2022 Speech - Ethiopia
| Session Number | 77 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2022 |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Country Code | ETH |
| Speech |
I congratulate the President, as well as his country, Hungary, on his election to preside over the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. I would also like to thank His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid for his service and leadership during the seventy-sixth session of the General Assembly. I have the greatest honour to address the Assembly on behalf of my country, Ethiopia.
We are at a historic crossroads in the evolution of our multilateral system. Humankind is facing multiple and complex challenges, ranging from climate change, extreme poverty, conflicts, terrorism and geopolitical tensions. The consequences of those global challenges are of epic proportions and leave adverse sociopolitical impacts across the world. Nevertheless, international cooperation is not nearly at a level that is commensurate with the gravity of the challenges. Although climate change and the resulting extreme weather conditions occur throughout the globe, the crisis largely affects the minimally resilient and those least responsible for causing the problem. A case in point is our region, the Horn of Africa, which is badly hit by record-level drought in some parts, while sustaining extreme flooding in other parts. Climate disaster and its insufferable impacts are preventable. I therefore make an urgent call to all States gathered here to translate rhetoric into action. We must realize our climate financing commitments in order to build resilience and mitigate the impacts. We should act to meet our emission-reduction targets. That requires focused coordination, non-politicization, the avoidance of securitization and good-faith cooperation among all stakeholders. I must emphasize that Africa is not responsible for the historic emissions that caused the climate crisis; yet we are the ones making the most tangible contribution to mitigate the impacts of climate change. In Ethiopia, our afforestation programme, the Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative, saw the planting of billions of seedlings and created a strong culture of afforestation. We are also on a path to sustainable energy transformation and green growth. These proactive programmes deserve recognition and tangible support. We have a shared planet and a common destiny. Overcoming our collective challenges requires concerted effort and trusted global leadership. We are gathered in this Hall because our forefathers, learning from the tragic episodes of human history, decided to establish the United Nations as the guardian of peace. However, we have yet to achieve true universality in the main organs of the United Nations. Africa has no permanent seat at the Security Council, and our quest for African solutions to African problems has yet to be given the respect and support it deserves. We believe that these considerations underpin the credibility of the Council on the continent. African problems are sustainably addressed when approached in the true context of the region and when full account is taken of the strategic interests and aspirations of the countries concerned. It is only when we do this and uphold regional solutions that we will be able to start reducing the proliferation and seemingly unending presence of African issues on the Security Council’s agenda. Over the past four years, Ethiopia has made significant progress in its socioeconomic development and democratization. At the same time, these years have brought forth challenges that have tested our survival as a nation. In November 2020, a most heinous and treasonous attack was made against the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, which had endeavoured not only to protect the peace and stability of Ethiopia but also to help keep peace in other countries, on behalf of the United Nations and the African Union (AU). The criminal group that remains hell-bent on destroying the societal foundation of our country colluded with external actors opposed to our development aspirations. The insecurity this group created has been very tragic and costly. Although the Government of Ethiopia earnestly tried to avoid this conflict, our efforts to prevent it from being ignited were regrettably unsuccessful. Thanks to the resolve and determination of Ethiopians, the designs of the adversaries against Ethiopia’s progress have been frustrated. We have also paved a path for peace and recovery, relying on the ability of the peace-loving people of Ethiopia to reconcile, make peace among ourselves and start the process of healing. We therefore call for support for our agenda for peace, reconciliation and reconstruction. We also urge respect and support for the AU-led peace process. Any other approach, including the politicization of human rights and unilateral coercive measures, will not yield a positive outcome. The past year has also been a milestone for my country and, we believe, for the entire Nile River basin. Our project, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, commenced lighting our homes and fulfilling our intergenerational aspirations. All the glory and gratitude go to the people of Ethiopia, who financed this project. The dividend goes far and wide to the entire region. Taking this opportunity to do so, I reiterate Ethiopia’s commitment to equity and cooperation in the use of transboundary rivers to bring about shared prosperity with all riparian countries. We will continue the trilateral negotiation under the auspices of the African Union in good faith so as to reach a mutually acceptable outcome. Over the past three years, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has encountered serious setbacks. The global coronavirus disease pandemic has tested our health systems. Global trade in goods and services was halted causing great losses in our economies. The response by international financial institutions has been beneath the level required and did not account for the special vulnerability of least developed countries. As the Secretary-General put it, it is necessary to turbocharge the implementation of the SDGs. We call for enhanced focus on and support for national efforts aimed at improving agricultural and manufacturing productivity, increasing investment, facilitating technology transfer, fostering fair trade, redoubling debt cancellation and restructuring, and enhancing international finance for national priority projects. Furthermore, we should enhance efforts to combat illicit financial flows, unlawful extraction of and trade in minerals, and corruption. Africa’s young population and its vast natural resources should be a source of growth and better jobs. Africa can be the showcase for green and sustainable development. It can feed and power itself and the world. However, that requires reform of the global financial architecture to ensure more equitable, speedy and collaborative cooperation, based on the needs and potential of the least developed countries. More importantly, we must actively support Governments that work to create an environment conducive to the prosperity of their countries. In addition, Africa’s effort to chart its destiny must not be complicated by competition among Great Powers. Allow me to conclude by re-emphasizing the need to scale up international cooperation. The gravity of the challenges we face today demands that we come together in search of collective solutions. We need more, not less, multilateralism. We shall continue to uphold our cardinal principles of independence, impartiality, integrity, non-interference, sovereign equality and non-selectivity to maintain a working multilateral system rooted in the Charter of the United Nations. We need to reform our global institutions to reflect current realities. We need to make them more representative and responsive to the demands of our times. Only through genuine solidarity and concerted action can we ensure collective security and prosperity. I am grateful for this opportunity to address the General Assembly and wish the President every success in this session. |