UNITED
NATIONS  GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
Remarks by
HIS EXCELLENCY MR. JULIAN R. HUNTE
PRESIDENT OF THE FIFTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF
THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AT
THE
ROUNDTABLE
POLICY CONFERENCE ON AFRICA'S
SECURITY, STABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT
The
City College of New York
Thursday, 26 February 2004
BUILDING THE FUTURE FOR AFRICA:
A potential Role for the African Diaspora
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Mr.
Moderator, President Gregory H. Williams, General Abubakar,
distinguished participants in this Policy Roundtable:
Good morning.
For
reasons of history, culture, heritage and solidarity,
I believe it important for a strong, mutually beneficial
relationship to be maintained between the countries of
the African continent and the African Diaspora in the
Americas and the Caribbean.
I
wish, therefore, to recognize the African Strategic and
Peace Research Group (AFSTRAG) and The Institute for Research
on the African Diasporas in the Americas and the Caribbean
(IRADAC) for organizing this policy roundtable conference
on " Africa's Security, Stability and Development",
focused on the role and contribution that the African
Diaspora and people of African descent can make. I thank
them for their invitation to participate in the Conference.
Africa
is a continent blessed with an abundance of human and
natural resources. Yet, for many countries on the continent,
the past decade has been one of exceptional challenge.
I believe that it is fair to say that every broad struggle
the United Nations is currently waging, whether to make
and keep the peace or to promote better standards of living
or to promote democracy and protect human rights and fundamental
freedoms is Africa's struggle. It is a struggle that has
left many African countries hard pressed to keep step
in a rapidly changing global economic environment. An
overwhelming debt burden, lack of access on fair terms
to markets for exports, a desperate need for the technology
required to compete, drought and desertification are,
as you know, some of the myriad challenges which Africa
faces.
The
media - crisis driven as it tends to be - has focused
our attention on yet other challenges. It has, for example,
reported on the number of governments that have been besieged
and even overthrown and the violent conflict and strife
that has flared up in virtually all areas of Africa. These
have left in their wake child soldiers, mercenaries, refugees
and displaced persons. In many instances, the conflicts
have shattered the economies of affected countries, exacting
enormous economic and social costs. A cloud of deadly
diseases, including HIV/AIDS hang, in particular, over
Sub-Saharan Africa. Even as Africa's needs grow more pressing,
levels of official development assistance keep falling.
Notwithstanding,
I believe that there is cause for optimism. As I presided
over the General Debate of the United Nations General
Assembly in September/October last year, I was struck
by the consistent listing of Africa's development as a
high priority both bilaterally and multilaterally, and
particularly through the United Nations system, by Heads
of State and Government and other high-level government
representatives from around the globe. Global leaders
continued to express strong support for decisive action
taken by the African Union (AU) as the foremost regional
organization for managing integration and other processes
in Africa.
The
New Partnership for African Development, NEPAD, launched
in 2001, received high praise as a framework designed
by Africa, for Africa's development. NEPAD's systematic
approach to mobilizing international assistance for Africa,
and harmonizing efforts in this area, gives clear indication
that Africa now owns its development strategies and priorities.
The initiatives of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General
and Special Adviser on Africa, headed by Ambassador Ibrahim
Gambari, to spearhead efforts to promote international
support for NEPAD, and for Africa's development generally,
is strongly supported by the international community;
it certainly has my support.
It seems clear that development holds the key to Africa's
security and stability, but that security and stability
are essential to Africa's development. Africa has, itself,
spurred United Nations action in these critical areas.
For example, a number of United Nations initiatives in
the area of peace and security on the continent have been
in response to Africa's call for action. Consolidating
democracy and improving standards of living have also
been priority issues for the African continent.
I
believe that we must all respond to Africa's call for
solidarity in its initiatives for socio-economic advances,
even as it adjusts to the new international economic realities,
and take action to restore the countries of the continent
to economic health. While overcoming debt and debt-servicing
commitments remain a challenge for many, and fair prices
for their commodities have not been forthcoming, economically,
some countries are growing. In many troubled areas, peace
- however fragile - is being maintained. And countries
in Africa are cooperating in a meaningful way.
This
conference is convened to meet the critical need for dialogue
on Africa's security, stability and development. If, as
it has mandated itself to do, it is to determine the most
appropriate role for the diaspora, all issues must be
addressed with candor. This means that we in the diaspora,
must ask ourselves a most important question, "What
does Africa mean to us?" If we look at the facts,
and determine that we can, and will make a difference,
the answer to the question becomes self-evident. The action
we take requires us not only to build bridges, but also
to take down barriers.
I
believe, in that regard, that the diaspora must strengthen
links with the countries of Africa at every level - social,
economic, political and cultural. Exchanges across these
areas will greatly assist our understanding of what each
needs to do to support the other.
I
believe that there is room for closer collaboration between
regional and other organizations in the Americas and the
Caribbean and those of Africa, in matters of mutual interest.
The diaspora can play a role here, particularly in respect
of contacts between organizations of civil society.
I
believe that the diaspora has a role to play in translating
general proposals for Africa's development, stability
and security into action, and in contributing to the implementing
of that action. This would include support for NEPAD and
other African development plans. The sector has a particular
role to play, in promoting business and foreign direct
investment.
In
short, Africa has guardianship over its own future. The
diaspora must be a willing partner with Africa in crafting
relationships that are mutually beneficial and that would
contribute to Africa initiatives for its security, stability
and development.
I
thank you.
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