[Mr. President, The mid-term review of the Millennium Declaration two years
ago indicates that the Millennium Development Goals are far from being
attained in most of the developing world. This notwithstanding, for us in
The
Gambia, our commitment to the MDGs is unwavering. The overarching policy
objective
of the government, under the leadership of his Excellency the President of
the Republic of The Gambia Alhaji Yahya AJJ Jammeh, is to reduce poverty
and
achieve all the MGDs. We have just concluded a Second Poverty Reduction
Strategy Paper which clearly sets out our policy framework for achieving
growth and
poverty reduction despite our meagre resources and endowments, and despite
the failure of several partners to fulfil their pledges of aid, debt
relief,
and market access for African countries. The same mid-term reviews showed
that
the commitments that were made in many fora by the international community
in support of the MGDs in poor countries have not translated into real
resource flows into these countries. We therefore call on the international
community to rededicate itself to the provisions of the Monterey concensus,
and the
Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. In this regard, my delegation
welcomes
the panel of eminent personalities established by former British Prime
Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, to monitor pledges made at the G8 summits
including
those made at the Gleneagles Summit. My Delegation considers it
particularly
critical to take action to reverse the downward trend in overseas
development
financing.]
I sit and wonder whether there is a gap in understandings between the
developped countries and the developing countries when it comes to the UN.
Or is it
that Gambian officials have not read or did not understand the Millennium
Declaration. I had thought that my review of our speech at the UN would be
on
the premise that we understand the basic elements of the subject matter.
However, our speech indicates there may be a deficit of critical
information.
Therefore, I present some relevant sources of information and I encourage
all my
coleagues to read these documents as we review our state:
_http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/goals.html_
(http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/goals.html)
_http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/pdf/MDG%20Book.pdf_
(http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/pdf/MDG%20Book.pdf)
In September 2000, The UN Millennium Summit took place. 189 nations
participated. 147 of those nations adopted some goals targeted to be
accomplished by
the year 2015. It was then up to those nations to devise policies and plans
toward accomplishing those goals. The goals are 7 in number and to assist
less
able nations, they added an eighth goal to form development partnerships in
their various journeys toward the common goals. The UN promised to
undertake
monitoring and encouragement of these nations and partnerships and so they
produce reports every so often to track progress. A report was completed in
2003, 2005, and recently in 2007. The second URL above is the 2005 Report.
The
Millennium Declaration does not place any obligation on any participating
nation to give anything to any other idiot. The relevant development
partnerships
must be consulted to review promises and contracts among nations. It is
sort
of like a Pair Effort where nations associate themselves with other
desiring
nations and partner toward achieving the Global Millennium Goals.
Now then, as you can see, the 8 goals are:
1. Eradicate extreme Poverty and hunger.
2. Achieve universal primary education.
3. Promote gender equality and empower women.
4. Reduce Child mortality.
5. Improve maternal health.
6. Combat HIV / AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.
7. Ensure environmental sustainability.
8. Develop a global partnership for development.
It is no accident that the goals appear in the order that they do. It means
that goals 1 thru 7 must be achieved in tandem with goal 8 or perhaps better
before goal 8 can harness values. For example; you would not expect Gambia
to
participate in trade anywhere on an equal footing with Senegal if Gambia
does
not make any meaningful effort toward eradicating extreme poverty and
hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality
and the
empowerment of women, reducing child mortality, prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and
malaria, in an environmentally sustainable manner. Nor would you ask Spain
to
absorb Gambia's diseased and ill-prepared children. In effect, instead of
lament Gambia's lack of Millennium Development partners or donations from
more
developed countries, I think the Vice President ought to have shared what
concrete steps her administration has taken in achieving any of the goals
of the
MDG. In fairness to her, Ajaratou, the vice president has shared that her
administration has just (in 2007), concluded their second Poverty Reduction
Strategy Paper. And she shares that burden with her delegation to the UN. A
question then arises: Why since 2000 when the MDGs were adopted, that The
Gambia
government has only embarked on the production of policy papers? How many
strategic policy papers do they intend to produce before they begin
implementing
any one of them? And are those strategy papers dependent on gifts, grants,
and
circumstance from generous countries? How do they intend to find those
generous countries therefore? I remembered an opportunity they squandered
in
receiving aid from the US based on the Millennium Project. That aid went to
Ghana
instead and Ghana is putting it to good use. I recommend Gambia take a look
at Ghana's representative's speech on this issue of beggars and spoilers.
I will give you an opportunity to digest the 2005 Millennium Development
Progress Report by the UN before we review Gambia's performance in detail. I
caution good study and that this review process could take a week or two.
[Mr. President, The mid-term review of the Millennium Declaration two years
ago indicates that the Millennium Development Goals are far from being
attained in most of the developing world.]
The hon. Ajaratou informs the UN delegates that the 2005 Millennium
Development Progress Report demonstrates that the goals are far from being attained
in most of the developing world. Since the Hon. Vice President is not
representing any other of the developing world, I presume she misspoke here. She
meant to say that the report indicates that the goals are far from being attained
in The Gambia. This is critical because what Banana republics do is hide
their non-performance in larger non-performances of phantom nations in order
that their non-performance becomes part of a larger intractable malaise with
their hands out perpetually for gifts. If we compare the Hon.'s speech with
speeches of other countries such as Kufuor of Ghana's speech, we see that other
countries speak of their own experiences and efforts. Only where it comes to
global conflict, disaster, and or other issue of global ramification, do they
speak to the wisdom of other nations. It is high time Gambia learn that She
has responsibility for itself and that her urgencies do not constitute
emergencies for other nations. Besides, you cannot appeal to the greater wisdom of
others by abdicating your own responsibilities. We will speak to this more
later. I am duly informed that the Hon.'s speech was prepared by the Taiwanese
Embassy or that it was reviewed for approval by said embassy and that the
Embassy facilitated her very trip to the UN Assembly. I hope that is not true
because if it is, it will constitute grounds for charges of persona non-grata and
the cessation of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. I urge Taiwan's
restraint in micro-managing Gambia's foreign policy and international representation.
They will look more like Pimps than development partners. Services in
expectation of consideration or vice versa constitute coercion and where those
considerations are offered public officials, False agency becomes issue.
Barring evidence of Taiwanese coercion and bribery, we understand that The
Gambia is far from attaining any of the goals of the Millennium Declaration.
[This notwithstanding, for us in The Gambia, our commitment to the MDGs is
unwavering.]
How so Madam Vice President?
[The overarching policy objective of the government, under the leadership of
his Excellency the President of
the Republic of The Gambia Alhaji Yahya AJJ Jammeh, is to reduce poverty and
achieve all the MDGs]
We understand that HE may be committed to attaining the MDGs. However, it
may border on irresponsible to share this with us and at the same time share
that the most that has been achieved from 2000 up until now is the compilation
of two strategic policy papers. Unawares, Ajaratou, you are sharing that while
HE's heart may be in the right place, when it comes to performance of his
administration, you and your coleagues fall short of completing the tasks HE
delegates to you. We all know that a President forms overall policy objectives
and then delegates implementation tasks to SOS and Permanent Secretaries. The
world is changing rapidly. You must assist the President in achieving or
atleast efforting to make headway on his policy objectives. HE cannot possibly
do your work for you as much as he may have a big heart. We cannot go through
life thinking that as long as we keep singing praises to HE, we are under no
obligation to fulfil our responsibilities. HE himself advises you as much.
This is grossly unjust to invoke HE's name in malfeasance and non-performance.
Indeed, HE ascented to the Millennium Declaration and therefore his
overarching goal will expectedly be to achieve the aims and aspirations of the
Declaration. That is obvious. Now the rest of you could assist him in completing
those aims and aspirations if you focus on doing your work.
[We have just concluded a Second Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper which
clearly sets out our policy framework for achieving growth and poverty
reduction despite our meagre resources and endowments, and despite the failure of
several partners to fulfil their pledges of aid, debt relief, and market
access for African countries.]
Ajaratou, may I remind you that you must enter into partnerships first, then
the partnerships make pledges, and only them can you qualify the value or
lack thereof of those partnerships. The way I see Gambia making partnerships
leaves a lot to be desired. When you seek distressed nations such as Taiwan,
Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran, and you promise to do their bidding at the UN in
exchange for consideration, that is not a genuine partnership in development. At
least not as far as the MDGs are concerned. That activity is sale of services
for consideration. The only service you have demonstrated that you can
offer is doing these nations' bidding at the UN when you should be representing
HE and Gambia. If you look at that service more broadly, you will realize that
the audience for your bidding is not paying attention to you. They are
focused on their own efforts toward attaining the MDGs. You will be better advised
to facilitate conversation between China and Taiwan if your purpose is
sincere. But if you engage in garrulous gauchery, you risk alienating China
further, widening their cultural gap with Taiwan, and when China decides to annex
Taiwan for good, then you have no client in Taiwan. The same goes for the other
countries. When you are charged with policy-making, you train on diplomacy
for cooperative negotiation. Here you are trained on petty mischief-making
that will spill over to Gambia when it blossoms into a full-blown conflict
between the two nations who share the same culture. We have a similar problem in
our own backyard involving our own peoples; Cassamance. If you cannot do
anything about that, what makes you think you can bridge the gap between Taiwan
and China by taking the side of Taiwan at China's expense? It is high time we
grow up. You are squandering enormous goodwill for HE and Gambia by engaging
in petty mischief-making. By the way, did you know that certain debts are
being forgiven? Gambia has to negotiate for its own debts to be forgiven. Do not
pretend to speak on all Africa's behalf when you are not assigned that
responsibility. This insiduous patronnage of other is old. And no one listens to
you anymore. People are taking responsibility for their people and garnering
more goodwill by the day.
[The same mid-term reviews showed that the commitments that were made in
many fora by the international community in support of the MGDs in poor
countries have not translated into real resource flows into these countries.]
Ajaratou, Which commitments were made in support of the MDGs of Gambia in
any international fora?
NONE.
Will you continue to breed hatred and animus among nations in the hope of
Resource flows from aversed countries? If the answer is yes then you are
inadvertently sharing with us that Gambia's interests in development lies in
formenting and maintaining conflict around the world. Matkhaafsh min rabbak? Are
you not afraid of Allah?
[We therefore call on the international community to rededicate itself to
the provisions of the Monterey concensus, and the Paris Declaration on Aid
Effectiveness.]
Word of advice! When you beg, it will be valuable if you can address your
benefactor. Who is the international community? Do they have their own MDGs to
attain? I will share with you some of the partnerships formed in this regard:
UNDP/Japan Partnership to promote South-South Cooperation
Civil society and the MDGs
UNVs and MDGs
UNDP/UNEP Poverty-environment partnership (This realizes the correlation
between environmental stewardship and poverty-reduction.
UNDP/UN ESCAP/ADB Asia and the Pacific.
These and many other resources are available for Gambia and other nations to
utilize. They however have benchmarks to be achieved. Yes performance-based.
So we better Taka Ndiga and giddy up.
[We therefore call on the international community to rededicate itself to
the provisions of the Monterey concensus, and the Paris Declaration on Aid
Effectiveness. In this regard, my delegation welcomes
the panel of eminent personalities established by former British Prime
Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, to monitor pledges made at the G8 summits including
those made at the Gleneagles Summit.]
The key word here is monitor. Even Allah does not give money to a lazy and
clueless person. Allah gave mney to HE and he built a farm to feed his people.
Can you not get a clue?
[My Delegation considers it particularly critical to take action to reverse
the downward trend in overseas development financing.]
I hate to inform you that there is no action to be taken where there is no
need for action. The world likes peace and tranquility. Speak with Blair and he
will advise you wisely.
Thank you coleagues for your audience. Haroun Masoud. MQDT. Darbo.
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