2022 Speech - Djibouti
| Session Number | 77 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2022 |
| Country | Djibouti |
| Country Code | DJI |
| Speech |
We meet at a time when the world is going through a period of uncertainty, marked by multiple crises on the security, economic, health and climate fronts. The theme of the general debate of the Assembly at its seventy-seventh session — “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges” — may seem abstract, even obscure, but it encompasses a concrete, painful reality that calls for the international community to commit firmly to reconsidering its approach in order to urgently respond to the multiple threats weighing on the world. The United Nations was created not only to prevent war but also to resolve economic problems through international cooperation. Paragraph 3 of Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations tells us to achieve international cooperation for solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character.
The prospect of recovery following the coronavirus disease was overshadowed by the conflict in Ukraine, which led to a rapid downturn in the world economy with skyrocketing food and fuel prices and supply- chain disruptions. We share the Secretary-General’s position that despite the deteriorating outlook, we can still have hope if there is a collective response and if we commit to working together again in order to respond to the interconnected challenges we face. We also support the Secretary-General’s proposed plan to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals. These efforts should prioritize less developed countries, whose collective population totals 1.1 billion and who continue to face major obstacles exacerbated by the global economic situation. We are particularly alarmed by the potential risks for these countries created by severe difficulties in paying external debt, persistent marginalization by international trade, inadequate access to electricity and, of course, the catastrophic impact of climate change. We are deeply grateful to Qatar for hosting the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries. We hope that will be an opportunity for the international community to mobilize in order to help least-developed countries overcome the structural obstacles they are facing. My country, Djibouti, is dealing with the consequences of many external shocks, including the rise in world food prices resulting from the war in Ukraine. While these factors have helped to slow growth, they have not put a stop to our determination to do our utmost to ensure that Djibouti can become a stable, peaceful, clean, prosperous and secure country with a good environment for private initiative. In order to do that, we drew up a 2020-2024 national development plan, Djibouti ICI — I for inclusion, C for connectivity and I for institutions. While we had an opportunity to explain the content of the plan during our voluntary national review in July in New York, here I would like to briefly describe the plan’s three areas of focus. The inclusion focus aims to reorganize and operationalize an inclusive sustainable development model with a role for private initiatives as an essential lever for production and exchange, and to ensure better distribution of the results of growth to our citizens. The connectivity focus aims to position Djibouti as a hub for the regional and continental economy and to ensure better national integration for accelerated urban and rural development, as well as improved socioeconomic services. Through the implementation of the third strategic area of focus, institutions, the national development plan will make it possible to strengthen Djibouti’s human and institutional capacity to expand our achievement of rights and freedoms, democracy, stability and transparent institutions and social cohesion. Under the leadership of President Guelleh, Djibouti is determined to work to fully realize all of these objectives, and of course we are counting on the traditional support of partners and friendly countries. Climate change is an existential threat to humankind. For those who still need convincing, we need only look at the extreme weather events that are happening all over the world. We also urge States to read the sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2022, whose findings and predictions should motivate the international community to mobilize massively. We cannot postpone our implementation of our commitments any longer. We cannot passively allow each Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) to note that we have not done enough. We therefore welcome the fact that the Egyptian presidency of COP27, at a pivotal juncture, has made the theme of the upcoming Conference the effective implementation of commitments, particularly regarding support for fair transitions and the mobilization of financial resources and viable investments to respond to climate change. Dj ibouti reaffirms its commitment to the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Although we are a low greenhouse-gas emitter, my country is committed to a large-scale environmental policy and the goal of 100 per cent nationally produced energy by 2035. Although it may have escaped the notice of some, including here at the United Nations, Djibouti is also negatively affected by the same climate risks as the other countries of the Horn of Africa, especially drought, drastic reductions in water resources, sea- level rise, flooding and water-resource salinization. We welcome the unprecedented result of the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, held under the leadership of President Biden. The resources mobilized will be vital to defeating those three epidemics by 2030, and they also strengthen resilience and health systems’ capacities by giving them better ways of tracking and preparing for future threats. We have been followed with interest the discussions on an international treaty on pandemics, which would be a significant step towards finding a more appropriate global response and giving the world the tools for improved preparation. The fact is that the best way to perpetuate a pandemic is by refusing to learn from the failures and the efforts made to fight pandemics in the past. Djibouti was honoured to host a high-level parallel event during the general debate in partnership with the African Union Commission and the Mastercard Foundation on the topic of the new public health order for Africa at the national, regional and international levels. In 2021 the African Union launched a new public health order for Africa that puts the continent’s priorities at its centre and is built on five pillars — strengthening public health institutions; improving the capacity of public health personnel; developing vaccines and diagnostic and therapeutic products; creating respectful and action-oriented partnerships; and increasing national resources. A call to action was adopted at the conclusion of the discussion. Paragraph 4 of Article 2 of the Charter tells us that all members must refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations. In defence of that vital principle, Djibouti, together with 141 Member States of the United Nations, voted for resolution ES-11/1, condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We are deeply concerned about the stalemate in the conflict more than seven months after its outbreak. We know that this is not a pretend fight with wooden swords. The conflict has led to immeasurable loss of life and destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals and schools. The intensified war efforts, the risk of a stalemate and threats of the use of nuclear weapons are undermining the prospects for a peaceful settlement of the dispute. We echo the call of the President of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union, Mr. Macky Sail, for de-escalation and negotiations. A fair and lasting peace should be a priority for all of us. Even if the path to peace is sometimes difficult and winding, it should remain the priority. We reaffirm our support for the African position demanding improvement in our continent’s representation in international bodies, particularly the Security Council, in a way that reflects the realities of the twenty-first century. Africa participates in good faith in the discussions on Security Council reform and we believe that if we are to leave the current stalemate behind we have to show more openness and flexibility. Our peoples expect tangible results that can dispel the growing feeling that these reforms are a vain effort with no end in sight and whose result would simply echo the old refrain — that the more things change, the more they stay the same. While reaffirming Africa’s position based on the Ezulwini Consensus, Djibouti would like to contribute some suggestions to our collective consideration of the right to the veto. We propose that the Member States request that the International Court of Justice, the primary judicial organ of the United Nations responsible for interpreting the Charter of the United Nations, provide clarification on the following. We would ask it to elucidate whether the right of veto is in keeping with the purposes and principles of the United Nations as contained in the Charter itself, particularly in its Preamble and Articles 1 and 2. The Court might also specify whether such a right, which in reality and in practice is a right to block decisions, accords with the relevant provisions of Articles 24 and 25 of the Charter. Without prejudice to the response that the International Court of Justice, whose power is discretionary, might give, in our view its clarification would be useful. Djibouti is a peace-loving country. We affirm our deep attachment to the peaceful settlement of disputes. That is why we have repeatedly urged our neighbour Eritrea to speed up the normalization of relations between our two countries. Despite our openness and availability, in a letter dated 30 July 2021 addressed to the President of the Security Council, the Secretary- General once again deplored the notable lack of progress on the ongoing issues, which are the border dispute and the fate of 13 Djiboutian prisoners of war. I am taking this opportunity to once again call on Eritrea to finally agree to resolve these pending issues through bilateral dialogue, mediation or binding arbitration. We also urge our neighbours to dismantle the Anda’ali camp, a step that would help to restore a climate of trust between our two countries. With regard to Somalia, we welcome the recent political developments, including the election of a new President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the establishment of a new Government. We hail the President’s determination, as expressed here from this very rostrum (see A/77/PV.8), to fight Al-Shabaab extremists, whose methods and motives he strongly denounced. Djibouti will continue to assist Somalia alongside the troop-contributing countries of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia in the efforts to stabilize the country. Our commitment to Somalia is complete, unwavering and there for the duration. Turning to Yemen, Djibouti is encouraged by the truce announced in the confrontations following negotiations. We call for intensified talks aimed at reaching a lasting ceasefire. We are also closely following the ongoing efforts to counter the catastrophic ecological, maritime and humanitarian risks posed by the FSO SAFER oil tanker. We remain concerned about Israel’s political behaviour, which is characterized by the obstruction and violation of peace agreements and numerous Security Council resolutions. Djibouti reaffirms its consistent position in support of the establishment of a fully sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in peace side by side with Israel. In conclusion, let us work together to build a stronger, better-equipped Organization that is better able to respond effectively to global challenges. |