Benin, 1982

We have gathered together here, as we do every year at this time, in

the supreme body of the United Nations system, the General Assembly,

to think about and exchange views on the important problems which

concern the international community as well as our respective States.

151. First of all, I should like to discharge a most pleasant

duty-to extend our warm congratulations to Mr. Hoilai, on behalf of

the delegation of the People's Republic of Benin, and express the

great satisfaction we feel about his election to the presidency of

the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly. We regard his

unanimous election as a tribute to his great merits and outstanding

qualities as a statesman and seasoned diplomat and at the same time

as eloquent testimony to the respect in which the international

community holds his country, the Hungarian People's Republic, for its

active participation in our common task of peace and co-operation

among all nations. Our delegation is convinced that under his

enlightened leadership our deliberations will lead us to important

decisions that will help to bring about concrete action designed to

establish a new international order based on principles of justice

and solidarity among peoples and for the maintenance of international

peace and security. Our delegation would also like to take this

opportunity to express its gratitude and admiration for the masterly

way in which his predecessor, Mr. Kittani, of Iraq, guided our work

and the good will he displayed during the thirty-sixth regular

session of the Assembly as well as the second special session devoted

to disarmament and the seventh emergency special session, on the

question of Palestine. We would also like to express once again to

the Secretary-General the appreciation of our country, the People's

Republic of Benin, for the thought he is giving to ways to make the

working of the United Nations system more effective and to enable it

fully to shoulder its responsibilities in the face of the serious

problems facing the world. We would also like to take this

opportunity to welcome the action the Secretary-General has taken

with vigour and determination since his election in dealing

resolutely with the delicate task of making the voice of the United

Nations heard amidst the clamour of passions and injustices of every

kind.

152. The international situation is extremely distressing. The

world is in a state of crisis at all levels -political, economic,

cultural and social-and we feel powerless when we see that, despite

our efforts, the resolutions and recommendations we have managed to

adopt in this Hall have not had the results we had hoped for in

settling the grave problems with which we and mankind as a whole are

faced.

153. The self-same problems thus re-emerge in a more acute form.

The serious events that have recently shaken the world and that

continue to persist show the extent to which the international

situation has deteriorated. Indeed, we are witnessing a sudden

increased level of tension in the sensitive areas of the world that

defies reason, and the exacerbation of conflicts is moving the world

swiftly towards an explosion fraught with unforeseeable consequences.

154. .We are extremely concerned-how could we not be?-when we note

that some Powers employ force with disconcerting ease as a means of

settling disputes. Flouting international rules and conventions,

those colonialist, imperialist, expansionist, racist Powers have

systematized their irregular, illegal, immoral, amoral practices.

Armed aggression, military intervention, the occupation of the

territories of other States, the use of mercenaries and open

interference in the internal affairs of other independent States have

become their favourite means of imposing their domination and of

achieving the triumph of their selfish and hegemonistic interests, to

the detriment of the rights of other peoples.

155. With the exception of the problems connected with general and

complete disarmament and periodic crises, the majority of the world's

political problems are centred in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The

agenda of the present session of the General Assembly, like the

agendas of preceding sessions, merely reflects this situation. Hence,

the delegation of the People's Republic of Benin believes that the

poor countries, which an unjust international economic system

continues to make poorer with each passing day, are the very same

countries as are being subjected to the most despicable policies and

in which situations that no longer exist in the northern hemisphere

have become everyday practice, although their peoples seek only to

live in peace and understanding with others in an international

community in which rules of conduct are respected.

156. In Africa, we must once again stress the importance of the

problems of Namibia, Western Sahara and apartheid. It is not our

intention to go back over the origin of those questions; rather, we

wish to emphasize that the efforts of the Organization are being

flouted by a coalition of powerful States Minded by sordid short-term

interests, to the detriment of justice and the protection of the

vital interests of the African peoples.

157. The situation in southern Africa can be explained only on

those bases, and we have no hesitation in saying that the key to the

solution of the Namibian problem, for instance, like that of the

apartheid and the racist South African regime, is being held by those

Powers friendly to the white racists of South Africa. In that region,

where the voice of reason has been stilled and where relevant

resolutions of the United Nations, particularly Security Council

resolution 435 (1978), have been Routed by an oligarchy of criminals

and racists, the oppressed populations have been constrained to

resort to the only solution still open to them, namely, armed

struggle. It is time for the reactionary supporters of colonialism

and racism in Pretoria to realize that there can be no peace,

stability or security in southern Africa as long as Namibia has not

regained its true independence and as long as the abhorrent system of

apartheid has not been completely eradicated. It is time for the

Pretoria clique to abandon the easy resort to delaying tactics and

temporising and to Ml into line with the course of history by

participating in the process of negotiations on Namibia's

independence.

158. That is why our country, the People's Republic of Benin, has

supported and will continue to support the Namibian people and its

leaders, SWAPO, headed by our brother Sam Nujoma, until the

achievement of total victory and independence without any political

or territorial restriction. For the same reason we categorically

reject the claim that there is a link between the presence of Cuban

forces in the People's Republic of Angola and the process of

decolonization of Namibia.

159. Likewise, the South African combatants struggling for the

establishment of equality Justice and the eradication of racism in

their homeland have always enjoyed the support of the People's

Republic of Benin and deserve a greater degree of support from the

Organization. In this connection the People's Republic of Benin has

always advocated and will continue to call for the cessation of the

organized murder of South African nationalists and for the liberation

of Nelson Mandela and all the South African patriots and nationalists

imprisoned or arrested by the Pretoria clique for having spoken out

loudly against a system of government founded on racial

discrimination and for having taken vigorous action to put an end to

the anachronism and the scourge of our century, must be denounced and

condemned by the international community.

160. Caught up in the spiral of a policy which seems to embody

human folly those who practise apartheid attempt to export to

countries of the region the violence and desolation which they

inflict every day upon the people of many districts which for them

are nothing but Bantustans. States Members the United Nations are

daily attacked by South Africa, and with impunity. Angola, Botswana,

Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe are constantly diverted from

their task of national reconstruction and development in order to

defend themselves against an enemy financed by and under the

protection of international imperialism. In the face of these

intolerable acts of the so-called South African Republic, the

Organization must make greater efforts to prevent its decisions from

being cynically flouted and treated with derision. We owe it to

ourselves to condemn the acts of aggression and destabilization

perpetrated by the South African racists against Angola and the

front-line States, and we must also disapprove of the use of

mercenaries, a particular scourge of our century.

161. The international community must remain firmly behind SWAPO

and support its just struggle for self-determination, national

liberation an independence of a united and prosperous Namibia. The

Security Council must take all necessary measures to ensure respect

for its resolutions and decisions. It must consider undertaking

global sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter, including an oil

embargo, against South Africa, to make it see reason. Resolution 435

(1978) remains the basis for the settlement of the problem of

Namibia, and any other approach must be rejected.

162. In the same context we deplore the paralysis of the Committee

of the Security Council established under its resolution 421 (1977),

entrusted with the supervision of the mandatory embargo on arms for

South Africa. Our delegation hopes that the report of the Committee,

which is at present before the Council for discussion, will be

adopted in order to strengthen the means of surveillance of the

mandatory arms embargo.

163. We must with the same determination consider the situation in

Western Sahara, which we mention with sorrow because the colonial

invasion in this case is African and does not come from outside. The

United Nations, in co-operation with the OAU, has adopted bold

resolutions aimed at achieving the self-determination of the martyred

Sahraoui people. Our country condemns the obstructionism and the

refusal of frank and open collaboration displayed by the invader in

the face of all the constructive proposals designed to find a

solution to the illegal occupation of the territory of another

country, an occupation which threatens the peace and security of the

region, with increasing risks of internationalizing the conflict.

164. The People's Republic of Benin supports the just cause of the

Sahraoui people and condemns most strongly the colonialist and

expansionist policy which continues to deprive that courageous people

of the exercise of its inalienable rights. The People's Republic of

Benin reaffirms its solidarity with the Sahraoui Arab Democratic

Republic in its heroic struggle against foreign occupation. The

desire to restore peace in the region demands that the Sahraoui Arab

Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco consider forthwith the

ways and means of bringing an end to that conflict.

165. Regarding the situation in the Middle East, no one should

underestimate the dangers of the tension in the region. The

aggression perpetrated by Israel in its invasion of Beirut and its

policy of genocide against the Palestinians constitute a

characteristic aspect of the policy of global Zionism of the Tel Aviv

authorities in the Middle East. The stubbornness of the Zionists of

Tel Aviv in pursuing this policy of aggression, occupation and

extermination is encouraged by the unconditional and massive support

of international imperialism, which provides them with logistic

support, the arms and the finance-which is no secret to anyone. The

barbaric aggression and genocide perpetrated by Israel, such as the

recent massacres of Sabra and Shatila, deserve nothing but

indignation and strong and unequivocal condemnation.

166. Israel must withdraw its occupation forces forthwith and

unconditionally from Lebanese territory and all Arab territories

occupied since 1967. Israel must return to the strict practice of

international morality for the right to one's own life does not imply

the right to exterminate others.

167. The Palestinian people have the right to a national life, a

country with recognized, secure and guaranteed boundaries and their

own territorial entity. The People's Republic of Benin will always

join in bilateral and multilateral efforts effectively to achieve

that objective.

168. The international community must become increasingly aware of

the grave situation in the Middle East and find the means to make the

Zionist aggressors understand that they are placing international

peace and security at risk, for peace in the Middle East necessarily

involves the proper settlement of the Palestinian problem. The

People's Republic of Benin condemns the Zionist policy in the Middle

East and supports the struggle of the Palestinian people and their

right to their own homeland. The People's Republic of Benin reaffirms

its political and diplomatic support for the PLO, the sole

representative of the oppressed people of Palestine.

By the same token we should like to reaffirm our support for the

people of Cyprus in their legitimate struggle for the reunification

and integrity of their territory, for peace between the two

communities, and against foreign interference.

170. In Asia, although the echo of gun fire seems to have

diminished lately, political and military tension is nevertheless

high. Hence our delegation stresses its condemnation of all

imperialist manoeuvres in that region designed to revive those crises

that the determination of the peoples involved is gradually

resolving. The Kampuchean and Afghan peoples alone have the right to

choose their own political systems and we condemn any interference in

the internal affairs of Kampuchea and Afghanistan. The peoples of

those two countries must be left free to decide their destiny, and

threats to their security and foreign occupation must cease. This is

a meaningful massage for real peace in the region.

171. The People's Republic of Benin has recognized and will

continue to recognize the People's Revolutionary Council of Kampuchea

and supports all its efforts to achieve the political unification of

the country and oppose foreign aggression and interference by

international imperialist factions.

172. The people of Korea aspire to peace and to the peaceful

reunification of their homeland free from foreign interference. This

is the feeling in both the south and the north of the peninsula. The

People's Republic of Benin welcomes the efforts of the North Korean

authorities to bring about the peaceful reunification of the great

Korean country. In order to achieve this objective the Korean people

must be free to decide their future. Thus we call for the withdrawal

of all foreign troops from the peninsula. This is the only way to

ensure a definitive and viable settlement of the Korean crisis. The

People's Republic of Benin affirms its firm and unswerving support

for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in its valiant efforts

to put an end to the artificial and arbitrary division of Korea by

the satisfaction of the legitimate aspiration of the entire Korean

people, that is, independent and peaceful reunification and the

establishment of the Confederated Republic of Koryo.

173. We also support the people of East Timor in their legitimate

struggle for freedom.

174. The People's Republic of Benin supports those peoples in

Central America and the Caribbean that aye courageously extricating

their countries from the grip of international imperialism and

striving to take their destiny into their own hands. AH peoples

aspiring to independence in that region should be able freely to

express their views on their future. In this context, my delegation

believes that the relevant resolutions of the United Nations must be

borne in mind and respected by all. Blackmail and military plots of

all kinds are constantly used to ensure the failure of the

revolutionary experience of the countries of the region. The heroic

resistance of the Latin American peoples, whose political maturity

grows stronger every day, deserves our full admiration and support.

Peoples that cherish peace and justice must continue to support the

peaceful cause of independence and freedom of Cuba, Nicaragua, El

Salvador, Grenada and others.

175. The Indian Ocean has become an area of competition where the

great military Powers are building their own gigantic arsenals for a

possible future confrontation. Gigantic observation, control and

communications complexes rise above the peaceful waters of that

immense Ocean and there are huge stocks of the most modem and

sophisticated weapons on those floating bases. All these means of

destruction stockpiled on that Ocean constitute a threat to

international peace and to the security of the coastal States. The

People's Republic of Benin, concerned at this race to militarize the

Indian Ocean, reaffirms its support for all measures and decisions

aimed at transforming the Indian Ocean into a zone of peace. In this

context, the bold proposals of the President, Didier Ratsiraka, of

Madagascar should be accepted and given concrete form.

176. The subject of the demilitarization of the Indian Ocean

brings us to the problem of disarmament. It is by now no secret that

when we bear in mind mankind's problems of life and survival the

exorbitant expenses involved in the arms race are truly scandalous,

if not utter madness: $450 billion are spent on it each year, when

$20 billion would suffice for development assistance. Apart from the

fact that this accumulation of increasingly dangerous equipment

heightens the risk of general confrontation, it is also a heavy

burden for the major Powers that prompts them to shirk their

international responsibilities. We in the People's Republic of Benin

are convinced that this arms race threatens not only the survival of

mankind but also the economic development of the world. For the

limitation or complete elimination of the arms race would enable the

Powers which now engage in that arms race to channel more money into

development assistance and the improvement of the living standards of

their own citizens.

177. My delegation regrets that at the second special session

devoted to disarmament the General Assembly failed to make any

progress, despite the many proposals from all sides. The Organization

must continue its efforts to achieve general disarmament, which at

this time of chronic economic crisis could permit the enormous

financial resources that are today squandered on destruction and

death to be reallocated to the fulfilment of the noble ideals of

preserving life and promoting international peace and security.

178. We make a most urgent appeal to the conscience of both the

Soviet and American peoples to induce their respective Governments to

engage in sincere and decisive negotiations to put an end to the arms

and to achieve a balanced arms reduction so as to release large

quantities of resources which could then be devoted to the promotion

of the well-being of peoples and to assistance to developing

countries.

179. Those, in our opinion, are the main political concerns of the

international community. They are not new, and the Organization has

continually been adopting resolutions to deal with them. But we must

note that a great number of Member States flout United Nations

decisions to such an extent that we must wonder whether the

Organization would not gain from a restructuring-particularly the

Security Council. It must be recalled that the Charter not only

stipulates rights: it imposes duties upon States, as well. Legally

adopted decisions must be implemented. At this juncture we would like

to pay a sincere tribute to the Secretary-General for his commendable

efforts to preserve international peace and security.

180. The critical situation in the world not only political in

nature; it is also economic. Indeed, the international economic

situation gives us growing cause for concern. The persistence of this

economic crisis, which has lasted more than a decade and continues to

deteriorate, brings to light a long-term structural phenomenon:

monetary upheaval, galloping inflation, constantly soaring interest

rates, unbearable instability in the balance of payments, and

increased indebtedness are its main characteristics; they have

harmful effects upon the economies of the developing countries.

181. The development of those countries is seriously handicapped

by that situation. Their investment capacity is reduced. The acute

deterioration in the terms of trade dangerously decreases their

expected export revenues. Their production effort is affected and

economic stagnation is compounded by social stagnation because of the

increase in unemployment.

182. Until recently we have devoted our efforts only to the

external manifestations of this economic crisis and have attempted to

solve them with stopgap measures, but to no great avail. Is not the

fundamental question really the problem of development itself and the

establishment of new relations in the system of co-operation among

nations based on international solidarity, justice and equity?

183. Since the holding of the special sessions devoted to the

problem of development and to the establishment of a new

international economic order, and the various North-South dialogues

in Paris, followed by the global negotiations under the aegis of the

United Nations and the Cancun meeting, there has certainly been an

evolution, in terms of vocabulary, if not of ideas. But the facts

have changed little. The intransigence of certain rich countries

blindly attached to the privileges and advantages they have unjustly

acquired prevents the appeal for solidarity from being heard and in

no way fosters the establishment of a new international economic

order.

184. The failure to restructure international economic life has

resulted in a continuing, alarming deterioration of the world

economy, which is not likely to reduce international political

tension, since the economically weaker countries have come to realize

that the economically stronger countries have deliberately been

contributing to keeping them in the status of marginal States. If we

want to strive for international peace and security, it is clear that

this intolerable situation cannot be allowed to go on much longer.

185. International co-operation is obviously adversely affected by

the situation. Indeed, we note a deteriorating spirit of multilateral

co-operation, the principal cause of the stagnation in international

negotiations. There is also a discernible disproportionate

indebtedness in the developing countries.

186. How can those developing countries honour their foreign debt

commitments, which amount to hundreds of billions of dollars, we know

that they are undergoing an economic recession which seriously

affects their budgets, when we know that their populations are

suffering hunger, malnutrition and disease, when we know that 25 per

cent of the people proceeds from their meagre exports is sacrificed

to pay the interest on the various loans needed for their investments

in the public sector? The gap, the imbalance, between the rich

countries and the poor countries is continually increasing.

187. The rich countries alone monopolize 70 per cent of the

revenues from world trade, 80 per cent of industrial activities and

90 per cent of technology. They are doing all they can to block the

process of co-operation through the selfish practice of protectionist

measures; we have seen an emerging and growing tendency towards

selectivity in aid, accompanied by its progressive decline.

188. Rather than accepting the idea of global negotiations, which,

in our view, could improve the chances of emerging from the present

economic stagnation and promote justice among nations, the countries

of the North are clinging to palliatives, to caricatures of

solutions, which hardly conceal their desire to maintain their

long-standing domination and economic exploitation of our countries.

189. The delegation of the People's Republic of Benin believes

that the present economic crisis is extremely serious and deserves

our full attention, and that no viable and lasting solution can be

found without understanding among all parties, and without a spirit

of solidarity. It would be pointless to think that a national or

sectorial search for solutions could solve the problems.

190. Only global negotiations, bringing together both developed

and developing countries, are likely to improve the situation, in the

framework of the establishment of a new international economic order.

191. In the short term, we believe that the developed countries

must try to reach the level of 0.7 per cent of their gross national

product in aid devoted to the development programmes of the

economically weak countries. Multilateral assistance must be revived;

in that connection the rebuilding of the financial resources of

institutions such as the International Development Association is of

high priority, and there is an urgent need for a far-reaching reform

of international assistance machinery and the establishment of a code

of conduct for transnational corporations, which must cease to

plunder the wealth of the host countries with impunity.

192. It is appropriate now to bring to the attention of the

international community the inadequacy of the Resources of UNDP and

the great needs of the countries that benefit from its assistance.

The People's Republic of Benin associates itself with the appeals

launched from this rostrum that UNDP be granted the necessary means,

to enable it to carry out successful its activities for the benefit

of the developing countries.

193. Our country, the People's Republic of Benin, suffers the

consequences of the economic crisis all the more intensely not only

because it is among the least-developed countries, but also because

the consequences of the armed aggression to which it was victim are

still being felt.

194. My country thanks the United Nations for the programme of

special economic assistance established at that time and for the

measures which are to be taken by the Assembly at the present session

to complete the achievement of the goals of that programme. L would

also like to thank all the States which have contributed to the

implementation of that programme to assist the people of Benin.

195. That demonstration of solidarity constitutes support for our

country at a time when it is making enormous sacrifices to build the

foundations of its economic development. A round-table of the

partners in Benin's development will be held in June 1983 at Cotonou.

We earnestly hope that the States which have been invited and the

United Nations bodies concerned will respond positively and massively

to our appeal for broad participation. My delegation would be

grateful to the Secretary-General for any steps he might take to that

end.

196. We thank the Secretary-General in advance, and through him,

Mr. Farah, the Under-Secretary-General, who personally worked to

establish the special programme for the benefit of the People's

Republic of Benin. His report, which will be considered at this

session by the Second Committee, will make it possible to continue

efforts for effective international assistance in support of the

development effort of the courageous people of Benin.

197. We should also like to express our gratitude to Mr. Bradford

Morse and, through him, to Mr. Doo Kingue, for UNDP assistance in

organizing the round-table which is provided for in our 10-year

social and economic development programme.

198. We should like also to reiterate the gratitude of the

People's Republic of Benin to all the friendly countries and

organizations which have tangibly demonstrated their solidarity with

the people of Benin, who have been stricken by the recent floods in

the south of our country.

199. The People's Republic of Benin, which is among the

least-developed countries, is waging a courageous national struggle

Car economic development. The People's Republic of Benin, its people,

its party, its Government and its President, Mathieu Kerekou, hope

that our appeal from this rostrum will not be a voice crying in the

wilderness. We rely on international solidarity and co-operation for

the success of the round-table planned in our country and for the

achievement of the objectives of our programme of special economic

assistance.

20C. Despite the accusations of ineffectiveness so often levelled at

the United Nations, the Organization is an indispensable instrument

for the protection of peace and security. Thus, it is the historic

duty of Member States to overcome their national selfishness to make

the Organization better able to function by granting it means

commensurate with its purposes and its universality. Member States

must act to ensure that the United Nations is not merely a gadget to

gratify their selfishness; further, we must turn it into a real tool,

operating full time in the service of peace, freedom, justice and the

development of the people. Member States, large and small, rich or

poor, must resolve to turn the United Nations into a real centre of

consultation and action to promote understanding and co-operation

among peoples and to bring about peaceful coexistence between States

with different political systems.

201. May that thought inspire the representatives at this

thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly to guarantee the

success of the Assembly, a success to which the delegation of Benin

pledges itself to contribute by means of dynamic and constructive

participation.

202. Ready for the revolution, the struggle continues!