September 24, 2004 No. 112 The Group of Friends on United Nations Reform released the following statement last night in New York, following its first plenary meeting chaired by Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista. Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew attended the meeting and endorsed the statement. Established in 2003 on Mexico’s initiative, the Group is seeking to draw others into a broad consensus in favour of a reform agenda and action to ensure its realization. Members include Algeria, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain and Sweden. - 30 - The Statement of the Group of Friends on the United Nations Reform is attached. For further information, media representatives may contact: Sébastien Théberge Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (613) 995-1851 Media Relations Office Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada (613) 995-1874 http://www.international.gc.ca CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT OF THE GROUP OF FRIENDS ON UNITED NATIONS REFORM The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Group of Friends on United Nations Reform met to exchange views regarding the goals and future activities of the Group, with the aim of strengthening the UN system. The Ministers emphasized the paramount importance of the UN for the maintenance of international peace and security, the promotion of long-term sustainable development, the furthering of socio-economic well-being for the world’s peoples and the prevalence of international law among nations, on the basis of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The Ministers also expressed the view that the UN requires an urgent and broad reform to fully meet the challenges of an evolving international environment, so that it becomes better able to respond in an effective and timely manner to threats to international peace and security, and promote global development. The Ministers stressed the relationship between development, good governance, respect for human rights, environmental protection and peace and security. In this context, the Ministers warmly welcomed the Secretary-General’s efforts in the UN reform process, especially by entrusting the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change with the task of examining the current threats, evaluating existing policies, processes and institutions and making recommendations. With a view to contribute to the UN reform process, the Ministers stated that the Group of Friends’ diverse regional composition, reflecting a wide range of perspectives among member states, constitutes a tool to mobilize political action in favour of reform, in particular within their respective regions, in the following areas: • strengthen the UN as the main multilateral institution for addressing current and future challenges to international peace and security; • in the process under way, encourage a balanced and comprehensive approach that addresses the most critical issues facing the UN and its member states; and • promote the reform among member states and raise the political momentum which will be spurred by the issues being addressed by the High-Level Panel and the Secretary-General’s recommendations thereon. The Ministers emphasized that 2005 will be a key year for reform. They stated that they could not afford to let the opportunity slip by or to fall short of effectively addressing perilous challenges of today.
