Burkina Faso, 2001

I should like first of all to offer the profound

condolences of Burkina Faso to Algeria and the

Dominican Republic following the disasters that have

struck those countries.

I would like to convey to you, Sir, my heartfelt,

warm congratulations on your election to the

presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth

session. I would also like to congratulate the members

of the Bureau, as well as Mr. Harri Holkeri, President

at the fifty-fifth session, for the outstanding efforts that

he made during his term of office.

I would like to take this opportunity to pay a

resounding tribute to Mr. Kofi Annan, whose

noteworthy re-election to the post of Secretary-General

of the United Nations confirms the exceptional

qualities that he possesses as a diplomat and tireless

champion of peace and justice in the world. The Nobel

Peace Prize, which has just been awarded to him, is

eloquent testimony to that.

Last year, the leaders of the world met here to

give new impetus to our Organization and to commit

the international community to mobilizing itself more

resolutely in the quest for international peace and

security and to fighting poverty, injustice and other

scourges that threaten the very existence of humankind.

The terrorist attacks of 11 September which

struck the United States and plunged the American

people, as well as other peoples throughout the world,

into grief truly marked a turning point in the

development of international relations. They were a

brutal and atrocious reminder of both the complexity of

problems facing humankind and the urgent need to find

appropriate solutions to them. Burkina Faso firmly and

unambiguously condemned those barbaric, criminal

and repugnant acts, and we condemn them still.

Furthermore, we are resolved to take part in any

initiatives undertaken by the international community

to eradicate terrorism and its causes. That is why

Burkina Faso has begun the process of ratifying the

Organization of African Unity Convention on the

Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, as well as

United Nations conventions on this subject.

My Government has just adopted a draft law with

a view to ratifying the United Nations Convention

against Transnational Organized Crime and the first,

second and third protocols thereto, relating,

respectively, to the smuggling of migrants; trafficking

in persons, particularly women and children; and the

illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in weapons. In

cooperation with the United Nations, Ouagadougou

will be hosting, from 28 to 30 November, a seminar for

the foreign ministers and ministers of justice of the

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countries of the Economic Community of West African

States, the aim of which is to accelerate the ratification

of that Convention.

If it is to be effective, the campaign against

terrorism must be part of a coherent and solid world

coalition, with its basis in the United Nations. At the

same time, it must take into consideration the realities

and constraints confronting international relations. In

other words, in addition to military action, the

campaign must include the most appropriate political

and diplomatic measures in order effectively to deal

with conflicts and regional political problems and to

reduce gross injustice and inequality which, because of

the frustration they generate, serve as a breeding

ground for extremists and fuel violence and hatred.

As our mobilization to fight terrorism must be

total, so also must we see to the prior definition of

clear objectives and appropriate methods for their

implementation. While it is true that terrorists are our

enemies, it is also true that the manner in which we

combat them should not provide them with allies. As

President Blaise Compaore recently stated:

“As we see it, there is a risk that, if we are not

careful, the responses to the events of 11

September might lead to a catastrophic scenario

for humanity, with a tangled web of conflict:

conflict between the Judeo-Christian world and

the Muslim world; conflict between West and

East; conflict between the rich North and the poor

South. It is therefore crucial for our current

leaders courageously to attack the injustices and

inequalities which fuel violence and hatred.”

The international community must therefore

resolutely commit itself to combating poverty,

epidemics, in particular HIV/AIDS, and economic and

commercial marginalization, as well as exclusion of all

kinds, which continue to be the daily lot of many

regions of the world.

Attacking these injustices means necessarily that

we have to find a solution to the question of the Middle

East. The right of the Palestinians to establish an

independent State, respectful of the existence and

security of Israel, is a sine qua non here. Because of the

continuing tension in that part of the world, convening

a special international conference on the subject at the

earliest possible date is necessary.

It is also essential to lift the iniquitous embargoes

imposed on some States, such as Libya, Sudan, Iraq,

Iran, and Cuba. For, not only do these embargoes cause

suffering to their people, but they also help to weaken

world peace and security.

The Republic of China in Taiwan, which has

demonstrated sufficiently that it is a democratic and

peaceful State, is prepared to play its rightful role in

the concert of nations, and it should no longer suffer

from the injustice that we are combating each day. That

is why, in the name of equality among peoples and

nations, we make an urgent appeal for the readmission

of the Republic of China to the United Nations.

Turning to the question of Western Sahara,

Burkina Faso has always supported United Nations

initiatives and efforts here. Accordingly, the recent

plan proposed by Mr. James Baker, the Personal Envoy

of the Secretary-General, seems to us to be an

acceptable political compromise for a constructive

negotiating basis.

One activity that fuels and sustains conflicts and

serious banditry in the world is the manufacture, sale

and circulation of arms and anti-personnel mines.

Burkina Faso firmly supports the actions taken by the

United Nations aimed at reaching general and complete

disarmament, both at the level of weapons of mass

destruction and conventional weapons. As for

combating the proliferation of light weapons, in

addition to the Economic Community of West African

States (ECOWAS) moratorium to which it subscribes,

Burkina Faso has set up a high authority responsible

for monitoring throughout our national territory the

import and use of weapons.

Africa has decided to further unite. It has decided

to bring closer together its peoples and economies and

to strengthen its partnership with other regions in order

to better integrate itself in the world economy. The

African Union was set up precisely to accomplish this

huge project. Burkina Faso reiterates here the appeal

made by the heads of State and Government of the

Organization of African Unity (OAU) for the effective

support of the international community for the New

Partnership for Africa’s Development.

The debate in the United Nations should enable

all Member States to express themselves and contribute

to the discussion on how best to meet the concerns of

humanity. All opinions must be heard and taken into

consideration. Decisions taken pursuant to the rules

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must also be applied by each Member State. This is the

sine qua non requirement for achieving a viable new

international order based on a necessary dialogue

among civilizations and a culture of sharing and

solidarity. This new world order, in order to be more

just, has to be based on two basic concepts. First of all,

there should be a reform of the United Nations to

provide a more collective and democratic way of

managing the affairs of the world. Secondly, there

should be a more equitable distribution of the world’s

resources, through revision of trade mechanisms and

financing for development.

Turning to the reform of the Security Council,

Burkina Faso reaffirms Africa’s position, which

resulted from the Harare Summit, advocating equitable

representation of all regions of the world and

guaranteeing greater transparency and effectiveness for

the United Nations.

Our world is in constant flux. The ardent desire

for peace and security and the search for democracy

and well-being are, with each passing day, becoming

ever more rooted in people’s minds. During the past

few years, Burkina Faso has undertaken wide-ranging

political and economic reforms, which are in keeping

with the permanent validity of these universal values.

Politically, the reforms undertaken by the

Government, based on a consensus approach, have

enabled it to improve the institutional environment and

to meet the expectations of the political class and civil

society. This involves in particular the status of the

opposition, new voting procedures, the single-ballot

system, financing for political parties, trade unions and

the private press, and the creation of the Constitutional

Council, the State Council, the Appeals Court, the

State Audit Office and an independent national

electoral commission.

Economically speaking, the Government is

constantly struggling to improve the living conditions

of our people. Need I recall that destitution and poverty

are the first way we deny human rights. They deny

human beings their main raison d’être: their dignity.

Therefore, we have decided to stress the struggle

against poverty and exclusion by working out, with our

development partners, a strategic framework to fight

poverty.

In our global village, happiness for everyone is

possible. The best of possible worlds is within our

grasp. Scientific and technological progress means that

we can overcome the ills that beset humanity. We

simply need to unite, show solidarity and act together.