Mr. President
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On
behalf of the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Lanka, I congratulate Your Excellency, on your election as the President
of the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly. Your proven
skills and charming personality leave no room for doubt, that under your
able leadership we will achieve our goals for this session.
Sri
Lanka is also pleased to endorse the theme proposed by you for this
year’s high-level debate “Adjustment or settlement of international
disputes or situations by peaceful means in the multilateral global
governance system” - a most appropriate theme in these trying times.
The
United Nations has provided the premier forum for 67 years for the
resolution of international disputes and the negotiation of landmark
global goals. In fact, many conflicting aspirations of Member States
have been reconciled through the intervention of the United Nations or
through the auspices of this august body and its agencies. Some
disputes, unfortunately, have taken time to resolve, or remain
unresolved, but overall, the results have contributed to longevity of
this institution. The United Nations provides an extensive range of
options for resolving international disputes and achieving common goals.
It is a forum for negotiations, it provides mediation options and good
offices, and it is where principled solutions are found. The
International Court of Justice provides the major judicial mechanism for
the resolution of inter-state disputes.
Mr. President,
In
the conduct of international relations, Sri Lanka, a founding member of
the NAM, firmly upholds the tenets of peaceful co-existence, mutual
respect for each others’ sovereignty and territorial integrity,
non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, and equality
and mutual benefit. Sri Lanka believes that in the settlement of
international disputes, action must be based on the fundamental
principle of sovereign equality of states, a principle firmly enshrined
in the Charter of the United Nations. The noticeable recent tendency to
selectively and arbitrarily intervene in the internal affairs of states
flies in the face of this principle and dilutes the confidence so
carefully nurtured in the UN system.
Mr. President,
The
global financial crisis has posed a major challenge to the entire
international community. It originated in the financial hubs of the
world and created serious existential challenges worldwide, in
particular, to developing countries. The cavalier attitudes of the
financial markets in developed countries, operating without proper
regulation, have resulted in the disruption of millions of lives and the
social fabric of many societies. The number enduring extreme poverty
has been augmented by millions. Full recovery from this crisis remains
an uncertainty, as unemployment and debt remain at unsustainably high
levels, complicated further by the devaluation of reserve currencies.
The cumulative impact of this financial meltdown in developed countries
has deeply impacted on the efforts of these countries to achieve
transformational socio-economic change and has also impeded progress in
realising the internationally agreed development goals, including the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
In
this context, it is of the greatest importance to ensure that any
strategies employed to achieve recovery, do not impose unjustifiable
burdens on developing countries, as they strive to achieve better living
conditions for their people. A recovery without uplifting the
developing countries simultaneously will be unsustainable. It is
paradoxical that it is the same countries where the financial crisis
originated, which now seek to provide policy prescriptions to others.
While the end result is still in the realm of uncertainty, global
discussions continue and the voices of developing countries are an
important element in this. Concerns expressed at these negotiations and
consultations must be reflected in any new policy guidelines adopted.
There cannot be a “one size fits all” approach. The views of all and the
experiences of the successful, especially the newly emerging economies,
must be taken into account.
It
is noted that many countries of the South have weathered the financial
storm successfully. The lessons learnt from the previous crises have
served them well and precautionary measures to minimize the negative
impacts of the current crisis have been taken. These experiences must
also be an important element in the eventual solutions developed. Sri
Lanka’s economy, which has been carefully managed during this period, is
one of the Asian economies which has recorded impressive gains. A
growth rate of 8.2% was achieved in 2011. Since
the end of the conflict in 2009, the areas formerly controlled by the
terrorists, the Northern Province, recorded a 27% GDP growth in 2011.
The exponential boom in agriculture and fisheries has contributed
substantially to this result.
A
significant aspect of the process of addressing the financial crises,
must be a restructuring of the global financial architecture. It is
important to note that global financial power has shifted over recent
times from the industrialized North to the power houses of the South. It
is imperative that the global financial institutions reflect these
tectonic changes in the international arena. They must now be reflected
in the global structures, including the UN, its agencies and other
multilateral institutions. The UN can play an important role towards
achieving this end.
Mr. President,
We
are at a significant juncture in human history when climate change
looms as the greatest challenge to the very existence of humanity. The
future of our children is at stake. Carbon Dioxide emission levels,
historically caused largely by a small number of industrialized
countries, have impacted adversely on the climate and have given rise to
global warming and climate change. It may be too late already.
Recurrent droughts, uneven rain, glacier melt, receding polar ice, sea
level rise, unusual weather patterns, all seem to suggest a global
environment in crisis. A substantial majority of scientists agree. Many
developing countries, including my own, are still struggling to regain
lost opportunities and improve the livelihood of their people while
staring global warming in the face. Our carbon footprint also remains
negligible. It is imperative that the developed world deliver on its
solemn undertakings to assist developing countries, as we seek the
common goal of arresting climate change caused by human induced causes.
The
North - South divide, ideological differences and resource gaps remain a
hindrance to global equity and the advancement of humankind. There are
vulnerable countries which are struggling to develop their national
infrastructures despite being handicapped by inadequate natural
resources, limited access to technology and a lack of opportunities to
engage in international markets. Our common challenge, and, here the UN
must play a central role, is to identify how we can formulate practical
common policies to achieve our social goals, reduce poverty and maintain
gender equity while protecting the environment for future generations.
The countries of the North have a major role to play here.
Mr. President,
The
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development- Rio+20, held in
June this year demonstrated the efficacy of the UN processes. It
resulted in a global compromise, including the acknowledgement of the
“common but differentiated” principle, and inspired hopes of securing
policy approaches to address the multifaceted and, sometimes
conflicting, developmental concerns in the context of environmental
sustainability. While the end result may not satisfy the lofty
expectations of all countries, including my own, it has provided a solid
foundation for us to persevere to achieve higher goals through a global
negotiation process. The advancement of these policies and approaches
is expected to further contribute to creating a sustainable world for
both present and future generations.
The
potential of the green economy will be less attractive if we do not
clearly understand its long-term consequences at a national level on
sustainable economic strategies. The transition to a green economy must
not generate negative externalities that would retard economic growth,
perpetuate societal inequity and poverty. Assistance to developing
countries under North-South Development co-operation mechanisms must
take into account global initiatives to mitigate the adverse
consequences of too rigid an application of green economic principles.
The efforts of developing countries themselves in this regard must be
recognized and further facilitated. My own country has successfully
conserved a significant percentage of its forest cover, almost 22% of
the land area, with the goal of increasing it to 35% by 2020. The use
of CFCs has been eliminated. We have also successfully ensured that a
herd of over 7,000 elephants still remain in the wild despite the hunger
for land by an expanding population. Our carbon foot print is a meagre
0.6 tons per head. Simultaneously, we will achieve the goal of energy
for all in 2012 while realizing a 20% saving through efficiency
measures.
Sustainable
Development Goals should not only have clear links to the MDGs, but
must also reflect emerging global development challenges. Mutually
agreed elevated SDG benchmarks would further stimulate development
partnerships especially in the form of South-South co-operation.
However, such partnerships must complement rather than be an
alternative, to North-South development co-operation.
As
Member States of the UN, we must respect the principles patiently
negotiated by the international community: the equality of rights, the
equal sovereignty of all States, and the right to development, as
underlined in the Rio+20 outcome document. The interests of the
developing world must be protected. Hence, no constraining conditions
should be applied to development models or approaches adopted by Member
States which could prevent the achievement of sustainable development
while eradicating poverty.
Mr. President,
The
middle-income countries are the main driving force for strengthening
our global economy. Sri Lanka’s balanced socio-economic policy
strategies propelled us to middle-income status a few years ago. As we
have repeatedly emphasized, the entry of
countries
to middle-income status does not by itself provide a resolution to the
issue of poverty and other developmental challenges.
The
success in achieving sustainable development worldwide depends on the
sustainable development measures of individual countries. Some specific
challenges require close attention and appropriate assistance within the
framework of international cooperation. In this regard, the
responsibility of middle-income countries to receive effective
international assistance should be re-enforced by the UN system and
other development cooperation mechanisms.
Mr. President,
I
wish to mention that Sri Lanka employs a unique development strategy
that empowers citizens, with special attention to social development
needs. It has continued to achieve transformational change in the lives
of its people by effectively mobilizing available resources and through
the delivery of sustainable and citizen-centered programmes. Sri Lanka
has emphasized synergistic interactions between healthcare and
education, public infrastructure development, including improved water
and sanitation, and transport and communication, especially under an
integrated regional development approach. We enjoy a 98% literacy rate
with the score for girls being higher. Our ICT literacy rate is
following a path of exponential growth. Cellular phone penetration is
over 100%. 85% of the population has access to potable water. We believe
that the investments, which brought these results, are essential if
states are to build a healthy, literate, productive and entrepreneurial
human resource base. The success of this strategy is reflected in Sri
Lanka's high-ranking in the human development index.
Sri
Lanka has achieved many of the MDGs and is on track to realise all of
them by 2015, including the eradication of poverty. Eradicating poverty
and improving the quality of life of our people has been the cornerstone
of social development policies in Sri Lanka over many decades. Sri
Lanka's key policy document, “Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the Future”,
has set specific targets to combat poverty within the MDG framework. A
range of projects has been designed for the eradication of poverty by
2016. Through “Gama Naguma” and “Divi Naguma” programmes we have been
addressing rural poverty eradication and ensuring food security. These
programmes continue to promote the concept of self-employment, directing
financial and technical assistance to youth and women in rural areas,
including those who suffered from the terrorist conflict. The absolute
poverty level in Sri Lanka declined to 7.6% in 2011 from 15.2% in 2005.
The per capita income increased from US$ 1,062 in 2004 to US$ 2,836 in
2011. To improve basic living standards, 4% of the GDP has been
distributed to qualifying households for providing education, health
services, food subsidies, food stamps and subsidized credit. Even during
the height of the conflict, the Government of Sri Lanka maintained
schools and hospitals in the conflict affected areas and food and
medical supplies were sent to these areas despite crashing artillery
shells and whizzing bullets.
The
contribution of women in Sri Lanka’s successful realization of most of
the MDGs is significant. Women, being literate, also encourage their
children to focus on education and aspire to higher goals. The
traditional knowledge of mothers on maternal health, coupled with their
educational background, has contributed significantly to reducing the
child mortality rate to 8.9 per thousand and the maternal mortality rate
to 39 per 100,000 live births. It is through the participation of
women, that Sri Lanka has been recognized for its achievements in the
WHO breastfeeding promotion and immunization programmes. I note with
pride that Sri Lanka produced the first elected woman Prime Minister in
the world in 1960.
Though
it was a challenging task for Sri Lanka to balance resource
mobilization while fighting a war against terrorism, our government has
launched many progressive programmes, especially on poverty reduction
and citizen empowerment. We have made genuine efforts to ensure that
the fruits of economic development are equally distributed and are
accessible, especially to the most vulnerable sectors of society. We
have ensured that social mobility is not confined to the privileged in
the towns and cities of the country, but penetrates deep into the rural
sector.
Three
years ago, our Government ended the terrorist challenge largely through
its own efforts. Sri Lanka is firmly committed to redressing the
grievances of all parties affected by the internal conflict.
After
the release of the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation
Commission (LLRC), an action plan to give effect to its recommendations
expeditiously has been adopted. A comprehensive National Action Plan for
Human Rights with specific time lines has been approved by the Cabinet
of Ministers. The Government has also proposed a transparent and
democratic process under a Parliamentary Select Committee to address
post-conflict reconciliation issues. This initiative has been
regrettably delayed by some opposition parties failing to nominate their
representatives.
Sri
Lanka exemplifies the challenges faced by a society emerging from the
shadow of a sustained conflict which spanned three decades, and entering
upon an era of peace and stability. The gradual diminution of these
challenges and the brevity of the period which has elapsed since the end
of the conflict, leave no room for doubt as to the degree of success
achieved by the Government of Sri Lanka in respect of a wide range of
issues relating to development and reconciliation. It is only about
three years since the conflict ended.
Prioritization
was a central feature of the government’s plan of action. The progress
on the ground during the last three years with regard to the
resettlement of internally displaced persons, (all internally displaced
persons have been resettled), the re-integration into society of
thousands of ex-combatants after exposure to programmes of livelihood
skills training which equipped them to earn their living with dignity
and independence, the rapid completion of the demining process, and the
unprecedented focus on infrastructure development leading to very
visible invigoration of the economy of the Island as a whole, and the
Northern Province in particular, is quite apparent.
The
experience of Sri Lanka demonstrates that, given the quality of dynamic
leadership and unwavering commitment which His Excellency President
Mahinda Rajapaksa provided, an effective political and military strategy
and strong rapport with all sections of the public, it is possible to
prevail against the most ruthless forces of terror. No one has greater
commitment to reconciliation in an all-inclusive spirit than the
government. Unhelpful external pressures that support narrow partisan
interests could easily derail the initiatives which have produced
substantial results and peace on the ground, as we begin a new and
exciting chapter in our country’s history.
Our
accomplishments are quite remarkable, considering that many developing
countries continue to struggle for equitable social development,
together with economic advancement. We are always ready to share our
experiences with other countries. What we have achieved is not only for
us but for all of humanity.
In
the international community’s quest to bring some semblance of equity
in economic development across the continents, we must maintain
increased focus on Africa, especially through South- South cooperation.
Sri Lanka is expanding its engagement vigorously with the region,
especially in matters relating to trade, investment, tourism and
technical assistance.
Mr. President,
All
our current endeavours should seek a stronger focus on children and
youth who are the custodians of our future. Therefore, empowering them
with marketable skills, including knowledge of new technologies and
vocational training, would enable them to be independent contributors to
our economy. Thus, a strong link between education and vocational
training policies has created a conducive environment where our younger
generation will drive the global development strategies.
We
have continuously supported UNGA resolution 66/6 and the need to end
the unjust economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba.
Unilateral sanctions of this nature, which harm ordinary people, should
have no place in modern international intercourse.
Terrorism
remains a scourge in the contemporary world, threatens our societies
and impedes the socio-economic progress of our people. As a country
which has emerged from ruthless and brutal terrorism, Sri Lanka
continues to resolutely support all multilateral efforts to enhance
peace and security, and eliminate all forms of terrorism. In our
collective quest to eradicate terrorism, the selective application of
principles and double standards must be avoided. Terrorism from wherever
it emerges, must be resolutely counteracted.
It
is established that terrorism has developed close links with
transnational organized crime in the form of cybercrime and identity
theft, environment related crime, maritime piracy, smuggling of migrants
and trafficking in persons and drugs. Maritime piracy has emerged as a
major threat to international sea-lanes and has added an additional
economic burden to global trade. Sri Lanka, as a trading nation for
centuries, supports all multinational efforts to counter this threat.
But it is to be remembered that piracy originates on land and any
solution to piracy must also address its causes on land.
The
illicit transportation of migrants to greener pastures overseas by
criminal networks requires our collective attention. The pull factors as
well as the push factors of this criminal enterprise must be examined.
Sri Lanka has now implemented a National Action Plan to counteract human
smuggling and trafficking. Sri Lanka also continues to cooperate
closely in this regard with our bilateral and multilateral partners. As a
member of the Bali process, we are committed to cooperation in capacity
building, the exchange of best practices and law enforcement
cooperation. At the same time we believe the necessity to share
information in good faith, acknowledging that a variety of national
interests of member countries is essential to counter the sophisticated
human smuggling rings.
One
long-standing issue that weighs on the conscience of the international
community and which needs our sustained collective attention, is the
restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Sri
Lanka fully supports the implementation of all relevant UN Resolutions
on Palestine that would pave the way for the achievement of Statehood
for the Palestinian people and bring lasting peace to the region. Sri
Lanka fully supports Palestine in its efforts to achieve full membership
in the United Nations.
Sri
Lanka unreservedly condemns the defamation of all religions and
religious leaders. While the right to free speech is fundamental to our
value system, that right should not be abused to hurt the feelings of
the faithful whether they are Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Hindus,
Jews or followers of other faiths. All available mechanisms must be
employed to prevent the defamation of all religions and the exploitation
of religious symbols for commercial purposes.
In
conclusion Mr. President, Sri Lanka is currently in the process of
making arrangements to host the World Youth Conference in 2014. The
primary objective will be the strengthening of youth inclusion in
national decision making processes in relation to the development and
implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. I extend an open
invitation to all fellow member States to join hands with us to make
this global event a success.
I thank you.
