Burkina Faso, 2008

I would

like to warmly congratulate Mr. d’Escoto Brockmann,

on his election to preside over our debates and to

assure him of the full support of Burkina Faso. I would

also like to express to his predecessor, Mr. Kerim, all

my appreciation for the skill with which he guided the

work of the sixty-second session.

It is also my pleasure to pay well-deserved tribute

to the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who is

investing his efforts with foresight and dedication to

ensure the success of the reform of our Organization in

order to build a safer world and to ensure continuing

progress. I would like to reiterate in particular our

warm thanks to him for the visit he made to our

country last April.

This session of the General Assembly is taking

place at the midpoint in the timetable for attaining the

Millennium Development Goals and in an international

context marked by threats to global peace. The food

and energy crises have been joined by a financial crisis

of exceptional seriousness. This session is therefore

crucial and provides us with a great opportunity to

assess the measures that have been taken and to take

the necessary corrective measures.

In that respect, I welcome the initiative to

organize a high-level meeting on the midterm review

of the Millennium Development Goals. The

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conclusions of that meeting, I firmly believe, will help

us to establish appropriate strategies to speed up the

achievement of the Goals.

The current food crisis throughout the world has

amply demonstrated the ineffectiveness of our

agricultural policies and the fragility of our production

and trading systems. It is urgent to improve how

international institutions function, to relaunch

investment in agriculture and to support farmers’ and

professional organizations in innovative partnerships.

To that end, it is important that we commit ourselves to

major investment in farming, improved organization

for producers, greater control of water resources, more

effective distribution of seeds and fertilizers, and

simpler access to land.

The energy crisis helps us to prioritize our search

for lasting solutions in favour of renewable

resources — solar, nuclear, wind and bioenergy

resources — because of the impact of energy-related

factors on States’ development strategies.

Official development assistance has decreased in

recent years in terms of the level of funding and its

effectiveness. Beyond the central and recurring

question of the level of official development

assistance, there are four other dimensions that I

believe are crucial. Those dimensions are, first,

ownership of economic policies and support for

capacity-building in governance in our States;

secondly, harmonizing and simplifying donor

procedures; thirdly, the gradual alignment of assistance

with national development priorities and programmes;

and fourthly, improved coordination between our

technical and financial partners on the ground, under

the leadership of Governments.

Those are the main requirements with regard to

ensuring more effective public aid. I take this

opportunity to express my thanks to all our

development partners who have always supported us as

we strive for encouraging results.

The scourge of drugs and narcotics is a threat to

Africa in general and the West African subregion in

particular. Used as departure and transit points for

exporting illegal drugs, some parts of our countries are

experiencing a genuine cross-border crime wave. The

rapid eradication of that scourge requires the solidarity

and active support of the international community.

With regard to environmental issues, the

international community must invest more if it is to

bring appropriate responses to the climate change

affecting our planet. Scientific and political ideas must

be aimed today at protecting and preserving a fully

functioning ecosystem for future generations.

Resolving conflicts throughout the world, and

particularly on the African continent, represents a

major challenge for the community of nations. Burkina

Faso, which currently holds the presidency of the

Economic Community of West African States and the

West African Economic and Monetary Union is making

its contribution to enhancing peace and security, which

are indispensable to ensuring progress and democracy.

In Africa, centres of tension remain, but we can

welcome the remarkable progress achieved by

numerous mediation efforts in various regions, which

have demonstrated the capacity of Africans to resolve

their disputes for themselves.

In Darfur, the Security Council’s decision has

allowed the deployment of the African Union-United

Nations Hybrid Operation. Burkina Faso, which is

taking part in that peacekeeping operation, welcomes

the appointment of Mr. Djibril Yipènè Bassolé as the

Joint African Union-United Nations Chief Mediator for

Darfur. Given the complexity of his mission, I call on

the international community to give him its full support

and to ensure a rapid resumption of the political

dialogue and to strengthen the operational capacities of

the hybrid force.

We are also concerned by the erosion of the

Somali State and its post-electoral crises. With regard

to Western Sahara, we are encouraged by the efforts

made by the parties to the conflict, particularly the

Kingdom of Morocco, and by the Security Council’s

call for a realistic settlement.

The Sahelo-Saharan region has been affected by

persistent insecurity for many years. Collective efforts

at dialogue and cooperation are required to restore

peace and security there. In that regard, we welcome

and support the Algiers accord reached recently

between the Government of Mali and the Tuareg

rebels.

Burkina Faso also welcomes the progress made in

the Middle East. The strengthening of Lebanese

sovereignty, the creation of a viable Palestinian State

and security guarantees for Israel will contribute to

establishing lasting peace in that region.

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With regard to the Iranian nuclear issue, I hope

that reason will prevail and that negotiations will

reconcile Iran’s rights to civil nuclear power and the

legitimate fears of the international community with

regard to military nuclear proliferation.

In Afghanistan and Iraq, the situation continues to

be tragic and to claim new victims every day, most of

whom are innocent civilians. Burkina Faso will

continue to invest with the entire international

community in re-establishing peace in those countries.

The news today is dominated by the conflict

taking place in the Caucasus. While reasserting its

support for negotiations by the European Union,

Burkina Faso hopes that the solution to the crisis will

be based on inclusive dialogue and respect for

international legality.

I note with pleasure an improvement in relations

between the Republic of China or Taiwan and the

People’s Republic of China. I deeply hope that this

new spirit will open the way to Taiwan’s participation

in the activities of international organizations.

For many years now, the United Nations has been

committed to a process of reforms that should lead to

the improved effectiveness of its activities in the face

of the demands of the modern world. Despite the

progress that has been made, much remains to be done.

Our resolve to reach that goal must remain constant.

Burkina Faso has deep faith in multilateralism

and solidarity among peoples. We reassert our

willingness to make our contribution wherever it is

requested to maintain and consolidate peace,

development and democracy.