Cameroon made its statement at the General Assembly in the course of discussion of the Secretary-General's report on the work of the UN.

MARTIN BELINGA EBOUTOU (Cameroon) expressed concern about the increasing number of conflicts, particularly those occurring among factions within countries. The proportion of civilians involved had grown considerably. The international community must react to those killings through mediation, negotiation, early warning and prevention. In that regard, the establishment of the International Criminal Court was promising. He called for the use of preventive diplomacy. Africa, he said, had been devastated by conflicts. Peace and security were prerequisites to development and progress. Africa's efforts to reach agreements between fighting parties showed that its leaders were anxious to remove their people from the spectre of war. Regional organizations were also working hard on peace maintenance and restoration. All such efforts must be carried out on the basis of the principles of the Charter.

Continuing, he said, humanitarian disasters must mobilize the international community, wherever they developed. A certain reluctance by the international community to cope with certain conflicts was difficult to understand, given that the global village was becoming more and more a reality. Promoting social development must be one of the main areas in which solidarity was manifested, such as social and economic assistance.