His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the United Nations General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session;
His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations;
Excellencies, Heads of State and Government;
Distinguished delegates;
Ladies and gentlemen,
Allow me to begin by congratulating His Excellency Mr. Abdullah Shahid of the Republic of the Maldives on his election as President of the United Nations General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session. He can count on Equatorial Guinea’s support. I would also like to thank his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir of the Republic of Turkey, for the magnificent work he has done. I would also like to pay tribute to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for his work at the helm of our Organization, on his reappointment to the post and for his efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
I am pleased to participate once again in this high forum of the United Nations, which provides us each year with the unique opportunity to address and seek solutions to the major problems and challenges that affect us both individually and collectively.
For almost two years now, humankind has been facing the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had devastating effects unprecedented in recent history, affecting more than 200 million people and killing nearly 5 million. Those statistics are significant enough for all of us to continue coming together to seek lasting solutions to the crisis and draw the appropriate conclusions. Time and experience have shown us that common problems are best tackled through unity, and we already have the tools and knowledge to overcome such a test and succeed.
Now that we know the origins of and the devastation caused by the pandemic, we must focus on how to deal with the post-COVID situation or how to live with the pandemic. The world is at an unprecedented crossroads as COVID-19 has affected every part of our societies. The severity of the health and humanitarian crisis has taken its toll on our economic, financial and social structures.
As the theme of the seventy-sixth session of the General Assembly indicates, we must build resilience to recover from COVID-19 and do so in a sustainable manner, responding to the needs of the planet while respecting the rights of all people and revitalizing the United Nations. In that regard, the international community must profoundly analyse what happened and examine its causes in order to confront and prevent similar situations from recurring in the future, or at least to be better prepared to mitigate the impacts.
We must design economic and social recovery programmes and ensure that no country is left behind. Respect for human rights must be at the heart of this process, which must benefit our peoples. The United Nations must play a leading role in humankind’s efforts to recover from the pandemic and its collateral effects.
In that connection, I would like to propose the possibility of holding a comprehensive international conference to address the causes of the pandemic, its consequences and how weaker countries can be helped, since the effects of the pandemic have exacerbated many endemic problems and challenges that our countries have already been facing, including conflict, extreme poverty and migration, inter alia.
Indeed, the pandemic has exacerbated the economic crisis caused by the fall in hydrocarbon prices on international markets. In the particular case of Equatorial Guinea, we have programmed and implemented policies that favour the diversification of our economy by trying to revitalize other sectors that are not as vulnerable and subject to fluctuation as hydrocarbons.
Those efforts suffered a major setback with the accidental explosions that occurred in Bata on 7 March, whereby more than 100 human lives were lost in addition to numerous injuries and substantial material damage that had a very negative impact on the country’s economy. That situation forced us to review our priorities and economic prospects, which entailed a serious economic outlay that was not initially foreseen. In that regard, I must highlight the solidarity and humanitarian behaviour demonstrated by the people of Equatorial Guinea, which was a source of pride and was supported by international assistance efforts. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all the countries and international organizations that came to our aid.
I must extend a special mention to the International Monetary Fund, which has just granted us emergency assistance to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic and the 7 March explosions. Equatorial Guinea intends to continue making headway in the financial programme agreed with the abovementioned institution.
Mr. President,
Security and stability are fundamental to achieving progress and making the world a more just and prosperous place. It is therefore very important that the international community join forces to rid the world of conflicts and their root causes and unite in the search for solutions that are of common benefit to humankind. In that regard, I take this opportunity to congratulate the Governments and political actors of Libya, Guinea-Bissau and the Central African Republic for their efforts to restore peace and stability to their countries.
Equatorial Guinea is a sovereign State that does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and expects that respect for its national sovereignty and non-interference in its internal affairs in return. Equatorial Guinea promotes international cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, peer-to-peer and mutually beneficial relations. We believe in the centrality of the United Nations and in the architecture of the search for solutions to the problems that affect us collectively. We are also firm defenders of the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
However, the United Nations must be reformed, not only to guarantee its own existence and validate its utility, legitimacy and acceptance, but also to represent a much more effective instrument of coordination and collaboration in the promotion and strengthening of cooperation with regional organizations, including, in our case in particular, the African Union.
In that vein, the reform of the Security Council cannot be postponed, even if the process faces incomprehensible opposition from those countries that benefit from the current status quo. Under the current conditions, Africa cannot renounce the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, which reflect Africa’s legitimate aspirations and common position. As a member of the African Union C-10, Equatorial Guinea will continue to stand up for what it believes is right.
We note with great concern the dangerous tendency of some countries to impose foreign values on other countries without taking into account their history, culture, traditions and priorities. Democracy is a good form of governance, but it should not be imposed without taking into consideration the idiosyncrasies, history and traditions of peoples. Mutual respect for diversity is the cornerstone for the peaceful coexistence of peoples.
In almost all of the addresses I have given before the General Assembly, I have made various appeals and tried to draw attention to the situation of growing instability and insecurity in our subregion of Central Africa, where transnational organized crime constitutes a major threat and manifests itself in the form of piracy. The Gulf of Guinea has become an unstable area that threatens the existence of its coastal countries and international maritime traffic, thereby exacerbating the economic crisis that our countries are experiencing. The issue deserves the global attention that was given to the case of the Gulf of Aden in its day, given that the interests of the international economy are at stake. An international event to address the situation in depth is desperately needed. Terrorist and mercenary activity continues to pose a serious challenge to our countries.
As in previous years and with greater persistence due to the delicate health situation affecting the world in general and the Republic of Cuba in particular, Equatorial Guinea calls for the lifting of the economic, financial and commercial blockade burdening that sister country and causing enormous harm to its noble people.
Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Ensuring peace and security on our planet aligns with achievement of our objectives for overall development within a framework of unity, solidarity, harmony and strengthened cooperation. It is in that spirit that I hope for great success in our deliberations, which are aimed at making the world a better place for present and future populations.
I thank you for your kind attention.