Mr President of the General Assembly,
Ladies and Gentlemen Heads of State and Government,
Mr Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Gabonese people, I am pleased to participate in the proceedings of this United Nations General Assembly.
Mr President Philémon YANG,
As I address this esteemed Assembly for the first time, allow me to extend my warm congratulations on your brilliant election as President of this 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, and to express my most sincere best wishes.
These compliments are directed both to the seasoned diplomat you are and to the representative of a sister nation, Cameroon—a country bound to Gabon by geography, history, and culture.
You may count on the full support of my country throughout your mandate.
I would also like to pay tribute to Mr António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, for his tireless dedication and commitment to the ideals of our Organisation.
Mr President,
Let me take this opportunity to inform you that this session coincides with the first anniversary of the **Liberation Coup** in my country, Gabon.
Indeed, the path to building a new Gabon has so far lived up to the promises made from this very podium at the last General Assembly, namely:
- The establishment of transitional institutions;
- The release of political prisoners;
- Ongoing inclusivity;
- The convening of an inclusive National Dialogue;
- The drafting of a new Constitution.
The next step is to organise a referendum in the coming months, adopt an electoral code, and revise the voter register in accordance with the timetable adopted at the inclusive national dialogue.
All these advances, supported by the Gabonese people, are helping to progressively restore constitutional order through free, transparent, and peaceful elections within an optimal timeframe.
In addition to the points mentioned above, significant reforms have been initiated in sectors that directly affect human development:
- Roads, health centres, schools;
- The return of student scholarships;
- Access to competitive examinations for elite schools;
- Lifting the hiring freeze;
- Payment of pension arrears—
—all this while honouring our international commitments.
I take this opportunity to thank all our partners, friendly countries, and national and international donors who are supporting us through this transitional process, despite the challenges it entails.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The theme of this General Assembly—**"Unity in diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity everywhere and for all"**—is aligned with the construction of a global community and harmonises with the principles enshrined in the preamble of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Gabon, faithful to its tradition of peace, fully subscribes to this vision of a fairer and more inclusive world.
In the aftermath of the **30 August 2023 Liberation Coup**, carried out without bloodshed, we advocated peace and national unity by calling upon all the living forces of the Nation—regardless of their origin, beliefs, or social status—to join in the effort to build a more just and prosperous Gabon.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Respect for life, territorial integrity, state sovereignty in choosing their partners, and the rejection of violence are all fundamental to consolidating peace.
On sustainable development, my country maintains a firm and consistent stance in favour of environmental protection.
I would remind you that for several years, Gabon has designated 13 national parks in service to humanity, contributing to the absorption of over **100 million net tonnes of CO₂ annually**, and the preservation of endangered species.
Nevertheless, the expectations of our populations—still oriented towards satisfying basic needs—cannot be relegated to the background.
This is why I take this opportunity to once again call on industrialised nations to **genuinely honour their commitments** by supporting countries that house the world’s largest carbon sinks.
Mr President,
On security matters, like many of us, I believe that urgent and appropriate responses must be brought to bear on the numerous ongoing conflicts, especially in Africa.
I commend the **Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 2719**, on 21 December 2023, concerning the funding of peace support operations led by the African Union.
Aligned with the UN Secretary-General’s **New Agenda for Peace**, this resolution—jointly proposed by Gabon, Ghana, and Mozambique—now constitutes a **critical pillar of global peace and security architecture**. Its implementation is imperative.
I take this opportunity to support the UN Secretary-General’s efforts to achieve a realistic, pragmatic, and lasting political solution on the **Moroccan Sahara**.
I also welcome the official announcement by the **United States of America** in support of admitting **two African States as permanent members** of the UN Security Council.
However, Africa awaits broader support from other permanent members of the Security Council for this initiative, alongside **granting veto rights** to African members, in line with the **Ezulwini Consensus**.
This would be only fair to our continent.
Beyond Africa, I urge us not to turn a blind eye to **Gaza**. It is more urgent than ever to establish a lasting peace enabling peaceful coexistence between the Palestinian and Israeli States.
Likewise, I reiterate **Gabon’s position** in favour of lifting the **economic, commercial, and financial embargo on Cuba**, due to its harmful impact on the well-being of the Cuban people.
Mr President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As President Félix Houphouët-Boigny once said: *“Peace is not merely a word, but a behaviour, a genuine state of mind.”* This legitimate aspiration of peoples is an ideal.
It calls upon developed countries—with their experience in conflict resolution—to share their know-how with other states, for a fairer and more balanced world.
**Unity in diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity everywhere and for all**, in my view, is the culmination of a true society of dialogue, tolerance, and mutual respect.
Such a society should help us build a world of peace, where development is tailored to the needs of all peoples.
Mr President,
On economic and financial matters, the **2024 UN Sustainable Development Report** once again underlines the **urgent need for massive financial mobilisation** to close the global financing gap, estimated at several **billion dollars annually**.
The reality is that the current international financial system is not fit for purpose. It cannot direct investment towards development and thus **fails to ensure the dignity of our populations**, which this year's theme so rightly calls for.
I therefore join many of my peers in expressing the strong will to achieve a **reform of global financial institutions**, which is crucial to mobilise funding for developing countries.
Mr Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Excellencies, Heads of State and Government,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My country, **Gabon**, firmly committed to its march toward national happiness, is determined to play its full role in the emergence of the **concerted global community** so long desired by all.
Let us unite our efforts in hope of a better destiny, by acting differently to preserve humankind.
**I thank you.**