The international community stands at a crossroads. The decade starting in 2020 will either be remembered in history as a turning point or as the moment when multilateralism lost its way. Fortunately, the path forward is clear. Never before have we had such well-defined road maps for joint action on development, climate change and global health. I therefore congratulate the Secretary-General and his team, as well as the President of the General Assembly, for the relevance of this week’s high-level events.
The transformational potential of universal health coverage is now at the top of the global health agenda, thanks to the outstanding leadership of the World Health Organization and many other stakeholders. In Rwanda, more than 90 per cent of the population have insurance coverage, which has contributed to significant improvements in health outcomes, showing that it is possible for countries at every income level to make health care affordable and accessible for all. We must also commit to replenish the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. Those are not things that should or can be done on Africa’s behalf.
The Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are also Africa’s goals. Africa has the means and the responsibility to fulfil them, which is why the African Union continues to strengthen its capabilities and effectiveness. Next July, for example, trading will commence under the African Continental Free Trade Area — the largest of its kind in the world.
However, Africa continues to lag behind other regions on the Sustainable Development Goals despite the fact that our continent is home to several of the fastest growing economies in the world. Growth must be fully inclusive so that inequality within countries continues to diminish. The fundamentals needed to unlock that transformation are already in place. With a concerted push involving our partners, including in the private sector, it is indeed possible to make up for lost time and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Closer cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations is streamlining the implementation and measurement process and that good partnership will continue to grow stronger.
All around us we see the urgency of fulfilling our commitments to slow the pace of global warming and adapt our infrastructure to a changing climate. One key lesson of yesterday’s Climate Action Summit was that innovative technologies and approaches are allowing us to act without slowing economic growth. Perhaps the most effective action that countries can take is to ratify and fully implement the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Security and sustainability are the prerequisites for rapid progress towards a more equitable and prosperous world.
It is essential for Africa and the rest of the international community to work closely together on peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts with mutual respect. In the coming weeks, Rwanda is preparing to receive and protect a number of refugees and asylum-seekers from detention camps in Libya. The support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the African Union is greatly appreciated. We call on every Member of the United Nations to uphold their legal obligations in a spirit of solidarity.
Those partnerships are a clear sign that we can cooperate to address complex problems. Africa itself is also a source of solutions. There is no doubt that the challenge of global inequality can be addressed only by working together. Rwanda stands ready to do its part, including by guaranteeing the rights and opportunities of women and girls. I therefore take this opportunity to invite Members to Kigali in November for the Global Gender Summit.


I bring to President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande fraternal greetings on behalf of his Excellency David Arthur Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. I wish also to extend warm congratulations to him on behalf of the Government and the people of Guyana on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly, the importance of which is accentuated by the salience of the theme that he has chosen for our general debate. We assure him of the full support of Guyana in the discharge of the weighty responsibilities of his office.
Allow me also to record our gratitude to your predecessor, Her Excellency Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, for her prudent and pragmatic stewardship of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. At the same time, we commend Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his continued sterling leadership of the Organization, including the timely convening of the Climate Action Summit. We express our thanks for the report on the work of the Organization (A/74/1) before us, which offers intriguing insights into the achievements within the last year and equally of the significant undertakings still ahead.
In that context, we cannot but reflect on the increasingly challenging international situation, marked by diverse crises, shifting global power dynamics and reversals of long-standing commitments and obligations. Together these aspects require an intrepid interrogation concerning the extant global order, including many of the principles and understandings made sacrosanct by the harsh experiences and lessons of many generations, which have given meaning and purpose to the establishment of the United Nations.
Accordingly, it is evident that, while we have not succeeded sufficiently or satisfactorily in fully achieving the world envisaged at the birth of the United Nations in 1945, the centrality, vision and work of the United Nations have assumed increased, rather than diminished, importance in pursuit of the noble ideals enshrined in its Charter. Purposeful action must be embraced at the national and global levels on a range of urgent imperatives to withstand scepticism and preserve faith in our United Nations.
Within that context, Guyana is pursuing transformative action to secure its advance as a modern, cohesive and prosperous State, including through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have incorporated the 2030 Agenda into our national development strategy — the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040. This development strategy is Guyana’s road map to becoming a green State. It emphasizes protecting our environment, enhancing prosperity and social cohesion and laying the foundation for the involvement of every citizen in sustaining a low-carbon trajectory of inclusive, diversified and climate-resilient growth.
As a low-lying coastal State, Guyana is particularly vulnerable to climate impacts. Indeed, Guyana understands well the risks posed by climate change, as we see daily evidence of damage to the coastal zone, frequency of flooding in the hinterland areas and extreme meteorological events. Guyana ranks high among the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters, which compels urgency on our part to institute adaptation and disaster-risk-reduction measures.
However, beyond merely responding as an affected country, Guyana has long committed itself to exercising leadership in pursuing actions to help mitigate anthropogenic climate change. Guyana has established the importance of global environment services provided both using our natural resources and under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We have taken ambitious national action, particularly in partnership with Norway, which we trust will continue to resonate positively and globally. These actions include the creation of a greenhouse-gas inventory, the integration of climate change into academic curricula, and the Green Towns initiative.
The science is clear, and the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has reaffirmed that the agreed goals for carbon emissions set out in the Paris Agreement are not sufficient to slow the rate of global warming, and that additional reductions are now required to slow and reverse the impacts of climate change. I take this opportunity to underscore that the existential threat posed by climate change demands the urgent effort of all actors. We therefore applaud the fruitful discussions and positive momentum generated by the Climate Action Summit held last Monday.
Our experience has shown that whether in combating climate impacts, expanding economic benefits or consolidating democratic norms, extreme vigilance is required to safeguard hard-earned and cherished gains. Indeed, they must be attended to with great care to avoid reversals. For instance, while Guyana’s consistent economic growth has been among the highest in our region for several years, resulting in the nation now being classified as a high middle-income country, graduation has not caused many of the persistent difficulties to disappear.
In the face of greater constraints in access to concessional resources, our growth has instead reinforced the need for fiscal prudence and stability to achieve our core national objectives, including the continued reduction of the burden of poverty and the provision of increased and equitable access to all basic social services, particularly with respect to education and health for all our citizens. This reality constrains us to be very studied in our approaches, and we reiterate the call for vulnerability to be taken into account as a valid criterion in determining development progress.
In the political realm, Guyana’s strong record of achievements at the national and international levels is compelling. Much progress has been made in consolidating democratic norms and the rule of law. The rights and freedoms of all citizens are respected. In this regard, it is also evident that considerable progress realized under the coalition Government cannot be taken for granted. Since coming to office, local and regional elections, which had been held in abeyance for more than two decades, have been held twice within four years.
Guyana has responded generously to the influx of men, women and children who have left our western neighbour, Venezuela, in recent times, as well as those from States of the Caribbean Community that have been affected by unprecedented natural disasters.
Last July, Guyana submitted its inaugural voluntary national review to the 2019 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. We reported significant progress, particularly with respect to several goals and reaffirmed our commitment to enhanced emphasis on quality education as a key entry point to developing synergies across the agenda as a whole, as well as the need for capacity support and partnership, especially in the area of data collection and management.
In addition, in response to the interplay of developments in the democratic exercise of the parliamentary and legislative arms of the Government, President David Arthur Granger has announced that national and regional elections will be held on 2 March 2020 to assure the democratic renewal of governance in Guyana.
Guyana is on the verge of becoming a new oil- producing nation, with its attendant significant opportunities and challenges. Extensive preparation is under way to guarantee the responsible management of the new resources. A future of considerable promise for all the peoples of Guyana therefore beckons, and it is they who will determine the course, outcome and legacy that we will bequeath to succeeding generations.
To that end, President Granger has declared a decade of development for all Guyanese that will focus on ensuring that all of us can enjoy the good life, especially through enhanced educational outcomes at all levels and the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, which includes addressing the challenge of domestic violence. Guyana’s focus on education is rooted in the conviction that our people are our greatest asset, and as leaders we have an obligation to develop the capacity of our human resources in an inclusive manner. We should therefore urge greater collaboration among Member States to devise strategies to achieve quality education for all, and we simultaneously call upon developed countries, traditional and emerging donors and international financing mechanisms to increase funding for education and to support programmes according to the needs, priorities and circumstances of countries.
We are persuaded that the health of our peoples is just as important as education. Guyana has therefore welcomed the convening of the High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, with the profound theme, “Moving together to build a healthier world”. The importance of enhanced access to essential health services, including a skilled health workforce and access to safe, quality, effective and affordable medicines and vaccines is key to having a healthy world population, where all can enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. This is self-evident. In this regard, the political declaration of the high-level meeting on universal health coverage (resolution 74/2) represents an important global consensus on accelerating efforts at all levels to improve health outcomes.
Guyana has introduced its integrated health- service delivery network, which enables a more holistic primary health-care delivery mechanism by addressing the social determinants of health, while promoting the health of the individual. It places priority on the availability of preventive measures and health- care services at the level of primary health care. The Government of Guyana is committed to ensuring that all Guyanese, regardless of their location, have access to health services, and the Government is implementing its plan to establish health outposts and centres in all communities to reduce the need to travel long distances to access health-care services.
As at the domestic level, the maintenance of international peace and security requires respect by all stakeholders for the effective operation of international law and the institutions that underpin the international peace and security architecture created by the Charter. Foremost among these institutions is the Security Council, on which the Charter confers primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
However, this year marks the seventy-fourth anniversary of the signing of the Charter in San Francisco, and the world has changed dramatically since 1945. The number of States Members of the United Nations has quadrupled with the emergence of new independent States in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The institutions of our Organization must therefore evolve with the times in order to reflect a new global dispensation. The Security Council is no exception. Guyana therefore looks forward to the successful conclusion of the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform undertaken to ensure greater effectiveness, representation and legitimacy.
On some cardinal principles, the United Nations are indeed united. The sovereign equality of all States, respect for the territorial integrity of every State, the peaceful resolution of disputes between all States, respect for international rule of law — these are among the most effective guarantees of a world at peace. Last year, from this rostrum, Guyana updated the world on the disregard for these principles that our neighbour, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, continued to show in its controversy with Guyana (see A/73/PV.12). We showed how six months earlier, in March of last year, Guyana had acted on the decision of the Secretary-General to refer the controversy between our States to the International Court of Justice pursuant to the Geneva Agreement of 1966, to which Venezuela is a party. His decision was binding on Venezuela, and we warned of Venezuela’s unwillingness to participate in the proceedings. A year later, our warning has been fulfilled. As we heard yesterday, Venezuela’s unwillingness to be involved in the judicial resolution of the controversy has hardened into a refusal to pursue the path of peace through respect for the rule of law (see A/74/PV.10). Guyana has placed its faith in the world’s highest Court, and it will continue to do so.
In like manner, we wish to recall our disappointment at the limited progress towards a two-State solution to the generational conflict between the people of the State of Israel and the State of Palestine that would allow the people of Israel to live within secure and internationally recognized borders and the people of Palestine to live in dignity in their own State, free from the yoke of foreign occupation. Similarly, we deplore the events in Myanmar that have led to the displacement and suffering of the Rohingya people. The international community must take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of the affected populations and a minimum of respect for their human rights. We applaud the efforts of Bangladesh within its capacity to provide, with the assistance of international agencies, a place of safety for the refugee population pending their return.
In our own region, we again join the overwhelming majority of members of the international community in calling for the removal of the trade and economic embargo against our sister Caribbean nation of Cuba, which is a serious impediment to the legitimate aspirations of the Cuban people for improvement in their material well-being and to their achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
I take this opportunity to reaffirm Guyana’s commitment to the disarmament agenda of the United Nations as central to the Organization’s efforts to achieve a stable, secure and peaceful world order. In recent times, we have witnessed a worrying departure from commitments to disarmament objectives by some actors. In this regard, I wish to emphasize that no State can afford to shy away from the shared responsibility devolving upon us as States Members of the United Nations. For its part, Guyana continues to be a principled actor on questions of disarmament and is a State party to the major legal instruments constituting the disarmament regime.
The landmark Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is among those instruments that Guyana has ratified, and we remain supportive of all efforts that would lead to its timely entry into force. To this end, and with a view to encouraging the embrace of this Treaty by other States, Guyana recently hosted the Caribbean Regional Forum on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
My Government believes that our development efforts can best be maximized in societies that are safe and secure. For this reason, we also support the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, another scourge that affects the Caribbean and Latin American region.
As is clear, Guyana undoubtedly remains a firm believer in the value of multilateralism, and, as a small, vulnerable developing State, we see the United Nations, in its ideals and practices, as its greatest expression. It is through multilateralism that we can collectively find lasting solutions to the multifaceted and complex global challenges of our world. It is through multilateral approaches that we can advance the development, human rights and security pillars of the United Nations. It is multilateralism that offers us the best hope of advancing the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the SDGs.
For that reason, I take this opportunity and occasion to reaffirm the unequivocal commitment of Guyana to doing its part to strengthen multilateralism as the best path towards achieving the purposes and principles of the United Nations. We commit to strong and principled national action on behalf of all our peoples. The challenges are many, but not insurmountable, in the face of our collective will and unremitting effort. A solemn obligation therefore devolves upon us all, as Member States, to do the best we can to ensure continued progress.
As I conclude, permit me to quote the words attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: “You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” I therefore encourage all of us not only to find words but to take fruitful action, and I assure the Assembly that Guyana will not be found wanting in this endeavour. In this regard, the very recent opening of a United Nations House, as the face of the United Nations in Guyana, and within the context of the reform and repositioning of the United Nations development system, embodies both rich symbolism and concrete evidence of the strong and evolving partnership between Guyana and the Organization for the development of our country.


Over the past five years, I have had the honour of representing the European Union (EU) as the President of the European Council, which comprises the Heads of State and Government of its member States. I have also come to the United Nations in that capacity.
Please allow me, in my address today, my last one in this Hall, not to elaborate on the details of our challenges, but to start with a more general reflection inspired by words that were spoken here two days ago, words suggesting an immanent conflict between patriotism and globalism. I do not agree with this assessment. It is false and dangerous, even if it has many followers and powerful propagators.
The very idea of the United Nations, just like that of the European Union, is a de facto heroic attempt to overcome such thinking. The patriotism of the twenty-first century must also have a global dimension, if it is to avoid becoming, as has been the case many times, a common national egoism. The history of our nations shows how easy it is to transform the love of one’s homeland into a hatred towards one’s neighbours; to transform the pride for one’s own culture into contempt for the culture of strangers; and to use the slogans of one’s own sovereignty against the sovereignty of others.
I know that the word “globalism” does not sound attractive. Personally, I prefer the word “solidarity”, which is so important to me and to my nation. In my political vocabulary, globalism and solidarity mean the same thing. I am not talking about some naive ideology or abstract linguistics but about concrete challenges and the opportunity for pragmatic solutions.
I love Gdansk, the town I come from. I love Poland, my country, and I love Europe. But even if we live in the most beautiful and most modern European city, our life can become hell if we do not find, here at the United Nations, adequate solutions to global threats, such as armed conflict, terrorism, nuclear proliferation and the destruction of our environment. Without the readiness to establish rules at the global level, and subsequently to consistently respect them, local communities, nations, States and even continents will remain helpless in the face of such threats.
Let us focus briefly on one of those threats — the destruction of our environment, which has been at the centre of attention in recent days here in New York. I have no doubt that we are in an environmental crisis. Microplastics are spreading in our oceans. Up to 200 species become extinct every day. I myself have witnessed the collapse of ice walls in Greenland and the melting glaciers in the Pamir mountains in Tajikistan. We have just discussed here the crisis in Amazonia, as we have done for the past few decades, unfortunately with limited results. We are fast approaching a point beyond which we will be able only to mitigate climate change rather than reverse it.
The European Union will continue doing everything possible to confront that threat. Europe is showing leadership in implementing the Paris Agreement, and we hope to win the race to become the world’s first carbon-neutral continent. In 2017 alone, the EU and its member States spent f€20 billion helping developing countries tackle and adapt to climate change.
However, the natural environment of man, which requires protection, is not only the oceans, the air and the forests. It is also the truth in public life, freedom, the rule of law and international solidarity. To protect the truth, it is not enough to accuse others of promoting fake news. Frankly speaking, it would be enough to simply stop lying. Today, too many politicians use lies as a permanent method to maintain power.
To protect freedom, it is not enough to talk about it in speeches. One must defend the rights of an individual everywhere and every day. One must defend the freedom of speech and a free press. And one must stop flirting with dictators and authoritarian regimes.
To protect the rule of law, one must really accept that the law should be above power, not at its beck and call. If one wants to follow the principles of international solidarity, one must always help the weaker if they are attacked by the stronger and the ruthless, as in the case of Ukraine, for example. If the powerful of our world do not understand that, they will go down in history not as leaders but as fake leaders, and rightly so.


I would like to begin by taking this opportunity to congratulate President Muhammad-Bande on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session. I wish him every success in leading the work of the Assembly. I also want to express my thanks and appreciation to Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces for her exceptional work during her presidency of the previous session. And I thank Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his ongoing efforts to achieve the goals and purposes of the United Nations — maintaining international peace and security, supporting stability, advancing development and promoting human rights.
I have come to address the Assembly regarding my country’s cause. Libya is experiencing an extraordinary situation and an extremely serious crisis resulting from damaging foreign interference that has led to institutional and political division. The crisis has been exacerbated to such an extent that the capital and its suburbs have been under military attack that has external funding and support, with serious negative consequences for our citizens’ security, safety and welfare.
It is no exaggeration to say that the quest for security, stability and civil peace in Libya is a critical issue not just for our country but for the stability of the region and the world. The assault on the capital and its suburbs was led by a rebel soldier, the self-styled Khalifa Haftar, in what he says was a holy jihad. It took place on 4 April, the same day that the Secretary-General visited Tripoli, and at a time when the country was excitedly and hopefully preparing to hold an inclusive national conference aimed at finding a political solution to the problem of Libya. Just days before the conference, Khalifa Haftar destroyed the aspirations of the Libyan people — and the efforts of the international community — with his attempt at a coup, incidentally not his first, against the legitimate Government. In February 2014, via a television transmission, he declared that he had suspended Parliament, the Government and the Constitutional Declaration. However, the coup failed, and now Haftar is once again trying desperately to militarize the country and block our path to building a modern civilian State, mocking the Libyan people’s revolution and the sacrifices they have made to free the country from dictatorship and the rule of one individual.
This war criminal has been encouraged to carry out his aggression with military and financial support that he has received from certain States over the years in flagrant violation of the Security Council resolutions banning the importation of arms into Libya. This support deluded him into believing that he could enter the capital in two days. However, his delusions were dashed, and the world has begun to realize that he claims falsely that he is strong and leading a bloody militia seeking power.
Thanks to our brave army’s repeated victories and other supportive forces, we have defeated his aggression and have seen a change in the attitude of some countries, which supported us once Haftar’s intentions and lies were revealed and his failure was confirmed. Unfortunately, however, there are other countries that continue to interfere directly in our affairs and support the aggression, such as the United Arab Emirates, whose media recently allowed Haftar to freely broadcast his hate speech and incitement to kill Libyans. Furthermore, French Javelin missiles were found after the liberation of the city of Gharyan, the aggressor’s base of operations. We are also puzzled by the positions of some other States, particularly our neighbour Egypt, which interferes in our affairs and lectures Libyans on democracy, the civilian State, the economy and wealth distribution. We denounce attitudes such as these that lend support to the war criminal and the plotters of his coup, in flagrant violation of relevant Security Council resolutions.
We affirm that we will continue to deter the aggressor and defeat him, despite any support he may receive. We consider his supporters morally and legally responsible and will strive to prevent anyone from shedding Libyan blood. Our army and other supportive forces, through the Volcano of Rage operation, are bravely registering one victory after another. We want to pay tribute to all our brave heroes and pray that the souls of our martyrs will rest in peace. Despite the pain, their heroic epics will remain alive in the memory of our homeland and its future generations.
The aggressor’s plans are clearly apparent in the areas under his control by force. His human rights violations include extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances — such as that of Ms. Siham Sergiwa, a member of Parliament, and other national figures — the suppression of opinions and elimination of political opposition. The aggression has resulted in fatal casualties among young Libyans, numbering some 3,000 so far, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of others. The aggression forces have committed serious violations that have been documented and that qualify as war crimes under international law, including actions in Tripoli and its suburbs and in the city of Murzuq. There have been random bombings of civilian neighbourhoods and attacks targeting civilian airports, hospitals, ambulances and infrastructure as well as practices such as child recruitment. The list goes on.
Behind all of this is the war criminal himself and everyone who supports him with financing and weapons. We therefore reiterate our request that Khalifa Haftar’s name be put on the international sanctions list and his supporters held legally responsible and accountable for their killings and destruction. In that context, we are asking the United Nations to quickly dispatch a fact-finding mission to investigate and document these flagrant violations, just as we have asked the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to speed up her investigations in that regard.
The aggressor has tried to sway public opinion by saying that he is fighting terrorism. That is a false claim. It is the forces of the Government of National Accord, as part of the international coalition to combat terrorism, that have fought and defeated the terrorist organization Da’esh and liberated Sirte from its elements. We continue to cooperate strategically with the United States and to work together to root out the remnants of terrorism, wherever they are. We will keep fighting until we eradicate all the terrorists and terrorism. Our soldiers who fought that terrorist group are the ones who are now pushing back the treacherous aggression against the Libyan capital and other regions.
In the face of his failing allegations, the aggressor is trying to promote the idea that the war is between eastern and western Libya. This is based on a totally false premise, because there are no disputes in Libya in terms of social and religious infrastructure. The war is actually between the advocates for a civilian State and those who want to militarize it. It is therefore high time that the country’s eastern region was represented by an elite group of intellectuals, politicians and effective social elements who can work with the representatives of other regions in order to achieve a consensus political solution that guarantees rights and a peaceful transfer of power within the framework of a modern civilian State.
We want peace and accord. We have repeatedly stressed that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Libya. Neither can it have a winner. There is one loser in this conflict, and that is Libya. We are ready to prevent bloodshed for all Libyans, and I want to take this opportunity to urge all the young people who have been persuaded to participate in a war without a cause, a war waged on behalf of one person who is obsessed with power, to lay down their arms, return safely to their homes and stand with their homeland.
We want to live in peace and connect with other States of the world in cooperation and mutual respect. We reject all interference in our domestic affairs. In that regard, we welcomed the adoption on 12 September of Security Council resolution 2486 (2019), extending the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, which affirmed its continued commitment to the Libyan Political Agreement and to ensuring that Member States stop dealing with parallel institutions. It also stressed the importance of completing the constitutional process and holding elections. We are firmly committed to dialogue and the political process within the framework of new mechanisms that take account of the consequences of the 4 April aggression. We reiterate that we will not sit down again with Haftar. He is a war criminal, not a partner for peace.
In June, I proposed an initiative for holding a national conference to include representatives of all Libyans who support a democratic civilian State, which would culminate in the holding of legislative and presidential elections based on a legal foundation established by the conference. There can be no place at the dialogue table for anyone wanting to militarize the State and to consign us to years of underdevelopment and terrorism. In that regard, we have held a series of national consultations that have included all sectors of Libyan society, including representatives of the political, social and cultural sectors as well as women, young people and military leaders. We will continue to hold such meetings to bring together representatives of every region, and we will include civil society in order to consolidate a comprehensive national vision for ending the crisis. At this critical time we therefore welcome the position of the members of the parliamentary session held in Tripoli and of the State Council, which holds them responsible for rolling back the enemy, establishing democracy and fostering a modern civilian State.
Resolution 2486 (2019) has a number of positive aspects, in particular its reference in paragraph 1 to the consolidation of the Government of National Accord’s governance and security arrangements, and including support for the economic reforms that we adopted in September of last year. In that context, we should point out that we have taken steps to implement decentralization by transferring responsibility for many services to elected municipal councils, thereby providing such services directly to our citizens.
Despite the claims of some to the contrary, we want to emphasize that the national budget is being disbursed in a fair and balanced way to all areas of Libya, without exception, distinction or marginalization. The salaries of all public service workers are being paid from the budget. In that regard, I would like to point to the serious financial violations on the part of some illegal parallel institutions and to warn the world that they deal in coinage outside legal channels. I also want to issue a warning against selling Libyan oil outside the legitimate framework. Our oil belongs to all Libyans, and its management is the responsibility of Libya’s National Oil Corporation alone. The Government of National Accord is the only authority entitled to oversee the State’s financial and economic institutions. We therefore renew our call for the speedy establishment under the supervision of the United Nations of a technical committee from the specialized international institutions to review the operations of the Central Bank in Tripoli and its branch in A1 Bayda.
As we all know, security and a prosperous economy are linked. They are two sides of the same coin. We have therefore been eager to complement our economic reforms with reform of the security sector by implementing security arrangements aimed at establishing an overall system based on security forces and a regular police force that function according to professional criteria. Before the aggression we had made positive steps in that regard, which led to a considerable improvement in the security situation and the return of several diplomatic missions to Tripoli. We were also able to contain all the armed groups, launch a programme and mechanisms for collecting weapons and integrating former militants into our national security and military institutions, and to provide work opportunities and rehabilitation to those who want to reintegrate into civilian life. We will not surrender the State’s monopoly on weapons, and we do not accept the existence of armed groups within our civilian State.
In the midst of this crisis, my country is facing another critical challenge, that of illegal migration and the considerable flow of irregular migrants through Libya in their quest to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. This dangerous situation has major repercussions for us, including on the economic, security and social fronts. The aggression has only exacerbated the problem, and has resulted in many deaths because people have either been drowned at sea or lost in the desert. Migrants have become easy prey for terrorist organizations and human traffickers. The aggressor militias worsened this tragedy when they bombed a migrant shelter centre, killing and wounding dozens, including women and children. The international community met it with silence and evaded any direct condemnation of the perpetrator of that ugly crime.
This issue of migration is one of great concern for both Libyans and Europeans, but we are its victims, not its cause. In that regard, we have continued to cooperate with migrants’ destination countries and with all regional and international efforts to address the problem. It is essential that all countries work together, whether they are countries of origin, transit or destination. We must focus not just on the security dimension but also on migration’s many other aspects, as well as fostering development in countries of origin in order to eliminate poverty and unemployment while encouraging stability and survival.
As a transit country for migrants, Libya is in urgent need of political support commensurate with the challenges and dangers we are dealing with so that we can establish the institutions required to control borders, limit the problem and minimize its impact, and I am appealing for that support. What we have received is completely disproportionate to what has been provided to other States facing migration-related problems that are far less intense than Libya’s. In that regard, we highly appreciate the efforts by the Coast Guards who continue to help save the lives of thousands of migrants at sea despite limited capacities and the embargo imposed on us. In our opinion, the solution still lies in efforts to support my country’s stability. A stable Libya will be able to secure its borders and provide job opportunities to hundreds of thousands of legal workers, in accordance with Libyan labour law.
Human rights and the rule of law are critical issues to which my country attaches great importance. The changes that have taken place since 2011 have created the conditions for achieving comprehensive reforms in that regard, and several measures and decisions promoting human rights have been adopted. The Government of National Accord is also coordinating with the judiciary to create an environment conducive to its critical and important role, ensuring the principle of impunity and empowering law-enforcement agencies to do their job as required. In that regard, we look forward to cooperating with the relevant specialized United Nations agencies and receiving their technical support in that area.
Despite the difficult circumstances, we are keeping track of everything taking place around us. We are contributing everything we can in support of every possible positive measure that serves peoples’ interests and the cause of peace. In that context, we want to express our concern about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, which constitutes a threat to international peace and security.
My country supports reform of the Security Council and an increase in the numbers of its permanent and non-permanent members, as well as promoting the rights of non-member States that are directly affected by the issues on the Council’s agenda, including the right to participate directly in the Council’s activities. My country also stresses the importance of recognizing the right of the countries of the African continent to permanent representation on the Council.
The issue of peace in the Middle East is extremely important. In the face of the many crises afflicting the region, we have spared no effort in supporting the Palestinian people and their right to establish an independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative on the settlement of the Palestinian question. My country also supports all efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the situations in our brother countries of Syria and Yemen, in order to protect them from the dangers of disintegration and division as a result of destructive conflict and to realize their peoples’ aspiration to live in dignity under a democratic system that respects the law and preserves human rights.
In conclusion, I want to take this opportunity to appeal from this international rostrum to every State concerned about Libya’s stability to cooperate with our Government of National Accord and with the United Nations initiatives. We urge them to uphold international law and help the Libyan people on their path to peace, security and consensus. It is time for our country to achieve stability and for our people to enjoy security and begin the process of reconstruction. There has been enough bloodshed and enough wasted money and time.


First of all, I thank God for my life, for the mission of presiding over Brazil and for the opportunity to re-establish truth, which is a good thing for all of us.
I come before the General Assembly today to introduce a new Brazil, a country that is re-emerging from the brink of socialism — a country being rebuilt on the basis of the yearnings and ideals of its people. Under my Administration, Brazil has been working to regain the world’s trust and reduce unemployment, violence and the risk for business activities by streamlining bureaucracy, pursuing deregulation and, above all, leading by example.
My country came very close to socialism, which led to a situation of widespread corruption, serious economic recession, high crime rates and endless attacks on the family and religious values that underpin our traditions. In 2013, an agreement between the former Workers Party Government and the Cuban dictatorship brought to Brazil 10,000 physicians who had no evidence of professional training. They were prevented from bringing their spouses and children, had 75 per cent of their wages confiscated by the Cuban regime and were denied basic freedoms, such as that of coming and going. Their situation was tantamount to slave labour — believe me — and it was supported by human rights entities of both Brazil and the United Nations alike.
Before I took office, almost 90 per cent of those Cuban citizens left Brazil due to unilateral action by the Cuban regime. Those who decided to stay in Brazil will be subject to proper technical eligibility criteria in order to exercise the medical profession. Brazil has thus stopped supporting the Cuban dictatorship by no longer sending $300 million to Havana every year, as was the case previously.
History taught us that, as early as the 1960s, Cuban agents were sent to several countries to help establish dictatorships across the region. A few decades ago they tried to change the Brazilian regime and the systems in place in other Latin American countries. They were defeated. Brazilian civilians and military personnel were killed and many others had their reputations utterly destroyed. Nonetheless, we ultimately won the war and prevailed in safeguarding our freedom.
Agents of the Cuban regime made their way likewise into Venezuela thanks to Hugo Chavez. Today around 60,000 Cuban agents control and interfere with every area of Venezuelan society, especially intelligence and defence. Once a vibrant democratic country, Venezuela is today experiencing the cruelty of socialism. It is fair to say that, yes, socialism is working in Venezuela: everyone is poor and deprived of freedom.
Brazil has also felt the impact of the Venezuelan dictatorship. Of the more than 4 million citizens who fled the hunger and violence in Venezuela, a sizeable proportion migrated to Brazil. We have done our part to assist them, through Operation Welcome — an operation conducted by the Brazilian army that has earned praise worldwide.
We have also worked with other countries, including the United States of America, to ensure that democracy is restored in Venezuela. We have devoted concerted efforts to ensure that no other South American country will experience this nefarious scourge. The Sao Paulo Forum, a criminal organization established in 1990 by Fidel Castro, Lula da Silva and Hugo Chavez to spread and implement socialism throughout Latin America, remains alive and must be fought.
In the quest for prosperity, we have put in place policies to bring us closer to other countries that have achieved development and consolidated their democracy. There can be no political freedom without economic freedom, and vice versa. A free market, concession projects and privatization opportunities are already a visible part of today’s Brazil. The Brazilian economy is recovering from the distortions and chains of more than two decades of fiscal irresponsibility, ideological manipulation of the State apparatus and widespread corruption. Economic openness, capable governmental management and enhanced productivity are immediate goals for our Administration. We are opening up our economy and becoming an integral part of global value chains. In only eight months, we have successfully concluded the two most significant trade agreements in the history of my country: between the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the European Union; and between MERCOSUR and the European Free Trade Association. We will enter into further such agreements in the months ahead.
We also stand ready to begin the process of accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. We are well on our way in that effort, having adopted the world’s highest standards and best practices in all areas, ranging from financial regulation to environmental protection.
I note the presence here of indigenous leader and spokesperson Ms. Ysani Kalapalo. I shall now turn to the Amazon.
First of all, I wish to say that my Administration is solemnly committed to environmental preservation and sustainable development, to the benefit of Brazil and the world at large. Brazil is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of biodiversity and mineral resources. Our Amazon region is larger than all of Western Europe combined and remains virtually pristine and untouched. That is evidence of the fact that Brazil is a leader when it comes to environmental protection.
At this time of the year, dry weather and winds favour both spontaneous forest fires and criminal blazes. It is important to note that indigenous peoples and local populations also use forest fires as part of their culture and means of livelihood.
We all know that all countries have problems. However, the sensationalist attacks we suffered from much of the international media following the outbreak of fires in Amazonia stirred our patriotic sentiment. It is a fallacy to say that the Amazon is the heritage of humankind, and a misconception, scientists confirm, to say that our Amazonian forests are the lungs of the world. In resorting to those fallacies, certain countries, instead of helping, have amplified media lies, behaved disrespectfully and shown their true colonialist colours. They have even called into questioned that which we hold most dear: our sovereignty.
One of those countries, during the most recent Group of Seven meeting, dared to suggest imposing sanctions against Brazil without even consulting with or listening to Brazil. I am grateful to those countries that refused to proceed with that absurd proposal. I thank President Donald Trump in particular, who very aptly summarized the spirit that should prevail among States Members of the United Nations, that is, respect for the national sovereignty and freedom of each of us.
Today 14 per cent of Brazilian territory is officially demarcated as indigenous land, but we must understand that our native peoples are human beings like all the rest of us. They want and deserve to enjoy the same rights as all of us. I want to make it clear: Brazil will not increase the area officially demarcated as indigenous lands to 20 per cent, as some Heads of State would like to see.
There are 225 different indigenous peoples in Brazil, in addition to about 70 tribes living in isolated locations throughout the country. Each people or tribe has its own chief, culture, traditions, customs and, above all, its own way of seeing the world. The views of one indigenous leader do not represent those of the entire Brazilian indigenous population. Some of those leaders, such as tribal chief Raoni, have often been used as pawns by foreign Governments as part of their information warfare to advance their interests in the Amazon. Unfortunately, some people, both inside and outside Brazil, with the support of non-governmental organizations, have stubbornly insisted on treating our indigenous peoples as cavemen.
Brazil now has a President who cares about those who were on our territory before the Portuguese arrived in the 1500s. Indigenous people do not want to be poor landowners sitting on rich lands, some of which, such as the Yanomami and Raposa Serra do Sol reserves, are the richest lands in the world. Those reserves are home to vast deposits of gold, diamonds, uranium, niobium and rare earth elements, among other resources. And those territories are huge. The Yanomami reserve alone is approximately 95,000 square kilometres, the size of Portugal or Hungary, although only 15,000 indigenous persons live there. That shows clearly that those who attack us are not concerned with indigenous peoples as human beings, but, rather, with the mineral wealth and biodiversity in those areas.
As evidence of the fact that there is no single authority among the indigenous peoples, I wish to read out an open letter by, and representing a substantial portion of, the indigenous communities in Brazil, addressed to the General Assembly.
“The Indigenous Farmers Group of Brazil, composed of various ethnic groups with representatives in all states of the Brazilian Federation, who inhabit an area of over 30 million hectares of the Brazilian territory, respectfully addresses Brazilian society to express is full, unconditional support for indigenous spokesperson and representative Ysani Kalapalo, of the Xingu indigenous park in the state of Mato Grosso, so that she may explain to the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, the reality of the indigenous peoples of Brazil, as well as shed light on the lies disseminated by the national and international media, which insist on keeping the indigenous peoples of Brazil as an endless market reserve, serving the interests of foreign countries that still see Brazil as a colony without rules or sovereignty.
“Fourteen per cent of Brazil’s national territory has been officially established as indigenous land, and many communities are thirsty and eager for the development of this part of the country to finally take place, without ideological constraints, which will, in turn, improve quality of life and the standard of entrepreneurship, health care and education. A new indigenous policy in Brazil is needed. Time is of the essence. Bold measures can and should be encouraged in the pursuit of autonomy and economic empowerment for indigenous peoples. Certainly, if a series of decisions is taken to that effect, we can envision a new model for the Brazilian indigenous agenda.
“A new chapter of hope is needed for indigenous communities. The situation of extreme poverty in which we find ourselves, surviving only on the family stipend and basic food supply, has never brought dignity or development. Radical environmentalism and outdated approaches to indigenous issues are out of sync with what indigenous peoples truly want and are tantamount to backwardness, marginalization and utter absence of civic rights.
“That reality requires world leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly to become familiar with our wishes and aspirations through the voice of indigenous spokesperson Ysani Kalapalo, who will convey the real situation of Brazilian indigenous communities and the environment. Therefore, Ysani Kalapalo enjoys the trust and prestige of indigenous leaders interested in furthering development and empowerment and in attaining a higher profile and greater role and voice, and is in a position to represent the 52 ethnic groups listed in the annex to this letter. The monopoly of tribal chief Raoni is over.”
The United Nations has played a key role in overcoming colonialism and cannot possibly accept that this type of mindset be allowed to return to its halls and corridors under any pretext.
We must not forget that the world needs to be fed. France and Germany, for example, use more than 50 per cent of their territories for agriculture. By contrast, Brazil uses no more than 8 per cent of its land for food production; 61 per cent of our territory is preserved. Ours is a zero-tolerance policy for crime, including environmental crimes. I wish once again to affirm my stance in that regard. Any initiative to help or support the preservation of the Amazon rainforest, or other biomes, must fully respect the sovereignty of Brazil. Moreover, we reject attempts to exploit and instrumentalize environmental issues or indigenous policy in order to further foreign political and economic interests, especially attempts disguised as good intentions. We stand ready to work in partnership to exploit our resources with a view to developing all of our potential in a sustainable manner.
Brazil reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the highest standards of human rights and to the promotion of democracy and freedom, including the freedoms of expression, religion and the press. That commitment goes hand in hand with our efforts to fight corruption and crime — an urgent demand of Brazilian society. We will continue to contribute, in and outside the United Nations, to building a world free from impunity, with no safe havens for criminals or corrupt individuals. Under my Administration, Italian terrorist Cesare Battisti fled Brazil and was later arrested in Bolivia and extradited to Italy. Three other terrorists from Paraguay and one from Chile, who until recently lived in Brazil as political refugees, have also been repatriated to their countries of origin. Terrorists, under the guise of politically persecuted persons, will no longer find refuge in Brazil.
Not long ago, socialist Presidents who came before me embezzled hundreds of billions of dollars to buy off part of the media and our Parliament, all in a bid to attain absolute power. They have been tried and punished thanks to the patriotism, perseverance and bravery of a judge who has become an icon in my country, Mr. Sergio Moro, our current Minister of Justice and Public Security. Those Presidents also transferred a considerable amount of funds to third countries with the aim of promoting and realizing similar power-grabbing objectives throughout the region. That source of funds has now dried up. The same top-ranking Government officials came here, year after year, and made blithe statements about issues that never served Brazil’s real interests or contributed to world stability. Still, they were all applauded.
In my country, we had to do something about the nearly 70,000 murders and countless violent crimes that tore apart Brazilian society each year. Life, after all, is the most basic human right. Our military police officers were the preferred target of crime. In 2017 alone, around 400 military police officers were brutally murdered.
That is changing. Measures were taken and we managed to reduce murder rates by more than 20 per cent in the first six months of my Government. The seizure of cocaine and other drugs has reached a record high. Today Brazil is safer and even more welcoming. We have just extended visa exemptions to countries such as the United States, Japan, Australia and Canada. We are currently considering the adoption of similar measures for China and India, among others. With greater safety and ease, we want everyone to be able to visit Brazil, particularly our Amazon rainforest, with all its vastness and natural beauty. The Amazon is not being destroyed or consumed by fire, as the media misleadingly says. Each Member State can verify what I am saying. Do not hesitate to visit Brazil. It is very different to the country portrayed in many newspapers and television programmes.
Religious persecution is a scourge against which we must tirelessly fight. In recent years, in various regions we have witnessed cowardly attacks that victimized the faithful gathered in churches, synagogues and mosques. Brazil strongly condemns all such acts. It is ready to cooperate with other countries to protect those who are oppressed because of their faith.
The Brazilian people are particularly concerned about the growing persecution, discrimination and violence against missionaries and religious minorities in different regions of the world. That is why we supported the establishment of the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. On that day every year we will remember those who have suffered the harmful consequences of religious persecution. It is unacceptable that in the twenty-first century, with so many instruments, treaties and organizations whose aim is to safeguard all kinds of rights, there are still millions of Christians and people of other religions that lose their lives or their freedom because of their faith.
Brazil’s devotion to the cause of peace is evidenced by its strong history of contributing to United Nations missions. For 70 years, Brazil has effectively contributed to United Nations peacekeeping operations. We support all efforts to make peacekeeping missions more effective, bringing real and tangible contributions to the host countries.
In diverse contexts, whether in Haiti, Lebanon or the Democratic Republic of Congo, our troops are acknowledged for their outstanding work and their respect for local communities, human rights and the principles that guide peacekeeping operations. I reaffirm our willingness to continue our tangible contributions to United Nations peacekeeping missions, including through training and capacity-building, areas where we have recognized experience.
Throughout this year, we have established a broad international agenda to restore Brazil’s role on the world stage, as well as to re-establish relations with key partners. In January, we were in Davos, where we presented our ambitious reform programme for investors from all around the world. In March, we went to Washington, D.C., where we launched a comprehensive and bold partnership with the Government of the United States in all areas, particularly political cooperation and economic and military collaboration. Also in March, we visited Chile, where the Forum for the Progress and Development of South America was launched, an important initiative to ensure that South America is consolidated as an area of democracy and freedom.
We then visited Israel, where we identified numerous opportunities for cooperation, especially in the area of technology and security. I thank Israel for its support in combating recent disasters in my country.
We also visited one of our major partners in the Southern Cone: Argentina. With President Mauricio Macri and our partners from Uruguay and Paraguay, we have moved away from the ideology of the Common Market of the Southern Cone and achieved important trade advantages in terms of international trade by concluding negotiations that had been ongoing for decades.
Later this year, we will visit key partners, both in the Middle East and in East Asia. Those visits will strengthen friendship and deepen relations with Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. We hope to follow the same path with the entire Arab world and Asia. We are also looking forward to visiting our partners and friends in Africa, Oceania and Europe.
As can be seen, Brazil is open to the world and eager to establish partnerships with all those interested in working for prosperity, peace and freedom.
The Brazil that I represent is a country that is recovering and rising again, reinforcing its partnerships and regaining its political and economic confidence. We are ready to take on our responsibilities in the international system.
Over the past few decades, without realizing we let ourselves be seduced by ideologies that sought not the truth but absolute power. Ideology has taken root in the areas of culture, education and the media, dominating means of communication, universities and schools. Ideology has invaded our homes and sought to dismantle the cellular mater — mainstay — of any healthy society: the family.
It has also tried to destroy the innocence of our children, distorting even their most basic and elementary identity: biology itself. Political correctness came to dominate the public debate, expelling rationality and replacing it with manipulation, recurring cliches and slogans. Ideology has invaded the human soul itself to expel from it God and the dignity with which He has endowed us.
With such methods, ideology has always left a trail of death, ignorance and misery wherever it went. I am a living proof of that. I was cowardly stabbed by a leftist militant and survived only by a miracle. Once again, I thank God for my life.
The United Nations can help to overcome the materialistic and ideological environment that undermines some basic principles of human dignity. The Organization was established to promote peace among sovereign nations and social progress in freedom, in accordance with the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations.
With regard to issues such as climate, democracy, human rights, equal rights and duties of men and women and many others, all we need to do is to behold the truth: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (The Holy Bible, John 8:32)
All our means, both national and international, should ultimately be directed towards that goal.
We are not here to erase nationalities and sovereignties in the name of an abstract global interest. This is not the global interests organization; this is the United Nations Organization, and so it must remain. With humility and confidence in the liberating power of truth, I reassure the United Nations that it can count on the new Brazil that I have presented to the Assembly today. By the grace and glory of God, I thank everyone.


It is an honour for me to participate in this new session of the General Assembly and to address this illustrious Hall on behalf of His Excellency Mr. Danilo Medina Sanchez, President of the Dominican Republic.
Since the founding of the United Nations 74 years ago, my country has been deeply committed to the Organization’s mission of cooperation for peace, security and the development of peoples. This year, that commitment was renewed when we assumed a non-permanent seat on its Security Council for the first time, despite being founders of the United Nations. That is, of course, a responsibility that honours and binds us. That is why, we have done our utmost since January to ensure that our contribution to the Council always involves the search for broad consensus, which facilitates decision-making and efficiency.
As part of that work, at the beginning of the year, when we assumed the presidency, we organized an open debate on the impacts of climate-related disasters and their negative effects on international peace and security (see S/PV.8451). That debate takes on new meaning in the current context, following the wave of fires in the Amazon and the recent passage of Hurricane Dorian, which left behind a trail of shocking damage and many victims.
It should be noted that for us and our Caribbean region, the effects of climate change are real, visible and devastating, and threaten the very existence of our countries. In that regard, we are encouraged by the fact that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened the Climate Action Summit to address climate action within the broader framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which we were very honoured to attend. We agree with him that climate change is the defining issue of our time and a direct existential threat. We have also been particularly attentive to the regional agenda in matters such as humanitarian aid for Venezuela or the preparation of the new support mission to Haiti.
We have little more than a decade left to make a reality of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established by this very Assembly. Therefore, it is the duty of every country to take stock of their achievements, verify progress, monitor remaining challenges and, of course, immediately take the necessary actions to ensure success for each one of the Goals.
I must note that, in the case of the Dominican Republic, the 2030 Agenda was immediately integrated into our daily activity because, from day one, our Government has shared the same focus — putting people’s needs first. Like the SDGs, our first priority as a Government has always been to fight poverty and hunger, which we have approached from all angles, from the implementation of social policies to guaranteeing access to credit and, of course, promoting the development of our rural areas, which, as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization explains in its latest reports, is the locus of the highest levels of poverty in our region.
This multidimensional strategy, to which President Danilo Medina Sanchez himself has dedicated great effort, as in the case of the surprise visits he has carried out, has enabled us to obtain good results. The extreme poverty rate in our country fell from 9.9 per cent in 2012 to 2.9 per cent in 2018, representing a tremendous achievement. Overall poverty decreased from 39.7 per cent to 23 per cent in the same period. The greatest decrease was in the countryside, where rural poverty fell from 49.3 per cent in 2012 to 25.6 per cent in 2018 thanks to the continuous support that the Government has been offering to our agricultural producers.
In addition, over the past decade, our country has had more success in reducing hunger than any other country in Latin America. We are one of only four countries in which that trend has remained stable over the past two years, while many neighbouring countries have, unfortunately, seen their progress slow.
We have also made great strides in the indicators for Goal 4, because inclusive and quality education is also a central goal of our Government. That goal has translated into the allocation of 4 per cent of our gross domestic product to education and the implementation of the greatest educational transformation that our country has experienced in its history. We have also made significant progress in other important areas, such as health, water conservation, gender equality, access to energy and sustainable economic growth, among others.
Of course, we still have a lot of work to do and we know that there are no shortcuts to reaching the Goals, which can be achieved only through effort and persistence. It fills us with optimism to know that, a year after the end of the current term of office, under the wise leadership of President Medina, alliances have been established with all sectors of our society. What that means is that regardless of our political future, the development agenda, which already belongs to all citizens, will be able to follow its course at a steady pace. We trust that the Dominican Republic will continue to advance, alongside our brother countries of the region, in order to overcome the great and urgent challenges that lie ahead, such as climate change.
On the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which we are a signatory, we note that the Dominican Republic is fully resolved to honour its global commitment to guaranteeing the rights of every child. We reiterate that commitment today and will redouble our efforts in that regard. We are the first country in our region that, after having reached consensus within society, created a national road map for the prevention of violence against children and adolescents and care for its victims. In that connection, we will continue to work in all areas, from inclusive education to the reduction of neonatal deaths, the promotion of timely birth registration and the eradication of child labour. All our actions are guided by the goal of ensuring full, safe and happy lives for all children and adolescents in the Dominican Republic.
With those children and their future in mind, reducing inequalities is undoubtedly one of the priorities of the United Nations system. It is important to bridge the gap between the countries spearheading the development agenda and those with the greatest difficulties. However, it is important to note that the nature of those gaps and the challenges we face in overcoming them change. When we talk about inclusion, we can no longer talk only about meeting basic needs. In a few years, the new marginalized, the new poor, may no longer be those who have no food or shelter. In fact, soon, we will hopefully succeed in resolving that problem once and for all.
However, it is possible that the newly excluded are those who do not have access to knowledge, the Internet and new technologies, and will therefore increasingly face difficulties in entering the labour market. If we want to talk about inclusion, development and opportunities, we must talk about decent employment and decent incomes. It is certain that technological changes, according to some studies, could eliminate 50 per cent of jobs in the next 20 years — 50 per cent. That could jeopardize all the progress made by the Dominican Government.
Technology is already transforming the way we relate to the world today and, in this new era, establishing great differences among countries that are most plugged in and those that are not. I offer a single fact — only 20 per cent of people in the least developed countries have access to the Internet compared to 80 per cent of people in the most developed countries. To them I ask: What possibilities do those least developed countries have of competing in the new economy of the fourth industrial revolution? That includes countries like the Dominican Republic, where there is much greater Internet penetration. How will we be able to integrate populations in the most isolated areas that still live with technology from the first industrial revolution and dedicate themselves, perhaps, to subsistence agriculture? Therefore, the most urgent question we must ask ourselves now is: Will the transformation, already under way, contribute to closing the gaps of inclusion or will it contrarily further widen the gap between rich and poor?
Presently, the truth is that the outlook is far from promising. Most experts seem to agree that, at least in its present form, the technological revolution will not contribute to reducing inequality. In its current state, the gap is widening among those who are prepared to occupy the jobs of the future and those who are not, irrespective of whether the technological revolution leads to the creation or disappearance of jobs. That is why we are making an urgent appeal to the General Assembly to avoid a course towards the inequality that the model for technological development seems to be taking. To that end, initiatives are of great importance. Such initiatives include the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, which helps us in the search for solutions to the problem of digital security, equity and the fulfilment of rights in cyberspace, and the efforts made by the United Nations Development Programme to reduce inequalities and promote the progress and welfare of humankind through new technologies.
Of course, that connects with the fact that we must also work together to increase investment in research and development if we want to move towards the next stage of growth. Unfortunately, that is an area in which our countries are lagging behind. On the list of the 10 most innovative countries in the world, headed by South Korea, Germany and Finland, there is not a single Latin American country. We consider it an urgent priority to efficiently and continuously implement instruments, such as knowledge exchange, skills building, access to technology and cooperation in science and innovation. Accordingly, the Government of the Dominican Republic takes this opportunity to ask those leading countries in the transformation of knowledge and skills to accompany us in that process.
In the experience of the Dominican Government, it is just as important to give answers to present problems as it is to be able to anticipate future needs. As leaders, it is our responsibility to continuously act under both perspectives. A vision for the future must include those who have not yet been able to meet their basic needs and a short-term vision must consider the consequences that our actions may have on future generations. That is why it is pressing now, more than ever, to deal with the present without looking away from the future. Only if we achieve that challenging balance will we be helping to unite our societies at both ends, closing gaps and healing wounds. Only in that way will we be building a more just, prosperous and sustainable future for all.
The Dominican Government invites the General Assembly to explore new ways of cooperation and to advance the present urgent agenda and the needs of the future. We have no time to lose. The time is here — the time is now. Only with commitment, with determination and with a vision focused on the interests of our peoples will we emerge victorious from the multiple challenges that are testing developing countries. The United Nations can always count on the Dominican Republic to work actively for the well-being of present and future generations.


We are facing unprecedented challenges. Climate change is real and poses a real threat to progress, and even to our survival, forcing us to shift resources away from development. Threats to global peace and security are multiplying. Geopolitical and trade tensions, arms races, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, violent extremism, poverty and income inequality are all global challenges that require global solutions. Committing to multilateralism has never been more urgently needed. The theme of this year’s general debate could not be more appropriate.
Since Ethiopia’s political transition in April 2018, we have launched major political, legal and economic reforms. We have enlarged the political space, releasing jailed political prisoners and journalists; inviting exiled political parties to return home and pursue their peaceful struggle; revising electoral, counter-terrorism and civil society laws; and ending the 20-year conflict with Eritrea.
As we look forward to next year’s elections, those reforms, particularly the expansion of the political space, have built a solid foundation for a lasting democratic order. We have also initiated the liberalization of our economy, building on a decade of sustained growth. We recently launched the homegrown economic reform agenda aimed at addressing emerging macroeconomic imbalances, resolving structural bottlenecks, including the ease of doing business to stimulate private sector growth, and creating new opportunities.
Inclusivity has been a core element of our policy, and we have made job creation for young people the epicentre of reforms. We are taking firm steps towards institutionalizing those reforms, while addressing the huge gap in gender parity, including at the highest levels of Government.
If members were to close their eyes and think of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session, who among them would have thought that a woman from Africa would be standing here to address the Assembly? It has not been easy, but we have laid down a firm foundation for development in Ethiopia and durable peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. The rapprochement with Eritrea was a clear demonstration of the capacity of Africans to solve their problems through constructive dialogue. We are working to transform the whole region into an inclusive zone of peace and prosperity, and we are confident that the international community will support us.
In the Sudan, the formation of a Government of National Unity based on last month’s political agreement is a very encouraging development. The negotiating parties showed faith in the mediation efforts of Ethiopia and the African Union. The new leadership deserves the full backing of the international community in its efforts to revive the country’s economy. We strongly support the lifting of all economic and financial sanctions on the Sudan, including removing the Sudan from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
Somalia has come a long way in recent years and is now consolidating State institutions, with elections scheduled for 2020. At the same time, Al-Shabaab remains a serious danger to Somalia and to the wider region. Any reversal of the progress made through the enormous sacrifices of the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMISOM) and the Somali national forces must be prevented. In this regard, sustainable financing and support for AMISOM remains critical. Our partners must recognize this and reaffirm their commitments.
With the recent meeting between President Kiir and Mr. Machar, the South Sudanese parties have taken encouraging steps towards the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan. The parties should continue to show a strong commitment to increase the momentum for the full implementation of all the pre-transition objectives set forth in the agreement. We hope that the international community will redouble its efforts to deliver on the support pledged.
Ethiopia has been resolute in defending global peace and security through our contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations for 70 years. I am proud to say that Ethiopia is now the leading troop- contributing country to United Nations peacekeeping. Our troops discharge their responsibilities with the highest levels of professionalism, dedication and courage. We are currently working to strengthen the efficiency and accountability of peacekeepers, increase the role of women in peace and security activities, implement the global and regional security architecture and ensure sustainable financing for African-led peace-support operations.
In that context, let me also underline our support for Security Council reform. Africa must be permanently represented in the Security Council.
Ethiopia has started to register some encouraging initial results on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are investing in our people, our human resources, to improve their well-being. We are expanding manufacturing and infrastructure to attract an increasing amount of domestic and foreign investment. To create jobs for our youth, we are privatizing State-owned enterprises. To finance our national projects, we are mobilizing domestic resources and integrating pro-poor policies. To reduce poverty and enhance the quality of life, we are sustaining rapid and inclusive economic growth. Ethiopia is expected to be the fastest-growing economy this year. We are in the process of mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into upcoming five-year national development plans and into a long-term-perspective development plan for the next decade.
Ensuring access to quality education means less child labour, less exploitation and fewer child marriages. Indeed, we have just launched the Ethiopian education development road map. Building on our significant progress over two decades, the road map focuses on out-of-school children. Many of those children are from pastoralist or disadvantaged areas, groups with special needs or the physically disabled. The road map provides for strengthening alternative modes of delivery. It also focuses on girls, as they are still less likely to complete primary education, and on equality, addressing the barriers to education in the classroom or at home. We are increasing education spending significantly; we hope that donors live up to their commitments and target and deliver aid more effectively.
My country, with more than 100 million people, is perpetually affected by climate-induced drought. It is high time to act, urgently and decisively. That is why Ethiopia has agreed to co-lead the energy transition workstream for the Climate Action Summit.
We in Ethiopia are working on afforestation, with a 10-year forest-sector development programme, a master plan to promote sustainable and productive forestry for green economic growth. This includes plans to plant 4 billion seedlings within a year and a half, under the theme “40 Trees per Head for New Ethiopia”, a project launched in May by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Last month we broke the world record, planting more than 350 million trees in a single day.
Ethiopia’s main aspiration is to lift our people out of poverty. We are striving to provide a dignified life for all our citizens. The central element of our vision for sustainable development includes building infrastructure and harnessing our national resources. However, the grim reality today is that nearly 65 million Ethiopians do not have access to electricity. The construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile is merely to generate hydroelectric power to offer our people the opportunity to at least to have supper with a light on.
The Nile basin countries enjoy one of the oldest relationships in human history. We are inseparably linked by civilizations and this great and noble river. The seeds of our common development were planted thousands of years ago. Our time-tested links through the Nile, which provides us with life, truth and faith, can deliver a new level of energy and commitment for the betterment of our peoples. The use of the Nile waters also offers a unique opportunity for transboundary cooperation among the sisterly countries of the region. It should never be an object of competition or mistrust. Ethiopia strongly believes that the use of the Nile River should be based on the principles of international law, namely, the principles of the equitable and reasonable use of natural resources and the importance of causing no significant harm.
We have always been eager and committed to the establishment of a multilateral legal regime on the basin-wide use of the river. The Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework Agreement, signed in May 2010 after 13 years of negotiations, was our first and only truly inclusive multilateral treaty in this area. The consultations, negotiations, and signing of the Declaration of Principles on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam are a testament to Ethiopia’s commitment to cooperation, in line with the Cooperative Framework Agreement.
The remaining technical matters regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam should be left to our experts. In this regard, the technical ministries of Ethiopia, the Sudan and Egypt met earlier this month in Cairo and will reconvene at the end of September and early October in Khartoum. We should encourage and give our fullest support to the technical experts to produce a scientific- and evidence-based recommendation. As we have always said, combined efforts in the Nile Basin are not an option but a necessity for win-win cooperation and successful mutual interdependence among the Nile Basin countries.
We are fully committed to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. From our own experience, we know that maintaining peace and security, reducing poverty and achieving prosperity are attainable. The world has the resources, capabilities and capacity to preserve our planet, but time is truly running out. We must accelerate the processes to implement and deliver on commitments, avoid leaving anyone behind and provide the policies needed for employment, development, peace and security. Above all, we must work towards a multinational global environment in which all our concerns and interests are taken into account and we can move forward together to achieve our goal of collective security and prosperity.