I very much welcome His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI’s message for the World Day of Peace 2008 and his theme of “the human family, a community of peace”. I welcome, in particular, his invitation to all to strive to make human co-existence reflect a more lively sense of belonging to the one human family, and so build a true and lasting peace. It is a theme worthy of this, the 40th anniversary of the first World Day of Peace. The Holy Father puts before us the family as the primary agency of peace. The fundamental place of the family in society, indeed as the first natural society, is reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whose 60th anniversary we celebrate in 2008.
The principles of solidarity and cooperation between nations to which His Holiness alludes are ones to which Ireland, as a small, outward-looking country, has always subscribed in its foreign relations.
His Holiness has highlighted the need for the human family to respect the planet and the environment as our common home. Environmental protection and climate change are issues to which Ireland also attaches great priority and which will be to the forefront in guiding our future actions domestically and internationally. We very much support the efforts to achieve a new internationally agreed Climate Change Convention by the end of 2009.
Sustained efforts in poverty reduction and fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals remain of key importance for Ireland in its commitment to assisting developing nations. Ireland remains committed to reaching the target of spending 0.7% of gross national product on development assistance by 2012. By working with the poorest and least developed nations, particularly in Africa, in a spirit of genuine partnership, we are endeavouring to contribute to the more equitable distribution of global resources which His Holiness urges in his message.
The grave threat and challenge which continuing conflicts around the world represent have been correctly highlighted in His Holiness’s message. Ireland continues to be deeply concerned at the continuing conflict in Darfur. We have been active in urging the need for rapid deployment of the UNAMID mission, as well as greater respect for human rights, an end to impunity, and facilitation of the vital and brave humanitarian work undertaken by the many thousands of aid workers in that region. Ireland is also playing a leadership role in, and will make a substantial contribution to, the planned EU peace support mission in eastern Chad and the north-eastern Central African Republic, which it is hoped can shortly be deployed. This mission, EUFOR Chad/CAR, will play a crucial role in facilitating the provision of humanitarian relief in refugee camps in eastern Chad, as well as contributing to the overall promotion of regional security.
His Holiness has also drawn attention to the continuing conflict in the Middle East and its effects throughout the wider region. It is important to build on the recent progress achieved at the Annapolis Conference and to support the negotiations now underway aimed at achieving a two-State solution before the end of 2008. Progress in this area will also bring in prospect the achieving of a comprehensive regional peace agreement, which equally remains critical.
His Holiness has highlighted how the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 involved a commitment by the international community to the achievement of human rights for all. Sixty years on we have the opportunity to renew our commitment to achieving this goal. The UDHR continues to form the foundation of all of our work on human rights, both in the national context and at the international level. We look forward to marking this important anniversary throughout the coming year and to continuing our efforts towards the promotion and protection of all human rights for all persons, in all countries of the world.
Humanity today continues to suffer from the ravages of war. Ireland’s concern for the devastating impact of war on the innocent has resulted in our taking the lead, with the Holy See and a number of other states, to seek a comprehensive ban on cluster munitions, one of the most heinous weapons used in conventional warfare. It is my hope that next May in Dublin we should conclude an international agreement which will result in an effective prohibition on their use, and provide for substantial humanitarian assistance for victims and affected areas.
I fully share the views of His Holiness that greater determination is required in the pursuit of complete nuclear disarmament. Ireland is deeply committed to upholding, implementing and strengthening the multilateral instruments that seek to prevent the testing and to the ultimate to the destruction of these evil weapons. We will continue to work with determination for a world where these weapons have no future. At the end of a year which saw remarkable progress in the consolidation of peace in Northern Ireland, it is a particular satisfaction to recall, as the Holy Father has observed, that these developments have given hope and encouragement to many seeking to advance peace and reconciliation in the troubled areas of the world.
ENDS
1st January 2008