Mr. Condor said, “CARICOM states are actively grappling with this challenge”.
He said the region was pleased to have participated in the discussions on this topic, at the recent United Nations High Level Meeting.
Minister Condor told world leaders, “A critical and defining aspect of my country’s future, and indeed a prospect that would largely define tomorrow’s world, is our youth. It is therefore worthy of my mention, that ‘Youth Violence’ has attained epidemic proportions in the Caribbean. We appreciate that youth violence is invariably symptomatic of deeper individual, community and societal issues; and that a multi-sectoral, integrated approach is required, in redressing this problem.”
The Foreign Minister added that there is a need to strengthen the role for relevant UN Agencies, in supporting the efforts at reversing this bothersome trend of Youth Violence, with its implications for many critical sectors, inclusive of security, health and development.
“Accordingly, we would be heightening our engagement with WHO, UNHABITAT, UNICEF and other relevant UN and International Development Agencies, in this endeavour,” Minister Condor said.
“While my country acknowledges the strides made in our region with respect to small arms and light weapons, through the recent adoption of the CARICOM Declaration on Small Arms and Light Weapons, there is still a long way to go. It was imperative that we work together to bring a solution-focused approach to this problem of easy access to small arms and light weapons in our countries. CARICOM calls for an Arms Trade Treaty,” said the St. Kitts and Nevis Foreign Minister.”
The Kittitian Minister also said that the challenge of youth violence is also linked to some extent to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Mr. Condor in his presentation noted the UN President’s theme for this session: “The Role of Mediation in the Settlement of Disputes by Peaceful Means.”
He said St. Kitts and Nevis supports the settlement of disputes and mediation in preventing or settling conflicts.
“In this endeavour, our Small Island Caribbean States would wish to be engaged in the support mechanisms, in tangible ways, such as are already laid out in the provisions of such landmark resolutions, as United Nation General Assemblies (UNGA) 1540 (2004), which addresses the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The people of my country, my region, have great respect for the idealism that gave life to this all important Organization. Our ideals are indeed synchronous with those of the UN System; and our expectations are assuredly, no less stately than those of large and powerful Nations,” said Minister Condor.
Minister Condor told the president of the United Nations that all Member States are equipped to play a part in the maintenance of International Peace and Security; and in the ‘building up of one another.’
“We are our Brother’s Keeper! Mr. President, in today’s global community, we must rely heavily on collective actions and solid partnerships, if we are to overcome the many common challenges which we face,” said the Federation’s Deputy Prime.
The 66th annual General Meeting of the United Nations was held in New York on Saturday 24th September, 2011 and was attended by leaders from around the world.
Mr. Condor’s speech was based under the theme, ’Overcoming youth violence requires a multi-pronged approach that includes security, health and development’.
The theme of the conference was, “The Role of Mediation in the Settlement of Disputes by Peaceful Means.”