Zambia, 1994

Let me join the

representatives who have spoken before me in

congratulating you, Sir, on your unanimous election as

President of the General Assembly at its forty-ninth

session. You represent a country, Côte d’Ivoire, which

has played and continues to play an active role in the

framework of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)

and in the United Nations. You bring to the presidency

vast experience in the area of international relations as

well as diplomatic skill and acumen, which puts you in

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good stead to steer the deliberations of the General

Assembly to a successful conclusion. You can count on

my delegation’s unqualified support and cooperation.

I also wish to express my delegation’s sincere

appreciation to your predecessor, His Excellency

Ambassador Samuel Insanally of Guyana, who presided

over the work of the forty-eighth session with great

distinction and rare personal attributes.

Our distinguished Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros

Boutros-Ghali, has continued to provide outstanding

leadership in the discharge of his duties. Zambia is

particularly grateful to the Secretary-General for his

untiring efforts in pursuit of world peace and security,

development and international cooperation.

The past year has been one of mixed blessings on the

international scene, a year of notable achievements and

failures. In the view of Zambia, the most positive

development of the year was the achievement of majority

rule in the Republic of South Africa. My delegation is

really delighted to see in our midst the delegation of a

democratic and non-racial South Africa, led by President

Nelson Mandela. President Mandela was the symbol of the

liberation struggle in South Africa and it is therefore

befitting that he, an icon of the liberation struggle, should

become the first President of a new South Africa.

The return of South Africa to the family of the United

Nations is without a doubt due to the tenacity,

uncompromising commitment and dedication of our

brothers and sisters in South Africa who bore the brunt of

the evil system of apartheid. At the same time, it cannot be

denied that South Africa’s victory over apartheid and its

rejoining the United Nations is a concrete manifestation of

the seminal role played by this Organization.

In order to consolidate the democracy achieved in

South Africa and address the negative social and economic

legacy of apartheid, substantial international assistance is

imperative. In this regard, Zambia endorses the appeal

made by President Nelson Mandela for international support

to South Africa to enable the effective implementation of

its reconstruction and development programme.

A democratic, peaceful and prosperous South Africa

will no doubt have a positive impact on southern Africa and

the African continent as a whole. Indeed, South Africa’s

contribution as a member of the Southern African

Development Community has already begun to be felt and

appreciated. It has, together with Botswana and

Zimbabwe, also played a highly commendable role in the

peaceful resolution of the constitutional problem in

Lesotho. We have every confidence, therefore, that South

Africa will contribute positively to the work of the United

Nations.

Africa has had a few other bright spots. We are

delighted with the peaceful resolution of the territorial

dispute between Chad and the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.

The positive developments in Burundi towards a peaceful

resolution of the long-standing conflict are commendable.

However, the situation remains volatile. There is

therefore a need to sustain international engagement.

With regard to Angola, it is indeed gratifying that

the talks between the Government of Angola and National

Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA),

which have been taking place in Lusaka, Zambia, for the

past eleven months under the chairmanship of the United

Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative,

Mr. Alioune Blondin Beye, have made tremendous

progress. We therefore look forward to a successful

conclusion of the talks by the end of October, culminating

in the signing of a peace agreement, by the middle of

November 1994, on the basis of the Bicesse Accords, and

the pertinent resolutions of the Security Council.

In this regard, we take this opportunity to commend

both the Angolan Government and the UNITA delegation

for their seriousness and commitment to the task of

finding a peaceful solution to their country’s fratricidal

war. We also thank the observers to these talks, namely

the United States, the Russian Federation and Portugal.

Sustained international assistance to Angola will be

necessary in the post-agreement era and Zambia will

continue to assist the people of Angola during this period.

In Mozambique, we look forward to the holding of

the first multiparty elections, scheduled to take place on

27 and 28 October. We commend the Mozambican

Government and RENAMO for committing themselves to

the United Nations peace initiative and to the Rome

Agreement. We applaud the role that the United Nations

has played through its peace-keeping efforts and in

helping to prepare the people of Mozambique for the

forthcoming elections. As a gesture of solidarity with the

people of Mozambique, Zambia has made a modest

contribution to the United Nations peace-keeping

operation.

14

In Malawi, we welcome the recent peaceful and

democratic transition to a multiparty system of government.

We endorse the appeal made by President Bakili Muluzi for

international assistance to consolidate democracy and to

assist in the reconstruction of the country. My Government

also commends the technical and advisory services provided

by the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat of the

United Nations.

Zambia welcomes the positive trend towards

democratization on the African continent. Why should

Africa democratize? Africa should democratize because it

is our firm belief that democratic systems of government

promote good governance, transparency and accountability

in the administration of public affairs, independence of the

judiciary, and respect for human rights and the rule of law.

These qualities lay a firm basis for peace and stability and

are thus conducive to sustainable development. We would

therefore urge all of our development partners to take

account of all these positive developments in the

formulation of their development policies towards Africa.

They should also endeavour to explain to their taxpayers

the significance of these democratic changes and their

correlation to sustainable development. The electorates of

the North must be made to appreciate that it is in their

enlightened self-interest to support developing countries.

There is now much hope in Africa. Indeed, Africa, in the

long run, holds the promise of a positive and prosperous

future.

In the Middle East, we welcome the positive

developments in Palestine following the agreements and

declarations between the Palestine Liberation Organization

(PLO) and Israel, as well as between Jordan and Israel. It

is our sincere hope that progress can also be achieved in

the negotiations with the Syrian Arab Republic and

Lebanon. International assistance is urgently required for

the reconstruction, rehabilitation and other essential needs

of the Palestinians.

We commend the efforts deployed by the leadership

of the PLO and of Israel, their tenacity and their

determination to work for peace. We also commend the

crucial catalytic roles played by the United States of

America and the Russian Federation as co-sponsors of the

talks. The Kingdom of Norway also deserves our gratitude

for its contribution to the peace talks. The sustained

support and commitment of the Arab League to the peace

process also merit special mention.

On the other hand, negative developments abound in

Africa and elsewhere on the international scene. These

conflict situations continue to defy durable solutions

through dialogue, reconciliation and negotiation, in stark

contrast with the exemplary cases I have just cited.

Thus, in our region, the civil wars in Liberia,

Rwanda, Somalia and the Sudan torment us all because of

our aversion to fratricidal and ethnic violence and the

serious humanitarian crises they have engendered. In this

connection, Zambia also strongly condemns ethnic

violence wherever it occurs, including in Bosnia and

Herzegovina.

We deplore the further deterioration of the situation

in Liberia. We regret the lack of progress towards

disarmament, demobilization and general elections. We

appeal to all the parties to commit themselves to the

Cotonou and Akosombo Peace Agreements. We also

wish to stress the need to maintain the Military Observer

Group of the Economic Community of West African

States (ECOMOG) in Liberia and to provide it with the

requisite logistical support.

As for Rwanda, we and the entire world community

have been deeply shocked by the genocide and the most

dehumanizing spectre of violence in that country,

resulting in one of the worst humanitarian and refugee

crises in the history of mankind. Zambia has expressed

its strong condemnation of the genocide and mindless

violence in Rwanda. We strongly feel that those

responsible for the massacres must be brought to trial

through an international tribunal. Conditions of peace,

security, stability and confidence should be created in

Rwanda in order to facilitate the repatriation of refugees

from overburdened neighbouring countries. We hope that

the new Government will commit itself to carrying out its

declared intention to work for reconciliation, rehabilitation

and reconstruction in Rwanda. Substantial assistance for

humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction purposes

is thus crucial. The neighbouring asylum countries also

need assistance.

The role and efforts of the United Nations

Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) in creating

conditions of stability and security in the country are

crucial. We therefore deeply regret the delay in the

deployment of UNAMIR troops to the level of 5,500 in

accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions.

In this regard, African countries have been ready and

willing to send sufficient troops. However, the major

constraint has been inadequate logistical support.

15

As a token measure, Zambia has contributed a

peace-keeping contingent of civilian and military personnel

to the UNAMIR operation, thanks to the generous logistical

support, in materiel, from the Netherlands. Furthermore,

the Zambian Peace Corps, a non-governmental organization,

has organized activities to raise funds to purchase

medicines, food and other humanitarian requirements for

the displaced people in Rwanda.

We remain concerned by the continuing crisis in

Somalia and by the lack of progress. We note, however,

the genuine efforts being deployed to resolve the crisis.

Notwithstanding the difficulties, we strongly believe that

the continued presence of the United Nations in Somalia is

critical.

In Sudan, the continuing civil war and factional

fighting in the south and the deteriorating human rights

situation nationwide are a cause of serious concern to us in

Zambia. We urge the parties to reach a negotiated

settlement.

As to Haiti, Zambia reaffirms its support for the

efforts of the Organization of American States and the

United Nations to restore democracy and respect for human

rights there, in accordance with the relevant Security

Council resolutions.

With regard to Cuba, we reaffirm our belief that the

time has come for the economic, commercial and financial

embargo against Cuba to be lifted. We hope that our two

friends the United States and Cuba will resolve their

differences peacefully. In this regard, we are encouraged

by the recent dialogue between the two countries.

Zambia attaches great importance to the role of

regional organizations in addressing conflict situations. In

this respect we note with satisfaction the increasingly active

role played by the Organization of African Unity (OAU),

including at regional and subregional levels, to address the

root causes of conflicts and to prevent, manage and resolve

them.

In particular, in June of last year the OAU established

a mechanism for the prevention, management and resolution

of conflicts in order for Africa to deal effectively with

conflict situations on its own. For too long and too often,

Africa has relied on external assistance to resolve its

conflicts. The time has come for Africa to handle these

situations resolutely. Conflicts continue to sap Africa’s

energies, to waste its scarce resources and to retard its

development. They must be eliminated in order to create

an environment conducive to economic and social

development.

Zambia therefore appeals to the international

community to contribute generously to the OAU Fund

established to sustain the Mechanism for Conflict

Prevention, Management and Resolution. International

support is critical to the effective implementation of this

important initiative. It is warranted by the fact that the

United Nations, through the Security Council, exercises

primary responsibility for the maintenance of international

peace and security.

It is now evident that peace and development not

only are interrelated but are indivisible. This has been

brought into prominence by the comprehensive reports of

the Secretary-General entitled "Agenda for Peace" and

"Agenda for Development". Indeed, in a number of

conflict situations poverty and deprivation have been the

underlying causes. There is, therefore, a compelling case

to bring development and related issues to the centre

stage of the United Nations, in order to promote the cause

of peace in its most comprehensive perspective.

We therefore welcome the Secretary-General’s

preliminary report on the "Agenda for Development". My

delegation fully supports the views of the Group of 77 on

this subject, as reflected in its Ministerial Declaration of

30 September 1994. In particular, an Agenda for

Development must be action-oriented and focus on the

economic growth and development of the developing

countries, especially the least developed amongst them.

The Agenda for Development must strengthen the role of

the United Nations in the area of international economic

policy-making and coordination.

Africa is in economic crisis. It continues to face

grave economic difficulties. Africa therefore needs a

favourable international economic environment for the

promotion of investment flows, increased official

development assistance, technological transfer, improved

trade opportunities and better terms of trade. Africa

further needs a viable and comprehensive solution for its

huge debt burden. Such a debt strategy should include

debt cancellation. In this regard, we fully support the

positions of the Group of 77 and the Non-Aligned

Movement.

Zambia welcomes the conclusion of the Uruguay

Round and the Agreement to establish the World Trade

Organization (WTO) with effect from January of next

year. It is our expectation that the World Trade

16

Organization will promote a non-discriminatory and

predictable trading system and protect the rights and

interests of the developing countries.

In view of the increasing economic disparity between

the developed and the developing countries, the WTO will

not start on a level playing field. In this connection, it is

the strong view of my delegation that the implementation

of the Uruguay Round must be monitored constantly to

ensure that the interests of developing countries are

adequately protected. Compensation should be provided to

those developing countries that are facing difficulties,

particularly the least developed.

Let me now address Zambia’s economic and political

situation. On the economic front, we have followed,

resolutely, a credible macro-economic reform programme

whose main objective is to promote growth with stability

based on an equitable allocation of resources. The main

policy thrusts of the programme include strict control of the

money supply and credit, with the aim of keeping inflation

to minimal levels; liberalization of the economy with

greater reliance on market forces; and implementation of

the privatization programme, through which previously

State-owned enterprises are to be turned into private

concerns in order to reduce direct Government participation

in the economy.

Although these measures are expected to yield positive

results in the long run, they have had some short-term

negative effects, such as a drastic reduction in employment

levels in the formal sector, a decline in income level, and

a marked increase in both the level and the intensity of

poverty, especially in the rural areas and among the

vulnerable segments of the population. To cushion the poor

from these adverse effects of economic adjustment, a social

safety net has been created to assist those who lose their

jobs or who are unable to meet their basic needs or obtain

social services. It is going to be a long haul, but the

Zambian Government is determined to rise above these

challenges.

I should be remiss if I did not express gratitude to all

our development partners for the economic, financial and

technical support rendered to our country. The support

provided Zambia by our development partners will serve to

underpin our structural adjustment programme, to which our

Government remains committed. More importantly, such

assistance will help to consolidate our democratization

process, which we initiated in 1991 with the reintroduction

of plural politics. In this regard, my delegation is pleased

to assure the international community that Zambia’s

democratization process remains firmly on course.

There is a strong connection between the plan of

action adopted at the Cairo Conference on Population, the

World Summit for Social Development, to be held in

Copenhagen early next year, and the World Conference

on Women, to be held in Beijing, next September. The

World Summit on Social Development will be an

opportunity for the international community to renew its

commitment and political will to effectively address a

number of social and economic problems.

The contribution made by women to development

efforts is very clear, although it is often underestimated.

We therefore look forward to Beijing’s programme of

action, which we trust will ensure the full and equal

participation of women at all levels of human activity.

With regard to the environment, the international

community is faced with the major challenge of giving

practical effect to the concept of sustainable development

as reflected in Agenda 21. To do this, effective

international cooperation is vital. In particular, practical

steps must be taken to provide access to appropriate

technologies and to mobilize new and additional financial

resources for the countries in need: the developing

countries. My delegation therefore calls on the developed

countries to fulfil the solemn commitments undertaken at

the Rio Earth Summit. At the same time, the task at hand

is global and must thus be shared globally. It involves

individuals, community groups, non-governmental

organizations, Governments and financial institutions. In

the language of the Earth Summit, "common but

differentiated responsibilities" (A/CONF.151/26 (Vol. I)

Principle 7) is now imperative.

Zambia attaches high priority to environmental

issues. As a reflection of our commitment, we have

formulated a National Environmental Action Plan aimed

at integrating environmental concerns into our

socio-economic development plans. We have taken

deliberate measures to increase the level of public

awareness of environmental issues, particularly through

the active involvement of non-governmental organizations

and community groups.

My Government is firmly committed to the

promotion and protection of human rights and

fundamental freedoms. We believe that it is the duty and

responsibility of all Governments to do so, regardless of

their political, economic or cultural systems.

17

In the aftermath of the Vienna World Conference on

Human Rights, we should work to implement its important

recommendations. Accordingly, my delegation will support

genuine efforts in this direction during the current session.

My delegation welcomes the establishment of the Office of

the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the

appointment of Mr. José Ayala Lasso to this high office.

Mr. Lasso has already proven his suitability for the

appointment, and we commend his important initiatives

concerning human rights situations in Africa and elsewhere.

My delegation also supports the strengthening of the United

Nations Centre for Human Rights in Geneva.

My Government has also established a Human Rights

Commission, which is responsible for investigating alleged

human rights violations in Zambia, including those

committed prior to the reintroduction of plural politics in

1991. In the spirit of our policy of transparency, the

Government will publish the Commission’s findings in a

report to be made available to the general public. Zambia

is thus firmly committed to the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights and to other relevant international covenants

and instruments.

In the area of disarmament and arms control, my

delegation strongly supports efforts to accelerate the

elimination of nuclear weapons and to conclude a

comprehensive test-ban treaty. We also fully support the

review and extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty

(NPT), which is scheduled to take place next year.

However, we share the view that any extension of the NPT

should be linked to progress on nuclear disarmament and to

the conclusion of a comprehensive test-ban treaty.

Zambia welcomes the significant progress achieved in

the Geneva negotiations on a comprehensive test-ban treaty.

We further support the case for a convention on

conventional weapons and welcome the introduction of the

United Nations Register of Conventional Arms with a view

to promoting transparency and confidence-building.

Zambia welcomes the successful conclusion during the

forty-eighth session of the General Assembly, of the

agreement relating to the implementation of part XI of the

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which

opened the way for the universal acceptance of the

Convention and its provisions.

Let me now turn to the United Nations itself. As we

meet in this session on the threshold of the fiftieth

anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, we have

to recognize that the fundamental meaning of the United

Nations Charter has remained unchanged; that the United

Nations has undergone periods of both triumph and

disillusionment; that the United Nations is still an

international organization for the people as well as of the

people and it is therefore supposed to be a democratic

institution. It is now time to reflect on a United Nations

that will serve mankind for another 50 years after 1995.

It will have to be a new United Nations, one which will

suit the exigencies of the twenty-first century. It will be

necessary to sharpen the mechanisms that were

established to give effect to the declared principles and

purposes of the Charter. It is only by going through this

metamorphosis that our Organization will be able to adapt

to a changed and changing environment, to new demands,

new opportunities and new challenges.

In this connection, my delegation is of the

considered view that expansion of the membership of the

Security Council is extremely important. Regions of the

world, such as Africa, that are not represented at the level

of permanent membership should be so represented. It

will, therefore, be incumbent upon those regions to agree

on which country or countries should represent them as

permanent members.

Apart from dealing with the Security Council, we

must fashion the United Nations in such a way as to

accord a central role to issues of the development of the

developing countries. The Economic and Social Council

should therefore be attuned to meeting this challenge. We

would like to see a stronger Economic and Social Council

with a mandate adequate to coordinate the policies of all

development programmes and activities, as well as the

activities of the specialized agencies, including the

Bretton Woods institutions, for the promotion of sustained

economic growth and development.

We now live in a world in which there has been a

major recasting of international relations ranging from

political to economic, environmental to humanitarian

issues. In this new atmosphere, the United Nations is the

linchpin of our collective security, the repository of our

hope for progress and prosperity. In this atmosphere, the

United Nations has no greater contribution to make in the

service of its ideals than to help the world find its way

from the era of fear from which we are emerging into a

time of hope and progress for all mankind.

We wish this great creation more success for the

betterment of the entire world.