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

12.1 Ms SIMON (Eritrea):
Madam President of the General Conference, Mr Chairperson of the Executive Board, Mr Director-
General, Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, allow me, Madam President, to congratulate
you on your election to this post and I wish to express my delegation's satisfaction at the way you are conducting
the 30th session of the General Conference of UNESCO on the eve of a new millennium. Let me also pay tribute
to the outgoing Director-General, Mr Federico Mayor, who has devoted twelve years to the good cause of the
international community. Mr Mayor, your impact on the programme of UNESCO and its management will
always be a beacon to your followers. Best wishes in your future endeavours. Equally, I would like to welcome
the Director-General designate, Ambassador Matsuura. I trust he will bring some of Asia's successes to this
Organization. Eritrea will fully support him in the difficult task that is awaiting him as the first Director-General
of the third millennium.
12.2 As we gather here to deliberate on the tasks accomplished and the prospects for this Organization, it is
appropriate that we acknowledge work well done. We offer our best wishes to the Director-General and the
Secretariat in their task of translating into reality the decisions of the General Conference.
12.3 Although Eritrea has been a Member of UNESCO for only six years, we have good reason to express
our overall satisfaction. We intend to intensify our cooperation with UNESCO further, particularly in the areas of
education and culture. The Secretariat will be informed on the inputs required from it to reinforce the education
system and to consolidate our cultural heritage that was so much neglected in the past.
12.4 Having gained independence less than a decade ago, we realize the benefits that have accrued from the
programmes of organizations like UNESCO. We are now in a position to shape our destiny. We particularly
value the capacity to direct one's own education and culture in ways that reflect the real images of the people.
Our writing systems allow us to educate the young in their mother tongue and not in an imposed foreign
language. Our children are now in a position not only to know, understand and appreciate the contents of their
culture and heritage, but also to have similar notions and feelings about the culture of their counterpart ethnic
groups. We are promoting equal opportunity in access to education and culture, something never acquired during
the various phases of colonization. If we have moved forward in our efforts, part of the credit goes to UNESCO
as well as to UNICEF, which have helped us elucidate our options.
12.5 In the field of education, although Eritrea was still struggling for independence at the time of the
Jomtien Conference of 1990, we are fully involved in the Education for All Assessment (EFA). We look forward
to UNESCO's continued support in our objectives to attain, inter alia, universal access, increased efficiency and
reduced illiteracy, and to improve management.
12.6 In the area of science and technology, we have to admit that cooperation between UNESCO and Eritrea
has yet to develop. Eritrea being blessed with a coastline about 1,000 km long, its potential for self-reliance in
sea resources is real. The limited contacts already initiated in oceanography need to be increased and intensified.
12.7 In the field of culture, particularly in safeguarding our heritage, UNESCO's reports have proved useful
references in our policy decisions and plans. We are carefully assessing the importance of adhering to the
Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The monuments in our land, some of
which bear witness to their thousands of years of existence, deserve to be included in the World Heritage List, as
well as to be part of an international campaign for recognition. To give only one example, Adulis used to be one
of the most important ports of the Red Sea, a harbour for commerce and, more importantly, a route for culture
and civilizations. It was through this gateway that the major religions penetrated into the subregion. Eritrea
acquired views of the East and the North through this gateway.
12.8 UNESCO's raison d'être was to create, where necessary, and to promote the culture of peace.
Unfortunately, the culture of war still prevails in the minds of some nations. The culture of conflict resolution
through dialogue, give-and-take, is very much foreign to the thinking of these nations.
12.9 Even though I would not have chosen to raise the unfortunate conflict between my country and Ethiopia
while efforts for a peaceful solution are being made, I feel obliged to reply to the totally false allegations in the
speech delivered by the Ethiopian Delegation regarding the imagined heritage destruction committed by Eritrea.
Independent journalists and church personalities who visited the alleged areas have disproved these accusations.
Let me put a challenge to the Ethiopian regime to accept the visit of an international team and submit to its
findings. The same applies to the other allegations. With respect to the peaceful resolution of the border conflict
between the two countries, Eritrea has accepted the OAU peace package while Ethiopia, regrettably, is dragging
its feet and is preparing for another round of military offensives.
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