**Mr Philémon Yang, President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly,**
**Excellencies, Heads of State and Government,**
**Mr António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,**
**Excellencies, Ministers, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,**
**All protocols observed,**
1. It is a great honour and privilege for me to address this august assembly on behalf of His Excellency Mr Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, President of the Republic of Burundi, who could not be with you this morning and has graciously entrusted me with representing him in these deliberations, to bring Burundi’s voice and position on the global challenges we face today.
2. Mr President, allow me to extend the warm congratulations of the Burundian President on your brilliant election to preside over this session. Your wisdom, your rich political and diplomatic experience, your attentiveness, and your proven negotiating skills assure us of the success of this Assembly. You can always count on the full support and cooperation of Burundi throughout your term.
3. Your predecessor, Ambassador Dennis Francis, equally deserves our admiration and recognition for having fulfilled his mission with distinction during the recently concluded session.
4. I also wish to pay well-deserved tribute to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr António Guterres, for his dedicated service to humanity, through his courageous leadership in striving to make the United Nations an organisation close to the people, despite operating in a complex global context.
5. Mr President, the theme of this session — “Unity in Diversity: Advancing Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity Everywhere and for All” — is timely. The world we live in today is rapidly drifting toward division and the erosion of the values of peace, solidarity, and mutual understanding. We are witnessing a rise in radicalism that distances Member States from agreeing on how to tackle global challenges in a spirit of compromise and mutual trust.
6. Indeed, Mr President, more than ever, many of us act as though we were alone in the world — as if others did not exist or did not matter. Solidarity has become a scarce commodity precisely when we need it most. History has shown that all conflicts — whether direct or by proxy — arise from the same root: the denial of the other — their interests, their identity, be it cultural, religious, or civilisational. The loss of trust, tensions over geostrategic positioning, and the spread of deliberate disinformation are polarising countries and paralysing societies at an increasingly alarming rate.
7. Mr President, in such a context, Burundi firmly condemns those who attempt to impose their views, practices, values, or ideologies on others through forceful diplomacy or political conditionalities tied to development aid. They forget that the world is plural, and that difference within diversity is a powerful driver of development and growth for our societies.
8. Properly understood, diversity in all its dimensions is a mine of possibilities, opportunities, and varied inspirations. The richness of perspectives, experiences, and practices brings a range of ideas, knowledge, understanding and acceptance of others, all of which can significantly enhance a society’s capacity to thrive and live peacefully in harmony with its immediate and distant environment.
9. As you know, Mr President, cultural and value diversity is a powerful tool for forging bonds across differences. It unites people, supports social cohesion, peace, security, and peaceful coexistence. Yet the past twenty years have seen the growing exploitation of culture and values to sow division and tension.
10. Because of their deep meaning and close connection with communities, culture and values have been placed on the frontlines of conflict and used as tools of division — even as weapons of war to dominate weakened societies, particularly in the world’s most fragile regions.
11. This egocentric instrumentalisation of culture and values has not only prolonged crises and conflicts but also deprived many of their human rights — particularly their economic, social, and cultural rights.
12. Today, more than ever, bridging the divide between cultures, values, and civilisations is an urgent necessity to establish peace, stability, solidarity, and inclusive development that truly leaves no one behind.
13. Mr President, the world needs a consensual approach to face today’s major challenges: ongoing conflicts, worsening natural disasters and climate change, pervasive poverty and inequality, growing mistrust and discord, weakening compromise, declining international solidarity, and the distant prospect of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
14. Burundi is committed to building a better future and a rules-based international order — a peaceful, fair, prosperous, and united world. We continue to strengthen friendly and cooperative relations based on mutual respect and the sovereign equality of states. Our ultimate goal is to be a friend to all, and an enemy to none.
15. Mr President, Burundi strongly supports multilateralism, where every country has a role in tackling the global challenges you and the Secretary-General have rightly highlighted. We oppose unilateral measures imposed by certain actors, which risk destroying the social fabric of the countries they target.
16. Regarding the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda, unless we reverse current trends, we are gradually moving toward breaking the promise made to humanity in this very room in 2015. With just six years remaining, the Secretary-General’s report on SDG implementation reveals that only 17–18% of targets are on track; nearly half have seen little or moderate progress, and over a third have stalled or regressed. Faced with this alarming picture, we have no time to waste — we must act quickly and collectively to safeguard future generations, who will judge us by our deeds.
17. Mr President, the international community must redouble efforts to address diverse challenges, with particular attention to countries in special situations — Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Only then can we reverse the trend and truly leave no one behind, as pledged in 2015.
18. At the national level, Burundi is working tirelessly to improve the quality of life of its people. Burundians firmly believe that true political independence must be grounded in economic independence — which in turn depends on peace and security.
Under the visionary leadership of President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the Government is determined to capitalise on the peace and security already achieved by implementing an ambitious and realistic vision: to make Burundi an **emerging country by 2040**, and a **developed country by 2060**.
19. This guiding framework aims to build a nation characterised by well-being, sustained production growth, structural transformation, increased life expectancy, satisfaction of basic needs, and a reduction in unemployment and poverty in all its forms and dimensions.
20. By 2040, Burundi aims to be a peaceful country, where everyone lives in dignity, where no one dies from preventable causes, with a competitive economy driven by high-value agro-industry, manufacturing, and inclusive mining — all in a preserved natural environment with full consideration of gender and equity.
21. As the African proverb says: *“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”* Burundi has chosen to go far — together with its partners and friends.
In this spirit, I am pleased to inform this assembly that Burundi will host a **roundtable for public and private investors** on **5–6 December 2024**, to promote mutually beneficial partnerships in sectors such as agribusiness, mining, and infrastructure. This roundtable will showcase Burundi’s untapped investment opportunities, especially in its vast mineral resources. Burundi — the beautiful heart of Africa, land of milk and honey, of a thousand hills, a hidden paradise by Lake Tanganyika — awaits your discovery.
22. In the area of peace and security, Burundi always aligns itself with solutions, not problems. We reaffirm our commitment to peaceful conflict resolution through the tools of preventive diplomacy: dialogue, cooperation, consultation, and negotiation. As you all know, **without peace, there is no development; and without development, peace is an illusion.** The two are inseparable.
23. The terrorist threat and violent extremism have grown, with local, regional, and international ramifications. In response, Burundi is strengthening its collaboration with other nations in counter-terrorism and peace operations — including in **Somalia, the Central African Republic, and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo** — to help restore peace and state authority across those territories.
24. Mr President, the climate crisis is unfolding before our eyes, and sustainable solutions are delayed due to inadequate climate finance. Burundi, like other countries in our region, is increasingly affected despite its minimal contribution to global emissions. Floods, landslides, droughts, and rising levels of Lake Tanganyika are increasing — disrupting agriculture, food security, and ecosystems. We call for **faster access to climate finance** for heavily impacted countries, to mitigate these threats to SDG implementation.
25. As a signatory of the **Paris Agreement**, Burundi is committed to the **Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)** and has mainstreamed environmental protection, climate resilience, and food security into national policies and its Vision 2040–2060.
26. As you are aware, climate shocks also affect public health. Burundi has integrated health concerns into its climate response and has been ranked **first globally** in considering health in national climate plans, according to the **Global Climate Change Alliance**.
27. Several landscape restoration initiatives have been launched, including a national reforestation programme called **"Ewe Burundi Urambaye"** ("Covered Burundi"), agroforestry promotion, and terracing with community participation.
28. Regarding human rights, Burundi affirms that dignity — as highlighted in this session’s theme — begins with promoting and protecting rights that are universal, indivisible, and interdependent. We call for rights to be implemented based on **universality, transparency, impartiality, objectivity**, and **non-politicisation**. Special mechanisms with political aims must give way to **dialogue and cooperation**.
29. Burundi should be treated fairly by the **Human Rights Council in Geneva**. We urge certain actors to desist from politically motivated initiatives that offer no value for the actual enjoyment of human rights. In particular, I urge those behind the extension of the so-called "special rapporteur on Burundi" — they know who they are — to withdraw this initiative. It serves only to interfere in Burundi’s internal affairs and creates **needless, avoidable tensions**.
30. On multilateralism: after 79 years of UN existence, it remains clear that, despite its flaws, multilateralism has produced undeniable results. The recent **consensus adoption of the Pact for the Future** on 22 September proves that multilateralism is not dead.
31. Nonetheless, warning signs are emerging: compromise is weakening, and collective rules are being ignored. In a globalised world, no state — however powerful — can tackle today’s challenges alone. We must commit to **mutual cooperation** and a **rules-based approach**, avoiding unilateral actions that violate the UN Charter.
32. On **Security Council reform**, Burundi reiterates its support for the **Common African Position**, as set out in the **Ezulwini Consensus**. The exclusion of **1.2 billion Africans** from permanent membership in the Council is a grave injustice. It must end.
33. Mr President, **universal, equitable and affordable access to information** and the necessary infrastructure is another major challenge. While the internet can bring people together, it currently favours wealthy countries, while many developing countries — especially in Africa — remain poorly connected. As the world becomes increasingly digital, **we must ensure access for all**, including to transformative technologies like **artificial intelligence**.
The digital divide is depriving the Global South of vital **scientific, social and economic opportunities**. Leaving no one behind means urgently closing this gap.
34. In conclusion, **Burundi reaffirms its commitment to strengthening “unity in diversity to advance peace, sustainable development, and human dignity everywhere and for all.”**
**Thank you for your kind attention.**