I have the great honour to address the General Assembly in the general debate of its seventy-third session.
We warmly salute Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés and congratulate her  on her election to preside over this session of the General Assembly, which is meeting under the theme “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies”.  We  assure  her of the full support of Mozambique as she discharges her mandate.
We   congratulate    the    outgoing    President, Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, on  his  outstanding  success  and commitment to mobilizing the international community towards implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
We express our appreciation to the Secretary- General, Mr. António Guterres, for his dedicated  work and leadership of  the  Organization  on  behalf of the causes of international peace and security and sustainable development.
I would also like to express our deep condolences on the passing of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr. Annan honoured Africa and the whole world with his devotion to just global causes. The Assembly is also taking place at a time when we are celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela, that icon in the fight for freedom, peace, equality and fraternity. Those two great men should inspire us in our collective fight for a better world of peace, prosperity, security and welfare for our peoples.
Mozambique acknowledges the role of the United Nations in promoting dialogue and defending the principle of the peaceful resolution of the conflicts that continue to affect peoples and nations, violating human rights and hindering sustainable and inclusive development. The United Nations is the mother forum of multilateral dialogue, uniting States’ commitments to implementing global agendas and other instruments aimed at enabling us to achieve shared objectives. An unequal and fractured world requires multilateralism to address its gaps. The progress that has been made so far demonstrates unequivocally that the global imperative of  sharing  responsibilities  is  an  essential  element in building a peaceful, just and harmonious world. Examples of that include the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and recent efforts to eliminate nuclear arms and to regulate and humanize migration with a view to averting humanitarian catastrophes. From that list, I should also point to matters relating to human rights and good governance, the peaceful resolution of conflicts and financing for development, among others.
In that regard, Mozambique supports the Secretary- General in his efforts to reform the United Nations system with a view to ensuring that it is fit for purpose. Mozambique also commends his inclusive approach  in engaging the States Members of the United Nations at every stage of the process. In addition to those ongoing reforms, accelerating reform of the Security Council is another urgent and important element that will go a long way to reaffirming the relevance of the role of the United Nations in its quest for sustainable solutions to the challenges to  peace  and  security  that humankind is facing. The difficulty of reaching consensus among Member States on negotiating these issues also limits the Security Council’s capacity to act as one of the Organization’s pillars, without which it will be impossible to successfully implement the 2030 Agenda. Those reforms will effectively ensure that the

United Nations is relevant to all peoples, which is what we all desire.
With regard to peace and security, Mozambique continues to follow with deep concern the many continuing flashpoints of political instability represented by inter- and intra-State conflicts, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. We have closely followed the tensions on the Korean peninsula, as well as the growing problems everywhere of fundamentalism and violent extremism. We hope that the peace initiatives under way at the global level, as well as measures to suppress the recruitment and curb the financing of terrorist groups, will enable us to continue to promote further peaceful development for their peoples.
The right to self-determination of the peoples of Western Sahara and Palestine remains a concern for the international community. The lack of progress on the issue of a referendum on  self-determination for the people of Western Sahara is a continuing source  of concern for all peace-loving peoples. With regard  to the Palestinian problem, we believe in a two-State solution, based on two peoples living  side  by  side  and on the principles of international law related to good-neighbourliness, peaceful coexistence, dialogue and tolerance. And Mozambique once again joins the majority of States present in this Hall in appealing for the normalization of political, diplomatic, economic and financial relations between Cuba and the United States of America.
Mozambique has also dedicated much effort to removing obstacles to peace, promoting inclusiveness and creating an environment conducive to equitable and sustainable  development.   Our  commitment  to a constructive national dialogue has enabled us to make significant progress in resolving differences and building an effective, lasting and sustainable peace, which has gone a long way to creating an environment conducive to strengthening national unity and reconciliation and restoring our economy. After I was sworn in as Head of State in January 2015, I decided  to personally commit to the quest for peace. I made that commitment because my country and people were still struggling with tragic conflicts, fomenting wars and punishing the people. Happily, the  weapons  in my country have been silent for more than two years now, thanks to the direct dialogue I engaged in with the late leader of the Mozambican National Resistance Movement. There is now a consensus on all that we have accomplished in my country, and peace has been
my biggest achievement as President. In July, as a result of our dialogue, Mozambique saw our Assembly enact a bill amending our Constitution and changing our electoral laws, introducing  innovative  elements to our efforts to decentralize the country with a view to settling post-electoral conflict and strengthening our democracy.
Those concrete steps in the political dialogue are an indelible landmark in our country’s multiparty history, as we intend, unlike in previous election cycles, to hold our next general election without any armed political parties. A process of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration is therefore under way for the remaining armed elements of the opposition. As proof that Mozambique is genuinely pro-democracy, on 10 October we will hold municipal elections in 53 municipalities, with the participation of many political parties and civil-society associations. At the end of next year we will hold general elections in line with the agreement by consensus approved by the Assembly of the Republic. Considering the complexity of this issue, both financially and technically, my Government would like to take this solemn opportunity to thank the international community for its support and help, which is not easy to obtain. We still have more work to do to achieve peace, reconciliation and development, and we therefore appeal for more assistance to enable us to ensure the success of the process of disarming, demobilizing and reintegrating the remaining armed elements, which will begin soon.
The people of Mozambique are determined to live in peace, and my Government is also committed to fighting the organized crime that is destabilizing and threatening our efforts to achieve national development. We are determined to neutralize the groups of criminals that are trying to disrupt public order and tranquillity in some parts of the northern province of Cabo Delgado. We need everyone to collaborate with us in combating those criminals, because their crimes are global, involving nationals and non-nationals. We cannot think about democracy or human rights when humankind’s fundamental right to life is at risk.
Mozambique takes its commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals very responsibly, and we therefore aligned our 2015 national agenda with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We believe firmly that we can create a more just, equitable society with greater solidarity by implementing the Goals. They represent a basis on which we can broaden social justice

in our country. My Government has made tremendous efforts to implement our national agenda so as to create more opportunities for our citizens, particularly women and young people, within a framework of ensuring democratic dividends in our society.
Making the United Nations relevant to everyone means leaving no one behind, a  hugely  important  aim that we must not neglect. We should  therefore give special attention to policies and strategies aimed at protecting people’s full enjoyment of their rights, promoting gender equality and improving capacity- building for women, young people and other vulnerable groups, who make up the majority of our people. Social justice also demands that we promote gender equality, an area where we have had made significant progress at the political, economic and corporate levels.
We have also undertaken efforts to increase access to basic health, education, water and sanitation services for all. Another key element we are working on to solidify the relevance of the United Nations for our people is ensuring their food and nutritional security by prioritizing agriculture in our national development strategy. Since our new governance cycle began in 2015, we have mobilized our domestic resources and encouraged hard work by all, and have increased our agricultural and livestock productivity, with the aim of achieving one of the Sustainable Development Goals, the elimination of hunger by 2030, which will require still more public and private investment.
With regard to combating corruption, another scourge that impedes our ability to achieve our global, regional and national goals, my Government has promoted measures designed to improve every aspect of governance,  political, economic  and  corporate  by enacting laws, policies and strategies for fighting corruption. We continue to strengthen our institutional and human capacity to ensure the enforcement of our anti-corruption laws and to raise awareness of this scourge’s damaging effects among all members of society and institutions. We must always uphold the principle of the separation of institutional powers.
With regard to climate change, Mozambique, as a country very vulnerable to its effects, has continued to take measures for adaptation and resilience within the framework of the Paris Agreement, which we ratified in June. We have adopted a policy of biodiversity conservation to which 25 per cent of our territory is dedicated. We have also promoted the development of
communities in the conservation area and encouraged their involvement in protecting and preserving our valuable natural resources. We have fostered the  use of renewable energies in rural areas, the sustainable management of natural resources,  the  conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, and benefit-sharing. I would like to appeal from this rostrum for international financial and technological cooperation in strengthening our capacity to continue our efforts.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the unconditional commitment of the Government of the Republic of Mozambique to the critical role of the United Nations in finding solutions to the problems afflicting humankind. The United Nations will always be the platform that brings all of us together in a collective commitment to the noble ideas on which this universal Organization was founded — saving future generations from the scourge for war and promoting social progress, better living conditions and greater freedom. Let us continue to be faithful to the supreme ideals enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and work together to build peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies.


At the outset, I would like to sincerely congratulate Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés on her election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. On behalf of the Government and the people of the Sudan, I wish to express to the President and Vice-Presidents our  sincere  wishes  for every success in their tasks and for a successful session. I would also like to express our appreciation and gratitude for the expertise and effectiveness of  the President’s predecessor, Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, in presiding over the seventy-second session.
This session is being held under the theme “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies”. That reflects the interest of this international Organization in achieving peace and sustainable development while working to ensure fundamental human rights, which are all basic pillars of the United Nations and exemplify the hopes and ambitions that we all aspire to achieve. The Sudan, along with the international community, looks forward

to seeing the United Nations play its leadership role in the promotion of balanced development in peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies. In order for our Organization to play that role and serve humankind,  as well as confront increasing challenges in all fields, the Organization should be reformed and become more effective and capable of confronting such challenges.
The national dialogue initiative led in  2014  by His Excellency Mr. Omer Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir, President of the Republic of the Sudan, resulted in the formation of the Government of National Reconciliation with the participation of political parties all across the political spectrum, including the armed movements in Darfur, which opted for the peaceful settlement in line with the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur.
That was positively reflected in the promotion of peace and security throughout the country. It culminated with the successes of the first and second phases of the exit strategy with regard to the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) pursuant to Security Council resolutions 2363 (2017) and 2429 (2018). That is yet another success story involving the transition from peacekeeping to recovery, reconstruction and social reconciliation. In that regard, the Government of the Sudan would like to underscore its readiness to continue cooperating fully in order to facilitate the implementation of the third phase.
We would also like to commend the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union (AU) in Darfur. We hope that the United Nations, donors, and sisterly and friendly countries will participate meaningfully in the pledging conference due to be held shortly in order to promote stability and finance various recovery, reconstruction and development projects, as well as peacebuilding and sustainable peace programmes in Darfur during the transitional period in preparation for the exit of UNAMID in 2020.
It is vital to highlight the successes and tangible results achieved as a result of the national weapons- collection campaign. That was the result  of  the  social sector’s cooperation with the Government in collaboration with partners, notably UNAMID. It led to a reduction in crime rates, as well as to reduced drug and human trafficking. It also led to the greater movement of citizens and their repatriation aimed at undertaking various economic activities.
The Government of the Sudan believes that negotiations are the only path leading to peace. It must,
therefore, extend a helping hand to the armed groups in South Kordofan  and  Blue  Nile,  and  participate  in all rounds of negotiations in various forums. In order for the Government to create an environment conducive to such negotiations, it has committed itself to the unilateral ceasefire in all theatres of operation for more than two years. It is worth mentioning that the Government of the Sudan launched a number of initiatives to establish humanitarian corridors and to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions, but certain rebel movements in Blue Nile areas still refuse to participate in such initiatives. The Government of the Sudan has agreed that the United Nations would shoulder  the task of delivering humanitarian assistance from within the country.
The Sudanese Government is making tireless efforts to ensure economic reforms, regulate fiscal policies and set transitional strategic policies aimed at reducing poverty and achieving sustainable  development  goals, as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Despite those wise policies adopted by the Government in order to mobilize local resources, promote the role of the private sector and govern fiscal management, the unilateral sanctions imposed on my country and the impact of accumulated foreign debt continue to undermine our development and our ability to engage in the necessary development activities. They have also reduced our ability to attract essential foreign financing, as we have not been permitted to have any form of debt exemption under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, despite the fact that the Sudan has met all of the technical preconditions. We would also like to recall that the Sudan has the potential to help achieve food security in Africa and the Arab region, so it should be supported in that vital field.
The Sudan appreciates the United States Administration’s decision to lift the trade embargo imposed on my country in October 2017. We look forward to having the Sudan removed from the United States list of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism. We also look forward to positive partnerships in future, especially now that we are quite active at both the regional and the international levels in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We refer in particular to the report issued by the United States State Department in September,  which  supported  our approach.

The Sudan has been an honest defender of the principles of justice and international cooperation, as well as the principle of fighting impunity. However, the selective approach adopted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) has caused that court to lose  the impartiality of judicial bodies and has led to the disappointment of the international community, especially among African countries. The position of the Sudan towards the ICC is therefore aligned with many decisions adopted by the AU, underscoring our view that the ICC is nothing but a political tool that dons the mantle of law in order to achieve political objectives that seek to break the will of peoples, particularly African peoples. The Sudan therefore calls for African voices to be heeded. It warns against the politicization and abuse of the United Nations in the name of international justice based on the Relationship Agreement signed between the United Nations and the ICC, which has a negative influence on the United Nations, pushing it into the realm of international political conflicts.
My Government has made concerted efforts to host a large number of refugees, which currently stands at more than 3 million. We provide them with the necessary assistance, which covers more than 70 per cent of their needs, while the international community meets less than 30 per cent of those needs. That places huge pressure on the communities providing assistance to refugees, especially in the light of the harsh economic circumstances that my country faces. Given the fact that those circumstances will not improve in the near future, the influx of refugees into my country will continue  to be a burden. I urge the international community to accelerate the provision of  the  necessary assistance to my country so that it can fulfil its obligations with respect to that humanitarian situation.
The Government of my country has made significant progress in the field of promoting human rights in the Sudan. That was recognized by the Human Rights Council in its decision issued in Geneva last week, which underlined our positive cooperation with the Council’s mechanisms.
My Government has made great efforts to combat human trafficking and illegal migration, as well as transnational crime, in order to strengthen peace and stability. Thanks to the geographic location of the Sudan in the heart of Africa, that can be achieved at the national, regional and international levels. Those efforts culminated in the joint initiative by the Horn of Africa and the European Union countries to address the
root causes and consequences of illegitimate migration in the Horn of Africa region, known as the Khartoum Process. We have high hopes that the international community will reach consensus and recognize the leadership of and role played by the Sudan in the efforts to combat migration-related problems.
The Sudan reaffirms its position, which is to reject terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including State terrorism, as a means of achieving political objectives. The Sudan has made clear that position    by committing to and ratifying all relevant regional and international conventions. We have long been an effective member of the international community, at the international, regional and bilateral levels. We have explicitly contributed to combating that phenomenon and have prevented many terrorist operations, thanks to the exchange of information and good institutional relations that link the Sudan with its partners, be they regional, international or bilateral.
In that context, my delegation expresses great concern over the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia, which takes various forms.  We  strongly  condemn the acts carried out on that basis, which have led to discrimination, hatred and an environment that is conducive to violence. We stress that terrorism should not be linked to any religion, culture or civilization. The Sudan underscores its cooperation in the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy in a comprehensive, sustained and consistent manner. We also underline the need to adopt an inclusive  approach to the fight against terrorism   in all its forms and manifestations, taking into consideration the various cultural, social, economic and political aspects of that phenomenon. The means to accomplish those ends include the eradication of poverty and support for development in developing nations, especially in Africa, and the promotion of dialogue between the North and the South.
The Sudan pays great attention to local, regional and international environmental issues. We reaffirm our commitment to all of the conventions relating to the environment, given the negative environmental impact on wide swathes of the Sudan as a result of drought, desertification, the lack of rainfall  and  flooding. That was quite clear in the conflict in Darfur, which started with disputes between herders and farmers caused by the drought that  affected  the  region.  It was a clear demonstration of the direct link between drought, desertification, environmental degradation

and conflicts, especially in Africa. We call upon the international community to support the national and regional initiatives in that field, such as the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative.
With regard to the issue of water, my country supports a balanced and comprehensive approach to the management of water resources with other countries in the Nile Basin by promoting coordination and cooperation between those countries. The aim is to achieve the desired goals through various mechanisms, including the Nile Basin Initiative. In that context, the Sudan will continue its endeavours with Egypt, Ethiopia and the remaining Nile Basin countries, so that we can settle all contentious issues related to the Nile waters.
Once again, my country’s delegation stresses our full commitment to all of the international treaties and conventions relevant to the maintenance of international peace and security and demilitarization, foremost among them the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to which the Sudan acceded in 1973, as well as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, or Pelindaba Treaty. The Sudan also plays a recognizedrole in promoting cooperation among African countries in the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
We stress that strengthening the values of peace, security and stability in the world cannot be achieved in the presence of weapons of mass destruction. We are fully committed to supporting all international efforts aimed at eliminating such weapons. The Sudan pays particular attention to small arms and light weapons, since they have a direct relationship to transnational organized crime, terrorism and drug trafficking. To that end, we have been making multifaceted efforts within the African Union, the League of Arab States and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), as well as the Community of Sahelo-Saharan States and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, in addition to our  bilateral  efforts with neighbouring countries aimed at ensuring the demarcation of our borders with full control over them and at setting up customs checkpoints.
My country’s delegation would like  to  express our sincere congratulations to the Government  and the brotherly people of the Republic of South Sudan  on the progress achieved in reviving the  Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, which was reached in Addis Ababa
on 12 September. That Agreement was signed by all parties to the conflict, as well as by stakeholders from civil-society organizations, young people, religious leaders and other important members of South Sudan society. That was the result of negotiations undertaken in Khartoum from 25 June to 28 September, thanks to an initiative launched by His Excellency the President of the Sudan and a mandate from IGAD.
In that vein, the Khartoum Declaration on good intentions and the ceasefire in South Sudan was signed on 26 July, which was followed by the engagement of all parties to the conflict in the negotiation process. After that, the details were initialled, the last initialling of which took place on 30 August, thanks to the sincere efforts made by the Sudanese mediation team to promote the resolution of African conflicts within the African framework. We also highly appreciate the great efforts made by IGAD and the leaders of its member countries, for they have contributed effectively to the achievements realized. We would like  to  highlight the efforts made by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia  and Head of IGAD, His Excellency Mr. Abiy Ahmed; the President of Uganda, His Excellency Mr. Yoweri Museveni; and the President of Kenya, His Excellency Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta.  Their  concerted  efforts  were in line with those of our President, His Excellency Mr. Omar al-Bashir, all of which led to the possibility of bringing peace to South Sudan.
We would also like to thank the Troika countries — he United States, the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Norway — for their support for IGAD. They are and we thank them for their moral and material support during the negotiation process. We also thank the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union for their support during that phase.
If there is one country on Earth capable of speaking of the sacrifices that it has made for South Sudan, it would be my country, the Sudan. Had the Republic of Sudan not agreed to voluntarily let go of a quarter of its territory, a  third of  its people and three quarters of its petroleum resources, the State of South Sudan would not have been established. The Republic of the Sudan granted the people of South Sudan the right to self-determination in a move unprecedented move on the entire African continent. The only reason was the desire to bring peace and stability to the Sudan and South Sudan. After such massive sacrifices for peace, the Sudan cannot afford to lose peace once again in

either part of the Sudan, that is to say, the Republic of the Sudan or the Republic of South Sudan.
I would say to those who doubt the capacities of the various leaders in the Republic of South Sudan to work together or the intentions of the region’s  States to stay united in their support for South  Sudan that  we all have no choice but to give peace a chance. We have no hope for a bright future for South Sudan in particular and the region in general without supporting the implementation of the peace agreement that has been reached.
As for the donor countries in particular, I would say that the contributions they made in the past will not be in vain, except if the current opportunity to achieve sustainable peace in South Sudan is lost. I therefore call on those countries to continue without hesitation their support for South Sudan, because it is in dire need of such assistance and contributions.
During their previous summit, held in Addis Ababa, the countries of the region called on the Security Council to consider expanding the regional protection force in South Sudan from 4,000 to 8,000 soldiers and to ensure that the Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti and Somalia contribute to that force. We look forward to a quick response to that appeal so that we can fulfil our huge responsibilities as guarantors of peace in South Sudan.
The separation of South Sudan from the Sudan was not an easy or smooth process, and many issues remain unresolved between the two neighbouring countries. However, the new environment that  has  resulted  from the mediation initiative among the parties in the Republic of South  Sudan launched by  the  President of the Republic of the  Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir, has  led to a genuine change in the relations between the two brotherly countries. Within just 41 days of that initiative, success was achieved on  several  issues  that had remained unresolved for years. That was possible owing to the considerable trust on the part of President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar of South Sudan in President Omar Al-Bashir of the Sudan and the Sudanese mediator.
The current circumstances are therefore conducive to the resolution of all pending issues between the two countries, at the top of which is the Abyei issue. The two parties have begun informal consultations aimed at promoting trust and closing the chapter of controversy forever. The Sudan welcomes the address to the Assembly by the First Vice-President of the Republic of
South Sudan, Mr. Taban Deng Gai, in which he stressed his willingness to contribute positively to the resolution of the problems of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
One of the greatest principles established by this international Organization is that all States, big and small, have the right to be able to live in peace in their regional environment. That right applies to the Republic of the Sudan and to the Republic of South Sudan, as well as to all other States in our region. We call upon the international community to work with all of us in order to apply that great United Nations principle and make it a tangible reality.
The Sudan reaffirms its support for the joint initiative of the African Union and the United Nations aimed at bringing peace and stability to the Central African Republic. In that regard, we commend the tireless efforts made by the President of the Central African Republic, Mr. Faustin Archange Touadera. We wish him every success.
The Sudan has hosted many parties and armed movements from Central Africa in order to mediate between them and help  reach  an  agreement  to  put an end to the division and fighting in the Central African Republic. We will continue along that path under the umbrella of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic and in line with the announcement of Mr.  Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, during the high-level meeting on the Central African Republic, which was held during the current session of the General Assembly.
The Sudan underscores  its  principled  position on the Palestinian question. We  condemn any  form  of aggression against the religious sites in Palestine, notably Al-Quds Al-Sharif. We stress our support for the Arab Peace Initiative, which seeks to establish a Palestinian State within its 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, as well as the withdrawal of Israel from the occupied Arab territories.
My delegation also condemns the gross violations of human rights committed against the minority Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, as manifested in the killing of people, the demolition of homes and mosques, and the forced displacement of thousands of people from their villages. We call on the international community to take practical steps to end such violations and bring the perpetrators to account.

The Sudan reiterates its position in support of the constitutional legitimacy of brotherly Yemen. We call on all political stakeholders to engage in the political process, renounce their infighting and refrain from violence, so that they can reach a political solution in order to stop the bloodshed decimating the Yemeni people, in line with the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference and the Security Council resolutions.
The Sudan also reiterates its keen interest in ensuring the territorial integrity of Syria. We support all efforts to overcome the current crisis in Syria, which is becoming more complex each day.
Once again, the Sudan underlines the importance of bringing about stability in brotherly Somalia. We call on the international community to provide all necessary support to the Government and the people of Somalia so that they can overcome the challenges facing their country.
The delegation of my country welcomes the breakthrough achieved in the relations between the two sisterly neighbours Ethiopia and Eritrea. We look forward to the strengthening of their bilateral relations, which bodes well for their Governments and peoples, as well as for the countries of the wider region.
With regard to the situation in Libya, the Sudan’s position has been always to support the brotherly Libyan people and to strive with the international community to ensure the success of the various initiatives that seek to bring security and stability to Libya, particularly through the Skhirat Political Agreement, which represents the main political pillar in that country. We also reject any interference in the internal affairs of Libya, given that such action would have catastrophic repercussions on the stability and security of the country and the wider region. In that context, the Sudan expresses its readiness to host the upcoming meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the countries neighbouring Libya.
We once again express our solidarity with and support for the reform agenda that the Secretary- General is striving to implement and especially the efforts made to strengthen the General Assembly and its various subsidiary organs. The General Assembly is considered the largest and most representative body of  States Members of  the United Nations and plays  an important role in issues relating to international peace and security. Those reforms will ensure that the
General Assembly is able to meet the requirements of the twenty-first century and address the continuing challenges facing us.
In conclusion, my delegation reiterates its commitment to international multilateralism under the leadership of the United Nations. We stress the noble purposes that have been the building blocks of the United Nations, particularly those pertaining to the maintenance of international peace and security, achieving sustainable development and promoting human rights through an approach that is underpinned by international cooperation and dialogue, with a view to enhancing friendly international relations and settling conflicts through peaceful means.


It is indeed an honour and privilege for me to address the General Assembly for the first time in my capacity as the President of the Republic of Botswana, after assuming office on 1 April.

I succeeded our former President Lieutenant General Serêtsê Khama Ian Khama, who retired at the end of his term in office. It was the fifth time that Botswana has witnessed a smooth transfer of power since its independence, in 1966.
Allow me to join other delegations in paying tribute to the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, who passed  away  on  18  August. Mr. Annan will be remembered as an international statesman and an icon who devoted his entire life to serving humankind.
Let me also join other delegations in congratulating Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés on her election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. Her election is particularly noteworthy as this is only the fourth time a woman has held the position since the founding of our world body, 73 years ago, and she is the first woman to do so from the Latin American and Caribbean region. I would like to assure her of the full support and cooperation of my delegation as she discharges her mandate, and we wish her every success.
Let me also take this opportunity to thank His Excellency Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, who competently presided over the deliberations of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session.
I also wish to thank our Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, for his outstanding leadership and stewardship of the United Nations. I want especially to commend him for the reforms that he has initiated, which are aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the Organization.
My delegation welcomes the theme of the general debate of the seventy-third session of the General Assembly, “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies”. We are particularly pleased to note that it builds on last year’s theme, which also focused on people and emphasized the nexus between peace and a decent life for everyone on the planet. That shows the steadfast commitment  of the United Nations to ensuring sustainable development for all. Clearly, the principle of leaving no one behind should remain our long-term aspiration. It is a clarion call for us to end extreme poverty and ensure the provision of quality education, health care, infrastructure, housing and employment for all.
I am pleased that the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2018 indicates that there are more people living healthier lives today than there were a decade ago. However, we should be reminded  that  much more still needs to be done to achieve prosperity for all, especially in view of the fact that an estimated  783 million people live in extreme poverty, 2.3 billion still lack access to basic levels of sanitation services and 4 billion are without social protection.
It is therefore apparent that none of  us, whether big or small, can overcome those gigantic development challenges alone. Consequently, we need to act together to strengthen multilateralism and honour and implement the commitments made by the General Assembly and global partnerships for sustainable development.
It is also imperative that the global community continue to support individual countries, taking into account their unique development challenges. For instance, while Botswana is classified as an upper- middle-income country, it is still dealing with many development challenges comparable to those of less- developed countries. However, we are reassured by the words the Secretary-General used when he said that the United Nations
“stands ready to work with all Member States to make the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for everyone, everywhere”.
In view of  the  development  challenges  facing my country, I want to reiterate our appeal for continued support in human capital, infrastructure and capacity development for the private sector and technology transfer.
On sustainable development, Botswana reaffirms its commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Accordingly, we have aligned our national Vision 2036 with that global Agenda. At the regional level, we are also pleased that the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Southern African Development Community’s integration agenda are also aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
What those development agendas have in common is that they are aimed at eradicating poverty and creating inclusive, prosperous and peaceful societies. In that respect, we are pleased to note that extreme poverty continues to decline across the globe, even though we still have a long way to go, given that 35 per cent of

Africa’s population — 395 million people — still live in abject poverty.
As we begin the third year of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, my Government remains steadfast in its resolve to improve the material and social well-being of Botswana’s population. Our national development agenda places “people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership” at the heart of sustainable development. In that regard, our national Vision 2036 is anchored to four pillars: sustainable economic development; human and social development; sustainable environment; and governance, peace and security.
In addition, we have six national priorities that are aligned with our national Vision pillars — developing diversified sources of economic growth, human capital development and social development, the sustainable use of national resources, the consolidation of good governance,  strengthening  national  security   and the implementation of an effective monitoring and evaluation system. With those in mind, our sustainable development  pathway  strikes  a   balance   among the social, human, economic, environmental and governance dimensions.
The implementation of our national Vision 2036 and the eleventh national development plan is underpinned by a robust monitoring and evaluation system to ensure the effective delivery of these  programmes’  goals  and aspirations. Additionally, we have established a national steering committee to effectively coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have also developed Botswana’s SDGs road map, which is a guide for the achievement of the goals contained within the SDGs, covering the period from 2017 to 2036.
My Government has adopted a  comprehensive and inclusive approach to the implementation and monitoring of  the  Sustainable  Development  Goals. It aims  to  ensure  broad  ownership  and  leadership at the local, community and national levels and to break down silos across the development spectrum by forging strategic partnerships among the Government, academia, civil society organizations, community- based organizations, development partners, the private sector, non-State actors and the United Nations system. In pursuit of those goals and aspirations, we have given priority to economic diversification, sustainable economic growth, employment creation and investment
in human capital with a view to building a prosperous and inclusive society.
In particular, the focus is on our young people, who constitute 60 per cent of the population of Botswana. In that regard, our ultimate goal is to attain universal access to pre-primary, primary and secondary education. We are also expanding access to tertiary, technical and vocational education and training. In addition, we are developing a national employment policy, the objective of which is to assist Botswana in reaching gainful and productive employment and decent work for all. Above all, the Government of Botswana has developed several policies, programmes and strategies, such as our economic diversification drive initiative, our citizen economic empowerment policy, youth empowerment scheme and youth development fund, to support sustainable economic development and employment creation.
To ensure that development benefits all, my Government continues to make substantial investments in the provision of health care, decent housing and shelter through interventions such as the Treat All Strategy, preventing  mother-to-child   transmission of HIV, a self-help housing agency and a programme to house the destitute. Additionally, the Government provides social protection to such vulnerable groups as children, young persons, the elderly and persons living with disabilities through a policy addressing out-of-school children, the orphan-care programme and the old-age pension scheme. Other development interventions aimed at increasing access to economic and social opportunities include poverty eradication, women and youth empowerment, and a national policy on gender and development.
Furthermore, we are giving priority to investments in research and development, science, technology and innovation in order to transform Botswana into a high- income-status nation and knowledge-based economy. Investment in information and communications technology is undertaken to promote growth and economic diversification and to support e-Government services and innovation in the economy.
We note that the implementation of the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development faces immense constraints in terms  of resources and capacity. In that respect, we welcome the efforts of the United Nations to address those challenges through the adoption of resolution 72/279, on the repositioning of

the United Nations development system, in May 2018. The resolution is vital in that it aims at supporting countries in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is our firm conviction that strengthened United Nations country teams and reinvigorated Resident Coordinator systems will contribute significantly to the achievement of the SDGs.
Botswana also welcomes the signing of the African Union-United Nations Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to ensure the effective coordination,  execution  and monitoring  of  those two instruments as well as reporting on them. That coordination will hopefully ensure that there is no duplication of effort, thereby allowing for the effective use of our already limited resources.
On human rights, Botswana remains committed  to the promotion and protection of human rights, democracy, good governance and the rule of law, which are critical to sustainable development, prosperity and peaceful societies. In that regard, we continue to support efforts aimed at fighting impunity and at implementing the principle of the responsibility to protect populations from such atrocities as genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Accordingly, we reaffirm our full support for the Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC achieved a milestone this year when it commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of  the Rome Statute, which founded the Court. Since its establishment, in 2002, the International Criminal Court has contributed significantly to the strengthening of the international criminal justice system through its prosecution of grave international crimes.
On international peace and security, Botswana remains deeply concerned about the protracted conflicts in Afghanistan, Mali, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It is estimated that over the past decade, violent conflicts have led to the forced displacement of over 68.5 million people. Studies show that conflicts contribute to increases in slums, hunger and food insecurity, thereby worsening humanitarian crises. We therefore urge all parties to those conflicts to uphold  their  obligation  to protect civilians and humanitarian personnel, in accordance with international human rights law and international humanitarian law. We also want to stress that dialogue and the peaceful resolution of conflicts are critical to the maintenance of international peace and security.
We want to commend the Secretary-General for initiating reforms of the peace and security pillar aimed at strengthening United Nations capacities in conflict prevention and resolution, mediation, peacekeeping, peacemaking, post-conflict reconstruction and development, peacebuilding and sustaining peace. To bolster international peacemaking efforts, African leaders have committed themselves to funding 25 per cent of peace support operations in Africa by 2021  and to silencing the guns by 2020. I therefore want to applaud regional organizations for their commitment to that noble cause.
With regard to corruption, as a global community we need to address the problems of illicit financial flows, money-laundering and corruption, which are haemorrhaging the resources needed to  implement  the SDGs. Among other things, SDG 16 calls for a substantial reduction of corruption and bribery in all their forms, strengthening the recovery and return of stolen assets and developing effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
In conclusion, I want to reaffirm Botswana’s commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Our actions should be bold and transformative as we build a better future for our nations and succeeding generations. We should stand firm behind our mantra of leaving no one behind. Let us not be hesitant in demonstrating global leadership, collective responsibility and collaborative partnerships involving all countries and peoples of the world. The future is truly in our hands.


I am honoured to address this eminent gathering of nations seized with advancing  the  international  agenda  towards the realization of international peace, sustainable development and the well-being of all humankind.
On behalf of the Government and the people of  the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, I extend our congratulations to the President on her election to lead the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. As we continue to pursue gender equality across all borders and spheres of endeavour, her election to the post of the presidency of the General Assembly is further impetus for the global rethinking and acceptance of female leadership, and towards strengthening the global pursuit of gender parity, empowerment and equality.
Allow me to further express the gratitude of the delegation of Trinidad and Tobago to her predecessor, His Excellency Miroslav Lajčák, whose leadership helped advance the efforts of the United Nations to undertake the ambitious task of system-wide reform. The reform agenda marks a new, emerging approach to multilateral institutionalism and presents an opportunity to transform the United Nations into a dynamic body capable of better responding to the needs and challenges that reflect the diversity of its membership.
This year’s theme, “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies”, compels us to reflect on the nexus between the Organization’s ambitious and comprehensive reform agenda and our shared pursuit of a sustainable future for all. The myriad multidimensional threats that litter the international development landscape threaten our efforts to ensure universal sustainable development and the eradication of extreme poverty, as well as peace and security and the enjoyment of fundamental human rights by all.

The existential threat posed by unmitigated climate change and global warming, extreme poverty, violent extremism, gender-based violence and the spread of new and infectious diseases is one that is best faced together as Members of the  United  Nations.  As  the  bastion of international peace and security, human rights, sustainable development and the rule of law, the United Nations, as an institution, is compelled to adopt a shift in its approach in order to ensure adequate, effective and efficient responses to the challenges of our time.  It is on that basis that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago reaffirms its support for the implementation of the Secretary-General’s reform agenda, in accordance with the relevant General Assembly resolutions.
As we pursue the cost savings and efficiencies associated with the reform agenda, however, it is imperative that we not lose sight of the foundational principles, values and overarching objectives of this institution. In that regard, I am reminded of the words of our former Secretary-General, the late Kofi Annan. He reminded us that, even though the United Nations is an Organization of States, the Charter of the United Nations is written in the name of “We the peoples.” Ultimately, that is the role of the United Nations, namely, to serve the needs and hopes of people everywhere. People must be at the centre of our common endeavour.
Having recognized that far-reaching truth, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, through wide consultation, developed its Vision 2030 national development strategy. That multidimensional and inclusive development policy places our people, our greatest resource, at the centre of our pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. If we really are to ensure that no one is left behind, we must redouble our efforts to ensure equitable access to opportunity and mobility for the most vulnerable. Those who have long been left behind must now be positioned to participate in society as equals.
By its very nature, the scope of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development speaks to the wide range of issues that challenge global sustainable development. Notwithstanding the global relevance of those challenges, it is widely acknowledged that asymmetries exist with regard to the impact of external shocks on small island developing States (SIDS), such as Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean region.
The	Government	of	Trinidad	and	Tobago
recognizes	the	SIDS	Accelerated	Modalities	of
Action (SAMOA) Pathway as an essential component in the catalogue of development frameworks needed  to specifically guide the sustainable development of SIDS. Accordingly, Trinidad and Tobago  welcomes the San Pedro Declaration adopted at the Caribbean Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Midterm Review of the SAMOA Pathway in Belize, and looks forward to participating in the high-level review  summit of  the SAMOA Pathway in 2019. Moreover, Trinidad and Tobago takes this opportunity to reinforce the principle that SIDS continue to be a special case for sustainable development, given our complex and intricate challenges. As we and our regional partners prioritize the unique threats to the development of our people, the 2030 Agenda provides an important guide in our efforts to ensure that none of our citizens are left behind.
In manifesting the intent of Agenda  2030,  we have come to appreciate the importance of prioritizing the well-being of all of our citizens. In that regard, Trinidad and Tobago and our Caribbean Community (CARICOM) counterparts are taking action to address the threat that the high incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) poses to our region. Those diseases ravage our human resources, burden our health-care systems and undermine our development efforts. Since the adoption of the Port of Spain Declaration on NCDs by the CARICOM Heads of Government in 2007 and the landmark United Nations high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in 2011 (see A/66/PV.3 et seq.), Trinidad and Tobago has implemented a number of strategies for controlling and reducing NCDs.
Our 2017-2021 National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases aims to harness the collective efforts of both the public and private sectors to prevent and control NCDs. In that regard, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago welcomes the adoption of the political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. By raising the standard of living, improving the educational and health-care systems and providing equal access to opportunities, Trinidad and Tobago’s Vision  2030  is  actively  pursuing  the  development of a resilient, equitable and healthy society  that places all people at the centre of our sustainable development efforts.
However,   no   challenge  is   more  pressing  than
climate change. For small island developing States such

as Trinidad and Tobago, casting doubt on the scientific truth behind climate change only serves to distract and delay the urgent and ambitious action that is needed to confront the existential threat posed by global warming.
Earlier this year, the Government  of  Trinidad  and Tobago deposited its  instrument  of  ratification to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, thereby formalizing its steadfast commitment to the principles and goals of the Agreement. As our national contribution to achieving the overarching objectives of the Paris Agreement, Trinidad and Tobago has committed to reducing cumulative greenhouse-gas emissions from industry, power generation and the transport sector by 15 per cent by the year 2030.
As a State party to the agreement, Trinidad and Tobago will be actively engaged in the negotiating process within the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which seeks to operationalize the Paris Agreement on a scale that will  result  in  achieving the long-term temperature goal and further limit the increase in global temperature to 1.5°C. It is also hoped that the operationalization process will catalyse international cooperation on mitigation, adaptation and climate finance to that end.
Our commitment to the  Paris  Agreement reflects Trinidad and Tobago’s assumption of overall responsibility to support international efforts to tackle shared environmental challenges, which include climate change, ozone depletion, land degradation, the loss of biodiversity, the illegal trade in wildlife and the movement of hazardous waste.
As a twin-island State, the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources is critically important to the development priorities of Trinidad and Tobago. However, Trinidad and Tobago is located in a region that is highly vulnerable to an unprecedented rate of loss of  marine  biodiversity and to the impact of unsustainable practices on the marine environment.
We therefore welcome the first session of the intergovernmental conference that seeks to develop a legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago looks forward to participating in future sessions of the intergovernmental conference
in 2019 and 2020, which will draft the text of the instrument that will ensure the protection and sustainable management of the common heritage of humankind for the benefit of present and future generations.
One of the pressing challenges facing the region is the termination of correspondent banking relations and the labelling of countries in the region as non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. Those actions have severely destabilized the financial sectors of the region without due consideration having been given to the financial, human and technical constraints confronting our member countries.
As a result, the region’s efforts to bolster our economic stability and effectively engage in the global financial system have been stymied to the detriment  of our economic growth and progress. That has the potential to further erode the development gains achieved thus far. In that regard, Trinidad and Tobago joins with other CARICOM member States in reiterating our commitment to ensuring compliance with globally accepted standards and calls on our international partners to engage constructively on that issue.
In our collective journey towards sustainable development, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is fully convinced that the United Nations development system will, for the foreseeable future, remain a reliable partner in assisting our country in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and our Vision 2030 national development strategy.
With that in mind, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago welcomes the Secretary-General’s efforts to reposition the United Nations development system in order better to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SAMOA Pathway,  including through a reinvigorated resident coordinator system. Trinidad and Tobago reiterates the importance of ensuring that the development system adopts a more responsive and flexible approach to development  assistance,  based on national priorities and needs, while strengthening national ownership and leadership.
The United Nations has long recognized the interconnectedness  between  peace  and development
— a symbiotic relationship, where one cannot exist without the other. Ongoing conflicts across the world serve as stark reminders of the need to promote a positive, dynamic and participatory international peace and security architecture  that  is  based  on  the  spirit  of    mutual   understanding   and   cooperation  between

Governments, international organizations and civil society ─ one that is in compliance with international obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
The illegal trade in arms continues to affect the social and economic fabric of the Caribbean region, including Trinidad and Tobago. That is particularly true of the trade in small arms and light weapons, which is linked to other transnational organized crimes, such as drug trafficking. It threatens the livelihood of our people, undermines the rule of law and challenges our efforts to ensure a peaceful, equitable and sustainable country.
At the global level, Trinidad and Tobago fully subscribes to the object and purpose of the Arms Trade Treaty, which can be leveraged as a mechanism for reducing  the  incidence  of  armed  violence  in  the region. Thus, since 2010, Trinidad  and  Tobago has presented the biennial resolution on women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, which encourages women’s participation in disarmament decision-making processes.
On the issue of denuclearization, Trinidad and Tobago resolutely believes that the use or  the threat of use of nuclear weapons constitutes a crime against humanity and a violation of international law, including the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago therefore remains firm in its support for the full and effective implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and is actively considering its signature and ratification.
Trinidad and Tobago has long recognized that international peace and security must be supported by a robust international legal system, including international criminal justice. Trinidad and Tobago, through the work of our former Prime Minister and President, the late Arthur Robinson, was at the vanguard of efforts to establish the International Criminal Court (ICC) two decades ago. Trinidad and Tobago remains a fervent advocate of the Court, underscoring its importance and legitimacy in various forums. We stand resolute in our commitment to support the mandate of the ICC and to promote the universality of the Rome Statue.
The delegation of  Trinidad  and  Tobago  wishes to make the point that, consistent with the principle   of complementarity enshrined in the Rome Statute,  the Court’s jurisdiction is invoked only when States are unable or unwilling to prosecute those accused of
committing the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. At the adoption of the Rome Statute in June 1998, the late Kofi Annan stated that:
“Gradually the world has come to realize that relying on each State or army to punish its own transgressors is not enough. When crimes are committed on such a scale, we know that the State lacks either the power or the will to stop them.”
Therefore, no individual or State that demonstrates full respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights need fear the ICC. Those who fail to cooperate with the Court are contributing to a culture of impunity that undermines the rule of law and denies justice to victims of heinous crimes.
Our best efforts to strengthen multilateral peace and security will surely fall short unless there is real and significant reform of the Security Council. While we welcome the continuation of the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform, Trinidad and Tobago remains concerned that such discussions have not resulted in tangible progress towards a text-based negotiation. Trinidad and Tobago urges the international community to work collaboratively towards reforming the Security Council so that it can better address current realities and challenges, including those faced by small island developing States, and so that it can improve the effectiveness and credibility of the United Nations with regard to the maintenance of peace and international security.
This year, the world has witnessed the unifying power of dialogue and understanding with the recent Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity  and the Unification of the  Korean  Peninsula  between  the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Trinidad and Tobago remains optimistic that that historic milestone will usher in a new era of peace, cooperation and the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
Despite that positive development, we must note that. in our own region, the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba continues to stand as the last vestige of the Cold War. In keeping with its commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which calls for no one to be left behind, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago reaffirms its persistent call for the termination of the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba as soon as possible.

At the heart of our sovereign nations, our cultures and our languages lie individual beings who, at their very core, seek a life of purpose, happiness and the opportunity to live in peace and prosperity. The challenge of our time is to pursue and achieve a sustainable future for all in the face of burgeoning threats to our shared humanity, including but not limited to the threats posed by extreme poverty, rising inequality, climate change and protracted conflicts. Facing that challenge requires deepened partnerships, meaningful dialogue and an appropriate review of established mechanisms and institutions that can, if reformed, exponentially improve our ability to transform lives globally.
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago remains unequivocally committed to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to the achievement of the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We commit to continuing to work in good faith with the United Nations, which has long stood as the cornerstone of multilateralism in the face of unprecedented challenges and threats facing humanity, while ensuring that no one is left behind.


I am pleased to congratulate Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés on her outstanding election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. I am convinced that her qualities and proven knowledge of the United Nations will serve as an asset for the effective conduct of our work. She can count on Gabon’s support throughout her mandate. Allow me also to applaud the remarkable work accomplished by her predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, during his term as President at the seventy-second session. I am also pleased to commend the tireless efforts of Secretary- General António Guterres in promoting the values and ideals of our Organization.
One month after the death of Mr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General and winner of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize, I would like to pay tribute to that illustrious man of conviction and unity, whose commitment to peace and development will remain forever etched in our collective memory.
The theme of this session, namely, “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies”, provides us with an opportunity to assess the scope of our actions in the light of our commitments and the many challenges of today’s world. It is also an opportunity to develop new perspectives within the three pillars of our collective action, namely, the promotion of development, peace and security and human rights for the well-being of all of the peoples of the world.
Making the United Nations an Organization that  is at the service of peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies is a great challenge in the current global context characterized by various threats and at a time when the values and ideals enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations are often put to the test. In spite of the magnitude of those obstacles, I remain convinced that multilateralism is the ideal approach for building  a more peaceful, just and inclusive world order. In that regard, it is essential for our Organization to modernize, transform itself and acquire the  appropriate  means for providing adequate responses to the multiple and complex imperatives that we  face today.  That is why  I have welcomed, since the beginning of his mandate, the reforms of the Secretary-General to redeploy the architecture and resources of our Organization  in line with the ambitions and aspirations of the peoples of humankind.

The peoples of the world — in particular young people and women — are demanding that we accelerate the rate of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is the bearer of political and socioeconomic progress and will have a direct impact on the living conditions of the world’s populations. In that context, the fight against poverty must remain at the centre of our actions, given that poverty fuels extremism, which in turn feeds terrorist networks around the world. For Gabon, the fulfilment of our commitments to sustainable development remains linked to the ability of  the  international community to mobilize the necessary financing, establish innovative partnerships at the international level and promote the transfer of technologies, particularly to developing countries.
Gabon reiterates its determination to make every effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We are resolutely committed to a process of reforms aimed at accelerating the diversification of our economy. It is a question of moving from an economy that is reliant on the exploitation of natural resources to a model of sustainable and diversified production that will enable a return to sustained economic growth, which will require, inter alia, the promotion of youth employment, gender equality and women’s empowerment, and efforts to combat social inequalities. Those reforms, which are both structural and cyclical, are mainly based on the equal opportunities programme that was launched two years ago by the President of the Republic of Gabon, Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba, and which consists mainly  of moving from a system of undue privilege to one of equality in shared prosperity.
Making the United Nations an Organization  at the service of peaceful societies also requires the international community to be more self-sacrificing  in its fight against terrorism and other transnational threats, such as piracy and poaching. To that end, Gabon welcomes the convening of the international conference on combating the financing of Da’esh and Al-Qaida, held on 25 and 26 April in Paris. We hope that the findings of that conference will significantly contribute to strengthening the actions of the international coalition against terrorism.
We remain concerned that in many parts of Africa, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab, though weakened, continue to  sow  terror and desolation. We  are  similarly  concerned  for the Sahel region, where jihadists are now linked
to trafficking networks and where terrorist attacks continue to undermine the development efforts of the States in the region. Those facts clearly demonstrate the need to accelerate the strengthening of national, regional and subregional capacities so as to provide States with the means needed to ensure their effective security. With foreseeable and adequate funding from the international community, Africa  will  no  doubt be more able to respond appropriately to the security threats that plague the continent. This is an opportunity for my delegation to call for the capacity-building of regional forces, such as the Group of Five for the Sahel and the African Union Mission in Somalia.
Similarly, it is important to strengthen our prevention strategies and mechanisms, including by addressing the root causes of crises. As the Assembly is aware, security measures are essential but not sufficient to completely eradicate the activities of terrorist groups. In that regard, strengthening international cooperation is essential. The Joint Summit of the Economic Community of West African States  and  the Economic Community of Central African States, which was held on 30 July in Lomé and dealt with peace, security, stability and the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, stemmed from the need to join our efforts to fight effectively against terrorism. The Summit enabled, among other things, a harmonization of the points of view of the regions of Central and West Africa and the adoption of a common approach in order to create the conditions for a secure environment in the common space of the two regions. My country remains resolutely committed to realizing the commitments made during the Summit, while continuing to implement the Central African strategy for combating terrorism and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
International peace and security have always been at the centre of Gabon’s priorities. It is in that respect that Gabon recently decided to maintain its contingent in the Central African Republic within the framework of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. I am pleased to reaffirm my country’s commitment to continue to fulfil its commitments in that regard and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in that brotherly country, while stressing the need for a political solution based on the Libreville road map that was signed on 17 July 2017.
Despite the progress made, Central Africa is still beset with many security and humanitarian challenges.

That is why, as part of our commitment to finding solutions to the various sources of instability throughout the subregion, President Ali Bongo Ondimba initiated a series of consultations with his peers, which resulted in the formal consultation of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States on 2 July, on the margins of the thirty- first African Union Summit held in Nouakchott.
In reiterating its support for our Organization’s efforts to strengthen peace and security  in  Africa, my country particularly  commends  the  efforts  of  the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy to reinvigorate the political process in Western Sahara. That political process is essential in more than one way; it is realistic and takes into account the specific features of the region, which is undermined by terrorist threats. Gabon would also like to recall that the initiative for autonomy proposed by Morocco is an ideal framework through which to reach a  compromise solution  that  is acceptable to all parties. That initiative conforms with international law and the United Nations Charter and fits perfectly within the framework of the right to self-determination. The Security Council resolutions adopted since 2007 on that issue, including resolution 2414 (2018), have made clear the need to work towards a realistic, pragmatic and sustainable political solution based on compromise.
The world is increasingly exposed to the harmful effects of climate change. Given that alarming situation, our Organization must assert its leadership and ensure that the efforts made so far continue and are intensified. Climate change is a reality that impacts our daily lives. Rising temperatures, melting glaciers and polar ice caps and an increase in the number and magnitude of natural disasters are all undeniable signs of climate change.
The transformation of our consumption and production patterns and the immediate implementation of the commitments made in Paris are thus becoming an imperative for our universal conscience. In response to those facts, the President of the Gabonese Republic, in his capacity as coordinator of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change, has shown that he clearly understands the urgent need to act quickly, not only for Gabon but also for Africa.
It is in that context, that, in December  2017, Gabon provided substantial financial support to efforts to operationalize the Initiative for the Adaptation
of African Agriculture (AAA), launched  in  2015  with the objective of helping African countries to plan, programme and implement climate-adaptation measures. At the same time, my country organized, in collaboration with the African Union and the United Nations Development Programme, a mobilization round table on 24 September at United Nations Headquarters for the AAA. In that regard, we reiterate our call to bilateral and multilateral partners, including the private sector, to support Africa’s efforts to finance measures aimed at increasing the levels of adaptation and resilience to the effects of climate change.
On 10 and 11 December 2018, we will have to take a formal decision on the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration during the Intergovernmental Conference to be held in Marrakech. The holistic approach that underpinned the negotiation process leading up the current text under the auspices of the United Nations coincides with a real hope that the world will reach a consensus  that  reflects  the  aspirations of present and future generations. Gabon, a land of hospitality, intends to participate in that important meeting, aware of the scale of the commitments to be made and the assumed responsibilities.
I would like to reiterate the crucial importance of multilateralism in responding to the challenges that  we face and to the needs of the present world. Our success will be measured by the means that we provide ourselves with in order to bring the Organization closer to the peoples of the world. A stronger United Nations at the service of all — one that is based on shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable, and sustainable societies — is possible and within our reach.


At the outset, allow me to sincerely congratulate the President and her friendly country, the Republic of Ecuador, on her election to preside over the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. The fact that  she holds that important position is a reflection of her skill and merit. I also sincerely thank her predecessor, Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, for his valued efforts in conducting the work of the previous session in a highly professional manner.
I also wish to express the  great appreciation of  the Kingdom of Bahrain to the  Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for his tireless efforts to reform the Organization’s structure and enhance its role in the fields of sustainable development, conflict resolution, the maintenance of international peace and security and many other human issues of interest to all States of the world. Those efforts are tangible and enjoy our full support. I would like as well to recall with great appreciation the role of the late diplomat and former Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and his  endeavours to reform the Organization and work out solutions to international crises. I offer my sincerest condolences to his family and the international community at large.
Under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain and with the support of the Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, and the Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Kingdom of Bahrain

is keen to implement programmes and plans of all kinds to raise the standard of living and development for its citizens and residents, in keeping up with international efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and take advanced steps in that regard so that everyone can enjoy a decent living and a secure life.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has for many years been classified as a highly advanced country with regard to human development. It has succeeded in mitigating the impact of economic challenges thanks to its economic diversification efforts, its fiscal and monetary policies, and its investment incentives. That has had a positive impact on the Bahraini economy, which is now classified by the International Monetary Fund as one of the fastest
-growing economies in the region. The discovery of the largest oil and natural-gas reserves since their first discovery and production in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 1932 will, God willing, constitute a strong impetus for Bahrain’s economy in the future.
As part of the cooperation with the United Nations, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister issued a decree establishing the Follow-up and Coordination Committee between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Nations agencies as an outcome of the strategic partnership for the years 2018-2020. An agreement to that effect was signed by both parties to support the efforts of the Kingdom to achieve its development objectives and the Sustainable Development Goals, in line with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.
Determined to highlight and document those efforts, my Government presented a few weeks ago its first voluntary national review on the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. That was done here in New York during  the  participation  of my Government in the high-level political forum on sustainable development.
The election of the Kingdom of Bahrain to membership in the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations for the period 2019-2022 reflects international appreciation for the policies pursued by His Majesty the King to strengthen rights and liberties and to support common efforts to achieve the objectives and purposes of the United Nations. Consistent with its efforts to continue its international contributions and its determination to cooperate with various organs of the United Nations, the Kingdom of Bahrain submitted for the third time its candidature for membership in the Human Rights Council for the period 2019-2021.
That candidature reaffirms our policy of enhancing respect for human rights and maintaining freedoms, in line with international standards and building on the progress already achieved in that field.
Last March, during the sixty-second session  of the Commission on the Status of Women, nominations were solicited at the United Nations for the Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women’s Empowerment. The Award aims to highlight achievements in the field of the protection of equal opportunities for women and men in the world. The Kingdom of Bahrain ranks as a Tier 1 country in the report on trafficking in persons issued by the United States State Department in June, making us the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to attain that high status and confirming the great accomplishments of the Kingdom of Bahrain in that field. Tribute was also paid by the State Department to Mr. Osama bin Abdullah Al-Absi, Chief Executive Officer of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority and Chairman  of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons in the Kingdom of Bahrain — out of  a  total of 10international  personalities  —  in  appreciation of his extraordinary contribution to the fight against trafficking in persons.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is always looking to contribute to the achievement of a more prosperous future for the peoples of the world. We are  fully  aware of the importance of alliances for preserving regional security and for decisively addressing the challenges and threats to the stability of countries and the development and prosperity of peoples, particularly in the Arab Gulf region, which is considered a central region in the Middle East and the world.
We therefore believe that achieving lasting security, stable peace and sustainable development in the countries of the region is a collective responsibility that requires building a robust political, economic and military alliance among responsible countries in that region. Those countries must understand the current threats and the requirements for the future while having a genuine desire, serious will and wise policies that make them indispensable countries for shouldering such responsibility in collaboration with allied countries. That would help to safeguard the security and safety  of countries and peoples, and deter whoever might be tempted to threaten the stability of that strategic region of the world.

That region is confronted with many dangers, notably from  the  regime  in  Iran  with  its  policy  of destroying and overthrowing States and their institutions, while supporting terrorist and extremist groups and interfering in the internal affairs of other States. The regime in Iran falsely accuses neighbouring countries of instigating events that take place in Iran. It seeks to impose its hegemony on the region by packaging and exporting its miserable revolution, while the Iranian people suffers from its tyranny, oppression and injustice. It disseminates an extremist ideology that has become a constant feature of its foreign policy, and it threatens the aspirations and ambitions of peoples who have coexisted for many centuries. We ourselves have coexisted with Iran and its friendly people, who have an ancient civilization. We were living side byside in an environment of shared heritage, culture, commerce and other aspects.
The situation in the Republic of Yemen is a case in point. The Iranian regime supports the militias behind the coup d’état in Yemen, allowing them to continue their criminal and hostile actions that threaten neighbouring countries through the launching of ballistic missiles against civilian-populated areas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. That has been confirmed by major countries that are working to achieve security in the region and the reports of the United Nations, including the fifth report of the Secretary-General (S/2018/602) on the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015). They clearly indicate that Iran is the origin of those missiles, which constitute serious threats to security and stability in the region and to the major international shipping lanes, the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al-Mandab.
At a time when it is imperative to establish common mechanisms for collective security in the Middle East, we are confronted with another source of impediment to those efforts, namely, Qatar, whose actions threaten the security and stability of the region. Qatar maintains its policies and practices, which run against the concept of collective security through a dangerous approach aimed at spreading and fuelling terrorism and at toppling national Governments while striving to destroy them and dump them into chaos.
My country was a target of Qatari plans, which were not limited to the events of 2011, when Qatar provided financial, informational and logistical support for acts of violence and terrorism. Furthermore, Qatar has throughout its history attacked its neighbours repeatedly, including our territory in 1937 and 1986 and
the borders of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1992. We reacted with wisdom and foresight to prevent our respective peoples from experiencing any harm. We and the Qataris are one people. We were once under a single leadership, and we are united by origin, family ties, history, objective and a common destiny. Our relations will remain close and impervious to all attempts to stir up strife or alter that everlasting reality.
We still hope that Qatar will return to its senses and prove its good intentions and desire to become a positive member of the region by responding to the demands of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the Arab Republic of Egypt. Those demands are consistent with the solid basis of international law, good-neighbourliness, mutual respect and the respect of the sovereignty and independence of States. They seek to put an end  to  the support and financing of terrorism by  Qatar, and to have Qatar implement its commitments under the agreements that it has signed, notably the 2013 Riyadh Agreement and its implementation mechanism, and the subsequent 2014 supplementary agreement.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is working to put into action the various frameworks for constructive cooperation with its partners and friends around the world. We participate effectively in many alliances,  including the Islamic Military  Counter-Terrorism  Coalition, the Global Coalition against Da’esh and the Arab Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen. We reiterate our support for all initiatives aimed at establishing peace and security in the world — particularly in our region — beginning with the efforts of the United States of America under the leadership of President Donald Trump, the most important aspects of which are to work with the countries of the region to establish a Middle East strategic alliance, to classify certain terrorist groups that are supported by the Iranian regime and included on the United States Government’s lists of terrorist organizations, and to implement the United States strategy vis-à-vis the Iranian regime, including the withdrawal from the incomplete nuclear agreement with Iran. We express our commitment to working with our allies to support the security and stability of the region.
In that regard, we renew our demand for  an end to Iran’s occupation of the three United Arab Emirates islands — Greater  Tunb,  Lesser  Tunb  and  Abu Musa — and for Iran to respond seriously to the efforts of the United Arab Emirates to restore sovereignty over

its territory and resolve the issue through negotiations
or referral to the International Court of Justice.
I would be remiss if I did not commend the significant role and constructive efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the regional and international levels, using its prominent status and strategic role to consolidate international peace and security. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, sponsored an agreement on peace between the Republic of Eritrea and the Democratic Federal republic of Ethiopia.
The preservation of the State and its institutions is the main guarantee of the stability of peoples and the revival of communities aimed at preventing them from falling into the abyss of anarchy and terrorism. I want to recall the words of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt in his statement before the General Assembly a few days ago:
“[T]here is no way to achieve an effective international order if its main constituent unit, the nation State, which is premised on the notions of citizenship, democracy and equality, is threatened with disintegration The disintegration of nations
as a result of civil strife and regression to sectarian loyalty rather than national identity is responsible for the most dangerous phenomena in our contemporary world”. (A/73/PV.7, p. 8)
In line with that consistent position, we reaffirm the need for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis with effective Arab participation and a strong Arab role so that that State can exercise control and sovereignty over the totality of its territory and eliminate terrorist groups of all kinds, particularly those supported by Iran, such as Hizbullah and others. We also stress the need to prevent regional interference, which harms Syria’s present and future, and the need to realize the aspirations of the Syrian people for a peaceful and stable life. We welcome the agreement between Russia and Turkey and  reaffirm our support for  the  efforts of Mr. Staffan de Mistura, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria.
With regard to the Republic of Yemen, the Kingdom of Bahrain has been  committed to  getting involved  as an active member of the Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen since its inception. The coalition is committed to restoring peace and security in Yemen and to assisting the brotherly people of Yemen in all humanitarian areas. The coalition is moving forward in
its mission to guarantee Yemen’s unity, independence and territorial integrity and to put an end to foreign interference in its internal affairs, notably the serious interventions by the Iranian regime, until a political solution is reached with the participation of all, based on the initiative of the Gulf Cooperation Council and its implementation mechanism, as well as the outcomes of the national dialogue and Security Council resolution 2216 (2015).
If we really want to have peace and security throughout the Middle East, Jerusalem must remain the historic symbol of coexistence and harmony among religions, as it always has been. The continuation of the conflict in Palestine is not an unavoidable destiny, and the achievement of peace is an attainable objective. We must therefore exert further efforts to reach a just and comprehensive peace that offers the Palestinian people, like all other peoples, the right to a decent life and an independent and sovereign State, with the  borders of 4 June 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital and the right that guarantees the return of refugees on the basis of the two-State solution, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant resolutions of the international legitimacy. We stress the importance of not altering the legal status of East Jerusalem and the need for the international community to act  in order to put an end to all Israeli measures concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, their sacred sites and places of worship. We also underscore the need to offer all possible assistance to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in order to preserve that United Nations agency and enable it to continue to discharge its noble duties.
Peace and stability in the Republic of Iraq and the maintenance of its sovereignty and the prosperity of its people are what we wish for that sincere Arab country. We are hopeful that Iraq will resume its leading role in the Arab, regional and international arena. We stress the need to put an end to regional interference in its internal affairs, particularly by the Iranian regime and its various agents, notably armed militias and terrorist organizations and groups, so that Iraq’s brotherly people can enjoy security and prosperity.
With regard to Libya, we reiterate the consistent position of the Kingdom of Bahrain, which is to support all efforts towards the reconstruction of the State and the unification of the military institution so that it can protect and defend Libya and confront all forms of terrorism, preserve the unity and territorial integrity of

the country and meet the aspirations of the brotherly Libyan people  to  achieve  stability,  development  and progress.
The Kingdom of Bahrain supports the sisterly Kingdom of Morocco against the flagrant Iranian plotting and interference in its  internal affairs, and we  stand behind the serious and credible efforts by  the Kingdom of Morocco to reach a political solution to the issue of the Western Sahara on the basis of the Moroccan initiative of autonomy and the relevant Security Council resolutions and within the framework of the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The Assembly’s choice of the theme of this session, “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies” sends one message, namely, that if those objectives are realized, then we would have achieved the  purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and attained our desired goals. The Kingdom of Bahrain believes in this message and implements it while it continues on its development path. It perseveres in its efforts to enhance the security and stability of its people, and will never abandon its role in the strengthening of tolerance, the values of coexistence and the principles of dialogue between States, peoples, cultures and religions.
We all witnessed the high-level meeting convened here in New York by the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence on achieving peaceful and inclusive communities in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 16. We also witnessed the Kingdom of Bahrain Forum, held under the theme “Common visions for a successful future: national, regional and global challenges and opportunities”. Those initiatives reflect the State of Bahrain’s policies and its faith in partnerships and cooperation with the international community, which seeks to overcome all challenges.
A State based on an open and diverse society that welcomes all who set foot on its land and live among its people offers — and has always offered — a successful model to be followed. A State that has achieved all that it has achieved within such rich diversity and positive openness can only remain faithful to all international covenants and conventions. That is the model of a State that cares for the interests of its people and the region to which it belongs. Its approach will continue to be based on the commitment of everybody to good-
neighbourliness, mutual respect and to refraining from inflicting harm on others or jeopardizing their security.
As for those who go astray and revoke their covenant and those who dissent from those principles and frameworks, the implementation of international law ensures the security and stability of our  States and a return to normality for the sake of a stable and prosperous environment that consists of peaceful countries and reassured peoples in a prosperous and coexisting world.