Suriname, 1999

First of all, I would like to

extend to you, Sir, my warm congratulations on your

election to the helm of our General Assembly at its fifty-

fourth session. We are confident that, in view of your

long experience in the affairs of our Organization, we

may look forward to a fruitful and constructive year for

the work of the General Assembly and its Main

Committees.

Allow me also to thank Mr. Didier Opertti, who led

the General Assembly at its fifty-third session with

remarkable distinction and efficiency.

To the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, we wish

to express our sincere gratitude for his dynamic leadership

and his continued efforts to promote durable peace and

security.

Furthermore, I would like to join previous speakers in

welcoming the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru

and the Kingdom of Tonga as new Members of the United

Nations family.

The ongoing globalization process has increased the

influence of markets, benefiting a small group of countries,

their corporations and people. At the same time, it has

marginalized the majority of developing nations, in

particular the small and vulnerable ones, undermining

decades-long efforts by these countries to create economic

well-being, social justice and sustainable human

development.

It has, furthermore, eroded trade preferences and

challenged and undermined the basic principles of

international cooperation. It has also eroded international

commitments to financing for development through the non-

fulfilment of agreed targets of official development

assistance and through the reduction in contributions to the

core resources of the different programmes and funds of the

United Nations system.

The drop in prices of primary commodities to their

lowest level in a century and a half and the reduction of

official development assistance have brought many

Governments in developing countries face to face with the

dangers of not being in a position to address in a

satisfactory manner the just socio-economic demands of

their respective peoples. In many cases, this has triggered

social unrest and political instability and hampered efforts

to achieve sustainable development.

Access to financing for development has been

rendered more difficult, since the flow of private capital

resources has been limited to certain regions and to a few

developing countries, resulting in a further widening of the

gap between developed and the majority of developing

countries. As a consequence of this widening gap, poverty

continues to rise, leading to increased migration,

environmental deterioration, political conflicts and

instability, which eventually will have long-term negative

consequences not only for developing, but for developed

countries as well.

The international community therefore has a moral

obligation to ensure that these negative influences of

globalization are contained so that the benefits of

globalization are shared among all nations. It must also

guarantee special and differential treatment to small,

vulnerable developing countries in the international

system. Such treatment must, specifically, extend to the

financial, monetary and trading system, in order to

support these countries in successfully adjusting to the

demands of globalization.

The traffic in illegal drugs has become a serious

threat to the national security of many nations, in

particular the small and vulnerable ones such as

Suriname, because it promotes violence, corruption,

money-laundering and illegal arms trafficking. In this

way, countries can be manoeuvred into dangerous waters

and be accused of interference in the internal affairs of

others. It has become practically impossible for Suriname,

with its limited resources, to combat this scourge on its

own. We are therefore actively pursuing bilateral

agreements with friendly nations to assist us in this

difficult task. In this context, I would mention the

agreement on cooperation in maritime law enforcement

which we recently signed with the Government of the

United States of America. We will continue to work

closely with our neighbours, with friendly nations and

with the relevant regional and international institutions to

contribute to the ongoing fight to eradicate this evil from

our region.

The information superhighway, the Internet, is

nowadays the means of choice for the exchange of

information, with a great impact on the social and

economic life of the international community. This new

form of technology offers great possibilities for

accelerated development in many fields. At the same

time, however, we should note that the development of

this technology involves the risk of further marginalizing

vulnerable economies.

In addition to the positive effects of the Internet, we

see that the adverse effects on trade, the ever widening

gap in the field of education, the threat to social and

cultural values and the abuse of this technology by people

with malicious intentions often cause great concern in

third world societies. I am convinced that in applying

innovative technology, equal attention should be given to

the negative effects for societies with limited or no access

to it.

I therefore urge the United Nations to ensure that

this disparity, with its far-reaching consequences in the

socio-economic, educational and cultural fields, is

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eliminated by augmenting the availability of and access to

this technology. Furthermore, it is of great importance to

set up a legal framework to prevent the abuse and crime

which can emanate from use of the Internet.

The Surinamese Government is of the opinion that its

foreign policy must be fully at the service of its social and

economic development. In our view, the State should no

longer fulfil the role it has traditionally performed of

bearing full responsibility for development strategies and

acting as a dirigiste and sometimes even as a welfare State:

development requires a State which is effective, fulfils the

role of catalyst and facilitator, and encourages and

complements the activities of the private sector.

Good governance is not a luxury, but an absolute

necessity. In addition, I should say that without an

effectively operating State it would be impossible, from

both the economic and the social points of view, to

implement a policy for sustainable development. For

development does not presuppose that there will be only the

appropriate economic, social and technical inputs: in today's

world, sustainable development and welfare can be attained

only if regulations in a country are supportive so that the

State can contribute to the effectiveness of the intended

development.

It is my Government's objective to develop our natural

resources in cooperation with identified partners in the

international community in such a manner that the

environment and the ecosystem will be preserved for future

generations. In this light, may the unique decision by

Suriname to offer almost 10 per cent of its territory as a

gift to humankind by creating a nature reserve of nearly

1.16 million hectares, serve as an example. The

environment and its biodiversity shall, especially in this

nature reserve, always be fully protected.

The Government of Suriname is convinced that

effective democratic structures are fundamental to a

satisfactory enjoyment of democracy, so conditions have

been created for the fullest development of Suriname's

citizens. Since the beginning of its period of administration,

the Government has devoted itself to strengthening

democratic institutions and anchoring the rule of law. Law

and justice, and effective institutions to implement them,

are the basis for the comprehensive and balanced

development of the nation.

My Government's policy is aimed also at promoting

and safeguarding fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Thus, we are creating ideal conditions for the optimal

employment of human and natural resources in the

interests of the development of our nation. We realize that

democracy, development, peace and social progress do

not enjoy special attention only within the borders of

Suriname, but that the international community, more

particularly the United Nations, thoroughly examines,

promotes and safeguards them.

On 25 May 2000, the Surinamese people will decide,

through general and free elections by secret ballot, on the

appointment of a national Government at the highest level

of State. My Government and the independent institutions

designated by law are engaged in preparations for the

approaching elections. In this respect, we know we have

the support of the Organization of American States and

the United Nations, as well as other international

organizations. Talks on possible financial assistance by

the European Union are in a phase of conclusion. The

primary goal of the Government is to hold general and

free elections, with the greatest possible care, by secret

ballot, and once again to confirm to the world Suriname's

excellent reputation in this field.

Our world is closing this millennium, in which

humankind has made enormous progress in science and

technology, enhancing its capacity for its own security

and survival. The millennium has been an era of untold

human suffering caused by wars waged between and

within States, with the means capable of destroying all

that which the human race has so far achieved. It has also

been an era in which many developing countries gained

constitutional independence. Unfortunately, however, it

has not brought them economic independence and hence

actual decolonization. Consequently, their full

participation in developments relating to the formation of

economic blocs was seriously impeded.

This millennium has also seen the birth of a unique

world Organization, the United Nations, to assist us in

overcoming the threat of complete destruction. Let us

allow this unique instrument to assist humanity in

achieving its noble desire for a peaceful world — a world

with equitable economic, trade and development systems;

a world with a protected and safe environment and

ecosystem; a world in which human rights and

fundamental freedoms are protected, promoted and

guaranteed to all its citizens; a world with adequate

development opportunities for everyone; a world in which

human potential can be fully developed, irrespective of

race, sex, creed or religion; and a world from which all

tendencies and signals regarding recolonization originating

from former colonizers are banished.

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Let us all, upon entering the new millennium,

contribute wholeheartedly to these noble goals.