Seychelles, 2006

I

wish to begin by extending my congratulations to

Ms. Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa on her election to the

presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-first

session. I also express my country’s high regard for her

predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, who succeeded in

spurring the implementation of United Nations reform.

I also pay tribute to the Secretary-General,

Mr. Kofi Annan, for his work at the head of our

Organization, as reflected in the body of his

achievements at the end of his two terms of office.

Those achievements include the ongoing reform, the

promotion of multilateralism, the prevention of armed

conflict, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance

operations, the fight against HIV/AIDS and action on

other fronts, in particular in combating poverty and

terrorism.

Here I would like to briefly discuss United

Nations reform. I echo the sentiments of all who have

referred here to the pressing need for the United

Nations to adapt to the realities of the world in which

we live so that it will be more in tune with current

concerns and managed in an effective and transparent

manner: an Organization whose Charter recognizes that

all States, small and large, possess the right to have

their say in the conduct of affairs that are of interest to

the international community.

Seychelles thus supported the establishment of

the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights

Council, the adoption of the United Nations Global

Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the resolution on

development. We await with great interest the outcome

of the ongoing reform of the Economic and Social

Council and the Secretariat and its management, and of

the revitalization of the General Assembly in keeping

with its great authority and enhanced role.

We hope that the General Assembly will take an

active part in the appointment of the next Secretary-

General, who, we all agree, should be from Asia and

with proven qualities and demonstrated leadership.

Moreover, the reform of the Security Council is of

particular importance in the light of the current

challenges to world peace and to the Council’s

institutional legitimacy.

Now, let me say a few words on the national

policy of Seychelles. My country recently held

elections in a climate of tranquillity and social

harmony. Following the election of President Michel,

and on the basis of the new road map that he has drawn

for his administration, Seychelles will place even

greater emphasis on ensuring sustainable development

in all sectors: economic, social, cultural and

environmental. The policies seek to guarantee the best

possible standard of living for all citizens.

Opening up the economy, respecting human

rights and the rule of law and pursuing the objectives

of good governance will continue to define the actions

of our Government. However, we must note that, as the

World Bank and the Commonwealth have highlighted

in their joint report, over the past five years small

developing States have seen gross national product

growth rates decline in comparison to those of large,

low-income and middle-income countries. Small States

have also experienced an increasingly burdensome

foreign debt. Concerning access to foreign capital,

there is a trend in private markets to consider small

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States to be of high risk, which leads to increased costs

that complicate access to those markets.

In recent years, meetings have been held,

resolutions have been adopted and statements have

been made followed by further meetings, but with little

concrete action and without any satisfactory response

to our concerns. Seychelles regrets that. The global

community is made up of 192 States, and more than 80

of them are small States.

Confronted by these structural development

problems in the context of a globalized economy, small

States rarely have the means and the capacity to

respond appropriately to them. In that connection, the

appeal made by the President of the General Assembly

for a global development partnership has never been so

urgent and critical. The Seychelles hopes that at its

sixty-first session the Assembly will take a decisive

step forward in bringing about such a partnership.

I should like to conclude my statement by

referring to the issues of regional and world peace.

Armed conflicts are occurring at a pace that shows

that, contrary to our hopes, the world remains unstable

and dangerous. Unfortunately, peace and ceasefire

agreements do not always lead to a cessation of

hostilities. Civilian populations, composed mostly of

women and children, continue to be displaced,

maltreated and, too often, the victims of crimes and

massacres. The situation in Darfur is the most tragic

illustration. Those who survive do not always have

access to humanitarian aid. Today, according to a

United Nations report, even the level of violence facing

humanitarian aid teams is unprecedented.

We are all aware of the real causes of wars. Sadly,

sometimes the only way to reach a consensus is to say

nothing; as the saying goes, diplomacy consists of

conversations between friends, and only rarely with the

enemy. That is why the Seychelles joins all those in

Africa, the Middle East, Asia and everywhere else who

hope for a more human, more just and freer world

where peace is the rule, not the exception, and not a

privilege but a right. That also applies to those

countries — such as Palestine and Western Sahara —

that hope someday to be able to conduct their affairs as

they see fit, in accordance with the relevant United

Nations resolutions.

Finally, I should like to reaffirm the support of

the Seychelles for the work undertaken by the

President of the General Assembly to make the sixty-

first session an instrument for peace and development.