The UN must lead a "concerted international effort" to establish a new broadbased government in Afghanistan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen, told the General Assembly tonight.
During the meeting, which went ahead in the New York headquarters despite today's plane crash in the city's Queens District, Mr Cowen also called on the military action against Afghanistan to be as short-lived as possible.
He appealed to the international community to place a greater focus on the humanitarian crisis in the region and said every possible step must be taken to minimise civilian casualties during the bombing.
He told the UN's 56th General Assembly that "sustained resolve" and "sustained determination" was now needed to protect future generations from the threat of international terrorism.
"Ireland's position has been steadfast and clear - we stand with the United States and with the rest of the international community in asserting that the barbarism of September 11 cannot be allowed to succeed," he said.
But he said: "My Government hopes that the military campaign now under way will achieve its objectives in as short a time-frame as possible. Every effort must continue to be made to spare civilian casualties."
He added: "There must be a concerted international effort, co-ordinated by the United Nations, to assist the people of Afghanistan in establishing a broad-based government, representative of all the ethnic groups which make up the country."
On the last day of his visit to New York, Mr Cowen said peace and security could not be achieved unless the causes of terrorism were tackled as well as its perpetrators.
With half of the world's six billion people living on less that two US dollars a day there was an immediate need to provide greater support to the developing world, he said.
And he called for a review of sustainable debt levels and greater relief for poorer countries.
"It is crucial that the military campaign be accompanied by a visible and effective humanitarian strategy. The long-suffering people of Afghanistan deserve no less," he said.
There was some doubt that Mr Cowen would be able to deliver the speech after the UN headquarters was briefly evacuated for a short period following the plane crash earlier today.
He will return to Ireland tomorrow.