Madagascar, 1998

The General Assembly has

unanimously chosen Mr. Opertti to direct the work of its

fifty-third session. Echoing previous speakers, I should

like to congratulate him, as I consider his election a

tribute to his personal qualities as a diplomat and a

statesman. Through me, Madagascar is pleased to express

its best wishes for the success of his mission.

His predecessor, whose competence we valued, was

able to rely on our cooperation throughout his term of

office; and Mr. Opertti may also be assured of our

complete support in his efforts to accomplish his task

successfully.

Madagascar reiterates its encouragement and support

to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, in his quest for

ways and means to make our Organization increasingly

dynamic.

The great family of the United Nations is meeting

once again, as it does every year, to reflect collectively on

the situation in the world so as to lay the foundations for

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a better existence, one which is safer and more equitable,

in spite of all our differences and divergences.

Madagascar reaffirms its support for the United

Nations though its presence every year at this annual

gathering. For us, this forum for exchanging views

represents the first, universal bastion against injustice and

violence in the world, and it is the best tool for

safeguarding peace and security and for the promotion of

progress.

In the light of the statements made here, globalization

undoubtedly constitutes the backdrop for our many concerns

at this end of the century. With all its advantages,

disadvantages and disappointments, and transcending the

limits of the economic framework, globalization is today

expressing itself in terms of insecurity.

Insecurity is spreading virtually everywhere, in many

forms and manifestations. Insecurity is being globalized,

and whenever a man dies — whether it be in a war, or as

a bombing victim, or in a cold-blooded massacre, or simply

in his sickbed — somewhere children cry, women suffer by

the hundreds, by the thousands, by the millions. And death

is more than ever part of our daily lives. This is why today

we are focusing our attention on the problems of insecurity

and on the need to rally our efforts for the maintenance of

peace.

The international community is now confronting

situations that jeopardize peace and security and that

threaten the sustainable development of nations. In many

parts of the world, civil wars, inter-State conflicts, border

disputes, and ethnic, tribal and religious confrontations

resurface, bringing suffering, poverty, political instability

and marginalization, be it in Kosovo, the Comoros, the

Great Lakes region or elsewhere.

Added to this is the persistence of new threats, such

as international terrorism, organized crime, corruption, the

proliferation of narcotic drugs and the deterioration of the

environment. Access to weapons of mass destruction is

becoming easier and easier. The proliferation of the light-

weapons industry and the widespread use of those weapons

are becoming a major scourge for most countries.

Insecurity is economic as well as social. In the era of

technological progress and of the spectacular growth in

world food production, whole regions are experiencing

famine and malnutrition. One quarter of the world’s

population is still living in poverty. Millions of children

under the age of five continue to die of diseases, and major

sectors of society are cut off from education and from

basic health care. About 180 million children under the

age of 14 are obliged to work; the less fortunate have no

alternative except sexual exploitation, and for many young

people unemployment is the only prospect for the future.

Similarly, a large number of women cannot to this very

day exercise their fundamental rights. Many remain

victims of domestic violence, social injustice, deliberate

massacres or armed conflict.

Moreover, the financial upheaval that has afflicted

South-East Asia, Latin America and Russia has shaken

the international economic system. It is true that global

information networks have reduced both distances and

time, but at the same time they have contributed to

increasing scientific, cultural and moral insecurity.

Computer viruses have become as dangerous as nuclear,

biological and chemical weapons. All of this illustrates

the magnitude and the drawbacks of globalization, as well

as the scope of the interdependence of States.

Fifty years after the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights, the rights and freedoms inherent in the dignity and

worth of the human person are still often violated, and we

witness the burgeoning of new challenges — challenges

that are ever different and that require well-adapted and

better-planned strategies. It is obvious that no State in the

world can guarantee each of its citizens material and

spiritual well-being in conditions of peace and full respect

for the most basic rights and freedoms.

While in the recent past — and more specifically in

1985, from this same rostrum — emphasis was placed on

the balance of forces, in general, and on nuclear parity, in

particular, everyone today unanimously recognizes that

security cannot exist without cooperation and solidarity,

which implies spectacular changes in international

relations. Evidence of this recognition is the forthcoming

entry into force, on 1 March 1999, of the international

Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling,

Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on

Their Destruction, as well as the establishment of nuclear-

weapon-free zones.

For its part, Madagascar, which has never deviated

from its commitment to disarmament and which is, in this

respect, a signatory of a number of international

Conventions, is gratified at the prospects of the

negotiation of a cut-off treaty on fissile material for

military purposes in the framework of the Conference on

Disarmament in Geneva.

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We also welcome the call for the holding in the near

future of an international conference on the complete

elimination of nuclear weapons, a call made by the heads

of State or Government of the Movement of Non-Aligned

Countries who met recently in Durban. Along the same

lines, Madagascar of course associates itself with the

proposal made by President Blaise Compaoré, the current

Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU),

concerning the convening in the year 2000 of a summit

conference under the auspices of the United Nations with

a view to the formulation by the international community

of a joint response to the problem of terrorism.

Like other States, on 18 July, in Rome, Madagascar

signed the Statute of the International Criminal Court, as

well as the Final Act of the Diplomatic Conference of

Plenipotentiaries.

It would be appropriate to consider the question of

security through a multidimensional approach encompassing

military, economic and social aspects at various levels —

international, regional and national.

Poverty and the persistence of imbalances that divide

the world into developed countries, developing countries,

least developed countries, poor and indebted countries, are

factors contributing to tension and obstacles to the

establishment of a genuine and lasting peace. This, in any

event, is the reality in Africa, my continent.

The Cairo Declaration of 1993 established the primary

objective of the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention,

Management and Resolution in Africa. Nonetheless, without

the active support of the international community, these

actions would remain ineffective. Security Council

resolution 1170 (1998), on the holding of regular ministerial

meetings in order to evaluate actions undertaken for peace

in Africa, should therefore be welcomed. For Madagascar,

it is a question of confirming the will to coordinate actions

of the United Nations with the pan-African organization and

with regional mechanisms.

While awaiting an appropriate mobilization of the

resources needed for the effective implementation of actions

in the framework of the Agenda for Development, it seems

to us vital that the developing countries make their

contribution by proposing the establishment of a mechanism

to help them attain their shared aspirations and affirm their

solidarity.

It is in this spirit that the Heads of State and

Government of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries,

meeting at Durban, considered a proposal to establish,

within the Non-Aligned Movement, a mechanism

consisting of three funds financed by our own resources,

up to perhaps 0.1 per cent of gross national product or a

percentage of export income. The funds thus obtained

would be capitalized through investment in international

financial markets.

For Madagascar, this mechanism would help

integrate the activities of developing countries into the

process of financial globalization and would help resolve,

at least in part, their financial and debt problems, in

tandem with the actions undertaken by the international

community and the financial institutions. A large number

of speakers during that session recommended an

evaluation of the capacity of the Bretton Woods

institutions to adapt to current realities. The three-fund

mechanism could be among the basic documents for joint

reflection on a new global financial architecture.

In implementing the resolutions of the international

community, it is a key responsibility of each country to

create a climate conducive to lasting peace and economic

growth. Among the elements of this responsibility are the

establishment of regulations that are in keeping with

agreed aspirations, good governance, the creation of

adequate systems for follow-up and monitoring, and

respect for the rules of democracy. In the present context

of global economic liberalization, every development

actor has its own role to play, including the State as the

protector of the fundamental rights of its people and of its

sovereignty and as a catalyst for development

programmes.

Madagascar, whose Constitution and national laws

are based on the principles of the United Nations Charter,

endorses those values. In that connection, we are engaged

in the process of democratization, good governance and

the rule of law, along with economic and structural

reforms, to lead our country towards credible partnership

in the international system. Our authorities are now

committed to implementing recovery programmes aimed

at stepping up the struggle against poverty and at creating

a climate conducive to the complete fulfilment of the

citizen.

The institutional aspects of this programme include

the establishment of autonomous provinces and of

institutions provided for in the Constitution, and the

continued reform of the civil service and the judiciary

system.

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In the economic sphere, the State is continuing to pull

out of the production sector, and will be doing all in its

power to create an environment of vigour and competition

and to put financial administration on a sound footing

through the creation of bodies to regulate sector-based

activities.

Finally, in the social area, public expenditures will

reflect our priorities: education, health and safety, and

security. We are devoting special attention to programmes

to make the most disadvantaged segments of the population

aware of their own responsibilities.

Although the implementation of this programme

depends first and foremost on Madagascar’s own efforts, it

is obvious that there are limits on our resources for

guaranteeing a better quality of life for our citizens and

thus for protecting their rights. The strengthening of

international partnership should therefore be viewed not

only from the financial but also from the scientific and

technological standpoints, so that all countries may hope for

an equal chance of success. Of that I am convinced.