Guinea, 2004

My first

words are to congratulate you, Sir, on your election and

to tell you how gratified the delegation I have the

honour to lead is, seeing you preside over the work of

our august Assembly. Your great human qualities and

great experience in international relations, to which

you have devoted a great part of your life, convince us

that our debates will be successful. You can rely on the

support and full cooperation of my delegation in

carrying out your noble mission.

On this occasion, I would also like to express the

gratitude of my delegation to your predecessor,

Mr. Julian Hunte, for his dynamic leadership during the

past session. I would also like to convey to the

Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, the expression of

great appreciation as well as the sincere words of

encouragement of His Excellency, General Lansana

Conté, President of the Republic, for the Secretary-

General’s untiring efforts in defending and promoting

the noble ideals of our Organization.

Fifty-nine years ago our Organization emerged

based upon universal values that are equally relevant

today. While there has been some definite success in

defending those values, the world is now facing the

effects and consequences of upheavals that threaten the

foundations of our institution.

Three years after the tragic events of

11 September 2001, international terrorism continues

to strike out blindly, in an odious manner. The increase

in terrorism throughout the world is, for my country, a

source of great concern. Through me, the Guinean

Government reaffirms its resolute condemnation of

terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and

wishes to express its sympathy and solidarity with the

victims of that scourge. My delegation believes that the

struggle against terrorism must continue with greater

resolve, but we must also recognize that we can only

win the battle if the international community

energetically attacks the underlying causes of that

scourge, including inequality, poverty and injustice.

Given the highly tense international situation

with its many hotbeds of tension throughout the world,

progress over the last few months in the settlement of

disputes is a source of satisfaction to us.

In West Africa, after many painful years of

instability, we are happy to note positive achievements,

thanks to the political will and resolve of its leaders,

civil society and the international community.

In Liberia, there is hope since the transitional

Government was established. The deployment of the

United Nations mission and the progress achieved in

terms of the disarmament, demobilization and

reintegration programme, are all very encouraging. The

considerable commitments taken in February at the

international conference dedicated to the reconstruction

of Liberia must be honoured, in order to preserve the

peace that has been restored, and to ensure security

throughout the subregion.

In Sierra Leone, the peace-building process

undertaken with the support of the international

community has shown some commendable

successes — the gradual drawdown in the United

Nations mission troops is being carried out according

to agreed criteria. Further resources will be necessary

to strengthen the capacity of the security forces so they

may take over from the United Nations Mission in

Sierra Leone, to reduce unemployment among the

young, to reintegrate former combatants and to rebuild

the country.

In order to promote the momentum of the peace

process, the Summit of Heads of State and Government

of the Mano River — enlarged to include the

neighbouring countries of Côte d’Ivoire and Mali —

took place on 20 May 2004 in Conakry. The outcome

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of the summit shows the political will of our States to

strengthen their cooperation for the consolidation of

peace and promotion of development in the subregion.

I would like to reiterate the appeal that was addressed

to the international community to concretely support

the activities of the Mano River Union.

I would also like to renew my country’s appeal

for economic, humanitarian and financial assistance so

that we can confront the negative impact of continuing

to manage and care for hundreds of thousands of

refugees and internally displaced persons while

consolidating our development foundation.

I can assure you that the Republic of Guinea will

not fail in its historical duty to safeguard peace, and

will continue to carry out its duties in terms of

solidarity to populations in distress in the subregion,

and we will do this on a basis of mutual confidence and

respect for national sovereignty and our common

obligations.

In Guinea-Bissau, notable progress enables us to

have hope. We are gratified at the resumption of

cooperation with the Bretton Woods institutions which

will make it easier to mobilize the required resources

to build a strong peace.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the preservation of unity,

territorial integrity and the full sovereignty of the

country must serve as the core of the peace process that

is under way. We appeal to all parties to rely on

dialogue in order to overcome the difficulties that lie

ahead on the way to peace.

Guinea is very preoccupied by the persistence of

interdependent transborder problems that characterize

socio-economic conflicts and crises. Among those

problems are the proliferation of and illicit traffic in

small arms and light weapons, the movements of

mercenaries, the recruitment and the use of child

soldiers and the pillaging of natural resources.

The initiative for transforming the Economic

Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

moratorium on export and import of small arms and

light weapons into a regional convention is sound and

deserves the firm support of the international

community.

The Republic of Guinea encourages the Open-

Ended Working Group established to negotiate an

international instrument on small arms and light

weapons to speedily arrive at an agreement ready for

immediate implementation.

Like West Africa, the Great Lakes region is on

the road to peace in spite of persistent instability in the

eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

It is hoped that, beyond the instability of the transition

period, the momentum that exists will enable that

country to restore lasting peace and devote its energies

to national reconstruction.

My delegation welcomes the deployment of the

United Nations Operation in Burundi. We urge the

international community to make greater efforts to

conclude the peace process, thus ensuring genuine

reconciliation among all citizens of Burundi.

Guinea is satisfied to note the progress made on

the question of the Sudan and urges support for the

African Union’s efforts for a comprehensive peace

agreement. Nevertheless, we are concerned at the

humanitarian and security situation in Darfur. We

invite the brotherly Sudanese Government and the

parties concerned to spare no effort to reach a

settlement to the crisis.

Turning to the Horn of Africa, my country

welcomes the encouraging results of the national

reconciliation in Somalia. We also hope that Ethiopia

and Eritrea will manage to settle their dispute and

restore peace.

The Republic of Guinea is convinced that there is

no alternative to a political settlement of the question

of Western Sahara. My country therefore encourages

the parties to strengthen their cooperation with the

Special Representative of the Secretary-General in

order to find a just, lasting and mutually acceptable

settlement.

The Middle East continues to be the scene of

grave events arising from the logic of violence that

diminish day by day the chances of a peaceful

settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Guinea is

greatly concerned at the Israeli Government’s stubborn

determination to continue its construction of the wall

of separation in spite of the advisory opinion of the

International Court of Justice. My country is convinced

that peace in the Middle East greatly depends on

obliging all parties to respect their commitments as set

out in the Quartet’s road map and the relevant Security

Council resolutions. I reaffirm the Guinean people’s

feelings of solidarity and friendship for the brotherly

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Palestinian people and their historic leader, President

Yasser Arafat.

My Government remains concerned at the

situation prevailing in Iraq. It hopes that the

establishment of a secure environment will enable the

Iraqi people to consolidate their sovereignty and

dedicate themselves to the reconstruction of their

country.

With respect to the Korean Peninsula, my

delegation urges the parties to continue efforts aimed at

the peaceful and independent reunification of the two

Koreas.

I also reaffirm the deep commitment of the

Government and the people of Guinea to the one-China

policy.

Four years ago, the adoption of the Millennium

Declaration raised hopes for a better life for one billion

human beings. To that end, my country urges the

United Nations and the other development partners to

commit themselves fully to contributing to the

elimination of poverty by implementing the measures

for attaining the Goals. Of course, achieving those

Goals essentially depends on the creation of a global

partnership for development, in particular in the least

developed countries and the vulnerable segments of

society.

While it is true that globalization has created

enormous wealth and prosperity in certain regions of

the world, it must also be noted that the majority of the

inhabitants of the world, in particular in the least

developed countries, have not reaped the benefits. We

believe that a world that provides no opportunities for

development cannot be a world of peace, or even a

world at peace.

The Monterrey International Conference on

Financing for Development and the Johannesburg

World Summit on Sustainable Development, as well as

the recent eleventh session of the United Nations

Conference on Trade and Development in São Paolo,

Brazil, and the International AIDS Conference in

Bangkok, Thailand, provided opportunities to make the

needed commitments. The plans of action adopted at

those conferences should be implemented by all

development actors and at all levels.

We believe that the 2005 review of

implementation of the Millennium Development Goals

will enable us to make necessary adjustments and add

the needed momentum. In that context, my delegation

holds that only by increasing official development

assistance, supported by debt relief and better access to

markets within the framework of a more fair

globalization, can we overcome the obstacles to

sustainable development.

With respect to trade, at the present session

Member States should reaffirm their political will to

move beyond the failed World Trade Organization

Conference at Cancún and conclude negotiations

concerning the Doha Development Agenda. The recent

agreement reached by the General Council of the

World Trade Organization at Geneva is a beneficial

step in the right direction.

Conscious of the importance of all that is at stake,

the African leaders are more committed than ever to

tackling the major challenges facing the continent. The

efforts made to achieve the objectives of the New

Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) reflect

that awareness. In that context, we appeal again to the

international community for enhanced support for

NEPAD, which steadfastly places Africa on the road to

better taking charge of its own affairs.

Given the many challenges, the Member States of

our Organization have the critical responsibility of

taking action together and individually. Our collective

response, commensurate with all these challenges,

should be comprehensive, integrated and multilateral.

The reform of the United Nations is now more

necessary than ever. I would even say it is

indispensable. The restructuring of United Nations

bodies, in particular the revitalization of the General

Assembly and the reform of the Security Council, will

undoubtedly enhance the efficiency of our collective

Organization.

My delegation calls for a reformed United

Nations that is adapted to the new realities of the

world, a United Nations of increased solidarity and

tireless efficiency, better able to strengthen peace and

stability in the world, for the happiness of our peoples.