I congratulate the President on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session and assure him of Uganda’s full support. I would like to thank Mr. Csaba Korosi for his stewardship of the seventy-seventh session. I pay tribute to the Secretary-General. Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his leadership and commitment to the work of the United Nations.
As we mark 78 years of the existence of the United Nations, we yearn for a revitalized Organization that is capable of addressing current and emerging global challenges. We believe that multilateralism remains a fundamental and crucial mechanism for addressing our common challenges together as nations in solidarity. We pledge to work together with the entire membership of the United Nations to make our Organization fit for purpose and relevant for our times. In that regard. Uganda remains committed to the reform of the Security Council to make it more representative and to
address the historical injustices committed against the people of Africa, as spelled out by the Common African Position and enshrined in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.
Uganda acknowledges that the timely and full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is crucial for the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In that regard, the Government has continued to take bold actions to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda nationally. Notable actions include the operationalization of voluntary local reviews and the institution of a national sustainable development goals conference, which is held annually with the participation of all stakeholders, to discuss the progress achieved to date and agree on actions to ensure full compliance. Nationally, we continue to register steady progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the progress of which will be documented in the third voluntary national review report to be submitted to the High- Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which will be convened by the Economic and Social Council in July 2024.
Peace and security are fundamental and crucial for achieving sustainable development. Therefore, we need to reflect on the original purposes of the United Nations and work to resolve human-made conflicts and global insecurity through cooperation, diplomacy and peaceful means. In that regard. Uganda has continued to work with partners to support and advance peace, stability and security initiatives in the region and beyond so as to eliminate terrorism, mistrust and other conditions that undermine development.
We remain actively involved in regional initiatives, particularly those under the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the East African Community and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. Our involvement is based on the fundamental values of multilateralism. As the international community, we must be steadfast in our resolve to support dialogue and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, wherever they occur around us and anywhere else in the world.
Uganda has been at the forefront of receiving large numbers of refugees from within the region and ranks as one of the top refugee-hosting countries. Uganda extends its gratitude to the States Members of the United Nations and other development partners for the support and assistance rendered to the country and refugees, respectively. We are working closely with the United Nations and partners to address the root causes of displacement. Uganda remains committed to shouldering its responsibilities and obligations in addressing the plight of refugees, as a pioneer of the progressive refugee policy outlined in the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework. As one of the co-conveners of the Global Refugee Forum, we commend all States and other actors for their sustained commitment over the past three years, and we call upon Member States and stakeholders to continue their commitment to pledging towards initiatives that advance the principle of burden- and responsibility sharing. which is central to the Global Compact on Refugees, at the forthcoming Global Refugee Forum.
The Constitution of Uganda provides for the protection of the rights and freedoms of all Ugandans, as well as for the promotion of culture. Uganda has institutional safeguards that address grievances of human rights abuses. Objective XXIV of the Constitution states that cultural and customary values are consistent with fundamental human rights and freedoms, human dignity and democracy. Our approach to human rights is to respect other people’s values, and we expect others to respect our values, which are deeply rooted in our culture. We therefore call for mutual respect of sovereignty. We believe that human rights considerations, especially in the face of varying cultural values, should not become the moderating factor in our long-term relationship with our development partners, with which we will continue to engage in a proactive manner.
With regard to gender equality, more than 34.9 per cent of the parliamentary and executive seats in Uganda are held by women. In order to promote economic empowerment. Uganda has embarked on poverty alleviation programmes, which target the participation of women and young people in the economy. We are currently promoting value addition, value chain and public procurement from Uganda’s various women’s entrepreneurship programmes. With the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, women will participate in cross-border trade within the Area. However, work still needs to be done in Uganda to achieve full gender equality.
Climate change continues to undermine the ability of all nations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Globally, we continue to witness climate and weather extremes, which are causing considerable loss of life and property. We remain concerned that countries that have contributed less to the global emission of greenhouse gases continue to be disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. In that connection, my country extends its sincere condolences to the people of Morocco following the devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake that claimed more than 800 lives, and to the people of Libya in the aftermath of Storm Daniel, which resulted in unprecedented flooding and loss of life.
To address the adverse impacts of climate change. Uganda continues to take bold climate adaptation and mitigation measures in line with our ambitious updated nationally determined contributions, including by increasing access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern forms of energy to enhance production and value addition; increasing forest and wetland cover; and championing the operationalization of climate-smart agriculture. However, we note that the lack of sufficient means of implementation continues to undermine our efforts to adequately address the impacts of climate change. We therefore reiterate our call on developed country parties to fulfil their commitment, in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, to provide $100 billion annually to developing country parties through 2025 to assist them with mitigation and adaptation.
We remain deeply concerned by the increasing trend of biodiversity loss. We believe that the full and timely implementation of the decisions adopted at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity is fundamental to effectively address biodiversity loss. In that context, the Government of Uganda has continued to take bold actions to address biodiversity loss, including the complete restoration of all degraded wetlands, reforestation and the prosecution of those involved in illegal activities that undermine the preservation of flora and fauna. Our view is that the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity remains a commitment for all nations and humankind. We therefore urge the international community to provide developing countries with sufficient means of implementation, in terms of financing, capacity-building and technology transfer, to support their efforts to address the challenges of biodiversity loss.
Developing countries continue to face unprecedented financing challenges that undermine their ability to achieve sustainable development. We believe that the urgent need to reform the international financial architecture is fundamental and crucial in addressing those challenges. Those reforms must be substantial in order to ensure that developing countries are well represented and can effectively and efficiently participate in the decision-making processes of those international financial institutions. Our view is that those international financial institutions should support developing countries in their development efforts, in accordance with their national policies and legal frameworks.
The coronavirus disease pandemic presented a multitude of challenges to global health systems and essential health services. The crisis not only reversed hard-fought health gains but has also inflicted severe economic hardships, especially in developing countries such as Uganda. We have witnessed widespread job losses, disruptions in supply chains, reduced foreign investments and increased poverty rates. Those economic setbacks further exacerbate the existing challenges of implementing the 2030 Agenda. In Uganda, for instance, despite earlier progress, access to universal health care today stands at 65 per cent, which is well short of the SDG target of 100 per cent.
The crisis, while daunting, also presents opportunities for us to rethink and reinforce our commitment to health care and the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the challenges. I am happy to report that Uganda has registered positive achievements in some effective disease control measures, as demonstrated by its swift and successful response to the Ebola outbreak. Through diligent efforts and the collaboration of health-care professionals and the Government. Uganda declared the end of the Ebola outbreak caused by the Sudan ebola virus on 11 January 2023. just four months after the first case was confirmed in September 2022. That accomplishment underscores the importance of surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention and control in swiftly mitigating public health crises. By working together and capitalizing on the expertise and infrastructure developed in those areas, we can collectively contribute to a healthier, more resilient world.
The Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (NAM) remains a key player in handling current and emerging global challenges at the United Nations. The Movement remains relevant in serving the interests of its member States, in line with its founding principles and purposes.
In that regard. Uganda, as the incoming Chair of NAM. will work closely with other NAM countries to further strengthen the tenets and values of the Organization and the important role that the Movement plays at the United Nations and other international forums. As host of the nineteenth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement, we look forward to welcoming the NAM Heads of State and Government to Kampala from 19 to 20 January 2024.
Finally. South-South cooperation remains a strong element of international cooperation among the countries of the global South; such cooperation must be enhanced. We continue to witness the solidarity exhibited by countries in the global South in extending support to their global counterparts to address multiple challenges. We therefore commend those countries for their solidarity. Uganda will continue to support the strengthening of South-South, triangular and North-South cooperation at the United Nations. As host country of the third South Summit, to be held in Kampala from 21 to 23 January 2024. we look forward to welcoming the leaders of the Group of 77 and China.