Statement by the President of the Slovak Republic at the UN Security Council Summit on Peace and Security in Africa, New York, 25. 9. 2007

Mr. President,
Let me take this opportunity to welcome the Secretary-General here and to commend you, Mr. President, for initiating today’s discussion.

Over its recent period, the history of Africa has been filled with immense human tragedies – let us recall Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, or Northern Uganda, to name but a few. It is our duty to help African countries in building the capacities capable of protecting the population against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

African tragedies, due to their complexity, must be considered in the context of interlinking security, development and human rights, as stated in the outcome document of the 2005 World Summit. Slovakia therefore follows with concern the economic and political situation in some parts of Africa, which could lead to new conflicts if they deteriorated further. In this context we are very concerned about the situation in Zimbabwe.

Mr. President,
It is difficult to summarise, in the course of a few minutes, everything that needs to be done to ensure that Africa joins those regions of the world which currently enjoy times of stability and economic development. Let me point out only a few aspects which Slovakia considers to be paramount:

First of all, we need to place maximum emphasis on the prevention of conflicts. As implied during the Security Council’s open debate in August, it is imperative that a move from a culture of reaction to a culture of prevention be made at all levels.

Secondly, equal effort has to be made in order to address the grievances of the past. Slovakia fully supports fighting impunity and particularly the role of the International Criminal Court in this regard.

Thirdly, it is of key importance that sub-regional and regional organisations take a larger share of responsibility. In this context it is necessary to continue to support the development of cooperation between the United Nations and these organisations.

Fourthly, considering the specificities of Africa, it is necessary to seek innovative approaches. We therefore welcome and support the deployment of the hybrid operation of the UN and the African Union in Darfur, as well as the multidimensional presence of the UN and the European Union in Chad and the Central African Republic. Despite these positive steps, the international community should not ease up its efforts aimed to relieve the suffering of the people of Darfur, who continue to live in uncertainty and dependence on humanitarian support. We are deeply concerned at recurrent news about aerial bombardments in Darfur, which poses a threat to the current fragile peace process. We hope that both the rebels and the Sudanese Government will cease hostilities as soon as possible and will provide the UN and the African Union with full support in the process of deployment of the hybrid operation.

Fifthly, just reacting to acute humanitarian crises will not suffice. It is equally important to systematically address the horizontal problems both in the medium and long term. In connection with this, let me underline the issue of Security Sector Reform. A non-functioning security sector is a source of conflicts, helps to increase their severity and duration. Reform, or development of a new security sector, is a precondition for long-term stabilisation of countries, as well as of possible withdrawal of UN peacekeeping operations. In this context, I would like to focus your attention on a workshop devoted to the Security Sector Reform issue, which we are preparing together with the Republic of South Africa. The workshop will be held in Cape Town from the 7th to 8th of November 2007.

Mr. President,
The Slovak Republic wants to contribute adequately to the efforts of the international community aimed at ensuring peace and security in Africa. In the framework of the development aid we currently have projects focusing on the development of infrastructure, education, healthcare, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. We are convinced that economic growth and improved social situation are key factors for conflict prevention. It is equally crucial to build democratic institutions and rule of law, to promote human rights and good governance. In this respect it needs to be noted that no external support can replace the role and efforts of the countries concerned.

Mr. President,
To conclude, let me once again express my gratitude to you for the initiation of today’s discussion. I believe it will contribute to an even more active approach by the Security Council to the African continent.

Thank you for your attention.