

Organization. We must therefore devote all our efforts

and energy to the creation of a better world instead of

preparing for new wars of self-destruction.

My Government has signed, and the Angolan

Parliament has just ratified, the Treaty on the Non-

Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We support the efforts

to ban new nuclear tests. We also reiterate our appeal for

respect for and preservation of the African continent and

its contiguous areas as a nuclear-free zone, in accordance

with the Pelindaba Treaty.

The Republic of Angola is today one of the

countries in which the largest number of anti-personnel

land-mines can be found. There are over 10 million mines

laid in Angolan territory. These mines have inflicted

innumerable casualties, and over 100,000 people have

been mutilated in my country. My Government supports

all efforts towards a total ban on the production and

export of anti-personnel land-mines and their use in

domestic or international conflicts.

With the Assembly’s permission, I would like to

address the situation in Africa, which today seems like a

corpse on which vultures come to feed.

Some countries of our continent still face serious

obstacles due to negative interference in the peace process

and in their efforts to promote economic development, the

well-being of African peoples and the establishment of

peace, security and political stability.

The problem of conflicts in Africa is undoubtedly

one of the crucial issues affecting the development and

stability of our continent. The Government of Angola

would like to praise the efforts of the Central Organ of

the Organization of African Unity’s Mechanism for

Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution in

various African regions and countries, such as Burundi,

Liberia and Somalia.

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In this connection, we support the efforts of the

neighbouring countries and others that advocate a

negotiated political settlement for the crisis in Burundi on

the basis of the country’s constitutional legal order and in

consonance with the legitimate interests of the parties. We

believe that if this objective is to be achieved, there must

be a global dialogue among the parties concerned.

We would like to pay tribute to the former President

of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, for his efforts to

reunite our Burundian brothers who have fallen into enmity

around the negotiating table. We are convinced that good

will on the part of the politicians will help our sister nation

of Burundi overcome its critical difficulties.

Concerning Liberia, we would like to congratulate the

member countries of the Economic Community of West

African States (ECOWAS) for the significant progress

made so far, culminating in the swearing in of

Ms. Ruth Perry as Chairperson of the Liberian Council of

State and the beginning of the belligerent parties’ process

of disarmament.

Unfortunately, we are still concerned over the situation

of Somalia. We feel that in Somalia, as in the case of other

conflicts, there is no other way to find peace than through

dialogue between the parties concerned.

We would like to reaffirm our support for the

countries in that region, and particularly for the Prime

Minister of Ethiopia in his efforts to bring the Somali

factions together around a negotiating table. We also feel

that the United Nations should not and cannot renounce its

duty and abandon that country to its fate.

Finally, we cannot fail to restate our position of

principle regarding the issue of Western Sahara — namely,

our support for the United Nations and Organization of

African Unity resolutions in that regard. We are convinced

that the problem can be resolved only through a referendum

on the self-determination of that territory.

We support a peaceful solution to the conflict, taking

into account the interests of the parties, particularly that of

the Saharan people, and we offer congratulations on the

resumption of direct talks between the Kingdom of

Morocco and POLISARIO.

I would not wish to conclude my statement without

apprising the Assembly in general terms of the situation

prevailing in my country during the implementation of the

Lusaka Protocol, aimed at restoring lasting peace and

reconciliation for all Angolans.

Prior to doing so, however, I would like to express

the sincere appreciation of the Government of Angola to

the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for

Angola, Maître Alioune Blondin Beye, as well as to the

representatives of the troika of observer nations —

Portugal, the Russian Federation and the United States of

America — for the unswerving efforts they have made,

individually and jointly, for peace and national

reconciliation in Angola.

Although the peace process has evinced a certain

dynamism since the Franceville and Libreville meetings

between the President of the Republic,

His Excellency Mr. José Eduardo dos Santos, and the

leader of UNITA, Mr Jonas Savimbi, we have been

confronted with certain situations that are rather

unfavourable for its normal and desirable development.

As the Assembly knows, the implementation of the

Lusaka Protocol included a calendar of specific tasks for

the Government and for UNITA.

The position adopted by the UNITA leadership

concerning the honouring of its commitments has,

unfortunately, given rise to deplorable situations in the

course of the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, in

spite of the fact that the Government has gone beyond

meeting its commitments under the calendar.

As a matter of fact, not only did UNITA fail to

honour its commitments and fail to comply with the

pertinent Security Council resolutions, but it failed to

carry out fundamental commitments in the peace process:

it failed to confine all its true military forces to quarters;

it did not surrender its light and heavy matériel; it did not

bring about the induction of all its general officers into

the regular armed forces of Angola, in accordance with

the agreement; it continued to create impediments and

difficulties in the selection and induction of 26,300 troops

into the national army of Angola; and, finally, it

prevented the free circulation of people and goods, thus

delaying the extension of the State administration over the

entire national territory.

As members know too, at its Congress, held from 20

to 28 August this year, UNITA rejected the offer made to

its leader by the Government of the position of Vice-

President of the Republic. By so acting, UNITA created

an additional difficulty for the formation of the

23

Government of National Unity and Reconciliation. That

attitude on the part of the leader of UNITA did not come

as a surprise to many observers of the Angolan peace

process because it is in keeping with Mr. Savimbi’s

habitual lack of coherence. He has always placed his self-

interest far ahead of the interests of the Angolan nation.

Consequently, it is more than evident that UNITA is trying

to impose strategic delays on the peace process and the

implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, to aggravate the

social and economic crisis and to distort the Protocol and

other commitments assumed.

However, despite the difficulties encountered in the

process, the Angolan Government is resolute in its intent to

spare no effort to resolve all the country’s problems

through dialogue and collective commitment. Our

Government, working hand in hand with the democratic

forces interested in peace and national reconciliation in

Angola, has decided that, regardless of circumstances, we

will put an end to the cycle of strife that is disrupting the

country. We will launch a new era of peace and political

tolerance, strengthen democratic institutions and save the

Angolan nation from the economic and social chaos into

which it has been plunged by the stubborn attitude of those

who try to block the wind with their bare hands.

In this connection, I should like to thank the

international community for its efforts and understanding in

the search for peace in Angola. We are aware of the

tremendous costs involved in the operation of United

Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III), but

this is a very sensitive juncture and the perseverance of the

international community is of the essence, for victory is

certain. Only with the victory of peace and democracy in

Angola can we say that the sacrifice of the international

community has been worthwhile.

In the achievement of those objectives the participation

of UNITA is essential. We therefore urge the international

community to continue to exert pressure to compel the

leader of UNITA to follow a reasonable course, renouncing

war once and for all, and to persuade him to occupy his

position in Angolan society.

For more than 30 years the Angolan people have been

subjected to successive wars that have caused and still

cause indescribable suffering. After the election in

September 1992, Angola was once again plunged into a war

that forced all Government activities to be directed at an

emergency social policy, the sole objective of which was to

mitigate the nefarious consequences that afflicted the lives

and dashed the hopes of Angolans.

That conflict created over 2 million displaced

persons directly affected by the conflict; it drove over half

a million refugees into neighbouring countries and

maimed more than 100,000 people. In the economic

sphere, it destroyed over 70 per cent of the social and

economic infrastructure and the agro-industrial base.

Those are only a few of the many indicators that

reveal the true dimensions of the catastrophe that has

befallen Angolans and that has led to a serious

deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the country.

Given the tragic situation we described earlier, my

Government is no longer in a position to face this

challenge on its own. What is at stake is the survival of

millions of human beings.

I should therefore like to take this opportunity

sincerely to thank the international community and

Governments, as well as governmental and non-

governmental organizations, for the assistance they have

extended to the Angolan people. I would implore them to

continue to assist the needy population without losing

sight of assistance for development and self-sufficiency.

We peaceful Angolans and our Government will not

abdicate our responsibilities.

Once again, I extend our best wishes to the President

for success as he presides over the General Assembly at

this session and pledge to him my delegation’s full and

sincere cooperation.