BRIEF REMARKS BY THE HON.
VINCENT PEET, M.P.,
MINISTER OF LABOUR & IMMIGRATION AND
ACTING
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE
ON UNITED NATIONS DAY
MONDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2005
Excellencies,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Students.
Good Morning,
In October 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in California to agree on and adopt the Charter establishing the United Nations as the world’s primary body tasked with the maintenance of international peace and security and the promotion of economic and social development for peoples of the world. The establishment of this global institution was viewed as the catalyst for a renewed commitment to protect the world’s people from the horrors of cruel warfare. As cited in its preamble, the Charter states that “We the Peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind,…do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.”
Today, as we commemorate again this annual United Nations Day, The Bahamas reaffirms its unswerving commitment to this august body that remains steadfast in its obligation to maintain a peaceful world and improve the quality of life for mankind. The United Nations, in its pursuit of the ideals of peace for all peoples of the world, is resolute in its pledge to restore peace and security to many of the conflict areas. The on-going struggle between the Israelis and the Palestinians continues to gain the attention of the international community which is committed to bringing peace to the Middle East. Political unrest in countries like Sudan and Haiti has resulted in a dire humanitarian situation with an insufficient supply of food and drinking water and inadequate housing further exacerbating the problem of abject poverty and hunger.
In September 2000, Heads of State and Government adopted the Millennium Development Goals aimed at bringing about a more peaceful and prosperous world. To this end, the United Nations has established the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti to work with the transitional Government in that country for the restoration of the rule of law and public security. The recent devastation in Haiti has forced the Mission to expand its focus to include assistance in the distribution of basic food supplies for the thousands of persons left homeless after hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. In the Sudan, the United Nations has pledged its support to the African Union in its effort to strengthen the security presence in that country. Consequently, as an organization dedicated to ensuring respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the United Nations is endeavouring to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in that country.
Today, the United Nations is faced with a number of emerging priority issues. International terrorism undoubtedly, remains of paramount importance. The attacks earlier this year in Spain and just months ago in Beslan, Russian Federation, where hundreds of children were senselessly murdered, are stark reminders that the fight against terrorism is far from over. The Bahamas supports the existing work in the United Nations to bring an end to terrorism and applauds the efforts of the Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee mandated to assist countries in establishing a proper framework to combat the financing of terrorism.
In this the 59th Session of the United Nations General Assembly currently underway at its headquarters in New York, governments are engaged, once again, comprehensively in discussions to improve the work of the organization to ensure that it executes its mandate in an effective and efficient manner. The reform of the Security Council to constitute a more globally democratically representative body reflective of the make-up of the organization, and the restructuring of the work of the General Assembly to ensure that adequate time is allotted to crucial issues, are among the agenda items being considered.
In September 2005, world leaders will convene a special meeting to review the progress of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Although many developing countries are experiencing difficulty in achieving the targets adopted at the Summit, progress is nonetheless evident, as governments, developed and developing alike, recognize the need for increased cooperation in areas such as eradication of poverty, the flow of illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons, reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and in creating a clean and healthy environment for all peoples.
The recent climatic experience in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean region has reiterated the need for greater attention to be given to Small Island Developing Countries and low-lying coastal areas. The adverse impact of climate change has resulted in an increase in the frequency and intensity of hurricanes, reinforcing the concern of Small Island countries that they are extremely vulnerable to climate change and sea-level rise. In January of this year, The Bahamas hosted the Inter-regional ministerial preparatory meeting to review the Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. In January 2005, the United Nations will convene in Mauritius, the International Meeting to Review this Programme of Action to evaluate the progress made since the adoption of the Programme in 1994 and highlight the challenges facing island countries, with a view to identifying adaptation strategies and action to assist SIDS in building the requisite resilience to mitigate the impact of natural disasters.
The United Nations stands ready to assist us. Secretary General, Kofi Annan resolved in his United Nations Day message, “We all need an effective United Nations – one that can meet the challenges we will face tomorrow.” As we strengthen our resolve to make the United Nations better, we salute this organization for its tireless efforts in building a better future for us and for our children.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
25 October 2004
