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Speech by Evariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi, at the 78th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization. teleSUR
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00:00 Thank you, Mr. President.
00:06 I first of all wish to give thanks to Almighty God for having guided our work and for bringing
00:13 us here together in this beautiful, cosmopolitan city of New York.
00:18 Excellency Dennis Francis, President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General
00:27 Assembly, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Your Majesty, Secretary General
00:38 of the United Nations, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed.
00:45 Allow me to express my sincere thanks to the host country of the United States of America
00:52 and to its people, in particular to the authorities and people of the State of New York.
00:59 I thank them all for the very warm welcome and exemplary hospitality that I and my accompanying
01:06 delegation have been shown.
01:09 At the outset, I wish to reiterate my most heartfelt condolences to the people of Morocco
01:16 and Libya.
01:17 Today, they are in mourning following natural disasters, the human and material damage of
01:26 which is incalculable.
01:28 May God bring comfort to the families at this time of great suffering.
01:34 Allow me to convey my hearty congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis, following
01:40 his successful election to the presidency of the 78th Session of the United Nations
01:46 General Assembly.
01:48 Mr. President, Burundi assures you of its full cooperation and extends to you every
01:56 wish for success as you discharge your mandate.
02:01 I'm also delighted to pay a well-deserved tribute to Mr. Shabba Khoroshi, your predecessor,
02:09 for his sterling work during his term.
02:14 Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the time has come to piece back together a
02:21 world of peace, a world which can foster progress.
02:25 We must cultivate trust, mutual understanding, and solidarity.
02:30 It is for that reason that we hail the choice of theme which guides our discussion today.
02:37 That theme is rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity, accelerating the 2030
02:43 agenda and its sustainable development goals towards peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability
02:50 for all.
02:51 Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we meet every year in this hall and in other equally
03:00 important fora.
03:02 However, the world nevertheless continues to face grave existential threats.
03:10 As such, that world is unfortunately growing ever more unstable and vulnerable.
03:17 Trust and solidarity are values which should characterize relations between our states.
03:24 However, these values are rendered fragile because we have, so to speak, domesticated
03:28 them and recreated them in our image to further our own interests.
03:33 We must liberate these values so that they can be shared values.
03:37 These values must recover their original meaning, meaning which was buried following colonization
03:48 and the expansion of other selfish ideologies which sought to drag least developed countries
03:57 ever deeper for the benefit of rich nations.
04:01 In reality, colonization missed its chance because it could have created a solidarity
04:06 by allowing the meeting of cultures and know-how and by creating a mutually beneficial partnership
04:12 instead of a partnership characterized by dependency.
04:16 Trust and solidarity then lost every trace of their initial meaning with the effects
04:22 of neocolonialism, neocolonialism marked by multifaceted forms of interference in the
04:29 domestic affairs of developing states through the unjust remuneration given for commodities
04:35 and through the heavy demands imposed by the Bretton Woods institutions.
04:41 There is what was called official development aid a few years ago.
04:46 It's now come to be termed a partnership for development.
04:50 That's the term in common parlance today.
04:52 In any case, terms for this concept are bound, but they're all tinged with bad faith.
04:58 Indeed, terms are bound to veil this hypocrisy.
05:01 At the same time, resources dispersed with a view to generating economic returns that
05:08 could foster economic recovery are themselves shrinking.
05:11 Today, Mr. President, it is important to move beyond the needs and interests of states.
05:17 These often vary greatly and are often difficult to reconcile.
05:22 International solidarity must guarantee that all countries are able to interact on a level
05:28 playing field.
05:30 International solidarity that we wish to see does not seek to homogenize.
05:36 Rather, it seeks to stand as a bridge between differences and even between radically opposing
05:44 viewpoints.
05:45 It seeks to allow respectful and mutually beneficial relations to flower.
05:51 Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, trust and solidarity should be the cornerstone on
05:58 which thriving international relations can develop.
06:02 International relations free of inequality and conflict.
06:06 This is incidentally the goal that Burundi is striving to achieve, first and foremost
06:12 at a national level.
06:13 We're seeking to cultivate and strengthen this ideal within our people.
06:19 As such, after years of instability, the process of truth and reconciliation launched in Burundi
06:26 is today bearing a bounty of fruit because the people of Burundi are now energized in
06:32 pursuit of a common ideal as they seek to achieve the sustainable development goals.
06:40 In this connection, we call upon friendly countries and partners to support the action
06:44 of Burundi's government and we heartily encourage foreign investment.
06:50 However, the sad truth is that ODA, which should support the efforts of the government
06:58 as it seeks to guarantee the well-being of its citizens, has little by little faded away
07:07 to instead be channeled towards non-state actors which serve the geopolitical and economic
07:15 interests of certain so-called donor states.
07:19 These interests are unspoken and clandestine.
07:21 Evidently, international solidarity should encourage developed nations to make tangible
07:26 contributions to the socioeconomic development of LDCs.
07:31 A Kerundi proverb, "Nwetanguru mu buro," means prosperity can only last if it is shared.
07:40 That proverb reminds us that investing in the prosperity of a neighbor is to indisputably
07:45 guarantee and shore up one's own sustainability and progress.
07:52 This, Mr. President, reminds us of the urgent need to rethink and strengthen our global
07:58 partnership that, in our view, involves ensuring debt relief, a substantial increase in resources
08:06 devoted to the fight against poverty.
08:09 It involves strengthening South-South cooperation, the sharing of technologies and innovation,
08:15 and it involves broadening commercial agreements.
08:22 Ladies and gentlemen, in spite of all of the challenges above, Burundi remains determined
08:28 and indeed we trust that this Assembly will work to rebuild trust in my country.
08:36 We believe that it will champion a process by which international solidarity is revived.
08:43 The government and people of Burundi have a genuine and staunch determination to maximize
08:49 the dividends of peace and to protect our hard-won reconciliation.
08:57 In view of that goal, our warhorse is the promotion of good governance and the fight
09:02 against all forms of injustice.
09:05 Indeed, we are engaged in a tireless struggle to ensure the proper management of public
09:11 affairs and, thanks to this determined struggle, Burundi has made significant progress in terms
09:19 of democracy, good governance, and improving its business climate.
09:24 Consequently, we have become a safe place for investment and a range of economic activities.
09:32 Moreover, significant efforts are being made in productive sectors which create mass employment
09:41 and which drive growth.
09:43 Against this backdrop, my government is striving to particularly stimulate the agricultural
09:50 sector.
09:51 That sector employs vast swathes of Burundi's population.
09:56 Consequently, in light of that goal, we have taken the decision to finance our agricultural
10:01 sector through our national programme of agricultural subsidies.
10:05 That programme subsidises fertilisers, selected seed species, and plant health products.
10:12 We are also focusing on the development of research in the agricultural sector as well
10:18 as the mechanisation of it and the use of advanced technologies to ensure agro-food
10:25 processing and to shore up rural infrastructure.
10:29 To do all of the above, a national pact for agriculture has been established.
10:35 It has put in place two agricultural hubs built around four lucrative sub-sectors.
10:43 That was done very quickly.
10:45 We now also have a special agricultural industrial zone.
10:51 In all of the above endeavours, we wish to involve Burundian economic operators and foreign
10:56 investors to implement this plan.
10:59 We have a new investment code and have made regulatory adjustments which make our environment
11:07 a very attractive one.
11:08 Given the fact that we have a climate which favours year-round agriculture, given the
11:13 fact that we have a wealth of labour available, and given the exceptional fertility of our
11:17 soil, Burundi is the best possible destination for anyone wishing to invest in the agricultural
11:23 sector.
11:24 Ladies and gentlemen, in other sectors, my Government has just updated its mining code
11:32 to create an investment-friendly environment within this sector.
11:37 The abundant mineral wealth of our country remains underexploited.
11:43 My Government's goal is to bring about economic recovery by exploiting our natural resources.
11:49 The goal is to make Burundi an emerging country by 2040 and a developed country in 2060.
11:56 To succeed in this endeavour, we are giving pride of place to young people and women.
12:01 They are the real drivers of socio-economic development because of the way they promote
12:08 entrepreneurship, innovation, and because of their spirit of creativity.
12:13 Indeed, we are particularly backing young people because there is no weapon more effective
12:19 than young people in the fight against poverty and in conflict prevention.
12:26 As an African Union champion for the youth peace and security agenda, I wish to take
12:32 this opportunity to call for a better inclusion of and more effective participation of young
12:40 people in the development agendas of our respective states.
12:44 In this regard, I welcome the General Assembly's decision to create a United Nations Youth
12:51 Office.
12:52 I congratulate the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, who proposed this flagship initiative
13:00 in his report, "Our Common Agenda".
13:04 This is exactly how intergenerational trust and solidarity will serve as genuine sources
13:12 of peace and security for sustainable development.
13:17 As a staunch advocate of non-discrimination where women and young people are concerned,
13:22 the government of my country has chosen to use the bounty of talent and knowledge to
13:29 and to promote their economic empowerment.
13:33 In order to expedite the implementation of Agenda 2030, education has been free in Burundi
13:41 since 2005.
13:42 And that has allowed Burundian girls to access quality education and, as such, to prepare
13:50 for an active participation in national life.
13:53 For two decades now, Burundi has improved the ratio of men to women in the political
14:00 sphere.
14:01 We have set a quota of 30% for women in the National Assembly and the Senate.
14:08 Today, women hold approximately 50% of seats in the Parliament, in the government and in
14:13 the most senior positions.
14:17 In order to leave no one behind as it ushers in socioeconomic development, the government
14:25 of Burundi is sparing no effort to promote the empowerment and emancipation of all sectors
14:33 of its population.
14:35 With this in mind, the Batwa community, which has long fallen foul of discrimination, today
14:40 benefits from an affirmative action policy, which is implemented in education, health
14:48 care and housing systems.
14:51 There is free health care for children and pregnant women, and that has contributed to
14:56 improving the living conditions of women in general and of Batwa families in particular.
15:04 Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I have taken my time to describe to you the
15:12 situation of my country, to show to you that Burundi is well and truly back on track.
15:18 And that means we have our rightful place within the concept of nations.
15:24 We've earned it.
15:26 Mine is a country that has overcome difficult situations in its history, but we have all
15:30 the assets we need to go very far indeed in terms of development today.
15:38 Burundi is something of a burden for development partners, but tomorrow the situation could
15:43 change if we were to obtain sizable seed capital to once and for all leave the LBC category.
15:51 Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we want to see a better world, but that project
15:57 is being hampered by a multitude of conflicts, conflicts that we need to address in a united
16:07 fashion and in a spirit of brotherhood.
16:11 Countries in difficulty need us all.
16:13 It is therefore in a spirit of solidarity that within the East African community that
16:18 I chair, we've launched a series of initiatives in order to restore peace and security in
16:23 the east of the DRC.
16:27 Burundi also participates in peacekeeping operations and in the fight against terrorism
16:32 in the CAR and in Somalia.
16:37 That is testament to the desire harbored by the Burundian people to contribute to the
16:45 advent of a better world built on foundations of solidarity.
16:50 I reiterate the need for international solidarity to be shown in order to bring peace to the
16:56 east of the DRC.
16:58 At the same time, Burundi reaffirms its tireless support for the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes
17:04 as well as for the peace, security, and cooperation framework agreement for the DRC and the region.
17:12 The regional oversight mechanism of that agreement is chaired by Burundi.
17:17 In this connection, I'd like to say the following.
17:21 Whilst we do insist on the need to rebuild trust between states, we must together condemn
17:26 certain spoilers who fan the flames of conflict and devote themselves to sowing destabilization
17:34 in other states.
17:35 Let us call a spade a spade.
17:37 The political and security-related instability in countries of the south, particularly in
17:42 Africa, is born of the desire of powers who wish to control the domestic policies of developing
17:48 nations.
17:49 Africa, in particular, has become the arena for geopolitical conflicts playing out between
17:56 major powers.
17:58 And we continue, as such, to fall behind in terms of economic development.
18:04 That economic deficit becomes the cause of internal conflicts which then plunge our countries
18:10 into abject poverty.
18:13 We are battling against external interference in domestic affairs.
18:20 At the same time, we also condemn the reemergence of anti-constitutional changes to systems
18:27 of government which are a serious erosion of democratic gains seen over the last several
18:34 years in Africa and throughout the world.
18:37 Constitutional order and the rule of law must prevail above all.
18:40 My country reiterates its staunch commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts through
18:44 dialogue, cooperation, joint work, and negotiation.
18:50 Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, in general terms, security and stability throughout
18:57 the world seem to be yielding to war, terrorism, and violent extremism, as well as crime and
19:06 violence in its myriad forms.
19:10 In this regard, at a time when the African transition mission in Somalia, ATMIS, is preparing
19:16 to withdraw in the coming months once it has completed its successful mandate, I wish to
19:23 here pay tribute to the professionalism and self-sacrifice of troops working for peace
19:29 in Somalia, including the Burundian troops.
19:32 I'd like to also take this opportunity to draw the international community's attention
19:37 to the consequences of the hasty closure of this mission.
19:42 That hasty closure risks providing an opportunity to terrorist groups to grow stronger and regroup.
19:50 Mr. President, turning now to the climate crisis, I welcome the commitments already
19:55 entered into by states during various international climate negotiations.
20:01 Commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to finance the protection of the environment,
20:08 climate resilience, and the green transition of the least polluting nations.
20:16 We want to see these commitments followed up by tangible action, because the failure
20:21 to mobilize $100 billion annually since 2020, a commitment made in the Paris Agreement,
20:29 and that was a commitment that was to continue annually until 2025, but the failure of that
20:34 to materialize imperils the very existence of future generations.
20:38 We believe that COP28, which will be held this year in Dubai, will provide an excellent
20:43 opportunity to turn words into actions.
20:46 Turning now to the increase in migratory flows, we're all aware that the extent of these
20:52 migratory flows are threats to peace and security.
21:00 Indeed, this movement is of concern to rich countries, is the consequence of poverty,
21:05 because these migrants are seeking a better life, and as such, they leave poor areas to
21:11 earn a living in more affluent nations.
21:14 The reducing migration involves inevitably adopting appropriate cooperation-based measures
21:22 which allow young people better opportunities to find opportunities for decent work, employment,
21:29 independent employment, or entrepreneurship.
21:32 This should be done, namely, through the implementation of programs which seek to achieve the SDGs
21:40 and ensure they are achieved on a national level.
21:43 We are now called upon to focus our efforts on establishing a global partnership which
21:49 fights poverty in all its forms.
21:51 However, as we await a lasting solution to poverty, countries of transit and destination
22:00 must understand our situation and provide dignified and humane assistance to migrants
22:06 and must guarantee them their fundamental rights.
22:10 The respect of human rights is a matter on which we all agree.
22:17 These rights must be universal and indivisible for all.
22:22 My country is always against discrimination as well as against the instrumentalization
22:28 of human rights and the double standards used in their application.
22:32 We condemn states who, under the pretext of protecting human rights, use human rights
22:38 as fodder to interfere in the domestic affairs of states.
22:42 However, we stand against politically motivated resolutions that target specific states and
22:49 we are against the implementation of mechanisms that strangle the states targeted and stifle
22:56 them without any constructive dialogue taking place.
22:59 Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, allow me, before I conclude, to reaffirm our commitment
23:07 to the democratization of the multiliteral system.
23:12 This includes the reform of the United Nations Security Council as well as of the international
23:16 financial system to make both more representative, just and inclusive and able to more effectively
23:25 address the challenges emerging in the world today.
23:29 International law recognizes the principle of the sovereign equality of all states.
23:34 Accordingly, these states must enjoy the same rights and the same international duties,
23:40 including in the sensitive domains of the maintenance of international peace and security.
23:46 I wish to thank the member states of the Security Council, some of which understand the desire
23:52 long expressed by Africa.
23:55 Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, excellencies, as we mark this International Day of Peace,
24:00 I wish to close my address by paying a fervent tribute to our brave peacekeepers wherever
24:09 they are in the world, because they defend a universal cause which transcends all of
24:14 our differences.
24:15 For peace, for the sake of peace, let us rebuild trust and reignite international solidarity.
24:22 May God bless you.
24:23 Thank you for your kind attention.
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