UNITED
NATIONS  GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
STATEMENT BY
THE
PRESIDENT OF THE FIFTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
H.E. MR JULIAN R. HUNTE
AT THE
THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE
INTER-REGIONAL PREPARATORY MEETING TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE BARBADOS PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR
THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF
SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES
26
JANUARY 2004
Mr Moderator,
Honourable Prime Minister, Mr Minister of Health, Mr Minister
of Foreign Affairs and other Colleague Ministers, Mr Under-Secretary
General and Secretary General of the SIDS Conference, Mr.
Under-Secretary General, Mr. Secretary General of CARICOM,
Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:
I wish
to begin by expressing sincere appreciation to Prime Minister
Christie and the Government and people of The Bahamas for
the excellent arrangements they have made for this important
meeting and for the gracious hospitality they have extended
to us.
Turning
to the matters at hand, I am reminded of the saying that
"Leadership is action, not a position". As President
of the United Nations General Assembly - and myself a representative
of a small island developing state, St Lucia - I have come
to this Interregional Preparatory Meeting here in Nassau
to actively support the process leading up to the SIDS +
10 Conference to be convened in Mauritius in August of this
year. That Conference also has my strong support.
Representatives
of all the stakeholders in the SIDS initiative are here.
It is the first time since the momentous Barbados Conference
ten years ago that SIDS from all regions - the Caribbean,
the Mediterranean, the South China Sea, and the Atlantic,
Pacific and Indian Oceans - are joined by their partners
to take up matters of critical concern to SIDS. Other States,
donors, organs and agencies of the United Nations system,
regional and international organisations, civil society
and the private sector are here. Such wide-ranging representation
must auger well for the success of this Interregional Preparatory
Meeting.
This
Meeting is a decisive step on the road to Mauritius. It
is here that we will evaluate the findings and recommendations
of the preparatory meetings held in the three regions. From
these findings and recommendations, we will begin to craft
the collective position we will recommend to the international
conference in Mauritius. This position must be one that
will reenergize and give new momentum to national, regional
and international initiatives for the sustainable development
of SIDS.
I believe
that this process can only be advanced, including through
the Commission on Sustainable Development, the preparatory
body, if our assessment is frank and forthright. We have,
indeed, made progress. It cannot be disputed, however, that
the international community has fallen short in implementing
the goals and objectives of the Barbados Programme of Action.
International action has been noticeable, but not noteworthy.
Our
assessment will show that the SIDS took up the challenge
- a considerable number of the tasks set out in the Barbados
Programme of Action have been carried out by the SIDS themselves,
including through their regional organisations. Action at
the national and regional levels is critical, but in itself
is not sufficient. International cooperation is essential.
For although issues affecting SIDS are critical to them,
their sustainable development is not simply a SIDS issue.
It is a global issue, in much the same way that the development
of SIDS is impacted by developments in the global system.
I believe that our review will also show, in particular,
that the dramatic events and significant changes that have
taken place in the world since the Barbados Programme of
Action was adopted have profoundly impacted the sustainable
development of SIDS. Globalisation and trade liberalisation
have not yet proved to be a viable solution to the economic
problems of a majority of the SIDS, and in many cases have
compounded them. Regrettably, we live in a world where the
rights of shareholders in a multinational corporation can
be considered to have priority over the rights, for example,
of banana growers in the Eastern Caribbean. Consequently,
entire economies can be thrown into virtual collapse to
protect shareholders rights.
The
agricultural products that financed the development of many
SIDS - sugar, bananas and cocoa among them - have been damaged,
some beyond repair, under competition subsequent to the
dismantling of preferential arrangements, in line with the
agreed rules of the World Trade Organisation. Market access
is not readily available for the products of SIDS. The SIDS
have articulated a case for special and differential treatment
that is urgently needed, but so far their advocacy has not
yielded the desired results.
Natural
disasters such as hurricanes, typhoons, and tidal waves
can and do cripple entire economies in a few hours, severely
impacting the vital tourism industry into which many SIDS
have diversified. That very industry, however, has the potential
to damage fragile ecosystems. SIDS are exceptionally vulnerable
to climate change - international cooperation must be forthcoming
to address this critical issue. Transportation and communications
can heighten isolation and remoteness, and can significantly
increase energy and other import costs. Debt and the continuing
decline in levels of official development assistance also
weigh heavily on SIDS. Still, the international community
has yet to conclude a vulnerability index that would that
would take these matters fully into account in determining
the stage of development and level of development needs
of SIDS.
International
trafficking in drugs and in small arms and light weapons,
and the threat of terrorism and other transborder crime
have created urgent problems for many SIDS, especially those
like The Bahamas that are archipelagos. Many SIDS, particularly
those in the Caribbean, also face the new and growing health
and development challenge of HIV/AIDS, so destructive to
small populations. Access to affordable medicines is critical.
Addressing these challenges draw heavily on national budgets,
and can effectively disrupt even the most well planned development
strategy. Yet, good governance dictates that governments
act decisively to eradicate poverty and to achieve economic
and social progress for their people, in line with the Millennium
Development Goals.
This
is not to say that SIDS have not enjoyed a measure of success
in their development efforts - a number of them have performed
well. Many are also highly visible and influential on the
international stage. Conscious as we are to the loss of
many of our best and brightest to the industrialised countries
because we cannot afford to sustain them, their achievements
speak tellingly of the SIDS from which they come.
This
Interregional Preparatory Meeting has serious and vital
issues to address, and time is not on our side. Mauritius
is only a brief period away. I would say that we have adequately
analysed and diagnosed the challenges facing SIDS. It is
now time to empower SIDS to implement policies and programmes
that would put them on the straight path to sustainable
development.
We
act most effectively when we act together. Together, we
must draw on the commitments made in respect of the United
Nations development agenda at the International Conference
on Financing for Development, the World Summit on Sustainable
Development and the expected outcome of UNCTAD XI, to be
held in Brazil in June of this year. Together, we must support
our regional and interregional organisations including AOSIS,
which have done much to articulate the goals and aspirations
of SIDS, and strengthen the United Nations Secretariat organs
that support SIDS.
Together
we must ask and answer the critical questions arising from
the outcomes of the three regional meetings that would permit
us to set meaningful priorities. Commitments including pledges
of support must be clearly defined so that they may be matched
with goals and objectives. Our agreed outcome must focus
on solutions that are action-oriented, within timeframes
and directed to specific partners for implementation. Importantly,
we must marshal the political will to make and keep commitments
to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Barbados
Programme of Action. This must be our goal in Mauritius.
I give my commitment, as President of the General Assembly,
to do all I can on behalf of a cause that is close to my
heart and to yours.
I thank
you.
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