The
Role of the United Nations
System in Supporting the
Efforts of African Countries
to Achieve Sustainable Development
Remarks
by Hon. David Kilgour
United
Nations Economic and Social
Council, Substantive Session
2001, High Level Segment
Geneva,
July 17, 2001
Mr. President,
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would first
like to congratulate the Secretary General
on his report regarding the contribution
the UN has made to Africa’s effort
to achieve sustainable development. What
the UN system can do to support Africa was
described clearly yesterday. As you stated
yourself, Mr. President, if our collective
destiny is tied to Africa’s, then we
have a responsibility to ensure that this
system is effective and consistent.
The UN’s
success in this area continues to be tied
to the efforts of the African peoples themselves.
This is why we salute the initiative taken
by African leaders to develop a truly African
sustainable development framework. Many
friends of Africa appreciate their commitment
to promoting peace, democracy and respect
for human rights, and to setting up transparent,
accountable governance systems founded in
law and capable of creating the conditions
necessary for sustainable development. The
will of the African leaders to establish
these conditions is most welcome.
Canada has
always been very committed to supporting
sustainable development and poverty reduction
in Africa. Promoting African interests in
institutions such as La Francophonie, the
Commonwealth and the UN remains a priority
for Canadians. This is why I can say with
complete confidence and pride that Canada
continues to be a committed partner to Africa
within the multilateral system.
Canada has
been especially active in three areas identified
as priorities in the Secretary General’s
report: conflict prevention, debt relief
and the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Mr. President,
our collective resources for conflict prevention
are limited; therefore, we have to clearly
identify our priorities. Indeed, it is more
logical to prevent conflict than to rebuild
afterwards. This is why Canadian cooperation
efforts are aimed at fighting the potential
causes of conflict, which are poverty, injustice,
violations of human rights and democratic
standards, environmental degradation and
crime.
The need
for integrated action is one of the central
themes of the Brahimi report. This document
provides an honest examination of the failures
of certain UN missions and offers a model
for restoring and strengthening the UN’s
peacekeeping capabilities.
The bitter
conflict in Sierra Leone, the brutalization
of its people and the destruction of its
infrastructure has deeply touched Canadians.
With others, we are working
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