As the longest serving executive head of state in the world, His Majesty was honored by being the first speaker to address the United Nations on its 50th anniversary celebrations. In this speech, the King recalled his acquaintances with some of the early representatives of the United Nations. He stressed Jordan’s long record of close partnership with the UN, and pointed to the Kingdom’s history of service in the defense of peace by contributing soldiers to UN peacekeeping operations. At that time, Jordan possessed the second largest contingent of peacekeeping troops in the former Yugoslavia, and the fifth largest contingent worldwide.

King Hussein pointed to the positive example set by the Jordan-Israel Treaty of Peace, which needs no international observers or peacekeeping forces to separate the two sides, and stressed his hope that the treaty would be a landmark in the region’s progress towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. Finally, His Majesty announced the opening of the United Nations International Leadership Academy in Amman. The academy is the first of its kind in the world, and is the first branch of the United Nations University in the Middle East. Its mandate is to build bridges of dialogue and cooperation among the future leaders of the world.

Address to the United Nations General Assembly on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations

New York

October 22, 1995

(Translated from the original Arabic)

Mr. President,

It is with pleasure that I greet you all, and express my great pride to be among you today, to represent my country, Jordan, as we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of the United Nations Organization. As I address my sincere felicitations to you, Mr. President and the Secretary-General, I recall with esteem the founders who worked diligently and with sincerity to ingrain the principles of international legitimacy, to develop the role of this organization, and to safeguard its noble message.

Mr. President,

I may not be the eldest head of state among you, but God has willed that I should be the longest-serving, and the one who has dealt with the United Nations for the longest period. This has permitted me to follow its development over decades. I recall at an early age witnessing the endeavors of men like Trygve Lie and Count Bernadotte, who died while working for peace, and of Ralph Bunche. Later, I met and befriended others like the distinguished Dag Hammerskjold, the great man of principles who died while carrying out his duty to the United Nations. I also recall others who had the honor of administering this organization, and with whom we worked for peace in our region like Ambassador Pierre Spinelli.

Our relations with this organization have always been close and positive, although we live in a region that has suffered from instability and conflict for long decades. We have always conformed with the charter and noble principles of the organization, and we have cooperated with it to achieve its objectives. As we acknowledge our debt to the men of the United Nations who have worked over the years to preserve peace in our region, we Jordanians feel proud to have contributed to serve the same lofty ideals in other parts of the world. The number of Jordanians who participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions over the years has reached 14,993 servicemen. In the former Yugoslavia, the Jordanian contingent that took part in the UN peacekeeping force was the second largest, and Jordan was the fifth country in terms of its contribution to this honorable cause worldwide.

Mr. President,

My country is small in its size and resources, but it is large in its aspirations. We have suffered enormously from successive wars in the Middle East, which resulted in the tragedy of the Palestinian people. We absorbed the human consequences of their plight in an honorable way that is without parallel in the region. Jordan became the sanctuary and the homeland of all, regardless of their origins or the reason for their presence on our soil. When the Cold War was terminated, we had the opportunity to end the Middle East conflict, and to replace it with peace. We were fully aware that the comprehensive peace which we sought called for wisdom and courage from all leaders. It required faith in the rule of international legitimacy to settle the differences among their peoples. We embarked on this path with confidence, and we achieved, in a short time, what many had deemed impossible. Today we celebrate the first anniversary of the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty, which we hope will be a landmark in the region’s progress towards a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace, that will enable all its peoples to resume their quest for development, to build a better life for future generations.

During the past year we have dealt in a comprehensive manner with all the terms of the treaty, with future relations between Jordan and Israel, and with the diverse areas of cooperation between us. I am glad to announce from this platform that young pilots from the Jordanian and Israeli air forces, who were at the forefront of their respective countries’ armed forces that threatened each other yesterday in the state of war, during the truce, and in the state of no war and no peace, flew today in joint formation in the skies of their two countries, the countries that regained their full rights through their peace treaty. The pilots flew over their main cities to honor their comrades who have fallen, to salute their people, and to embody peace, and the commitment to safeguard it. This is the peace which we sought. It is based on mutual respect and confidence. It does not need the presence of international forces separating the two sides, nor international observers to verify the truth of our commitment to peace.

Mr. President,

The link between peace and stability on the one hand, and social and economic growth on the other, is dialectic. Peace, poverty, and backwardness cannot mix in one region. Based on this, the Amman economic summit, which opens in a few days, inaugurates a new quest for the comprehensive development of the region. It asserts the principle of cooperation between the peoples of the region to improve their standards of living, and in so doing, to consolidate peace. We are full of hope that the conference will realize its desired objectives, contribute to the growth of the region, to overcome the negative consequences of decades of conflict, and usher in a better future.

Mr. President,

Permit me, on this occasion, to thank this organization, and its secretary-general, for announcing last Friday, the establishment of the United Nations University International Leadership Academy in Jordan. This academy will be the first of its kind in the world. It will be the first branch of the United Nations University in the Middle East, which will work to build bridges of human contacts among future leaders. It will give them the opportunity for dialogue and exchange between them and their diverse cultures. It will prepare programs and courses that enroll leaders in the political, social, economic, religious, and cultural sectors from all over the world to foster dialogue, understanding and cooperation between peoples and civilizations.

Fifty years have passed since the United Nations was founded. During this time, some of its member countries have undergone fundamental changes. This is a good moment to review the organization, structure and systems of its institutions, which regulate the nature and conditions of membership in it, so that the organization may reflect today’s world, as opposed to that of fifty years ago. This is essential for the United Nations to rejuvenate itself and fulfill its role with efficiency, capability and credibility, that reinforces the faith of its members in its principles and ability to cope with the challenges before it.

Mr. President,

Many regions of the world today continue to suffer from tensions and conflicts. Others dwell in the shadow of war and the resultant poverty, backwardness, ignorance, and abuse of human rights. They live under dictatorship and tyranny, deprived of freedom and democracy. It is high time that the international community and the human conscience moved to lift their suffering and help them to overcome their difficulties and plight. In this respect, Jordan will continue to strive, propelled by its faith and convictions, to be a living example of harmonious pluralism, in freedom, democracy and respect for human rights.

Peace and security are integral parts of a whole. Stability cannot be rooted unless poverty, backwardness, and tyranny are eliminated. This can be achieved through cooperation between members of the whole international community, making a united stand, in order to face these challenges that carry the greatest opportunities, and, at the same time, gravest dangers.

I salute you, I wish this organization all success, and may God bless you all.

Address to the United Nations General Assembly on the

Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations

New York

October 22, 1995