His Excellency the Honourable Raul Castro Ruz, Acting President of the Republic of Cuba and Acting Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement;

His Excellency the Honourable Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia and outgoing chairman of the NAM;

Distinguished Heads of States and Government;

His Excellency Mr. Kofi Anan, Secretary General of the United Nations Delegates and other representatives:

I am pleased to address the membership of the Non-Aligned Movement for the first time since my country became a member during the preparatory Ministerial Meeting in Malaysia, in May of this year.

I take this opportunity to thank Malaysia and Prime Minister Badawi for an effective and fruitful leadership of the Movement over the past three years.

Mr. Chairman, it is always a pleasure for me to be in Cuba, and to experience the warmth and most generous hospitality of the Cuban people. Indeed I am at home here among my brothers and sisters. I take this opportunity to congratulate the government and people of Cuba for the excellent organization of the Summit, and for the fine arrangements made for the accommodation of the delegations.

Mr. Chairman, I wish for you to convey best wishes and a speedy recovery to President Fidel Castro from the Government and People of Antigua and Barbuda. We are certain that this interlude in the life of the Commander in Chief will also serve as a period of restoration of his energies to continue the fight for the people of Cuba and combat the challenges facing humanity.

Mr. Chairman, during this morning’s opening session we listened to the Prime Minister of Malaysia’s report on the activities of the Movement. It was under Malaysia’s stewardship that Antigua and Barbuda moved from observer status to full membership of the NAM. We chose to become a member because we are a country and people with great aspirations, we believe in the purposes and principles of the Movement, and we have hope in its future. We extend our appreciation to the membership of the NAM for welcoming us to the movement. We look forward to the stewardship of our dear friend and brother Caribbean nation, Cuba, and we are confident that under Cuba’s chairmanship the Movement is in very good hands.

Mr. Chairman, in today’s world it is common to refer to multilateralism as being under siege, threatened by those who would prefer a unilateral dispensation to further their own goals and ideals, with reckless disregard for the political and economic security of developing countries, some of us small and extremely vulnerable.

Sadly, this threat to multilateralism is not just perceived, it is real. This is troubling to our country, as I am sure it is to many other member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement. Although there is power in military and economic might, there is also power in numbers. Therefore, to succeed in our quest for lasting peace and security among nations we need a strong multilateral framework, one where countries work together as equal, sovereign states to pursue common goals.

Within such a framework we can pursue the ideals of peace, security and social and economic development in a manner that respects national sovereignty.

Mr. Chairman, the threats to economic and political survival are a common concern that we share with this group, including military and economic aggression that undermines the independence and sovereignty of states and diminishes the level of human security. And what is human security? Certainly, it is a condition where all mankind live in a world where peace, health and prosperity reign within and among all nations.

Mr. Chairman, there are those who question the relevance and effectiveness of the Non-Aligned Movement, and perhaps this is an indication of the need for revitalization and reinvigoration in the face of global challenges. But we remain convinced of the need to continue to deliberate among ourselves to show that even though our membership varies greatly in terms of size, economic and political structures, natural resources, and national priorities, we are united in our cause to resist and oppose patronage and domination.

I believe that the NAM can be an effective counterbalance to the forces that threaten multilateralism and seek to impose the will of a few on the majority of the world’s people.

Mr. Chairman, we believe that within the ambit of the United Nations, the NAM is an excellent vehicle to pursue South-South cooperation. Our interests and ideals can be advanced by political and economic cooperation, because there is much that we can offer each other, and we need to seek more and better ways of doing so.

Mr. Chairman, there were many factors that informed my country’s decision to become a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, one of which is that we believe in its relevance and usefulness in working towards a stable, peaceful and tolerant world, and to serve as a vehicle for nations to manage common problems in a collective manner, as well as sharing resources, experiences and technology for development.

Of course there are challenges within the Movement, Mr. Chairman. Some of these challenges became clear this week as our representatives debated the goals and principles of the Non-aligned Movement. We are however, hopeful for a bright future for this movement.

Furthermore, Mr. Chairman, we are pleased with the outcome documents and the agreements we have arrived at thus far, while recognizing that delicate compromises were required.

Mr. Chairman, let me conclude by saying that, within this movement, we should always remember that peace and security go hand-in-hand with improved standards of social and economic wellbeing, and that, if nothing else, we should leave as our legacy a world economic and political order that future generations will be happy to inherit and inhabit.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.