Statement of South Africa at the UNGA72

Guns: “As Africans we are doing everything possible to reach our goal of silencing the guns by 2020, as contained in our Agenda 2063, a continental blueprint for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Africa.”

Guns / bombs: “We hope that soon, the sister people of Libya will be able to live in peace and harmony, in a United and democratic country. In 2011, the African Union called for dialogue to resolve the crisis in Libya. Unfortunately, some among us here opted for guns and bombs.”

Arms trade / transfer: “The war in Libya contributed a great deal to the destabilisation of the SAHEL region and all the way to Central Africa, creating a corridor for illicit trafficking in arms as well as terrorist activities.”

Arms Control / Arms transfer: “In fact, had our warning been heeded that the supply of arms to civilians in Libya and the arming of civilians in Syria would cause loss of life, great instability and mayhem, the world would be more peaceful today.”

Nuclear weapons: “We continue with our call for calm in the Korean Peninsula. The situation cannot be allowed to get out of hand.”

Nuclear weapons: Weapons of Mass Destruction: “As a country that voluntarily dismantled its nuclear weapons programme, South Africa is of the firm view that there are no safe hands for Weapons of Mass  Destruction.”

Nuclear weapons: “The only viable solution to the problems of nuclear weapons is their total elimination as expressed in the recently UN adopted Treaty banning Nuclear Weapons.”

Nuclear weapons: “It can no longer be acceptable that some few countries keep arsenals and stockpiles of nuclear weapons as part of their strategic defence and security doctrine, while expecting others to remain at their mercy.”

Nuclear weapons: “We are concerned that any possible accidental detonation would lead to a disaster of epic proportions.”

Nuclear weapons: “We are making a clarion call to all Member States of the UN to sign and ratify the Ban Treaty in order to rid the World and humanity of these lethal Weapons of Mass Destruction.”

Non-proliferations: “We reaffirm, at the same time, the inalienable rights of states to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as reinforced in the Non Proliferation Treaty.”

Geographic reference: “We hope that soon, the sister people of Libya will be able to live in peace and harmony, in a United and democratic country. In 2011, the African Union called for dialogue to resolve the crisis in Libya. Unfortunately, some among us here opted for guns and bombs.”

Geographic reference: “Today, those countries are making little effort to promote stability in Libya.”

Geographic reference: “The war in Libya contributed a great deal to the destabilisation of the SAHEL region and all the way to Central Africa, creating a corridor for illicit trafficking in arms as well as terrorist activities.”

Geographic reference: “In fact, had our warning been heeded that the supply of arms to civilians in Libya and the arming of civilians in Syria would cause loss of life, great instability and mayhem, the world would be more peaceful today.”

Geographic reference: “South Africa continues to call for an immediate end to the violence and for a Syrian-led political transition and a negotiated settlement reflecting the will of the Syrian People.”

Geographic reference: “In both instances of Libya and Syria, we strongly cautioned against seeking to resolve internal challenges of sovereign states by imposing foreign solutions through military means.”