Namibia, 1993

On behalf of the

Government and people of Namibia, I wish to extend our

deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the

Government and friendly people of India on the heavy loss

of life and destruction of property that resulted from the

devastating earthquake. I trust that the international

community will give them a full helping hand.

Namibia welcomes all the newest Members of the

Organization and assures them of its readiness to interact

with them in the spirit of friendship and solidarity.

The President of the Assembly hails from a friendly

country, Guyana, which did so much to spearhead the

struggle of the Namibian people for self-determination,

liberation and democracy. The Government and people of

Guyana spared no effort in manifesting, in word and deed,

their unswerving support for and solidarity with the

Namibian cause in different world forums. I know all this

because I have spent many years at the United Nations and

during this time I visited Georgetown, his nation’s capital,

and other parts of Guyana on more than one occasion. The

hospitality and camaraderie of his brotherly people always

touched me very deeply. In his past and present incarnations

in the service of his great country, he and I have

collaborated on various issues of common interest. It is

against this background of mutual friendship and solidarity,

therefore, that I congratulate him most warmly on his

brilliant election as President of this challenging session of

the Assembly. His sterling stewardship is already so

effectively manifest that the successful conclusion of our

deliberations is assured.

I also wish to place on record our sincere appreciation

to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Stoyan Ganev of

Bulgaria, for the effective leadership he provided last

session.

Our illustrious Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros

Boutros-Ghali, has since his appointment been spearheading

an effective and innovative global campaign aimed at

streamlining and strengthening the role of the United Nations

in peace-keeping operations and in economic and

humanitarian issues. His "Agenda for Peace" has provided

a useful framework for discussing these and other pressing

issues relating to the maintenance of world peace and

security. Namibia commends the Secretary-General for his

tireless efforts.

On the threshold of a new millennium, and as we are

about to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the United

Nations, it is an appropriate time to reflect and take stock.

This is a period of great hope and confidence in the efficacy

of the United Nations. New vision and foresight are thus

called for; bold and imaginative decisions are required.

At its forty-seventh session the General Assembly, in

resolution 47/62, on the "Question of equitable representation

on and increase in the membership of the Security Council",

recognized that in the changing global situation there was a

need to reorganize, revitalize and democratize the Security

Council. The end of the cold war has created new

expectations that the Security Council will take on larger

responsibilities and a greater role in the maintenance of

international peace and security. But if the Security Council

is to be a credible organ of the United Nations, it must fulfil

these expectations of a changing and demanding world. It

is with this in mind that the "Question of equitable

representation on and increase in the membership of the

Security Council" should be addressed. Changes towards a

more representative Council would, no doubt, enhance its

credibility, legitimacy and authority.

Namibia supports the view that the membership of the

Security Council should be increased and more permanent

and non-permanent members added, taking into consideration

equitable geographical representation. Africa itself needs an

effective presence on the Council, as do Asia and Latin

America. The outmoded and undemocratic veto power

should be abolished altogether.

Likewise, there is a compelling need for the

restructuring of other organs, such as the General Assembly

itself and the Economic and Social Council. The member

States of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, working

in close partnership with the Group of 77, should involve

themselves fully in the ongoing discussions on the

restructuring of these vital organs of the United Nations.

Today we are witnessing a new phenomenon in

international relations, characterized by a sense of consensus

deriving from shared interests, in which the credibility and

centrality of the United Nations in dealing with global

conflicts has been greatly enhanced. Indeed, we have

witnessed the Organization fulfilling its mandate in the area

of the maintenance of international peace and security.

We in Namibia believe that now is the opportune

moment to establish a new role and purpose for a conflict-

resolution mechanism which is appropriate to the post-cold-

war era and to the needs and aspirations of succeeding

generations. The renewed commitment towards conflict

resolution must be transformed into a realistic programme of

action, relating to preventive diplomacy, peacemaking,

20 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

peace-keeping and peace-building. Humanity is yearning for

a peaceful, just and prosperous world. On this score,

Namibia envisages a meaningful partnership and enhanced

cooperation between the Secretary-General of the United

Nations and the Secretary-General of the Organization of

African Unity in the field of conflict resolution and

humanitarian relief operations in Africa.

Now more than ever, much is expected of the United

Nations in the area of conflict resolution. The Organization

has a golden opportunity to ensure that those expectations

which "We the peoples" set forth in the Charter, are met by

further enhancing its effectiveness.

It is an accepted fact that peace and stability are

necessary, albeit not sufficient, conditions for economic

development. Therefore, peace-keeping, peacemaking and

peace-building should go hand in hand with economic

development.

For peace-keeping operations to be effective, Member

States should pay promptly their assessed contributions to

the regular budget and to peace-keeping operations. In this

context, we support the establishment of the reserve fund

aimed at improving the start-up financing of peace-keeping

operations.

In Cambodia, the United Nations Transitional Authority

in Cambodia (UNTAC) accomplished its task satisfactorily.

Namibia was happy to have contributed polling officers and

a staffed contingent of reinforced vehicles, called wolves, to

UNTAC. We did this because it was, after all, in Namibia

that a United Nations peace-keeping operation scored its first

large-scale victory. Namibia will favourably consider

participation in future United Nations peace-keeping

operations.

Unfortunately, other peace-keeping operations have not

as yet achieved the same positive results. It is our hope that

the United Nations will continue to help resolve the conflicts

in Somalia, Angola, Rwanda, Liberia, Mozambique, Haiti

and Bosnia and Herzegovina, among others.

With regard to Angola, Mr. Savimbi’s rejection of last

year’s election results was a major set-back. It has plunged

that sister country further into a most horrible human

tragedy. The horrendous carnage there continues to claim

about 1,000 innocent lives a day. It is further reported that

from 2 million to 3 million innocent Angolans are at risk of

dying of either direct or indirect effects of this senseless

war.

The international community must exert concerted

pressure on Mr. Savimbi to accept the will of the Angolan

people without any further delay. What is now expected of

Mr. Savimbi is the speedy implementation of the Bicesse

Accords, the relevant Security Council resolutions, the

Abidjan Protocol and last year’s election results, which,

taken together, provide the framework for resuming

negotiations with the Angolan Government.

It is the view of the Namibian Government that the

resumption of negotiations should lead to an early cease-fire,

which will allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance to

the suffering Angolan people, reconciliation and

consolidation of the Government of National Unity.

To this end, and in the face of Mr. Savimbi’s persistent

intransigence, the Security Council had no other alternative

but to impose sanctions against UNITA. Namibia, therefore,

supports Security Council resolution 864 (1993) which, inter

alia, calls for the prohibition of all sale or supply to UNITA

of arms and related materiél and military assistance, as well

as petroleum and petroleum products, and urges all Member

States to implement these measures. We believe also that if

UNITA continues to flout Security Council resolutions,

additional forms of punitive sanctions should be imposed.

Concerning the situation in Somalia, Namibia supports

the United Nations peace-keeping operation there. My

delegation holds the view that disarming the various factions

would allow the people of Somalia to build genuine bridges

of reconciliation and bring about the restoration of a civil

society.

Under the present circumstances, and in spite of

provocations by General Aidid’s faction, the United Nations

Operation in Somalia should continue to carry out its

mandate. Our hearts go out in sympathy to all those

countries whose nationals, including innocent Somalis, have

made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the United

Nations and human brotherhood. Any precipitous

withdrawal, however, would be to the detriment of innocent

Somali people and is likely to reverse the whole process.

This should not be allowed to happen.

In Mozambique, we are encouraged to note that the

cease-fire continues to hold and that the process appears to

be moving forward. I can hardly overemphasize that it is

absolutely imperative for elections to be conducted in an

atmosphere of peace, trust and cooperation - and this means

that the armed forces must first be confined to base and

demobilized, in accordance with the General Peace

Agreement agreed to last year by the two parties.

Forty-eighth session - 6 October l993 21

Namibia welcomes with satisfaction the recent

encouraging developments that have taken place in South

Africa. For the first time in the history of that neighbouring

country, all the people of South Africa will finally

participate in a free and democratic election on 27 April next

year. We would like, nevertheless, to urge all the people of

South Africa to ensure that this process remains on course,

and we call upon all the parties to participate in the work of

the Transitional Executive Council. In the same vein, we

call upon them, with the assistance of the international

community, to put an immediate end to the ever-escalating

violence. Violence and the ballot box do not go together.

Namibia, along with the other members of the Ad Hoc

Committee on Southern Africa of the Organization of

African Unity, supports the call made by the President of the

African National Congress, Mr. Nelson Mandela, to lift all

remaining economic sanctions against South Africa.

Namibia further supports the lifting of the oil embargo after

the establishment and commencement of the work of the

Transitional Executive Council, as well as the establishment

or restoration of full diplomatic relations with South Africa,

following the installation of an elected Interim Government

of National Unity, pursuant to democratic elections next

year.

The Middle East, the cradle of some of the world’s

major religions, has witnessed bloody conflicts for the

greater part of this century and has been on the agenda of

the United Nations since its inception. Namibia welcomes

the historic breakthrough represented by mutual recognition

and the declaration of principles signed between Israel and

the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Palestinian

self-rule in Gaza and the city of Jericho. Despite their long

enmity, the leaders of the State of Israel and the PLO

summoned the political courage to embrace peace. We can

only hope that the historic handshake between Mr. Rabin,

Prime Minister of Israel, and Mr. Arafat, Chairman of the

PLO, will usher in a new era in that region.

Granted, this is only a first step, but it constitutes a

firm basis for building a comprehensive, just and lasting

peace in the Middle East. However, for this undertaking to

succeed, the infusion of large-scale and sustained

international financial and humanitarian assistance is

required.

Encouraged by the historic and momentous

breakthrough in the Middle East and the positive

developments in South Africa, and also taking into

consideration the emerging climate in favour of

rapprochement in inter-State relations, we believe that the

time has now come for the leaders of the United States of

America and the Republic of Cuba to travel the short

distance of 90 miles to reconciliation and peaceful

coexistence. We are convinced that this can be done in the

interest of the children of the two countries, who, like those

of South Africa, Israel and Palestine, hope for a peaceful and

brighter future.

Peace and stability in the Middle East are critically

important not only to that region but also to the world as a

whole. In this context, Namibia associates itself with

Security Council resolution 833 (1993) of 27 May 1993,

dealing with the territorial integrity of Kuwait and

inviolability of its borders. We reiterate our full support for

the right of the people of Kuwait and its Government to

defend their sovereignty and independence. Namibia is a

small State, and we understand the predicament of small

States.

During the last session, I updated this august Assembly

on the progress made in our bilateral negotiations with the

Government of South Africa on the issue of the transfer and

reintegration of Walvis Bay and the Offshore Islands into

Namibia. Today, I am happy to report that the matter has

finally been resolved. On 28 February 1994, the transfer

and reintegration of Walvis Bay and the Offshore Islands

into Namibia will take place. This will, at last, mark the

completion of the decolonization of Namibia and the

unification of our nation. I take this opportunity to express

our deep appreciation to the Member States for their

consistent support, over the years, of Security Council

resolution 432 (1978) on Walvis Bay. I would also like to

thank, in particular, the South African Multi-Party

Negotiating Forum for adopting an important resolution

which speeded up this process.

The Rio Earth Summit marked an historic turning-point

in the long struggle to increase international awareness about

the true nature of the global environmental crisis. The

Summit effectively moved a long way towards a better

understanding of how future economic development is

inextricably linked to sound policies aimed at promoting and

protecting the environment.

22 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

To this end, and in line with the provisions of our

Constitution, Namibia has launched a countrywide

programme of tree planting to prevent further deforestation

and degradation of the environment. Naturally, Namibia,

like the other developing countries, is anxious to see

generous financing and implementing of Agenda 21.

Let me now turn to the socio-economic problems we

are facing today. Despite the promise world leaders made

to children at the World Summit for Children here in New

York in 1990, education, health, water, shelter and food

security remain inaccessible to millions of children in the

developing world - and Namibia is no exception.

In Africa, problems of hunger, malnutrition, disease,

and so on, continue to thwart the commitment we made last

year at Dakar during the International Conference on

Assistance for the African Child, to place children first. In

furtherance of this commitment, and convinced that the

problems of the Namibian children can be addressed only in

a comprehensive manner, we have already integrated the

National Programme of Action on children into the overall

National Development Plan. This National Development

Plan constitutes the basis for social and economic

development in Namibia. In this context, primary health

care, education, provision of water and rural development

are among the priorities of our National Development Plan.

The 20/20 Vision programme we adopted at Dakar

must be implemented if we are to achieve tangible results by

the year 1995, when we shall review progress made since

the 1990 World Summit, including in particular the fate and

welfare of those children engulfed in war situations.

The recent World Conference on Human Rights in

Vienna has further exposed the unmitigated violence and

other forms of injustice being perpetrated against women

throughout the world. The Namibian Constitution contains

specific provisions on protection of the rights of women and

promotion of their welfare. Furthermore, Namibia is a party

to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women.

It is against this background that we in Namibia have

taken measures to raise women’s awareness of their rights

by translating this Convention into indigenous languages. In

the same vein, we applaud the appointment of the Special

Rapporteur to study the issue of violence against women. It

is with this in mind that Namibia looks forward to the

Fourth World Conference on Women, in anticipation that its

decisions will further advance the cause of women in the

world, especially in Africa.

These are some of the many concerns on the social

agenda of all nations. Thus to us, the appointment of a

United Nations commissioner for human rights makes much

sense, and we support the idea. At the same time, we would

like to urge everyone to ensure that the mandate and status

of such a high-level international civil servant should be

considered carefully and realistically.

In order to meet the acute shortages of housing, the

Government has embarked upon a programme to provide

adequate housing to the Namibian people by the year 2000.

In recognition of this national effort, Namibia was awarded

the Habitat Scroll of Honour for 1993 for our National

Housing Programme, called "Build Together". This award

was received by my distinguished colleague, the Honourable

Mrs. Libertine Amathila, Minister of Local and Regional

Government and Housing, two days ago. I would like to

echo the words of my colleague by thanking Habitat for this

outstanding honour.

In conclusion, I wish to reiterate my Government’s

belief that the United Nations, as a unique international

body, can live up to its lofty ideals of creating a peaceful,

secure and just world for us and for generations to come.

To this end, Namibia pledges its total commitment.