Address by Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations
to the Inter-American Development Bank Consultative Group
Meeting for the Reconstruction and Transformation of Central America.
Stockholm 25 May 1999.
Prime Minister
Heads of State
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to join you today.
The presence of Central American Heads of State, and of their many partners in the
international community, testifies to the importance of this meeting.
I would like to begin by reiterating my solidarity, and that of the entire United
Nations system, with the peoples of Central America and their efforts to write a new
chapter in their respective histories. Their struggles, sacrifices and successes have
taught and inspired the world.
World such as "transformation" are often overused. Not in this case; not when
one surveys the landscape of Central American today. Where civil wars once raged, peace
now reigns. Where once the force of arms held sway, dialogue is now the method of choice
for settling disputes.
Where once human rights were violated with impunity, new institutions and legal
frameworks are offering more and more protection for more and more people. Where once
social injustice oppressed millions, peace and development are fostering reconciliation
and hope. And where once refugees and displaced persons dreamt of home, today most have a
home and have resumed their lives.
Over the past decade-and-a-half, the countries of Central America have not shied away
from looking deeply at the root causes of conflict and instability.
They have addressed contentious questions such as the structure of the State, judicial
practices, electoral systems, land tenure and the participation of individuals and civil
society groups in the decisions affecting their lives. And they have understood the need
to examine the past. As a result, the present fabric of central American society has been
made stronger, and the future is that much brighter.
I do not wish to minimize the challenges and tensions that remain. The peace processes
of Central America still face serious challenges. The achievements of peace must be
maintained and consolidated.
And this past October, Hurricane Mitch reminded us of nature’s power and the
fragility of human endeavor. Mitch also showed that "natural" disasters are
often not purely natural but are influenced by manmade factors.
Indeed, some of what was done in the name of progress – for example, clearing land
for farms and homes –exacerbated the storm’s effects. And much that was not done
on the countries’ social agendas left so many vulnerabilities that when nature
struck, large numbers of people – particularly in Honduras and Nicaragua, and
especially children – were rendered homeless, jobless, school-less and even more
hopeless than before.
Today there are two agendas in Central America: the unfinished political and human
rights agendas of the peace process, and the reconstruction agenda following the loss of
life, devastation and ruin brought by Hurricane Mitch. The nexus between those two
provides the rationale for this meeting. These are compatible, mutually reinforcing
agendas. Progress in one area nurtures progress in the other. It is equally true, however,
that setbacks in one can reverse or curtail progress in the other.
The two agendas – peace and reconstruction – both address pivotal questions
relating to poverty, social inequity, population pressures and environmental
sustainability.
Both involve crucial issues such as local development, decentralization, transparency,
good governance and institution-building. Both give us an opportunity not to reconstruct
what has been before, but to stake out a new beginning, based on new policies. And
finally, both give us – the international community – a way to come together
around common goals. We need to work coherently with Central America – and, not
least, with each other.
The United Nations is well-placed to help on both fronts.
The Organization has been supporting the peace processes in Central America for more
than a decade, in full partnership with the Central American Governments.
ONUCA was deployed to all five countries to verify an end to assistance to irregular
and insurrectionist forces; it also oversaw demobilization of the "contras" in
Nicaragua. ONUVEN observed Nicaragua’s election in 1990.
ONUSAL, one of the most comprehensive operations in United Nations history, monitored
implementation of the peace accords in El Salvador. And following UN-moderated talks,
MINUGUA continues to verify compliance with the agreements reached in Guatemala, including
the human rights aspects.
These operations and other UN programmes have left a durable legacy. PRODERE, for
example, was established to deal with the integration of persons displaced by the civil
wars, but went on to assume an important role in the consolidation of peace and the
strengthening of democratic development.
This deep and diverse experience also meant that the United Nations was not a stranger
to Central Americans when Hurricane Mitch hit. Contacts and infrastructure were already in
place, ready to help.
Indeed, the full range of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, along with
NGOs, became involved in the response to Mitch, in rehabilitation as well as in
longer-term reconstruction and development. It is important to note that the process of
reform at the United Nations has opened up new possibilities for our many entities to
mount a coordinated response in such cases.
As we look ahead, each of us has a distinct role to play.
We look to the region’s Governments to pay special attention to the most
vulnerable members of society; to work for the rights and needs of women, children and
indigenous peoples; to provide better access to health care, water and education; to
continue the broad-based institutional and democratic reforms; and to work for greater
continuity, so that changes in government do not disrupt either disaster preparedness or
political maturation.
We look to donors and international financial institutions to continue their support
and to do their utmost for more and quicker debt relief. And we look to the United Nations
family to speak with a unified voice; to assist governments in ensuring that preparations
are in place for the next hurricane season; and to help the countries of the region
establish more just societies.
Friends,
As we meet, much of the world’s attention is focused on Kosovo – that is,
away from Central America.
Even though the media have had their fill of dramatic footage of the wreckage in
Central America, the region’s transformation continues, quietly but decisively, and
worthy of sustained international support.
As I see it, there is no shortage of dramatic events. Central Americans of all
backgrounds and economic strata are joining forces, overcoming traditional barriers, to
cope with disaster and the task of rebuilding. Governments are working together in the
same spirit that produced the Esquipulas II agreement, to link their societies and
economies in ever-expanding networks of peace and progress.
So let us continue healing the scars – the older wounds of civil conflict, and the
newer ones caused by devastating rain, wind, floods and mudslides.
Central America’s wars killed tens of thousands of people, but were resolved
through peace processes that have given the region a new lease on life. Natural disasters
also take a toll in lives lost, with thousands of people dying every year because disaster
reduction and prevention have not yet been fully integrated into the development
strategies of the region.
And let us bring the two paths - the paths of peace and reconstruction – more
closely together. Let us travel that single road together by building a new compact
between the region and the international community. Let us, in short, continue our vital
mission of acompanamiento for all the peoples of Central America. In that spirit, please
accept my best wishes for a successful meeting.
Thank you. |
