unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (10/03/89)
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY. GENERAL DEBATE
Posting Date: 09/30/89 Copyright UNITEX Communications, 1989
UNITEX Network, USA ISSN: 1043-7932
The Assembly meets this afternoon to continue its general
debate. Scheduled to speak are the Foreign Ministers of
Somalia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Belgium, Israel, Brunei
Darussalam and Oman.
The President of the Assembly, JOSEPH N. GARBA (Nigeria), called
the meeting to order at 3:09 p.m.
The first speaker, ABDURAHMAN JAMA BARRE, Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Somalia, said the achievement of the United Nations
in the realization of the hopes of colonized peoples in Africa,
Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific and elsewhere for independence
was historic. However, there were still forces that opposed the
inalienable right of peoples to self-determination and were
blocking their emancipation. There were numerous examples of
violation of human rights by the brutal forces of occupation and
repression. The total elimination of all forms of colonialism
must continue to be a high priority of the United Nations in
order to ensure justice and freedom for all peoples.
He went on to speak of the need for a global struggle against
hunger, disease, deprivation and illiteracy. Somalia was deeply
concerned that most of the developing countries continued to
remain outside of the mainstream of progress achieved in the
world economy in recent years, he said. In most of Africa, for
example, per capita incomes had continued to fall. Many of the
poorest countries had become even poorer. Unemployment in the
developing world had increased enormously. The debt crisis
continued unabated. He referred also to a resurgence of
protectionism and the stagnation of official development
assistance (ODA) and said an even complex dimension of
development crisis had emerged with accelerated degradation of
the global environment, often caused by acute poverty. Thus,
developing countries continued to remain prisoners to a system
which remained outside their control.
He said the required acceleration of growth in the world economy
and the integration of the developing countries in that process
in an effective and long-term manner required a supportive
international environment. That should include an increased net
flow of resources on concessional terms to developing
countries. The reactivation of growth in the developing
countries would also depend on their ability to solve the
serious debt burden. That acute problem must be addressed in an
integrated and comprehensive manner without any further delay.
Calling for enhanced international efforts to reactivate the
growth and development of the least developed countries, he
emphasized the importance of the Second United Nations
Conference on the Least Developed Countries scheduled for 1990.
That Conference should adopt a substantial plan of action for
the sustained development of the least developed countries for
the next decade.
Foreign Minister BARRE of Somalia went on to urge a more
effective implementation of commitments by developed countries
to allow full realization of the objectives of the United
Nations Programme of Action for the Recovery and Development of
Africa, 1986-1990. The socio-economic crisis that engulfed many
developing countries had been further exacerbated by developments
that strained their capacity to survive, he said. Somalia, for
example, had become the host of a large number of refugees, who
were given asylum at considerable cost to the national economy
and social development.
The refugees had been experiencing drastic shortages of food,
medicine and other relief aid, and there was a need for a
long-term refugee programme. The decision recently made by the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the
World Food Programme (WFP) to suspend food aid to refugees was
unjustified and would have serious implications for their
survival. Humanitarian assistance must not be linked with
political considerations. Pending a long-term solution, the
international community must continue to provide the refugees
with the humanitarian assistance they needed.
He said Somalia's efforts to promote socio-economic growth and
development was further impeded by the grave humanitarian
situation that had developed in some of its northern districts.
Besides the loss of human life, caused by attacks against
Government installation and administrative centres by armed
bandits, the situation resulted in a massive displacement of the
population and widespread destruction of public and private
property. Somalia was grateful to the Secretary-General for his
prompt decision to dispatch a fact-finding mission to assess the
humanitarian needs of the affected population, and he thanked
the mission for the diligence with which it had carried out its
work.
A great deal of international assistance would be required but,
unfortunately, the response of the international community so far
had not been adequate. He appealed for the necessary support so
that the programme for rehabilitation and reconstruction, as
recommended by the United Nations Mission, could be fully
implemented.
He said disarmament was a moral imperative in this nuclear age,
requiring dialogue and meaningful negotiations, and expressed
grave concern over the continuation of the conflict in the
Middle East. He said the courageous uprising of the people of
the West Bank and Gaza was an eloquent reminder that there would
be no peace in the region unless the legitimate rights of the
Palestinian people were fully restored.
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