Guinea, 2013

It is with

legitimate pride that I address the General Assembly, a

symbol of the resolve of peoples to pool their potential

in order to forge a better world where peace, security,

prosperity and solidarity will allow humankind to face

the many challenges before it.

My pride is as great as my country, since we as

a nation have just reached an important stage in our

history by finalizing the transitional process and holding

legislative elections on 28 September. Guinea has thus

joined the melting pot of democratic nations that respect

human rights and fundamental freedoms. It was able

to do so thanks to the assistance of its partners whose

action catalysed a fruitful dialogue among the actors

of Guinean political life. The elections have certainly

opened the path to widespread development blazed by

the Government so that the Guinean population can

finally take advantage of its rich potential.

I could not find a better opportunity than from

this rostrum to convey the gratitude of the people and

Government of Guinea to the international community

and to reiterate my country’s commitment to the

principles and purposes of our Organization, . I should

also like to pay a well-deserved tribute to Secretary-

General Ban Ki-moon, whose devotion and, above all,

competence have strengthened the central role of the

United Nations in managing crises and improving the

living conditions of our populations.

I am firmly convinced that the new President of the

General Assembly, Mr. John William Ashe, a man of

the South, will understand better than anyone what is at

stake in the theme for this session. I assure him of the

full cooperation of my delegation in carrying out his

noble mission. We also express our great appreciation

to his predecessor, Mr. Vuk Jeremi., for his efforts in

maintaining the Assembly at its highest level.

World peace and security are at the heart of our

concerns and should be the subject of our full attention.

A number of conflicts have been ended. Countries such

as Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Burundi have

been able to turn the page of war in order to dedicate

themselves to peacebuilding, thereby guaranteeing

national reconstruction and sustainable development.

The international community has the duty to support

and assist them.

In this context, I should like to evoke the case of

Mali, which is emerging from a period of crisis. Sadly,

the recent past of that brotherly country reminds us

of the vulnerability of our States to terrorism and

extremism, as well as the fragility of our institutions.

The international community mobilized unanimously

to maintain Mali’s sovereignty and territorial integrity

and to restore the authority of its State and constitutional

legality.

The peace that reigned in the presidential election

in Mali certainly augurs a new era of prosperity for

the country. Mali urgently needs assistance in order

to build peace, reconcile the Malians and rebuild their

country. It needs assistance to strengthen its security,

which is indivisible from the Sahelo-Saharan region.

We must always recall that terrorism never sleeps; we

must combat and defeat it. International security is at

stake.

Guinea will never abandon its solidarity with Mali.

Its presence within the United Nations Multidimensional

Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali testifies to our

commitment to the stabilization of the subregion. The

Guinean Government reiterates its determination to

work for the re-establishment of constitutional order

in Guinea-Bissau on the basis of the recommendations

of the Economic Community of West African States

(ECOWAS), the African Union, the International

Contact Group on Guinea-Bissau, the Community of

Portuguese-speaking Countries, the European Union

and the United Nations.

The Mano River Union is an essential link for the

consolidation of peace in West Africa and deserves

our full attention. The international community, and

in particular the United Nations and ECOWAS, must

work to support that organization in its global approach

to meeting the security and socioeconomic challenges.

We welcome the determination of the Peacebuilding

Commission to assist Sierra Leone, Liberia and

Guinea in their efforts in security and defence sector

reform, while promoting youth employment and

the empowerment of women on the basis of national

reconciliation.

With respect to the Great Lakes region, we urge

the parties to renounce violence and to firmly commit

to bringing peace to the region via adherence to the

Framework Agreement of 24 February. We thank the

Mediator, President Denis Sassou Nguesso, for his

efforts to re-establish sustainable peace in eastern

Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes

region.

As for the Central African Republic, urgent

measures are needed to prevent a collapse of the State

and to avert the chronic instability that threatens the

country. We urge the Sudan and South Sudan to pursue

dialogue in order to solve pending questions, specifically

the status of Abyei province, and to relaunch bilateral

cooperation.

Given the deteriotation of the situation in Syria, the

international community must strive further to bring an

end to the relentless violence and massive destruction

of lives and property. Guinea condemns the use of

chemical weapons, which violates international norms

and human dignity. Robust action must be undertaken

for the destruction of the chemical arsenal in Syria, in

accordance with the Russian-American initiative and

Security Council resolution 2118 (2013). At the same

time, the legal framework prohibiting the manufacture,

stockpiling and use of chemical weapons must be

strengthened.

I cannot fail to raise the issue of Western Sahara,

where we call on all stakeholders to spare no effort to

arrive at a political solution. Our solidarity with Cuba

is as strong as ever as we seek to have the embargo

unjustly imposed on its people lifted.

I should like to weigh in on a subject of major

concern that is the focus of the international

community’s attention — the Palestinian question.

In spite of the many injunctions of the international

community, the Palestinian people continue to suffer.

Arbitrary violence, settlements and the seizure of goods

continue to be the people’s daily lot. Guinea reiterates

its unceasing support for the Palestinian cause, in the

belief that peace and stability in the Middle East require

the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the

Security Council and the road map of the Quartet, which

foresees the creation of an independent, sovereign and

viable Palestinian State living side by side and in peace

with Israel within safe and internationally recognized

borders. We express the hope that the negotiations

under way will enable the Palestinian people to finally

enjoy their inalienable rights.

Ever since its creation, the United Nations has

spared no effort to promote peace, security and

international cooperation in order to ensure the

harmonious development of humankind. In this context,

the Millennium Development Goals were a source of

real hope for developing countries. The undeniable

progress made in many areas — growth, education,

gender equality, and maternal and child health — has

largely contributed to pushing back the borders of

poverty. Nevertheless, many important challenges have

still to be met.

At a time when the international community is

investing in the creation of a post-2015 development

agenda, we must recognize that the results achieved by

the Millennium Development Goals have not lived up to

our hopes. The eradication of extreme poverty depends

on the strengthening of the human development base and

the promotion of a competitive economy that respects

the environment, which is an engine of inclusive growth

and decent work. It also depends on governance that is

favourable to sustainable development in the context of

peace and security.

In this quest, the focus must be on the monitoring,

transparency and management of our natural resources.

We must join in international partnership on the basis

of reaffirmed solidarity and shared responsibility. That

must be our new vision. In the formulation of the post-

2015 development agenda, we must take into account the

synergies arising from the complementarity between

the Millennium Development Goals and the sustainable

development goals. We must also particularly stress

South-South and triangular cooperation, and promote

innovative financing in order to bridge the gap in

official development assistance.

In the unanimous resolve to fight marginalization,

my delegation remains convinced that Africa’s fight

to master its own destiny will be understood. The

determination of Heads of State on the continent to

adopt a common African position and to create a

high-level committee charged with forging regional

and intercontinental alliances around the post-2015

development agenda are part of the dynamic to build

a better world without conflict and poverty and their

corollaries.

My country has always believed in the value

of multilateralism, the only guarantor of peace,

international security and shared development. The

United Nations is still the irreplaceable framework

for cooperation and the management of world affairs.

Guinea, as in the past, will continue to contribute to

this lofty fight in order to ensure a better future for

humankind. That is why it shares the concerns of the

international community and invites it to begin setting

the post-2015 stage.

We leaders must outline how this new world

partnership will work. It is time to draw lessons from

the past in order to launch a fruitful dialogue in which

all development actors will participate with mutual

respect and collective responsibility in the emergence of

an international society that is more just, equitable and

more unified. There is a need for a new international

architecture. The world would do better if all nations,

large and small, strong and weak, effectively played

their part towards achieving the overall well-being of

humankind.

The Republic of Guinea will not cease its call

for the United Nations system to be reformed and

adapted to the needs of the moment. It is a question

of equity and justice. Our will is unshakeable and the

momentum is irreversible because the aspirations of

people who are passionate about peace, freedom and

progress are profound. It is high time to listen to the

voices of those who do not have a voice — the poorest

and most vulnerable. No one should suffer from hunger,

fear, illness or the spectre of ignorance. Our duty is to

leave to future generations an environment conducive

to sustainable development. Together we will save

humanity.