Assistance to Africa among main issues discussed during Secretary-General's trip to Europe and Africa.

Assistance to Africa among main issues discussed during Secretary-General's trip to Europe and Africa

Efforts to resolve political and economic problems in Africa were among the main concerns as Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar met with government leaders and United Nations officials during a 25-day trip (30 June-24 July) to Europe and Africa. He visited Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Austria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Morocco and France.

Highlights of the trip included his opening addresses to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Summit Meeting in Addis Ababa, the second regular (1985) session of the Economic and Social Council in Geneva, and the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women, held in Nairobi from 15 to 26 July. The need for a multilateral response to urgent problems of development was a recurring theme.

"Another major slowdown in the global economy and in the pace of development would have dangerous consequences", the Secretary-General warned the Economic and Social Council on 3 July. "There is no alternative to pursuing adjustment policies, but this process should now be combined with growth." he said that despite an encouraging response to meet Africa's most critical needs, emergency assistance would be required throughout the next year. "The mobilization of resources for humanitarian assistance has unfortunately not been paralleled by increased assistance for development", he observed, noting that in fact, some development aid had recently been diverted to the most urgent requirements. It was essential, therefore, to support African countries in their efforts to mobilize human and financial resources for resolving long-standing structural problems, Mr. Perez de Cuellar said.

"Unless the fundamental causes underlying Africa's economic and social crises are attacked through durable and long-term measures of structural transformation, Africa will be unable to free itself from the plight of repeated emergencies", he told the OAU summit on 18 July. Expressing support for Africa's efforts to extricate itself from its current political and economic difficulties, the Secretary-General announced his intention of setting up an independent commission to advise the international community on the continent's medium- and long-term assistance needs.

Africa "must be equipped with the means to transform itself into a viable economic community capable of self-sustained growth and development", he stressed. Fundamental to that development was the full use of the continent's human resources--especially the more vulnerable groups, such as women.

Opening the Nairobi Women's Conference on 15 July, the Secretary-General observed that the United Nations Decade for Women (1975-1985) had coincided with a period when the world economy had "run an uneasy course", with many developing countries experiencing difficulties. Women in particular had suffered from cut-backs in public spending on social programmes, and from rising unemployment. For that reason, he said, it was "of paramount importance to ensure an improvement in the international economic environment as expeditiously as possible".

Switzerland: The Secretary-General began the European leg of his tour with a five-day visit to Switzerland (1-5 July). Talks in Bern, Switzerland's capital, with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Kurt Furgler, Foreign Minister Pierre Aubert and Elisabeth Kopp, Minister for Justice and Police, touched on such subjects as the United Nations fortieth anniversary and relations between the United Nations and Switzerland. Switzerland is not a member of the Organization, but maintains an observer mission and belongs to some United Nations agencies.

The discussions also covered the Iran-Iraq conflict, the situations in Afghanistan and the Middle East, the liberation of the American TWA hostages, the Nairobi Women's Conference and the status of multilateral co-operation, including the situation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

In Geneva, the Secretary-General co-chaired joint meetings of the Committee for Programme and Coordination and the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination.

Italy: On 5 July, the Secretary-General addressed the Third World Academy of Sciences in Trieste before meeting in Rome with Foreign Minister Giulio Andreotti.

Yugoslavia: The Secretary-General's five-day stop (6-10 July) in Yugoslavia included a private visit to Slovenia, as well as talks with Dusan Sinigoj, President of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia, and Milka Planinc, President of the Federal Executive Council.

In a two-hour meeting with Radovan Vlajkovic, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia, the Secretary-General discussed the situation in southern Africa, the Iran-Iraq conflict and the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations. His meeting with Raif Dizdarevic, Federal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, included discussion of the Cyprus question as well.

Austria: During a three-day visit (10-13 July) to Vienna, teh Secretary-General met with United Nations officials at the Vienna International Centre and addressed the staff there on the effect of the transformation of the united Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) into a specialized agency in June.

Discussing the problem of security for United Nations staff members, Mr. Perez de Cuellar noted that Alec Collett, one of two UNRWA employees kidnapped recently, was still missing. Appealing for his immediate release, teh Secretary-General said "There can be no excuse for such treatment of people who, without regard to their own safety and interest, are working for the United Nations to help Palestinian refugees."

In a 45-minute talk with Austria's Foreign Minister, Leopold Gratz, Mr. Perez de Cuellar discussed bilateral relations between Austria and the United Nations, touching on the strengthening of Vienna's role as a conference centre, the future of UNIDO and the Secretary-General's initiative in calling for a conference on drug control in 1987.

The Secretary-General also met with the Federal President of Austria, Rudolf Kirschschlaeger, and Fred Sinowatz, Austria's Federal Chancellor. Two subjects dominated the talks: the international situation and the influence on that situation of relations between the major Powers, particularly in light of the forthcoming summit meeting between Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and united States President Ronald Reagan.

Kenya: After addressing the Women's Conference ofn 15 July in Nairobi, the Secretary-General met with Kenya's President Daniel T. arap Moi. Their talks covered the economic situation of the developing countries and the political situation in southern Africa. President arap Moi told the Secretary-General that unless the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank relaxed their conditions for economic assistance, Africa could not develop.

Ethiopia: While in Addis Ababa (17-19 July) to address the OAU summit, the Secretary-General met with a number of African leaders. The talks concentrated on the economic proposals put forth at the summit, as well as political issues of international and regional concern. In a meeting with President Julius K. Nyerere of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Secretary-General discussed Western sahara, Namibia and apartheid, as well as the Women's Conference.

The Secretary-General met with Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Foreign Minister Afonso van Dunen to discuss the situation in southern Africa in light of recent Security Council meetings called at Angola's request. Growing tensions in the region were also a focus of talks with Zambia's President Kenneth Kaunda and Simeon Ake, Foreign Minister of the Ivory Coast.

In a meeting with Chadli Bendjedid, President of Algeria, the Secretary-General discussed Algeria's role as mediator in the Iran-Iraq conflict, and touched on the situations in Western Sahara, the Middle East and southern Africa. Western Sahara was also the subject of a meeting with mohamed Abdelaziz, Secretary-General of POLISARIO.

Talks between Mr. Perez de Cuellar and Libyan Foreign Minister Ali Treiki covered the international situation in general and political problems of Africa in particular, including Western Sahara.

Accompanied by Bradford Morse, Director of the United Nations Office of Emergency Operations in Africa, the Secretary-General reviewed the drought and famine situation in the Sudan with its President, General Abdel Rahman Sewar el Dahab, who described new policies followed by his Government. Talks with Ahmed Ould Minnih, Mauritania's Foreign Minister and Minister for Co-operation, centred on the economic consequences of the drought, as well as a review of the Western Sahara issue.

Morocco: Arriving in Rabat on 19 July for a two-day visit to Morocco, the Secretary-General met with Moroccan Foreign Minister Abdellabes Filali. The Secretary-General briefed the Foreign Minister on the OAU summit, describing its declaration on Africa's economic situation as "realistic and useful". Mr Filali outlined Morocco's views on the problem of Western Sahara.

The Secretary-General also met with Ahmed Osman, President of Morocco's Chamber of Representatives, and Prime Minister Karim Lamrani. In private meetings with King Hassan II that included discussion of tensions in North-West Africa and the Western Sahara issue, the Secretary-General was briefed on the status of preparations for an Arab summit in Morocco.

France: Before returning to New York on 23 July, the Secretary-General met in Paris with French Minister of Agriculture Henri Nallet, who was elected President of the World Food Council in June. They reviewed the Council's work and its co-operation with other parts of the United Nations system, including the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme.