Cameroon, 2002

The delegation of Cameroon welcomes the

unanimous vote that conferred upon the Czech

Republic the presidency of the General Assembly at its

fifty-seventh session. Current circumstances may not

be conducive to optimism, but the peoples of the

United Nations are continuing to make progress

towards the future. The heads of State or Government

of the countries of the world mapped out the contours

of that future during the Millennium Summit. They

called for a future world in which humankind can live

free from all fears and free from want. I am convinced

that, given your excellent qualities, Mr. President, you,

like your predecessor, will contribute to strengthening

cohesion and peace among all States and peoples.

Cameroon welcomes the new additions to our

family. Switzerland, our friend, has taken up the United

Nations banner, and the young Democratic Republic of

Timor-Leste will soon be joining it.

I should also like to pay tribute to the

Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, who, through his

tireless efforts and commitment, is consolidating, day

by day, the credibility and vitality of the United

Nations in the eyes of its Member States and, more

broadly, in international public opinion.

The United Nations, as never before, is a place

for coordination, research, action and vigilance in

favour of international peace and security. Our

steadfast and determined commitment against terrorism

in the aftermath of the tragic events of 11 September

2001 is proof of this.

Cameroon has acceded to the conventional

instruments adopted by the United Nations immediately

after that tragedy. We also associate ourselves fully with

the resolutions that are now enabling the gradual

emergence of a new Afghanistan — one of liberty and

modernity for its people.

The fight against the destructive, indiscriminate

and persistent evil of terrorism must be viewed in the

long term in each of our countries and be based on

decisions agreed to at the international level. That is

why Cameroon fully supports the convening of a high-

level conference to develop a joint response by the

international community to terrorism.

Such a fight must not be merely a knee-jerk

response. It will also require the adoption of a

comprehensive approach that takes into account all the

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factors of imbalance and injustice that can lead to such

criminal activity.

It is for that reason that President Paul Biya

appealed to the community of nations

“to calm the international situation by doing away

with injustice, which can provide a fertile ground

for intolerance. Such a realistic step will enable

us to eradicate the causes of dissatisfaction and

revolt that, if unresolved, can lead to despair and,

at worst, to terrorism”.

In the same spirit, we believe that our common

offensive on terrorism must rest on legal measures

agreed to by all States, as well as on the effective

implementation of commitments undertaken in the

Millennium Declaration. We should recall that such

commitments are aimed at providing further solidarity

among nations and at reducing the gap between rich

and poor countries. Firmness without justice can only

promote feelings of frustration and will leave the

problem unresolved.

Since becoming a member of the Security

Council, the pre-eminent body of our Organization, on

1 January, Cameroon has made every effort to give

credence to the doctrine of a twin-track approach to

peace and security. Combating international terrorism

will require the sincere and effective participation of

all States Members of the United Nations. This in turn

will require an environment of peace, stability and

security among Member States. As a result, we must,

whatever the cost, find a solution to the conflicts and

tensions that, in Africa, the Middle East and Asia,

continue to drive fault lines through international

relations, among countries in the same region and even

within certain States.

As with the fight against international terrorism,

the mobilization of the international community against

crises and armed conflicts must involve both resolute

action and openness. Cameroon is especially concerned

about the delicate question of sanctions, which are

affecting several countries. Sanctions must be targeted

so as to spare innocent civilians, while the concerns of

third States, which can be indirect victims, must also

be taken into account.

We believe the Security Council would benefit if

sanctions were viewed more favourably. This could be

achieved by according them further legitimacy, which

would enable them to have the credibility essential to

their effectiveness.

As for the institutional reform of the United

Nations, which Cameroon, like many other countries,

has been urging, special mention must be made of the

inevitable expansion of Security Council membership.

Such reforms of the principal decision-making body of

the United Nations would permit a more integrated

approach with regard to serious regional questions and

the multilateral challenges that flow from

globalization.

Cameroon is convinced that an overwhelming

majority of Member States are willing and able to carry

out these reforms. That very ability and will have been

demonstrated by the establishment of the International

Criminal Court; the first session of the Assembly of

States Parties to the Statute has just been held here.

We cannot overemphasize the need for solidarity

to unify our nations. Support for the development of

the countries of the South must remain a priority, as

must synergy among our States in order to define a

vigorous policy for environmental protection. We have

never had so many summits on these major challenges.

Yet it must be noted that we have seldom adequately

met the tremendous expectations of millions of women

and children, the great majority of whom continue to

live in precarious circumstances and with great fear for

the future of the Earth.

We must ponder our failures. We must react with

a surge of voluntarism that will enable us to launch a

determined attack on such great pandemics as

HIV/AIDS. That is the path charted by the first ladies

of Africa, who, upon the invitation of Mrs. Chantal

Biya, will meet in Yaoundé on 15 and 16 November to

establish and launch, with the help of renowned

researchers and scientists, a non-governmental

organization called Synergies africaines contre le Sida

et les autres souffrances. At that launching, Professors

Robert Gallo and Luc Montagnier will moderate a

scientific symposium on AIDS.

In order to combat fanaticism, we must cultivate

fidelity to humankind. Such fidelity must be ongoing.

According to a wise African saying, “the past and the

present become one in the single desire to preserve

mankind”. Today more than ever, it is our duty to

affirm our fidelity to our peoples without ever

forgetting the fundamental virtues on which the

universal fabric of mankind's aspirations and dreams is

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woven. I recall that we have the urgent duty to forge

the future that was shaped by our heads of State at the

Millennium Summit — a world in which mankind will

finally be free of fear, of all fears, and in which

mankind shall never want.

Let us build a dream together. Let us dream

together of that future full of hope. We would remind

those who scorn such dreams that, in the beginning,

there was a dream. To them, we would reiterate George

Bernard Shaw's words:

“Some men see things as they are and say why? I

dream things that never were and say ‘Why

not?'”

In the beginning, there was a dream.