Canada, 2006

It is a

great honour for me, as Prime Minister of Canada, to

21 06-52988

speak to the Assembly today about the important issues

confronting us as Members of the United Nations.

(spoke in English)

The United Nations was born from a combination

of the essential needs of nations for stability and

security and the higher ideals to which we should all

aspire — freedom, democracy, human rights and the

rule of law.

(spoke in French)

Our responsibilities in this Organization are as

varied as they are important, and I cannot mention

them all, nor do each the justice they deserve.

(spoke in English)

Nor can Canada be effective by diffusing our

efforts across all of these matters. We must focus our

considerable, but limited, resources where we can

make a real difference. So let me turn to one particular

and key area where global interests and higher purpose

come directly together: the United Nations Assistance

Mission in Afghanistan.

The United Nations recognized shortly after the

attacks of 11 September 2001 that the Taliban regime,

by its promotion of terrorism, was a threat to

international peace and security.

(spoke in French)

Kofi Annan, our Secretary-General, whom we

thank for his 10 years of loyal service, summed up in a

few words the reason why we must combat terrorism.

Terrorism, he said:

“is a direct attack on the core values the United

Nations stands for: the rule of law; the protection

of civilians; mutual respect between people of

different faiths and cultures; and peaceful

resolution of conflicts.”

(spoke in English)

That is why we in the United Nations have the

responsibility to defeat terrorism. That is why, with

unity and determination, the United Nations undertook

its responsibility and its role in Afghanistan. And that

is why Canada, which lost 24 of its own citizens on

9/11, answered the call.

And there we are. The United Nations Assistance

Mission in Afghanistan is the United Nations single

largest political mission. It is also, by far, Canada’s

biggest and most important overseas mission. So the

United Nations mission is Canada’s mission.

No fewer than 19 United Nations agencies are in

Afghanistan. They are working tirelessly to help the

Afghan people and their national Government shake

off the perpetrators of terrorism and build a democratic

and secure society.

At the same time, approximately 20,000 troops

from 37 countries — roughly 2,500 Canadians

included — are contributing to military efforts to help

stabilize Afghanistan and eliminate the remnants of the

Taliban regime. And we want to do that once and for

all.

(spoke in French)

All our actions in Afghanistan — civilian and

military — are being taken in accordance with the

mandate of the Security Council. In short, we all stand

together with the democratically elected Government

of Afghanistan under the banner of the Organization

that represents our collective will. In Afghanistan the

United Nations mission is Canada’s mission.

(spoke in English)

Let us be realistic. The challenges facing

Afghanistan are enormous. There will be no quick

fixes. Moreover, success cannot be assured by military

means alone. This we all recognize. For success also

requires a strong and unwavering civilian contribution:

educators, engineers, elections advisers, direct and

technical aid. The list is lengthy, but the contributions

are essential.

That is why Canada is engaged in work like the

rebuilding of girls’ schools, ripped down and destroyed

by the Taliban in their frenzy of hate.

(spoke in French)

That is why last spring we increased our

development assistance, raising Canada’s total

contribution to nearly $1 billion over 10 years, to assist

the people of Afghanistan.

(spoke in English)

These two actions — rebuilding a shattered

society and providing a stable security environment —

go hand in glove. And we are making progress — of

that there is no doubt: 5 million refugees repatriated;

over 5 million children enrolled in primary schools;

06-52988 22

10 million Afghans registered to vote in successive

democratic elections.

More than one quarter of the seats in

Afghanistan’s legislature are now held by women —

remarkable in a nation where a few short years ago

girls could not attend school and women had no human

rights of any kind.

The success of this Mission, in providing both

security and development, is vital to the safety,

livelihood and very future of the Afghan people, but it

is also vital to the health and future of this

Organization.

(spoke in French)

Let us recall that the democratically elected

Government of Afghanistan, led by President Karzai,

requested the assistance of the United Nations and its

Member States in the struggle against terror,

intimidation, violence and oppression.

(spoke in English)

We have responded. But we have not made

Afghanistan’s progress irreversible — not yet.

Canadian defence personnel, diplomats and

development officers are on the front lines of the fight

for the future of Afghanistan. Canadians feel

tremendous pride in the leadership role they have

assumed, and we share equal grief for the casualties

they have taken. We are therefore acutely aware that

the United Nations job in Afghanistan is not yet done.

We have no illusions about the difficulties that still lie

before us. Difficulties do not daunt us. But lack of

common purpose and will in this body would.

After all, if we fail the Afghan people, we will be

failing ourselves. For this is the United Nations

strongest Mission and therefore our greatest test. Our

collective will and credibility are being judged. We

cannot afford to fail. We will succeed.

(spoke in French)

The United Nations is also facing other

challenges — in Haiti, for example. Canada has played

an important role there, dispatching troops, police and

development officers to support United Nations

activities aimed at restoring stability and establishing

democracy. And we are offering the country

$100 million in economic development assistance.

However, we must act together to ensure that our

multinational force paves the way for stability and

progress, and empowers the Government of Haiti to

help its citizens, the poorest in the western hemisphere.

(spoke in English)

Darfur, too, is a significant challenge, as

multinational security efforts are transferred from the

African Union to the United Nations. It is also a test of

the principle that this body endorsed last year — the

responsibility to protect. The United Nations has

authorized a mission there, with a robust mandate. But

will the Government of Sudan accept it?

In the Middle East, Canada has joined the

international community in the reconstruction of

Lebanon. But will the United Nations Interim Force in

Lebanon ensure security on Israel’s northern border

and lead to progress in the Middle East peace process?

Nuclear proliferation threatens us all. Are we

prepared to ensure that Security Council decisions will

be implemented fully? Will we act to halt activities that

have no reasonable purpose other than the acquisition

of nuclear weapons?

These are some of the tests the whole world must

face. And there are other challenges internal to this

Organization.

Will the new Human Rights Council become a

forum where human rights are genuinely put above

political maneuvering? Or will it emulate the fate of its

failed predecessor organization? I must say that the

early signals suggest that too little has changed and

that the page has not yet been turned.

And what will be done to make progress on

United Nations management reform?

(spoke in French)

Earlier this year Canada’s new Government was

given a mandate to make our national Government

more accountable and more responsible, to ensure that

taxpayers get full value for their money and to pursue a

clear, focused agenda that produces tangible results.

The United Nations should accept nothing less.

(spoke in English)

This Organization must become more

accountable and more effective. Management reform

must continue, and at an accelerated pace. The

taxpayers of Member nations, Canadians among them,

make significant financial contributions to this

Organization. They have the right to expect stronger,

23 06-52988

more independent oversight mechanisms, more robust

accountability for how funds are spent, and human

resources practices that are based on merit.

(spoke in French)

I have just described the tests by which this

Organization will be judged. Canada wants this to be a

positive judgment. We were there when the United

Nations was founded. Like the other countries, we

were motivated by a pressing need to establish a new

international consensus in a world devastated by war.

And, like the others, we were motivated by our own

pragmatic interests and noble aspirations for all of

humanity. More than 60 years later the formula

remains the same.

(spoke in English)

The challenge has always been the same: to bring

nations together to build a better world by forging

consensus on common purposes and by finding the

political will to translate these into action.

When these goals have been achieved, Canada

has always been with the Organization — through the

war against fascism, the cold war, dozens of United

Nations-sponsored peacekeeping missions, and more

recent multinational military engagements in the

Balkans and the Persian Gulf.

Today Afghanistan leads the list of challenges

that we face collectively — peacebuilding in a nation

where there is not yet peace, where progress requires a

wide range of capabilities undertaken by a wide array

of our Member States.

My earnest hope is that we will say with pride to

future generations of leaders: We, the United Nations,

took up that responsibility in Afghanistan, rose to the

challenge and met it firmly, collectively, successfully.

In this endeavour, as with the others I have outlined,

Canada will be there with the Organization at every

step along the way.