At the outset, I would like to congratulate Mr. Abdulla Shahid and the friendly Republic of the Maldives on his presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy- sixth session. I wish him every success in his noble endeavour. I also want to express my deep appreciation to Mr. Volkan Bozkir for his able leadership of the work of the previous session. And I would like to once again warmly congratulate Mr. Antonio Guterres on his reappointment at the helm of the United Nations, and to assure him of Tunisia’s support for his initiatives to strengthen the role of the Organization and ensure an effective response to the current international challenges.
Let me also take this opportunity to convey the heartfelt gratitude and appreciation of the Government and the people of Tunisia to all who have supported our national efforts to combat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Their support has enabled Tunisia to overcome the dangerous initial phase and gradually begin recovering from the devastating pandemic.
The theme of the current session of the General Assembly, entitled “Building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations”, reflects the desire of our Organization to overcome these challenges and find appropriate solutions. It also demands that we, the international community, develop the necessary mechanisms for transforming that hope into reality so that people all over the world can live on an equal footing, wherever they are. What is certain today is that the United Nations cannot overcome these challenges, exceptional in their size and complexity, by resorting to standard solutions and tools that for decades have failed to provide decisive and effective solutions to many crises. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the necessity of developing policies based on solidarity
and justice so that when faced with such crises, we can be more resilient and capable of building and finding solutions for the millions who have slipped into extreme poverty, the millions of children who no longer have access to education, the millions of displaced and refugees and the millions threatened by starvation, malnutrition, climate change and conflict.
Resilience cannot be achieved with the policies adopted by a number of States of protectionism, nationalism and shutting down. It will be achieved only through a strong and agreed multilateral framework that meets the needs and aspirations of all peoples. We are facing unprecedented challenges and circumstances today that will shape the future of our world, and the Organization must be fully prepared to develop the appropriate solutions to ensure a balanced recovery and a rapid response to our various challenges. It is high time that we considered long-term solutions, achieved more for young people and future generations and became better prepared for future challenges in order to establish a stronger, more coherent and effective multilateral system. In that regard, Tunisia assures the Secretary-General that it stands ready to actively engage with everyone to implement the recommendations of Our Common Agenda.
In Tunisia, we began building our capacities based on hope by establishing a true and sound democracy that responds to the united will of the Tunisian people and their legitimate aspirations for a system that guarantees their sovereignty, rights, freedoms and dignity. The dangerous situation threatening our country and society is the result both of a deeply rooted but futile political polarization and of our ongoing economic, social and health crisis, requiring President Kais Saied to implement a number of exceptional constitutional decisions and measures designed to correct Tunisia’s democratic course in line with the will of its people. We reaffirm that democracy in Tunisia is an irreversible choice to which we are committed, and that our human rights and public and individual freedoms are guaranteed and safeguarded by institutions established on a basis of the rule of law and the principles of good governance, something that our President has emphasized at every opportunity. It is impossible to establish a genuine and sound democratic system without combating corruption and ending impunity, which have weakened the State and its prestige, institutions and judicial system.
Building a stable State in which all citizens are treated equally is a prerequisite for a peaceful society, sustainable development and respect for human rights, which will enable our State to play its part in maintaining international peace and security, building sustainability and respecting and applying our common global values and human rights. Through its membership in the Security Council, Tunisia has demonstrated its ability to contribute constructively to finding solutions to many international issues and reconciling divergent views, overcoming differences and building a new era of solidarity in international relations, as illustrated by the Council’s unanimous adoption of its resolution 2532 (2020). My country will spare no effort to achieve our shared aspirations for the future and revitalize the United Nations that we want and need in keeping with Our Common Agenda. From this rostrum, I would like to assure all our friends and partners that as before, our President is committed to keeping Tunisia as a positive force and an active contributor to international peace and security, while promoting the values of cooperation and solidarity among all peoples and countries of the world.
Tunisia will also continue to play its influential role in the region by providing support and assistance to our brothers in Libya so that they can complete the political process and achieve their anticipated political, electoral and security goals, which will help the country to restore its security and stability and regain its role as a significant regional player without interference in its internal affairs. Tunisia once again welcomes the outcome of the recent meeting held in our sister nation of Algeria among Libya’s neighbours, providing a pivotal regional mechanism for promoting their critical role in helping their Libyan brothers deal with their current situation, under the auspices of the United Nations and with the support of the international community.
Ending the occupation of Palestine remains a core issue that Tunisia will continue to steadfastly defend and support. We call on the United Nations, including all its entities and mechanisms, to put an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people. How can we build hope when the international community has failed to stop the Israeli occupation of Palestine for more than seven decades, despite hundreds of international resolutions and tremendous international and regional efforts and initiatives? How can we ensure respect for human rights throughout the world when the rights of the people of one country are being violated every day, especially their right to self-determination and to build their own independent State within the 1967 borders,
with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital? If we genuinely want a global recovery, the situation in Palestine today cannot be allowed to continue, because a genuine recovery will not be from the pandemic alone but from all our injustices and tragedies.
Similarly, the continued instability and human suffering of many peoples in the Arab region makes it incumbent on the international community to deal with this enormous responsibility by redoubling its efforts to reach a compromise in conflict areas, including Syria and Yemen. Neither will our world recover if Africa is not helped to settle the conflicts that are draining its resources so that the countries of the continent can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and establish the Africa we want, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
We stress the importance of concerted international and regional efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism, adopt a comprehensive approach to the issue of migration, fight climate change and its multidimensional repercussions, bridge the digital and development divide, transfer technology and develop educated societies.
Throughout its rich history, which predates Carthage — from Roman, Byzantine and Islamic times to the modern era — Tunisia has been a beacon of civilization, a pioneer in terms of reform and a bridge connecting various cultures, regions and States within a framework of the values of tolerance, moderation and the acceptance of others, with the active participation of every component of society and a firm and pioneering role for women throughout the ages. Accordingly, my country will host the eighteenth Francophone Summit on Jerboa Island from 20 to 21 November. The Summit will represent an important step towards promoting our universal shared values of coexistence among peoples and civilizations. We will also function as a bridge for economic and development cooperation to help achieve solidarity and equitable development by hosting the eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development next year.
In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm that the Government and the people of Tunisia will continue to be an active partner for all States, international and regional organizations and the United Nations to promote peace and security, achieve development and respect for human rights for all and build a more secure, just and stable world.