Your Excellency, Mr. Yoweri Museveni,
President of the Republic of Uganda,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Excellencies,
Let me first congratulate the Republic of Uganda for assuming the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China and for graciously hosting the Third South Summit.
I would also like to pay tribute to the outgoing Chair of the Group, Cuba, for its industrious and exemplary leadership during its tenure.
Mr. President,
Following the crucial deliberations we had during the NAM Summit, the South Summit provides us further opportunity to thoroughly reflect and share perspectives on how to strengthen and deepen genuine cooperation and partnership within the Global South.
The current Summit holds heightened significance due to the interconnected challenges faced by member states, undermining the achievementof their development objectives. Intertwined global crises – including but not limited to unprovoked wars and geopolitical tensions, climate calamities, public health pandemics etc. are posing serious threats to the global village, with their immediate victims being the deprived and marginalized societies in the Global South.
Halfway through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it seems that fulfilling the envisaged development goals and commitments remains arduous and countries in the South are visibly left behind despite the declared motto to “leave no one behind.” In spite of the huge potential and continued pledges, substantial numbers in the global south, particularly in Africa, remain at a poverty level, with stagnating socio-economic conditions.
Mr. President,
Eritrea, as a country that came out of a thirty-year arduous war for independence, with the subsequent devastating border conflicts and the unjust and unfair UN Security Council sanctions, and the continued unilateral coercive measures, its development endeavors have been critically hampered in realizing the desired aspirations.
Nonetheless, the resilience of our people has seen the country redouble its effort in rehabilitating the devastated economy through a development strategy anchored on the policy of social justice and partnership focusing on key sectors required to spur growth such as infrastructure and skills and capacity development. As such, the realization of the SDGs and other relevant development commitments are guided through such policy orientation.
To ensure sustainability, the Government has put in place sectoral and industrial strategic plans and necessary mobilization of resources and implementation measures have been undertaken in key sectors, including health, education, agriculture, water harvest, energy and transportation. Though much remains to be done, modest growth has been achieved and more is anticipated.
Mr. President,
Against our collective resolve and the pledge to ‘leave no one behind,’ it is paradoxical that national development endeavors of member states are being hampered by the application of coercive unilateral measures for political purposes of the very few powers. Countries targeted by such illegal actions and more so from the Global South suffer exceptionally on top of the existing underlying challenges. These measures must be terminated immediately, and a strong solidarity of all member states is needed to this effect.
Moreover, the existing imbalanced and unfair international financial architecture must be reformed to effectively respond to the needs of the developing countries.
In a similar vein, the envisaged Summit of the Future should avoid normative pledges that list false hopes while undermining the prospects of domestic resources mobilization and healthy partnerships. Let’s be realistic and set out common priorities and achievable programs of action.
Finally, the resolution of the interlocking global crises necessitates sincere cooperation and solidarity within our Group, and the wider UN membership. The G-77 and China need to coordinate actions and foster harmonization of resources to ensure sustainable development and redress existing injustices and hence leave no one behind. As pledged during the Havana Summit in September last year, the Group should endeavor to facilitate the access, acquisition, and transfer of technology to transform various sectors such as food security, health, energy infrastructure, manufacturing, and human resource development and capacity building.
Mr. President,
Before I conclude, let me strongly stress that the war unleashed on the Palestinian civilian population and public institutions must stop immediately and the inalienable rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people should be fully respected.
The right to the self-determination of the Palestinian People is a natural and lawful entitlement that must not be compromised at any time. Palestinians, like Israelis and any other people in the World, deserve to live in peace and tranquility and can’t be left behind for subjugation.
I Thank You!
