Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its eighteenth special session. Furthermore. I would like to join other speakers in welcoming the Republic of Namibia as a new Member of the United Nations. I feel heartened by the RM/4 A/S-18/PV.S 9-10 (Mr. Riegler, Austria) fact that Namibian independence finally came about through peaceful means and that the United Nations played a central role in that process. This is the first time I am addressing the Assembly, and I do so at a moment of unprecedented economic and political change. In Europe the iron curtain, the Berlin Wall and the minefields that have divided our continent for over 40 years have been torn down and removed. In the new Europe, freedom, democracy and human dignity will be the guiding principles. One-party regimes, centrally planned economies and repressive bureaucracies are becoming past history. BCT/td A/S-18/PV. 5 11 (Mr. Riegler, Austria) I would be less than frank if I were to state that this exciting and challenging task of building a new European house was not our priority at this very moment. But I have come to New York to be with you at this eighteenth special session of the General Assembly and to tell you that Austria will not forget its friends and partners in the developing countries. We have common problems and our planet is passing through a period of dramatic growth and change. Uneven development, poverty and rapid papulation growth are placing unprecedented pressures on our lands,. waters, forests and other resources. The challenges we face are of a magnitude and size that make them appear insurmountable. Mankind, however, has proved time and again that, together, we can overcome even the most daunting obstacles. I believe in human strength, ingenuity 
**Analysis**
The text primarily focuses on the current state of the world, discussing the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the challenges of uneven development, poverty, and rapid population growth. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of international cooperation and human strength in overcoming these challenges. While the text touches on economic and environmental issues, it does not delve deeply into any one specific sector or industry.

**Category**
Economic development, Natural resources and environment