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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Remarks By Hon. Fred Mitchell, M.P., Minister Of Foreign Affairs and Immigration at Zonta Club’s U.N. Day Observances, Christ Church Cathedral, Nassau, Bahamas, Sunday, October 25, 2015:
Thank you for inviting me here this morning for your annual observances of U N Day. I am proud of the fact that you keep up this tradition.
This year marks the seventieth anniversary of the one truly global organisation, the United Nations. A few weeks ago, at UN Headquarters in New York, Member-States gathered together under the theme, “The United Nations at 70 – A new Commitment to Action”, to reaffirm the values to which they committed when they subscribed to the Charter: the values of democracy; the rule of law; the protection of the weak and vulnerable; to the elimination of all forms of discrimination. I said at the start of my remarks then that “each year at this time, we join the struggle anew to fight for those values”. Now more than ever we need the United Nations.
The Bahamas is an enthusiastic member of the United Nations, having joined the UN forty-two (42) years ago in September 1973 following our independence on 10th July, 1973. We are dedicated to the Organisation and have either served or are offering to serve for the betterment of the world and the nation.
On Tuesday 20th October the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Sheila Carey spoke at a lecture at the College of The Bahamas and said amongst other things the following:
THE DIPLOMACY OF SMALL STATES
So what does this mean for a small country like The Bahamas?
When we examine the manner in which small states conduct their diplomacy to pursue their foreign policy objectives and manage their participation in the global community of nations, let’s be clear about one thing: the majority of the worlds’ states are small. Rather than relegate small states to the sidelines, the study of small state diplomacy provides tremendous insight into the practice of modern diplomacy itself. As such, diplomacy as practised by small states is a subset of the basic themes and methods of diplomacy in general; and small states are necessary and active partners in the global community of nations.
Studies suggest that in an effort to overcome the vulnerabilities faced by small states (lack of overt economic and military power, susceptibility to external forces etc.), small states compensate for their lack of power by seeking to promote their interests in international institutions and emphasizing the soft power inherent in international legality.
This exercise of power is possible because modern diplomacy has created a situation whereby international legality can hold its own against, and in theory is more legitimate than, economic and military power. Thus, the Bahamian Foreign Service officer can sit at the negotiating table representing the country’s policies with the same rights as his/her big country counterparts. That isn’t to say that economic and military might does not influence the state of global affairs – but they are not the sole determinants.
It is against this background that we decided to make the leap, even though a late entry and with a high hill to climb to run for the United Nations Human Rights Council. The vote takes place on Wednesday 28th October.
Win lose or draw the campaign would have been a success for many reasons. Primarily though it will have given our diplomats the opportunity to punch above their weight, and test the global waters on the influence and impact which our small country has on the world stage.
The campaign is run almost exclusively by our diplomats who are under the age of forty years, most of them under the age of 30. It is part of my philosophy that this country is a country of young people and they should be given the chance as early on in their lives as possible to embrace their country, shape its future and impact its present and forward direction. Standing behind them is an able cadre of mature diplomats. But make no mistake this is a young diplomat’s campaign.
This is my philosophy of governance: let the younger ones do it. They have the energy, the verve, the stamina and the ideas. I developed that view over the years of my own experience of being blocked in my public life by one force or another from this tiresome phrase: you are too young.
Lastly, I want to say on this occasion that should we win the seat on the Human Rights Council we will be fighting for gender equality. The Government stands behind the amendments to the constitution to give women full rights in this country; to allow single men to pass on their citizenship to their children. The government believes that women should enjoy equal rights, equal pay and equal pay for work of equal value.
Please pray for our success on Wednesday.
It is only left for me to thank our hosts the Cathedral and pray Almighty God’s continued blessings upon you and upon this Commonwealth.
End
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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