Bhutan, 2002

We have before us an

array of issues that are as compelling and daunting as

ever before. Many of these threaten to widen further

the divides that separate us and deepen more the

wounds that pain us. They challenge ever so severely

our resolve to live in peace and harmony. But we

remain hopeful. Under the President's leadership and

guidance, we are confident that our deliberations will

be purposeful and productive. Toward this, I assure the

President of the full cooperation of my delegation.

I take this opportunity to express our gratitude to

His Excellency Mr. Han Seung-soo for his stewardship

and contribution to the work of the fifty-sixth session.

His presidency, at a most challenging time in the

history of the United Nations, has enhanced the esteem

of the international community for him and the

Republic of Korea.

My delegation takes great pleasure in welcoming

the Swiss Confederation and the Democratic Republic

of Timor-Leste as they take their rightful place in our

family of nations. While we welcome the admission of

Timor-Leste as a newly independent State, it is with a

sense of deep satisfaction that we appreciate the

decision of the Swiss people. It is an affirmation of

their faith in the relevance and indispensability of the

United Nations. They, more than any other people,

have observed and studied with active participation the

workings of this world body. As a country for which

the United Nations will always be critically important,

Bhutan is indeed deeply heartened.

The loss of lives and untold suffering and

destruction wrought by the senseless acts of 11

September have united all of humanity against the evil

of terrorism in all its manifestations. No clear

orientation towards international peace and

development is possible without uprooting this disease

that has been allowed to afflict many of our societies.

The United Nations must continue to play a

central and decisive role in directing our collective

resolve and efforts to eradicate terrorism. While in our

own countries we must each take all possible measures

to rid ourselves of this menace, we know that it is

through the multilateral framework that our national,

regional and global efforts can be effectively and

rightly coordinated. It is imperative that in our battle

against terrorism, the norms and principles of this

hallowed institution are not undermined. Our war on

terrorism must continue to unite us.

The realization of a new economic order that is

inclusive, equitable and sustainable remains the most

pressing challenge of the United Nations. The scourge

of poverty and disease continue to afflict millions of

people around the world. My delegation is compelled

to reiterate its concern over the decline in official

development assistance (ODA) and the parallel

emphasis on market efficiency and trade as an engine

of growth.

We realize that trade underpins equal partnership

and should represent the ultimate goal of economic

development strategies. However, not all countries

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have the necessary capacity to take advantage of the

global trading system. Without timely and adequate

assistance to fill the resource gap to meet their basic

development priorities, many of the developing

countries will continue to suffer from marginalization.

Clearly, there is a need to create a fair and

equitable trading environment without prejudice to the

flow of adequate Official Development Assistance. In

particular, the special needs and vulnerabilities of least

developed countries, landlocked developing countries

and small island developing states must be

comprehensively addressed to enable them to

effectively integrate into the global economic system.

In Africa, the international community must lend its

full support to extricate the continent from the malaise

of underdevelopment and to prevent its further

marginalization. In this context, Bhutan welcomes the

endorsement of the New Economic Partnership for

Africa's Development by the high-level plenary

meeting of the General Assembly and hopes that the

international community will provide the necessary

support to this programme. This is particularly

significant for those countries emerging from conflict,

in which the rehabilitation of social and economic

infrastructure is vital if peace is to be sustained.

There is no lack of vision and strategies to

overcome the socio-economic maladies that confront

the global community. The Millennium Declaration

Goals provide clear targets and strategies to reduce

poverty, achieve sustainable development and reverse

the devastating trend of HIV/AIDS, malaria and

tuberculosis. What we need is greater political will.

I wish to acknowledge the contributions of the

United Nations and bilateral donors to the development

of my country. We are grateful to our partners not only

for the substantial amount of assistance we have

received over the years, but for the acceptance of our

insistence on being the master of our own destiny. Our

partnership is characterized by a frank and open

political dialogue of high intensity, while the

cooperative arrangements at all levels are marked by a

notable degree of transparency.

My country continues to be guided by our goal of

promoting gross national happiness' as opposed to

simply targeting the enhancement of our gross national

product as the end of development. We believe that it is

the responsibility of the Government to create an

enabling environment within which every citizen

would have a reasonable opportunity to find happiness.

Towards this end, all our development strategies must

subscribe to strengthening of the four pillars of gross

national happiness, which are: first, the ensuring of

equitable and sustainable socio-economic development;

secondly, conservation of our fragile mountain

ecology; thirdly, promotion of basic human values and

culture; and fourthly, the strengthening of good

governance.

It is my belief that those are the pillars on which

the happiness of our human society can be firmly

established. While I am fully aware that Bhutan is

certainly not unique in its pursuit of happiness, I

express the hope that more among us will join in that

search with a greater sense of seriousness.