Message from Senior General Than Shwe on Fifty-ninth Anniversary of United Nations Day

YANGON, 23 Oct—The following is the message issued today from Senior General Than Shwe, the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of the Union of Myanmar on the occasion of the Fifty-ninth Anniversary of the United Nations Day:

On this special occasion of the fifty-ninth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, it is opportune to reaffirm our seriousness and collective commitments to the principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations which is the most ambitious undertaking of humankind. The Charter defines the purposes to resolve disputes by peaceful means and to devise collective solutions to economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems. It also encourages international behaviors in conformity with the principles of justice and international law.

The principles of the Charter are as relevant today as they ever were. To reinforce these principles, all Governments of the World adopted the Millennium Development Goals four years ago reaffirming the principles outlined in the Charter, spelling it out in concrete and specific terms relevant to our times, to deal with the new challenges. It is a blueprint for building a better world in the 21st century overwhelmingly characterized by globalization which is transforming our world beyond recognition. Such new challenges require a broader effort to create a shared future based upon our common humanity in all its diversity.

The developments that have taken place following the Millennium Summit indicate some signs of progress towards the goals. However, we still have a long way to go to meet the Declaration’s goals. To achieve these goals, sustained and united action is a prerequisite. The challenges that we are facing today can best be addressed by an integrated collective approach with a greater sense of shared global responsibility and the United Nations has increasingly become an indispensable tool in our collective endeavors to overcome these challenges. More clearly than ever, the United Nations represents the whole human family. Never has the human family needed the United Nations more than it does today.

The majority of the members of the United Nations are developing countries. For them, especially the small and the vulnerable, the United Nations is their hope and aspiration for a better and more equitable world based on shared responsibilities and commitments. They view the Organizations as an important forum for articulation of their position. They also expect it to be responsive to their concerns and needs. The United Nations must live up to their expectations. The success of international cooperation, and indeed of the United Nations system, will be determined by how well it responds to the interests and concerns of not only the developed but also the developing, and not only of the rich but, most urgently, of the poor.

There is no doubt that the United Nations is the best forum to confront global challenges, as well as for guaranteeing international peace and security and a better life for all. The raison d’être of the United Nations is the same as it was founded nearly six decades ago. Accordingly we should renew our commitments to the principles of the United Nations. Let us give a fresh momentum to the principles and purpose of the Charter on this solemn occasion marking the 59th anniversary of the United Nations.