Ethiopia calls for global synergy to realize peace, prosperity
Addis Ababa, September 23, 2023 (FBC) – The international community should join hands to achieve peace and prosperity for the sake of humanity which is at a critical juncture, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen said while delivering his statement today at the General Debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
He urged the international community to realize that humanity is at a critical juncture where all must come together for a unity of purpose for peace and prosperity.
Demeke also emphasized the need to cooperate in mitigating climate change, de-escalating nuclear weapons-related tensions, and working on reforms in the UN and international financial institutions for the sake of the wellbeing of humanity.
Speaking on the Sustainable Development Goals, he said the progress towards achieving them is off track, pushing the objective of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030 even further behind.
Recounting Ethiopia’s measures to align its 10-year Development Plan with the SDGs, he called for a renewed global partnership and firm political commitment to realize the objectives.
In his remarks about climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, he mentioned the need for support for Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative.
According to Demeke, the target of mobilizing 100 billion dollars by 2030 to support climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries has not been achieved.
He also emphasized the need for institutional reform in the United Nations in general and the Security Council in particular. Reforming the Security Council is not a choice, he said, but an absolute necessity, which requires the politically and morally justified allocation of permanent seats to Africa.
Reiterating Ethiopia’s commitment to peace, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister also mentioned the Pretoria Peace Agreement. He said the agreement is a practical embodiment of “African Solutions to African Problems”.
Demeke also stressed Ethiopia’s commitment to regional peace and integration. In connection with that, he called for coordinated efforts for peace initiatives in Sudan. As part of Ethiopia’s commitment to expedite regional integration, he mentioned the GERD as a demonstration of the legitimate development aspirations of Ethiopians and the region at large.
He also mentioned the crucial role that international financial institutions are expected to play in augmenting the efforts of developing countries to take debt relief measures and provide development finance. In this regard, he underlined that the international financial architecture should be reformed with special considerations for Africa’s needs and priorities.
The general debate of the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly is being held from Tuesday, 19 September, to Saturday, 23 September, and will continue on Tuesday, 26 September 2023. World leaders will discuss global issues.