In General Debate speech, Mozambique Foreign Minister highlights need for UN reform

Foreign Minister Oldemiro Baloi of Mozambique.

Photograph: UN Photo / Ky Chung

Citing a range of challenges to peace in Africa and elsewhere around the world, in his address to the General Assembly today, Mozambique’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Oldemiro Baloi, highlighted the need for reform of the United Nations, as well as the revitalization of the Assembly itself.

“The nature of the challenges that we face in the areas of international peace and security led us to affirm before this Assembly, the increasing relevance of multilateral mechanisms for the resolution of disputes or situations of conflict through peaceful means,” the Foreign Minister told the 67th Assembly’s General Debate, taking place at UN Headquarters in New York, noting that Mozambique took satisfaction that, throughout more than a half a century of its existence, the United Nations had reached “irrefutable achievements in maintaining peace, prevention and in the resolution of conflicts.”

“In order to effectively respond to the growing challenges to the resolution of conflicts, we are compelled to pursue, with more energy, the agenda for the reform of the United Nations system, the Security Council in particular and, the revitalization of the functioning of the General Assembly,” he added.

The Foreign Minister listed five areas which would underpin an approach for the reform of the two UN organs: a global strategic plan of action and a detailed program that addresses conflict situations; reinforcing the capacity of resource mobilization for peacekeeping missions; negotiating and implementing sustainable political solutions; engaging with a long-term perspective; and, the Security Council having a more proactive role in the solution of conflicts through the full implementation of the resolutions that it adopts.

“Thus, we reiterate the validity of the principles embedded in the United Nations Charter and of other international instruments that shall continue to be the main source of inspiration in the search for political and lasting solutions for the current conflicts,” Mr. Baloi said.

The Foreign Minister noted “with concern” tension and instability in parts of Africa, mentioning the situation in Madagascar, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, and in Mali. He also cited the issue of Palestine, conflict in the Middle East, the status of Western Sahara and the economic embargo against Cuba as other areas of concern for Mozambique.

Mr. Baloi is one of scores of heads of State and government and other high-level officials who are presenting their views and comments on issues of individual national and international relevance at the Assembly’s General Debate, which ends on 1 October.