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Zuma asks UN General Assembly to align with AU, SADC decisions

Zuma asks UN General Assembly to align with AU, SADC decisions
Written by Larry Moonze
Friday, September 25, 2009 6:08:20 AM

SOUTH African President Jacob Zuma has asked the UN General Assembly to align itself with AU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) resolutions that do not recognise governments that come into power by force or other unconstitutional means.

And President Zuma urged the General Assembly to adopt a consensus resolution in support of declaring July 18 as Nelson Mandela Day.

Addressing the 64th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, President Zuma said over the last 20 years, Africa had made much progress in working to end conflicts and to promote democratic practices and institutions.

"However, some pockets of conflict persist," he said.

President Zuma said South Africa had been engaged in mediation, conflict prevention and peacekeeping on the continent in, among others, Burundi, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said the African Union(AU) had the political will to resolve conflicts on the continent.

However, President Zuma said the AU lacked resources to run effective peacekeeping interventions and conflict prevention mechanisms.

"We appeal for support for African peace-making efforts, and for greater cooperation between the UN and the African Union," he said. "In this regard, we call on the UN General Assembly to align itself with AU and SADC resolutions that do not recognise governments that come into power by force or other unconstitutional means."

President Zuma said the search for global peace, stability and security could not be separated from the pursuit of justice, self-determination, human rights and economic development.

He said the inalienable human rights of all people must constantly be reaffirmed.

President Zuma called for the full and effective implementation of the outcomes of World Conference Against Racism and the subsequent Durban Review Conference.

"It is of concern that at the close of the first decade of the 21st Century, there are still nations that find their lands occupied and their people oppressed," he said.

President Zuma said urgent and concrete steps were needed to resolve the situation in Western Sahara.

"We must work with similar urgency towards the achievement, through negotiations, of a peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians," he said. "This must be based on the creation of a viable Palestinian state, existing side-by-side with Israel, within the 1967 borders, which are secure and internationally-recognised. We also call for the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba."

President Zuma said South Africa appreciated the recent pronouncements by some nuclear weapon states on their intentions to reduce their nuclear arsenals.

He called for a balance between the objectives of disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

On climate change, Zuma said for Africa, the impact of climate change was devastating and would severely undermine development and poverty eradication efforts.

"We need to act now to ensure that there is an inclusive, fair and effective global agreement on this critical challenge," President Zuma said. "The agreement must recognise that solving the climate problem cannot be separated from the struggle to eradicate poverty. Our goal should be to significantly reduce emissions across the globe without constraining development in the countries of the South. Developed countries must make ambitious, quantified, and legally-binding emission reduction commitments that are in line with science and that address their historical responsibilities."

He said the UN must continue to be at the centre of multilateralism.

But President Zuma said the UN needed to be reformed if it was to carry out its mandate effectively, efficiently and transparently.

"We remain committed to the view that no reform of the United Nations can be complete without the fundamental reform of the Security Council," he said.

President Zuma said the UN Security Council must be representative of the international community and must reflect the geopolitical realities of today.

"If the UN Security Council is not reformed, and does not have permanent representation for Africa, the legitimacy of the Council's decisions will continuously be questioned," he said.

President Zuma expressed his appreciation to the world for the celebration of the inaugural Nelson Mandela Day on July 18 this year.

He said scores of people engaged in a minimum of 67 minutes of voluntary action in the service of humanity, in honour of the icon, Mandela.

President Zuma said the Non-Aligned Movement had joined the call for the General Assembly to declare 18 July as Nelson Mandela Day.

"This is in recognition of President Mandela's contribution to the struggle for democracy and the cause of humanity, and to promote community service across the globe," he said. "In this regard, we hope that the General Assembly will adopt a consensus resolution in support of Nelson Mandela Day."

And President Zuma said South Africa was privileged to host the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup in the middle of next year which would be the first time that the tournament will be held on African soil.

"We look forward to hosting the peoples of the world who will enjoy unique African hospitality and vibrancy," said President Zuma.

Labels: AU, JACOB ZUMA, REGIONAL INTEGRATION, SADC, UN

posted by MrK @ 5:09 AM