I begin my remarks by extending, on behalf of the people of Mozambique, our heartfelt condolences to the peoples of Morocco and Libya for the tragedies that have stricken those two sister African countries.
I take this opportunity to reiterate the gratitude of the Mozambican people and Government for the unanimous vote in favour of the election of Mozambique as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. Our participation in the Security Council has enabled us to share our experience in peace-building and national reconciliation, thereby contributing to fostering international peace and security.
In September 2015. in this very Hall, we adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, which embody the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As leaders, we committed on behalf of our peoples to reducing poverty in 17 key areas and establishing a new world for all. leaving no one behind. The progress report that we considered yesterday at the high-level political forum shows clearly that the world continues to face various interconnected crises that undermine the delivery of Agenda 2030. Indeed, the coronavirus disease pandemic crisis, natural disasters arising from climate change and armed conflicts, including terrorism and violent extremism, are compelling millions of people to continue living in poverty without adequate food or access to education and health services.
While it is true that the adversities I have referred to are a cause for regression in the progress that we had been making in the implementation of Agenda 2030 since 2015. the main reason for the agenda’s lack of success remains the absence of trust and solidarity among those who have a great deal and those who have little or almost nothing at all. Even those who have much, rather than build trust and solidarity, spend their resources by investing in a competition fuelled by mistrust.
Therefore. I commend His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis. President of the General Assembly at this session, for the theme he has suggested to us. “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity”. It is critical to realizing Agenda 2030 on sustainable development for peace, progress and prosperity for the sustainability of humankind.
In my statement. I will try to focus attention on peace and security, counter-terrorism, climate change, energy transition, the blue economy and environmental conservation, in tandem with the theme of this session.
On the issue of peace and security, a number of regions of the world, particularly in Africa, are grappling with a vicious circle of armed conflicts and instability. Thousands of precious lives have been lost. The number of refugees and internally displaced persons has increased by more than 50 per cent in the past year alone. Despite multilateral efforts and several peace initiatives undertaken by the Security Council and regional organizations, war is prevailing in Ukraine and other regions and endangering peace, security and the global economy.
My own country. Mozambique, experienced cycles of armed conflict, sometimes triggered by forces alien to national interests, but a settlement has been possible only on the basis of constructive dialogue founded on trust and mutual respect. That is how we adopted the new Provincial Decentralization Law now under implementation. In August 2019. we signed the Maputo Accord for Peace and National Reconciliation. In June, we closed the last camp of the Resistencia Nacional Mozambicana. a formerly armed opposition party, marking the conclusion of the disarmament and demobilization phase. The crucial phase to follow is the reintegration of former combatants into society, including the payment of pensions, although that is not provided for by law. I would like to express our gratitude, as this process relies on the support of the United Nations and other multilateral and bilateral partners.
While we seek to close one chapter of the peace and national reconciliation process. Mozambique is confronted by the nefarious phenomenon of terrorism, specifically in Cabo Delgado province, in the north of the country. In March, during Mozambique’s rotational presidency of the Security Council, we had the opportunity to share at length our experience of counterterrorism. Our strategy focuses on strengthening combat operations by the Mozambican defence and security forces, with the initial support of the Rwandan contingent and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique. We have been achieving tangible success on the ground, although terrorists continue to sow terror and fear in a sporadic way in isolated villages.
With the improvement of safety and tranquillity, populations have been returning in large numbers to their home areas and resuming their normal life. This is a pioneer experience of combining bilateral and multilateral interventions. It is also an example of African problems being solved, first and foremost, by Africans themselves. However, the issue arising is the need for substantial support to those countries that are directly intervening in countering terrorism with us in Mozambique in order to render the ongoing operations sustainable.
At this juncture, the challenge is the reconstruction of infrastructure and the consolidation of social cohesion. The relevant activities are being undertaken in the context of the Northern Region Resilience and Integrated Development Programme, which relies on the support of partners. We have also launched an appeal for the solidarity of United Nations Members, another component of our strategy to counter terrorism and address fragilities.
Climate change constitutes the main crisis of humankind in this century. That is not a new discovery, which is why so many speeches around this subject essentially repeat themselves. For decades, scientific evidence has shown that our planet is on the verge of climate catastrophe. However, despite the evidence and commitments assumed yearly at various conferences on climate change, the situation has deteriorated.
As with many conflicts, the main cause of climate crisis is a lack of trust and solidarity, coupled with the selfishness of some countries. The countries that pollute most continue producing emissions that cause global warming and climate change. The enrichment of those countries comes at the cost of misery for others that contribute less to pollution and are. coincidentally, among the very poorest. As a consequence, heat waves, cyclones, floods, droughts, earthquakes, sea level rise, uncontrolled fire and other extreme phenomena have become increasingly frequent throughout the world.
In the case of Mozambique, due to its geographic vulnerability, the country cyclically suffers the devastating impact of natural disasters. The latest, largest cyclones Idai. Kenneth and Freddy claimed hundreds of lives and caused very costly damage and losses to the tune of billions of dollars. So far. we have been able to recover just one-third of the damages recorded. However, support from our partners has been well below the pledges made and our needs. In many cases, when this assistance does arrive, partners prefer to manage the funds outside mechanisms agreed with the Government, causing overlaps in areas or programmes that have little impact on communities. As a consequence, a substantial proportion of funds is spent on capacity-building conferences and bureaucratic issues rather than being allocated to affected people, which once again demonstrates a lack of trust and solidarity.
As a way of mitigating the suffering of the people, we have been promoting domestic solutions towards consolidating a disaster management system with the involvement of public and private stakeholders, civil society and local communities, focusing on prevention and adaptation. In this way. we have managed to reduce the impact of natural disasters, a fact that has earned Mozambique recognition from SADC. African Union and United Nations agencies.
Energy transition is a global imperative aimed at building more resilient and sustainable societies. However, we advocate that energy transition be fair and work as a launching pad to enable poor countries to find a window of opportunity in the diversification of the energy mix in order to consolidate their economic base. Energy transition requires large investments in power-generation projects from clean sources. Once again, most industrialized countries are invited to show greater solidarity by increasing their climate funds.
Mozambique is a regional exemplar for the diversity of its energy matrix, which includes hydropower dams, particularly Cahora Bassa. solar power stations and wind power stations, while the construction of the Mphanda Nkuwa dam is now under way. Last year. Mozambique joined the group of liquefied natural gas producing and exporting countries, an important step towards accelerating energy transition.
Currently, the energy sector is dominated by hydropower, with a capacity of 2.172 megawatts; solar, with 95 megawatts; gas. with 441 megawatts; and diesel, with 120 megawatts. The Temane thermal power station has the potential to produce 450 megawatts in the last quarter of 2024. and with a longer maturity cycle, the new Mphanda Nkuwa hydropower station will have the capacity to produce 1.500 megawatts beginning in 2030. Mozambique is also counting on the development of the blue economy to optimize resources from its extensive exclusive economic zone along a coastline of 2.700 kilometres.
We are also a country with robust environmental legislation that incorporates major international conventions, including the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Convention on the Protection of Endangered Species, among others. In the framework of nationally determined commitments, in 2021 Mozambique became the first African country to receive payments from the World Bank trust fund to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
Last year, we launched a regional initiative on the sustainable management of the Miombo forest that culminated with the adoption of the Maputo Declaration, which was endorsed by eleven SADC member States. The Miombo woodland is the largest tropical forest ecosystem in the world, where three species are predominant and which covers more than 2.574 kilometres along the great Zambezi basin across eight countries of Africa. With regard to that initiative to protect nature, we count on the support of bilateral and multilateral partners in the conservation of the Miombo forest, which can contribute significantly to capturing carbon on the planet.
The challenges currently faced by humankind are huge. However, solutions are within our reach. We. the leaders present here, have the historic responsibility to save the planet for the benefit of future generations. The priority areas requiring urgent action are clearly identified, with a matrix of pre-defined solutions, of which we highlight three.
First, we need to renew our political will and redouble our efforts to accelerate the achievement of targets of the Agenda 2030. We do not need to come up with analytical speeches; the most important thing is that we all act together with vigour and using available resources.
Secondly, we have to intensify integrated policies with concrete actions to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and preserve nature by empowering women, youth and other vulnerable groups.
Thirdly, we must strengthen international partnership and multilateralism, taking the United Nations system as a basis. However. 78 years after its creation, the world has experienced profound transformations that require deep reforms.
I conclude by appealing for the establishment of a more inclusive international financial system, guided by transparent rules and mutually beneficial, in which Africa participates as a partner that has also lot to offer to the world and not only as a warehouse that supplies cheap commodities to countries or international multinational corporations that dominate the international market. To that end. we need to revive trust and mutual respect among States, which are the sacred principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It is only with trust and mutual respect that we can build a better world, a world of peace, safe and sustainable, that delivers welfare for all.