The Gambia, 1992

The forty-seventh session of the General Assembly

is being held at a particularly crucial moment, when our Organization will be

called upon to demonstrate innovative thinking and flexibility in the face of

the emerging challenges.

Against the background of the very important agenda that is before us,

let me congratulate Mr. Ganev on his unanimous election as President of the

General Assembly at its forty-seventh session. I am confident that his

professional competence and dynamism make him uniquely qualified to preside

over the Assembly. I wish to assure him of my delegation's full support in

carrying out his formidable task to a successful completion.

Let me also extend our heartfelt appreciation to his predecessor.

Ambassador Samir Shihabi of Saudi Arabia, for the exemplary manner in which he

conducted the deliberations of the forty-sixth session.

Permit me, on behalf of the Government of the Gambia and on my own

behalf, to express our heartfelt congratulations to the new Secretary-General,

Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, whom I have had the honour and privilege of knowing

for many years. As a distinguished scholar, an outstanding diplomat and a

person of exceptional character, Mr. Boutros Boutro-Ghali has in him those

very fine qualities of leadership that our Organization needs at this very

crucial period of its history. We in Africa are indeed honoured to have one

of our illustrious sons serve in this highly prestigious and important

position. I am confident, and I am sure I am speaking for Africa and for all

those who know Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, that he will live up to the very

high expectations we all have of him. His long and distinguished career in

the service of his country gives us reason for this trust.

I should also like to take this opportunity to pay a special tribute to

his worthy predecessor, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, who during his tenure of

office contributed greatly to the strengthening of the United Nations,

allowing it to assume a lead role in promoting world peace and security. His

indefatigable efforts in pursuit of an atmosphere of understanding for the

solution of problems in different parts of the world are exemplary and deserve

our very deep appreciation. I wish him a happy retirement.

The Gambia notes with great pleasure the admission of the Republics of

Belarus, San Marino, Croatia, Slovenia, Uzbekistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan as new Members of the United Nations. I should

like to welcome them and congratulate them on their accession to full

membership of the United Nations. As they take their place in this comity of

nations, it behoves each of us to extend to them the hand of friendship and

support that characterizes this great Organization.

As we reflect on the activities of our Organization during the past

12 months, we are encouraged by the numerous actions and decisions that have

been taken in support of world peace and progress. Certainly, problems

continue to exist, and in some cases have increased in intensity and

complexity, but the full commitment of our Organization to resolving them

remains ever strong.

Other less conflictual but none the less important issues of concern to

humanity have also received attention. I would like, in this respect, to

refer to the historic Earth Summit, convened in Rio de Janeiro in June this

year. This meeting, which brought together leaders from all over the world,

marks the first major step taken by humanity to reflect upon and map out a

strategy for the survival of all species on Earth. It marks the beginning of

a more responsible attitude to the Earth and its resources. The Rio

Declaration, the Agenda 21 programmes and the Conventions on climate change

and bio-diversity all combine to lay the basis for a sustainable development.

We fully support the recommendations of the Conference and do hope that

the various programmes of Agenda 21 will receive adequate support and

financing to ensure their successful implementation. Of special interest to

our countries is the recommendation to set up an intergovernmental negotiating

committee to negotiate a convention on drought and desertification. We

strongly urge the Assembly at this session to take the appropriate measures to

allow the committee to commence its work as soon as possible.

This century has witnessed two world wars, which brought untold hardship

and suffering to mankind. The creation of the United Nations immediately

after the Second World War reflected the determination of the founding fathers

to spare future generations the scourge of war. We all know the story of what

followed. The cold war, with its debilitating effects on the capacity of the

United Nations, as well as the consequences of the destructive conflicts it

engendered, demonstrated the extent to which our dreams and hopes became a

nightmare. Today, mankind has been given an opportunity again to develop and

anchor peace and stability in this world. The current entente in the

international scene and the positive disposition of all nations vis-a-vis the

United Nations provide a valuable opportunity for our Organization to assume a

more forceful role in pursuit of world peace and stability. For it is only in

peace and stability that human development can progress satisfactorily. We

are very much encouraged by the important role the United Nations has recently

assumed, and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the

Secretary-General for convening the Security Council summit meeting, which

sought, among other things to promote greater understanding and cooperation

in the world. We are in full support of the new approach to conflict

resolution referred to as preventive diplomacy.

Peace and security in the world will remain elusive as long as we

continue to have centres of armed conflict that risk degenerating into

regional conflicts that threaten world peace and stability. The situation in

Somalia, the former Yugoslavia and other trouble spots around the world

constitute an important threat to world peace and stability. We will need the

collective resources and determination of the United Nations and all its

Member States to resolve these conflicts.

The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina has deteriorated very seriously.

The summary execution of civilian members of the non-Serbian population and

the internment in concentration camps of thousands of people testify to gross

human-rights abuses. The Gambia joins other nations in strongly condemning

the perpetrators of these acts. We also condemn in no uncertain terms the

concept of "ethnic cleansing", which in every respect is reminiscent of Nazi

practices. It is totally unacceptable in this day and age to torture, kill or

send into exile innocent men, women and children because of their religious

beliefs. We will all be guilty if we stand by and see these atrocities being

perpetrated with impunity.

We fully appreciate and commend the bold efforts of the United Nations

and the European Community in their search for peace in the former

Yugoslavia. We salute the courage of all those taking part in humanitarian

relief missions, particularly the soldiers who risk their lives to ensure that

food and other relief items reach Bosnia and Herzegovina. We strongly believe

that unless the fundamental cause of the conflict is addressed, the tragedy

will continue. Serbian aggression against Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina

must be stopped.

We join the international community in calling on the United Nations to

act firmly by implementing effectively the relevant Security Council

resolutions on Yugoslavia, particularly resolution 757 (1992). The decision

of the General Assembly to deny Serbia and Montenegro the seat of the former

Yugoslavia, as contained in resolution 47/1 of 22 September 1992, is a step in

the right direction. We believe the United Nations should not hesitate to use

force to stop Serbian aggression, in conformity with the provisions of

Article 42 of the United Nations Charter. In the meantime, the creation of an

air corridor to protect relief supplies and innocent civilians from aerial

bombardment would provide a useful respite in a desperate situation.

The Gambia shares the concern of the international community over the

lack of progress in finding a lasting solution to the conflict in Somalia.

The scale of human tragedy remains a constant reminder of the horrors and

absurdities of war. We fully endorse the urgent and effective implementation

of Security Council resolution 767 (1992), which calls for the cessation of

hostilities, national reconciliation and unity in Somalia and the opening up

of the country to humanitarian assistance.

My delegation praises the laudable efforts of the United Nations, the

United States of America and relief agencies for the assistance they are

providing to the starving population of Somalia. We want to appeal to all

those who exercise some influence over the various warring factions to use

their influence now in support of Security Council resolution 767 (1992).

Without peace the humanitarian assistance will continue but so will the human

tragedy.

On the question of Liberia, the Economic Community of West African States

(ECOWAS) continues to grapple with the problem of effective implementation of

the Yamoussoukro IV accord in order to bring about lasting peace in Liberia

and to arrest the growth of destabilizing forces in the subregion. We

continue to appeal to all the parties concerned, in particular the leadership

of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, to adhere to the provisions of the

Yamoussoukro IV accord as further elaborated at Geneva in April this year. We

make a strong appeal to the United Nations and the international community to

give full support to the efforts of ECOWAS to bring about peace and stability

in Liberia.

With reference to South Africa, it is disappointing to note that the

euphoria and optimism that greeted the release of Nelson Mandela and other

prisoners have failed to materialize into a free, democratic and non-racial

South Africa. The suspension of the talks in the framework of the Convention

for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) and the continued acts of violence and

senseless killings, as highlighted in Boipatong township in June and in Ciskei

in September, call into question the commitment of the South African

Government. We would like to state again that the South African Government

bears a major responsibility for these acts of lawlessness. It will have to

demonstrate greater responsibility in ensuring the security of all South

Africans. It is time to turn this tragic page and allow discussions that will

bring peace, stability and progress to South Africa. We appeal to all the

parties to assist in this process.

We are following with keen interest the developments in the Middle East

peace process which started in Madrid almost a year ago. We sincerely hope

that the opportunity provided by that process will be taken up by all the

parties to ensure that the region, which has been denied peace for so long,

will ultimately enjoy a comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of

Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973).

The world has yet to become the haven of peace and stability we so

earnestly work for. The conflicts in Cambodia, Afghanistan and some of the

recently independent republics of the former Soviet Union reflect the very

difficult moments of transition. We are confident that with the full support

of the international community these difficulties will be overcome.

Another danger to world stability is poverty and lack of economic

development. The developing countries continue to be saddled with overriding

debt, low commodity prices and sluggish if not stagnant economies. Nowhere is

the situation more bleak and desperate as in Africa, where the cumulative debt

stands at around $27 2 billion, the approximate equivalent of 90 per cent of

the continent's gross national product. Debt-service obligations require

about $25 billion annually, representing 30 per cent of the continent's export

earnings. Failure to effect timely payments has led to increases in interest

payments, at the rate of over $1 billion a year.

I believe those figures are an eloquent testimony to the plight of Africa

today. The rest of the world must not remain insensitive to that plight. The

adoption at the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly of a new agenda

for the development of Africa in the 1990s has helped focus attention once

again on Africa's critical economic situation. We will need, however, to go

beyond words. In this connection I wish to echo the Secretary-General's

proposals for the cancellation of all official bilateral debts, the

cancellation of other semi-official debts such as export credits, and the

substantial reduction of debts owed to multilateral financial institutions,

which now account for 40 per cent of sub-Saharan debt servicing.

It is regrettable to note that these proposals, considered more

favourable to Africa than the Trinidad terms, have not yet received positive

and widespread acceptance from Africa's development partners. Africa, like

other developing regions, will require a substantial inflow of capital and

technology and access to international markets if the global partnership is to

have any meaning for us.

The Gambia shares with the rest of Africa this very heavy financial

burden, in spite of her efforts at economic recovery. In fact, the Gambia has

successfully undertaken an economic recovery programme, and has since

1991 started a programme for sustained development. The main policy

orientation of the programme for sustained development is the pursuit of

continuous adjustment with growth, with the objective of achieving economic

development in a liberalized market environment. This will allow mobilization

of the resources of the private sector to provide the investment that will

generate sustained economic growth and expansion. By expanding the productive

capacity of the economy, we hope to be able to support a significant

improvement in the living standards of Gambians.

The attainment of economic growth requires a favourable external

environment. Secondly, a conducive international economic and financial

environment will help resolve the international debt crisis, restore adequate

capital flows and create a more open world trading system, which will result

in sustained economic expansion and enhance private and public spending on

human development. We fully appreciate the very valuable assistance being

given by the United Nations, the international financial institutions and

friendly countries. However, there is a need for continued external

assistance in support of our development efforts. In this regard, we

fervently hope that the donors' conference for the Gambia, to be held in

Geneva on 13 and 14 October 1992, will be as successful as previous ones.

Today we are witnessing the emergence of a new world order grounded in

the principles of respect for human rights, political pluralism and

self-determination. This new world order, which is still unfolding, marks the

end of the cold war and the beginning of a strengthened role for the United

Nations.

In Africa, marching side by side with the economic problems has been the

desire for greater democratization and liberalization of political attitudes,

systems and dogmas. In the face of this new socio-political revolution, the

Gambia has consistently maintained its practice of the rule of law, and

adherence to parliamentary democracy, as exemplified by its successful and

regular conduct of free and fair elections since the attainment of

independence in 1965.

Under the wise and distinguished leadership of

Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, the Gambia continues to advocate the

promotion of, and adherence to human rights practices all over the world. The

Gambia therefore welcomes the holding of the World Conference on Human Rights

in 1993. That Conference will not only afford all peace-loving people,

nations and institutions the opportunity to express their concern on human

rights issues, but will also serve as a means for the objective evaluation of

the world's human rights records and practices and an opportunity for us to

rededicate ourselves to the achievement of higher standards of human rights

practices throughout the world.

In full recognition of the universal application of human rights and

democracy, my delegation is pleased to note the implementation of General

Assembly resolution 45/164, which proclaimed 1993 the International Year for

the World's Indigenous People. This proclamation will further strengthen

international cooperation in seeking solutions to the problems confronting

indigenous communities in the areas of human rights, the environment,

development, education, and health, and we regard it as a first step towards

mobilizing greater international support and assistance for the

self-development of indigenous peoples and their communities.

The United Nations is particularly well placed to focus attention on

major issues of concern to humankind. Of special interest to us today is the

welfare of children, which was brought to the forefront by the World Summit

for Children. The Gambia pledges to continue to formulate plans, programmes

and laws to safeguard the rights and interests of children and women, who,

effectively, constitute the most important and productive category of our

population.

The Government of the Gambia fully supports the convening of the

forthcoming international conference on assistance to African children,

scheduled to take place in Dakar, Senegal from 25 to 27 November 1992. We

strongly urge the international community to lend support to that conference.

Mobilizing African and international support for the global goals for children

in the 1990s is one of the biggest challenges we now face as a world

community. Together we can make the conference a significant step in the

process towards achieving the goals of the World Summit.

Another major issue of global concern today is the question of AIDS and

HIV infections, which, in the last few years, have grown into a global

pandemic with no effective cure as yet. It has been estimated that, by the

end of this century, 40 million people will have been affected by the virus

and more than 10 million children will have become orphans. This is indeed a

gloomy prediction. The situation therefore calls for greater and more

sustained efforts in combating the AIDS pandemic. It calls for collective

global responsibility based on learning from, sharing with, and giving

assistance to each other.

My delegation realizes that the United Nations will be increasingly

called upon to undertake many more responsibilities in a world that is rapidly

changing. If it is to succeed in handling the growing complexities of today,

then it must be adequately structured to respond to the emerging challenges.

The Gambia has followed with keen interest the deliberations of the

substantive session of the Economic and Social Council in July 1992, and the

efforts to restructure the Council. Indeed, these efforts are part of the

larger and wider process of restructuring the United Nations system initiated

by the Secretary-General.

The Gambia welcomes the creation of the Department of Humanitarian

Affairs under the dynamic leadership of Jan Eliasson as

Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator. The creation of

this Department is not only timely but crucial, given its role of providing

relief and solace to the millions of needy people all over the world,

especially in areas suffering from armed conflict, poverty, population

pressures, environmental degradation and human rights violations, in keeping

with the provisions and spirit of General Assembly resolution 46/182.

It is also gratifying to note that some of the recommendations of the

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development on the establishment

of a Commission for Sustainable Development and issues relating to the global

environment facility were considered and approved by the Economic and Social

Council. The addition of the high-level-segment debate in the plenary session

of the Council and the dialogue between participants that accompanied it is

also welcome.

We in Africa continue to support General Assembly resolution 32/197,

which calls for structural, administrative and financial reforms of the United

Nations system, particularly the strengthening of policy-making at the level

of the General Assembly in the economic, social and other related fields. As

we begin the forty-seventh session of the General Assembly, our minds are

still fresh with some of the relevant and important recommendations of the

Economic and Social Council on the economic and social issues which affect the

world and demand urgent attention.

We are at an exciting junction of history. The positive changes we have

witnessed in global political and economic trends are a clear manifestation of

mankind's desire for a progressive world and a better future. However, the

goals of global peace, security and progress will continue to elude us if

poverty, human rights violations and economic disparity, which are at the root

of many conflicts, continue to characterize our world. The United Nations has

a special role to play in combatting these evils. The Gambia remains fully

committed to joining hands with all nations to support the United Nations in

its crusade for a happier, more stable and prosperous world.