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COMMISSION HEARS FROM DIGNITARIES FROM DENMARK, SENEGAL, GHANA, NICARAGUA, CAMEROON, ANGOLA AND EQUATORIAL GUINEA
17 March 2005
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Commission on Human Rights
MIDDAY
17 March 2005
The Commission on Human Rights held a midday meeting today during which it heard statements from senior officials from Denmark, Senegal, Ghana, Nicaragua, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. The speakers outlined national efforts to promote human rights and spoke about issues such as the reform of the Commission.
Carsten Staur, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Denmark, said the Commission should address human rights violations wherever they occurred, and do so in a spirit of cooperation and understanding. The Commission should not be barred from performing its duty by politically motivated abuse of procedural devices such as no action motions.
Mame Bassine Niang, Minister and Commissioner for Human Rights of Senegal, said Senegal remained convinced that the Commission on Human Rights, while it could be improved, should continue to constitute the center around which nations efforts for human rights were focused.
J. Ayikoi Otoo, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Ghana, said States that were firmly rooted on the road to democracy, good governance and respect for human rights needed to be encouraged through "democratic dividend". Money should be put on programmes and activities at the country level that would consolidate the democratic and human rights gains in developing countries.
Mauricio Diaz Davila, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, said the Government of Nicaragua had taken a series of measures to improve the living conditions of its people. Freedom for all and equality for all were the accepted norms to achieve the values required by the Constitution. Solid cooperation with the international community and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was essential for Nicaragua in its efforts in promoting and protecting human rights.
Laurent Esso, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cameroon, said all human rights were universal and interdependent. The full realisation of human rights was intimately linked to the enjoyment of economic and cultural rights, including the right to development. Advances made in the field of protection of human rights should be accompanied by measures to annihilate all forces of destruction or negation of humanity, such as the terrorist phenomenon.
George Chicoty, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Angola, said Angola continued to adopt measures for the defense of the most vulnerable sectors of its society, including children, women and older persons. Two national campaigns had been conducted to register children, and efforts continued in inaccessible areas.
Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea, Vice Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, said peace was essential if human rights were to be guaranteed and developed, but mercenaries thwarted the attempts to do so. Global evils such as the use of mercenaries to destabilise legitimate Governments in order to seize natural resources cast into question one of the basic premises of the United Nations, peace and security for all. A solid condemnation of terrorism and mercenaries was called for.
When the Commission concluded its midday meeting at 3 p.m., it immediately started its afternoon meeting during which it will conclude its high-level segment.
Statements
CARSTEN STAUR, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Denmark, said last year, Denmark had suggested transforming the Commission into a permanent body on human rights. The proposals of the High Level Panel on reform were not on the agenda for the current session of the Commission, but the report presented an interesting analysis of the work of the United Nations inter alia in the field of human rights. It had noted that in recent years the Commission’s capacity to perform its tasks had been undermined by eroding credibility and professionalism. This was an important, though depressing observation to be kept in mind by all. The answer to the problem was not less action, nor no action. On the contrary, the Commission should address human rights violations wherever they occurred, and do so in a spirit of cooperation and understanding. The Commission should not be barred from performing its duty by politically motivated abuse of procedural devices such as no action motions.
States were accountable to the Commission and the treaty bodies set up under the human rights conventions, as well as the Special Procedures established by the Commission. These mechanisms should be independent and effective. They were mandated by the international community to assist States in implementing human rights. These States should cooperate with them in good faith and take their recommendations seriously. The prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment was a peremptory norm of international law. Notwithstanding the absolute nature of the prohibition, attempts had been made to legitimise certain aggressive interrogation measures, and this was a mockery.
The unconditional prohibition of torture also applied in the fight against terrorism. Security should not be used as a pretext to undermine the fundamental rights enshrined in international human rights and humanitarian law. The protection of human rights and respect for the rule of law should be at the centre of counter-terrorism strategies if these strategies were to have lasting success. Human rights were under pressure, and the Commission was expected to make full use of the current session to reassert its firm commitment to the promotion and protection of these rights.
MAME BASSINE NIANG, Minister and Commissioner for Human Rights of Senegal, said Senegal remained convinced that the Commission on Human Rights, while it could be improved, should continue to constitute the center around which nations efforts for human rights were focused. All States must demonstrate commitment and the patience to work in a stormy atmosphere at times. But the challenge must necessarily be faced, and commitment to the struggle for human rights must be maintained.
Senegal maintained its commitment to human rights. Strengthening the rule of law, intensifying democracy and developing a sustainable culture of peace and tolerance were among the objectives considered priorities by the Government. The Government had always made it a point of honour to resolve conflicts peacefully, for which had prompted efforts undertaken recently to resolve the regional conflict in Casamance. Peace accords had been signed on 30 December 2004, and the region had now entered the period of reconstruction. Legislative reforms had also been undertaken in recent years, including to affirm new rights such as the right to equal access to public services and the right to belong to the political opposition, and to increase protection for minorities, disabled persons and women. The President had also announced his intention to abolish capital punishment and the National Assembly had adopted the law on this on 10 December 2004.
Senegal had always participated in efforts to promote peace, including within the sub-region of West Africa. As the most massive violations of human rights occurred in situations of war, Senegal, in addition to its work to improve the protection and promotion of human rights at home, also followed an external policy of respect for the virtues of dialogue and tolerance. And it was due to the emphasis on protection of human rights that the rules governing the international community had undergone a qualitative change in recent years, with regard to issues such as the erosion of national sovereignty and the establishment of permanent and ad hoc judicial institutions. The shrinking world, which made the promoted economic and financial exchanges, had also reinforced new forms of solidarity among humanity. However, protection and promotion remained an eternal process, and the world continued to face new challenges, including political instability and social misery. Therefore, the defense of human rights could benefit from a new, more encompassing and preventive approach.
J. AYIKOI OTOO, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Ghana, said the story of human rights in the contemporary world had been one of curtailing State power and expanding the horizons of liberty for men and women everywhere in the world. It was a titanic clash between those with deep and abiding faith in peace, freedom and justice, and those who placed power and dominance above human values. The expanding human rights obligations to citizens were fast eroding State sovereignty and sovereign immunity. Another defining reality was the ever-increasing range of crimes, deemed to be crimes against the entire human race, under the more recent international human rights instruments.
Ghana had drawn appropriate lessons from its recent history and was working hard to strengthen its fledgling democracy. Since 1996, it had successfully conducted three democratic elections, which were judged by international monitors to be free, fair and peaceful. The Government had committed itself to the promotion of good governance and the rule of law in Ghana. To expand participation in governance, the populace, to represent the interests of the electorate, recently created new constituencies, which resulted in the election of more members in Parliament. It was noteworthy that more female deputies were elected in the December 2004 elections. Ghana was among the first wave of countries that offered to be reviewed by the African Peer Review Mechanism, established under the NEPAD to ensure democracy and good governance. The review had been completed and Ghana was awaiting the report so that it could take the necessary follow-up measures.
States that were firmly rooted on the road to democracy, good governance and respect for human rights needed to be encouraged through "democratic dividend". Such tangible fruits for their efforts would spur others on to the road of democracy and respect for the rule of law. Money should be put on programmes and activities at the country level that would consolidate the democratic and human rights gains in developing countries. It was also not enough to complain about corruption and resource leakages from poor developing countries. One needed to work collectively to refuse to create safe-havens for wealth stolen from poor countries that were often stashed away in banks in the developed world. Therefore, active steps taken to return such stolen wealth to the people to whom it belonged would be a significant step that would immensely contribute to the realization of the right to development in the developing world.
MAURICIO DIAZ DAVILA, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, said the Nicaraguan Government and people had laid down the foundation for the promotion, protection and strengthening of human rights. The President of the Republic had launched a programme and a policy against corruption, believing that corruption affected the human rights of the people. The Government had also put in place a series of norms of a legal and administrative character in order to guarantee the human rights of the vulnerable segments of the society, such as children, women, indigenous peoples and migrants. Of great interest to the Government was the social aspect of migrants of diverse countries.
The Government of Nicaragua had taken a series of measures to improve the living conditions of its people. Freedom for all and equality for all were the accepted norms to achieve the values required by the Constitution. One could not aspire freedom only for the few. The task should be for the full and effective implementation of the development programmes, which would attribute to the strengthening of human rights. The solid cooperation with the international community and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was essential for Nicaragua in its efforts in promoting and protecting human rights.
Nicaragua had passed through a difficult time in its efforts to consolidate its democratic process. In 2004, the Government had regretted the assassination of two journalists. Their killing had created a bad precedent for the country in matters of respect for the right to freedom of opinion. The Government would take all the necessary measures to bring the culprits to justice so that they received a fair trial.
LAURENT ESSO, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cameroon, said the annual meeting of the Commission was far from being just a ritual. It was an expression of the common will to evaluate the progress made in the implementation of freely-entered-into engagements in the field of promotion and protection of human rights. It was an immense task and of great urgency and importance to improve or at least to redress certain situations putting at risk the rights of the human person. All were responsible in the area of human rights: public or private organizations, even on a collective or individual level. The issue of human rights was part of the agenda of the international community, and the Commission promoted international cooperation in this field.
The current session of the Commission would have more impact because it would not only allow States to draw up assessments, but would also allow them to evaluate what had been successful and to draw up the main areas of action for the implementation of the inalienable requirements of human rights. Whether these rights concerned education, health, or the protection of the environment, despite genuine awareness, progress was still awaited. Worsening poverty was accompanied by growing inequalities in many developing countries. This and other inequalities caused frustration, a fertile ground for violence and terrorism. In order to ensure the conditions for development that were necessary to ensure global peace, the international community needed to show more solidarity and needed to respect engagements that had been undertaken.
All human rights were universal and interdependent. The full realisation of human rights was intimately linked to the enjoyment of economic and cultural rights, including the right to development. Advances made in the field of the protection of human rights should be accompanied by measures to annihilate all forces of destruction or negation of humanity, such as the terrorist phenomenon. The fight against these scourges should, however, only take place in a context of respect for fundamental legal standards. In the new millennium, the Commission should have as the main goal to bring the international community as a whole to elaborate the best possible strategy to take action with maximum efficiency upon the challenges that were evident in the field of human rights.
GEORGE CHICOTY, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Angola, said the Angolan Government remained engaged in the fight for human rights, as the August 2004 visit of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for human rights had testified. The Special Representative had freely visited three provinces and had met with a variety of governmental and civil society actors. The Government had also accepted to receive the Special Rapporteur on housing in September/October 2005, whose visit would also involve an assessment of sanitary conditions, the provision of clean water, electricity and other infrastructure in a country that had been devastated by war.
Angola continued to adopt measures for the defense of the most vulnerable sectors of society, including children, women and older persons. Two national campaigns had been conducted to register children, and efforts continued in inaccessible areas. The Government, in conjunction with the United Nations Children's Fund, was preparing to launch a third campaign with particular emphasis on those areas. Moreover, the national programme to combat HIV/AIDS included the holding of a first national conference at which measures for education, information and training on sexually transmitted diseases had been recommended. While much remained to be done to achieve equality between the sexes, women were increasingly involved in managerial positions, and in the political life of the country. Furthermore, a national conference on protection of and assistance to older persons had also been held in November 2004. In these efforts, civil society, churches and non-governmental organizations had participated actively.
Democratic institutions and the independence of the judiciary were being strengthened as the Government recognized that peace and democracy remained basic to the reconstruction and development of the country. The Government had drawn upon the principles of tolerance, fraternity and solidarity, and national budgeting reflected that. In 2004, social spending had ranked second only to administrative expenditures, while in 2005, those numbers would further improve with both administrative and social expenditures amounting to more than 23 per cent of the budget. The holding of elections was also considered essential to the consolidation of democracy, and the Government had established an intergovernmental commission to prepare for elections in 2006. An electoral commission was also to be established. Externally, priority issues for Angola included implementation of the outcomes of the World Conference against Racism and realization of the right to development.
RICARDO MANGUE OBAMA NFUBEA, Vice Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, said the Government of Equatorial Guinea was determined to promote, protect and contribute to the fulfilment of human rights in the country and to cooperate with the United Nations system in the field of human rights to contribute to world achievement of human rights. It was an internationally integrated State that sought to live up to its obligations under international agreements. The Government’s programmes and activities in this respect had resulted in positive results which had been brutally cast into question in March 2004 by mercenary action, with complicity with outside agents with external funding, searching to curb the people’s right to self-expression. The threat to the peace of Equatorial Guinea continued to exist, and those who had funded the mercenary activities had not yet been brought before the authorities in their countries. The Government therefore called for cooperation and assistance from the international community through the exercise of police and judicial measures to seek, detain and try those who funded the thwarted invasion of the country.
Peace was essential if human rights were to be guaranteed and developed, but mercenaries thwarted the attempts to do so. A new millennium had been entered into that was marked by profound changes to national and international life, and the full implication of this could only be sensed. Global evils such as the use of mercenaries to destabilise legitimate Governments in order to seize natural resources cast into question one of the basic premises of the United Nations, peace and security for all. A solid condemnation of terrorism and mercenaries was called for.
Since the last session of the Commission, the Government of Equatorial Guinea had made significant progress in the field of human rights, jointly with various international organizations. There were major changes underway in the country in many areas. Despite progress, work still remained to be done so that the people could fully enjoy their rights although the international situation did not encourage political and economic stability due to the threats of terrorism. The Government would continue to work for a democratic society where all profited from the superior values contributing to a peaceful existence.
* *** *
For use of the information media; not an official record
MIDDAY
17 March 2005
The Commission on Human Rights held a midday meeting today during which it heard statements from senior officials from Denmark, Senegal, Ghana, Nicaragua, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. The speakers outlined national efforts to promote human rights and spoke about issues such as the reform of the Commission.
Carsten Staur, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Denmark, said the Commission should address human rights violations wherever they occurred, and do so in a spirit of cooperation and understanding. The Commission should not be barred from performing its duty by politically motivated abuse of procedural devices such as no action motions.
Mame Bassine Niang, Minister and Commissioner for Human Rights of Senegal, said Senegal remained convinced that the Commission on Human Rights, while it could be improved, should continue to constitute the center around which nations efforts for human rights were focused.
J. Ayikoi Otoo, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Ghana, said States that were firmly rooted on the road to democracy, good governance and respect for human rights needed to be encouraged through "democratic dividend". Money should be put on programmes and activities at the country level that would consolidate the democratic and human rights gains in developing countries.
Mauricio Diaz Davila, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, said the Government of Nicaragua had taken a series of measures to improve the living conditions of its people. Freedom for all and equality for all were the accepted norms to achieve the values required by the Constitution. Solid cooperation with the international community and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was essential for Nicaragua in its efforts in promoting and protecting human rights.
Laurent Esso, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cameroon, said all human rights were universal and interdependent. The full realisation of human rights was intimately linked to the enjoyment of economic and cultural rights, including the right to development. Advances made in the field of protection of human rights should be accompanied by measures to annihilate all forces of destruction or negation of humanity, such as the terrorist phenomenon.
George Chicoty, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Angola, said Angola continued to adopt measures for the defense of the most vulnerable sectors of its society, including children, women and older persons. Two national campaigns had been conducted to register children, and efforts continued in inaccessible areas.
Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea, Vice Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, said peace was essential if human rights were to be guaranteed and developed, but mercenaries thwarted the attempts to do so. Global evils such as the use of mercenaries to destabilise legitimate Governments in order to seize natural resources cast into question one of the basic premises of the United Nations, peace and security for all. A solid condemnation of terrorism and mercenaries was called for.
When the Commission concluded its midday meeting at 3 p.m., it immediately started its afternoon meeting during which it will conclude its high-level segment.
Statements
CARSTEN STAUR, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Denmark, said last year, Denmark had suggested transforming the Commission into a permanent body on human rights. The proposals of the High Level Panel on reform were not on the agenda for the current session of the Commission, but the report presented an interesting analysis of the work of the United Nations inter alia in the field of human rights. It had noted that in recent years the Commission’s capacity to perform its tasks had been undermined by eroding credibility and professionalism. This was an important, though depressing observation to be kept in mind by all. The answer to the problem was not less action, nor no action. On the contrary, the Commission should address human rights violations wherever they occurred, and do so in a spirit of cooperation and understanding. The Commission should not be barred from performing its duty by politically motivated abuse of procedural devices such as no action motions.
States were accountable to the Commission and the treaty bodies set up under the human rights conventions, as well as the Special Procedures established by the Commission. These mechanisms should be independent and effective. They were mandated by the international community to assist States in implementing human rights. These States should cooperate with them in good faith and take their recommendations seriously. The prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment was a peremptory norm of international law. Notwithstanding the absolute nature of the prohibition, attempts had been made to legitimise certain aggressive interrogation measures, and this was a mockery.
The unconditional prohibition of torture also applied in the fight against terrorism. Security should not be used as a pretext to undermine the fundamental rights enshrined in international human rights and humanitarian law. The protection of human rights and respect for the rule of law should be at the centre of counter-terrorism strategies if these strategies were to have lasting success. Human rights were under pressure, and the Commission was expected to make full use of the current session to reassert its firm commitment to the promotion and protection of these rights.
MAME BASSINE NIANG, Minister and Commissioner for Human Rights of Senegal, said Senegal remained convinced that the Commission on Human Rights, while it could be improved, should continue to constitute the center around which nations efforts for human rights were focused. All States must demonstrate commitment and the patience to work in a stormy atmosphere at times. But the challenge must necessarily be faced, and commitment to the struggle for human rights must be maintained.
Senegal maintained its commitment to human rights. Strengthening the rule of law, intensifying democracy and developing a sustainable culture of peace and tolerance were among the objectives considered priorities by the Government. The Government had always made it a point of honour to resolve conflicts peacefully, for which had prompted efforts undertaken recently to resolve the regional conflict in Casamance. Peace accords had been signed on 30 December 2004, and the region had now entered the period of reconstruction. Legislative reforms had also been undertaken in recent years, including to affirm new rights such as the right to equal access to public services and the right to belong to the political opposition, and to increase protection for minorities, disabled persons and women. The President had also announced his intention to abolish capital punishment and the National Assembly had adopted the law on this on 10 December 2004.
Senegal had always participated in efforts to promote peace, including within the sub-region of West Africa. As the most massive violations of human rights occurred in situations of war, Senegal, in addition to its work to improve the protection and promotion of human rights at home, also followed an external policy of respect for the virtues of dialogue and tolerance. And it was due to the emphasis on protection of human rights that the rules governing the international community had undergone a qualitative change in recent years, with regard to issues such as the erosion of national sovereignty and the establishment of permanent and ad hoc judicial institutions. The shrinking world, which made the promoted economic and financial exchanges, had also reinforced new forms of solidarity among humanity. However, protection and promotion remained an eternal process, and the world continued to face new challenges, including political instability and social misery. Therefore, the defense of human rights could benefit from a new, more encompassing and preventive approach.
J. AYIKOI OTOO, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Ghana, said the story of human rights in the contemporary world had been one of curtailing State power and expanding the horizons of liberty for men and women everywhere in the world. It was a titanic clash between those with deep and abiding faith in peace, freedom and justice, and those who placed power and dominance above human values. The expanding human rights obligations to citizens were fast eroding State sovereignty and sovereign immunity. Another defining reality was the ever-increasing range of crimes, deemed to be crimes against the entire human race, under the more recent international human rights instruments.
Ghana had drawn appropriate lessons from its recent history and was working hard to strengthen its fledgling democracy. Since 1996, it had successfully conducted three democratic elections, which were judged by international monitors to be free, fair and peaceful. The Government had committed itself to the promotion of good governance and the rule of law in Ghana. To expand participation in governance, the populace, to represent the interests of the electorate, recently created new constituencies, which resulted in the election of more members in Parliament. It was noteworthy that more female deputies were elected in the December 2004 elections. Ghana was among the first wave of countries that offered to be reviewed by the African Peer Review Mechanism, established under the NEPAD to ensure democracy and good governance. The review had been completed and Ghana was awaiting the report so that it could take the necessary follow-up measures.
States that were firmly rooted on the road to democracy, good governance and respect for human rights needed to be encouraged through "democratic dividend". Such tangible fruits for their efforts would spur others on to the road of democracy and respect for the rule of law. Money should be put on programmes and activities at the country level that would consolidate the democratic and human rights gains in developing countries. It was also not enough to complain about corruption and resource leakages from poor developing countries. One needed to work collectively to refuse to create safe-havens for wealth stolen from poor countries that were often stashed away in banks in the developed world. Therefore, active steps taken to return such stolen wealth to the people to whom it belonged would be a significant step that would immensely contribute to the realization of the right to development in the developing world.
MAURICIO DIAZ DAVILA, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, said the Nicaraguan Government and people had laid down the foundation for the promotion, protection and strengthening of human rights. The President of the Republic had launched a programme and a policy against corruption, believing that corruption affected the human rights of the people. The Government had also put in place a series of norms of a legal and administrative character in order to guarantee the human rights of the vulnerable segments of the society, such as children, women, indigenous peoples and migrants. Of great interest to the Government was the social aspect of migrants of diverse countries.
The Government of Nicaragua had taken a series of measures to improve the living conditions of its people. Freedom for all and equality for all were the accepted norms to achieve the values required by the Constitution. One could not aspire freedom only for the few. The task should be for the full and effective implementation of the development programmes, which would attribute to the strengthening of human rights. The solid cooperation with the international community and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was essential for Nicaragua in its efforts in promoting and protecting human rights.
Nicaragua had passed through a difficult time in its efforts to consolidate its democratic process. In 2004, the Government had regretted the assassination of two journalists. Their killing had created a bad precedent for the country in matters of respect for the right to freedom of opinion. The Government would take all the necessary measures to bring the culprits to justice so that they received a fair trial.
LAURENT ESSO, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cameroon, said the annual meeting of the Commission was far from being just a ritual. It was an expression of the common will to evaluate the progress made in the implementation of freely-entered-into engagements in the field of promotion and protection of human rights. It was an immense task and of great urgency and importance to improve or at least to redress certain situations putting at risk the rights of the human person. All were responsible in the area of human rights: public or private organizations, even on a collective or individual level. The issue of human rights was part of the agenda of the international community, and the Commission promoted international cooperation in this field.
The current session of the Commission would have more impact because it would not only allow States to draw up assessments, but would also allow them to evaluate what had been successful and to draw up the main areas of action for the implementation of the inalienable requirements of human rights. Whether these rights concerned education, health, or the protection of the environment, despite genuine awareness, progress was still awaited. Worsening poverty was accompanied by growing inequalities in many developing countries. This and other inequalities caused frustration, a fertile ground for violence and terrorism. In order to ensure the conditions for development that were necessary to ensure global peace, the international community needed to show more solidarity and needed to respect engagements that had been undertaken.
All human rights were universal and interdependent. The full realisation of human rights was intimately linked to the enjoyment of economic and cultural rights, including the right to development. Advances made in the field of the protection of human rights should be accompanied by measures to annihilate all forces of destruction or negation of humanity, such as the terrorist phenomenon. The fight against these scourges should, however, only take place in a context of respect for fundamental legal standards. In the new millennium, the Commission should have as the main goal to bring the international community as a whole to elaborate the best possible strategy to take action with maximum efficiency upon the challenges that were evident in the field of human rights.
GEORGE CHICOTY, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Angola, said the Angolan Government remained engaged in the fight for human rights, as the August 2004 visit of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for human rights had testified. The Special Representative had freely visited three provinces and had met with a variety of governmental and civil society actors. The Government had also accepted to receive the Special Rapporteur on housing in September/October 2005, whose visit would also involve an assessment of sanitary conditions, the provision of clean water, electricity and other infrastructure in a country that had been devastated by war.
Angola continued to adopt measures for the defense of the most vulnerable sectors of society, including children, women and older persons. Two national campaigns had been conducted to register children, and efforts continued in inaccessible areas. The Government, in conjunction with the United Nations Children's Fund, was preparing to launch a third campaign with particular emphasis on those areas. Moreover, the national programme to combat HIV/AIDS included the holding of a first national conference at which measures for education, information and training on sexually transmitted diseases had been recommended. While much remained to be done to achieve equality between the sexes, women were increasingly involved in managerial positions, and in the political life of the country. Furthermore, a national conference on protection of and assistance to older persons had also been held in November 2004. In these efforts, civil society, churches and non-governmental organizations had participated actively.
Democratic institutions and the independence of the judiciary were being strengthened as the Government recognized that peace and democracy remained basic to the reconstruction and development of the country. The Government had drawn upon the principles of tolerance, fraternity and solidarity, and national budgeting reflected that. In 2004, social spending had ranked second only to administrative expenditures, while in 2005, those numbers would further improve with both administrative and social expenditures amounting to more than 23 per cent of the budget. The holding of elections was also considered essential to the consolidation of democracy, and the Government had established an intergovernmental commission to prepare for elections in 2006. An electoral commission was also to be established. Externally, priority issues for Angola included implementation of the outcomes of the World Conference against Racism and realization of the right to development.
RICARDO MANGUE OBAMA NFUBEA, Vice Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea, said the Government of Equatorial Guinea was determined to promote, protect and contribute to the fulfilment of human rights in the country and to cooperate with the United Nations system in the field of human rights to contribute to world achievement of human rights. It was an internationally integrated State that sought to live up to its obligations under international agreements. The Government’s programmes and activities in this respect had resulted in positive results which had been brutally cast into question in March 2004 by mercenary action, with complicity with outside agents with external funding, searching to curb the people’s right to self-expression. The threat to the peace of Equatorial Guinea continued to exist, and those who had funded the mercenary activities had not yet been brought before the authorities in their countries. The Government therefore called for cooperation and assistance from the international community through the exercise of police and judicial measures to seek, detain and try those who funded the thwarted invasion of the country.
Peace was essential if human rights were to be guaranteed and developed, but mercenaries thwarted the attempts to do so. A new millennium had been entered into that was marked by profound changes to national and international life, and the full implication of this could only be sensed. Global evils such as the use of mercenaries to destabilise legitimate Governments in order to seize natural resources cast into question one of the basic premises of the United Nations, peace and security for all. A solid condemnation of terrorism and mercenaries was called for.
Since the last session of the Commission, the Government of Equatorial Guinea had made significant progress in the field of human rights, jointly with various international organizations. There were major changes underway in the country in many areas. Despite progress, work still remained to be done so that the people could fully enjoy their rights although the international situation did not encourage political and economic stability due to the threats of terrorism. The Government would continue to work for a democratic society where all profited from the superior values contributing to a peaceful existence.
* *** *
For use of the information media; not an official record
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