Mauritania, 2001

I

am delighted to be able to congratulate you, Sir, on

behalf of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of

Mauritania, on your election to the presidency of the

fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly. We are

certain that your experience and wisdom will indeed

guarantee success at this session.

I also avail myself of this opportunity to express

my gratitude to your predecessor, Mr. Harri Holkeri,

for his skilful and distinguished guidance of the work

of the past session. This is also an opportunity for me

to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Secretary-

General and the entire United Nations staff on their

tireless efforts to achieve the noble objectives of our

Organization. Those efforts have quite rightly been

recognized by the Nobel Academy, which decided to

award the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize jointly to the

Secretary-General and the United Nations. This

distinction reflects the most striking recognition of the

efforts undertaken by our Organization to strengthen

international peace and security. It also constituted

recognition of the personal merits and contributions of

the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan. Moreover, the

re-election of the Secretary-General to a second term

reflected the satisfaction of the international

community.

This session is taking place in a climate of

sadness in the aftermath of the criminal attacks on New

York and on Washington, D.C., with their heavy toll of

thousands of innocent lives. The moment they were

perpetrated, Mauritania voiced its absolute

condemnation of those terrorist acts. My country

reaffirms its condolences to the people and the

Government of the United States. These tragic events

have cast light on a new situation: terrorism is no

longer a marginal phenomenon but is rather a key

problem that knows no boundaries and that can be

combated only by means of a global strategy.

Mauritania continues to be an active participant in all

regional and international activities aimed at a

concerted and comprehensive fight against that

phenomenon. In that context, we reaffirm our

unreserved support for all relevant resolutions, along

with our determination, specifically, to implement

Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) of 28

September.

It is obvious that the role and international

legitimacy of the United Nations in bringing about

international peace, security and stability must be

enhanced. No one must suggest that fighting terrorism

is a campaign by one civilization against another, or

the supposed supremacy of one civilization over any

other. To the contrary, we must act together to show

that the endeavour to eliminate terrorism marks a new

phase in humankind’s march forward, building on the

heritage of all civilizations and converging in an

17

expression of our common aspiration to a secure life

and a better future.

In that connection, my country notes with

satisfaction the sustained efforts and the success of

repeated appeals to bring peace to the Middle East so

that the peoples of that region can live in peace,

security and prosperity. We hope that the peace process

will be resumed in accordance with the principles

enunciated at the Madrid Conference, in keeping with

the principle of land for peace, and in conformity with

Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973)

and 425 (1978), thus bringing about the complete

withdrawal of Israel from all Arab territories occupied

in 1967 and the establishment of an independent

Palestinian State with its capital in the holy city of Al-

Quds Al-Sharif.

We express our hope for a return to stability and

concord in the Gulf region, consistent with

international legality and with respect for the

independence and territorial integrity of Kuwait, as

well as with respect for the unity and territorial

integrity of Iraq. In that context, we call for the lifting

of the embargo that has been imposed for more than 10

years on the fraternal Iraqi people, who have suffered

immensely from that embargo.

With respect to Western Sahara, my country

supports the efforts of the Secretary-General and of his

Personal Envoy, Mr. James A. Baker III, to guarantee

stability in the area through a final solution that would

enjoy the support of all parties concerned.

Turning to developments in the Lockerbie crisis,

we welcome the success of diplomatic initiatives, but

at the same time feel that the Security Council should

act to lift the embargo imposed on Libya.

We hail everything that has been done to resolve

conflicts and wars on the African continent, which

have stymied development efforts there. We welcome

the recent all-Africa development initiative and the

support it has won from our development partners in

terms, inter alia, of sources of financing.

It has now been proven that phenomena such as

violence and extremism are the outgrowth of poverty

and frustration. The international community must

therefore go further to demonstrate its solidarity and

help achieve social development throughout the world.

Developing countries hope for a greater, more reliable

spirit of solidarity that is expressed in deeds. They

need increased support from the rich countries in the

form of greater investment and the opening up of

international markets to products from the developing

world.

We must recall too that debt continues to be

among the major obstacles to progress in the

economies of developing countries and a handicap to

economic development.

Notwithstanding the scope of the challenges and

the unfavourable international situation, the Islamic

Republic of Mauritania, under the enlightened

leadership of His Excellency President Maaouya Ould

Sid’ Ahmed Taya, has made major strides towards

sustainable development, with a view to improving the

standard of living of our people, achieving social

advancement and consolidating democracy and the rule

of law in a climate of peace, security and stability.

Pluralistic democracy has been restored in full with the

holding some weeks ago of our fifth municipal

elections and our third legislative elections. Among the

latest reforms are the introduction of proportional

representation, which has made possible the

involvement of all parties and which has expanded the

voter base and involvement in political life. Observers

and opposition parties praised the conduct and the

outcome of the elections. The broadest possible

participation by the people is the best guarantee of

success in the fight against poverty, illiteracy and

exclusion. This has strengthened our conviction that

true enjoyment of human rights and fundamental

freedoms depends on the ability of the people to take

part in economic, social and cultural decisions.

A purpose of the Charter of the United Nations is

to realize our common goals. Now more than ever, we

must make an effort to live up to our Charter

commitments in order to bring about a new world

based on law and justice, guaranteeing peace, security

and solidarity.