Grenada, 2010

I am honoured to

address this body. I do so at a time when the world

continues to face multiple challenges, foremost of

which for small island developing States such as

Grenada is the fragile economic, financial and

ecological situation. But despite those difficult

circumstances, the people of Grenada demonstrate

tremendous resilience. Resourcefulness, patience and

abiding faith in God keep us going forward. We will

therefore not relent. Our resolve is firm. Dedication,

creativity, renewed commitment to our fellow beings,

unwavering commitment to multilateralism and, most

of all, solidarity will help us survive these trying times.

Indeed, as it did in the past, this body can again

prove to be the perfect partner in our quest to solve our

problems, if only we commit ourselves to cooperate

more with each other. Carefully targeted technical and

other forms of assistance to countries most in need

would make a vast difference in the lives of millions.

It is in that spirit that I join the many speakers

who preceded me in congratulating you, Mr. President,

on your election to guide the General Assembly at its

sixty-fifth session. You have Grenada’s full support.

We commend the outgoing President, Mr. Ali

Abdussalam Treki, for his dedication and able handling

of the Assembly’s work in the year just ended and wish

him the very best for the future. In addition, Grenada

recognizes the tireless stewardship and leadership of

the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, as the United

Nations tackles the very complex array of global

issues.

In her July address to the United Nations, Her

Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, head of the

Commonwealth of Nations, concluded her remarks

with customary clarity and insightfulness, affirming

that the United Nations is a real force for common

good (see A/64/PV.105). Grenada supports that

statement.

At the very inception of the Organization, 65

years ago, its objectives were to avoid future wars and

maintain the peace, and to partner with developing

countries in their social and economic development.

Grenada is satisfied that after more than six decades of

existence, those goals remain worthy of continuing

pursuit.

In times of conflict, strife, natural disasters and

other humanitarian matters, the United Nations has

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been the first place to turn to. Its relevance, role and

involvement in global affairs remain unquestionable.

Any weakening of its authority and effectiveness

cannot be in our best interests. The United Nations

must remain the premier organization for global

diplomacy and negotiations. We must do nothing to

hinder the United Nations continuing as a real force for

good in the world. Indeed, the United Nations must

lead, not follow, in global governance.

Times have changed. The world is facing new

realities, and the United Nations must adjust

accordingly. For that reason, the recent advances made

in United Nations system-wide coherence deserve

special commendation. The formation of the new body,

UN Women, aimed principally at promoting the rights

of women and girls and equality between the sexes, is

an early success of United Nations reform and is

embraced by Grenada. Our desire to actively

participate in the fulfilment of the noble objectives of

UN Women has led us to seek membership on its

Executive Board. I am hopeful that Grenada’s

candidacy will receive strong support and be elected.

Similarly, the United Nations must recognize the

inherent imperatives of democracy. Continued failure

to meaningfully reform the Security Council will deny

that body the political legitimacy it needs to maintain

and indeed enhance its leadership role. Grenada joins

with the Caribbean Community and calls for a Security

Council seat for small island States as soon as possible.

Climate change is rightly described as one of the

most urgent issues facing humanity and must remain at

the top of the global diplomatic and negotiating

agenda. Left unchecked, its potential consequences

could be catastrophic, particularly for small island

developing States. Recent studies confirm that over the

past five decades the planet has heated up and that 93

per cent of this warming has occurred in the oceans.

The consequential rise in sea level is already affecting

low-lying countries in the Caribbean and beyond and is

undermining small economies, ruining their societies

and threatening their very existence.

In that connection, we continue to call for

ambitious mitigation targets and to welcome climate

financing. Fast-start funding in the amount of

$30 billion, announced in 2009 and intended to assist

developing countries, especially the most climate-

vulnerable nations, has reached only a small percentage

of developing countries, and just a fraction of promised

funds has been released. Clearly, that situation has to

be corrected, for financial assistance must be

commensurate with the scale of the threat faced and

should be sustained, especially for small island

developing States.

Grenada welcomes the empanelling of the

Secretary-General’s High-level Advisory Group on

Climate Change Financing and the High-level Panel on

Global Sustainability. We anticipate that in their

reports the matter of appropriate and sustainable levels

of climate-change financing will be properly addressed

and promoted.

What an important review year 2010 is. We

applaud the High-level Plenary Meeting on

biodiversity (see and PV.10) and support the

call to halt species loss. We welcome the convening of

the High-level Review Meeting on the implementation

of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further

Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action

for the Sustainable Development of Small Island

Developing States (MSI+5) (see and

PV.18). In its capacity as Chair of the Alliance of Small

Island States, Grenada was privileged to play a

coordinating role in that important review process, and

we thank all, including our development partners and

the United Nations, for undertaking the process with

us. Now that this body has endorsed the political

declaration, we call for quick and full implementation

of the MSI+5 decisions.

Similarly, Grenada welcomes the Millennium

Development Goals and remains firm in its

determination to achieve them. Our report submitted in

the just-concluded review process indicated that while

Grenada has made progress, there is much more to be

done to achieve the established Goals within the five

years that remain.

It is our view that if our countries are to eliminate

poverty and realize their true potential, there must be a

comprehensive review of the criteria for determining

middle-income status. Many countries placed in that

category, including Grenada, are highly indebted and

deserve special attention in order to achieve

sustainable development. Small island developing

States cannot attain their full potential if they are

prematurely set adrift in the development ocean with a

false diagnosis of full preparedness. No matter what its

growth pattern or level, a country with 37 per cent

poverty and debt-to-GDP ratio of over 100 per cent —

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as is the case with Grenada — cannot be ready to sail

the high seas of development financing autonomy. That

day will come, but it is not yet here.

Grenada registers its strong support for the call for a

United Nations high-level meeting on non-communicable

diseases — NCDs. Currently, NCDs constitute the main

cause of morbidity and mortality in our region. Life

expectancy depends to a great extent on the avoidance

of such illnesses, and thus preventative policies must

be aimed at promoting changes in lifestyles. Therefore,

we view with a great degree of satisfaction the progress

made by our Caribbean representatives here at the

United Nations in articulating the need for such a

meeting in 2011. I pledge Grenada’s participation at

the highest level.

Grenada has confidence in the United Nations

and in the work it can do. We unreservedly support the

pursuit of international peace and security, the rule of

law, the promotion of democracy and human rights, the

fight against terrorism, the fight against the illicit drug

trade and the many other issues that threaten our world.

We also believe in justice. The economic progress

and realization of the full potential of a fellow

Caribbean nation continues to be stifled by a now

infamous economic embargo of over 45 years. As a

result, its people are humiliated by shortages and

deprived of basic necessities essential to decent human

existence. The vast majority of countries in the world

have consistently and overwhelmingly voted in this

very forum for its removal, but the irony persists.

Grenada again urges the United States of America

to do what is right and completely lift the harsh

economic measures against the people of Cuba, if only

on humanitarian grounds. In the spirit of fair trade and

good-neighbourliness, Grenada also calls on the United

States to honour the recent decision in favour of

Antigua and Barbuda in the World Trade Organization,

as that too would show respect for the decisions of

international tribunals.

Grenada reminds the world of the Caribbean

Community’s instant and pivotal response and

continuing presence in Haiti, following the devastating

earthquake earlier this year. The successful rebuilding

of Haiti will benefit all, and Grenada calls for a swift

delivery of the pledged commitments made to that

sister Caribbean nation.

We are obliged to work selflessly to preserve the

world for future generations. The avoidance of a

nuclear confrontation is one sure way. We therefore

congratulate the Government of the United States and

all other Governments that have put much time and

effort towards the non-proliferation of nuclear

weapons.

We are also encouraged by recent positive signs

of engagement between warring parties, and we hope

that political and military conflicts around the world

and, moreover, in the Middle East will soon come to an

end. Grenada is particularly pleased that the

Palestinians and Israelis are prepared to resume talks

over their long-standing dispute with a view to finding

a lasting peace once and for all.

We empathize with the many countries that have

had to cope with recent natural disasters: Chile, China,

Pakistan, New Zealand and Guatemala.

Over the decades, the United Nations has played

critical roles in almost every facet of global affairs:

political, economic and social. That is its strength, its

enduring mission. Grenada remains ready to work with

all who are partnering in political, economic and social

development and seeing the United Nations as a forum

for working through all thorny issues.

However, there will be no international peace and

stability if people are unhappy, if they have no food or

clothing, if they have no potable water or shelter from

adverse climatic conditions. There will be no security if

disputes cannot be settled amicably, if nations are not free

to determine their own destiny and if diversity among us

is not recognized and fully respected. The world would

certainly be a better place if we shared our world’s

resources to assist the more vulnerable among us.

I challenge this Organization, for another 65 years

starting with this sixty-fifth session, to harness our

strengths and continue to make the United Nations what

we all want it to be — a real force for good in the world.