The Gambia, 2012

I have the singular

honour of reading the statement of His Excellency

Mr. Al Hadji Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, the President of the

Republic of the Gambia, who would have loved to be

here today but was unable to so, owing to unavoidable

circumstances. However, he sends his best wishes to all

present. I will now read his statement.

“First and foremost, I thank Allah, the

Almighty, for making another annual gathering

of world leaders possible. I would first like to congratulate the President on his election and

wish him success in his tenure as he manages the

affairs of the Assembly. Let me also pay tribute to

the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his

tireless leadership and sterling contribution to the

creation of a better world for all.

“Our world unquestionably continues to be

plagued by numerous challenges that can be solved

only through our collective response. Multilateral

diplomacy and institutions surely offer the best

hope yet for tackling our development conundrums,

protracted conflicts and man-made and natural

disasters.

“Peace and security will always remain a

cornerstone of the Organization and for that reason

my delegation is concerned with the matter and

welcomes the President’s choice of the theme

‘Bringing about adjustment or settlement of

international disputes or situations by peaceful

means’.

“As we speak, many conflicts are raging around

the world in ways that challenge the credibility

and clout of the Organization. The paralysis

displayed by our common security mechanisms, for

example, is astounding. Geopolitical interests have

trampled the goodwill and humanitarian concerns

that should compel us all to address those raging

infernos — be they in the Middle East, Asia, Africa

or elsewhere. Our collective security will continue

to be undermined by geopolitical considerations,

unless and until we find the courage to reform the

Security Council. Ongoing conflicts, for example

in Mali, Guinea-Bissau and Syria, are all recent

cases in point. The Security Council should not be

the stumbling block in the way of the settlement

of disputes by peaceful or other means. Rather, it

should be a more helpful institution.

“My delegation is fully aware of the need for

the peaceful settlement of some of the conflicts

in Africa, but we are equally aware of the need

for robust action in dealing with the spoilers and

merchants of death and misery in the continent.

The Economic Community of West African States

is working to find solutions to all those conflicts

but needs, of course, the support of the international

community.

“We see the role of the Security Council as

a partner and enabler of decisive action, but time

is running out. The elements of doom have been emboldened by our inaction. The United Nations

and the United Nations Office for West Africa must

work decisively to address the conflicts in Mali

and Guinea-Bissau without delay. The engagement

of the African Union (AU) will undoubtedly be

crucial. Terrorists, drug dealers and organized

criminal networks should be stopped in their tracks

at all costs before it is too late.

“The relevance of the Organization has at times

been questioned, but one element that remains

unchallenged is its character as the best forum

for confronting global challenges. As we convene

to discuss the issues of climate change, economic

crises, financial turmoil, food insecurity, conflicts,

fighting disease and poverty, or the special interests

of Africa, the convening power of the United Nations

confers a legitimacy that is indeed unparalleled

elsewhere.

“As developing countries, we therefore believe

in the work that this Organization of ours does, and

it is for that reason that we will support the efforts of

the President of the General Assembly to revitalize

it — as the voice for the voiceless.

“We also use this forum to call on the

international financial institutions to open up

and embrace overdue reforms. They should be

transparent and inclusive and raise the profile

of their smallest members, such as low-income

countries or least developed countries (LDCs). We

call on them to embrace the Istanbul Programme of

Action for LDCs.

“The Istanbul Programme of Action must not

become a string of broken promises, unfulfilled

commitments and weak resource mobilization,

as happened with its predecessors. As LDCs we

are ready to hold ourselves accountable for the

implementation of the commitments we made in

Istanbul. We are equally ready to meet the targets set

out in the Programme. It is therefore our collective

hope, expectation and belief that our partners and

the rest of the international community will also

fulfil their commitments and uphold their part of

the bargain. Let us work together to bring about

the graduation of half of the LDCs by 2020, in line

with the target we set ourselves. It is achievable if

we all forge the appropriate global partnerships for

resource mobilization. “The scorecard on the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs) shows that, while some achievements

have been made with regard to some of the Goals, a

great deal still remains to be achieved. My country

has achieved some of the key elements of the MDGs

and is on track to meet all of them. In view of the

fact that 2015 is just around the corner, we need

to do more to mobilize the remaining resources

required to further improve the critical links needed

for success on the achievement of the MDGs.

“Critical to the achievement of the MDGs will

be the scaling up of resources by enhancing the

global partnerships that we have forged for the

Goals. We must mobilize the modest resources

that are needed so that 2015 will not be another

unfulfilled milestone.

“The United Nations Conference on Sustainable

Development (Rio+20) has defined the mechanisms

through which sustainable development goals

should be negotiated and agreed upon. It is our hope

that the consultations on the post-Rio mechanisms

will be inclusive, transparent and representative.

Beyond managing the depleting resources of the

Earth, we must all push for ambitious and realistic

goals and targets on sustainable food, water and

energy. We must also take into account the special

situations of LDCs and other vulnerable groups of

countries.

“My delegation is of the strong belief that, in

the euphoria for sustainable development goals, the

drive towards the achievement of the MDGs must

not be compromised in any way. We must hold

ourselves accountable for meeting the Goals by

2015, and not try to shift the goalposts when the

deadline is close at hand. We must also lay a solid

groundwork for the post-2015 development agenda.

“For developing countries to continue to benefit

from the appreciable growth they are experiencing

and in order not to compromise their capacities

to provide education, health care and other social

services to their peoples, debt cancellation or

forgiveness is still a key element. Debt servicing

still poses a major threat to our ability to attain

sustainable growth. It is our belief that our partners

and the Bretton Woods institutions should consider

the further extension of the Heavily Indebted Poor

Countries Initiative. “As we strive in the Sahel to deal with drought

and the crop failure of the past year, allow me

to thank the Secretary-General for his laudable

efforts, as we heard today, through his initiative

for the Sahel and for his plans to assist the region,

including Mali. We thank him for that initiative,

which we look forward to seeing realized. We also

thank all our development partners for the support

they have rendered, both to my Government and to

the Sahel. We are grateful for their solidarity and

humanitarian support. In view of the perennial

nature of food insecurity in our region, it is my

humble and considered view that the international

community needs to do more to render greater

support to the agricultural sector of our economies.

“The role of the small-scale farmer needs to be

boosted, and we must, through global partnerships,

fast-track the numerous agricultural initiatives that

have been announced to support African agriculture.

Agricultural systems across Africa need to be made

more resilient in terms of inputs, technological

know-how, scientific research and the setting up

of related training institutions. The African farmer

needs to benefit from modern farming techniques

and technology. In that context, I would like to

thank the Government and people of Australia

for their outstanding generosity towards boosting

agriculture and food security in Africa.

“With the establishment of UN-Women,

the United Nations took a great step forward

in mainstreaming the gender dimension into its

work. As an ardent supporter of women’s rights

and participation in all sectors of society, I must

commend UN-Women for the way it has been

evolving. We look forward to the establishment of

its regional offices. We will work with all concerned

to advance the promotion of the rights of women

and girls, once we assume our position as a member

of the Executive Board. Advancing the welfare of

women, which starts with girls as future women,

will always be a priority for my Government.

“Africa is indeed witnessing a revolution in

information and communications technology,

which is a critical sector for us. Our considered

view is that, with the completion of the Africa

Coast to Europe submarine cable network, there

will be an even greater transformation in that very

important sector. It should further help to increase the transfer of critical technology for the economic

advancement of our peoples.

“In that project we see a great opportunity for

South-South and North-South cooperation in ways

that will revolutionize education, agriculture and

the provision of health care, among other areas.

We therefore call on our partners to support the

growth of the information and communications

technology sector with a view to enhancing our

productive capacity, while also generating youth

employment, since youth unemployment is one of

the greatest threats to humankind and to our social

and economic advancement. We must therefore

form partnerships across the globe to address that

dangerous phenomenon, which is a disaster waiting

to happen.

“Allow me to address some recent conflicts

that threaten the peace and stability of Africa and

the world at large. Our youth, for example, are

being sucked into conflicts and a life of crime, with

their productive talents being wasted. Our modest

gains are being wiped out through instability, and

even our societal cohesion is seriously threatened.

If we do not act fast now, we risk creating more

upheavals, which will overwhelm our capacity to

contain them. The international community will

therefore pay a very high price if it does not wake

up from its slumber and solve the situations in Mali

and Guinea-Bissau that I highlighted earlier.

“In West Africa, our ongoing security

challenges are being compounded by such

situations. ECOWAS should not be left alone to

shoulder the burden of those conflicts. I am elated

by the fact that, this morning, the issues of Mali, the

entire Sahel and the Maghreb were discussed. The

AU and ECOWAS are ready, and I hope that the

international community, particularly the Security

Council, is also ready. The AU is ready to act to

salvage the situations in Mali and Guinea-Bissau.

The Security Council must, as I have said, act with

a sense of greater urgency. We cannot let terrorists,

drug dealers and organized criminal gangs establish

a sanctuary in our backyard.

“In line with our foreign policy, the Gambia

stands ready, as always, to contribute meaningfully

to the settlement of such conflicts. The level of

steadfastness shown in solving the conflicts in

Liberia and Sierra Leone some years ago must now, we hope, equally be shown in Mali and

Guinea-Bissau.

“The situation in Darfur continues to occupy

the attention of my delegation, as well. We call for

more dialogue in finding a lasting solution to that

major conflict. We are equally concerned about the

lingering conflict between the Sudan and South

Sudan. Dialogue is essential, and is the only way

forward to solve that conflict. The parties must

implement the recommendations of the African

Union High-level Implementation Panel and those

of the road map.

“As they embark on settling the outstanding

issues, we urge our brothers and sisters to

demonstrate the same magnanimity and

extraordinary statesmanship that characterized the

establishment of the independence of South Sudan.

They should remember that they will be neighbours

forever and, as such, are mutually dependent upon

each other for their national security.

“Let me commend the forces of the African

Union Mission in Somalia, the United Nations and

the African Union for the progress that they are

making in Somalia. The pressure must be sustained

until all of Somalia is liberated and is placed under

the sole authority of the Somali Government.

Insecurity and piracy must be stamped out. The

spoilers must be denied sanctuary, lest they continue

destabilizing the whole of the Horn of Africa.

“As we dwell on such situations, we are equally

concerned about the conflicts ravaging the Middle

East. Afghanistan, for example, has been in a state

of unrest for too long. It is time that Afghans be

given enough space and capacity to solve their

problems. Home-grown and inclusive dialogue and

national reconciliation are the best way forward to

lasting peace and stability in that country.

“We all witnessed the dramatic and historic

events that have recently transformed parts of the

Middle East and Africa. It is therefore our hope that

those transformations will endure and will nurture

the ideals of peace, security, development and

democracy. We must not lose sight of some of the

negative concomitant effects of those upheavals, as

is currently evident in Syria.

“My delegation believes that the Annan plan

could have brought about stability and could have provided the space for dialogue among the parties,

if it had been given a chance. It seems that there

is lack of goodwill and trust among the parties,

as well as the invisible hand of external elements

determined to achieve a particular outcome. Syria

is now a deeply divided society. The international

community is partly to blame on account of its

inaction.

“The Palestinian situation is indeed deplorable.

It has deteriorated to the point that a one-State

solution may be inevitable. In defiance of

international law, human decency and restraint,

Israel, the occupying Power, is imposing a de facto

situation on Palestinians through its despicable

settlement activity and land seizures. The sad

reality is that it is the mechanisms of the Security

Council, which are constantly invoked, that further

delay or stifle the action necessary to bring about

lasting peace in Palestine. Israel’s excesses,

namely, the land seizures, settlement activity, mass

imprisonment of Palestinians, denial of revenue,

maiming and murder of Palestinians by the State

apparatus and many others, must be halted. The

truth is bitter when told, but it will set us all free.

“Let me also address some burning political

issues of our time. The embargo imposed on Cuba

by the United States 50 years ago is still in place

for no justifiable reason. Even if perhaps it made

sense at the time, keeping it in place today does

not make any sense at all. It is shameful that, in the

twenty-first century, a Cold War relic remains the

main stumbling block between the establishment

of good-neighbourly relations and the rejection of

empty political cacophony in some quarters. We

therefore call upon the United States to lift the

embargo and throw it into the dustbin of history,

where it rightfully belongs.

“My delegation would also like to use this

rostrum to appeal to the collective membership of

the United Nations, including China, to contribute

to opening the avenues for Taiwan’s membership

in the various funds, agencies, treaty bodies

and programmes. That would only enhance the

effectiveness of those bodies for our mutual benefit.

The world, not only Taiwan, stands to benefit. We

all agree that Taiwan is a key player in technology,

international trade, politics and many other areas. It

has enduring ties with China. We therefore appeal

for the practical extension of the rapport that Taiwan has with China to the international stage. China

conducts trade, business and tourism with Taiwan.

As I speak, both are engaging in discussing a range

of bilateral issues. The rest of the international

community, including the States Members of the

United Nations, should follow suit. Avenues for

dialogue must be opened.

“The stalled reform of the Security Council

is disheartening and even dangerous. Year in and

year out, we come to the General Assembly. We

meet in various forums to discuss the issues. We

hold dialogues and exchanges and come up with

proposals. Then we get nowhere. I will mention

what Kofi Annan said at the time of launching his

well-known report “In larger freedom: towards

development, security and human rights for all”

(A/59/2005), namely, that no reform of the United

Nations is complete without the reform of the

Security Council. I think that is critical. It is as valid

now as it was when it was said seven years ago.

The resistance to change should come to an end.

The paralysis of the reform agenda must come to

an end. We cannot afford as a group to be in a state

of coma when larger regional interests, especially

those of Africa, are at stake and get shunted around

or jettisoned. Africa needs to be at the table and we

will not budge on that demand, as previous speakers

have said and as our heads of State have reiterated

here. We must reform or risk delegitimizing the

actions taken, and the decisions made, in the name

of our collective security.

“Allow me, at this point, to recognize the

appointment of His Excellency Mr. Jan Eliasson,

the new Deputy Secretary-General of the United

Nations. We have confidence in his abilities

and experience as an astute statesman. We are

also aware of his keen interest in Africa and his

engagement with our continent at various periods

in his diplomatic life. We therefore look forward to

jointly advancing the special needs of Africa with

him under the guidance of the Secretary-General.

“On a final note, it is my hope that the next

Presidents of the General Assembly will consider

other themes beyond that of peace and security,

although there can be no doubt that peace and security are critical. Where possible an intermarriage

of themes might also be considered.”

I wish all members a successful General Assembly

session.