On
behalf of the African Union and of the Islamic Republic
of Mauritania, I am pleased to express to you, Sir, my
warmest congratulations and my best wishes on the
occasion of your election as President of the General
Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. I trust that your
good judgement and your competence, as well as your
extensive experience in the diplomatic leadership of
your brotherly country, Uganda, constitute the best
guarantee for the good conduct and success of the work
of our current session.
I am also pleased to point out the remarkable
work of your predecessor, Mr. John Ashe, during his
leadership of the proceedings of the previous session.
I would also like to express my warmest thanks to His
Excellency the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon,
for his tireless efforts for international peace and
security and for his approach in support of dialogue as
the best way to address the current international issues.
The General Assembly has always been a forum
for the exchange of opinions and the discussion of
important international issues that affect the lives of
nations and people. That explains the privileged status
that it has gained within the different institutions of the
United Nations system. This annual meeting, which
brings leaders together, is a valuable opportunity to
seek a common understanding for a global vision,
ensuring proposals for efficient solutions to the current
international problems that respond to the expectations
of people around the world.
In that regard, I am pleased to address this audience
and to present to the world, through this forum, what
we Africans have done in terms of achievements and
development, the challenges facing our young continent,
our expectations of the international community and
our aspirations in terms of an effective contribution
to addressing the current situation, humanity and the
building of its future.
Several countries of the African continent have
experienced high levels of growth despite the severe
economic crisis that still prevails in the world. The
average growth rate in the continent has reached 5 per
cent and is nearing 6 per cent. That economic recovery
is the result, among other factors, of the wise economic
policies adopted by African Governments. The
promotion of local and foreign investment, the building
of new infrastructure and greater attention to the most
vulnerable members of society have therefore been
encouraged. Similarly, projects and income-generating
activities have been supported, thereby contributing
efficiently to the reduction of unemployment, in
particular among young people and women. Africa is
working tirelessly to change from a consumption space
to a production zone in order to ensure employment
opportunities for millions of its people.
The achievement of food self-sufficiency, the
development of agricultural industries and poverty
reduction in rural areas are core objectives of the
African Union. In that regard, the agriculture and
animal resources sector has received great interest
during successive African summits. The year 2014 has
therefore been declared the Year of Agriculture and
Food Security in Africa. The agriculture sector employs
some 60 per cent of the workforce and represents one
third of the gross domestic product of the continent.
In that context, the African summit recommended
that 10 per cent of the budget of African States be
allocated to the development of the agriculture sector.
African Governments have recognized the importance
of food security and adopted efficient policies for the
development of that vital sector. Such policies have
achieved their objectives and have enabled some
African countries to be self-sufficient in various
agricultural products, while other countries are making
steady progress on that path. They, too, are therefore
becoming self-sufficient.
In Africa, we seek fruitful cooperation with our
partners, thereby opening international markets to
our agricultural products and, in that way, developing
our capacities for agricultural research and providing
access to developed technologies and techniques for the
preservation of the environment.
When the Millennium Development Goals were
adopted in 2000, Africa did not have a common
vision for the major development issues. Its voice was
therefore not adequately heard. Despite that, we have
worked seriously and energetically to achieve those
Goals. Today, Africa speaks with one voice and seeks
to promote development in order to become a healthy
region free of scourges, wars and conflicts, where
justice, good governance and respect for human rights
prevail.
In that regard, African leaders have taken important
decisions on core issues for the continent, including
the vision of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the
post-2015 development agenda, which focuses on the
development of human resources and the eradication
of poverty, epidemics and deadly diseases. It must be
pointed out that the fight against AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis has been strengthened through the many
programmes that have helped to promote actions to
reduce the effects of such scourges.
Despite such efforts, the indicators in the health
sector lead us to exert every effort to strengthen our
health-care system, to improve access to its services and
to develop its human resources and infrastructure. In
that context, African Heads of State recently launched
a strong initiative to fight AIDS. The sudden outbreak
of the Ebola virus in West Africa constitutes a major
challenge owing to the rapid spread of the disease and
the tragic fate of its victims. The steps taken to contain
the spread of that scourge remain inadequate and are
not sufficiently effective. Every day that passes until
an appropriate treatment for the disease is discovered
increases the number of victims and causes it to
spread to new areas. Despite the measures adopted and
the efforts made, to date, Africa has not managed to
successfully deal with the epidemic.
I therefore appeal to the international community
from this rostrum to work efficiently to provide
necessary vaccines for people affected by the Ebola
virus, to support measures to control its prevention
and spread, and to increase investments in the field of
scientific research in virology and endemic diseases, as
well as to provide assistance to countries affected by
that scourge. In this context, we welcome the actions
and initiatives taken by some States and international
organizations on behalf of the countries affected by the
spread of this disease.
The phenomenon of illegal immigration and the
tragedies it engenders daily prompt us to take strong
action to find efficient and rapid solutions. We cannot
simply count the bodies that wash up onto the beaches
or undertake rescue operations at sea for thousands of
migrants crammed in unsafe boats. Illegal immigration
is a complex phenomenon. It is the cumulative result
of economic factors and practices linked to organized
crime. Consequently, no matter how closely we patrol
our borders and no matter how rigorous our laws, we
will not be able to prevent waves of migrants from
moving from south to north. Appropriate solutions
must be found that take into account the real causes
of the phenomenon and that guarantee African youth
increased employment opportunities and a dignified
life.
Good governance is a necessary precondition for
successful development efforts. The African political
elite is fully aware of that fact and is committed
to promoting collective freedom and consolidating
democracy as the best means for managing public affairs.
The African Union has taken preventive measures
against attempts at usurping power by non-democratic
means, including by encouraging democratic practices,
establishing pluralism and organizing many transparent
elections.
In its very essence, democracy implies the
participation of all sectors of civil society. The nature
of African societies has therefore required positive
discrimination on behalf of women, allowing them
access to elective office and leadership positions in
order to ensure gener equality. In the same context,
youth enjoys priority in development plans and in
the political, social and economic policies of African
countries. It is estimated that the population of the
continent will reach 3 billion at the threshold of 2050;
two thirds of that total will be youth. That demographic,
specific to the continent, calls for a new focus on
investments in infrastructure and social services, and
for prioritizing such sectors as housing, employment,
human resources, diversification of energy sources and
health. Focus must also be placed on aligning teaching
and vocational training with market needs, which will
contribute to controlling unemployment and allowing
youth to showcase their talents. In fact, unemployment
in our societies stems less from inadequate employment
opportunities than from the gap between the numbers
of those trained and the actual needs of the job market.
With respect to security, we are currently facing
many dangers, including the multiplication of hot spots,
terrorism, organized crime and trafficking in drugs,
arms and people — not only in Africa, but throughout
the world. All those dangers have a cross-border nature.
Some African regions have been particularly vulnerable
due to the weakness of their democratic practice, the
spread of ethnic conflicts, economic crises with their
attendant social tensions, and the precarious situation
of their educational systems, which exercerbates youth
unemployment and deviation.
In order to address such challenges, the African
Union has established efficient mechanisms that rely on
the African peace and security architecture, including
the Peace and Security Council and the African
Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises. Despite
those efforts and achievements, the fight against
terrorism remains an international responsibility that
calls for close cooperation among all members of the
international community. It is clear that no country
alone can eradicate the phenomenon of terrorism.
The fruitful cooperation between the United
Nations Security Council and the African Council for
Peace and Security has proved effective in resolving
many of the armed conflicts on our continent. Despite
such efforts, however, the resolution of the situation
in Somalia remains complex. Similarly, the situations
in Libya, northern Nigeria and Central Africa are
cause for genuine concern. In Libya, unfortunately,
the situation continues to deteriorate, foreshadowing
a civil war that could split the country apart, driving
its people into exile and threatening to spill over into
neighbouring countries. The international community
must intercede to help the Libyans reach a peaceful and
consensual solution that guarantees that country’s unity
and stability. In northern Nigeria, the Boko Haram
movement continues to murder innocent people, kidnap
women and destroy entire villages. Africa and the rest
of the international community must join forces and
take decisive action to eliminate that terrorist group,
which threatens the whole region.
In the Central African Republic, the efforts of
the African peacekeeping force, with the support of
friendly forces, helped stop the massacres and prevented
the conflict from evolving into a full-fledged civil
war. However, persistent tension between the factions
requires us to encourage Central African stakeholders
to use this stage of the transition build trust and to
overcome the remaining obstacles to that country’s
peace and stability.
Such situations should not lead us to overlook
the peacebuilding progress that has been achieved in
many conflict regions. In that regard, we commend and
welcome the advances registered in the region of the
Great Lakes, in northern Mali and in the Republic of
South Sudan.
The Sahel was one of the first African regions to
experience the phenomenon of terrorism. But thanks to
the close security cooperation among the countries of the
region and to international solidarity, the terrorists were
repelled and the activities of illegal trafficking networks
were paralysed. In North Mali, too, Africans have
robustly addressed a difficult situation. Thus, several
countries of the continent, along with international
friendly forces, deterred terrorist groups. The risk of
terrorism was eliminated from key areas from which
criminal terrorist operations had been launched. The
French intervention was decisive and timely. Likewise,
history will remember the great sacrifices that continue
to be made by the brave soldiers of Chad.
However, the region is still exposed to security
risks, which for the moment are relatively contained.
The eradication of terrorism in the Sahel region
constitutes a major challenge additional to those
impeding development and poverty reduction. There is
a close correlation between development and security,
because it is impossible to conceive of sustainable
development without security, or security without
integrated development.
In that regard, the countries of the region are
aware of the need, on the one hand, to create a regional
framework to coordinate development efforts and, on
the other, to combat the dangers of terrorism and cross-
border crime. Therefore, the Group of Five countries
of the Sahel was created at the summit meeting of
member States held in Nouakchott in February. The
international community is invited to join Africans
in their hopes and legitimate aspirations for peace,
security and sustainable development.
The conflict in the Middle East, which escalates
from time to time, with no hope of achieving a clear
and definite solution despite multiple Arab and
international initiatives, constitutes an ongoing danger
to world peace. The parties in conflict must agree to
make sacrifices, even painful ones. The international
community must also ramp up pressure and act swiftly
to find a fair solution to the conflict on the basis of
relevant international resolutions, including those that
guarantee the Palestinian people the establishment of
an independent State, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its
capital.
Furthermore, the dangerous situations in Syria
and Iraq that have been created by the expansion
of terrorism are causes of grave concern for the
international community. We welcome the recent
measures taken to combat terrorist groups in Iraq, and
we invite the parties to the Syrian conflict to renounce
violence and engage in negotiations to avoid further
destruction to their country. The crisis in Ukraine must
likewise be resolved peacefully and quickly in order to
preserve global peace and to prevent the situation from
generating tensions between the major Powers.
The African continent seeks to strengthen its
presence in international forums and institutions,
commensurate with its size and role, in order to make
them more representative of its peoples and nations.
Although the General Assembly is an international
institution in which all countries are represented
equally, the status of permanent member of the Security
Council remains the monopoly of a restricted number
of countries. That privilege, which dates back to the
Second World War of the last century, no longer reflects
international geopolitical reality and does not take into
account the profound transformations that have taken
place throughout the world. Today, Africa occupies an
important position in the world and plays a distinctive
role within the international community, making it a
candidate for permanent representation on the Security
Council. It is therefore critical to engage as soon as
possible in negotiations on the rules for expanding both
permanent and non-permanent representation on the
Security Council.
The establishment of justice at the international
level also entails reform of the world economic system
to make it more equitable through greater promotion
of the role of the United Nations in efforts to increase
transparency, improve regulation of the financial system
and promote the investment necessary to sustainable
development.
Finally, I offer my sincere thanks for the efforts
made to ensure the success of this session. Attaining the
lofty aims for which the United Nations was established
remains dependent on the freedom of the world’s people
to exercise their right to development, advancement
and progress so that all humankind may live in dignity,
freedom, justice and equality.