São Tomé and Príncipe, 2004

As

French is the most widely recognized official language

in the Central Africa subregion, I should like to begin

my statement by addressing a few words to the

Assembly in that common language.

I would like to say how pleased I am to be here

with you today, Mr. President — you in your capacity

as the President of the General Assembly and me in

mine as President of my country. I am also pleased to

address the Assembly in order to speak on behalf of the

people of Sao Tome and Principe.

I shall now deliver my address in Portuguese —

which, as the Assembly is aware, is the official

language of Sao Tome and Principe.

(spoke in Portuguese; English text furnished by the

delegation)

Allow me, at the outset, to congratulate you most

warmly, Mr. President, on your election as President of

the fifty-ninth session on the General Assembly, whose

proceedings will undoubtedly benefit from your

personal qualities and your experience in international

relations. Gabon and my country, Sao Tome and

Principe, have long enjoyed a very good relationship of

cooperation at various levels, and my delegation

wishes you success in your new functions.

May I also thank the President’s predecessor,

President Julian Robert Hunte of Saint Lucia, for the

excellent work he has done.

On behalf of people of Sao Tome and Principe, I

would like to pay tribute to the Secretary-General for

his relentless efforts and dedication at the service of

the goals of the United Nations, and for his work in

promoting peace and development.

This session of the General Assembly is taking

place during a particularly complex international

situation. Violence and the violation of human rights

are increasing. The United Nations must play its role as

a matter of priority; otherwise world order could

collapse. More than ever before, Governments must

give a universal forum like this the responsibility to

rebuild international order on the basis of peace,

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respect for human rights, security and cooperation for

development. Unilateralism must be put aside. We have

to work together for a better world.

Intolerance, terrorism, occupation, discrimination,

organized crime and social injustice are some of the

sources of today’s open conflicts. Religious differences

and drug trafficking in some countries are driving

people to high levels of violence and destruction. We

the people the United Nations have to do our best to

stop those atrocities, or unprotected groups of society

will disappear and the spiral of violence could spread

out of control.

Darfur is an example of discrimination and

atrocity. We call on Sudan’s Government to fulfil all

the provisions contained in Security Council resolution

1556 (2004), which was adopted on 30 July.

It is completely unacceptable that 50 million

people worldwide have become refugees or have been

internally displaced as a result of having been driven

from their homes by war, persecution and human rights

abuses. We now needed concrete action by leaders and

peoples to ensure that the perpetrators of criminal

behaviour are brought to justice, thereby rebuilding

confidence among peoples and nations, but especially

to address the root causes of violence.

Small island States will meet in Mauritius to

assess the progress made since the Global Conference

on the Sustainable Development of Small Island

Developing States, which was held in Barbados.

Progress in the implantation of the Barbados

Programme of Action has been mixed. At Mauritius,

key issues will be reviewed and decisions and

recommendations will be made with regard to the

questions of climate change, natural and environmental

disasters, fresh water, land resources, waste

management, tourism, energy, transport, biodiversity

and coastal and marine resources. All those are issues

affecting the ecosystems of small islands as a result of

global warming. They can only be solved gradually and

if the international community increases resources

effectively to support the sustainable development of

small island States. We would like to take this

opportunity to thank the international community for

everything it has done to date. I would like to extend a

special thanks to the Government of Mauritius for its

efforts to organize the special international conference.

As an island nation, Sao Tome and Principe

continues to see its very existence threatened by global

warming. Our shorelines are eroding and our national

territory is shrinking as the seas rise. Is my small

country to end up nothing but a tiny volcanic peak

sticking out above the waves, with the last of our

people clinging to the land left unclaimed by the rising

sea? The Kyoto Protocol must be implemented by all

for the benefit of all.

The Governments of Africa launched the New

Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), aiming

specifically at optimally mobilizing both African and

international resources and at harmonizing

contributions through a partnership based on mutual

commitments and balanced interests and responsibilities.

Peace, good governance, security and development are

challenges that all African Governments and peoples

have to face. They must create the conditions to

achieve those goals. Those goals are far from being

reached, given the numerous conflicts and the destructive

and negatives effects of conflicts. My Government will

continuously support NEPAD and will work to create

the foundations for its implementation.

Most countries continue to face the challenge of

HIV/AIDS and other diseases. In some parts of Africa

HIV/AIDS is devastating entire families, societies,

cultures and economies. Treatment is still expensive,

and our economy has started to feel the negative effects

of the disease. Unless there are additional resources and

scientific investment to find a cure for HIV/AIDS, hope

for progress in Africa will continue to be far from reach.

It is not only health problems that afflict poor

countries. Globalization affects some because few have

all the necessary conditions to develop trade and

commerce and to take advantage of new technologies.

The latest efforts by the World Trade Organization in

Geneva are an example of the fact that those who have

too much could make a difference by giving away a

little to poor countries. If that is not done, we will

continue to face discriminatory tariffs and to

experience erosion in quality of life.

My country regrets that international relations in

some parts of the world have deteriorated to the point

where extreme violence, destruction and violation of

human rights and the environment are daily facts of

life, and where the use and abuse of dangerous

weapons is endemic. We also regret that refugees and

children are among the targets in those conflicts.

Tragedies cannot be our destiny. Tragedies and

natural disasters such as the ones we face in Iraq, the

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Middle East, Bangladesh and some countries in Africa

and elsewhere are testimony of the fact that mankind is

moving towards facing bigger challenges. My

Government thinks that multilateralism under the

framework of the United Nations is the only way for

the international community to be able to achieve

lasting peace and development.

Terrorism around the world is causing

destruction, destabilizing Governments and killing

people in places such as Madrid, the Middle East and

elsewhere. We are confronted by a dilemma, because

thus far all the strategies employed to fight this scourge

are not producing significant results. Under the

authority of the Security Council, we must guarantee

the universality of, and compliance with, non-

proliferation treaties.

My Government supports the recommendations

of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Timor-Leste. The

United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor is a

success we cannot ignore.

The universality of the Organization must be a fact,

and all countries have to be represented. Taiwan is not

represented. We call upon the international community

to address the issue of Taiwan’s representation. Despite

its small size, Taiwan offers development aid to a large

number of countries. Taiwan has all the elements to be an

active member of the main international organizations. A

look at its economy, trade relations, commerce,

finance, application of new technologies and support

for many countries reveals facts that we cannot ignore

any longer.

We would also like to refer to Cuba. Economic

embargo is a severe sanction. It violates the Charter of

the United Nations and international law. I would like

to request that the General Assembly lend its assistance

to bring about an end to the economic embargo against

Cuba. The cold war era is behind us, and a people in

need simply cannot continue to be the object of the

political interest of part of the electorate in Florida.

In Sao Tome and Principe we are working very

hard to consolidate our young democracy and to create

a solid foundation for sound development. Following

the agreement signed among the Government, the

international community and the military — which

mounted a coup in Sao Tome and Principe in 2003 —

we organized a national forum that brought all

segments of our society to the table to bring their views

closer together and to draw up recommendations in

order to avoid more instability in the country.

On the economic front, we are preparing the

country for a new era based on oil exploration and

production. Our National Assembly has adopted a law

on the management of the revenues that we will

eventually receive from oil companies. That shows that

corruption will be fought, that the new generation will

be protected and that the country will have enough

resources for development.

The Government and the people of Sao Tome and

Principe adhere to the principles of respect for the

sovereignty of all countries and following the path of

dialogue, tolerance and mutual understanding among

peoples. We call on all members of the United Nations

to do likewise for the sake of a better world.

I would like to conclude by expressing our

gratitude to all countries Members of the United

Nations for the support given to our country at the time

of the first-ever coup d’état in Sao Tome and Principe,

in June 2003. I would also like to thank all the countries

of Central Africa — including Congo (Brazzaville),

which currently presides over the Economic

Community of Central African States — for everything

they have done. I also wish to thank the President of

the General Assembly and our partners in Central

Africa and the African Union for their tireless efforts.