Mozambique, 2013

It is always a great

honour for me to address this magnificent House,

symbol of equality among States and an irreplaceable

forum of multilateralism that seeks sustainable

solutions to the growing global challenges.

I join those who spoke before us in congratulating

you, Mr. President, on your election to preside over the

General Assembly at this session. We believe that your

vast experience and knowledge will contribute to the

success of our work. We would like to assure you of our

support so as to ensure that your mandate is crowned

with success.

We also congratulate your predecessor, Mr. Vuk

Jeremi., for a job well done during the sixty-seventh

session, which resulted in the reaffirmation of the role

of the United Nations as an indispensable multilateral

forum.

We are shocked by the sad news from Kenya

regarding the killing, in an act of terrorism, of innocent

citizens at a shopping mall. We would like to convey our

solidarity to the people and the Government of Kenya

and to all those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy.

Mr. President, we commend you for your wise and

opportune choice of the theme of this session, “The

post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage”,

based on the goal of creating a better world for us

all. That agenda, like the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs), should be based on principles such

as inclusiveness in its approach; national ownership,

within the context of its sustainability; and shared

responsibility among development partners for its

implementation.

The theme of this session is the logical outcome

of the decisions emanating from the United Nations

Conference on Sustainable Development, which

galvanized the ongoing preparatory process for the

development agenda that will follow the MDGs and is

based on a multidimensional approach to development.

In carrying out that agenda, it is important that

we eradicate, from both our vocabulary and our

attitude, the dichotomy by which an attempt is made

to group the members of the United Nations family,

which is all of us, into two categories — the generous

and the deprived — because in this partnership each

complements the other with one’s natural and human

blessings. Those that do not contribute financially

contribute in kind.

In that context, the inability of a State to meet its

development targets as conceived and agreed upon in

this great House represents a collective failure on the

part of the entire international community, because

such targets are the shared responsibility of all States.

Otherwise, why would we set international targets that

are later incorporated into national agendas if they are

not to be met?

On that basis, we reiterate our appeal for the

commitments made to be honoured within the context

of the MDGs, because promises must be kept and we

must not fail to meet the expectations that we have

created.

We would like in particular to commend the

Secretary-General for his initiative in creating the

High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015

Development Agenda. The valuable conclusions and

recommendations contained in the report of the Panel

constitute an important reference in the formulation

and negotiation of the development agenda that is to

follow the MDGs.

Mozambique had the privilege of being part of

the group of countries chosen to carry out a national

consultation on the post-2015 development agenda. The

trust shown in Mozambican civil society to drive that

process must be commended because it strengthened

the principle of national ownership of the process. It

also created the conditions for Mozambican social

actors to demonstrate their growing vitality, which is

in itself a true reflection of the consolidation of the

processes of democratic and inclusive governance in

our country.

Indeed, we have been furthering our democracy,

reinforcing our democratic institutions and

consolidating our democratic practices. We do so

through transparency, dialogue and participation,

instilling respect for the Constitution and broadening

inclusiveness to encourage more Mozambicans to

become involved in the fight against poverty. An open

and inclusive presidency and a governance mechanism

replicated at other levels lead us, on the one hand, to

interact in a direct and comprehensive way with our

people in the places where they live and fight against

poverty and, on the other hand, places our governing

method under the scrutiny of the people.

It is in the context of our commitment to democratic

principles and values and to abiding by the legal tenets

of our Constitution and laws that, on 20 November, we

will hold municipal elections for the fourth time and,

in 2014, our fifth general and multiparty elections. The

implementation of this electoral cycle is the pinnacle

of the exercise of freedom of choice and of citizens’

political participation in the democratic process.

In the context of our commitment to the

disarmament agenda — an issue of paramount

importance in promoting peace and fighting poverty

in Mozambique — and as a way for us to associate

ourselves with the cause of international peace and

security, we will host, from 29 June to 4 July 2014, the

Third International Review Conference of the States

Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use,

Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel

Mines and on Their Destruction. We invite all Member

States, observers and international and civil society

organizations to participate in the Conference.

In August, Mozambique successfully concluded its

mandate as Chair of the Southern African Development

Community (SADC). Given its relevance to our

theme, we would point out that, over the course of a

year and in close collaboration with other member

States, the Africa Union, the United Nations and other

international partners, we engaged in galvanizing the

process of regional integration and in seeking peace

and stability for the region.

We reiterate our congratulations to Zimbabwe

on holding successful elections, whose results were

validated by the country’s institutions and endorsed

by SADC and the African Union. All the conditions

have now been met for the sanctions imposed on that

country to be lifted in order to allow for Zimbabwe’s

development and full participation in the global agenda.

The stability of the Democratic People’s Republic

of the Congo continues to be a challenge for our

region. We would like, once again, to congratulate the

Secretary-General for his efforts — in conjunction

with SADC, the International Conference on the Great

Lakes Region and the African Union — which resulted

in the signing of the Peace, Security and Cooperation

Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo

and the Region and in the appointment of President

Mary Robinson as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-

General, whom we also congratulate. We reiterate

our appeal to all signatories to honour the tenets of

that agreement. We appeal to the Congolese actors to

conclude the Kampala negotiations so as to ensure the

return of lasting stability in the Democratic People’s

Republic of the Congo.

The establishment of dates for the presidential and

legislative elections this year in Madagascar creates

good prospects for the conclusion of the political

transition process in that country. We must therefore

continue to provide our support to ensure that this

process is successful.

Within the framework of our chairmanship of

the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries,

we remain steadfast and committed to the stability of

Guinea-Bissau. We welcome the efforts of the Guinea-

Bissau political actors to restore stability to their

country. We also commend other partners of Guinea-

Bissau — including the Economic Community of West

African States, the African Union, the European Union

and the United Nations — which have contributed to

the creation of a new dynamic that seeks to find lasting

solutions to the political crisis. We also welcome the

appointment of President Ramos-Horta as Special

Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of

Mission for the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding

Office in Guinea Bissau. We reiterate our appeal to the

international community to continue to mobilize the

resources needed to fundamental elections and, above

all, to strengthen State institutions in Guinea-Bissau.

The agenda of this session focuses on development,

the successful implementation of which can occur only

in a climate of international of peace and security. In

seeking solutions to the conflicts in different parts

of the world, the multilateral approach, based on the

principles of the Charter of the United Nations, must

prevail. Safeguarding world peace will always be our

collective responsibility and never that of one country

or of group of States. In that context, the reform of the

United Nations, particularly of the Security Council,

must continue to receive our special attention so as to

ensure that that organ is more representative, democratic

and credible and that it can respond more effectively to

the various challenges of the contemporary world.

It will always be a paradox that whenever social,

environmental and economic issues arise, all countries

understand that multilateral cooperation is a mechanism

that cannot be avoided, but that decisions involving

peace or war tend to be made behind closed doors by a

small group of States. At a time in which concepts such

as democracy, inclusion, ownership and transparency

enjoy renewed prominence, we must all accept that

the time has come to balance the imbalances that are

contrary to multilateralism.

It is in the context of this overall framework that

the Republic of Mozambique maintains its support for

the self-determination of the Palestinian people, the

existence of a Palestinian State based on the relevant

United Nations resolutions and the two-State solution

in which Palestine and Israel live side by side and in

an environment of peace and security. We further

support the self-determination of the Saharawi people.

Moreover, the Republic of Mozambique reaffirms the

need to end economic trade and financial embargos

against Cuba.

Once again, we reiterate our commitment to the

noble ideals of the United Nations and reaffirm that we

will continue to do our part in building an increasingly

better, more stable and prosperous world.