Speech by President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen at the National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia on 6 March 2009

(check against delivery)

I would like to thank you for the invitation to visit the Liberian National Legislature. It is a great honour to speak at your Parliament. Democracy, the respect for human rights and the rule of law are the cornerstones of a stable society – and create a foundation for growth and the well-being of its people. Parliament is the key institution for realising and cherishing these goals.

Liberia is the oldest republic in Africa and your democratic traditions extend deep into the past. Long civil conflicts have caused enormous destruction and also placed your system under hard pressure. The civil war ended in 2003, and the elections held in November 2005 were conducted peacefully. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected your President – as the first female President in Africa.

Following years of war, the challenges facing the rebuilding of society are huge. You have been determined in your efforts in finding ways to eliminate corruption, to reduce unemployment and to integrate former combatants into society. I hope that you will continue firmly on your path of reforms and implement your national reform programme, which is a very ambitious one.

The international community is working in close co-operation with your country to improve the security situation. Finland has also participated in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), with which two Finnish officers are currently serving. Participation in international crisis management is part of Finland’s commitment to bearing international responsibility. We are involved in operations led by the UN, EU and NATO. In Africa, a majority of Finnish soldiers are serving in the Chad operation.

Social conflicts do not simply disappear with the end of hostilities and the signing of a peace treaty, but all parties must commit to building for the future. If citizens are confident that democratic institutions and judiciary function well, then the requirements for stable development exist.

Parliament of Finland works to support members of parliament from various countries in meeting these challenges, and has organised conferences for them in Finland together with the World Bank. Parliamentarians have exchanged views on such topics as the role of parliament in reducing poverty and managing the use of public funds. Liberian representatives have also participated in these events.

Our own Parliament recently celebrated its centenary. The history of Finland’s unicameral Parliament reaches back to 1906, when Finland was still an autonomous Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire. Finland gained independence a decade later in 1917.

In Finland, the status of women has been important and recognised from the very beginning. Finland was the second country in the world to grant women the right to vote, and the first nation to allow them to stand for parliamentary election. In the 1907 elections, 19 of the 200 members of Parliament elected were women. One hundred years later, in the 2007 elections, 84 women were elected to office, which is approximately 40 percent. In the present Finnish Government women are a majority – 12 of the 20 Ministers are women. One of them, Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors, is with me here in Liberia.

* * *

I firmly believe that Liberia and Finland share a mutual interest in developing our co-operation. There has been interaction between our two countries in development issues since the 1980s, and Finnish NGOs are also currently involved in a number of projects here in Liberia. For example, the Finnish Refugee Council is focusing on adult education to support of the rebuilding of the country as well as on the reinforcement and training of national organisations.

A visit of a group of influential Finnish women to Liberia in 2007 resulted in the idea of a Women’s Bank. The objective is to support women’s financial empowerment and enterprise in developing countries. The Women’s Bank has launched two FinnChurchAid projects in Liberia. The "Women's Community Income and Empowerment" project supports the promoting of education for girls and women, and the "Increasing Women's Knowledge of Their Rights" project is currently being run in co-operation with the Association of Female Lawyers in Liberia.

My predecessor and recipient of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, President Martti Ahtisaari and his organisation, the Crisis Management Initiative, have worked in co-operation with you in strengthening the civil administration and, for example, re-establishing the birth registry.

* * *

The United Nations is the only truly global forum for international issues, creator of international norms and implementer of joint decisions. The objective of Finnish foreign policy is to strengthen multilateral cooperation, the United Nations and international law.

This objective is also the basis of Finland’s decision to seek membership as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term of 2013-2014. The election will be held in autumn 2012.

In a globalised world, there is a greater interdependence between countries, and many of the challenges are such that no one nation can meet them alone. For example, the food crisis and increased prices have affected all countries around the world. Particularly acutely this touches the developing countries. The rise in food prices is a serious threat to achieving of the UN Millennium Development Goals and to supporting sustainable development.

A topical issue is the global economic crisis. President of the United Nations General Assembly Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann visited Finland just before my visit here. We discussed the role that the UN could play in resolving the international financial crisis.

The weaknesses in the international financial architecture have long been known. This was also stated by the ILO World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, which I had the honour to co-chair with the then President of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa. The Commission report was completed five years ago.

There is no doubt that globalization has benefited many countries enormously. However, many studies show that the benefits of globalization are not equally shared between and within countries and that, in fact, far too many have been left behind.

We need fair globalization that focuses more on people. Our common aim must be to ensure productive employment and decent work for all – in line with the UN goals – while striving for a balance between growth, social cohesion and economic dynamism, as well as the sustainable use of natural resources and the environment.

* * *

For the next two days, your country will be in the international spotlight, when you host the International Women's Colloquium. It is a great honour to me to co-convene the Colloquium together with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

The objective of the Colloquium is to promote equality and support women’s participation in both the shaping and the implementing of decisions. UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security will serve as the common framework for Colloquium themes and goals.

We Finns are pleased to see that the meeting will also be addressing matters concerning climate change and gender issues. The topic is of key importance, as we are preparing for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Copenhagen.

* * *

I would like to conclude by wishing you, Mr Speaker and honourable members of the National Legislature, the best of success in your work for the good of the Liberian people!