UNESCO. General Conference; 30th; Records ... - unesdoc - Unesco

And today you come from a region whose transformation has been remarkable. The term “front-line States” has -
happily - lost its meaning. Southern Africa has become more integrated than we could ever have dreamed
10 years ago and I know how much that means to you personally as a freedom fighter, as a mediator and as a
Pan-Africanist. You were one of the founders of “SADEC” (SADC), the Southern African Development
Community, and today you continue to work actively in that important regional organization as the President of
its organ of defence and security.
4.3 Mr President, distinguished representatives, ladies and gentlemen, today the front line against racial
apartheid is a thing of the past. But social apartheid has to be defeated now. Yes, you are still waging battles on
the front lines of other struggles. You are on the front line of the battle against AIDS in your country and I
congratulate you on your government’s announcement of a 3% AIDS levy to fund AIDS-related programmes. I
hope that the world will realize the importance of this measure you have adopted. We are today in a situation in
which we must get to the roots of this pandemic: we cannot spend 800 billions on armaments and then tell the
victims of AIDS in the developing world: “Sorry, the treatment is too expensive”. In far too many parts of Africa
today and in spite of many development programmes, the poor are getting poorer. You know - we know - that
endogenous development is the answer - the development of all citizens, women and men, the endogenous
development of your country. Without this, development cannot take off. And here again, I must congratulate you
on your active role in promoting endogenous development, better education, the capacity to exploit for
yourselves your natural resources, and in defending African interests at the level of world trade discussions.
African interests also need to be championed by the international community and particularly by the agencies of
the United Nations system. UNESCO has had an office in Harare for more than 10 years now. This subregional
office for education in southern Africa enables our Organization to carry out its activities in this field with all the
dynamism and impetus that close cooperation on the ground can bring. Our projects have a particular focus on
higher education but also cover basic education, AIDS awareness, technical training, environmental issues, solar
energy, human rights and democracy education.
4.4 Mr President, on this occasion it is not so much my intention to describe what UNESCO does in Africa
and in Zimbabwe, but to focus on what you, the President of Zimbabwe, have done and are doing for UNESCO. I
will not speak of what you did more than 10 years ago when I visited you for the first time and requested your
support and help to visit some of your neighbouring countries. Nor will I say how many times I have enjoyed and
benefited from your advice.
4.5 The role played by you as President of the World Solar Commission, a role already mentioned by the
Chairperson of the Executive Board, allowed a new approach to community development to take hold, one that
emphasizes the importance of renewable energy and the active participation of women in the development
process. You hosted the World Solar Summit in 1996, a landmark in thinking on energy issues. Today, solar
villages are springing up like mushrooms, and each time a new one appears it is a tribute to you. Zimbabwe, a
country endowed with wonderful cultural and natural heritage sites, has - under your leadership - played an
invaluable role in conservation and in raising young people’s awareness of the importance of their heritage. You
have also been an active supporter of UNESCO’s education initiatives, notably through MINEDAF and
COMEDAF. Your capital, Harare, has launched initiatives that earned its Mayor, Counsellor Solomon Chirume
Tawengwa, the UNESCO Mayors for Peace Prize last year. And - to bring us right up to the present - UNESCO’s
Executive Board has benefited from the expert chairmanship of Christopher Chetsanga who, as Chairperson of
the Board, has just introduced you. Indeed, Mr Chetsanga, this is a particularly important moment for you and for
all of us.
4.6 Mr President, when I welcome you to UNESCO House, I welcome you to your house, the house to
which you and your fellow Zimbabweans have contributed so much. Yours is a young country. But it is a longstanding
partner and old friend that we greet here today. You are very welcome, Mr President.
5. The PRESIDENT:
Thank you, Mr Director-General. It is with particular pleasure that I now invite the President of the
Republic of Zimbabwe, Mr Robert G. Mugabe, to address the General Conference. Your Excellency, you have
the floor.
6.1 His Excellency Mr MUGABE, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe:
Your Excellency, Madam President of the General Conference of UNESCO, Mr Chairperson of the
Executive Board, Mr Director-General of UNESCO, Professor Federico Mayor, honourable Ministers,
distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by expressing my most sincere appreciation for
having been invited to participate in the deliberations of this 30th session of the UNESCO General Conference.
Being invited to participate in and address a session of an organization which has been aptly christened “the
conscience of the international community” and one which is close to the hearts of the masses of Zimbabwe is
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