'Long live the United Nations!' (excerpts from the more than 200 speeches given at the General Assembly to celebrate the organization's 50th anniversary) (Transcript) (Cover Story).

Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali was both serious and optimistic as he addressed the leaders of the world during the special commemorative session of the UN's golden jubilee: "Your presence speaks, as you have spoken, with eloquence, of confidence in the future of the United Nations." The UN photo above, taken by Paul Skipworth for the Eastman Kodak Company, includes 190 of the 200 participants in the session's historic debate. Among those pictured are 88 Heads of State and 36 Heads of Government, as well as Vice-Presidents, deputy Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers, Permanent Representatives and heads of intergovernmental organizations. In the pages that follow are excerpts from the 200 addresses given to the General Assembly, on the occasion of the Organization's fiftieth anniversary, during six special plenary meetings of the Assembly held between 22 and 24 October. "We have listened to the wisdom of those leaders", the Secretary-General said at the end of the three-day celebration. "Together they have given the world an `Agenda for Tomorrow'."

ALGERIA

President Liamine Zeroual: The fact that the United Nations has seen its membership approach universality in its 50 years of existence bears witness to the existence of a fortunate convergence between the trail that was blazed by the Charter and the course that has been followed by many of our peoples. The fact that the UN was able to foster the vast liberation movement that delivered peoples from the yoke of colonial domination, holds its rightful place among the causes of satisfaction that give today's event its full meaning. The UN has woven a fabric of cooperation that spreads the benefits of man's mastery over nature.

ANGOLA

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos: The journey has not been easy for our Organization. On the date of its foundation the world was just emerging from a devastating war, with a tragic balance of 50 million dead and profound trauma and destruction. Sooner or later, the difficulties facing the United Nations will require redefinition of its structures and mechanisms, particularly the Security Council. A permanent seat in the Council should be assigned to a country from each geographic region that can assume an effective role in preserving peace at the regional level.

BENIN

Desire Vieyra, Minister of State for Coordination of Government Action: The United Nations, as it reaches the half-century mark, must commit itself with resolve to the fight against poverty. We are pleased that at the World Summit for Social Development we finally overturned a sacrosanct principle to the effect that a country's social action must be determined by its economy. We shall now base our economies on the social sphere. Today, Benin is striving, with the help of its development partners, to reduce the rate of infant and maternal mortality and to reduce illiteracy by placing particular emphasis on health and education.

BOTSWANA

President Ketumile Masire: The presence of so many world leaders in New York bears witness to the success of the United Nations during its half century of existence. For Botswana and the African continent, this is a particularly historic moment. When the Organization was born in San Francisco in 1945, only four African countries were able to adhere as independent countries to the Declaration of the United Nations. The rest of the continent was still under colonial domination. Today, the UN boasts of 53 African States among its 185 Members. The UN has served us well.

BURKINA FASO

Ablasse Ouedraogo, Minister for Foreign Affairs: On the threshold of the 21st century, above and beyond the theory of States and of sovereignty, beyond the relationship of force, beyond the ambitions of domination, should we not substitute people, societies, nations, States? Should we not give new impetus to what was enshrined in the UN Charter in the words "We the peoples", and find again the human being and the humanity in each and every one of us and in each and every one of our acts? Only then will we progress with certainty towards a world of solidarity, progress, justice and peace.

BURUNDI

President Sylvestre Ntibantunganya: The United Nations cannot effectively assist our countries unless it adapts to the requirements of today's world. Peace in the world is still endangered by growing poverty, which is evidently the gravest threat to peace in the years to come. Moreover, the exclusion of a major portion of humankind from the most influential bodies of the UN gives the impression of a world that is frozen in time, whereas important changes have taken place over the past 50 years. We must transform and democratize international relations as a whole.

CAMEROON

President Paul Biya: Cameroon rejoices in the opportunity to take part today in the 50th anniversary ceremonies, as the United Nations played a primary role in its accession to national and international sovereignty. For us Africans, the UN is the expression of a collective will that is at the service of peace, of human dignity and solidarity among peoples. Created in the wake of one of the most harrowing conflicts in the history of mankind, in the last 50 years, the UN has made an inestimable contribution to the defence of peace. In working for disarmament and encouraging negotiations, it has taken preventive action to ward off possible future conflicts.

CAPE VERDE

President Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro: Nobody would know how to define our present world without the United Nations, taking into account not only its role in promoting and facilitating the great, imperative changes, but also its specific action in the most diverse fields of human accomplishment, both individually and collectively. The current reality requires firm leadership on the part of the UN to preserve peace and security in such a way that all Member States, big and small, will focus their abilities and energy on the promotion of the well-being to which all peoples have a right.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

President Ange-Felix Patasse: Today, on the occasion of the jubilee of the UN, which is characterized by the density of its history and especially by its experiences, it is more than ever appropriate for the international community to draw the necessary lessons on which to base new hope, but especially, and above all, through which to fulfil the grand design of the UN, in the interests of our peoples. It appears unfair to certain nations that an Organization that wishes to be universal and democratic excludes other nations from its decision-making bodies. The Security Council must be expanded.

CHAD

President Idriss Deby: A half-century ago, immediately following the war, some 50 nations laid the foundations for a system of society turned resolutely towards freedom, peace, collective security, and economic and social well-being. While the world, over the years, has seen many upheavals and often-deadly conflicts that have resulted in sometimes severe criticism of our Organization, we must acknowledge that in many cases the United Nations has achieved substantial results and has spared humanity the worst of catastrophes.

COMOROS

Mouzaoir Abdallah, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation: The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UN is a historic occasion. We pay resounding tribute to the free nations that founded the United Nations, an Organization that has become, over the years, a global political arena that is essential to the rapprochement of peoples. The role of the UN in decolonization, advances in international law, respect for human rights and the identification of certain major problems such as those relating to population and the environment illustrate its growing accomplishments and progress.

CONGO

Destin Arsene Tsaty-Boungou, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophonie: The 50th anniversary comes at a time when a black page in the history of mankind, the page of the cold war, has been turned. But the world continues to face other challenges. The same nations that were powerful 50 years ago are even more powerful today, thanks to their command of science and technology. the expectations of African peoples, who, like the other peoples of the planet contributed to the liberation of mankind in the two major armed world confrontations, have not been fulfilled by a fitting display of solidarity on the part of the international community.

COTE D'IVOIRE

Prime Minister Daniel Kablan Duncan: Certain failures notwithstanding, the Organization has achieved laudable successes. We can therefore be legitimately proud of our Organization because it is the institution that has made it possible to forge general consensus on issues of global policy. It is, moreover, the only structure capable of bringing about the implementation of and respect for the great principles of law, thanks simply to the universality of its Charter. Today, the question is how to reform the United Nations. Our Organization, a mirror on the world, must, 50 years after its creation, still be able to play the role assigned to it while adapting to the changes of our times.

DJIBOUTI

Roble Olhaye, Chairman of the Delegation: Fifty years ago, a mere 51 States began the United Nations. Today, with "nation inflation", we are 185 Members. The UN must be reformed if it is to remain relevant. But it needs stable resources, reordered priorities and more relevant and representative structures. Reform must be given priority or it may soon become incapable of addressing the real global problems of disease, hunger, poverty, development, conflict, security and national breakdown. The UN is the most important vehicle we have today to forge a new international system anchored in justice and equity.

EGYPT

Amre Moussa, Minister for Foreign Affairs: Today, we are gathered together here to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. This is a unique opportunity to assess our successes and our failures. The UN has been a source of hope...