UNITED
NATIONS 
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
REMARKS BY
THE
PRESIDENT OF THE FIFTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
H.E. MR JULIAN R. HUNTE
AT
THE
SPECIAL
SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS
12-13 JANUARY 2004
Mr
President, esteemed Heads of States and Government, Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We
in the Americas have reaffirmed, in the Inter-American
Democratic Charter, that democratic governance is the
right way to order our affairs, both as nations and as
a hemisphere. As a member state of the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) and one whose Prime Minister has lead responsibility
within CARICOM for Justice and Governance, St Lucia was
particularly pleased that this important accord was agreed
in a CARICOM State, Barbados. Indeed, for the countries
of CARICOM, democracy and respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms are common and intrinsic values,
which is why we strongly support hemispheric initiatives
in this area.
Democratic
governance is a continuous process that must be nurtured
and sustained. Let us, therefore, be forthright about
the factors that advance and hinder our democracies, or
that can put them under pressure. We are, for example,
challenged to continue our vigilance against deadly terrorist
attacks. We must continue to ward off the deleterious
impact of illicit trafficking in drugs and in small arms
and light weapons and the organised criminal networks
that control them. We must continue our determined efforts
to confront money laundering and corruption.
As
globalisation and trade liberalisation lead the way in
reshaping the world's economic landscape, we must confront
the inequities in the global economic system that seriously
threaten the well-being of a significant number of developing
countries, including countries in our hemisphere. The
Monterrey Consensus, adopted at the International Conference
on Financing for Development here in Monterrey in 2002,
is among the significant responses to current development
challenges. Keeping the commitments made must feature
in our efforts in the Americas, as should support for
the outcomes of the Millennium Summit and the Johannesburg
Sustainable Development Conference. Small Island Developing
States of the Americas also require hemispheric support,
as the Programme of Action for their sustainable development
is reviewed at an international conference in Mauritius
in August of this year.
We
have a solid foundation that underpins democratic governance
in the Americas. In addition to our Democratic Charter,
we may cooperatively address many of the significant issues
that challenge us, such as arms trafficking and corruption,
by signing, ratifying and implementing hemispheric treaties.
Civil society is speaking with an increasingly clear voice
to articulate people's expectations of those that govern,
and emphasising their role as responsible partners in
nation building.
This
is an opportune time for us to renew our commitment to
work together, in every aspect of the Americas process,
to ensure that we effectively address issues such as poverty,
unemployment, debt and deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS,
and other ills sorely affecting the region. In this way,
we will consolidate the significant gains we have made
and buttress democratic governance, and thus ensure peace,
economic and social progress and stability in our nations
and in our hemisphere.
Let
me conclude, Mr President, by commending you on your chairing
of this meeting and though you, the Government and people
of Mexico for the excellent arrangements made for this
meeting.
I
thank you.
