I bring the General Assembly warm greetings and a goodwill message of peace, progress and stability from President Adama Barrow and the Government and the people of the Gambia — Africa’s smiling coast.
We congratulate the President on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session and thank his predecessor. Mr. Csaba Korosi. for his sterling leadership during the seventy-seventh session. We also express our gratitude to the Secretary- General of our Organization. Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his hands-on leadership during these heady and turbulent times being felt throughout the world.
The world is facing numerous crises and a multitude of daunting challenges that raise serious questions about the readiness and viability of our multilateral institutions and arrangements in the event of another crisis or pandemic. The priorities of our times urgently warrant our collective attention and action. We must therefore undertake major reforms and organize our institutions better to make them fit for purpose. Achieving that has to begin with renewing our faith in both the Charter of the United Nations and inclusive multilateralism.
For those reasons, we believe that the theme for the current session. “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”, mirrors the Gambia’s national ethos of peace, progress and prosperity. Our world direly needs to rebuild that lost trust, and we must work within our multilateral institutions to help to regain it. first and foremost by reforming and retooling ourselves. From underdevelopment to climate change, from unsustainable debts to cost-of-living crises, from conflicts to marginalization — we need to cooperate better and share the burden of solutions equitably through greater partnerships and solidarity.
We have seven more years before the Decade of Action ends, yet the story of our global attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is not very positive. It is a story of unfulfilled commitments, weak international cooperation and a lack of genuine global solidarity. It is a story that is all too common when it comes to implementing global commitments. Consequently, we must recognize those global challenges and redouble our efforts by recommitting ourselves to the attainment of the SDGs in the global South. If we remain on our current trajectory without effecting corrective action, the world’s most vulnerable peoples will be left behind much further than we can even fathom. As a least developed country (EDC), we call for the steadfast implementation of the new Doha Programme of Action to ensure that it does not become another lost decade of unfulfilled commitments.
In view of the current harsh economic realities across the global South, many developing countries are contending with unsustainable debt burdens that are compromising their ability to dig themselves out of poverty. In the quest for post-pandemic recovery, debt servicing is severely shrinking our economies, especially in the least developed countries. It is essential to find ways to address that burden urgently, as most of our countries run the risk of being left behind. Our goal is to recover by building back our economies much better and faster and to create the policy space that would generate growth once again. The international community should with a deep sense urgency step up its efforts through new and existing initiatives towards finding durable solutions to the debt problem. In sum. we must get back on track to attaining the SDGs.
The issue of debt relief for LDCs is linked to the necessity for greater reform of the international financial institutions and their decision-making mechanisms, particularly those relating to development finance and debt. We join other developing countries in calling for reforms that would ensure our greater participation and a stronger voice in decision-making. We would also like to see mechanisms developed that adequately mainstream our concerns and interests in decisions that affect us. In that context, we strongly welcome the recent designation of a permanent seat for the African Union in the Group of 20. That will immensely amplify Africa’s voice and participation in the discussion of global geopolitical and development issues that concern the well-being of its people.
One of the important global issues negatively affecting Africa in disproportionate ways is climate change. Africa is paying a very heavy price for global warming, even though it contributes the least to climate change. The cataclysmic weather events currently affecting our world clearly make it imperative and urgent to undertake collective action to tackle climate change for a more liveable world. The world lacks neither the climate action commitments nor the financial resources to match our ambitions, but we are short of the genuine political will to act decisively. When will we meet the $100 billion annual commitment to combat this phenomenon? Will we ever agree on the modalities for the loss-and-damage fund at the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change? Those are important questions to ask. considering the prevailing mistrust that continues to characterize the global dialogue on climate change and climate action. We have to act without delay and rebuild trust in our collective fight against global warming.
In the Gambia, through our nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, we are acting through various initiatives and projects to combat climate change. We call on Member States and the international community to fulfil their commitments to Mother Earth with a greater sense of urgency.
On behalf of the people of the Gambia. I extend our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the States of Türkiye and Morocco in the wake of the recent earthquakes that struck their nations. Our thoughts are with the affected communities as they recover from those tragic events. In addition, we sympathize with all countries that have recently endured the devastating consequences of deadly floods, wildfires and other natural disasters exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Those events serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for collective action to address the challenges posed by our changing climate. The Gambia reaffirms its commitment to working together with the international community to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Our world also faces several challenges relating to the maintenance of international peace and security. In Africa, we continue to face the threats of terrorism, piracy and the re-emergence of unconstitutional changes of Government, civil strife and armed conflicts across the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. The scenario is similar across parts of the Middle East. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is another matter of serious geopolitical concern in view of its wider global impact. The institutional failures, human suffering and huge number of lives lost should serve as a wake-up call for all Member States. To say that the institutions, mechanisms and processes we created in the aftermath of Second World War are inadequate in terms of preventing the scourge of war would be an understatement. There is therefore a pressing need to revisit our responses to conflicts and devise new and effective arrangements for conflict resolution and conflict management.
Today we are hamstrung by the weaknesses of our institutions and arrangements, a situation that is greatly exacerbated by mistrust and a lack of genuine international solidarity. In the face of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we call on the
warring parties to give peace a chance. We further call on them to respect the sanctity of human life. It is only through negotiation and political dialogue that such conflicts can end. We also call on our brothers and sisters in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa to choose peace over armed conflict.
Since our political transition in 2017. The Gambia has committed itself to the consolidation of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Good governance, accountability and institutional reforms are progressively taking root in our society. Sustaining and building the peace that we have so heavily invested in will remain a priority for the Government. We have also instituted transitional justice mechanisms that have yielded substantial results, and we are fully committed to implementing the recommendations of the Truth. Reconciliation and Reparations Commission set up in 2018.
West Africa is facing serious challenges in connection with development, democratic governance, the rule of law. peace and security. As we grapple with those regional challenges, let me assure the Assembly that, in The Gambia, we are truly committed to nurturing our young democracy, institution-building, protecting and promoting fundamental rights and freedoms, as well as women and youth empowerment. We are now enjoying the dividends of democracy, and we believe it is the best form of governance for our people.
Furthermore, in our quest to inclusively deliver the dividends of democracy and build a more secure and prosperous Gambia, the Government recently developed a new Green Recovery-Focused National Development Plan 2023-2027 as a successor to the 2018-2021 National Development Plan. While it appreciates the support and partnership received during the implementation of the National Development Plan. The Gambia solicits the continuous support and partnership of all its friends, partners and the international community to successfully implement its new development master plan.
The pursuit of peace around the world is one of the central pillars of the United Nations work. The adaptability of the Organization to resolve ongoing, new or emerging peace and security challenges is worthy of sober reflection. Peacekeeping missions in situations in which terrorism, violent extremism or gang violence is endemic demand serious dialogue within the Organization. No society should be held hostage because our institutional arrangements are ineffectively suited for action in such situations. Traditional peacekeeping has worked in a lot of situations, but it has come under enormous pressure in recent times. Such difficult experiences, as exemplified in some peacekeeping missions in Africa, flag the need for wisdom for reform.
As a demonstration of our commitment to peacekeeping undertakings, in support of the Secretary- General’s Action for Peacekeeping, we have agreed with Bangladesh, with the support of the Secretariat, to jointly deploy a battalion in a suitable peacekeeping mission. That is an innovative arrangement where our two countries will collaborate to advance peace.
Allow me to share some thoughts on topical international political developments and situations that require our attention. The maltreatment of migrants across the world is a matter of serious concern to my delegation. Migrants are human beings with human rights, and they deserve to be treated humanely. We are appalled by the cruel and degrading treatment meted out to migrants at certain borders in Africa and beyond. We call on the United Nations to investigate those incidents and crimes committed against migrants, with a view to protecting them and their families. Criminalizing migration or treating migrants as criminals is unacceptable. Let us open legal pathways for migration and the regularization of the status of migrants in line with our international commitments, including those under the Global Compact for Safe. Orderly and Regular Migration.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been going on for too long. The conflict requires a lasting solution. Settlement activities need to stop. We express serious concern over the ongoing loss of life and injuries suffered by Palestinians in the region.
Allow me to commend the Kingdom of Morocco once again for the efforts it continues to undertake towards the resolution of the dispute in the Moroccan Sahara. The Gambia reaffirms its strong support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative, which it believes serves as a serious, credible, realistic compromise solution that could resolve the dispute as affirmed in relevant United Nations resolutions.
Our bilateral relationship with the Peoples Republic of China is founded on the principles of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and a commitment to
mutually beneficial development. We therefore strongly endorse the one-China policy.
Allow me to highlight that reform of the United Nations, especially that of the Security Council, is long overdue. Africa’s marginalization and underrepresentation in the membership of the Council calls for corrective measures. After more than 75 years of existence, that body deserves urgent reforms to regain the world’s trust. In furtherance of that call, my delegation strongly supports the common African position on that important issue.
In conclusion, rebuilding trust across the wide spectrum of issues that I have raised is a matter of utmost priority. The urgency of rebuilding trust in our multilateral institutions across the globe is glaringly evident.
To avoid exclusion of the most vulnerable members in this decade of action. The Gambia calls for greater international cooperation and renewed solidarity. We can all make a huge difference if we commit to rekindling global solidarity during these critical times. Concerted global action, sustained international solidarity and increased partnerships are the antidote for our current global challenges.