Malawi, 1992

On behalf of the Malawi delegation, I wish to

congratulate Mr. Ganev on his election as President of the General Assembly at

its forty-seventh session. We have no doubt that under his leadership and

guidance, the session will be a success. We also congratulate his

predecessor, Mr. Samir Shihabi, for a job well done. Mr. Shihabi presided

over the forty-sixth session of the Assembly effectively, and we wish him well

in the future.

On behalf of the Malawi delegation, let me also take this opportunity to

applaud our Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for his steady

stewardship of the Organization as it continues its work of maintaining

international peace and security, as well as the promotion of social and

economic development around the world. Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali has been in

office for less than a year. Yet his laudable achievements in charting the

Organization towards the United Nations perceived by its founders, a United

Nations that plays a leading role in the maintenance of international peace

and security, particularly in preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and

peace-keeping, are very clear to us all.

His determined efforts in focusing attention on poverty reduction and

economic development in the third world have also been notable. We assure him

of Malawi's complete support and wish him success. We also pay a tribute to

all his staff for their dedication to duty, at times in circumstances of

extreme personal danger.

It is with great pleasure that we join all those who have spoken before

us in welcoming to the United Nations the 13 new Members. We wish them well.

The near universality that this new membership has brought us will definitely

contribute to making the United Nations stronger.

My delegation is pleased to note from the Secretary-General's report to

the Assembly that the past 12 months have been characterized by general

international peace and security. Certain areas and regions, however, remain

zones of strife and conflict, posing a grave danger to the efforts of the

United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security and the

promotion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In this regard, my delegation is equally concerned at what is happening

in the Balkans, in particular the suffering and death of innocent civilians,

especially young children, women and old people. The fighting and shedding of

innocent blood must stop. Malawi supports the efforts of the United Nations

and the European Community to provide humanitarian relief supplies to Sarajevo

and other beleaguered parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also support the

determined efforts now in progress to establish a cease-fire and to arrive at

a peaceful solution to the problems confronting all the parties to the

conflict. Dialogue between the various parties is the answer and an essential

condition to the achievement of peace and stability in that region.

Regarding the Middle East, Malawi welcomes the landmark developments on

the protracted and problematic issues relating to the Palestinian question.

Malawi welcomes the United States/Russian-brokered peace initiatives. The

Malawi delegation joins all those who have spoken before us on this issue in

wishing the peace process success.

The situation in Somalia is a source of concern to all peace-loving

countries. My delegation is pleased to note, however, that through the

determined efforts of the United Nations and in particular of the

Secretary-General, the mayhem taking place in Somalia before our very eyes is

at last being addressed by the international community. The deployment and

the increase in the number of United Nations security guards from 500 to 3,500

will help curb the serious security problems and make possible the airlift and

distribution of desperately and urgently needed humanitarian supplies such as

food, medicine and clothing. My delegation commends the United Nations and

its lead agencies, the donor community at large and non-governmental

organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, Medecins

Sans Frontieres, Oxfam and others for their dedication and for their

tremendous achievements in very difficult conditions.

Somalia needs peace and reconciliation. In this respect, Malawi applauds

and supports the combined efforts of the United Nations, the Organization of

African Unity (OAU) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference in working

tirelessly towards the achievement of peace and stability in that country.

On behalf of the Malawi delegation, I take this opportunity to welcome

the peace accord that was signed in Rome on 4 October 1992 between

President Chissano and Mr. Afonso Dhlakama, the leader of RENAMO. It is

common knowledge that Malawi has a direct interest in the establishment of

peace and stability in Mozambique. Indeed, over the years Malawi has been

involved in the search for peace in that country. The end of the 16-year

civil war means the end of untold suffering for the people of Mozambique and a

wonderful opportunity to focus their energies and resources on the

reconstruction and development of their beautiful country. For Malawi, this

also means that the Nacala and Beira corridors, our most cost-effective routes

to the sea, will begin to function at full capacity. We therefore have every

reason to rejoice at this welcome development.

The international community is also aware that Malawi has through the

years been host to more than 1 million refugees from Mozambique. It is our

sincere hope and prayer that the cease-fire holds and peaceful conditions are

established that will allow the refugees to return to their homes in honour

and in dignity. Malawi considers the role of the international donor

community and the United Nations, especially that of the Office of the United

Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to be extremely important in

facilitating the return and resettlement of the refugees as well as the

internally displaced people. Massive assistance will be required to enable

Mozambique to forge ahead in its enormous task of reconstruction and

development.

My delegation wishes to reiterate the Malawi Government's readiness and

commitment to assist, within its means and capabilities, in these arduous

tasks.

The situation in South Africa continues to be a source of concern to my

Government. Malawi holds the view that there is no better alternative to

dialogue for resolving the political problems in that country. That is why we

welcomed the negotiations under the Convention for a Democratic South Africa

(CODESA) process, and were therefore disappointed by the wanton cycle of

violence that led to the suspension of CODESA.

We believe that peace must be re-established for negotiations to take

place. It is in this context that the Malawi Government welcomed the

appointment of a Special United Nations Envoy on South Africa and fully

supports Security Council resolution 772 (1992), which provides for the

increase - from 30 to 50 in the number of observers to monitor and help curb

the violence taking place in that country. Malawi also welcomes the

initiative taken by the OAU, the European Community and the Commonwealth to

cooperate with the United Nations in contributing additional observers.

The Malawi Government has been encouraged to note that the people of

South Africa themselves continue to believe in the effectiveness of

negotiation as the path towards peace and security. We therefore welcome the

agreement reached recently between the President of the African National

Congress, Mr. Nelson Mandela, and the leader of the South African Government,

President F.W. de Klerk, to resume constitutional negotiations.

In welcoming the agreement between Mr. Mandela and President de Klerk, my

President, Ngwazi Mr. H. Kamuzu Banda, expressed his hopes for a future South

Africa as follows:

"I do hope that [Mr. Mandela], together with President De Klerk and

others, can bring real peace to the South African townships, and put an

end to the human suffering there. We look forward to the time when a

non-racial democratic South Africa will take its place among the nations

of our region in particular and the world in general."

Malawi joins all those who have spoken on the outcome of the United

Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this past June. By all accounts, the Conference was a

historic milestone. Malawi took part in the Conference and was one of the

many countries that signed the Convention on biological diversity and the

Convention on climate change. Although the two Conventions did not meet all

the demands and expectations of the developing countries, it is Malawi's view

that they generally present a major framework for progress towards the goal of

protecting and preserving the environment.

Malawi, as a developing country, looks forward with hope to the

post-UNCED period. The implementation of the programmes which make up

Agenda 21 is the key to the success of UNCED. We therefore welcome the

impending establishment, during the course of this session of the General

Assembly, of the commission on sustainable development to oversee the

implementation of Agenda 21. We hope that within the framework of this

institutional machinery, supported by the United Nations system as a whole,

the new global partnership between North and South will make possible the

transfer of technology and, even more critically, the financing of Agenda 21.

Malawi appeals to the developed industrialized countries to honour their

commitment to meet the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product for

official development assistance and to honour their pledges to increase their

assistance in order to ensure the full implementation of Agenda 21. We also

welcome the efforts by the World Bank, the United Nations Environment

Programme and the United Nations Development Programme to restructure the

Global Environmental Facility to make it transparent and flexible in order to

achieve a wider coverage and scope in its operations, especially with regard

to the financing of Agenda 21 programmes.

The Malawi delegation would like to add its voice to the debate on the

restructuring and reform of the United Nations system. The aims of the reform

include eliminating the duplication of functions and rationalizing and

revitalizing the Organization's operations. Malawi supports the initiatives

which the Secretary-General is taking. Change is an on-going process and is

necessary if the United Nations is to be able to respond effectively to the

new challenges and opportunities that are so evident in this post-cold-war

However, Malawi is of the view that these on-going changes should not

lead to a deviation from the purposes and principles of the Charter.

It is in this vein that the Malawi delegation welcomes the measures taken

to restructure and revitalize the Economic and Social Council as well as the

establishment of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs, which is already

playing a major role in dealing with the drought emergency situation in Africa.

Malawi, like the other countries in southern Africa, is experiencing the

most serious drought in living memory. The drought situation has had a major

debilitating effect on the country's development efforts. National food

production has been severely affected. The country, which is normally

self-sufficient in food, is now facing a shortfall in maize, the national

staple, of more than 690,000 tonnes. There are also shortfalls in pulses,

edible oils and salt. This serious situation has been compounded by the

cross-border movements of persons looking for food or running away from civil

strife. Even cash crops, which earn Malawi scarce foreign exchange and afford

the local Malawians a source of income to live decently, have also been

adversely affected by this drought. Disease and malnutrition are on the

increase. All this is having severe adverse effects on the socio-economic

development of our country.

We have been encouraged by the many nations and international

organizations that have come forward to assist Malawi, as they have done in

respect of the other countries in our region. However, in spite of this

generosity, the situation in Malawi remains critical. Major shortfalls in

food, medicines and water supplies still exist. For example, over 50 per cent

of our food aid needs have not yet been met. We are also experiencing serious

problems in meeting costs for internal transportation, storage, fumigation.

water supply, health and nutrition. We therefore renew our appeal for more

urgent assistance to avert any further worsening of the situation.

In recent months serious guestions have been raised about Malawi's human

rights record. As a result, a number of our partners in development have

withheld or reduced support for the country's development programmes. In its

independence Constitution of 1964 Malawi recognized the sanctity of the

personal liberties enshrined in the United Nations Declaration of Human

Rights. Malawi continues to respect these personal liberties.

Malawi has gone even further. It is party to a number of human-rights

instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and

the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination Against Women. Malawi became a party to these important

instruments aware of its commitments as a member of the community of nations.

In a key address to the nation on the eve of the celebration of Malawi's

28 years of independence on 5 July 1992, our Life President,

Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda, reaffirmed the emphasis placed by the donor

community on human rights and good governance for development assistance. In

keeping with this commitment, Malawi has recently embarked on a vigorous

programme of action aimed at a transparent demonstration of its continued

respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, at the policy level and in

practice.

It is not possible, in the time available to me, to give a comprehensive

review of the Malawi Government's programme of action. I can only give a few

examples of the developments that have taken place so far.

As I speak, all political detainees in Malawi have been unconditionally

released. In addition, the Government of the Republic of Malawi has amended

the Preservation of Public Security Act with a view to giving all those

detained under the Act the opportunity to have recourse to the legal process

through an open court or a tribunal.

Secondly, the Malawi Government has invited the International Committee

of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit prisons and places of detention and to

interview inmates about their conditions and treatment. The Government of the

Republic of Malawi has agreed that it will be happy to work with the ICRC on

its recommendations. In a separate but related exercise, the Government of

Malawi has set aside funds to improve prisons as well as to speed up the

handling of any backlog of untried cases. To improve prison conditions

further, the Government is putting together a project proposal. We hope that

this project will receive donor support.

The Malawi Government has also recently amended the Forfeiture Act, which

was enacted to curb the plunder of the economy by unscrupulous businessmen.

However, in order to ensure that the practical application of the law is

consistent with the spirit in which it was enacted. Parliament has recently

passed an amendment with a view to allowing persons to be heard in their own

defence in the High Court before they are declared to be subject to forfeiture.

The Government of the Republic of Malawi has also initiated a dialogue

with the press to promote the exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of

the press. To improve the atmosphere further, last week our President

appealed to all Malawians to engage in constructive discussion amongst

themselves on issues of national importance.

My delegation wishes to reaffirm Malawi's continuing commitment to the

promotion of human rights and individual liberties and to assure our partners

in development and all others that the Malawi Government remains ready to

maintain a constructive dialogue with them on these questions.

Finally, I should like to thank the United Nations system and all the

friendly Governments and non-governmental organizations for assisting Malawi

in all its endeavours towards raising the standard of living of its people.