Chad, 2003

As in

the past, and despite present ordeals, Chad, my country,

is very glad to take active part in this meeting of

peoples united by the same fate and motivated by the

same spirit of peace, justice and equality.

I am convinced that the wise choice of someone

with the experience and requisite skills of Mr. Julian

Hunte to preside over this historic meeting will

guarantee the success of the session. My country has

assumed similar responsibilities within the previous

Bureau and knows just how consuming yet exalting

they can be. My delegation would also like to express

its encouragement and congratulations to Mr. Hunte

and other members of the Bureau. My delegation and I,

personally, would like to assure him of our complete

availability and full support for the success of his

mission. We would like to reiterate our deep gratitude

to him and especially to his predecessor, His

Excellency Mr. Jan Kavan, for the skill and enthusiasm

with which he led the Assembly during the fifty-

seventh session.

Allow me also to express to His Excellency

Mr. Kofi Annan our sympathy and admiration for the

courage and the firm resolve that he places at the

service of the ideals and causes of the United Nations,

which is now confronting many exceptional challenges.

Finally, the Government of Chad would like to

associate itself with other members of the international

community to condemn in the strongest terms the

terrorist attacks against the United Nations offices in

Iraq, which claimed the lives of several staff members

of the United Nations, including the Special

Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Sergio

Vieira de Mello. These heinous acts of violence should

in no way break our resolve to pursue the noble goals

of our Organization, foremost among which is to help

peoples in difficulty to fully regain their rights to lead

3

their lives in conformity with the values of freedom,

democracy and justice.

I would therefore like to extend the condolences

of the Chadian Government to all United Nations

personnel, and the Brazilian, Egyptian and other

Governments for the deaths of those who sacrificed

themselves for the freedom of others.

If the international community has been

thoroughly overhauled since the fall of the Berlin Wall

and the end of the cold war, it has been victim to a new

kind of trauma since 11 September 2001. Since that

time, terrorism has been a dire threat to international

peace and security. Globalization has complicated the

rules of the game in trade between the North and the

South, and new forms of conflict have emerged at the

regional level.

The best response to all this must be based on

collective and joint action. As a full member of the

international community, Chad, which is faithful to its

quest for peace, strongly reaffirms its resolute

condemnation of any act of terrorism, act of violence

or any use of force — in the defence of any cause — to

resolve disputes among nations.. Such actions must be

dealt with by our regional organizations first and

foremost, and, if they fall short, to our common

Organization, the United Nations. Although it has been

the subject of some controversy, the United Nations

continues to be the only Organization in the world to

truly enjoy international legitimacy.

But to continue to best ensure that its mission and

functions are carried out and to maintain its legitimacy,

our Organization must enjoy the full support of all

Member States. We must all contribute to assisting it in

regaining its principal mission. The United Nations

must once again become a common tool for us all and

no longer be seen as showcase, much less a sounding

board, for the will and power of the few.

It will undoubtedly achieve this goal all the more

easily if the long-postponed reforms are successful and

reflected in the enlargement of the Security Council to

include new or emerging Powers of Europe, Africa,

Asia and the Americas — in sum, in recognition of the

true state of the world today. This would do justice to

those nations and render a service to the Organization

itself.

In that respect, the Iraqi crisis has only further

convinced us of the need to pursue those reforms. We

cannot continually evade this crucial issue. Stability

and international peace and security are at stake, for

the kind of globalization that our peoples seek cannot

evolve in the interest of all if the international political

system is predominantly unilateral in nature.

Pending this revolution, which all peoples who

cherish justice ardently seek, we still note with

satisfaction that our Organization remains active in all

crisis areas, particularly in Africa, where we urge it to

be more proactive. Indeed, Africa is confronted with

many difficulties that have ensued from both wars and

other crises, as well as from a lack of good governance.

The recent establishment of New Partnership for

Africa’s Development (NEPAD) promises to save the

continent from the economic quagmire in which it has

been plunged. But the coherence of this extensive

programme is connected with the support of the entire

international community. The anticipated outcome will

depend on true solidarity on the part of all economies

worldwide.

My country, which has been committed to the

path of democratic pluralism since 1 December 1990,

has made significant progress. These efforts will be

sustained until we have perfected the republican

institutions provided for under the Constitution of 31

December 1996. The Government of Chad believes it

important that this democratic process be achieved so

that the rule of law and also peace and prosperity,

which are the ultimate goals, might be attained.

To that end, in 1999 the President of our Republic

promulgated, a unique type of law that sets out

modalities for the use of oil revenues. This has resulted

in a system in which a substantial part of this direct

income —10 per cent — is set aside for future

generations, and the remaining 80 to 90 per cent

remainder goes to priority sectors — those vital areas I

mentioned earlier — and the region of production

receives 5 per cent.

Secondly, the law provides for an office for the

control and surveillance of oil income. It is made up of

nine members, including only one representing the

Government, with five representing civil society and

two the Parliament. As an independent body, that office

will have broad powers and prerogatives, including

authorizing expenditures from oil revenue and

verification of their proper use.

In this new international context, in which States

are increasingly interdependent and in which the world

4

has truly become a village, Chad, while addressing its

internal problems, is endeavouring to open itself to the

outside world. It is following with great interest

developments in the international political situation

and is working to make its modest contribution to the

efforts of the international community in settling

conflicts, especially in Africa.

Therefore, we note with satisfaction, in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, the new awareness

of the parties involved and the emerging understanding,

by the Congolese people themselves, of the enlightened

self-interest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We fervently hope that the transition process will

continue uninterrupted until the final return of stability

to that fraternal country.

In the Central African Republic, realities in the

field have shown positive change, but it is up to our

Central African brothers to close their ranks to an even

greater extent in order to consolidate peace in their

country. The national dialogue under way offers them

an excellent opportunity for a deep and constructive

process of reflection on ways of bringing about

national reconciliation.

With respect to our border with the Sudan, we

welcome most particularly the prospects for peace that

have been emerging in that long-suffering country.

Accords were concluded on 3 September 2003 under

the auspices of President Idriss Deby at Abeche in

Chad, between the Government of the Sudan and the

People’s Liberation Army of the Sudan, and the

protocol on security questions signed on 25 September

between the Government and the SPLA also is a

welcome development on the path to peace. Chad

encourages the two parties to do their utmost to

conclude a genuine peace agreement that would put an

end to the sufferings of that fraternal country.

We note with satisfaction a trend towards peace

and stability in West Africa. For us, the Ivorian crisis

was a serious cause for concern. The Marcoussis

agreements gave rise to a real hope finally to see a

peaceful solution emerge. Today all eyes are turned to

Abidjan, where the Transitional Government has the

heavy responsibility of conducting national

reconciliation in the interest of all the children of that

country. Chad encourages the Ivorian people to help

the Transitional Government to carry out its mission,

so that peace might be consolidated in Côte d’Ivoire.

With regard to Liberia, we hope that, with

continued international assistance, its situation will

become stabilized. The participation of the countries of

the subregion in peacekeeping operations and the

presence of the Economic Community of West African

States Mission in Liberia in Monrovia all give rise to

hope and are a guarantee of political stability. The

adoption of resolution 1497 (2003) was very timely. It

represents a framework for settlement which should be

used finally to break the infernal cycle of violence in

that country. We would therefore like to ask the parties

to the conflict to overcome their differences and work

towards the return of a just and lasting peace.

I cannot conclude my words on Africa without

joining my voice to those of other delegations that

spoke earlier from this rostrum and welcoming finally

the wise decision of the Security Council to lift the

embargo that for years had penalized the fraternal

people of Libya.

Outside of Africa, other hotbeds of tension

remain, especially in the Near and Middle East, that

require the involvement of the international community

in the quest for adequate solutions. In the Middle East,

the Israeli-Arab conflict has long been one of the

concerns of the United Nations. Today conditions seem

to have been met for a constructive dialogue between

the two neighbouring peoples, since the road map

containing the peace plan was agreed to by the parties

to the conflict. This peace plan will, it is hoped, allow

Palestine to achieve, by the year 2005, national

independence and international sovereignty.

Regarding the Middle East, the Republic of Chad

welcomes the interest shown by the international

community in the restoration of Iraq’s sovereignty and

independence. We hope that the process of restoring

power to the Iraqis will continue pursuant to Security

Council resolution 1483 (2003) in a way that best

serves the interests of the Iraqi people.

In East Asia, the question of the proliferation of

nuclear weapons, territorial conflicts and terrorist

attacks are jeopardizing stability, not just for States in

the region but for the entire world. Nevertheless, we

are pleased to note that a dynamic for peace has

definitely begun to prevail in that region. We welcome,

therefore, the holding of multilateral talks on the North

Korean nuclear programme, and we encourage States

in the region, whose role in this respect is crucial, to

5

become truly involved in order to facilitate the quest

for a final settlement of that crisis.

We welcome also with relief the significant

improvement that has taken place in the context of

relations between India and Pakistan. This favourable

climate will no doubt enable the two nuclear Powers to

maintain good-neighbourly relations and to undertake

the true problems of development.

Above and beyond these conflicts, which are all

of great concern, there remain two major issues with

which the international community has not dealt with

courageously, in spite of good intentions and of the

resolutions adopted in various forums beginning with

the Millennium Summit. I am speaking of development

assistance and of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Both are

Millennium Development Goals with respect to which

commitments were entered into here, in June 2001, at

the special session on HIV/AIDS, and at Monterrey in

March 2002.

While it is encouraging to note that the heads of

State or Government of the Group of Eight, at their

most recent Summit in May 2003, gave their support to

the achievement of those goals, they still have to

translate such commitments into action, as was

emphasized by the Secretary-General in his report on

the work of the Organization.

That means, inter alia, that developed States

should implement the outcome of the Monterrey

Consensus and the results of the Johannesburg World

Summit on Sustainable Development in August 2002.

But the conclusions of the most recent World Trade

Organization (WTO) Conference in Cancún have

shown that we have not yet embarked on that path.

We must all translate into action the Summit’s

resolutions on HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and

other infectious diseases. Indeed, in spite of the

increase in resources and the strengthening of the

political commitment at the highest level — following

the example of the commitment made by the President

of the Republic of Chad — the situation remains one of

great concern and calls for unfailing determination and

exceptional efforts in order to stem this pandemic. I

would almost say that we must invent a new kind of

containment in order to stem the spread of this disease.

In any case, the disease is waging a brutal war

against humankind, which must respond by utilizing

the means required to fight a global war. This is a

prerequisite for the survival of many nations

throughout the world and therefore for the stability of

our future world.

I cannot conclude without drawing the attention

of the international community to the crucial issue of

the representation of the Republic of China on Taiwan

in our Organization. That country has diplomatic

relations and relations of cooperation with many

Member States, including Chad. Paradoxically,

however, with regard to the United Nations, it finds

itself without any status. Its ostracism is unjustified

and unjustifiable.

Indeed, the Republic of China was one of the

founders of the United Nations and was represented

here from 1949 through 1971. The fact that this item

comes up each and every year in the debates of the

General Assembly proves that a substantive issue is at

stake. Chad deems it inadmissible for 23 million

Taiwanese to be discriminated against by the United

Nations and its specialized agencies. It is thus

unfortunate to note that, in the current context, the

World Health Organization, for example, cannot lend

Taiwan assistance in the event of epidemics, which was

recently the case with severe acute respiratory

syndrome. Yet the Taiwanese also have the right to live

in serenity, to lead a democratic life and to be in

solidarity with the world’s other peoples. They need

peace — the very foundation of democracy and a

condition for development. Peace presupposes the

resolution of conflicts through mediation. That implies,

in both hearts and minds, a culture of tolerance and

respect for differences.

We urge this session to put an end to Taiwan’s

exclusion by restoring its status as a full-fledged

United Nations Member, and we take this opportunity

to invite all States in the region to halt the military

escalation.