(Day 2) General Debate – General Assembly, 79th session: afternoon session

25 Sep 2024 15:00h - 21:00h

(Day 2) General Debate – General Assembly, 79th session: afternoon session

Session at a Glance

Summary

This transcript covers speeches from various world leaders at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The central theme was addressing global challenges through collective action and multilateralism. Many speakers emphasized the need for peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for all nations.

Several key issues were highlighted across multiple speeches. Climate change was frequently mentioned as an urgent threat requiring coordinated global efforts. Many leaders called for reforms to international institutions like the UN Security Council and financial systems to better represent developing countries. The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan were cited as major concerns threatening global stability.

Speakers from smaller or developing nations often stressed the disproportionate impacts of climate change, economic inequality, and conflict on their populations. There were repeated calls for increased climate financing, debt relief, and equitable access to technology and resources for sustainable development. Some leaders criticized unilateral sanctions and advocated for lifting embargoes against countries like Cuba.

While approaches varied, there was broad agreement on the need to revitalize multilateralism and international cooperation to tackle shared global challenges. Many emphasized reforming global governance structures to be more inclusive and representative of all nations. Overall, the speeches reflected both deep concerns about current crises as well as hope for collaborative solutions through a strengthened United Nations system.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– Calls for reforming global institutions like the UN Security Council and international financial system to be more inclusive and representative of developing countries

– Concerns about climate change, inequality, and other global challenges requiring urgent collective action

– Emphasis on the importance of multilateralism and international cooperation to address shared problems

– Criticism of unilateral sanctions and calls to lift embargoes against countries like Cuba

– Support for Palestinian statehood and condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza

Overall purpose:

The overall purpose of this discussion was for world leaders to address the UN General Assembly, highlighting their countries’ priorities and perspectives on major global issues. Leaders used the platform to call for reforms to the international system and urge collective action on shared challenges.

Tone:

The overall tone was serious and often critical of the current state of global affairs. Many speakers expressed frustration with existing power structures and called for significant changes. While some speeches had moments of optimism about potential solutions, there was an overarching sense of urgency about the need to address mounting global crises. The tone became more impassioned when discussing specific regional conflicts or long-standing grievances.

Speakers

– Vice President

– Denis Bećirović – Bosnia and Herzegovina: Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

– Alexander Stubb – Finland: President of the Republic of Finland

– Mohamed Irfaan Ali – Guayana: President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana

– José Raúl Mulino Quintero – Panama: President of the Republic of Panama

– Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo: President of the Togolese Republic

– Bassírou Diomaye Diakhar Faye – Senegal: President of the Republic of Senegal

– Sylvanie Burton – Dominica: President of the Commonwealth of Dominica

– Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands: President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

– Irakli Kobakhidze – Georgia: Prime Minister of Georgia

– Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón – Spain: President of the Government of Spain

– Allah Maye Halina – Chad: Prime Minister, Head of Government of the Republic of Chad

– Péter Szijjártó – Hungary: Minister of Foreign Relations and Trade of Hungary

– Bakhtiyor Saidov – Uzbekistan: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan

– Yvan Gil Pinto – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs

– Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe: Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe

– Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc – South Sudan: Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan

– Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia: Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia

Additional speakers:

– Philomen Yang: President of the 79th Session of the General Assembly

– Antonio Guterres: Secretary-General of the United Nations

Full session report

The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly convened world leaders to address pressing global challenges through collective action and multilateralism. The discussions focused on several key themes, including climate change, UN reform, sustainable development, regional conflicts, technological challenges, and national priorities.

Climate Change and Environmental Concerns

Climate change emerged as a critical issue, with many speakers emphasizing its urgent threat to global stability. Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands stressed the need for collective action, while Celinda Sosa Lunda of Bolivia highlighted the interconnected nature of climate change with other crises such as inequality and geopolitical tensions. The environmental crisis was described as one of the greatest threats facing humanity, with impacts ranging from extreme weather events to biodiversity loss. Allah Maye Halina of Chad provided a stark example, citing recent floods that affected over 1.5 million people in the Sahel region. Small island developing states emphasized their particular vulnerability to rising sea levels and extreme weather events. There was broad agreement on the need for accelerated action and enhanced funding to address these challenges.

UN Reform and Multilateralism

A significant focus of the discussions was the urgent need for reform within the United Nations, particularly the Security Council. Leaders from various nations, including Togo, Georgia, Finland, and South Sudan, called for changes to make the body more inclusive and representative of current global realities. While there was consensus on the need for reform, specific proposals varied. Alexander Stubb of Finland suggested radical changes, including increasing the number of permanent members and removing veto power. African countries collectively called for permanent representation on the Security Council. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé of Togo emphasized increasing representation from developing nations.

Sustainable Development and Economic Issues

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was a priority for many speakers, with calls for accelerated action and increased funding. Frederick Makamure Shava of Zimbabwe highlighted the need for enhanced support to meet the 2030 deadline and called for the removal of sanctions against his country. Economic issues were prominent, with several leaders criticizing the current international financial system. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye of Senegal called for reforms to create a more equitable economic order. Many developing countries emphasized the challenges of debt burdens and unequal access to global financial resources. The importance of education and healthcare in achieving sustainable development goals was widely recognized.

Regional Conflicts and Peace Efforts

Ongoing conflicts in various regions were a major concern for many speakers. The situations in Gaza and Ukraine received particular attention, with calls for immediate ceasefires and peaceful resolutions. Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón of Spain emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza and support for a two-state solution. The conflict in Sudan and its impact on neighboring countries like Chad was highlighted. Yvan Gil Pinto of Venezuela accused the United States of aggression and called for an end to sanctions. South Sudan’s efforts to implement its peace agreement and prepare for elections were discussed. Many speakers called for increased international cooperation in counterterrorism and combating drug trafficking.

Technological Challenges and Opportunities

Several speakers addressed the role of technology in development and global governance. The need for global governance of artificial intelligence was emphasized, along with the potential of digital technologies for development. Concerns about the digital divide and equitable access to technology were raised, with calls for international cooperation to bridge this gap.

National Development Priorities

Leaders highlighted their countries’ specific development priorities and challenges. Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana emphasized his country’s commitment to preserving forests and biodiversity. Georgia’s Irakli Kobakhidze focused on economic growth and improving global competitiveness rankings. Sylvanie Burton of Dominica stressed the importance of building climate resilience and called for climate justice. Bolivia’s representative emphasized indigenous rights and defended the traditional use of the coca leaf. Many countries with large youth populations discussed strategies for youth empowerment and addressing demographic challenges.

Gender Equality and Human Rights

Discussions on gender equality and women’s empowerment featured prominently, with many leaders emphasizing their commitment to advancing women’s rights and participation in decision-making processes. The importance of protecting human rights, including those of refugees and displaced persons, was stressed by several speakers, with calls for increased support for refugees and host communities.

Conclusion

The discussions at the 79th UN General Assembly revealed a world grappling with interconnected crises requiring urgent collective action. While there was consensus on the need for UN reform, climate action, and peaceful resolution of conflicts, the specific approaches and priorities varied significantly among nations. The session highlighted both the potential for international cooperation and the challenges in achieving unified global action on critical issues such as climate change, economic reform, technological governance, and UN restructuring.

Session Transcript

Vice President: Dear Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I request Protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Denis Bećirović – Bosnia and Herzegovina: Dear President of the United Nations General Assembly, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a special honor for me to address the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly as the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Allow me, Mr. President, to wish you every success in the complex and challenging times of today. Also, I congratulate former President Denis Francis for successfully presiding over the 78th UN General Assembly session. Esteemed President, It is a great honor to serve the invincible State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the oldest countries of Europe. We are proud that Bosnia has been mentioned in historical sources for 1075 years now. For centuries, my country has demonstrated resilience, courage, and strength of unity in diversity. Bosnia and Herzegovina was not created in Dayton in 1995. but rather the Dayton Peace Agreement confirmed the continuity of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. These are unquestionable historical and legal facts. Bosnia and Herzegovina has made great progress since the end of the war in 1995. We rebuilt the country destroyed by the war. We united the defense system, the judiciary, the tax system and numerous other institutions. Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina is at the doorstep of European Union and NATO. Bosnia and Herzegovina is actively working to become a NATO and the EU member. These are our strategic foreign policy goals which were unanimously defined by the state authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ladies and gentlemen, the entire world is facing numerous challenges and threats. Unfortunately, we live in a world of injustice, insecurity and intolerance. Never in history has a human had more power and at the same time felt as insecure as he does today. In the past two years, we faced new difficult challenges, especially security-related ones. The strengthening of authoritarian populism, the aggression against Ukraine and the suffering of Gaza have brought humanity into a deep crisis full of uncertainty and fear. The world is seriously threatened by poverty, disease. It is estimated that one person dies of hunger every four seconds. The fact that millions of children in the world live in extreme poverty is particularly sad. A reasonable question arises, why have we allowed an incomparably greater investment in weapons than in eradicating poverty? It’s time for everyone to realize that human lives are more important than guns. Otherwise, I fear that we are collectively headed for a global catastrophe. Regarding climate change, Bosnia and Herzegovina is fully aware of the global situation and is determined to contribute to the global efforts. We are committed to the transition to renewable energy sources and the reduction of harmful gas emissions. Terrorism is a serious threat. Countering this threat requires joint and dedicated efforts. The world must have a consensus on the fight against terrorism. Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to show a determined commitment to the fight against terrorism. Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot solve the problems of modern humanity without addressing the causes. The course of history is not something we can stop. However, we can influence its flow. Therefore, I suggest we now focus on preserving the role of the United Nations as the global center of coordination and cooperation, the importance of the UN Charter reaffirming Strengthening the multilateral system in accordance with international law. Intensifying the UN reform process. Common work to strengthen the credibility of the United Nations. Effective implementation of the Agenda 2030 and its sustainable development goals. Rebuilding trust and cooperation among nations on key global issues. Giving a chance to mutual trust, inclusiveness and a democratic vision of leadership. And strengthening preventive diplomacy in times of geopolitical fragmentation of the world. Together we should open the space for creative global cooperation instead of geopolitics of rivalry and conflict in the 21st century. Conflicts and destruction are not in our civilization’s core. We should be building a culture of dialogue, cooperation and peace. Peace and stability have no alternative. Ladies and gentlemen, humanity is once again facing severe moral and political crisis. The UN’s response to Ukraine and Gaza was inadequate as it was during the aggression in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995. The Russian aggression on Ukraine is a flagrant example of violation of the UN Charter and international law. That is why we reiterate our firm condemnation of Russian aggression and the support to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The suffering and hardship of Palestinian children and civilians. is terrifying. Gaza is a heavy defeat of collective humanity in the 21st century. All human lives are equally valuable. Civilized people must fight for the human rights of all, regardless of their racial, religious, ethnic, or other affiliation. Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only European country where genocide was committed after the Second World War. This was ruled by the highest courts of the United Nations. Judgements on genocide committed against Bosniaks have legal, historical, civilizational, and moral significance. Unfortunately, the ideology, politics, and media that fostered the genocide are once again threatening Bosnia and Herzegovina. I would like to especially thank the UN General Assembly for adopting the resolution on May 23rd for establishing July 11th as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica. The adopted resolution is a highly moral and civilized act and is just as important for the UN as it is for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Let’s preserve the truth about the genocides in Srebrenica and Rwanda for the sake of the past, present, and most importantly, the future. Despite all the injustices, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains firmly committed to the regional cooperation as that is one of our main and others. The Bosnia and Herzegovina is a peaceful country committed to strengthening regional cooperation. That is why we actively participate in numerous regional initiatives. For the peaceful future of the Western Balkans, it is crucial that all countries acknowledge there is to be no changes of state borders. Those who try to do differently risk a dangerous destabilization of the region with unforeseeable consequences. Ladies and gentlemen, Here, at the podium of the UN General Assembly, I want to publicly warn the global audience that, once again, the leadership of the Republic of Serbia is threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The greater state aspirations of Serbia toward the territories of other countries in the region are the essential reason why Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans are exposed to new dangers. One evidence of this is the destructive declaration by the so-called All-Serb Assembly adopted in Belgrade on June 8 this year. It is not just a declarative act, but a dangerous greater state program document that threatens the date on peace agreement and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The content of this declaration directly contradicts the democratic and civilized world-established procedures. international and national law, the fundamental principles of the European Union and the principles that are the foundation of relations between the UN members. This declaration is a threat to regional peace and to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ladies and gentlemen, finally, as the chairman of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I want to emphasize that I am proud of my heroic and dignified homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina. My country achieved a civilizational and moral victory in the previous decades, despite genocide, the crimes against humanity and activities of joint criminal enterprises. People in my country want peace and cooperation. We stand for humanity and solidarity. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a global story of hope, courage and unity. We will protect Bosnia and Herzegovina and its unity in diversity in this way. We also contribute to global unity. Thank you for your attention.

Vice President: On behalf of the assembly, I wish to thank the chairman of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the assembly.

Alexander Stubb – Finland: Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The UN was founded 79 years ago. At the time, we were in many ways standing at a crossroads. The world had been torn apart by two world wars. Something had to be done to contain the belligerence of nation-states. We needed common institutions and rules. The mission of the United Nations was actually quite simple, to end war and promote peace, to promote justice and a better life for the entire world. And for most of its history, it’s been able to do exactly that. I come from Finland. We’re a small country in the northeastern corner of Europe. We’re a peace-loving nation. Our recovery from World War II and our rise from one of the poorest countries in Europe to one of the wealthiest and safest and, yes, happiest countries in the world is closely linked to the success of the United Nations. Our ability to demonstrate dignity, act with respect, promote compromise has played a critical role in our success story. We are a free and open society. We understand the value of this institution as we first-hand experience of what it can bestow on a country and its citizens at its best. I think that today, in many ways, we’re again standing at a crossroads. And I have to admit that I’m worried. Divisions between countries and blocs are widening. Our shared understanding of the world has dwindled. and it’s been replaced by narratives that fuel controversy, conflict and hatred. The number of ongoing conflicts is the highest since the Cold War and the number of states involved in them is on the rise, especially in three hotspots, Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan. Human suffering has long since reached a point that should be unacceptable in this room. The paradox, of course, is that many countries are rejecting multilateral cooperation precisely at a time when we need it more than ever. In my speech today, I will focus on three points and I’ll try to be as concrete and constructive as possible. First, on what unites rather than divides us. Second, on how to end the current wars. Third, on how to reform the UN and to reflect the world that we live in today. By adopting the Pact on the Future on Monday here, I think we proved that the UN works. And I have to say that my address here today is to all of us collectively, not to anyone individually. I’m not into blame games or whataboutism. We are all responsible. We are all a part of the problem as well as the solution. So, first, let us focus on what unites rather than divides us. When the Cold War ended, many of us, myself included, believed in the thesis of the end of history, namely that most of the world’s roughly 200 nation states would revert towards some kind of form of peace, prosperity, and harmonious coexistence. There was a strong belief that freedom, democracy, and globalization The things that were supposed to bring us together, like trade, interdependence and information, are now tearing us apart. We must turn the tide and focus on how we can find common solutions to common global problems. Now, the biggest challenges in the world, climate change, technology, sustainable development and conflict, are precisely the ones that we must work on together. We need the UN more than ever. We must get back to the trajectory where our common challenges drive cooperation instead of conflict. We must look for win-win solutions for all rather than zero-sum games benefiting the few. To mitigate and adapt climate change and to halt biodiversity, we need to work together. Our future depends on our response to these challenges in very concrete terms. We cannot respond to the very tangible concerns of small islands developing states only by planning. We need results. If we do not solve the climate challenge, the crises that follow become unsolvable. The same goes for technology. Some 30 years ago, we thought that digitalization, artificial intelligence, robotization and biotechnology would automatically solve climate change. and others. We have a lot of ground, but we need to make sure that the fundamental rights that we have all agreed on together apply to everyone at all levels – regions, nations, peoples and individuals. We need to ensure that the rights of women and girls are respected, the rights of gender and sexual minorities need to be protected globally. No matter which region we come from then, our rhetoric and actions are often inconsistent. We say one thing and then we do another. Right now, we are at a stage where we must do what we say and work together. So let us focus on what unites us rather than separates us. My second point is about conflict. When the UN was founded, the underlying idea was never again. Never again should anyone experience the horror that our predecessors went through in the first half of the 20th century. The founders of the United Nations promised to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. They at least partially succeeded. But are we, the new generation, succeeding? The simple answer is no. Only this year and last year, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed. More than 10,000 children in Gaza. Child abduction is being used as a weapon of war in Ukraine. Millions of people worldwide have been forced to leave their homes. Malnutrition and disease are on the increase. Current wars highlight a glaring contradiction. Critical decisions about war and peace are made by a tiny number of people, often driven by a cynical need to hold on to power. The global majority, who have the interest in peace, do not have enough power in the international system to keep them in check. This is true in Ukraine and Palestine, as well as Sudan. In Ukraine, a just peace, based on President Zelensky’s ten-point peace plan, is clearly in the interest of the global community. The war continues because Russian leaders are not willing to end it. While Russia is doing its best to blame others for its own aggression, we systematically revert to the principles of international law and the UN Charter. Neither Russia nor any other country has a historical right to anyone else’s region or people. The core of the UN Charter is respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. Finland condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Finland equally condemns the attempts to manipulate the global information space to destroy the principles that have sustained world peace for decades. I call on President Putin to end this war and end it now. In Palestine, we must ask ourselves whose interests are driving the war. Peace meets the interests of the global majority. and the Palestinians, and the Israelis. A ceasefire, a two-state solution, and regional security arrangements would ensure stability, as well as economic and societal development across the region. International law holds the key to a solution that would keep both Palestinians and Israelis safe. After the most recent tragedies, there’s no other direction but forward, and we must find a solution. There are no more excuses. This war needs to end, and it needs to end now. In Sudan, regardless of which of the groups who are fighting will finally win the war, the victims of that war will be the civilians and the transition to civilian rule built by them. The civilian rule behind which the entire international community has promised to stand and the civilians for whom we promised to seek a better future. In Sudan, we have failed to apply the principle of African solutions to African problems. Instead, Sudan is becoming an arena for regional and international rivalry. Our shared goal is to build a Sudan that would be an equal partner for all of us in security, trade, and in the multilateral forum. And it is moving further and further away from it. No one benefits from this development in the long term. I call, therefore, upon the UN to take the center stage in conflict resolution and prevention once again. Peace mediation cannot be transactional. It has to be centered in the United Nations. International law, the UN Charter, and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states must prevail. My third and final point is that we need the UN more than ever. and without far-reaching reform, I’m afraid it will be sidelined. It all begins with agency, with a feeling that we all have a say. Whether it’s about climate change, technology, sustainable development or conflict, the same challenge remains. The current international institutions do not reflect global realities. The majority of the world is not properly represented in the global institutions and their interests are not met. This must change. Ending wars would benefit most of us, if not all of us, but currently we do not have the mechanisms to drive the interests of the global majority. Many countries do not feel they have a say in global institutions and as a result the institutions are losing their legitimacy. Shortcomings in multilateral institutions encourage many to seek solutions outside traditional international institutions. Alliances, whether based on interest or values or both, are creating a transactional world of disorder where size and power benefits a minority rather than the majority. The cold truth is that we cannot postpone reform any longer and in many ways history is on our shoulders, just as it was with those who founded the United Nations in 1945. If our goal is to focus on what unites us rather than divides us, we need far-reaching reform of the UN Security Council. So let me try that reform then and see what you think. Finland’s three-point proposal today is very concrete. Some might say overly optimistic, but I do feel we have to begin somewhere. So here we go. First proposal. All major continents need to be represented. and other members of the UN Security Council. It is unacceptable that there is no permanent representation from Latin America and Africa and that China alone represents Asia in the Security Council. We therefore propose that the number of permanent members be increased by five. More concretely, two from Asia, two from Africa and one from Latin America. The total number of permanent members would thus be ten. That combined with ten elected members would ensure that the Security Council would hold roughly ten percent of the UN’s members at any given time. My part of the world, Europe, should think hard about how best to divide its existing two seats. Second, no single state should have veto power. I fully understand that the veto was necessary in the aftermath of World War II, but in today’s world it has too often incapacitated the Security Council and halted decision-making here in New York. The UN agencies are not subject to national vetoes and are working effectively precisely because no single member can prevent them from doing so. My third and final proposal is that if a permanent or elected member of the Security Council violates the UN Charter, its voting rights should be suspended. This decision should ultimately be taken by the General Assembly and there should be no room for double standards in the United Nations. So ladies and gentlemen, despite all of our challenges, I want to end on an optimistic note. My optimism stems from an innate belief that when humans are faced with a binary choice, we often end up doing the right thing. Our choice today is simple. we can continue towards a multipolar world of disorder or we can start getting serious about solving our common problems through multilateral institutions and a reformed United Nations. As my mentor and great friend of the UN, the late President Martti Ahtisaari said in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008, and I quote peace is a question of will. All conflicts can be settled and there are no excuses for allowing them to be eternal, end of quote. Let us keep Martti’s words in mind and start working towards peace. Thank you very much.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Finland The Assembly will hear and address by His Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Mohamed Irfaan Ali – Guayana: Madam President, Excellencies, if it is, we all agree on ending and preventing wars. If it is, we all agree that the Security Council requires reform. If it is, we all agree that the international financial system is unfair and unjust to the developing world. And if it is, we all believe in climate, food and energy security. than what is stopping us from acting. We will all be doomed in the court of conscience for knowing what is right while ignoring what is wrong. Madam President, of the myriad of challenges confronting our world, climate change threatens our very existence, adversely affecting development across all countries. Rising sea levels and temperatures, severe natural disasters, and shifting and extreme weather patterns disrupt agriculture and food security, threaten water supply and displace communities. These impacts are particularly devastating for small island developing states. Each year we make the annual pilgrimage to COP filled with hope for tangible outcomes, and each year we are regaled and renewed unkept promises are the order of the day. This cycle of hope, followed by disappointment, cannot continue if the sustainable development goals are to be met. We must break free from this pattern of empty pledges. We must unequivocally and immediately fulfill all pledges for the sake of our planet and the future of all its inhabitants. Let me tell you about my country, Guyana, a country that is 83,000 square miles. 86% of which is tropical forests. Guyana has the second highest percentage forest cover on earth and one of the lowest deforestation rate. Our forest stores 19.5 gigatons of carbon and sequesters more than 153 million tons annually. According to WWF, Guyana is one of the world’s most important countries for biodiversity density. It straddles two of the richest biodiversity zones, the Guyana Shield and the Amazon. As a country, we are dedicated to the preservation of this vital global asset. I especially salute the indigenous peoples of Guyana, the Amerindians, who are the foremost stewards of this great natural heritage. We recognize their leadership and 15% of all revenues earned from carbon sales are directly transferred to our indigenous communities. Madam President, even with our newfound natural resource, oil and gas, it would require less than 20% of sequestered carbon to offset our emissions at maximum output. We have preserved our biodiversity and know its value. We believe it is only fair and just that this global asset be monetized in a fair carbon market. Today, I am pleased to announce the launch of a Global Biodiversity Alliance. We will convene the first Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit. in 2025, which will focus on creating a market for biodiversity credits, scaling biodiversity conservation debt swaps, accelerating biodiversity bonds, establishing a blueprint for biodiversity taxonomies, and promoting nature-positive action. We do not make this announcement by mere words. Guyana is also committed to doubling its protected areas by December 2025, and achieving the global biodiversity target of 30% by 2030. These are real solutions that Guyana is putting forward to address the global problem of biodiversity loss. We do not lecture. We lead by example without arrogance. Madam President, according to the UN Food Security and Nutrition Report in 2023, an estimated 28.9% of the global population, 2.3 billion people, were moderately or severely food insecure. The primary causes were conflict and insecurity, extreme weather events, including those related to El Nino, and climate change and economic shocks. To effectively address food insecurity, we must take more concerted action to address its root causes, reducing conflict, mitigating climate change, and enhancing food production and trade in food commodities. By prioritizing peace and climate action, we can create environments where food systems, crops, and livelihoods are not threatened by conflict and weather extremes. In turn, enhancing food production and ensuring fair and efficient trade in food commodities can reduce food insecurity. So too can the full involvement of women and youth. In Guyana’s National Agricultural Strategy and Policy, at least 35% of our agribusinesses will be owned by women and 60% by young people. While I have spoken of food insecurity, the global malnutrition rates are also alarming and must be addressed. Nutritious, safe, and sufficient food are crucial to a healthy population. Madam President, the United Nations must continue to be a beacon of hope amidst a turbulent global environment. The theme of this year’s Assembly, and I quote, leaving no one behind, acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations, end of quote, resonates with a vision set out in the United Nations Charter. This vision demands decisive action and enlightened multilateralism. Today, we find ourselves in a world where the quest for peace is met with a defiant echo of conflict, where the promise of sustainable development is eclipsed by the dangerous specter of climate change and food insecurity, and where the dignity of millions of people is trampled upon with impunity. In Ukraine. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of a nation are being violated, yet decisive action by the United Nations Security Council remains petered by the veto. Justice demands that we defend the territorial integrity of all states, large, small, powerful, and weak. Equally concerning is the conflict in Sudan, which rages on with devastating consequences for the people of that country, including famine and mass displacement. This conflict will continue to undermine efforts to achieve lasting peace and sustainable development. This Assembly must also condemn the continued oppression and persecution by the Taliban of women and girls in Afghanistan, who face not just lack of access to education and restrictions on their movements, but now even their voices cannot be heard in public. Closer to my home, CARICOM has been actively supporting a Haitian-led process for the restoration of democracy, peace, and stability in Haiti. We welcome the deployment of the UN-authorized multinational security support mission, led by Kenya, as a crucial step towards stabilizing the security situation. We call on the international community to urgently scale up financing for the MSS and secure its renewed authorization so that the mission can succeed. We must also address the dire humanitarian situation, where almost half of Haiti’s population suffer from acute hunger, mass displacement, and women and girls are enduring brutal violence, including sexual violence. Guyana is leading CARICOM’s effort. In mobilizing humanitarian effort and support for Haiti, Excellencies, I’ll be reaching out to you for your support. We must take a course with our Haitian brothers and sisters in their quest for durable peace and sustainable development. The people of Haiti deserve nothing less. Madam President, peace, stability and safety are no more imperiled than in Gaza. Guyana reiterates a strong condemnation of the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel. However, the collective punishment of an entire population, including the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians, most of whom are women and children, has long gone beyond the realm of self-defense. As the world watches on helplessly, Israel continues to flout its international obligations, including the orders of the ICJ and successive Security Council resolutions. Instead, the right of self-defense is being used as a weapon of mass extermination, stoking legitimate fears of genocide. No state, large or small, should feel comfortable and safe when such atrocities are allowed to continue with impunity. The war in Gaza must end now. We reiterate our demand for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages and Palestinians illegally detained. Madam President, for more than 75 years, the Palestinian people have been denied the right of self-determination. We must advance the two-state solution as this remains the only viable option for a future where Palestinians and Israelis live in peace and security. Turning to our brothers and sisters in Cuba, their right to development continues to be stymied by the economic embargo. Guyana renews its call for revocation of the embargo and the removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Madam President, the United Nations has a special responsibility for the security of small states. Small states look to multilateralism and the rule of international law to protect them from foreign aggression. Guyana is a small state that has had to contend with aggression from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for all 58 years of our nationhood. International law and its strict application have been our armor and our shield in our determination to protect ourselves from this aggression. We remind this August Assembly that the border between Guyana and Venezuela was fully, finally, and perfectly settled in an 1899 award by an international tribunal. Venezuela was fully represented in that tribunal, whose award it proclaimed in its own Congress and welcomed for more than six decades. Before reopening the issue on the eve of Guyana’s independence, claiming two-thirds of our territory. This controversy, initiated by Venezuela, was submitted by Guyana to the International Court of Justice in accordance with the decision of the United Nations Secretary General In 2023, in light of intensified acts of aggression by Venezuela, the ICJ issued provisional measures stating that, and I quote, pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Cooperative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over the area, end of quote. After years of refusing to participate in the proceedings of the ICJ and stating that it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the court, the Venezuelan government has now submitted a counter-memorial to Guyana’s submission. We welcome Venezuela’s decision to participate in the court’s proceedings and express the hope that Venezuela will accept the decision of the court, as Guyana has long pledged to do. I reaffirm Guyana’s unwavering commitment to a peaceful resolution of this long-standing controversy in full conformity with international law and the principles set forth in the United Nations Charter. Madam President, peace, development, and human rights are pillars of the United Nations. We all aspire for a form of multilateralism that is equitable, inclusive, and ensures that no one is left behind. Women’s participation and leadership in private and public sectors are integral to this. There is a growing movement in the developing world calling for the democratization of global political and economic relations. The disproportionate concentration of power favours a few powerful nations, whilst marginalising the voices and concerns of the broader international community. Developing countries are justly demanding more inclusive and representative decision-making processes in institutions and organs such as the UN Security Council, the World Bank and the IMF. The World Trade Organisation must also be reformed to ensure fairer trade for developing countries. These reforms must go beyond fair representation and ensure that the policies and practices of these institutions align with the developmental needs and aspirations of all countries. In the emerging global order, we must ensure the United Nations remains at the forefront of global governance. If multilateralism is to trump unilateralism, the UN’s role as the world’s foremost multilateral organisation is pivotal. With the necessary resources and resolve, the UN can ensure a future of peace, sustainable development and human dignity. The future we seek, a future where no one is left behind, demands courageous action. The UN must fulfil its role as the custodian of greater global peace, the foremost promoter of sustainable development and an unflinching protector of human rights, human dignity and international law. And since the UN is all of us, this body of nations, this is a collective responsibility for us all. Let us not be found wanting. Let us act together for the advancement of peace, for the achievement of sustainable development, and the preservation of human dignity, now and for generations to come. I thank you.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency José Raúl Mulino Quintero, President of the Republic of Panama. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

José Raúl Mulino Quintero – Panama: A very good afternoon, Madam President. Honorable Heads of Delegation, ladies and gentlemen, just over two months ago, I assumed the Presidency of the Republic of Panama. Over the next five years of my mandate, I will have to face down, on behalf of all Panamanians, major challenges, several of which affect not only my country, but the hemisphere as a whole. Our privileged geographical position has made us a bridge between and a meeting point for the Americas. We had the first railway to connect the Atlantic and the Pacific on our continent, the first customs office of the continent, and the first in Tierra Firme, the first Spanish city in the form of Tierra Firme. Our canal and our airport hub have made us strategic partners for all countries of the world. As things stand, our canal serves 180 maritime routes. These connect 1920 ports in 170 countries, and that means that we are a major value add for products from throughout the world. Cognizant of our importance as a meeting point, our doors have always been open to all nationalities who, fair and square and playing cleanly, wish to harness the competitive advantages we have as, as our shield states, a country promundi e beneficium for the world. But today, Panama is facing a colossal problem as a result of its strategic location. Illegal immigration through the Darien Gap, which has been used as a gateway by hundreds of thousands of migrants and has been for some time. Migrants that are fleeing the grave political, economic, and social problems they face and seeking the so-called American dream. I know that territory very well because just over a decade ago, when I was Panama’s Minister for Security, I led the forces who took back the Darien Gap from the narco-guerrilla. Today, it is a source of great pain to witness the social tragedy that is this treacherous journey. A journey embarked upon by women, children, and elderly persons who begin an inhumane crossing over rivers, jungles, and inhospitable corners. They face myriad risks to their very security. In so doing, this movement of people is led by criminal organizations with bases in neighboring countries. Organizations that receive dirty money to make a profit from the hope and needs of thousands of human beings. I fully understand. How hard it is to decide to migrate, to escape the poverty and oppression that one may experience in their place of origin. The vast majority of people wish to live, develop and progress in the land where they were born. Let me say it again, causes are well known, but alone we cannot tackle them. We are already facing too many social and financial problems as a nation. We do not have the resources or the material possibilities to solve the migration crisis alone. Illegal migration through Panama is part of a colossal global problem. And it must be in the United Nations where this problem is front and centre of an agenda. We are proud of being a country which connects myriad global trade routes, but we will not agree to be used as a transit point for illegal immigrants, because that brings with it social, human and environmental costs for our territory. Panama is today paying high environmental costs as a result of that illegal flow of persons. They are causing severe damage to our biodiversity. I want to say to you that there is a huge difference between analysing this problem from within forests such as this, in the midst of Manhattan, there is a great difference between that and being a first-hand witness of the drama as I have been. Seeing children being orphaned by the harshness of a crossing through the jungle would wreak havoc and tear apart the soul of the coldest analyst who was to study these questions from the comfort of an office. These are not stand-alone problems for the Darien Gap or to give you another example for the Mediterranean. What we are talking about is a complex system of organised crime that is making profit from human misfortune. In 2023, the Darien Gap saw the entry of more than half a million illegal immigrants. That accounts for, or is equivalent to, 12% of Panama’s total population. If the same thing had happened in the United States, that would have meant the entry of 40 million illegal immigrants in one year. In other words, a number 20 times higher than that seen today. Another example, Italy. They also have a grave migrant problem. Last year, indeed, around 150,000 people entered the country illegally. If we were to scale this up to Panamanian proportions, we’d be talking about the entry of 7 million people illegally to this European country. Ladies and gentlemen, what I’m asking you is to really take stock of the magnitude of what’s happened, because our sense is that we don’t have the international support that we need to face a situation which is so distressing from a humanitarian point of view, so costly from a financial perspective, so perilous for our security, and so alarming if you look at the environmental devastation which it leaves in its wake. And it’s precisely this environmental destruction that I want to talk about now. Darien is one of the largest neotropical forests in the world. When half a million people pass through it and leave tons of waste over the years, some of which is highly polluting, such as batteries and plastic waste, that has serious environmental consequences. Moreover, and it’s painful to say the following, bodies, decomposing bodies are left by the side of the road or in rivers. Not everyone survives this horrific 20-day odyssey through the jungle. It falls to Panama to address a problem which is not our own, but we do what we can with the resources that we have. No one could visualize, far less would they accept, 500,000 people leaving rubbish and waste without any type of planning or proper management in the Black Forest in Germany or in the Yellowstone National Park here in the United States Half a million souls, irregular migrants, moving without documents or oversight Perhaps the reason for the lack of outrage at a global level at the devastation of our Darien region and the major green lung of the region is because it is in an inhospitable corner of the border between Panama and Colombia I do understand that part of the responsibility for this situation falls on the shoulders of previous governments in our country that did not show the resolve or the strength necessary to place this issue on the global agenda But that has all changed. This president will speak out about this problem and will use every international forum to demand a shared effort to halt the flow of illegal migration Madam President, in Panama today we have the new border of the United States because Darien is the corridor traveled by those who seek in this country a better life Panama has always been on the side of peace and the progress of nations Today needs the help and support of those countries that it has historically supported in this and other fora We need concrete cooperation and full frontal cooperation to avoid our territory being used as the beginning of a dream A dream which often is one trumped up by criminal organizations linked to drug trafficking and trafficking persons Political instability is one cause of mass migration When there are grave institutional crises that exist over time their immediate consequence is The fleeing of their citizens, Venezuela, is a specific example of the above. It is for that reason that I now want to talk about our regional political situation, which, incidentally, is the major driver of the migration crisis we’re experiencing. The increasing breakdown of Venezuela’s institutional system has led to a stampede of 8 million Venezuelans, according to data from the UN Refugee Agency. Behind this figure is a genuine migration tragedy. International organizations haven’t provided a resolute or credible response to this problem throughout the years. Recent events in Venezuela have further tarnished the country’s already dishonored institutions. Let us be clear. Awarding oneself a triumph without publishing vote counts is like wanting to win a trial without presenting any evidence. Wanting to win without publishing vote tallies is like losing and not accepting the results. In fact, the current regime has lost the support of its staunchest defenders in the region. Or, in the very best of scenarios, it has received fragile and tenuous support expressed only as silence. It is resoundingly clear that the current regime will not leave power, nor will it recognize its defeat. As such, I call upon the appropriate organizations to take resolute actions against the manifestly anti-democratic behaviors and attitudes seen. I want to emphasize here that this is not an ideological issue. We’re not talking about a simple difference in schools of thought. What we’re talking about is strictly heeding the people’s will that is the mother of all wills. Panama is open to dialogue with the rest of countries, any country in which there is respect for the political and representational system arising from every country’s national constitutions. I’m bringing up the Venezuelan issue here because it’s very difficult. for me to talk about health and the environment when 8 million of our neighbours have been forced to flee their home, fleeing the poverty, besetting a country that should have been an economic power. How can we talk about regional sustainable development as we witness this interminal political crisis face the whole continent? I can’t look at everything through a rose-tinted lens in my speech when what we have is the spilt crimson blood of immigrants risking their lives in our jungle, pursuing a dream of liberty. As they move through the Darien Gap, they contaminate the region, leaving a trail of destruction and desolation in their wake and it’s up to us to pick up, repair and pay for all of that. If you really care about sustainable development, I ask you as Member States to staunchly defend the environment and establish precise mechanisms to redress the damage that has occurred in the Darien Gap. I’m talking not only about the environmental damage, but I’m also asking you to tackle the causes that led to this migration, such as the self-proclaimed triumph of the current Venezuelan regime. As a third point, I want to talk about the unjust discriminatory lists that my country has been placed upon, lists that are cobbled together by tyrannies and which put us together with tyrannies that have committed the worst atrocities. We are put on lists with countries that don’t open their doors to the world, that don’t respect democracy and foster terrorism. We don’t agree to being part of these lists that are drawn up by the private interests of nations that themselves can’t succeed in being competitive or attractive to their fellow citizens. Panama will not allow this affront, far less after all the efforts we’ve made. We’ve made significant reforms to our financial and legal systems in recent years to meet the most stringent standards of transparency and prevention of money laundering and other organised crime. But that hasn’t been enough. Our nation has demonstrated its readiness to work with international organisations and we’ve signed many tax information exchange treaties with myriad countries. That wasn’t enough either. As a consequence, the measures that we’ve been forced to take whilst waved in front of us has been the false promise of being delisted. These measures have been catastrophic for our economies. And yet we still haven’t been able to get ourselves removed from these reckless lists. Panama is not a tax haven. Nothing like it. The people that are tax havens are those other jurisdictions allied with the countries that promote these lists. Those countries are analysed and measured by different standards to those used for my country. It’s quite paradoxical, but the nations that approved Panama’s inclusion on these lists use our canal. They participate in public tenders, they make money from consultancy services and they lobby their businesses to get juicy contracts in our country. This president has taken the firm decision to not allow the businesses of countries that endorse these lists to participate in international tenders. Neither will those very same countries benefit from our vote in international fora. At the same time they point their finger at us, they’ve enjoyed benefits and have not suffered any restrictive measures. The aim of their bias is to ensure that despicable stigma continues to hover over Panama, Panama that is a responsible country when it comes to financial fair play. I want the best for my beloved Panama. I didn’t accede to the presidency to make other countries feel good. I did so to meet my country’s demands. Talking of lists, I want to tell you that Panama is one of the countries in the world that is carbon negative. In other words, we remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than the CO2 we emit. But this glittering status has brought us no benefit whatsoever. Our large, vast swathes of our territory is protected and that brings with it major challenges in terms of achieving genuine development. Today, countries that utterly destroyed their biodiversity for the sake of development force other developing countries to abide by standards of environmental care that they dismissed. This produces an imbalance in terms of opportunities for progress. On the one hand, we are forced to maintain our forests in a primary state. On the other hand, fingers are pointed to us and we are placed on lists which make it difficult for investment to arrive and which stymie the development of a globally competitive financial system. We do not accept the rules of this game. I want to reiterate the message I delivered when I assumed the presidency. I said there and I’ll say now, Panama is an ally of good causes and we will no longer allow fingers to be pointed at us unjustly in such a way that harms our economic capacity, our prestige and in a way that besmirches the very image of our country. I’d like to say to you what an honor it is for the Panamanian people to become non-permanent members of the Security Council as we will do in January this year. That will be the sixth time in history. That accolade is the fruit of sustained work over time. We’ve been given that seat because of our country’s work to fight against terrorism, to fight trafficking in persons and to fight drug trafficking. Panama contributes to peace and concord between peoples. I am sorry for hammering home this point again and again and again, but all of this is completely impossible to reconcile with the aforementioned list. We can’t accept that a country whose conduct is unimpeachable and a country that works in favor of peace, freedom and international security be lumped together and tied with the same brush with those who do nothing. quite the opposite. We’re placed on arbitrary lists that don’t tally with reality. All of that is genuinely unacceptable. We’ll continue fighting peacefully and doggedly to put an end to this unnecessary and discriminatory harassment at the hands of countries that would never abide by the same conditions we are forced to. To conclude, I’d like to say that we’ll continue building a country that is at the service of humankind. We’ll care for our biodiversity in the face of adversity. We’ll defend our democracy in spite of concrete threats today hovering over our region. Panama will continue connecting global trade, fighting for freedom, being a part of the world and calling for the respect that we give and the respect that we deserve as an upstanding nation. We are a noble working people and we’ll fight every day to make this world a better place to live. Distinguished members of this organization, Madam President, on behalf of Panama and all of the Panamanian people, many thanks for this opportunity.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Panama. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Togolese Republic. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo: Mr. President, President, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Secretary General of the United Nations, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the history of the United Nations. is one of trust in collective responses to the most serious crises. But each of us today sees that today we are at a crossroads. On the one hand, our multilateral model and our aging institutions are no longer able to tackle new challenges which are admittedly of an unprecedented complexity. On the other hand, our discussions, just as our multilateral commitments in recent years often are not accompanied by action. That is why there is real reason to be concerned as we look to the future, concerned for the future of our planet which is ravaged by complex crises, concerned for the future of our youth given the challenges that young people will inherit. And of course, I refer first and foremost to environmental challenges. And finally, concerned about the future of our institutions which are not adapted to current realities and which no longer fulfill their promises. We have no choice. We cannot persist with our systems that no longer deliver on their promises and no longer reflect the realities of our world. We must begin a profound transformation. That is why I stand before you today with a clear conviction and vision for the future. My conviction is that another way is possible. A way forward where international cooperation is revitalized, is more inclusive and more respectful. And my vision is one of Africa that fully assumes its role as a strategic partner in building new rules for global governance. My first observation is that my country, Togo, looks to the future with hope and determination. In Togo, we are working on a type of development that will be sustainable but also equitable and inclusive. We know that in order to achieve this, we must build a strong, visionary state that ensures protection. We are doing this as a nation because this is our responsibility towards current and future generations. This requires large-scale investments in our education and healthcare systems. This requires reducing the digital divide. And this also requires a commitment to an environmental transition as well as action in favor of gender equality. My second observation is that today, looking to the future means looking to Africa. Our continent is no longer just a developing region. It is also the future driver of global growth because it is Africa that is home and will continue to be home for a long time to the majority of global youth. That is where the strongest development potential resides for emerging markets related to technological innovation and entrepreneurship. It is in Africa that the blue and green economies open up considerable opportunities for sustainable development. Our continent has a wealth of natural resources. When properly leveraged, they can transform Africa into a global hub for clean renewable energy. And it is also in Africa that we must test out new partnership models that we require, specifically between the private and public center. My third observation is that addressing the challenges of our times requires effective multilateral cooperation. Challenges in the food security and environmental realms go beyond what each country can address individually and alone. More and more, we are dealing with fundamentally asymmetric crises. These crises quickly and harshly affect regions of the world that are not directly responsible for the causes of those crises. That is why I reiterate my deep conviction. First, given these global threats, the only way to ensure a better future for current and future generations is to take collective and coordinated action, action by states. And this action, this collective action, must be carried out as part of revitalized global political frameworks. This is in particular true for our efforts when it comes to climate adaptation and resilience. Africa is a region that is one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, even though Africa as a continent contributes the least to greenhouse gas emissions. The harmful impact of climate change seen in Africa in terms of food security and the migration challenges that this causes cannot be underestimated. If we do nothing, the issue of the environment will lead to major waves of migration towards the north, which is clearly something that is a common concern. But this need for collective action is also true when it comes to the challenge of peace and security, and that challenge is also a burden that can no longer be carried by Africans alone. In Western Africa, we face the persistent threat of terrorism. In my view, the answer to this requires a combination of inclusive dialogue, security reform, and economic development initiatives that would address and eradicate the root causes of violence. But we cannot tackle all of these challenges alone. Multilateral cooperation is necessary in order to face this collective threat. We all know that development, the climate transition, and security have all become issues that need to be tackled in a multilateral manner. But to do this, we must first refashion our model for international cooperation. And this brings me to my last observation. We cannot strengthen international cooperation without a new model for partnerships that is more equitable and more respectful towards African states. We urgently need to rethink our model of multilateralism in order to rebalance efforts in the context of international cooperation. And in that context, our continent, Africa, deserves particular attention. First of all, there needs to be more respect and dignity for African states on the international stage. It is time to recognize that we are strategic actors in our own right, capable of making a major contribution to global efforts towards peace, sustainable development and human dignity. Respect for human dignity is not only a principle that must guide our daily actions within our borders. The respect for and dignity of our peoples must be recognized through their representation and the elevation of their voice, which must be heard and respected in international fora. And finally, we require a new model of international cooperation that is more broadly based on localization. Externally imposed so-called universal solutions can, it is true, have some advantages, but they do not always work. Despite the efforts made in recent years, international aid often remains disconnected from the needs and the capacities of the populations that receive this aid. Localization must be a… major commitment to recognize local expertise while allowing states to play their rightful role in defining priorities and implementing programs. Togo is resolved to play a leading role in this transformation and I call on all international stakeholders to support a more equitable and respectful cooperation. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Africa is ready. It is ready to play its rightful role on the international stage but it seeks to be respected, listened to and supported in its efforts in an equitable way. Together let us work on building a world where each nation and each individual can live in dignity, in harmony with others and with our planet. I thank you.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Togolese Republic. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Bassírou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Bassírou Diomaye Diakhar Faye – Senegal: President of the General Assembly, Heads of State and Government, Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests, At the outset I wish to take this opportunity to once again pay my respects to the President of the Republic of Senegal, His Excellency President Bassiro Diamaidia Har Faye. Presidency of the United Nations General Assembly. I also congratulate his predecessor for the contribution he made to the implementation of our Common Agenda. Through you, I convey my wishes for your every success when it comes to discharging your mandate. We see the unwavering commitment of our Secretary General, Antonio Guterres. His efforts to promote peace, human dignity and multilateralism are now more than ever before necessary. Senegal once again expresses its full support for his mandate in these times of global turbulence as I take the floor before you today. I speak with the conviction, the deep conviction, that we are united in diversity. Indeed, unity in diversity is the key to guaranteeing sustainable development and human dignity for all everywhere in the world. The theme of this session that will guide our discussion invites us to rethink our collective responsibility and to guarantee that the fundamental principles of the United Nations, set more than eight decades ago, contribute to upholding the promise of a fairer and more equitable world. Ladies and gentlemen, ours is a troubled world. A world in which the principles of the United Nations Charter, which talk about equality, justice and the respect for human rights, are every day put to the test. Conflicts are spreading, inequalities are widening, and climate crises are rendering millions of people throughout the world even more vulnerable than they were before. Moreover, we are witnessing a worrying trend to call into question multilateralism at a time when humankind needs it more than ever before. The world must stare the truth in the eye. The ideals that we swore to defend are being trampled upon in all four corners of the globe, whether we’re talking about Gaza, Tel Aviv, Dakar or elsewhere. All human beings are equal in dignity, dignity which transcends borders, cultures and religious affiliation. It is incumbent upon us all to ensure that this dignity be protected and respected for all human beings, regardless of who they are. This duty is the very essence of the United Nations. However, every day we see international law as the very foundations of international peace is violated. Resolutions adopted by this General Assembly are treated with flagrant disregard. We have repeated violence. The principles of the UN Charter are kicked to the corner and we see the undermining of this very house of peace. Never before, the foundations of the United Nations have been as shaky as they are now. We’re seeing violence, fear and uncertainty being sown. If we wish to vanquish the specter of war and usher in a better world, well, it’s high time to change our paradigms. It’s high time to change our paradigms. President, ladies and gentlemen, we no longer wish to stand idly by and watch the tragedy in the Sahel play out. Terrorist groups there are sowing terrorism, they’re pillaging, they’re killing innocent civilians. This region was once stable and now it is in the grips of daily violence. At the same time, the United Nations, specifically the Security Council, remains inactive all too often. Moreover, we can’t allow the Sahel to become the theatre of foreign rivalries, clashes between which do nothing other than destabilize the region. I must remind you that the peace and security of Africa are inextricably linked with global peace. It is vital that the Security Council better play its role as a guarantor of international peace and security. Once again, let me say that Senegal is deeply concerned by the tragic situation playing out in Palestine. After generations have grown up in Palestine in the shadow of oppression, they are deprived of their fundamental right to a viable state. Senegal, as the chair of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, calls for an immediate, lasting ceasefire. We reiterate our support for the two-state solution, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. This war spares no woman, no child. It does not spare vital infrastructure and is an open wound on the international conscience. It’s vital that international humanitarian law be restored in all conflict zones. It’s vital that the United Nations fully play its role as mediator and guarantor of peace. Ladies and gentlemen, peace is not simply the absence of war. Peace is also every human being having the possibility of living in dignity, the possibility to feed themselves, have accommodation, get an education and to receive health care. And yet, today, more than 750 million people are going hungry and a million every day live in abject poverty. These figures are drawing the world ever further away from achieving the SDGs set for 2030. We can no longer allow mechanisms for global governance to continue to reproduce these inequalities. It’s high time to do away with a dog-eat-dog world and to build a new global contract based on solidarity and cooperation. This social contract must include major reforms to address political, economic and environmental challenges of our age. Firstly, it’s vital that we safeguard and strengthen multilateralism as the unique framework within which we can achieve and protect international peace and security. Doing that involves an urgent reform of global institutions, namely the Security Council, the IMF, the World Bank, so that these institutions become more inclusive and reflect the economic and geopolitical realities of our time. The African continent, in particular, must have a more meaningful place in these decision-making bodies. Secondly, it’s high time to repair the economic injustices which hinder the development of many countries in the global south. Trade, tax evasion, illicit financial flows, and abusive tax systems harm developing countries, namely in Africa. These injustices must be corrected in order to allow all countries to fully participate in global trade and to benefit from economic growth. Third, it is vital that we resolutely work to tackle climate change. We must do that by respecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibility. The industrialized country historically responsible for mass greenhouse gas emissions must step up their efforts to finance a just and equitable energy transition, which does not penalize developing nations. We must, as an absolute imperative, protect our planet without sacrificing the rights of the most vulnerable nations to continue their development. Fourthly, we must thwart any attempts to impose unilateral ways of existing and civilizational models. Since its independence, Senegal has staunchly defended the equal dignity of cultures and civilizations. This diversity must continue to be the cornerstone of the peaceful coexistence between peoples. No nation should impose on others its practices or its values as universal. The respect for difference is the very foundation of peace and stability throughout the world. Ladies and gentlemen, Senegal is staunchly committed to this path. We have chosen to build a state wholly focused on sustainable development. Ambitious initiatives in terms of clean energy, food sovereignty and transparent governance. However, we know that to be successful in those endeavours we need collective action and international solidarity. No country, however powerful it may be, can alone address the challenges threatening humankind. As such, we must act together, united in our diversity, to usher in a future in which human dignity is protected, where justice prevails and where prosperity is shared. It is through cooperation and mutual respect that we will overcome the crises shaking the very foundations of our world. I thank you.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Senegal. The Assembly will hear an address by Her Excellency Sylvanie Burton, President of the Commonwealth of Dominica. I request protocol to escort Her Excellency and invite her to address the Assembly.

Sylvanie Burton – Dominica: Madam President, Mabrika Mabrika, I greet you in the language of my Kalinago people, the first people of the Caribbean, of whom I am proud to call my ancestors. I proudly bring you warmest greetings from the citizens of the nature island of the Caribbean and the homeland of Olympian gold medalist Thea Lafor-Gadsen, the Commonwealth of Dominica. It is an extraordinary honor to address this august body in my capacity as the first female president of the Commonwealth of Dominica and as the first president of indigenous descent. Madam President, our organization was born out of the need to enable dialogue and facilitate cooperation among its members to avoid international conflict. Over time, however, our understanding of human development’s contribution to peace building and civilization has improved to the point where cooperation to enhance the human condition now lies at the core of our organization’s work. Madam President, progress in many spheres of human endeavor is not equitable and deliberate action is required to ensure that the most vulnerable among us, namely women, boys, girls, the physically challenged, and senior citizens are brought from the shadows of neglect and into the light of opportunity. In essence, Excellencies, though we are a small nation subject to the many challenges of growth and development, we insist that we continue to be our brother’s keeper and join our voice with those who believe that no one, regardless of location, race, ethnicity, gender, or religion, no one is left behind in the relentless pursuit of advancement. To leave no one behind in our quest for a sustainable and resilient future, We must embrace multilateralism to combat the many major global challenges we face. Madam President, we remain concerned that despite the resources and publicity given to UN Agenda 30, its outputs so far do not inspire confidence that we are on track to realize the much-heralded goals. Alarmingly, the 2024 Sustainable Development Goals Report indicates that far from building on the progress achieved during the first five years, and I quote, fully half of the 17 targets are showing minimal or moderate progress, while over one-third appear stalled or going in reverse. It is therefore the hope of my government and the Caribbean community, of which we are proud members, that this Assembly will be known as the forum at which the United Nations family rededicated itself to ensuring that the SDGs remain central to our claim, that our civilizations are caring and progressive, and that our collective management, scientific and diplomatic capabilities will be assigned to ensuring that the well-being of the present and future generations is guaranteed. Madam President, for example, despite SDG 3, good health and well-being, the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, NCDs, is an urgent crisis that calls for unified and aggressive approach by all global leaders. The World Health Organization, WHO, concludes that NCDs, such as cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancers and Chronic Respiratory Diseases account for 75% of all deaths worldwide. These diseases not only shorten individual lives, but also imperil the future of our societies, our economies and our shared global development goals. The fight against NCDs is not one that any nation, particularly a nation as small as ours, can win alone. That fight requires strong leadership, innovative strategies and collaboration at every level. In Dominica, we have made significant progress in enhancing our healthcare system to better meet the needs of those at risk or living with NCDs. I had the opportunity to share Dominica’s perspective, vision and action on non-communicable diseases with the global group of heads of state and government for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases at the third annual gathering held here yesterday at the UN headquarters. Dominica is proud to play its part in this global effort, and we remain committed to working with international partners to share knowledge, resources and best practices in the fight against NCDs. Madam President, we stand today at a critical juncture in human history. Climate change, as we know, is not just an environmental challenge. It is a threat to every aspect of life as we know it. For Dominica, as for many small island developing states, this is not a distant… We have said it time and time again. We see it so vividly, year after year, that our communities are on the front lines, facing intensified hurricanes, devastating floods and prolonged droughts. We recall our own devastation in 2015 with Tropical Storm Erica, which wiped out 96% of Dominica’s GDP, and then again in 2017 against the deadly Hurricane Maria, which destroyed over 225% of Dominica’s GDP in a matter of hours, mere hours. That is why this year we watched in agony as hurricane burials swept through the island states of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Barbados and Jamaica. Madam President, these tragic occurrences embolden us to state firmly that the time for rhetoric has long passed. Business as usual simply will not suffice. We need urgent, bold and decisive action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as science clearly dictates. But to do this, we must drastically reduce emissions, boldly honour financial commitments and build critical resilience infrastructure in regions particularly vulnerable in relation to climate change. This is a moral imperative, a matter of the utmost urgency, a matter of Our future depends on the decisions made in these halls. Excellencies, This Assembly is meeting at a time when the Commonwealth of Dominica and the rest of the Caribbean direct our gaze to the East and on the storms and hurricanes that emerge in the Atlantic. There is no denial that climate change is happening. We see, indeed we feel its disastrous impacts on a daily basis. Already the warnings of weather scientists regarding global warming and the consequent increase in frequency and severity of storms have proved to be accurate. The Government and people of Dominica stand in solidarity with our sister CARICOM nations and others adversely affected by this year’s storms. Dominica along with other Caribbean states have already prioritized the development of national climate adaptation strategies, invested in resilient infrastructure and agriculture, invested in community education and in renewable energy. Still, the reality is that, as important as our interventions in this crucial space are, they will remain ineffective if our friends and partners in the industrialized world do not honor their commitments to reduce global warming and provide the funding that is required to enable our low-emitting states to become resilient. We therefore seize this opportunity to urge that the ethical pledges made via the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement, The Climate Action Summit, and within the framework of the Green Climate Fund, be honoured in the interest of the global community. Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Roosevelt’s carriage has been sounding that call at every opportunity he gets. We are sounding that call again at this Assembly. The high-emitting countries need to recognise and accept responsibility for their destructive practices and do the noble thing. We will not relent until they do. Madam President, our world is at the crossroads. Now more than ever, leadership at every level matters. My delegation is of the firm view that the fundamental principles of the UN Charter must be respected, no matter which Member State may be under scrutiny. Madam President, this is no source of joy to my delegation, but these critical times demand that important truths be spoken frankly. Madam President, a glaring hypocrisy clouds this august body. When right seems to pass as wrong, wrong seems to pass as right, depending on which Member State is being impacted. This practice of might makes right must be discontinued. Madam President, my delegation remains deeply concerned about the ongoing conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan, among others. We recognise the crucial role of peace in human development. We are convinced that war is the solution. It is this conviction that impels us to urge that the fullest support be given to those entities that are engaged in promoting peace and reconciliation in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan, just a few examples of locations where war is setting back the human development gains achieved over the years. The continuing loss of innocent lives, particularly innocent lives of the most vulnerable among us, namely the innocent lives of women and children, is of dire concern. There is no winner in these conflicts, and if history has taught us anything, it is that the cost to rebuild after such terrifying and inhuman conflicts is extremely prohibitive. To this end, as long as these conflicts persist, my delegation will not cease to echo the call for an urgent end to these conflicts which have decimated the lives of so many innocent ones. Madam President, we stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti and insist with the other CARICOM member states that the current crisis being confronted by our sister CARICOM state in no way nullifies the entitlement of its people to the recognition of their sacred sovereignty and their right to be central in the search for a fair and durable peace. The government of Dominica remains convinced that the present challenges faced by our sister CARICOM state are in part related to the glorious contribution Haiti made to the quest for justice and freedom. In our region and the world. Indeed, the current complexion of this august body would have been unimaginable without the heroic struggles of the Haitian people. As such, the crisis in Haiti is much more than a Caribbean crisis, even if the solution is an obligation that all of the Caribbean states accept wholeheartedly. My delegation, therefore, unreservedly supports the position of CARICOM on the situation in Haiti, a position that rightly calls for a Haitian-led and owned transition process to bring across systematic changes to our fellow CARICOM member state. It is high time. The heroic sacrifices of Haitian blood and treasure that opened the door to the liberation of so many of our countries, making it possible for us to be members of this august body, deserve no less than the abundant peace and prosperity of the wonderful Haitian people. It is, Madam President, in the same spirit that we welcome the installation of the interim government under the leadership of Dr. Gary Connell and the swearing in of a new cabinet of ministers on June 12th. This process of normalization of life for the people of Haiti has been nothing if not daunting. However, with the support of the international community, there is a glimmer of hope, the dawning of a new day as progress is being made. We remain ever optimistic that ordinary Haitian citizens will once again be able to live, work and feel at peace in Haiti. and the outcome they so richly deserve. Madam President, no mention of this glimmer of hope for the Haitian people would be complete without recognition of the strategic support of the Kenyan volunteers who have played a major role in bringing the security situation under some measure of control. The Kenyan people standing so closely in the struggle for peace and prosperity with the Haitian people is as natural as natural gets because their stance echoes the ancestral and historical connections that we share as well as the imposition history placed upon us to struggle for our liberation. We therefore thank the government and people of Kenya for their mighty effort. We thank also the United States of America and Canada for their generous support for the effort to stabilize Haiti. We also thank the other states which have made and pledged their support to Haiti towards the restoration of an environment conducive to peace and development. Recognition is also due to those who made material contributions to this effort. We urge member states who have pledged financial support to honor those pledges so that the humanitarian gaps can be closed and the food crisis can be resolved. The Haitian people, a people as heroic and resilient as people ever will, deserve better. It is our firm conviction that we in the international community have a responsibility to ensure that the living conditions of the Haitian people are brought to the natural standards of human dignity. Madam President, the Commonwealth of Dominica is keen to underscore its commitment to advocating for unity, justice, peace and the sustainable human development that they foster. In this regard, we continue to urge that the long-running economic embargo against the people of Cuba be set aside. It hurts the people of Cuba as well as the image of its sponsors. The trade embargo imposed against our brothers and sisters in Cuba continues to be of great concern to us in the Caribbean. Its lifting grows increasingly urgent. Therefore, the Commonwealth of Dominica once again joins the voices of the overwhelming majority of members of this global organization to call for the immediate lifting of trade restrictions and export bans imposed on the good people of Cuba. They are unjustified. They are unjustifiable. They are antiquated. They belong to a bygone era. They should cease to exist. They fall, in our view, within the grand narrative of yet another Caribbean people’s struggle for liberation. It is for these reasons that the Government of Dominica strongly urges a radical reconsideration of these actions. Madam President, our steadfast advocacy for respect for the United Nations’ norms of sovereignty and non-interference impels us as well to urge that the right of the Government and people of Venezuela To resolve internal challenges without outside interference, be respected. We renew our condemnation of the United States’ imposition of sanctions on Venezuela. The resulting hardship forced upon the people of Venezuela needs an immediate and complete end. Madam President, In closing, my delegation is pleased to leave this august body with reference to a most valuable and appropriate gift for this forum at this point in time. My ancestors, the Kalinago people, lived in harmony with Mother Nature, drawing on nature for food and general well-being, including medicinal plants. The benefits to a life in harmony with Mother Nature are many. Their impact on the environment was minimal. The benefits to human health were long active lives with minimal burden of chronic diseases. My ancestors also lived a communal life marked by social cohesion. My delegation recommends this way of life of our Kalinago people to this body. Madam President, I wish Your Excellency and all the delegations participating in this 79th session every success in their deliberations. In the language of my Kalinago people, Ayahora, ayahora, which means thank you. I thank you for the courtesy of your attention.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Commonwealth of Dominica. The Assembly will hear an address by Her Excellency Hilda Heine, President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. I request protocol to escort Her Excellency and invite her to address the Assembly.

Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands: Madam President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, I bring you warm greetings of Yahweh on behalf of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Madam President, I congratulate you upon your election and look forward to your leadership. Madam President, we cannot ignore that our common multilateral progress is failing us in the hours of greatest need. Perhaps most at risk are human rights, the fundamental freedoms which must be afforded every citizen of this planet. This accountability applies to all, without exception or double standards. The Human Rights Council must also work towards a balanced agenda and inclusive approach to human rights within our diverse global setting. Our own unique legacy and complex challenges with nuclear testing impacts, with climate change and other fundamental challenges informs our perspective that the voices of the most vulnerable must never be drowned out. These convictions are why the Marshall Islands is a candidate for a UN Human Rights Council term. 2025 to 2027, with the endorsement of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders. Madam President, for nearly a year, nations around the world have expressed grave concern regarding extreme violence in Gaza and Israel. Not just the horrific events which led to this grave conflict, but also the disproportionate and devastating response visited upon an innocent civilian population. Madam President, as we look forward to next year’s UN Ocean Summit in France, it is vital that the international community takes action to protect the health and biodiversity of our oceans. The youngest and future generations of islanders must not be robbed of the benefits we know today. Without sustainable ocean ecosystems, the economy, stability, and cultural identity of our region will collapse. Through regional institutions, our island nations are defining sustainable fisheries and changing the global market. Our distant fishing partner nations at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, many of whom are also global superpowers, need to place long-term sustainability ahead of immediate commercial goals. Illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing is not just a threat to our own economic future, but also global food security. Madam President, the world needs to ensure that the high seas seabed is not stripped of its unique biodiversity before we even document it. Without a clear-eyed scientific understanding of impacts and risks, the world’s oceans are too fragile to turn into a speculative experiment. The Marshall Islands joins the growing chorus applying a precautionary approach towards high-seas mining, at least until there is adequate and meaningful agreement at the International Seabed Authority on Binding, Environmental Measures, and the Mining Code. Madam President, sea levels have risen, and we are too late to prevent them from eating away at our shores. But we must also be clear. We will not be wiped off the map, nor will we go silently to our watery graves. Sea level rise poses a threat to long-term ability to remain in our islands and to our fundamental security as a nation and within our ocean-locked Pacific Island region. But for small island developing states, our stability and legal identity remains fixed in the future, just as it is now. The Marshall Islands strongly supports the recent declaration of the Heads of State and Government of the Alliance of Small Island States on Sea Level Rise and Statehood, and we urge other nations to join us in support. The Marshall Islands welcomes this year’s High-Level Meeting on Sea Level Rise and the ongoing work of the International Law Commission as an opportunity to engage on complex multilateral questions, even where SIDS has already established state practice. Madam President, we must do all that we can to prevent further melting. of the cryosphere. By February next year, every nation on earth has committed to putting forward new nationally determined contributions that set out how they’ll reduce emissions to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius. We need governments to show both ambition and cooperation, as we all agreed last year, to triple renewable energy deployment, double energy efficiency, and most importantly, to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and end the subsidies that support them. Despite this, we have seen some of the planet’s wealthiest countries break their pledges as they double down on fossil fuels. This failure of leadership must stop. There must be no new coal mines, no new gas fields, and no new oil wells. The financial needs of this energy transition for adapting to climate impacts and for repairing the rising loss and damage are in the trillions of dollars. In Baku later this year, we will decide whether that money is made available to developing countries. We must see vastly increased contributions. We must also find money wherever we can. Instead of rewarding some of the richest and most polluting businesses on the planet, we should repurpose these funds to the rollout of renewables and to directly supporting the poorest and most vulnerable. Right now in the IMO, Pacific Island negotiators are leading efforts to agree on a universal greenhouse gas levy. which gives the right incentive to drive decarbonization of the shipping industry and raises revenue in the billions, a portion of which should be used to address the climate impacts from shipping pollution and help build resilience in vulnerable countries. I urge every country to join us. The Marshall Islands emphasizes the importance of the advisory opinion from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea regarding the marine environment from climate-driven pollution. We look forward to the advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding the climate obligation of states. Madam President, the Marshall Islands experienced 67 known atmospheric nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958 resulting in an ongoing legacy of death, illness, and contamination. The impacts are handed down generation to generation. These impacts continue to challenge our human rights. In our culture, our identity is our land. Testing impacts left behind deep scars, with communities remaining in exile from their home islands, billions of dollars in unmet adjudicated claims, and a social and environmental burden upon our youngest and future generations. To help ensure nuclear risk is eliminated, the Marshall Islands is working towards accession to the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty as well as the Treaty of Rarotonga and its nuclear-free zone. Madam President, we did not choose. This nuclear fate, it was chosen for us. UN Trusteeship Resolutions 1082 and 1493 were adopted in 1954 and 1956, respectively, despite petitions to the contrary by our Marshallese leaders. These tests were undertaken by the United States, acting as the United Nations’ administering authority. These resolutions remain the only time in which any UN organ has ever explicitly authorized the detonation of nuclear weapons. We cannot undo the past. But as a United Nations, we owe it to ourselves to make amends through the adoption of a resolution which formally apologizes for the failure to heed the petition of the Marshallese people. By doing so, all of us will begin the process of healing and to reestablish faith and trust in this institution. Madam President, our strong work on human rights and nuclear testing impacts is a fundamental and foundational effort to address transitional human rights, and we call attention to document HRC-57-77, the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the nuclear legacy in the Marshall Islands and its human rights impacts. In particular, I emphasize my nation’s unequivocal support for the High Commissioner’s important conclusions and recommendations on further action for my own government, for the United States, and for the United Nations. President, as a nuclear-affected state, we seek to work with other affected nations and peoples, including Kiribati, French Polynesia, Australia, Algeria, Kazakhstan, North Korea, and the Xinjiang province of mainland China, and within the United States. All should realize that the responsibility to fully address the harms resulting from the use, detonation, or testing of nuclear weapons lies, respectively, with the Member States that have done so. This is the basis of UN General Assembly Resolution 78-240 on Victim Assistance and Environmental Remediation. And all must know that the scars upon our collective lands and peoples are firm lessons for nuclear weapons elimination. Madam President, the Marshall Islands welcomes this year’s adoption of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SEADS as a companion to the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. It is vital that island-driven strategies are better addressed. We are particularly pleased to welcome the strong efforts of the new UN Multicountry Office for the North Pacific in the Federated States of Micronesia, and we look forward to a groundbreaking ceremony for the new UN complex. Madam President, this year’s Triennial Conference of Pacific Women hosted in the Marshall Islands demonstrated the region’s continued commitment to advancing gender equality with a focus on the health of women and girls, gender-responsive climate justice, and gender-based violence. It is important in our work going forward that we progress national implementation at scale and build intersections with UN Women and International System Assistance, including as a full region and with the UN North Pacific Multi-Country Office. Madam President, we have long understood island-led security in our region, but for many we are only starting to build formal security foundations at a time when full policy strength is needed to turn the Pacific Islands Forum void declaration on regional security into action. Recent UN action under the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund is a key step up to strengthen treatment of the link between climate and security. We now need to address with our own direct Pacific voices geopolitical tensions to ensure that our democratic island priorities drive our future, free of external influence and coercion. Climate impacts pose a grave security challenge alone, but tackling them with core institutions under external stress, coupled with our underlying fragility, risks a big disaster. Madam President, Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine is a threat to basic democratic norms, human rights, and international accountability. As island democracies and as vulnerable nations in the shadow of changing geopolitics, the war in Ukraine is of great concern to the Pacific Islands. The Martial Islands look forward to the upcoming high-level visit of the Pacific Islands Forum Troika Plus grouping to New Caledonia. In addition, we support ongoing forum engagement with Indonesia and West Papua to better understand stakeholders and to ensure human rights. Madam President, If we are truly serious that no one is left behind, the UN would not be blinded to Taiwan’s efforts and partnership towards achievement of the SDGs. Only this independent democratic government can represent its 23 million people. UN Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan and should not be used as a pretext to exclude Taiwan from participating meaningfully in the UN system. This resolution has been misused to threaten cross-strait and regional peace and security. This was never its original intent. It cannot serve as a sound basis to prohibit Taiwanese citizens and journalists from the UN premises. The UN Secretariat should maintain neutrality and should not be complicit in limiting media freedom. Madam President, As key risks worsen in and around the world, multilateralism must be strengthened. For small and vulnerable nations, the United Nations, despite all its faults, remains the only institution which offers us a vital platform to voice our concerns, issues, and concerns. and at times, seek shelter from the ravages of conflicts and climate change. The word multilateralism can be expressed in the Marshallese proverb, Werenkangel, meaning the coral where all the fish congregate to seek shelter and feed. Let us all nourish and maintain it for ourselves and future generations. Mr. President, the United Nations is that very coral, Werenkangel. Let us leave no country behind. Thank you and komol tata.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. We shall now continue the general debate. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Irakli Kobakhidze – Georgia: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends of my country, it’s a great honor to be with you today to address so many different nations of the world. We are a government that believes Georgia inherently deserves to be a peaceful, stable and developed country. With this in mind, over the last decade, We have ensured that Georgia develops along this trajectory. We have made some tough choices and were never afraid of the challenge. We never chose an easy path, and we always prioritized our nation and our people. As a result, we are reclaiming our nation’s pride, the pride and dignity that a country with three thousand years of history deserves. You gather here in times of unprecedented global challenges, when interlinking crises of escalating conflicts, climate change and rising humanitarian needs remain complex. These challenges require bold actions. Georgia has never been afraid of bold actions. The last couple of years have been difficult for our region. While we should be concentrating on global challenges, such as development and problem solving, the ongoing war in Ukraine has caused an unprecedented level of uncertainty and a humanitarian crisis. I would like to underline once again Georgia’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders remains firm and unwavering. Understanding the first-hand importance of peace, we have led the effort to transform our remediated South Caucasus region from a region of conflicts into a region of opportunities. We welcome the process of peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and in particular the efforts aimed at normalizing relations with neighboring countries. We have been and are willing to provide a regional cooperation format that will support collaboration and trust-building between countries to make sure differences are left in the past, and that we move forward together to capitalize on all the resources and advantages our region has to offer the world. Georgia’s strategic location, serving as a natural bridge between Europe and Asia, makes Georgia the shortest route between East and West. With our success and strong relations with China, as well as Central Asian countries, Georgia is a key player in the regional and broader Eurasian context. We are a hub not only for the exchange of goods, but also for energy transit and much more. Georgia ensures that seven landlocked countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia are connected with the rest of the world via our port infrastructure, which we are committed to further developing with the soon-to-commence Anaklia Deep Sea Port construction. If you look at the political map, Georgia is the single safest and most reliable transit route to ensure the timely and efficient movement of goods and services. Our commitment to maintaining and enhancing our role as a reliable transit corridor ensures we are able to support our strategic partners in Europe with their energy security needs. By diversifying supply routes and investing in robust infrastructure, Georgia can offer additional predictability in east-west connectivity, especially within the framework of the Middle Corridor Initiative. As we all know, the last couple of years have brought significant challenges. Despite these multiple tests, Georgia has demonstrated remarkable resilience to such external shocks. Our average annual economic growth since 2021 has been 9.7%. Thanks to strong macroeconomic fundamentals and fiscal discipline, the government debt and the fiscal deficit declined to 39.3% and 2.5% respectively. Additionally, Georgia has maintained one of the lowest regional inflation rates, further showcasing its economic stability. Despite significant economic improvement and cutting the poverty rate in half over the last 10 years, further reducing poverty and inequality is at the heart of Georgia’s socioeconomic development agenda. In 2023, the employment rate showed significant improvement, coinciding with an increase in labor force participation. The positive trend continued in the first half of 2024 as well, when the unemployment rate decreased to a record low of 13.7%. Georgia’s effective performance is duly reflected in international rankings from the world’s most reputable agencies. The Global Competitiveness Survey by the World Economic Forum ranks Georgia 20th in the world and 11th in Europe in terms of corruption control. While in terms of rule of law, Georgia ranks 29th in the world and 14th in Europe. The International Budget Partnerships Open Budget Survey ranks Georgia as number one in terms of budget transparency globally. Transparency in the Time of War by the European Research Centre for Anti-Corruption and State Building placed Georgia 17th in its 2023 ranking, ahead of 15 EU member states and 4 G7 states. Additionally, Georgia is the 25th freest economy in the world according to the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World report, once again ahead of many leading economies. The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom ranked Georgia 19th in Europe and 32nd globally, once again ahead of many EU countries. According to the OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index, Georgia ranked 8th among more than 80 countries as one of the most open economies in the world in terms of attracting investments. That’s the reason why Georgia’s FDI to GDP ratio is one of the highest among peer countries. FDI in 2023 amounted to 1.9 billion USD, representing 6.2% of GDP. In the post-pandemic period until now, Georgia has attracted 6.2 billion USD in FDI, further supplementing Georgia’s transformation into a regional multifunctional hub that serves all things business. Even so, we hosted more than 7 million tourists last year. Showing a strong bounce back in post-COVID recovery, Georgia still maintains one of the lowest crime rates globally. According to Numbeo, Georgia ranks 8th in Europe and 21st globally, thanks to our law enforcement agencies and professionals. Despite the fact that 20% of our territories are under illegal occupation, we continue to thrive, continue to grow, and continue to make sure that our children live in a better, stronger, and more dignified Georgia. We are diligent and tireless in our quest to make sure Georgia is a country that every citizen is proud of. I want to use this opportunity to address our people on the other side of the occupation line, in the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Whatever actions we take are done to help our people, so that one day, with our children, we can live together in one happy, united, and developed Georgia. On this side of the occupation line, we will always meet you with an open heart. We have to rebuild all the broken bridges in our country. Dear colleagues and friends of my country, In conclusion, Georgia is at a pivotal point in its modern history, and we, as the government of the people, are determined to guide our country in the best interests of the nation, to make sure we overcome all our challenges and become stronger and more successful than ever before. We are optimistic that Georgia’s desire to become a full-fledged member of the European Union will be achieved by 2013. As we look ahead to the future with a commitment to shaping a prosperous community together with our allies and partners, our united efforts will persist in supporting peace-building measures and sustainable development. In doing so, we will advance human dignity not only for the citizens of Georgia today, but also for the well-being of all future generations to come. Thank you very much.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of Georgia. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, President of the Government of Spain. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón – Spain: Madam President, Heads of State and Government, Ambassadors, Delegates, I am speaking to you on behalf of a country committed to the values which this institution embodies and committed to an international rules-based order, one based on the norms and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. A country, Spain, which believes in international accountability mechanisms. A country which fights against impunity, prompted to do so by our first-hand experience and our history. We are a country that defends institutions such as the ICJ and the ICC, both crucial for the guarantee of peace, security, justice and the reparation of victims. Ultimately, a country whose practice and conduct is guided by a crucial maxim, and that is the value of coherence. That maxim has compelled us to take the same stance on Ukraine, Gaza and on any other place. We defend peace, human rights and an international rules-based order. In the face of the doubters, we respond by placing greater trust in multilateralism. This very same multilateral system, is one which the world built brick by brick on the ashes of barbarism, is today withstanding great pressure. Pressure which is dealing a heavy blow to three key ambitions for the progress of nations. Peace, democracy and development. These are three aspirations, peace, democracy and development, which cannot be achieved in isolation. One cannot be achieved without the other two. Peace is incompatible with tyranny. Democracy needs to provide well-being and development in order to earn legitimacy for what it is, the most advanced form of social and political organization that man has ever created. Peace without democracy is the peace of jails, prisons. Democracy without development and progress is a precursor to autocracy, as clearly evidenced by a past rich in lessons that we must never forget. Consequently, working actively for peace, the first of these three aspirations, is today much more than a moral imperative. It is instead an existential need. For the first time, ladies and gentlemen, in two decades, the number of conflicts in the world is growing. The number of countries involved in wars outside of their borders is growing, rising to levels not seen since 1945. We are seeing an increase in the number of victims, the wounded, the maimed and in the number of displaced persons. Also growing is the economic impact of violence. It today accounts for up to 13% of global GDP, according to some studies. That is, in other words, the equivalent of all the wealth created in one year by 180 countries combined. These figures are not only the expression of a major collective failure. As they do, but they are the symptom also of a global illness which is eating away at the foundations of a multilateral system and an international order based on principles and norms. These are principles which until just a short time ago seemed inviolable, the respect for sovereignty, political independence and the territorial integrity of countries. These principles are being eroded in Ukraine as we gather in this hall indeed. 31 months have elapsed since the beginning of an aggression which Putin’s Russia is waging not only against the Ukrainian people but also against the whole of the international community. That is an aggression which cannot last even one day longer. The recent peace conference for Ukraine held in Switzerland laid the foundations for a just and lasting peace in line with international law and the United Nations Charter as called for by the peace formula of President Zelensky. Consequently, I invite all countries who have not yet done so to join that initiative and to work on the next step that is recovery and rebuilding in Ukraine. This year, Spain will increase its humanitarian aid and mine clearance funding to 14 million euros in 2025. Moreover, the Spanish Development Agency will establish a new work stream on recovery and reconstruction focused on food, water and energy in Ukraine. The principles to which I referred are being eroded in Ukraine but also in Palestine. For almost a year now, we’ve been witnessing an unconscionable spiral of death and devastation which is now unfortunately spreading to Lebanon. This is an escalation of the conflict which is woefully grave in nature. Consequently, Spain condemns in the strongest terms the death of innocent civilians once again. Consequently, I wish to once again call for de-escalation, détente and diplomacy. International humanitarian law must be respected, as must international law. We must put an end to the conflict in Gaza and tackle the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That’s the only way that we’ll be able to successfully extinguish the hotbeds of tension that are jeopardizing regional and global stability. Everything we’re seeing daily in Gaza, and now unfortunately in Lebanon, is forcing us to think about the very validity of international humanitarian law. Just as we mark the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, Spain will continue doing everything it can to provide humanitarian aid to the Gazan population, with UNRWA as the key actor on the ground. However, none of this will be commensurate with need without a ceasefire. Everything except a ceasefire is insufficient. Once again, I appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages and the access of humanitarian aid. In any case, the evidence is resoundingly clear. We cannot go back to the situation which previously prevailed. It is imperative and urgent to apply a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine to coexist side by side in peace and security. That is the only possible solution to a conflict which has already dragged on for decades and which has claimed so many innocent lives. Moreover, the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, requested moreover by this General Assembly of the United Nations, has ruled that the occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal. What we are seeing is an occupation which must immediately stop. The time has come to work on the stabilization phase. That is the sole responsibility of the Palestinian Authority. Spain is committed to the PA and determined to increase that support. Ladies and gentlemen, as you will be well aware, Spain took the decision to recognize the State of Palestine on the 28th of May. That was a decision supported by the overwhelming majority of Spanish society and one whose only aim is to further the quest for peace in the region, a desire which has long been held. In 1949, a Spanish man, Pablo de Azcazate, was the first representative of the UN mediator in Palestine. Today, it continues to be moving to read his notes about that mission, which are full of bitterness in the face of the catastrophe that he senses was around the corner. Azcazate, Pablo Azcazate, was a man in exile, a Spanish Republican, that the dictator prevented from returning to his homeland. It is perhaps for that reason that he empathized so much with the suffering of that land, and his name deserves to ring out loud and clear 75 years since those events. This year, before the end of this year, Spain and Palestine will hold the first intergovernmental meeting to broaden and deepen our bilateral relationship. I also want to underscore the importance of the recent meeting in Madrid of the Euro-Arab-Islamic group to catalyze the peace process and to allow the two-state solution to come to fruition. It is urgent that we convene the peace conferences with the parties and the international community. This is an initiative supported by more than 90 countries, and that is a peace conference which will allow us to revive the spirit of dialogue which prevailed in Madrid in the beginning of the 1990s, when the Israelis and Palestinians sat around the same table to negotiate. At such a complex juncture, I wish to reaffirm Spain’s unconditional support for and commitment to peace. Demonstration of that commitment is the 670 Spanish troops deployed in UNIFIL under the command of a Spanish general. The work of peacekeeping missions is key in many arenas, such as in the Western Sahara. We will continue to support the special envoy of the United Secretary-General to achieve peace. A mutually acceptable solution, which abides by law and which exists within the UN framework. But it’s clear that beyond peacekeeping missions, we must tackle the underlying causes of conflict, as indicated by the new Agenda for Peace, championed by the Secretary General. We resolutely support that agenda. With that in mind, the Indo-Pacific has become a centre of gravity, and we must all contribute to maintaining peace in that region. We must all continue to demand the respect of basic principles of international law, such as the freedom of navigation at sea. Spain is willing to collaborate to the work of partners to maintain stability and security. Ladies and gentlemen, while this turbulent landscape could cause us to lose heart, we can look at some projects, such as the European project, as an example of hope. No one would have imagined that in only a few decades we’d have seen such radical change in Europe’s geopolitical landscape. Consequently, as part of the European Union, Spain is committed to that agenda for peace. In December 2020, Spain and the United Kingdom reached a bilateral agreement on Gibraltar, on something very important to Spain, that is Gibraltar, in the context of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. We continue to work flat out and have done since then, now with a new British government, so that that agreement can lay the foundations for a future relationship between that territory and the European Union. We have every faith that, as soon as possible, we’ll be able to reach an agreement between, or the EU and the UK will reach an agreement around Gibraltar. This agreement must be fully consistent with the UN doctrine on that territory. Of course, Spain fully aligns itself with that doctrine. Any agreement reached must be fully consistent with my country’s legal position regarding the sovereignty and jurisdiction where Gibraltar is concerned. We must work to develop a prosperous area of social and economic development which encompasses Gibraltar in its entirety, including the Campo de Gibraltar. With the threats to peace, the world is facing a real risk of democracy being dismantled. And this brings me to the second aspiration that I want to touch upon. Rights that we thought acquired are today being called into question or undone. A reactionary global agenda is paving the way towards heated mistrust in institutions, polarization, and demands for the return of an invented past as false as their proclamations. Democracy is waging a battle for its very survival. Let’s be clear, we cannot give ground to our enemies. Democracy cannot. Democracy cannot hope to win this battle with its hands tied. Because, let’s be clear, we’re facing people who have no scruples. They are activists of lies. They are spreaders of fake news and hatred. And they’re ready to tear societies in two to impose their regressive agenda. We must raise a shield to protect democratic institutions from those who deliberately seek to undermine them. We can no longer simply evoke the moral superiority of democracy. We need to correct mistakes, work on internal rejuvenation of democracies, and, of course, strengthen transparency and accountability of our democracies. We must also work to ensure that our citizens feel that democracy is close to them, something that belongs to them, that it is something alive, something living. With that in mind, Spain will champion that vision via our co-chairmanship of the Open Government Partnership that will hold its ninth global summit next year in Victoria-Gastris. Against the backdrop to which I’ve referred, I think that the relationship between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean becomes newly meaningful. These are two regions called upon to work together with a shared vision of the world. The unfortunate situation in Venezuela after the elections of the 28th of July is one of grave concern. I wish to once again reiterate Spain’s unstinting commitment to Democracy and the defense of human rights in that country. I wish to condemn any detention of or threat against political leaders. It is vital that the will of the Venezuelan people be respected. There must be a recount of votes in absolute transparency. This recount must be verified. I am convinced that we need more common arenas for dialogue. As such, Spain supports the holding of the next Ibero-American Summit in November in Cuenca, in Ecuador, and we will host the Ibero-American Summit in 2026. We will continue also to practice a feminist foreign policy. We will do that to remain coherent and consistent with our past because, above all, to talk of feminism is to talk of human rights. Today, I wish to say loud and clear that the time has come. The time to act is now. Both the Secretary General and the Presidency of this Assembly, when new people are appointed to these posts, those people must finally be women. Spain supports and will firmly support the idea of men and women taking turns at the helm of this organization and will work to put an end to a situation which is quite simply unacceptable. For peace and democracy to prevail, it is vital, ladies and gentlemen, to heed the third aspiration that I want to talk about, and that is the sustainable development agenda. Democracy and peace gain legitimacy by their results. They gain legitimacy from their ability to provide well-being, to fight against inequalities in all their forms, and their ability to champion social justice to promote the dignity of human beings. But it is not just a question of covering current material needs. It is also about doing that without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It’s about safeguarding the future of our children, and it’s about linking development and sustainability and seeing that as an existential need, not simply a moral imperative. I’m not going to issue a fatalistic speech about the climate emergency. We are all well aware of the impact on migratory flows and the cost of not acting where climate action is concerned. But I’m not going to succumb to the melancholy of those that say that our battle is a lost one. I won’t do that. Science is the answer, science that puts the human being at the heart of our concerns and its concerns, and it’s science that today reminds us that there’s only one alternative. We need to eliminate fossil fuels. There needs to be more renewable energies and more energy efficiency. If we follow this guide, not only is there light at the end of the tunnel, there are major opportunities for development and substantive improvements to global competitiveness. I know all of this from my own experience. More than half of the electrical energy produced by Spain last year came from renewable sources. And at this point in this year, this volume is already surpassing 60%. There’s much, much more behind these figures than cheap, clean and affordable energy for millions of homes. There’s also better and more employment in emerging sectors and more opportunities for territories that hitherto haven’t had industry. That’s why it’s so important to strengthen international development financing so that we can turn it into an authentic lever for prosperity for countries in need. Spain is a country that knows that in order for its 48 million people to aspire to a better future, we have to work so that the 8 billion inhabitants of our globe also have a dignified life and a better future. We have platforms within which we can take action to achieve wholesale reform of IFIs and within which we can update them. And this goes for multilateral development banks. But we need to go further. We need to move towards more just and more inclusive mechanisms. We need to tackle the debt problem, mobilize more sources of financing, and ultimately guarantee more help for those that need it most. We must implement more effective, transparent, and just tax policies, policies which champion the mobilization of domestic resources, including a minimum global tax on major fortunes and the full implementation of the two pillars of the OECD and G20 on the taxation of multinationals as a basis for a future Framework Convention on Tax Cooperation. We will have an opportunity to make progress here at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, which we have the great honor of hosting in Seville in June 2025. Of course, you are all invited. This is a key event, an opportunity to demonstrate that we are all able to update our multilateral system to ensure it can meet the challenges of the day. Seville will be a unique opportunity to expedite the achievement of the SDGs to which we are committed, that is, fighting poverty, eradicating hunger, eradicating AIDS, or ending gender discrimination, among many other challenges. It might be difficult to believe, but today we continue to hear insane speeches which criticize such noble ends and see ideological diktats in agendas where there is nothing other than common sense and humankind. Discourses and speeches which criticize this clearly humane agenda that is Agenda 2030 and call it a concoction of global elites. That is the craziness of our times. We will be of a rational voice and will work to ensure that the FFD negotiating process is transparent and inclusive and that it brings about tangible results. We have experience which shows us that reform is key. We have reformed our Cooperation for Development system. and today I wish to say to you that we intend to increase our contribution to the UN development system to the tune of 25% between 2025-2027. As part of this vision, Africa is a key partner for Spain and my belief is that it should also occupy its rightful place in the international community. That is key. We need Africa as a partner in addressing major challenges but also there are no more excuses. The time has come to give the African continent the place it deserves. It’s this spirit that has driven forward our new strategy for Africa. What’s at stake is not only strengthening bonds between countries in the region but it’s also about ensuring that our prosperity, security and progress are closely linked to the prosperity, security and inclusive progress of the African region. Humanity is facing many old challenges such as those to which I’ve referred somewhat superficially. However, new challenges are emerging such as those created by the expansion of AI. So often in the past, the emergence of disruptive progress creates fear and mistrust and this isn’t the first time this has happened. The discovery of writing, many said, would annihilate the acquisition of knowledge by memory. Many people said that the printing press would limit the depths in which we could think. Even electricity was seen as a silent assassin of peace in the home. All new disruptions feel somewhat overwhelming but what makes a difference is our ability to take a firm hold of the reins of progress. We need to combine progress with unimpeachable ethical rectitude and that will be vital as we move forward. A few days ago, we learned of the seven key recommendations of the advisory body of the Secretary-General for the Global Governance of AI. We must support these recommendations and continue with this joint effort to ensure that the decisions around AI do not remain in the hands of the government. I want to share some data with you, ladies and gentlemen. In just over a century, child mortality has reduced from 50% to 4% across the globe. The number of university students has doubled in only two decades. The percentage of women holding seats in parliament now stands at 27%. That is double what it was in 1990. The world has doubled its installed solar capacity in only four years. At the same time, energy produced by fossil fuels is drastically reducing. Let us not accept that the dawn of a new era of violence and wars is inevitable. A future is a relatively recent conquest for humankind. Being able to look forward, get priorities in order and think about a future is a privilege that modernity has given us. Let us therefore honour our responsibilities by looking ahead without fear and with hope. We let us choose to recast multilateralism in such a way as to leave us with a much better future than that which we currently stand to leave our children. Let us confront this tax with creativeness, audacity, with hope and ambition, the ambition that our age demands. Many thanks, ladies and gentlemen.

Vice President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Government of Spain. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Allama Iye Halina, Prime Minister, Head of Government of the Republic of Chad. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Allah Maye Halina – Chad: Madame President, Heads of State and Heads of Delegation, Ladies and Gentlemen, At the outset, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Chad, on behalf of my delegation and in my personal capacity, I would like to convey my warm congratulations to Philemon Young, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon, and congratulate him on his brilliant election to the Presidency of the 79th Session of the General Assembly. I wish him every success in his work and assure him of the support of my delegation throughout his mandate. I would also like to express our sincere gratitude and warm congratulations to Dennis Francis, outgoing President of the General Assembly, on the excellent work carried out throughout his term. In addition, I wish to express my most sincere appreciation and full support to Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, for his leadership and his commitment to a renewed United Nations that is capable of meeting the expectations of the peoples of the world. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The theme of this session, Unity and Diversity for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity, Everywhere and for everyone resonates deeply with the aspirations and challenges that we see in Chad, in Africa, and throughout the world. Promoting peace, sustainable development, and human dignity should not remain a mere slogan or an exercise in rhetoric. This session should inspire us to act with determination and compassion in order to together build a just and peaceful world where every individual in every community can enjoy prosperity and dignity. For Chad, my country, as is the case for many countries in the Sahel, peace remains a major challenge. While we face challenges, it is essential to recognize the efforts being made by our states against terrorist groups whose origins and resources often remain unclear and who threaten our institutions, undermine our development efforts, and aggravate the hardship of our populations. The lack of a genuine collective will on the part of the international community to eradicate the scourge of terrorism in the Sahel risks bringing Africa as a whole into the grip of terrorist groups. We are convinced that a firm commitment is required from the international community in order to tackle this challenge. Together we must win this battle against terrorism by strengthening our cooperation in order to promote stability on our continent and, as a consequence, that of the shared destiny of humanity. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, in 2030 we will together assess the results of the United Nations Agenda on Sustainable Development. Like many African countries, Chad finds itself at a crossroads of multiple challenges, such as climate change, which threatens our food security, protracted droughts, desertification, and unpredictable flooding are undermining our economies and hurting vulnerable populations. We therefore call on the international community to honor its commitments on climate financing and climate justice, as well as on the transfer of green technologies. Chad, under the leadership of President Mahmoud Idriss Déby-Itno, democratically elected based on a well-rounded political program and an ambitious program in whom I have the distinct honor of representing at this 79th session, has been working tirelessly to improve access to education, safe drinking water, energy, health care, and economic opportunities. We must fight poverty and inequality, particularly gender-based inequality, by building a renewed global partnership that recognizes the specific needs of the least developed countries and ensures full inclusion. We ask for equitable access to vaccines, as well as to cutting-edge medical technologies, because health care and education are the foundations of human dignity. We are likewise determined to promote social inclusion, the empowerment of women and youth, and the protection of human rights. And the support of the international community is essential in this regard. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the future that we are building today will shape the world that we wish to be key to future generations. In Chad, our young people, comprising more than 65% of our population, are our greatest wealth. We are investing in their education and their participation in political life in order to prevent our youth from being instrumentalized by radicalism and violent extremism. In addition, we call on the United Nations to support an open labor market and to ensure an environment that allows young people to flourish, because the reason for the migration of African youth is the great divide that separates our states, even though we share a common destiny. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, in the context of our domestic policy, we are proud of our political transition culminating in free, democratic, and transparent elections, which have resulted in the election of the President of the Republic, Mohammed Idris Dibi Idno, to the presidency of our country for a term of five years on May 6th. This milestone reflects our commitment to a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive governance of our country. Thus strengthening our democracy. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, climate change also represents a major global challenge with devastating consequences for vulnerable regions such as the Sahel. The recent floods in my country, which have affected more than 1.5 million people, make this reality clear. Given the magnitude of this situation, we call for international solidarity in order to address this emergency. Meanwhile, our country is hosting more than 2 million refugees, which represents nearly 15% of our population. This is placing a heavy burden on our resources and exacerbating the humanitarian emergency. This figure is due to a massive influx of Sudanese refugees caused by the crisis in Sudan, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of refugees coming from other neighboring countries. We call for strength and solidarity on the part of the international community to support refugees as well as host populations. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the ongoing hostilities in Sudan are prolonging the suffering of civilian populations in Sudan and exacerbating the humanitarian situation, both in combat zones as well as in neighboring countries such as Chad, which continue to see a daily influx of new refugees. Chad regrets that the numerous calls for a ceasefire have not been Heated by the warring parties, my country is deeply concerned by the continuation of clashes in Sudan, which further worsened the humanitarian situation as well as its repercussions for neighboring countries, including Chad. Chad once again reiterates its urgent call on the parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and facilitate unhindered humanitarian access to the millions of victims of this fratricidal war, and we urge them to re-establish a political dialogue. Chad remains convinced that the current crisis in Sudan cannot be solved by force. It can only be solved through peaceful means, through an intra-Sudanese dialogue aimed at achieving a lasting peace. Chad reaffirms its support for all initiatives currently underway to restore peace and stability in Sudan. With regard to the Libyan crisis, we call on all the parties to do their utmost to overcome the political impasse in which the country finds itself. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, conflicts are not limited to Africa alone. The situation in Ukraine, as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, underscore the dangers of this inexcusable violence, which is claiming untold innocent lives against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical tensions. With regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we strongly condemn the violence and atrocities committed against the people of Israel. against innocent civilians and reaffirm our commitment to a two-state solution as well as the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination while calling for a peaceful solution and a negotiated solution to this conflict. The world cannot remain indifferent with a clear conscience given the horrifying images that we see coming from Gaza and other areas of Palestine. This conflict has now spread to Lebanon which is worsening the regional situation and this escalation poses a serious threat to peace and stability not only for the countries that are directly involved but for the region as a whole as well. Chad also calls on the calls for the lifting of the embargo on Cuba which harms the country’s people and hinders its development. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I reaffirm Chad’s commitment to the common African position on the reform of the Security Council as laid out in the Aswini Consensus and the Sears Declaration. We call on the sense of justice and solidarity of all nations to prevail in order to accelerate this much desired and eagerly awaited reform. Africa is asking for nothing more than the redress of a flagrant injustice. dealt to an entire continent, a continent with more than a billion souls, a continent deprived of its legitimate place in global governance. Madam President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, the path towards a future of peace, development, and human dignity is fraught with pitfalls. But it is our collective responsibility to follow that path. To conclude, Chad reiterates its commitment to the founding ideals and principles of the United Nations Charter and urges the international community to strengthen multilateralism in order to build a peaceful world, a world with greater justice, fairness, and solidarity. Thank you for your kind attention.

Vice President: On behalf of the General Assembly, I thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Chad. I now give the floor to His Excellency Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Relations and Trade of Hungary.

Péter Szijjártó – Hungary: Thank you, Your Excellencies, dear colleagues. Unfortunately, I have to start by saying that we are living in the age of dangers. And 34 years ago, when we got rid of our communist oppressors, and we shifted from a one-party dictatorship to parliamentary democracy, and we shifted from a planned communist economy to market economy, or 25 years ago when we joined NATO, or 21 years ago when we joined the European Union, we would not have thought that we will be faced once again with the phantom of Cold War. And similarly, a couple of years ago, we would not have thought that war would return to Europe. And dear colleagues, your excellencies, nowadays this is the reality. We are faced with the phantom of the Cold War, and war returned to Europe. I’m representing Hungary, a country which is a neighboring country to Ukraine. That means that for the last two and a half years, we have been living in the shadow of a war. Two and a half years, almost a thousand days. And we have been confronted with the consequences. 1.3 million refugees. Even nowadays, there are several hundreds of schools and kindergartens in Hungary, which enroll the children of the refugee families. And we have been paying a price of a war which is not our war, and for the outbreak of which we do not bear any kind of responsibility. So I do believe that almost after a thousand days, the real question is not what we do think about the future. The real question is how peace could be made, or even more precisely, Mr. President, the question is, which is the fastest way to peace? Because we have to pick that one, the fastest one. Because the later peace will be reached, the more people will die, the more destruction will take place, and more families will be torn apart. And we Hungarians don’t want more destruction, we don’t want more families to be torn apart, we don’t want to see more videos about violent conscription. We don’t want more people to die, especially putting into consideration the 150,000 Hungarians living in Ukraine, a community, members of which have been mobilized to the Ukrainian army, many of them have been deployed to the front line, and unfortunately, many of them have died already. And I think that after almost a thousand days, this is high time to make an honest stocktaking and to analyze what has worked out and what has not worked out, what international community or Europe has made as a reaction to the war. And if we are honest to ourselves, we have to say that practically nothing has worked out what international community and Europe has done as a reaction to this war. Nothing has worked out what was based on an assumption that there might be a solution at the battlefield. We have to raise the question honestly, whether weapon deliveries have made any sense. And obviously they have made no sense. No sense because weapon deliveries have not changed the situation at the battlefield and they have not brought us closer to peace either. Weapon deliveries have only increased the volume of weapons on both sides of the front line, causing more casualties and closing the prolongation of the war. And I do hope that those who are still thinking about delivering more weapons to Ukraine will consider this impact and this consequence as well. And similarly, I hope that those who are supposed to make decisions whether the weapons delivered from the West would be allowed to be used against strategic depth in Russia will make a responsible decision. Because if Western weapons will be allowed to be targeted at strategic depth for Russia, that would cause a serious risk of escalation for sure. And I do believe that in case of such a crisis situation, we really have to put into consideration the weight, the significance of words. Because in such situation, words do have a much more serious significance than in peace times. And we are seriously concerned in Hungary about the open and shameless reference of possible use of nuclear weapons. So, dear colleagues, basically nothing has worked out of those measures which have been based on the assumption that there might be a battlefield solution. That means that solution must be looked after somewhere else. And if you raise the question, where should we look for this solution, then the answer is around the negotiating table. Therefore, Hungary argues in favor of an immediate ceasefire and the start of peace talks. This would be the fastest way to peace. And with this, with starting peace talks, many lives will be saved. I know it’s easy to say, but very complicated to implement. Why? Because international liberal mainstream made peace as a cuss word. And whoever argues in favor of peace will be immediately attacked and stigmatized. And it’s a huge mistake as well that diplomacy diplomacy is now being given a diverted definition. Many would like us to believe that diplomacy is only about talking to those with whom you agree 100 percent. This is not diplomacy. This is something else. This is not an achievement. Diplomacy is a capacity to talk to those with whom you might not agree, to talk to those with whom you might disagree in everything. And here I do believe, Mr. President, that the United Nations should have a great role because United Nations was not established as a group of like minded countries. It was established to give platform for everyone to talk to everyone about everything. And UN gives a legitimate possibility even for those countries who are at war with each other to talk to each other. Therefore, we reject any kind of federalistic efforts which would limit or restrict us in whom we would like to talk in the framework of United Nations and what would be the topic. I’m representing a the small or mid-sized, depends on the level of self-confidence, country, coming from Central Europe, a landlocked one and I have to tell you that we do consider it as nonsense and unacceptable that the representatives of the big powers are not ready to talk to each other because the fact that they don’t talk to each other, that poses a serious security risk on us and there’s another risk that they don’t talk to each other if they don’t talk to each other, then the world can easily be divided into blocks again and that’s a nightmare for us, why? Because we have already experienced it once we have lost 40 years of our lives, 4 decades, when the world was divided into blocks therefore we have to speak very clearly, we don’t want such kind of period to come back we don’t want the world to be divided into blocks again and I would like to disillusion everybody, it would not only be us to lose everything or almost everything, in case the world is going to be divided into blocks, everybody would lose on that I do believe that a civilized east to west cooperation could bring a lot of profit to the whole world therefore we Hungarians argue in favor of connectivity we wish the next period, the next part of global history would be not about a new cold war but would be about connectivity and although we are a relatively small country, but we can serve as a good example what a big growth potential is being represented by a civilized east to west cooperation we have been carrying out a pragmatic patriotic foreign policy based on common sense and aiming at reaching the national interest and as an outcome of that Hungary became a meeting point of east and west The biggest corporates of the Eastern and Western economies are meeting in Hungary. Imagine in Hungary the top German premium car makers and the top Chinese electric battery manufacturers are not only working together in one country, in one city, they are building their factories next to each other on the neighboring plots. So, therefore, I have to underline that the strategies of those corporates which have a determining impact on continental economies cannot be successful without free global economic cooperation. Dear colleagues, it has not been a long time ago that the then-Federal Chancellor of Germany was speaking about an economic and trade cooperation zone starting from Lisbon ending at Vladivostok. And it has not been a long time ago that European political leaders spoke about Eurasian cooperation. Unfortunately, nowadays we are far away. But it’s not impossible to return there. But there’s one very important major precondition. Global politics must change fundamentally. What would that mean? It means, in our reading, that global politics must come back to the basis of mutual respect. And dialogue and diplomacy must return as major tools here. And this is absolutely not hopeless because our experience here at the General Assembly, being convened in New York, our experiences do prove that the friends of peace are in majority in this chamber. And we Hungarians are proud to be part of this global majority for peace. And we are ready to support all global initiatives which are aiming at reaching peace. And we are ready to discuss all peace plans. And we consider it as unacceptable that some countries would like to give exclusivity to one or another peace plan, acting as if the other one would not exist. We absolutely want all peace plans to be discussed. And here I would like to commend the People’s Republic of China and Brazil for putting together a plan. And we do hope that that plan will be on the agenda as well. Dear colleagues, if we could reach peace, it would not only save lives of the people, but would give a big support, a big help to many countries in the transatlantic community where I’m coming from to get rid of the huge burden of hypocrisy. And I’ll tell you why. Many Western colleagues of ours like to say that they got rid of the energy sources of Russia, for example. This is one of the biggest fake news ever. Because the Western countries continued to do business with Russia just like others. They just simply deny it. If you look at the share of Russian gas in the LNG ports in the Western part of Europe, you might be surprised. Or if you have a look at the oil arriving to the Western countries in Europe, where it comes from originally, you might be surprised as well. And if you look at who is the number one uranium supplier of this very country, United States, you would be surprised as well. In order to avoid your homework to look for it, this is the Russian Federation. Dear colleagues, all this proves… I think that economic sanctions are totally useless in this regard. They absolutely don’t work out. They put much more harm on some European economies than on the Russian economy. Many Western countries and Western economies do evade the sanctions. So I think it’s no wonder that we cannot recall any successful sanction mechanism in history. These sanctions do not make any sense as well. Dear colleagues, the war in Ukraine puts a serious security risk on Europe. But this is not the only security risk there. We in Europe have been faced with massive waves of illegal migration and unfortunately Brussels made a huge mistake there because they wanted to manage migration instead of stopping it. And this approach has encouraged a massive number of people to hit the road to pay thousands of euros to smugglers and take the life hazard to come to Europe. But we Hungarians, we do stick to our own right to make a decision on our own whom we allow to enter the territory of our country and whom we are ready to live together. And I think, Mr. President, that the UN is the best place to recall international law. International law speaks very clearly. Everyone who has to escape from his or her home has the right to stay temporarily on the territory of the first safe country, but not on the second, on the third or the fourth one. Therefore Hungary will continue to stop the flow of illegal migration on its border through which basically we save Europe from further huge security-related challenges. And in the meantime this is insane that while Hungary is protecting its border has to pay a fine of multiple tens of hundreds of millions of euros because of complying with international law. So my summary goes as follows, Mr. President. In the last ten years, Hungary has carried out a pragmatic, patriotic foreign policy strategy, aiming at national interest and guaranteeing the security of our own citizens. And we will continue to do so, as we will continue to be always honest and open. And we will do always what we say, and we will always say what we think. It might be unusual nowadays. How is it possible? It is possible because there is an unusual political stability in Hungary, which is very unique in Europe. We have won all elections in the last 18 years, the one-party, right-wing government. That means that people like what we are doing, they support what we are doing, and they give the approval to continue. And the government will continue. We will not have the intention to satisfy NGOs or external actors, but we will always have the intention to satisfy our own electorate, our own citizens, because we do believe that democracy is all about that, the people. Thank you so much for your kind attention.

Vice President: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary. I now give the floor to His Excellency Bartiol Saidov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.

Bakhtiyor Saidov – Uzbekistan: Thank you very much. and best wishes of peace and prosperity from the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, His Excellency Bakhtiyor Saidov, to the United Nations leadership, heads of states, and delegations participating at the 79th session of the General Assembly. Let me also express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to address this esteemed Assembly. I would like to thank the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his firm focus on Central Asia. This was once again confirmed by his recent visit to our region, which laid a solid foundation for further expanding cooperation with the United Nations. Our debates are taking place at a time of escalating global challenges. Wars and conflicts, triple planetary climate crisis, worsening of the world economy and technological gap are affecting all countries without exception. We firmly believe that the United Nations must remain central in addressing the challenges of the 21st century. Resolving global issues at the national level is crucial for maintaining stability and the well-being and prosperity of our people. In this context, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is very important. The consistent implementation of the SDGs has been identified by the President of our country as a cornerstone of Uzbekistan’s state policy. Our Uzbekistan 2030 Development Strategy is fully aligned with SDGs. In recent years, Uzbekistan has made significant progress in poverty reduction, improving public access to education, transitioning to a green economy and promoting gender equality. Our GDP has more than doubled. and the poverty rate has fallen almost four times in less than 10 years. We are taking solid steps to create jobs and improve the quality of human capital with the aim to reduce the unemployment rate from 11% to 7%. Full-scale implementation of the SDGs is impossible without attracting investments and advanced technologies. Uzbekistan is actively pursuing these goals, leveraging our state resources and private sector. However, many developing countries face challenges in accessing global financial resources. We share the view to reform the international financial system to establish a modern financial architecture. Humanity’s future is closely linked to the development and application of modern technologies. New scientific advancements should bring people and nations closer together, not separate them. We proceed from the principle that access to technology is not a privilege, but a right for every person and every nation. Digital technologies are especially crucial. We have adopted the Digital Uzbekistan 2030 strategy. We are rapidly advancing our IT sector. Yet, there is another side of the coin. Rise of digital technologies presents new challenges, particularly concerning the uncontrolled use of artificial intelligence. Based on this idea, at the previous session, Uzbekistan supported and co-sponsored UN General Assembly resolutions on utilizing safe artificial intelligence for sustainable development and strengthening international cooperation. We will continue to advocate for broad international collaboration to address these issues. Last year was one of the hottest in the history of meteorological observations. We have witnessed record-breaking heat and extreme cold conditions worldwide. This once again proves the growing urgency of the climate change problem. Central Asia is among the most exposed and vulnerable regions of the world climate change. The air temperature in Central Asia is rising faster than the global average. This creates a wide range of problems which pose serious risks to food and energy security. Thus, the level of water availability per capita in Central Asia has halved over the past few decades. The Aral Sea disaster continues to have an extremely negative impact on the ecosystems of all states in the region. We call on the international donor community to expand projects in the Aral Sea region aimed at mitigating the devastating consequences of this disaster. The Aral Sea became the first region in the world to be granted by the UN the status of a zone of environmental innovation and technology. Our best experience could benefit other countries facing similar problems. Central Asian countries are unified on climate action. Last December, at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, the General Assembly by consensus adopted the resolution that Central Asia is in the face of environmental problems, strengthening the regional solidarity for sustainable development and prosperity. We also developed a regional climate change adaptation strategy and established a climate council to create a national climate change program. At the same time, we are aware of the need for broad international cooperation to effectively overcome these challenges. In this regard, we propose to adopt the UN Resolution International Year of Land Restoration and increasing draft resolution. Resistance! Ladies and gentlemen, Our updated constitution sets ambitious goals for building a welfare state. Uzbekistan is committed to enhancing social protection, improving service quality, and implementing international standards. For this purpose, we have established the Social Protection Agency. We plan to hold a World Conference on Social Protection in 2025. And we invite all UN Member States to this important event. Empowering women and girls is a key component of our state policy. Uzbekistan has made notable progress in ensuring gender equality, ranking among the top five countries in this regard. The Asian Women’s Forum, held in Samarkand in partnership with the UN Women, has become a crucial platform for dialogue on gender policy issues. We propose expanding this forum to a global women’s forum and adopting the UN Resolution on Enhancing the Social, Economic and Political Activities of Asian Women. Youth represents our common future. In Uzbekistan, where over half of the population is under 30, effective youth policy is vital to build a new Uzbekistan. We are a global leader in implementing the UN Youth Strategy 2030. However, the rising radicalization and increased violence involving youth is alarming. We must focus on fostering proper spiritual and moral education of young people to prevent their involvement in radical movements. We propose enhanced cooperation in this direction based on the UN General Assembly Resolution Enlightenment and Religious Tolerance, adopted at the initiative of our President in 2018. The global threat of terrorism requires unified international action. In the fight against this evil, there should be no place for selective approach and double standards. The Central Asian states maintain close cooperation in ensuring regional security. Together with the UN Counterterrorism Office, we have successfully launched the Regional Expert Council in Central Asia on Rehabilitation and Reintegration. We appreciate the UN’s assistance in developing the national strategy of Uzbekistan to combat drug trafficking and drug abuse for 2024-28. As a state party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, Uzbekistan welcomes anti-corruption efforts. We support enhancing the role of the UN in fostering international cooperation against corruption. In December last year, together with the State of Qatar and support of the UNODC, we have hosted the High-Level International Anti-Corruption Award Ceremony in Tashkent. In recent years, our country has become an active participant of all UN processes. For the first time in our history, we have joined the UN Human Rights Committee, ECOSOC, and the governing body of the International Labour Organization. In 2025, we will host the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, an event that will be held outside of Paris for the first time since 1985. We invite all UNESCO member states to actively participate in this event. We have decided to run for the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2035-2036. We count on your support of our candidacy. Dear ladies and gentlemen, Central Asia remains top priority in Uzbekistan foreign policy. The new political atmosphere in Central Asia allowed us to address many global issues very generally. We will continue to consolidate our efforts to transform the region into a zone of lasting peace, good neighborliness, stability and dynamic development. Our region remains one of the least integrated economies in the world in terms of its transport and communication networks. Due to the geographical location of Central Asia, the cost of transporting goods to the nearest seaports can reach up to 50% of the final value, which is four to five times higher than the global average. Today, our region is firmly focused on connecting to major global markets and revitalizing the Great Silk Road. Uzbekistan is taking strong steps to establish effective transport corridors leading to international markets. We are implementing an ambitious project to build the Trans-Afghan Railway, which will provide access to global ports and have a positive effect on the economic development of our vast region. The key to ensuring the stability and sustainable development in our region lies in addressing the Afghan problem. Afghanistan is an integral part of Central Asia. Unfortunately, the international community has been unable to implement measures capable of reversing the challenging situation in this country. Uzbekistan is pursuing a pragmatic policy towards Afghanistan. We will continue to contribute to Afghanistan’s economic reconstruction and the development of its transport and energy infrastructure. We are ready to expand the Educational Center for Afghan Citizens in the Uzbek city of Termez into the Global Training Center. Recently, we have established the Termez International Trade Center, designed to foster a favorable business environment and enhance logistics. In order to achieve stability, it is crucial to uphold the UN’s central role in resolving the Afghan issue and developing coordinated strategies to ensure sustainable development. Your Excellencies, In conclusion, I would like to once again emphasize that the challenges and threats we face today can only be addressed through comprehensive international efforts. Uzbekistan remains committed to actively participating in shaping the agenda for multilateral cooperation, achieving common goals, and supporting measures to reinforce the Central Asia role of the United Nations. I thank you for your attention.

Vice President: I now give the floor to His Excellency Yvan Gil Pinto, Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Yvan Gil Pinto – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: Distinguished Heads of Delegation, Ministers, Ambassadors, Mr. President, Over these last few days, we have heard in this General Assembly two narratives. One, the discourse of the oligarchs and their satellites. who seek to rule the world and another that of the dignified peoples who fight for their sovereignty and independence. The oligarchs led by the government of the United States of America are attacking the charter of the United Nations to destroy this organization from both outside and within and have nearly achieved this already. To this end they promote the involvement of private corporations, non-governmental organizations and other strategies that disregard the sovereignty of states. They have called this a rules-based order. Not satisfied with this the oligarchies resort to political expressions that we thought we had already overcome such as fascism and nazism. These political currents of imposition and domination promote white supremacy, racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance, normalized with the support of large international media monopolies and social networks. They are placed at the service of imperialism and neo-colonialism, ultimately supporting their plans to create tensions, fabricate conflicts and pit peoples against each other. As we speak in this assembly bombs are falling in Gaza where Israel has murdered tens of thousands of girls, boys, women and men who are innocent with the complicity of the governments of the United States of America and the European Union. The greatest crime of extermination and genocide since the one committed by Hitler in the Second World War is currently being carried out. Today they intend to export their hatred and destruction to an entire region, bombing and murdering innocent people in Lebanon and Syria as they try to destabilize the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is a genuine threat. A new form of terrorism has been doled out in Lebanon, where, with the complicity of private companies that manage the supply chains of mass-consumer technologies, it sets a severe precedent, putting global security at risk. They also bomb civilian infrastructure in that kindred country, killing innocent people, just as they do in Gaza. Israel has truly become a death machine, which must be stopped at once. But instead of stopping the massacre and bringing those responsible to justice, those most powerful insist on expanding the war to Europe and other parts of the world through military blocs such as NATO. After the defeat of Ukraine in their Nazi adventure, they now intend to bring war and terrorism to Great Russia, which, as history has taught us, will always be victorious. NATO’s expansion also threatens peace in South America, with the installation of military bases, with the complicity of the lackey governments of Argentina and Ecuador. Hate speech promotes and fosters terrorism in its various forms. For instance, from the very territory of the United States of America, attacks, assassination attempts, destabilization and attacks against sovereign people such as Venezuela are continuously planned. To this end, they have resorted to the use of information and communication technologies, especially social media, controlled by the empire’s frontmen who fabricate psychological wars aimed at exploiting feelings of hatred and destruction without control of any sort. In addition to this, there are cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, including vital utilities, banking, oil and electoral systems, as happened in my country on the 28th of July. Mr. President, how can progress be achieved on peace and security issues? When the United States of America, whose government insists on providing a framework of impunity for violators of international law, hijacks the body responsible for maintaining peace and security. From this rostrum, we reiterate our unwavering solidarity with the kindred people of Palestine, whom we support with determination in their just cause and in all efforts aimed at preserving a clear political horizon, which preserves the viability of the two-state solution. Based on the pre-1967 borders, we welcome the fact that for the first time in the history of this Assembly, the delegation of Palestine sits with us as another state. Today, more than ever, it is urgent that we ensure the immediate, fully-fledged membership of this organization. We also wonder how the decolonization agenda can be achieved if we insist on preserving a status quo that only benefits the occupying and administering powers. Our solidarity and firm support goes out to all peoples who are fighting for their inalienable right to self-determination, to achieve full independence and to be true masters of their own destiny, their lands and their resources. It is time that the yearning of freedom of our sisters and brothers in Western Sahara, Puerto Rico, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Bonaire and so many other territories be finally realized. Venezuela has a profound anti-colonial vocation inherited from our independent struggle and the legacy of our liberator, Simón Bolívar. Therefore, we embrace with determination all of these great causes, which we have historically assumed as our own. We are determined to contribute to the end of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. Similarly, we will continue to demand the restitution of the sovereignty rights over the Chagos Archipelago and the Malvinas Islands to the legitimate owners, namely the Republic of Mauritius and the Argentine Republic. Despite the betrayal of the cause of the Malvinas by the shameless Javier Millet, the brotherly people of Argentina can always count on Venezuela’s solidarity and full support in this just and historic claim. President, even today the peoples of the world are still paying the price for the misfortunes left by the colonialism of empires such as the United Kingdom, which committed crimes on all continents, and is now trying to erase from our memories this with total impunity. One of these harmful effects, which persists to date, is the disposition of Venezuela’s sovereign rights over the Guayana Esequiba. This plunder, originated in the expansionist and violent policy exercised by the British Empire in Venezuelan territory throughout the 19th century, sought to impose itself by fraudulent means in 1899 via a form of arbitration that was rigged between the powers of the day. On the 3rd of December 2023, the Venezuelan people expressed themselves clearly and decisively in an advisory referendum, granting an unavoidable and clear mandate to the Venezuelan state to recover the Guayaba Esequiba, a territory that represents a sacred inheritance of the struggles of our liberators. In that referendum, the Venezuelan people ratified the historic position of our country of never recognising the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in this case, nor any decision it may adopt on that matter. The president of Guayana has lied on this rostrum in this connection. Venezuela only recognises the Geneva Convention of 1966 as the only way to reach a settlement that restores Venezuela’s rights over the territory of the Guayana Esequiba. Today, the United States of America and Guyana are in violation of the Joint Declaration of Argyll, threatening regional peace, security and stability through the military presence of extra-regional actors and the illegitimate granting of oil concessions in a non-demarcated maritime area. In this context, we take this opportunity to reiterate our firm commitment to the CELAC proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace. It is time for Guyana to demonstrate its commitment to that proclamation, as well as dialogue, mutual respect, tolerance and understanding, thus returning to the Geneva Agreement. President, the illegal imposition of unilateral coercive measures against whole peoples by the United States of America and the European Union represents a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and every norm of international law. These measures constitute massive violations of human rights, including the right to development, as well as crimes against humanity. We reiterate our call for the complete, immediate and unconditional lifting of all regimes of so-called sanctions and blockades that today are enforced against more than a third of humanity, including 30 million Venezuelans. Our solidarity with the sisters and brothers in Belarus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, Syria, Zimbabwe and so many others who suffer the effects of these criminal policies day by day. Mr. President, dignified peoples fighting for their sovereignty and independence have also raised their voices in these spaces and must be heard. Venezuela today faces the onslaught of new forms of colonialism. For several years now, the government in Washington has been carrying out a neo-colonial experiment This plan aims to destroy our democratic system, our institutions, our sovereignty, our independence and the inalienable right of our people to self-determination in every possible way. This is a large-scale re-colonization plan that attempts, based on a continued coup d’etat, to destroy our republic. For its execution, all options have been and continue to be on the table. Since the cruel, inhuman enforcement of a ferocious economic, commercial and financial blockade, with almost a thousand sanctions, which has cost our nation more than $642 billion in the last seven years alone, to which we must add the losses of our state oil company, in Spanish known by the acronym PDVSA, amounting to $232 billion, and the theft of 31 tons of gold deposited in the Bank of England, as well as of other important assets owned by the Republic abroad, not to mention the theft by Argentina and the Dominican Republic of aircraft in the service of the Venezuelan state. Venezuela is not the only one affected by this interventionism, which is deeply rooted in the colonialist tradition of the Monroe Doctrine, and which continues to cast a shadow over the expression of political independence on our continent. This is the case of brave Cuba and the blessed and always free Nicaragua. They also promote coup d’etat, as in Bolivia, in 2019 and 2024, and they mercilessly attack, with support of local oligarchies, the government of President Gustavo Pedro in Colombia and that of President Gilmar Castro of Honduras. Our firm support and unwavering solidarity with them too. President, on the 28th of July, as is customary in our revolutionary democracy, the Venezuelan people expressed themselves in a conscious, peaceful and massive manner to elect, with full guarantees, transparency and freedom, the Venezuelan head of state and government for 2025-2031. President Nicolás Maduro was re-elected with a clear and overwhelming majority. After this great popular victory, the oligarchy of my country resorted once again to disregarding of laws and institutions, triggering a criminal form of violence that left 27 dead, hundreds wounded and the destruction of public and private property. With the use of criminal gangs, they set up barricades, burned schools, hospitals and public institutions and assassinated ordinary citizens for their political affiliations alone. None of this will be reported in the mainstream media. Worse still, neither does the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who despite having received all of these facts about the criminal acts and the responsible actions deployed by the Venezuelans, has preferred to turn the victims into perpetrators and the perpetrators into victims. Over the last two days, this fascist and disinformation campaign against our country has been spread from this rostrum. The government of the United States of America and its satellite and servile governments have dedicated themselves to lying, attacking and threatening our people from this place, which is a symbol of peace and understanding by trying to impose a false narrative. But here we are once again to present the truth about Venezuela and our people. Today we come to unveil all of these charlatans. President, at the forefront of this huge operation is as usual the government of the United States of America and its agencies as part of its failed policy of a continued coup d’etat against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which began more than 25 years ago. From their territory, and specifically the state of Florida, terrorist attacks against public officials and facilities are planned. They also used social networks with impunity and the full support of the White House to promote mercenary incursions, as already happened in May 2020. Although Washington denies involvement, this time they were caught red-handed. Investigations into the latest aggression plots have shown that several US and European mercenaries, including an active US military officer specializing in terrorist and destabilization operations, were behind the post-electoral violence. These criminals have confessed that they intended to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro, the Executive Vice President and other senior Venezuelan state officials, as well as attacking critical infrastructure services such as water and electricity. We inform you that all have been arrested, including two people linked to Spain’s National Intelligence Center. In addition, more than 400 rifles of different types have also been seized, some of them produced for the exclusive use of the US Armed Forces. In the coming weeks, our government will present additional and much stronger evidence of what happened, which we are certain will shock the world. President, an additional phase of this criminal plan of aggression has been developed in recent days through another group of mercenaries who opened a website in this country to openly raise funds to attack Venezuela and carry out assassinations. This initiative has the backing of US government agencies, US Congress members and senators. The hypocritical, oligarchic narrative does not condemn such an aberration. In this context, it bears underlining the obligation of the states to ensure… that their territory is not used to finance, plan, facilitate, or commit acts of destabilization through the use of mercenaries and terrorists. In this sense, we demand that the US government comply with its international obligations on this subject. We also have to emphasize that these terrorist plots, planned for months, took place at the very same time as the negotiations and signing of agreements between Venezuela and the United States of America in Doha in September last year, through which we sought to move towards a normalization phase of relations between the two nations. This is further proof that the empire’s word and supposed goodwill cannot be trusted. The Venezuelan people demand the immediate fulfillment of all the commitments agreed in Doha, to lift all sanctions, unilateral, coercive measures that illegally cast a shadow over our country, and we thank the government of the state of Qatar for its good offices as facilitator of these negotiations. Furthermore, and we have to say this, all of that is happening while the government of the United States of America, which promotes and finances criminal actions across the world, without any basis whatsoever on a spurious list of countries allegedly accused of sponsoring terrorism. We also demand an end to this attack against the homeland of Marti and Fidel, which further deepens the impact of the blockade. Mr. President, this new aggression against Venezuela, that is still in full swing, will have exactly the same destiny as all the previous ones, a resounding failure. Despite the psychological operations aimed at creating confusion, despite Washington’s overt and covert operations within the framework of so-called maximum pressure, social peace reigns in Venezuela today. The plans to create violence have been overturned thanks to the determination of our people to defend their right to live in peace. Today, moreover, Venezuela has experienced growth that has allowed it to insert itself strongly into the world economy, contributing its strength to the production of energy, food and basic goods and services. This success has been possible thanks to the determination of the Venezuelan people and the firm leadership that has managed to see down the blockade. Mr. President, at this juncture, our call to the free and peace-loving peoples of the world is to strengthen unity in the face of those who want to divide us in order to achieve their plans of neocolonial domination. It is the time for the Global South. It is the time for the longed-for new world order. It is time to consolidate this new multipolar and multicentric world of peace and economic prosperity, free of hegemonies. It is time to rescue the founding principles contained in the UN Charter and to honour the promise that this organisation is at the service of we, the peoples, as stated in its preamble. Venezuela puts its Bolivarian diplomacy of peace at the service of humanity to advance in that direction, as demonstrated by its leadership at the head of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Chartered United Nations. These are the principles that constitute the narrative of free peoples, which are expressed in new forms of partnership based on the principles of solidarity and complementarity, as, for example, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of America, or ALBA-TCP by its acronym in Spanish, and BRICS, as well as other hopeful prospects for the emerging new world order in which our country seeks to insert itself at an accelerated pace. President, let me conclude by emphasising that in Venezuela we are still on our feet, waging battles hand-in-hand with our people in a permanent, popular organisation, in mobilisation of the struggle to continue the peace. Consolidating are independent. No matter who is at the head of the US Empire that speaks before this rostrum in a year’s time, you can rest assured that the clear and rebellious voice of the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will continue to be present in this forum under the strong leadership of President Nicolás Maduro Moros as we stand determined to resist US imperialism. As Bolívar said, God grants victory to those who in show constancy. Thank you.

Vice President: Muchas gracias, Albini. Thank you to the Minister of People’s Power, Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. I now give the floor to His Excellency Frederick Makamure Shava, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe.

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe: Your Excellency, Mr. Philomen Yang, President of the 79th Session of the General Assembly, Your Excellency, Ms. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, distinguished delegates, allow me to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you, Your Excellency, Mr. Philomen Yang on your election as President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. We are confident that under your astute leadership significant progress will be made. and others. I would like to pay tribute to your predecessor, Ambassador Dennis Francis, for his exemplary stewardship of the 78th session of the General Assembly. As the General Assembly had to contend with a number of delicate issues, Ambassador Francis worked hard, so hard, to promote compromise and the collective resolution of issues anchored on the principle of multilateralism, understanding and mutual respect. Mr. President, in an increasingly polarized and insecure world, dialogue and diplomacy are indispensable. Our world is besieged by numerous global challenges, both natural and man-made. The interconnectedness of our world means that events in one region inevitably affect others. In this regard, the theme of this session, therefore, and I quote, leaving no one behind, acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations, unquote, is so relevant and timely. The theme is a reminder of our shared responsibility to build a world that is inclusive, a world that is just and sustainable. It is through collective action, grounded in solidarity and mutual respect. that we can advance peace, foster sustainability, and strengthen multilateralism as well as uphold human dignity. In this spirit of unity, we must prioritize the most vulnerable and marginalized populations, ensuring that no one and no place is left behind in our pursuit for progress. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without peace, and peace cannot be sustained without addressing the root cause of conflict, chief among them poverty, inequality, intolerance, scarcity exacerbated by climate change, and unwarranted external interference in internal affairs of some states. By investing in education, healthcare, and sustainable economic opportunities, we can create resilient societies that empower individuals and communities to thrive. To attain this, we should commit to a renewed sense of global partnership, where every nation, large and small, continues to and benefits from our collective efforts. Mr. President, as the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Agenda SDGs approaches, the global community is at a crossroads and needs to make a critical choice on how to advance these ambitions and ambitious targets. Climate change. Geopolitical conflicts and economic disparities continue to pour substantial barriers to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. It is, therefore, essential to accelerate action, enhance funding, and foster innovative solutions. The next six years are pivotal if achieving the SDGs is to remain within reach. Zimbabwe fully supports the proposed SDG stimulus so as to reinvigorate the implementation of these crucial goals that we set for ourselves. In this regard, the Just Health Summit of the future was an opportunity and indeed an opportune moment for the international community to come together to forge robust frameworks and innovative strategies to address the complex and interwoven challenges we face. We must leverage this moment to reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism, sustainable development, and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. It is imperative, therefore, that we adopt a holistic approach that integrates economic, social, and environmental dimensions, ensuring that we are all inclusive as we navigate the path towards a more resilient and equitable world. The devastating impact of climate change is our common challenge that requires collective action to enable vulnerable communities to adapt while at the same time mitigating the impact. Our SADC region has been affected by the El Nino-induced drought. that has created a serious food and nutrition security. In that context, the SADC heads of states and government launched an international humanitarian appeal amounting to US dollars 5.8 billion at the end of May 2024. That figure will go up as more countries of the region complete their own national assessments. The overreaching and overarching objective is to meet the immediate needs occasioned by the El Nino-induced drought, while at the same time building resilience for future shocks, including through the establishment of early warning systems. Excellencies, I wish to reiterate our steadfast commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, spearheaded by our transformative vision 2030. This national blueprint sets forth our aspirations to propel Zimbabwe to upper-middle-income status by the year 2030, focusing on robust economic growth, sustainable development and holistic societal transformation. Our strategic thrust encompasses substantial investments in critical sectors that include infrastructure development, education, modern heritage-based education 5.0, modern health care and modernised agriculture, pivotal for ensuring inclusive prosperity across all strata of our society. In earnest pursuit of the SDGs, Zimbabwe has recorded commendable strides across various domains. We have implemented rigorous policies such as our Agricultural 6.0 model, aimed at bolstering food security, enhancing access to portable water and sanitation facilities, and investment in renewable energy. Our comprehensive and social protection frameworks and health care systems have yielded tangible reductions in poverty levels and disease burdens. Furthermore, we remain unwavering in our commitment to empowering women and youths, recognizing their pivotal role as architects of sustainable transformation and development. The Government of Zimbabwe is advancing a devolution policy driven by our mantra, which I quote, leaving no one and no place behind. The focus is on promoting grassroots development through empowering provincial and district authorities to lead the way in fulfilling their development aspirations. Our goal is to ensure that no community, no village, no town centre or province is left behind in our development efforts. As a result of this policy thrust, we have witnessed a life-changing and transformative impact driven by this bottom-up approach. Our valiant developmental efforts notwithstanding, Zimbabwe is confronted by formidable challenges in its quest to attain the SDGs. The adverse impact of the punitive illegal unilateral sanctions compounded by the exigencies of climate change present real threats and barriers to our development strategy. In this regard, we call upon all those that have maintained illegal and unjustified sanctions on Zimbabwe to remove these unwarranted measures immediately and unconditionally, to allow us to continue with our noble efforts to uplift the lives and livelihoods of our citizens. In the same spirit, Zimbabwe stands in solidarity with the government and people of Cuba in their struggle against the harsh economic, commercial and financial blockades. We call for the immediate lifting of this stifling embargo to enable the people of Cuba to pursue their aspirations without hindrance and interference. Mr. President, my country remains committed to supporting the self-determination of both the people of Palestine and Western Sahara. The time for mere rhetoric has long passed. The international community cannot continue to turn a blind eye or be numb to the systematic injustices and suffering of the Palestinian people. We call upon the Security Council. President-Elect of the United States of America, President-Elect of the United States of America, President-Elect of the United States of America, is an anachronistic construct that no longer meets the needs of the global community, particularly those of developing nations. Our economies, which are the livelihood of the global market, are disproportionately affected by the region and often inequitable policies imposed by dominant financial institutions. The current system, steeped in historical power imbalances, has failed to provide the necessary flexibility and support required for sustainable development. It is therefore imperative that we reform these structures to ensure that they are more inclusive, more equitable, and more reflective of the diverse realities that are faced by all member states. In a world facing all manners of insecurities, the current paralysis of the Security Council on crucial topics is unconscionable as it negates its very important existence. Reform of the Security Council is not just an aspiration but a present-day necessity. This reform is not just a matter of fairness. It is essential for ensuring that the Council’s decisions are all-inclusive, are credible, and truly reflect the global community’s diversity. In this regard, Zimbabwe stands by the African Union’s Erzuleni Consensus and the SETI Declaration, which advocates for at least two permanent seats with the veto power for African countries on the Security Council. Excellencies, information and communication technologies have transformed our lives for the better and can be harnessed for fast-paced development. Yet, the same technology has also been employed to commit crimes and destabilize societies. It is therefore prudent for us to come up with a global digital governance framework in order to guard against the harmful consequences of this otherwise transformative technology. Zimbabwe is fully committed and will contribute positively in all negotiations aimed at global cooperation in both harnessing the good from the digital world, and also combating the negative aspects and abuse of the same. Mr. President, as I conclude, I wish to reaffirm Zimbabwe’s commitment to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. The challenges we face are immense, but not insurmountable. By acting together, we can advance peace, we can promote sustainable development and uphold human dignity for the present and future generations. Zimbabwe stands ready to collaborate with all member states to ensure that our shared aspirations for a better world are realized. Let us work in unison, guided by the spirit of multilateralism, solidarity and mutual respect in order to address the pressing issues of our time and to build a more inclusive and just and sustainable future. I thank you for your attention.

Vice President: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe. I now give the floor to His Excellency Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan.

Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc – South Sudan: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, At the onset, allow me to extend warm greetings and congratulations on behalf of His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit , President of the Republic of South Sudan, to Your Excellency Philomen Yang on your election as the President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit , President of the Republic of South Sudan, would have loved to be here but could not due to competing demands back home. The Republic of South Sudan stands ready to support you during your turn at the hymn of the General Assembly. Allow me also to warmly bid farewell to His Excellency Ambassador Dennis, who was the President of the 78th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations for his stellar work in service of the ideals of the UN Charter. We are especially grateful for his proactive leadership as illustrated by his goodwill visit to the Republic of South Sudan in June this year, which he undertook in support of the ongoing efforts to consolidate peace, security, and development in our country. Mr. President, the theme of the 79th Session, Leaving No One Behind, Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development, and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations, speaks directly to the present state of global affairs. The ideals and values envisioned in the UN Charter are as important, relevant, and crucial now as they were at the founding of this noble organisation. on the October 24, 1945. They remain essential to addressing serious global challenges from conflict, nationalism, geopolitical competition, food insecurity, climate shock, natural disasters, pandemic, and threat to the international peace and security. Mr. President, Distinguished Delegate, the revitalized government of national unity in the Republic of South Sudan, as repeatedly stated by the President of the Republic of South Sudan, His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayadid, is fully committed to consolidating peace in our country. The implementation of the revitalized peace agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan is a primary vehicle for ensuring peace and stability in our country. Thus far, we have made tangible progress in our quest for durable peace and political stability in the country, but we have been constrained by resource challenges to fully meet key benchmarks of the agreement. Nonetheless, all the signatures to the peace accord remain steadfast in consolidating the gains made so far in the form of relative stability and joining hands to complete the rest of our standing elements. This unity of purpose was illustrated in the recent endorsement by the Cabinet, the Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, the RJMEC, and the Revitalized National Legislature of the 24-month extension of the transitional period, paving the way for the organization of free and fair general election that will be conducted in the Republic of South Sudan by the end of December 2026. The decision to postpone the elections As previously scheduled for, was justified by the fact that essential security sector mechanisms and election-related institutions require more time to fulfill their mandate. Mobilization of funds to complete these important tasks that are critical to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in the Republic of South Sudan also demands more time. Most importantly, the process of constitution-making covers a series of activities and requires an adequate time frame for effective consultation with all stakeholders to ensure that a broadly accepted constitution is adopted in South Sudan. We therefore call on the United Nations and the broader international community to join us in ensuring that this new roadmap for peaceful transition in South Sudan is met by availing the required financial and technical support for the process. Furthermore, I am pleased to report that the revitalized government is currently engaged in robust and promising negotiations with the whole Arab group through the Chumaini Initiative under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Kenya to address all grievances and grantee the return of those opposition leaders to the Republic of South Sudan. Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates, Over the last year, the conflict in Sudan – Sudan is the country neighboring to South Sudan – has created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. As stated by the United Nations and other United Nations agencies, as an immediate neighbor, we have been impacted by this conflict with about over 800,000 refugees and returnees crossing our borders on a daily basis, coming to South Sudan, fleeing from the war, and settling in South Sudan. While we profoundly appreciate the efforts of the United Nations, we are deeply concerned about the situation in South Sudan. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies working to elevate the suffering of the victims of this conflict, we strongly encourage support for the IGAD Peace Initiative to bring about peace to Sudan. Furthermore, we also believe that the international community support for the victims of the war remain inadequate and unresponsive to the impact on the host communities that are also grappling with serious humanitarian challenges. Therefore, we are calling on the international community to expand their support and closely engage with the Government of Republic of South Sudan to mitigate and navigate impact of war on all victims. Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates, It is worth mentioning that the conflict in Republic of Sudan has also directly impacted the economic situation in Republic of South Sudan. With oil production significantly reduced since April this year, given the fact that our economy is entirely reliant on revenues that we collect from the sale of oil that pass through poor Sudan, we urge the international community to double its efforts to toward resolving the conflict in Sudan. We further call for more solidarity with South Sudan as it struggles to overcome and withstand the dire economic impact created by the conflict in neighboring Sudan. Mr. President, In the last 70 years, half a billion people in Africa also have been affected by the impact of climate change. As a result, South Sudan battled and suffered from devastating impact of the floods and the drought. Millions of people have been displaced and many lives have been lost due to the floods and the drought. Therefore, there is a need to scale up adaptation action. South Sudan recently conducted its first voluntary national review on the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, and the recommendations emerging from the findings are informing our immediate interventions. Moreover, our revised national development strategy and annual budget are crafted around a commitment to the SDGs. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the National Bureau of Statistics, with support from the UN agencies and our development partners, are working to strengthen the capacity of the national statistical system to collect quality and analyze timely and reliable data. The government is actively mobilizing resources to conduct the National Population and Housing Census, thus ensuring evidence-based planning and delivering of essential services to the people. As South Sudan capacitates its statistical system and bolsters its analytical capabilities, the government is using the Multidimensional Poverty Index, measuring to guide related policies, designing multi-faceted interventions to improve the lives of the disadvantaged groups and track progress. Mr. President, in recognition of the role of the women in public life in South Sudan, I am delighted to report to the Assembly that South Sudan is making great strides and improvement in gender equality. The government of South Sudan believes that the active engagement of women in governance and decision-making is crucial and critical to ensuring that implementation of commitment contained in the peace agreement that was signed in 2018 and the Mobutu Protocol, the action national plan on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the SDGs 2030 Agenda and African Union Agenda of 2036. UNCSR 1325 is practically powerful advocacy tool for equal representation in national governance. As a reflection of our commitment to gender equality South Sudan transitional constitution enshrined 35 percent which is affirmative action provision for women in all structures of our government. The peace agreement also mandated the establishment of women enterprise fund to support our women which shall serve as a vehicle for availing resources that can leverage the entrepreneurial and innovative energies of our dynamic female population. We strongly believe that all these initiatives align with the theme of leaving no one behind. Mr President, distinguished delegate, South Sudan is a young country in terms of its population with young people constituting over 70 percent of the population of our country. This demographic reality can be heralds for a better future through proactive and progressive investment in the youth. The Republic of South Sudan aimed to develop The Minister of Youth and Sport in the Republic of South Sudan and our National Assembly are jointly working on legislation for the National Youth Service and Youth Enterprise Development Fund that will enhance the capacity of our youth. Once these two documents are adopted, these two laws shall create the necessary conditions for the empowerment of our youth. Therefore, we call on the United Nations and the international community to augment our efforts to enhance the level of technical and financial support to the government in the spirit of common agenda and better future envisioned by the Pact for the Future agreed to at the recently concluded Summit of the Future here in New York. Mr. President, South Sudan Universal Health Coverage Service Index is among the lowest in the region and globally. This is attributed to conflict, economic crisis in the country, and consequence of climate change resulting in a fragile health system, maternal and infant mortality rates remain the worst in the world. As such, Government of Republic of South Sudan commit to invest in a durable, accessible, and standard strengthening health care system. We are committed to optimal health and well-being of our citizens via a primary health care approach as the most inclusive, equitable, and cost-effective path to universal health coverage. Provisions of preventive health service through national programs such as malaria, HIV, AIDS, TB, routine immunization, and maternal and child health programs including nutritional health service is crucial for the reduction of the economic burden of health care expenditures for households and the health care system in South Sudan. Pandemic preparedness and response through a multi-sector approach but put us on a path to tackle public health emergencies such as responding to the current impacts pandemic and other diseases epidemics in the country. Most importantly our commitment to address the burden of both infectious disease and rising burden of non-communicable disease as we aim at reducing mortality rate remains our top priority. Succeeding to achieve all the above will promote sustainable development goals of health target of 2030 which will enhance the strategies for Africa we want by 2063. Mr. President as part of our commitment at the country to transforming education and the government of South Sudan recognize every child rights to quality education as well as addressing the issues of access equity and inclusion. Based on this premise the government commitment has been translated into several actions or interventions. Primarily his excellency president Selfakir Mayadit reiterate that government policy of universal basic education for all children regardless of their background or agenda in February 2023. This has made a considerable impact on all not only in improving enrollment and retention in a school but also in combating early and false marriages that have been compelled by many girls to drop out of schools. Consequently we have achieved enrollment and retention of almost Three million learners at the primary education level almost attaining gender parity. Mr. President, as you are aware, His Excellency President Salva Kiir, President of the Republic of South Sudan, is the incumbent chairperson of the East Africa community, has constantly emphasized the need for maintenance of peace and security in the East African region. The Great Lake and the Horn of Africa is his role that is playing. The President’s effort aligns with the theme of this 79th session of the General Assembly and the Secretary-General’s call in the summit of the future. Mr. President, one of the main impediments of South Sudan’s full realization of sustainable peace and security is the fact that the Security Council continues to maintain sanctions, individually targeted sanctions, and the armed embargo despite our call and the call from the African Union and EGAD for these sanctions to be lifted. These penalty measures have created a negative impact, restraining South Sudan’s full potential by preventing the government from maintaining effective deterrence against negative actors that foment violence and insecurity in our country. Furthermore, potential investors in various sectors believe that South Sudan is under broad sanction and, as a result, refrain from investing in our country. As a country, we have experienced relative peace and stability for the last six years, and the continual imposition of these penalty measures is not reflective of the progress we have made so far. Mr. President, for any meaningful peace and security to prevail in the world, we urgently call for reform of the Security Council to be fit for The United Nations has been an integral element in this effort, but it has to evolve in its processes and structures to more optimally address contemporary problems. It is in this context that we join the call for expansion of the UN Security Council to incorporate the voice of the African people in an equitable way that reflects the continent’s weight and relevance in maintaining global peace, order and security. Therefore, I want to hereby state that South Sudan supports the African position and equips it with the most optimal way to restructure the Security Council. The reform proposal announced recently, which grants Africa two permanent seats at the Security Council without veto powers, is counterproductive and falls short of the spirit of inclusive and equitable global governance that we have been calling for. This only exacerbates current inequalities and inequities and fails to achieve the elusive consensus and cooperation required at the Security Council. South Sudan therefore calls for a tax-based negotiation, which is more viable and will lead to the Security Council with enhanced credibility and acceptance. Mr. President, in conclusion, I wish to reiterate our appreciation for your leadership of this 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as express our commitment to advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations. I thank you.

Vice President: Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity of South Sudan. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Celinda Sosa Lunda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia: Thank you very much indeed. I am delighted to participate at the 29th session of the General Assembly. I’d like to greet the Vice-President and at the start of my statement I would also like to greet the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Philemon Yang, as well as my brother Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and all delegations here present. President, distinguished colleagues, today we are meeting at a challenging moment for humankind. We are facing not one but many challenges which threaten our present and the future of generations yet to come. Climate change, inequalities, pandemics, geopolitical crises and the democracy crisis, all of these are mutually self-reinforcing, worsening vulnerabilities and posing challenges which require urgent and coordinated solutions. We must do so collectively. The global economy today is becoming fragmented. The model of accumulating capital based on the hoarding of wealth in the hands of but a few. We have seen a rise in poverty, marginalization and social instability in many places the world over. Meanwhile, financial markets continue to generate huge profits for the 1% of the global elite. Millions of people struggle to access the most basic resources. This crisis isn’t only economic, it is also an ethical and social one. It highlights the deep structural rifts in the capitalist system and prioritizes profit over life and welfare and Mother Earth. Wars, the production of weapons, enormous military expenditure and the dissemination of weapons doesn’t only take massive resources away from sustainable development, it also fuels conflicts, exacerbating the suffering of human beings. Billions of dollars are destined to the production of weapons while millions of people go without access to basic services such as education, health, food and water. Instead of finding solutions to common problems, it increases global instability and hinders the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The environmental crisis is one of the greatest threats and still our actions are falling short. Global warming, deforestation, pollution and biodiversity loss are wreaking havoc on our ecosystems but they also have a direct impact on the lives of millions of people via extreme phenomena such as droughts, floods, hurricanes all of which are ever more intense and which affect local communities and indigenous peoples. President, the transformation of technologies which is unprecedented with the development of new technologies and artificial intelligence are forms of progress which are changing how we interact. Let us work to ensure that this is a good change. But this technological revolution also forces us to ask major questions about global governance in a world where technological power is concentrated in the hands of a mere few corporations and countries. Global governance needs to adapt to make sure that these technologies are deployed in an equitable, ethical way which serves the well-being of humankind rather than entrenching inequalities or creating new forms of exclusion and control. Brothers and sisters of the world, given this crisis we must act decisively to collectively tackle the global challenges that we face. It is high time that we change our models of development and bolster multilateral institutions. To ensure that the planet is safe for future generations and to make sure that justice, equity and solidarity are the principles guiding our actions vis-à-vis international law and the Charter of the United Nations. The system which has governed the world order since the final days of the Second World War has shown itself insufficient in addressing today’s crises such as climate change, inequalities, regional conflicts, the pandemic and new forms of economic interdependence. Because of this, a new world order based on multilateral cooperation which is effective, respect for sovereignty of all countries and equity in decision-making in the world is an imperative. To do so, we need to have a root and branch reform of international institutions such as the Security Council of the United Nations so that they are more democratic and representative. We must move towards a system where global decisions are taken in an inclusive fashion, reflecting diversity and the various needs and visions of developing countries. With that in mind, we also will need to deeply and significantly restructure the international financial architecture, which should be based on economic justice, sustainability and inclusion, creating fairer mechanisms for redistributing sovereign debt, increasing the participation of developing countries, Financial institutions and promoting financing flows which can support sustainable development and action for the climate. It is also vital to redesign mechanisms for international cooperation in tax affairs, so that the most vulnerable economies have access to resources which allow them to address these many crises, restructuring the international financial system is not only a technical matter, it is also a technical and political scenic one on if we are to build a more equitable, resilient and solidarity-rooted global economy. The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals continue to be in force. They represent our critical roadmap to addressing global challenges, including those which are most urgent. They provide us with a key framework for actions and international cooperation. Despite the fact that they are not on track for implementation, we must redouble our efforts and redouble our collective endeavour to ensure that this ambitious plan becomes a tangible reality and that it changes the lives of our peoples. The pact for the future must be seized as a historic opportunity so that our destiny as humankind can be safeguarded. We need to commit ourselves to an agenda which addresses not only immediate problems, but which also fosters sustainable, inclusive and equitable solutions for future generations. The pact of the future cannot be boiled down to a diplomatic meeting. Now it is up to us to push ahead with these decisions. so that we give impetus to the sustainable development goals and change the lives of all communities and cities in our nations. Sustainable development and climate change are two sides of the same coin, the same challenge, which will guide the future of our planet and generations yet to be born. Taking action doesn’t just mean reducing emissions, it also means transforming our model of production and consumption, protecting biodiversity and guaranteeing economic progress, leaving no one behind. Distinguished colleagues, Bolivia recognises the international community as a space of solidarity and cooperation under the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. With that in mind, we reject unilateral, coercive measures which violate the most fundamental human rights and which push back, hold back the development of many peoples. We stand in solidarity with Cuba, with Venezuela, with Nicaragua and with all countries the world over which suffer unfairly from these unilateral sanctions. Similarly, we express in the strongest possible words our rejection of the illegal economic and commercial embargo by the United States against our kindred nation of Cuba. Sixty years of justice have not been enough to punish those people who have valiantly seen down attempts to subject them to imperial domination. We are sure that sooner rather than later justice and truth will prevail. This injustice is worse still when we consider that unilaterally the United States has included Cuba on the states which are deemed to be sponsors of terrorism. Cuba must be at the head of the list of countries which express the most solidarity in the world. And their people, showing solidarity, have reached all corners of the world, showing the best of their skills and showing them with humanity. For decades, Palestine has suffered from a protracted conflict which has shaken regional stability and they have asked for their dream of lasting peace. The occupation, forced expulsions and genocide have led the people of Palestine to face devastation and destruction, creating an open prison where thousands of people live, including mostly women and children. Peace and security in Palestine will not be achieved without a genuine commitment to human rights and an end to the genocide. Bolivia reiterates its full support to the exercise of self-determination and independence in Palestine within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. We hope that soon they will be a fully-fledged member country of the Assembly of the United Nations. Brothers and sisters of the world, before this Assembly I would like to reiterate Bolivia’s commitment to the founding principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law. We see the UN as the highest multilateral organisation created for humanity, development, peace and security. Not just within our borders, but also internationally. Within that context, Bolivia reiterates our strong desire to abide by all decisions and resolutions of the judicial organs of the international system. Along those lines, Bolivia attended the International Court of Justice in The Hague in a trial linked to sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean. In that connection, the Court urges Bolivia and Chile to continue with dialogue and exchange in a spirit of good neighbourliness to address matters linked to a sovereign form of access to the Pacific Ocean. The solution to this has been recognised by both parties as a matter of mutual interest. The Court issued an appeal to both countries asking them to resolve their issues on the basis of discussions so that Bolivia can have sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean, which we had during our Declaration of Independence, as recognised by that very Court in its relevant ruling. My country stands ready to engage in dialogue when our counterparts decide to follow suit. We believe that this is a right of the Bolivian people. Bolivia calls upon the international community to protect and support indigenous peoples who have been… The Guardians of Biodiversity and Ancestral Knowledge At present, we face challenges which have been exacerbated by various crises. It’s important to recognize the contribution they have made to climate action, as well as their knowledge, which is fundamental, proposing to us a new model of development so that we can live well in harmony with Mother Earth. Similarly, within this chamber, allow me to share with you our concerns about the negative reputation enjoyed by the coca leaf, which to indigenous peoples represents part of our community and culture. Furthermore, we propose that we continue to make headway towards the promotion of gender equality policies and social policies with a focus on decolonization and ridding ourselves of the patriarchy. This will allow us to revolutionize social relations, which have been perpetuated under the hallmark of gender inequality and oppression of our sisters. Today, on behalf of the people of Bolivia and its constitutional president, Luis Arce Catacora, we reiterate our democratic conviction, which is rooted in the well-being of the Bolivian people, to soon achieve the 2030 Agenda and a form of living well in harmony with Mother Earth. We regret that domestic and external interests are now plunging the country into turmoil as they seek to destabilize a democratically elected government. But we are sure that with the support of the people of Bolivia, Of all of you, we will stand firm and strengthen our democracy and institutions in our country. Bolivia is a country which has demonstrated throughout its history that its democratic vocation is unwavering as we strengthen our institutions and seek to guarantee a future which is peaceful, prosperous and progressive for all. This is the only goal we pursue as a government. I would like to say, allá los pueblos del mundo. Thank you very much.

Vice President: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. We have now heard the last speaker in the General Debate for this meeting. We will continue the General Debate tomorrow at 9am in this hall. The meeting stands adjourned.

H

Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands

Speech speed

106 words per minute

Speech length

1952 words

Speech time

1102 seconds

Climate change is an urgent threat requiring collective action

Explanation

Hilda Heine emphasizes that climate change poses a significant and immediate danger to the world. She calls for united global efforts to address this critical issue.

Evidence

The speaker mentions rising sea levels and their threat to the long-term ability of island nations to remain in their territories.

Major Discussion Point

Global Challenges and Crises

Agreed with

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe

Sylvanie Burton – Dominica

Agreed on

Climate Change as a Global Threat

Disagreed with

Péter Szijjártó – Hungary

Disagreed on

Approach to addressing global challenges

C

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Speech speed

104 words per minute

Speech length

1901 words

Speech time

1092 seconds

The world faces multiple interconnected crises including climate change, inequality, and geopolitical tensions

Explanation

Celinda Sosa Lunda highlights that humanity is confronting not just one, but several interlinked challenges. These crises are mutually reinforcing and pose threats to both present and future generations.

Evidence

The speaker mentions climate change, inequalities, pandemics, geopolitical crises, and democracy crisis as examples of the interconnected challenges.

Major Discussion Point

Global Challenges and Crises

Agreed with

Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe

Sylvanie Burton – Dominica

Agreed on

Climate Change as a Global Threat

The current economic model based on capital accumulation is causing increased poverty and instability

Explanation

Sosa Lunda criticizes the capitalist system that prioritizes profit over human welfare and environmental protection. She argues that this model leads to wealth concentration, increased poverty, and social instability.

Evidence

The speaker points out that while financial markets generate huge profits for the global elite, millions struggle to access basic resources.

Major Discussion Point

Sustainable Development and Economic Issues

F

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe

Speech speed

91 words per minute

Speech length

1598 words

Speech time

1047 seconds

Current global challenges include conflicts, climate change, and economic disparities

Explanation

Frederick Makamure Shava outlines the major issues facing the world today. He emphasizes that these challenges are interconnected and require collective action to address.

Major Discussion Point

Global Challenges and Crises

Agreed with

Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Sylvanie Burton – Dominica

Agreed on

Climate Change as a Global Threat

Achieving the SDGs requires accelerated action and enhanced funding

Explanation

Shava stresses the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the need for increased efforts to meet them. He calls for greater financial support and more rapid implementation of initiatives to achieve these goals.

Evidence

The speaker mentions that the 2030 deadline for the SDGs is approaching and progress needs to be accelerated.

Major Discussion Point

Sustainable Development and Economic Issues

P

Péter Szijjártó – Hungary

Speech speed

135 words per minute

Speech length

2308 words

Speech time

1022 seconds

The world is in an age of dangers with the return of war to Europe

Explanation

Péter Szijjártó expresses concern about the current global situation, particularly the conflict in Ukraine. He emphasizes that this marks a return of war to Europe, creating a dangerous and unstable environment.

Evidence

The speaker mentions that Hungary, as a neighboring country to Ukraine, has been living in the shadow of war for two and a half years.

Major Discussion Point

Global Challenges and Crises

Economic sanctions are ineffective and harmful

Explanation

Szijjártó argues against the use of economic sanctions, stating that they do not achieve their intended goals. He contends that sanctions often cause more harm to European economies than to their intended targets.

Evidence

The speaker claims that many Western countries continue to do business with Russia despite sanctions, and that sanctions have not changed the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Major Discussion Point

Sustainable Development and Economic Issues

Disagreed with

Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands

Disagreed on

Approach to addressing global challenges

D

Denis Bećirović – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Speech speed

0 words per minute

Speech length

0 words

Speech time

1 seconds

Humanity faces severe moral and political crises

Explanation

Denis Bećirović highlights the critical challenges facing the global community. He emphasizes that these crises are not just political but also moral in nature, affecting the very foundations of human society.

Evidence

The speaker mentions the strengthening of authoritarian populism, the aggression against Ukraine, and the suffering in Gaza as examples of the crises.

Major Discussion Point

Global Challenges and Crises

F

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo

Speech speed

107 words per minute

Speech length

1184 words

Speech time

662 seconds

The UN Security Council needs urgent reform to be more inclusive and representative

Explanation

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé calls for significant changes to the structure of the UN Security Council. He argues that the current system does not adequately represent the global community, particularly developing nations.

Evidence

The speaker proposes increasing the number of permanent members by five, with two from Asia, two from Africa, and one from Latin America.

Major Discussion Point

UN Reform and Multilateralism

Agreed with

Irakli Kobakhidze – Georgia

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc – South Sudan

Agreed on

UN Security Council Reform

Disagreed with

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Disagreed on

UN Security Council reform

I

Irakli Kobakhidze – Georgia

Speech speed

140 words per minute

Speech length

1223 words

Speech time

522 seconds

UN reform is needed to reflect current global realities

Explanation

Irakli Kobakhidze emphasizes the necessity of updating the United Nations system to better address contemporary challenges. He suggests that the current structure is outdated and not equipped to handle modern global issues effectively.

Major Discussion Point

UN Reform and Multilateralism

Agreed with

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc – South Sudan

Agreed on

UN Security Council Reform

Georgia is focused on economic growth and improving its global competitiveness rankings

Explanation

Kobakhidze highlights Georgia’s commitment to economic development and improving its standing in international rankings. He presents this as a key priority for the country’s government.

Evidence

The speaker cites various international rankings where Georgia has improved, including the Global Competitiveness Survey, the Open Budget Survey, and the Economic Freedom of the World report.

Major Discussion Point

National Development Priorities

B

Bakhtiyor Saidov – Uzbekistan

Speech speed

120 words per minute

Speech length

1603 words

Speech time

800 seconds

Multilateralism must be strengthened to address global challenges

Explanation

Bakhtiyor Saidov emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in tackling worldwide issues. He argues that a collective approach through multilateral institutions is crucial for effective problem-solving on a global scale.

Major Discussion Point

UN Reform and Multilateralism

Efforts are needed to resolve the Afghan issue and promote regional stability

Explanation

Saidov highlights the importance of addressing the situation in Afghanistan for regional peace and development. He emphasizes Uzbekistan’s role in contributing to Afghanistan’s economic reconstruction and infrastructure development.

Evidence

The speaker mentions Uzbekistan’s initiatives such as the Educational Center for Afghan Citizens in Termez and the establishment of the Termez International Trade Center.

Major Discussion Point

Regional Conflicts and Peace Efforts

A

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Speech speed

129 words per minute

Speech length

2039 words

Speech time

944 seconds

The UN needs far-reaching reform to remain relevant

Explanation

Alexander Stubb calls for significant changes to the United Nations system. He argues that without substantial reform, the UN risks becoming sidelined and ineffective in addressing global challenges.

Evidence

The speaker proposes a three-point plan for reforming the UN Security Council, including increasing representation from different continents and removing veto power.

Major Discussion Point

UN Reform and Multilateralism

Agreed with

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo

Irakli Kobakhidze – Georgia

Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc – South Sudan

Agreed on

UN Security Council Reform

Disagreed with

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo

Disagreed on

UN Security Council reform

The conflict in Ukraine must end immediately

Explanation

Stubb emphasizes the urgent need to end the war in Ukraine. He calls for immediate action to stop the conflict and alleviate the suffering it has caused.

Evidence

The speaker mentions the devastating impact of the war, including loss of life and destruction, and calls on President Putin to end the war immediately.

Major Discussion Point

Regional Conflicts and Peace Efforts

R

Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc – South Sudan

Speech speed

125 words per minute

Speech length

2427 words

Speech time

1158 seconds

UN reform is necessary, including expansion of the Security Council

Explanation

Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc advocates for significant changes to the United Nations structure, particularly the Security Council. He argues that reform is crucial to make the organization more representative and effective in addressing global issues.

Evidence

The speaker supports the African position for expansion of the UN Security Council, including permanent seats for African countries.

Major Discussion Point

UN Reform and Multilateralism

Agreed with

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo

Irakli Kobakhidze – Georgia

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Agreed on

UN Security Council Reform

South Sudan is committed to consolidating peace through implementation of peace agreements

Explanation

Goc emphasizes South Sudan’s dedication to achieving lasting peace and stability. He highlights the country’s efforts to implement peace agreements and work towards national unity.

Evidence

The speaker mentions the endorsement of a 24-month extension of the transitional period to prepare for free and fair elections, and ongoing negotiations with opposition groups.

Major Discussion Point

Regional Conflicts and Peace Efforts

P

Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón – Spain

Speech speed

148 words per minute

Speech length

3469 words

Speech time

1399 seconds

The situation in Gaza requires an immediate ceasefire

Explanation

Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón calls for an urgent end to the conflict in Gaza. He emphasizes the need for immediate action to stop the violence and address the humanitarian crisis.

Evidence

The speaker condemns the death of innocent civilians and calls for de-escalation, détente, and diplomacy. He also mentions the need for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

Major Discussion Point

Regional Conflicts and Peace Efforts

J

José Raúl Mulino Quintero – Panama

Speech speed

148 words per minute

Speech length

2700 words

Speech time

1090 seconds

Panama faces challenges from illegal immigration through the Darien Gap

Explanation

José Raúl Mulino Quintero highlights the significant issue of illegal immigration through the Darien Gap. He emphasizes the social, human, and environmental costs this influx poses to Panama.

Evidence

The speaker mentions that over half a million illegal immigrants entered through the Darien Gap in 2023, equivalent to 12% of Panama’s total population.

Major Discussion Point

Regional Conflicts and Peace Efforts

M

Mohamed Irfaan Ali – Guayana

Speech speed

106 words per minute

Speech length

1972 words

Speech time

1116 seconds

Guyana is committed to preserving its forests and biodiversity

Explanation

Mohamed Irfaan Ali emphasizes Guyana’s dedication to environmental conservation. He highlights the country’s efforts to protect its forests and maintain biodiversity as part of its national development strategy.

Evidence

The speaker mentions that 86% of Guyana is covered by tropical forests, and the country has one of the lowest deforestation rates globally. He also announces the launch of a Global Biodiversity Alliance.

Major Discussion Point

National Development Priorities

S

Sylvanie Burton – Dominica

Speech speed

108 words per minute

Speech length

2447 words

Speech time

1353 seconds

Dominica is working to build climate resilience and calls for climate justice

Explanation

Sylvanie Burton highlights Dominica’s efforts to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. She emphasizes the need for international support and climate justice for small island developing states.

Evidence

The speaker mentions Dominica’s experience with devastating hurricanes and the country’s investments in resilient infrastructure and agriculture.

Major Discussion Point

National Development Priorities

Agreed with

Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe

Agreed on

Climate Change as a Global Threat

A

Allah Maye Halina – Chad

Speech speed

103 words per minute

Speech length

1518 words

Speech time

880 seconds

Chad is committed to fighting terrorism and promoting regional cooperation

Explanation

Allah Maye Halina emphasizes Chad’s dedication to combating terrorism and fostering cooperation in the region. He highlights the country’s efforts to address security challenges and promote stability.

Evidence

The speaker mentions Chad’s involvement in regional initiatives and calls for international support in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region.

Major Discussion Point

National Development Priorities

B

Bassírou Diomaye Diakhar Faye – Senegal

Speech speed

116 words per minute

Speech length

1286 words

Speech time

659 seconds

The international financial system needs reform to be more equitable

Explanation

Bassírou Diomaye Diakhar Faye calls for significant changes to the global financial architecture. He argues that the current system perpetuates inequalities and hinders the development of many countries.

Evidence

The speaker proposes restructuring sovereign debt mechanisms, increasing developing countries’ participation in financial institutions, and promoting financing flows for sustainable development.

Major Discussion Point

Sustainable Development and Economic Issues

Y

Yvan Gil Pinto – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Speech speed

137 words per minute

Speech length

2913 words

Speech time

1269 seconds

Unilateral coercive measures violate human rights and hinder development

Explanation

Yvan Gil Pinto strongly criticizes the use of unilateral sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States. He argues that these measures constitute a violation of human rights and impede the development of affected countries.

Evidence

The speaker claims that sanctions against Venezuela have cost the nation over $642 billion in the last seven years and led to the theft of national assets abroad.

Major Discussion Point

Sustainable Development and Economic Issues

Agreements

Agreement Points

UN Security Council Reform

Speakers

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo

Irakli Kobakhidze – Georgia

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Ramadhan Abdalla Mohammed Goc – South Sudan

Arguments

The UN Security Council needs urgent reform to be more inclusive and representative

UN reform is needed to reflect current global realities

The UN needs far-reaching reform to remain relevant

UN reform is necessary, including expansion of the Security Council

Summary

Multiple speakers emphasized the need for significant reform of the UN Security Council to make it more representative and effective in addressing global challenges.

Climate Change as a Global Threat

Speakers

Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe

Sylvanie Burton – Dominica

Arguments

Climate change is an urgent threat requiring collective action

The world faces multiple interconnected crises including climate change, inequality, and geopolitical tensions

Current global challenges include conflicts, climate change, and economic disparities

Dominica is working to build climate resilience and calls for climate justice

Summary

Several speakers highlighted climate change as a critical global threat requiring urgent collective action and international cooperation.

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers emphasized the interconnected nature of global challenges, particularly highlighting climate change, economic issues, and geopolitical tensions as key concerns.

Speakers

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe

Arguments

The world faces multiple interconnected crises including climate change, inequality, and geopolitical tensions

Current global challenges include conflicts, climate change, and economic disparities

Both leaders called for immediate cessation of ongoing conflicts, emphasizing the urgent need for peace in regions experiencing violence.

Speakers

Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón – Spain

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Arguments

The situation in Gaza requires an immediate ceasefire

The conflict in Ukraine must end immediately

Unexpected Consensus

Environmental Conservation as National Priority

Speakers

Mohamed Irfaan Ali – Guayana

Sylvanie Burton – Dominica

Arguments

Guyana is committed to preserving its forests and biodiversity

Dominica is working to build climate resilience and calls for climate justice

Explanation

Despite representing different regions, both leaders emphasized their countries’ strong commitment to environmental conservation and climate resilience, highlighting an unexpected consensus on prioritizing these issues at the national level.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement among speakers included the need for UN Security Council reform, the urgency of addressing climate change, and the importance of resolving ongoing conflicts. There was also a shared recognition of the interconnected nature of global challenges.

Consensus level

Moderate consensus was observed on broad issues such as UN reform and climate action. However, specific approaches and national priorities varied. This level of consensus suggests potential for cooperation on major global issues, but also highlights the need for more detailed negotiations to address differing perspectives and national interests.

Disagreements

Disagreement Points

Approach to addressing global challenges

Speakers

Hilda Heine – Marshall Islands

Péter Szijjártó – Hungary

Arguments

Climate change is an urgent threat requiring collective action

Economic sanctions are ineffective and harmful

Summary

While Hilda Heine emphasizes the urgency of collective action on climate change, Péter Szijjártó focuses on the ineffectiveness of economic sanctions, suggesting different priorities in addressing global challenges.

UN Security Council reform

Speakers

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé – Togo

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Arguments

The UN Security Council needs urgent reform to be more inclusive and representative

The UN needs far-reaching reform to remain relevant

Summary

While both speakers agree on the need for UN reform, they differ in their specific proposals. Gnassingbé focuses on increasing representation from developing nations, while Stubb proposes more radical changes including removing veto power.

Unexpected Disagreements

Approach to regional security

Speakers

Allah Maye Halina – Chad

José Raúl Mulino Quintero – Panama

Arguments

Chad is committed to fighting terrorism and promoting regional cooperation

Panama faces challenges from illegal immigration through the Darien Gap

Explanation

While both speakers discuss regional security issues, their focus on different aspects (terrorism vs. illegal immigration) highlights unexpected divergence in regional priorities between African and Latin American countries.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of disagreement revolve around approaches to global challenges, UN reform, and regional security priorities. There is general agreement on the existence of multiple global crises, but differences in proposed solutions and priorities.

Disagreement level

The level of disagreement among speakers is moderate. While there is broad consensus on the existence of global challenges, there are significant differences in proposed solutions and priorities. This suggests potential difficulties in reaching unified global action on issues like climate change, economic reform, and UN restructuring.

Partial Agreements

Partial Agreements

Both speakers agree on the existence of multiple global challenges, including climate change and economic issues. However, they differ in their emphasis, with Sosa Lunda focusing more on the failings of the capitalist system, while Shava emphasizes the need for accelerated action on SDGs.

Speakers

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe

Arguments

The world faces multiple interconnected crises including climate change, inequality, and geopolitical tensions

Current global challenges include conflicts, climate change, and economic disparities

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers emphasized the interconnected nature of global challenges, particularly highlighting climate change, economic issues, and geopolitical tensions as key concerns.

Speakers

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Frederick Makamure Shava – Zimbabwe

Arguments

The world faces multiple interconnected crises including climate change, inequality, and geopolitical tensions

Current global challenges include conflicts, climate change, and economic disparities

Both leaders called for immediate cessation of ongoing conflicts, emphasizing the urgent need for peace in regions experiencing violence.

Speakers

Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón – Spain

Alexander Stubb – Finland

Arguments

The situation in Gaza requires an immediate ceasefire

The conflict in Ukraine must end immediately

Takeaways

Key Takeaways

The world faces multiple interconnected crises including climate change, inequality, geopolitical tensions, and armed conflicts that require urgent collective action.

There is broad agreement on the need for UN reform, especially of the Security Council, to make it more representative and effective.

Many countries emphasized the importance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and called for increased funding and support.

Regional conflicts, especially in Ukraine and Gaza, were highlighted as major concerns requiring immediate attention and peaceful resolution.

Countries outlined their national development priorities and challenges, often linking them to global issues like climate change and economic inequality.

Resolutions and Action Items

Call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Proposal to adopt UN Resolution on International Year of Land Restoration

Proposal to expand the Asian Women’s Forum to a global women’s forum

Call to convene peace conferences for Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Proposal to launch a Global Biodiversity Alliance

Unresolved Issues

Specific mechanisms for UN Security Council reform

Concrete plans for achieving SDGs by 2030 deadline

Resolution of ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan

Addressing climate change impacts on vulnerable nations

Reform of international financial system to be more equitable

Suggested Compromises

Proposal for two permanent African seats on UN Security Council without veto power

Calls for dialogue between conflicting parties in various regional disputes

Suggestions for balancing economic development with environmental protection

Proposals for inclusive approaches to technological advancement and AI governance

Thought Provoking Comments

We are living in the age of dangers. And 34 years ago, when we got rid of our communist oppressors, and we shifted from a one-party dictatorship to parliamentary democracy, and we shifted from a planned communist economy to market economy, or 25 years ago when we joined NATO, or 21 years ago when we joined the European Union, we would not have thought that we will be faced once again with the phantom of Cold War.

Speaker

Péter Szijjártó – Hungary

Reason

This comment provides a striking historical perspective on the current geopolitical tensions, framing them as a return to Cold War dynamics that many thought were in the past.

Impact

It set a somber tone for discussing current global conflicts and tensions, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine and East-West relations.

Climate change also represents a major global challenge with devastating consequences for vulnerable regions such as the Sahel. The recent floods in my country, which have affected more than 1.5 million people, make this reality clear.

Speaker

Allah Maye Halina – Chad

Reason

This comment brings attention to the immediate and severe impacts of climate change on vulnerable regions, providing a concrete example of the human cost.

Impact

It shifted the discussion towards the urgent need for climate action and support for affected regions, emphasizing the real-world consequences of global environmental challenges.

The environmental crisis is one of the greatest threats and still our actions are falling short. Global warming, deforestation, pollution and biodiversity loss are wreaking havoc on our ecosystems but they also have a direct impact on the lives of millions of people via extreme phenomena such as droughts, floods, hurricanes all of which are ever more intense and which affect local communities and indigenous peoples.

Speaker

Celinda Sosa Lunda – Bolivia

Reason

This comment comprehensively outlines the interconnected environmental challenges facing the world, linking them directly to human impacts.

Impact

It broadened the discussion on environmental issues beyond just climate change, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to addressing ecological crises.

The illegal imposition of unilateral coercive measures against whole peoples by the United States of America and the European Union represents a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and every norm of international law. These measures constitute massive violations of human rights, including the right to development, as well as crimes against humanity.

Speaker

Yvan Gil Pinto – Venezuela

Reason

This comment presents a strong critique of international sanctions, framing them as human rights violations and challenging the legitimacy of such measures.

Impact

It introduced a contentious perspective on international relations and economic measures, potentially polarizing the discussion but also highlighting the complex impacts of sanctions on affected populations.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by highlighting several critical global challenges, including geopolitical tensions reminiscent of the Cold War, the urgent impacts of climate change, comprehensive environmental crises, and controversies surrounding international sanctions. They collectively painted a picture of a world facing multifaceted and interconnected challenges, emphasizing the need for coordinated global action while also revealing deep divisions in perspectives on international relations and governance.

Disclaimer: This is not an official record of the session. The DiploAI system automatically generates these resources from the audiovisual recording. Resources are presented in their original format, as provided by the AI (e.g. including any spelling mistakes). The accuracy of these resources cannot be guaranteed.