Suriname, 2006

On behalf of the

Government and the people of the Republic of

Suriname, I should like to take this opportunity to

extend to you, Madam, and to the Government and the

people of the Kingdom of Bahrain, my sincere

congratulations on your election to preside over the

General Assembly at its sixty-first session.

We express our gratitude to His Excellency

Mr. Jan Eliasson, President of the General Assembly at

its sixtieth session, for his contribution to the work of

the Organization. I should also like to pledge our

support to the Secretary-General, His Excellency

Mr. Kofi Annan, and to pay tribute to him for his

leadership, his valuable contribution to the resolution

of global challenges and his constructive role in

restructuring the United Nations.

In today’s world, guaranteeing necessary

infrastructure and ensuring the availability of health

services and education for all are still major

challenges. The world order continues to deny the vast

majority of the members of the international

community the opportunity to escape poverty and to

utilize their abilities and skills to achieve progress and

prosperity. There is a need for enhanced cooperation in

areas of relevance to humanity if we are to create an

international community that can offer all of its

members a fair chance of a decent life.

The call for an enabling international

environment for sustainable development and poverty

eradication is still a strong one. The international

community needs to support the call of the vast

majority of its members for fair terms of trade,

increased market access for products from the

developing countries and a more effective and

supportive international financial architecture.

Given the international state of affairs, Suriname

supports the implementation of the international global

partnership for development. The partnership for

development can obtain guidance for its decisions from

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the many commitments adopted at the major United

Nations conferences and summits in the economic,

social and related fields, in particular those reflected in

the Millennium Development Goals and the Monterey

Consensus. This partnership should aim to energize the

political will of all States to implement those

commitments and to create genuine opportunities for

all States in the field of trade, as well as for

investments that promote sustainable development and

poverty eradication.

My delegation continues to plead for a rule-

based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and

financial system, and for an international system that

promotes decent and productive work and extends the

benefits of new technology to all parts of the globe.

The focus of the partnership for development

must be the establishment of a supportive international

environment to achieve, in particular Millennium

Development Goal 8 and its targets.

Building a global partnership for development

will require the involvement and cooperation of all

stakeholders — Governments, the private sector and

civil society alike. The partnership should enhance the

involvement of the private sector, taking into account

the redefinition of the role of the private sector in

society, based on a common understanding of the

influence of business in spurring development and

improving the human condition.

The contribution of the private sector is pivotal to

a national policy geared towards enhancing human

capital and infrastructure and gaining access to world

markets. We note with satisfaction the leadership of the

United Nations in this area, and believe that the United

Nations Global Compact should collaborate with the

partnership for development. Civil society should

contribute actively to the partnership for development

at all levels, in particular at the national level. Its

activities should be in harmony with and

complementary to national development efforts.

The challenges we face in the area of

international peace and security are equally serious.

The increased efforts of the United Nations to save

humanity from the scourge of warfare are not always

successful. Too often the international community is

confronted with situations that seriously jeopardize the

safety of individuals and populations.

The Government of Suriname believes that there

is a need for us to realize that the United Nations is in

fact still our partnership for international peace and

security. This partnership should be based on the firm

determination of all States to cooperate in seeking fair

and lasting solutions to persistent problems that

adversely affect international peace and security.

Tolerance, mutual respect and mutual interest, leading

to the peaceful coexistence of States, good-

neighbourliness and unity in diversity, should be the

basic principles that guide the recommendations of the

partnership for international peace and security.

Recently, the General Assembly adopted the

United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy

(resolution 60/288). This is certainly a step forward

towards an effective international response to

terrorism, in conformity with international law,

international human rights law and international

humanitarian law. My delegation notes with

satisfaction that the Strategy includes the promotion of

dialogue, tolerance and understanding among

civilizations. Of equal importance is the recognition

that capacity-building in all States is a core element of

the global counter-terrorism effort. In this regard, we

anticipate a genuine partnership being established to

implement the Strategy.

The illegal drugs trade and organized crime also

affect international security. Increased cooperation at

all levels is needed if the international community is to

be able to respond adequately to those threats. In this

connection, the Government of Suriname will host an

anti-narcotics conference in October 2006. The main

purpose of the conference is to enhance coordination

and collaboration among participating countries, aimed

at combating trafficking in narcotic drugs, dismantling

drug-related criminal organizations and combating the

illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, given the

increased levels of crime that it generates.

A restructured United Nations must ensure that

the Organization remains the source of redress for the

international community and the home of international

justice and equitable decision-making. Given the less-

than-satisfactory international development and

security situation, we, the States Members of the

United Nations, should be more than willing to act in

conformity with the Charter, to employ the

international machinery for promoting the economic

and social advancement of all peoples, to unite our

strengths to maintain international peace and security,

33 06-52737

and to practise increased tolerance and live together in

peace as good neighbours. Suriname believes that the

present session of the General Assembly can contribute

significantly to those endeavours.