Theme: “Restoring trust and rekindling solidarity: accelerating action to achieve the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals for peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”. NEW-YORK, SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 – Mr. President of the General Assembly;
The 78th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, in which I am participating on behalf of my beautiful country, the Central African Republic, offers me the happy opportunity to reaffirm our inflexible determination to contribute to the search for solutions common to the challenges of humanity. Mister President ; Before making my country’s contribution to the general debate,
I would like, from the top of this United Nations rostrum, the symbol par excellence of human solidarity, to express the solidarity of the Central African people to the brotherly peoples of Morocco and Libya, harshly hit by natural disasters leading to thousands of losses of human lives and inestimable material damage a few days before the opening of our Session.
As I have argued on other occasions, the dramatic consequences of these natural disasters must call out to the global scientific community the urgency of identifying regions of the world particularly vulnerable to extreme climatic events, and of making available States concerned with the necessary information in order to limit the damage.
Furthermore, the whole world has followed with deep dismay the massive arrival, in recent days, of thousands of African migrants on the island of Lampedusa, in Italy. These young people who represent the present and the future of our continent, Africa, are desperately seeking to join the countries of the European continent, in search of an El Dorado.
This escalation of the migrant crisis is one of the appalling consequences of the plundering of the natural resources of countries made poor by slavery, colonization, Western imperialism, terrorism and internal armed conflicts often opened against a backdrop of hegemonic aims. , geopolitical and geostrategic tensions between the great world powers.
While regretting this dehumanizing phenomenon, I salute the solidarity and the incredible efforts made by the host countries and the International Organization for Migration, to provide assistance to these young people whose lives are endangered by smugglers and lawless sellers of illusions.
However, my country believes that the UN must go beyond our common commitment to revive global solidarity, by involving African countries in the search for global solutions to the migration crises and the existential challenges facing young people on the African continent. . Mister President ; As our countries continue to face climate shocks, geopolitical tensions and unprecedented financial, energy and food challenges, new global challenges are revealing themselves every day.
Today, in Africa as elsewhere, conflicts, symptoms of geopolitical and geostrategic tensions which divide the great powers, are open. In Sudan, an internal armed conflict of rare cruelty broke out in April 2023, even though the country was on the path to normalization with a promising dialogue process between all the active forces of the nation.
The Central African Republic has already registered 51,077 Sudanese and Chadian refugees in the Vakaga Prefecture, thus exposing our certainly resilient populations to risks of worsening of the still deleterious humanitarian situation and insecurity. I call for consideration of the impact of this crisis on regional geopolitics as well as international solidarity in favor of refugees.
And while we are holding this Session, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict continues on the ground without any prospect of a peaceful settlement, while the consequences for the world are painful and regrettable. Mister President ; The persistence and multiplication of hotbeds of tension throughout the world raise questions about the effectiveness of certain mechanisms for the prevention and peaceful resolution of UN disputes, the primary mission of which is to guarantee international peace and security.
This is why we strongly reaffirm the Common African Position on the reform of the UN Security Council, in order to increase the number of permanent and non-permanent members and to grant a permanent seat to Africa, and it will only be justice.
The Central African Republic believes that it is urgent to repair these historical injustices suffered by Africa, in view of important agendas such as the Future Summit in 2024 and the 80th anniversary of the United Nations in 2025 which could be opportunities to unite member countries in order to take concrete measures for said reform.
Mister President, The Central African Republic is wondering: how to accelerate the realization of the 2030 Agenda in favor of peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all, when certain States, from the height of their political power, economic and military, constantly use coercive diplomacy or exploit international financial institutions for the purpose of imposing economic, financial and commercial blockades against countries made poor by slavery, colonization and imperialism? Indeed, on July 29, 2023, the Central African people learned with great desolation of the renewal of the arms embargo, motivated by truncated reports and statements of reasons, with a false exemption for the national security forces.
The Central African Republic denounces to the world this cynical decision which betrays the unacknowledged intention of the members of the Council who voted for it, to exploit the sanctions regimes for the purposes of political pressure, under the aegis of the UN . I must recall, to deplore it, that the embargoes on arms and diamonds renewed for 10 years, to which is added the suspension of budgetary support, constitute real obstacles to my country’s achievement of the objectives of the 2030 Agenda. We challenge this denial of our right to self-determination and permanent sovereignty over our natural wealth and resources, guaranteed by the relevant United Nations legal instruments.
I urge the Security Council to put an end to these artifices which aim to mask the desire to perpetuate insecurity and control over the country’s natural resources for the benefit of foreign powers, legitimize armed groups and grant them the status of subject of international law. Mr. President, Our planet is burning; our planet is drowning, the world is collapsing; the world cries.
Yes, every day, the media announce natural disasters linked to climate change which look like warning signs of the apocalypse. Paradoxically, trust and solidarity between Nations, founding values of the United Nations, are further fractured, thus distancing the human community from the achievement of the noble objectives of sustainable development in favor of peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all, provided for in the 2030 Agenda.
However, to restore confidence and revive solidarity in the face of devastating climate phenomena, commitments have been made by developed countries, major polluters, since the Paris Agreement through those of Glasgow and Sharm-El-Sheikh in Egypt. COP 27, in particular, usefully set four main objectives that we all adopted, namely: mitigation, adaptation, financing and a just transition, in order to face the common challenges of humanity.
Unfortunately, many countries including the Central African Republic, innocent victims of the dramatic consequences of the overexploitation of the planet by developed countries, do not benefit from the funding promises made. Mr. President, We fully appreciate the contribution of both bilateral and multilateral partners in their outpouring of solidarity towards Africa, our continent, and thank them infinitely.
However, we call for a more active, evolving and diversified partnership, respectful of the sovereignty of States and the cultural and moral values of all. Only in this way can we rekindle the flame of friendship between peoples, promote peace and security and create the conditions for equitable and inclusive development.
My country continues to advocate for inclusive multilateralism, for mutually accelerated growth, for a balanced world order and for global disputes to be addressed with particular emphasis on international peace and security, respect for the sovereignty of each State . I would like to take this opportunity to denounce all the disinformation and denigration campaigns carried out by certain Western media against the Central African Republic.
I reaffirm here the determination of my country to diversify its international cooperation with all countries that wish it, in the sole vital interests of its people, and to avoid being drawn into competitions between world powers. Mister President ; By adopting by referendum, on July 30, the new Constitution of the Central African Republic, by an overwhelming majority of 95.3% and a participation rate of more than 57%, the Central African people have just reaffirmed their attachment to the goals and principles set out in the UN Charter, its inalienable right to respect its sovereignty, self-determination, institutional stability, peace, security, national unity and development.
To accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and its sustainable development goals in favor of peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all, the Government continues the execution of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation and as well as the Luanda Joint Road Map and is investing in strengthening the commitment of all stakeholders. As part of the implementation of these peace and national security instruments, nine armed groups have already been dissolved. At the same time, the Special Criminal Court and the ordinary courts independently continue the fight against impunity.
I would like to recall that beyond the Constitution, our national policy of decentralization is both a deep aspiration of the Central African people and an essential component of the Peace Agreement and the Joint Road Map of Luanda. I would like to highlight all the efforts already undertaken by the National Elections Authority with the support of international technical assistance, which have allowed us to reassess the electoral calendar which now provides for the holding of local elections for the month of October 2024.
For us, this is a fundamental step in our progress towards the local anchoring of democracy, the promotion of participatory governance and local development. This is why we want these local elections to be inclusive, transparent, peaceful and credible. I urge all our partners to support the Government in completing the electoral process so well underway. I wish our work every success and thank you for your kind attention.
