Haiti, 1997

At the outset, I wish to convey the pleasure of the Haitian

delegation at faithfully attending this great annual meeting,

which always has a particular importance for us. It is yet

another opportunity to participate in the discussions on the

great questions before us and to seek better solutions in our

quest to preserve international peace and security and

promote economic and social progress.

The consideration of various subjects will certainly

entail difficult debates, but Mr. Udovenko’s long experience

and solid understanding of international problems are sure

guarantees for the successful outcome of our meetings. In

congratulating him on his election to the presidency of the

General Assembly at its fifty-second session, I wish him

every success in his guidance of our work.

I take this opportunity to express our gratitude to

Ambassador Razali Ismail for the achievements of the

fifty-first session.

To our new Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, I

convey our satisfaction at the dynamism with which he

has infused the Organization since he assumed office.

Three weeks ago, the wreck of a passenger boat,

which killed more than 100 of my compatriots, threw the

country into grief and the entire world into dismay.

Messages of sympathy arrived from every corner, as did

assistance that helped us to cope with this tragedy. On

behalf of the Haitian people and Government, I wish to

express our deep gratitude to the international community,

which, yet again, has demonstrated great solidarity with

my country.

For some time, the gist of statements made in this

Organization about Haiti was a plea for the restoration of

a state of law and an end to the violence and brutal

authoritarianism. Today, I am pleased to convey the

message that the Haitian people has been greatly relieved

by the reestablishment of democratic institutions, assisted

by the international community, and the United Nations

in particular.

I wish to highlight some of the progress that has

been made in the political sphere and the efforts exerted

to consolidate the gains of the new democratic deal,

whose rules of play are being increasingly respected. The

transition of power has been recognized and accepted as

a cardinal principle of political life. The state, quasi-state

and civil institutions are being further strengthened.

Socio-professional associations and pressure groups are

playing an ever more active role.

In the field of human rights, no effort has been

spared to end the repressive practices that characterized

the former dictatorial regimes. Arbitrary arrests, summary

executions and abuse have practically disappeared. The

structures of oppression have been dismantled and

replaced by institutions sensitive to the need to respect

citizens’ rights. This is the case with the National Police

force that has replaced the Haitian Armed Forces, which

were the main perpetrators of human rights violations in

the country. Created barely two years ago, this Police

force continues to acquire the experience necessary to

carry out its responsibilities for keeping the peace and

public safety. It is already gearing up to ensure security

and stability throughout the country when the mandate of

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the United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti ends in late

November.

The judiciary, for its part, has enjoyed special

attention, given the desire for justice expressed by the

populace. Parliament is currently considering a bill that will

allow the necessary deep-rooted reforms to be undertaken

to improve the administration of justice.

While the political situation in the country has

stabilized, economic and social performance has lagged

behind. The gaps created by the crisis of 1991-1994 have

yet to be breached. Democratic institutions are up and

working, it is true, but they remain fragile because certain

needs of the public have yet to be fulfilled.

Nonetheless, efforts are being undertaken to revitalize

the economy. For example, it has been decided to

modernize public companies. Hence, the creation of the

Council to Modernize Public Companies. Cooperation with

Parliament has already led to the creation of legal

instruments aimed at maximizing the potential of these

companies to the great profit of users and the consumers of

the goods and services they produce. Similarly, the fiscal

and financial system is being reformed and trade

liberalized. A bill on customs tariffs is currently under

consideration by Parliament.

In order to invigorate national production, an agrarian

reform programme has been launched that aims at

bestowing ownership on the peasants of their means of

production. It works on three levels: access to land, access

to credit and availability of technical training. The

Government believes that agrarian reform will facilitate the

social integration of citizens who have long been

marginalized.

This programme falls within an anti-poverty campaign

led by the Government in order to assist the poorest sectors

of society. As can well be imagined, the democratic process

in Haiti is being pursued, but it remains fragile because of

the precarious situation and the great poverty of the people.

It is quite obvious that, if it is to be viable, it must be

maintained, nurtured and supported by sustainable

development.

The Heads of State and Government who met here

during the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the

United Nations two years ago committed themselves to

enabling the Organization to carry out its mandate properly.

Consequently, the Secretary-General is now proposing a

programme of reforms to strengthen the role of the

Organization and to give it a new impetus. We thank the

Secretary-General for this initiative, to which we give our

full support. This bold and innovative proposal will

enable the Organization to become more effective and

carry out its mission fully.

Some of the measures presented have drawn our

particular attention. For example, there is the idea of

regrouping the activities of the United Nations around

five major themes: peace and security, economic and

social development, development cooperation,

humanitarian affairs and human rights. However, we must

ensure that development issues, which are crucial for the

majority of Members, are given the same attention as

other themes — if not more. Any reform must give

development the priority, resources and political

commitment it deserves.

The question of Security Council reform, which is

still being studied, is another matter on which we must

make progress, given the Council’s role in the

maintenance of international peace and security. Haiti

continues to call for more transparency and participation

in the Council’s work, so that the views of States which

are not members of the Council are considered in the

decision-making process. Any expansion of the Security

Council should be carried out in a way that guarantees a

fair and equal geographical representation. Everything

should be done so that the universality of the inhabitants

of our planet is recognized in the United Nations system.

However timely they may be, reforms alone will not

make the Organization more efficient if it does not have

adequate financial resources to carry out its activities. We

are convinced that the financial crisis of the United

Nations may reduce its capacity to cope with the serious

problems it faces.

We need a strong and efficient United Nations,

capable of finding solutions to current problems and

facing the challenges of the next century. It is through the

orchestrated, collective action of the United Nations that

we will be able to overcome our numerous current

problems, which threaten international peace and security

and compromise the well-being of our populations.

There we refer first to the many armed conflicts

which are raging in all regions of the world, some of

which seem to resist any attempt at a negotiated

settlement. Haiti encourages the use of regional and

multilateral mechanisms to solve these conflicts.

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Likewise, the existence of vast arsenals of weapons of

mass destruction is a grave threat to our collective security.

The progress achieved in the area of disarmament —

especially the opening for signature last year of the

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the entry into

force of the Chemical Weapons Convention — is

encouraging. However, we urge the countries concerned to

make further efforts to achieve complete and true

disarmament.

The Republic of Haiti welcomes the recent adoption

of the text of a treaty banning anti-personnel landmines.

This is an important step in the battle to eliminate these

deadly devices, which have caused so much suffering and

which continue to take a toll among civilian populations,

especially among women and children.

The illicit use of drugs and drug trafficking are also

problems which the international community must face with

determination. They are, in fact, a threat to the internal

security of small States because of the violence and

criminality with which they are often associated.

Furthermore, drug use affects the most vulnerable stratum

of society: young people. International cooperation is

absolutely necessary to overcome this scourge.

Since 1960 several summits and conferences devoted

to poverty and development have been organized.

Recommendations have been formulated and measures have

been contemplated. Nevertheless, poverty continues to gain

ground. According to the 1997 Human Development Report,

more than 1.5 billion of the planet’s inhabitants live in a

state of extreme poverty, particularly in African countries

and less developed countries, which see themselves

increasingly marginalized.

The eradication of poverty, especially in the least

developed countries, should go beyond simple speeches or

resolutions. It requires a strong political will, adequate

resources, well defined strategies and the implementation of

appropriate programmes. It also requires the sincere support

of the international community, especially the support of

international institutions and the leaders of the industrialized

countries, namely, those who possess technology and

wealth. The battle against poverty must also be a struggle

for human dignity, sustainable development and peace.

With a view to strengthening international peace and

security, the Republic of Haiti has pursued a policy of good

neighbourliness which has enabled it to come closer to

countries in the region. It has established with the

Dominican Republic a mechanism for consultations through

a joint Haitian-Dominican Commission. This is an

excellent tool for cooperation and working together to

find a solution to the various problems of the island. We

would like to see this important forum continue, as it

represents a necessary stage towards greater mutual

understanding between the Haitian and Dominican

peoples.

Likewise, Haiti recently rejoined the Caribbean

Community (CARICOM). By getting the train of

integration under way, my country intends to contribute

in a significant manner to the realization of the objectives

of the Community, because Haiti is aware that a strong,

open-ended, united CARICOM will largely determine the

socio-economic performance of the Caribbean region. In

this context, we urge the international community to

continue to support the reconstruction of Montserrat.

Fifty-two years ago at San Francisco we undertook

to work for the progress and happiness of our peoples in

a world where peace and security would reign. We should

therefore work to realize their dreams and meet their

expectations and aspirations.