Togo, 1997

I

should like to join those who have spoken before me in

offering you, Sir, my warmest congratulations on your

outstanding election to the presidency of our Assembly.

To your illustrious predecessor, Mr. Razali Ismail of

Malaysia, my delegation reaffirms its satisfaction with the

efficiency and competence with which he guided the work

of the fifty-first session. We wish once again to convey to

him our sincere appreciation.

I also wish once again to welcome the election of

Mr. Kofi Annan as Secretary-General of our Organization.

In raising him to this position, the international community

recognized the qualities that have brought honour to him,

his country and the entire African continent. On behalf of

my delegation, I pay tribute to him for his dedication to the

cause of international peace and security and for all he is

doing to make the United Nations more effective and

credible by improving its capacity to meet the needs of

today’s world.

Two years ago, we celebrated the United Nations first

half-century. We recommitted ourselves solemnly to

working together to advance peace, development, equality,

justice and understanding among all the peoples of the

world. The current session provides us with another

opportunity to assess our collective work at a time when we

are preparing to enter the twenty-first century with major

achievements under our belt, to be sure, but also with

innumerable challenges to face.

In its ongoing quest to make life better for peoples,

our Organization has adopted and is implementing

alternative strategies to meet the demands of a world in

constant change. The proclamation of the United Nations

Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, the advancement of

the rights of women and children, and the convening of a

special session of the General Assembly on environment

and development are all actions demonstrating the

determination of the United Nations to address the great

problems of our time. But we must recognize that, despite

the efforts of the international community to establish a

new world order, we are still waiting for the ardently

desired peace, security, development and growth to

materialize.

Despite the detente that has existed since the end of

the East-West antagonism, the international political

situation continues to present a gloomy picture, marked

by ongoing disputes, tensions and conflicts. Even if

piecemeal efforts are made to settle these crises, definitive

solutions seem to elude us. Thus, we remain deeply

concerned for the future of mankind.

Moreover, our helplessness in the face of resurgent

terrorism, worsening poverty, the ever growing number of

refugees and displaced persons and the deterioration of

the environment dims our hope that the noble objectives

laid down in the Charter to build a better world for future

generations will ever come true.

In this context, Togo, under the guidance of the

President of the Republic, Mr. Gnassingbé Eyadema, is

striving to strengthen the political and legal bases of a

state of law and to make development and, above all, the

eradication of poverty the cornerstones of its policy.

The citizens of Togo have entered a new era in the

achievement of greater liberty, justice and progress in

order to make their country a democratic, united and

prosperous nation. Every day, they demonstrate their will

to reflect in their actions this deep-rooted desire to live

together in peace and unity. According to experienced

observers of good faith, the democratic institutions

established in Togo are proving themselves. The National

Assembly, having become an outstanding forum for

democratic debate, is living proof of the country’s

commitment to entrench itself in democracy.

Most of the other institutions of the Republic

provided for under the Constitution have been

established — for example, the High Audiovisual and

Communication Authority, the Constitutional Court, the

National Commission for Human Rights and the Supreme

Council for the Courts.

Aware, moreover, that they control their own

destiny, the Togolese have decided to work together

towards a sound and transparent administration of public

affairs. How could we not, therefore, be pleased by the

economic performances achieved thanks to efforts made

for the effective implementation of the Government

programme? The gross domestic product increased by 6

per cent in 1996, and the rate of inflation has shown a

clear improvement compared to 1995 thanks to a prudent

wages and monetary policy. Improved export

competitiveness and the progressive resumption of

cooperation have allowed us to correct the balance of

5

payments and strengthen Togo’s contribution to the reserves

of the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The

people of Togo hope that the community of nations will

continue to support it in its progress towards legitimacy and

legality by helping it to complete the work of economic

recovery.

The maintenance of peace continues to be the primary

task of the United Nations. One cannot over-emphasize that

preventing crises, reducing tension, separating combatants

and finding definitive solutions to conflicts continue to be

among the fundamental missions of our Organization. We

are pleased to see in Togo that the United Nations, through

concerted actions, continues day by day to do even more.

My country confirms its unswerving dedication to the

principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes, in

accordance with international law, and emphasizes the need

to strengthen in this area cooperation between the United

Nations and regional organizations. Chapter VIII of the

Charter would then take on its full meaning.

Despite every effort, peace remains threatened on our

planet, particularly on the African continent. As regards the

Republic of the Congo, Togo is concerned over the

situation there since 5 June 1997. We keenly hope that the

protagonists will put aside their arms in favour of dialogue

in accordance with the spirit of Libreville Summit, held on

14 and 15 September 1997, in which eight Heads of State,

including President Eyadema of Togo, participated. The

Government of Togo urgently calls upon our brothers in the

Congo to conclude as quickly as possible a final ceasefire

so that, under the aegis of the United Nations and the

Organization of African Unity (OAU), the international

interposition force planned by that last summit can be

deployed.

As regards the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Togo, needless to say, was involved in the search for a

peaceful solution to the crisis by hosting in Lomé last

March a special summit of the Central Organ of the OAU

Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and

Resolution in Africa. Faced with a new political situation,

my Government would urge the authorities in Kinshasa to

do everything in their power to provide a climate

favourable to national reconciliation in order to tackle the

priority tasks of development.

In Sierra Leone, the hope born of the establishment of

a democratic regime and the signing of the peace agreement

in Abidjan in November 1996 between the Government and

the Revolutionary United Front was thoroughly tested by

the putsch of 25 May 1997. My country strongly

condemned this coup. It is demanding the reestablishment

of constitutional order and earnestly hopes that this

question can be peacefully resolved in order to avoid

another crisis for the West African subregion at a time

when the Liberian conflict is coming to a close. The

people of Togo are pleased to note that, on the basis of

the Abuja Agreement, the presidential, legislative and

senatorial elections were finally able to take place last 19

July in an atmosphere of discipline, transparency and

peace. My delegation takes this opportunity to

congratulate the mission carried out by the Economic

Community of West African States, supported by the

United Nations and the OAU, from the beginning of the

conflict to the establishment of new democratic

institutions.

I should like, moreover, given the instability that

Africa is experiencing, to remind the parties concerned

that they must seek to prevent fratricidal conflicts, which

diverts their energy from the path of development. More

thought should therefore be given to establishing an

African peacekeeping force, which was first suggested by

President Eyadema at the thirtieth session of the

Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the

OAU, held in Tunisia in 1994. There is now an

imperative, urgent need to establish such a force, which

could react promptly and effectively to any armed

conflict, in order to reestablish peace and stability as

quickly as possible wherever necessary.

I would like again this year to return to the question

of the Regional Centre of the United Nations for Peace

and Disarmament in Africa and to welcome the sending

by the Secretary-General of a mission of consultants to

Lomé and other African capitals to explore ways and

means of revitalizing the Centre. It is clear from the

decision taken in Harare by the thirty-third session of the

Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU

that the Centre has a vital role to play in the maintenance

of peace and security in Africa as well as in the

prevention of conflicts on the continent.

I cannot fail to mention here the situation in other

parts of the world.

Regarding the Middle East, my country, which had

in the past hailed the courage, dedication and spirit of

initiative of the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the

implementation of the timetable for the withdrawal from

the occupied territories, is today concerned about the

blocking of the peace process in the region. We deplore

the continuation of the settlements policy and the

6

resumption of acts of violence, which only serve to

undermine the climate of confidence that is a prerequisite

for the pursuit of dialogue.

Togo urges the parties to resume negotiations in

accordance with the Agreements of 1993 and 1994 in order

to relaunch the peace process and achieve a comprehensive

and lasting settlement of the conflict in the Middle East,

which has lasted now for more than half a century and is

a threat to the peace and security of the States of the

region.

I turn to the situation in the Korean Peninsula. Togo

has been following with great interest the talks under way

and calls for the establishment of lasting peace in this

region. We hope that the negotiations that have begun will

continue and will be crowned with success.

Everyone is aware that most of these conflicts have

claimed, and continue to claim, numerous victims, including

refugees and displaced persons.

The proliferation of weapons, whatever their type, is

a threat to peace and security. To be sure, commendable

efforts have been made to create a world free from the

spectre of nuclear war. However, it must be emphasized

that the maintenance of international peace and security

hinges on general and complete disarmament. My country

hailed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and

considers the entry into force on 29 April this year of the

Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,

Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and

on Their Destruction to be a decisive act by the

international community in its permanent quest for a

peaceful world. In ratifying this Convention, Togo wished

to stress its unequivocal commitment to general and

complete disarmament. It hopes that implementing the

provisions of this Convention will help spare mankind the

innumerable evils resulting from the use of such weapons.

Regarding anti-personnel landmines, my country hails

the process begun in Ottawa in 1996, which concluded in

Oslo with the adoption of the treaty regarding the use,

storage, production and transfer of those mines and their

destruction. We hope that this treaty, which will open for

signature next December in Ottawa, will be ratified and

rigorously applied by all States, so that, because of its

universal nature, many human lives may be saved.

The end of the bipolarization associated with the cold

war allowed the international community to glimpse a

world in which efforts would henceforth be mobilized to

eliminate poverty so as to ensure development and well-

being for humankind. However, we are obliged to note

that, despite this favourable environment for peace and

economic expansion, poverty continues to grow

unchecked and remains a striking phenomenon in our

world. This situation provides a good illustration of the

failure of the numerous development strategies put

forward by the international community.

In this context, the case of Africa remains the most

worrying. The burden of external debt, the drop in export

earnings and the adverse consequences of trade

imbalances have largely contributed to an increased

deterioration in socio-economic conditions in many

countries. The world economy, characterized, as we near

the end of the century, by the phenomenon of

globalization, has experienced a general growth in almost

all countries over the past few years. It is regrettable,

however, that despite this globalization the new rules of

trade have not made it possible to dismantle the barriers

erected by the industrialized countries to protect their

industry and agriculture. It follows that it is still difficult

for our products to gain access to their markets.

These protectionist measures, which do enormous

damage to developing countries, especially in Africa,

cancel out the efforts made by African countries to

relaunch the growth of their economies through exports.

We cannot stress enough how much damage is

caused by the closing of the markets of the North to the

products of developing countries. This situation deprives

the countries of the South of substantial foreign-currency

income, which are necessary to promote sustained

development. In this respect, the Government of Togo

fully appreciates the willingness of the richest countries,

reaffirmed last June at the Denver Summit, intend to open

their markets further to the countries of the South. We

believe that by lifting their protectionist barriers the

developed countries will make a genuine and tangible

contribution to the development efforts being made by the

less well-off.

In this light, my Government believes that

globalization must be accompanied by an impetus for

increased solidarity, characterized by the willingness of

the countries of the North to buy our staple commodities

at remunerative prices.

Despite the commendable efforts undertaken by

African Governments within the framework of structural-

adjustment programmes, the economic situation in our

7

States remains difficult, and living conditions for our

populations are increasingly precarious. Given this state of

affairs, the international community has developed various

strategies to help the African States find viable and lasting

solutions to their many socio-economic problems. It is

important to welcome here the United Nations System-wide

Special Initiative on Africa, which my delegation believes

supports and complements the United Nations New Agenda

for the Development of Africa in the 1990s (UN-NADAF),

as well as the Cairo Programme of Action for the social

and economic development of Africa.

My country also pays tribute to the Government of

Japan which, in addition to its unfailing support to

developing countries, has taken the positive initiative of

planning to convene, in 1998, the second Tokyo

International Conference on African Development. It is very

desirable for the various parties involved in African

development who will be participating in that forum,

including Africans themselves, to become more involved in

the conception and the implementation of development

programmes for out continent.

Development policies for our countries cannot be

conceived today without cooperation and regional

integration. In this respect, the entry into force of the

Treaty establishing the African Economic Community is a

good illustration of the will of the African States to pool

their efforts to achieve sustainable development. Togo

would like to reaffirm its commitment to the policy of

economic integration of the continent and urges the United

Nations and the international community to support the

African countries in their efforts to achieve the objectives

of sustainable development so as to promote prosperity and

well-being for their populations.

We are pleased to note that 52 years after the adoption

of the Charter in San Francisco, many processes are under

way, aimed in particular at strengthening the United

Nations system, resolving the financial crisis of the

Organization and restructuring the United Nations in the

social and economic spheres and in related areas, including

the Security Council.

With regard to the Security Council in particular, it is

important that the ongoing discussions on its restructuring

aim at and succeed in expanding the number of both

permanent and non-permanent members. Such an

enlargement should take into account the interests of

developing countries and should be based on equitable

geographic representation in order to make the Council

more representative and more democratic, thereby enabling

it to respond more effectively to the requirements of the

day.

Within the framework of efforts to revitalize the

Organization, my delegation has noted with interest the

measures envisaged by the Secretary-General and the

recommendations contained in his report, presented on 16

July, which are aimed at restructuring the Secretariat and

providing it with the means to serve the Member States

more effectively. At this session the Assembly will have

an opportunity to take part in a careful and in-depth

consideration of that report.

Togo wishes to stress that the decisions and

measures resulting from such consideration should not

reduce the capacity of the Organization in the

development field. We therefore hope, as the Secretary-

General himself has proposed, that the savings resulting

from more rigorous management will permit the financing

of United Nations priority programmes, such as those for

the elimination of poverty and the advancement of

sustained economic growth in the developing countries.

At the dawn of the third millennium, humankind is

at a decisive stage in its history and requires greater

pragmatism, creativity and solidarity in settling its

problems. In this respect, our world, in a spirit of

solidarity, must mobilize further to eliminate poverty,

which is the vital concern of our time, as it impedes the

cohesiveness of societies and States, destroys the very

basis of human rights and damages the environment. We

therefore need to tackle this principal cause of

instability — poverty — with the same urgency and

vigour that we apply to political crises. For it is clear that

no system of collective security can be viable unless we

seek effectively to resolve the problems of poverty and

misery that are the daily lot of most of the population of

the world.

Together, therefore, let us seek a new international

order based on peace, solidarity and justice.