The Gambia, 2025

The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Mohammed Jaou, the Vice-President of the Republic of Gambia. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly. His Excellency Anthony Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Your Majesties, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Heads of Delegations, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, As we commemorate the 80th anniversary since the founding of the United Nations, it is with great honour and profound sense of commitment that I stand before you to deliver this statement on behalf of His Excellency Mr Adam Abaro, who could not be here due to circumstances beyond his control. At the outset, allow me to convey warm greetings and best wishes for a successful session from His Excellency Mr Adam Abaro, the President of the Republic of the Gambia and Government and People of the Gambia. Madam President, let me also use this opportunity to congratulate you on behalf of the Government of the Gambia on your election as President of the 88th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Your election is a testament to the importance our organization attaches to gender mainstreaming and the empowerment of women. It constitutes an affirmation that more than ever, women are capable of leading organizations like the United Nations and achieving remarkable success. The Gambia, therefore, assures you of its unwavering support and continued cooperation in the discharge of your duties while reaffirming our faith in the relevance of multilateralism and the sacrosanct foundational principles of the United Nations Charter. Allow me to seize this moment to also thank and congratulate Mr Philomene Young, President of the 79th Session of the General Assembly, for his leadership and for competently guiding the work of the Assembly during his tenure. The 88th Session of the General Assembly is being held at a very pivotal moment for the international community. The enormity of the challenges of managing and resolving various wars, conflicts and ongoing threats to international peace and security require all member states to affirm their collective commitment to abiding by the noble principles stipulated in the United Nations Charter. The Charter, crafted with great optimism and anchored in the ideals of maintaining and promoting world peace, security, human rights and development, promises a new age and a new world. A world that comes together to reverse the hurdles of the past and define a common destiny premised on our shared humanity. Let us rekindle the ethos of solidarity through more multilateral engagement with all states, small or big, developed or developing, fight poverty and address climate change. Madam President, the 88th Session of the General Assembly conveys a profound symbolism for the Gambia. Our long-standing commitment to the United Nations and our election as Chair of the Second Committee during this session is not only historic, but speaks to the great strides we have been making towards shaping a stable and prosperous multilateral global order. Let me assure you that the Gambia will continue its active participation in the work of the Assembly. We remain committed to supporting optimal ways in the search for innovative and timely solutions to the common challenges facing us and will collaborate with all member states as we address these pressing global challenges. Madam President, in 1945, the world stood united with a deep sense of solidarity, strong commitment and an endearing hope to establish the United Nations to save the succeeding generation from the scourge of war. The creation of the United Nations served as a driving force for multilateralism by affirming our collective faith in the sanctity of human rights while guaranteeing international peace and security to all peoples around the world. Our collective security arrangements were rooted in multilateralism. Our commemoration of the founding of the United Nations this year is a clarion call to the future reaffirmation of its fundamental role as a premier global institution entrusted with the destiny of humanity towards prosperity, peace, security and human rights. Madam President, last year our Assembly adopted the Pact of the Future to revive multilateral engagement and rekindle global solidarity. We must do more to fulfil the commitments that we assured under the pact. Eighty years on, the world is still encountering the challenges of protracted conflicts and geopolitical fragmentation, including the threat to the spirit of multilateralism under the United Nations. As the world continues to grapple with complex and unprecedented challenges on different fronts, the peace and security landscape of our world is becoming increasingly fragile. Amid the changing nature of conflicts, we are also witnessing a serious disregard for the principle of international humanitarian law in conflict zones. What is even more profound is that the rules-based international order is under enormous stress, losing its momentum, relevance and moral underpinnings. Today we live in a world that is undergoing profound geopolitical transformation, presenting unique emerging challenges and reflecting an international community that is still trying to find answers to the challenges it faces in the 21st century. However, despite the challenges we are confronting, the Gambia believes that the United Nations' enduring relevance and structural institutions contributed to significant historic achievements in the past, particularly for countries in the global south. The United Nations holds forth the hope for global stability and good governance by translating ambitions into actions and championing issues of immense international importance. In the case of the Gambia, the United Nations is convening power and preventive diplomacy through the Peacebuilding Commission to support a democratically elected government that assumed power in 2017. The support was key to upholding the will of the Gambian people as they assured in the present government and launched our transitional justice system to promote the rule of law and respect for human rights. Madam President, as we assemble and reflect on this important and timely theme for this 88th session, Better Together 88 and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights, we must admit that the daunting challenges we are facing today require us to deliberately invest in sustainable development, climate action, peace and security. We must equally continue to foster resilience and growth for the realization of inclusive development and shared prosperity for all. Since the change of government in 2017, the administration of His Excellency President Adam Mbara has strived towards a path of development, peace and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms. Eight years ago, we set out to build a stable and viable country, making sure that the needs of our people are placed high on our national development agenda. With our current reform agenda that is inclusive, the Gambia is eyeing a future without the realm of immense potential and possibility, by addressing the grievances of the past through the implementation of a recommendation of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission. In the past eight years, the government has also organized several elections in a credible, impartial and transparent manner, in line with domestic laws and international norms and standards, and plans are on for holding presidential elections next year. We are committed to consolidating participatory democracy, sustainable development and good governance, as we have done for the past eight years. Madam President, in our drive for greater reform, the government of the Gambia will continue to take the appropriate people-driven and informed policy decisions to strengthen institutions and design processes aimed at promoting and protecting human rights as well as addressing past violations. As we look forward to consolidating, building strong state institutions and reinforce the Never Again principle, the government is ushering in legislative reforms and expanding the scope of our criminal jurisdiction to prosecute international atrocity crimes. Since reforms include the enactment of the Special Prosecutor's Office Act 2024, giving that office the mandate to deal with offences that constitute international crimes and serious rights violations, and for the first time, the enactment of an Anti-Corruption Act, a significant step towards the promulgation of an Anti-Corruption Commission. These are all part of our national efforts to deliver restorative and transformative justice, build a clear path towards nation building and lay a foundation for social justice as well as prevent impunity. Our goal is to consolidate and nurture a more national culture of accountability and respect for human rights in fulfilment of our domestic and international obligations. To support our national development ambitions as enshrined in our National Development Plan, we continue pursuing a national budgeting mechanism that is grounded on human development, fiscal stability, education and building critical infrastructure to promote development and investment. Madam President, our primary social contract with the Gambian people is to meet the demands of our socio-economic challenges whilst at the same time encourage citizen participation and engagement in democratic governance. This propels us to ensure that our democracy continues to thrive, respect for fundamental rights, robust, expansive and comprehensive, and the building of institutional mechanisms. In building a peaceful society, we continue to recognise the integral role of women and their representation and participation in political affairs and public life. We also continue to promote media freedom and the right to assembly and freedom of expression as guaranteed inherent rights through coordinated and sustained actions. As a government, we encourage constructive engagement with our citizenry, particularly the young people, and respect their rights to participate in the democratic functioning of the state. In view of our own experience with governance challenges, we value the need for addressing the consolidation of democracy and good governance in our neighbourhood. It is in this spirit the government recently hosted the Sahel Governance Forum, which seeks to galvanise a multi-stakeholder convergence to address the governance challenges that continue to hamper regional peace, stability and development. We are confident that such a forum will provide the right opportunity for systematic discussion on finding definitive solutions to the rising tide of violence, insecurity and instability of the Sahel. Madam President, with a strong commitment to the promotion and protection of international peace, security and human rights, the Gambia continues to be a member of the African Union Peace and Security Council, the United Nations Human Rights Council and a police and troop contributing country to UN, AU and ECOWAS peacekeeping missions around the world. By serving on this important Council of the continent and taking part in peacekeeping operations, the Gambia continues to prioritise the maintenance of international peace and security, including the consolidation of political and democratic governance and strengthening partnership for African security. It is significant that the African Union and the United Nations continue to work together to address regional peace and security matters, including the recalibration of our preventive diplomacy tools for maximum impact. We need to strengthen the early warning mechanisms as well as prioritise the protection of children affected by armed conflict. Madam President, by echoing the mantra of the Africa we want and an Africa at peace with itself, the Gambia believes that more needs to be invested towards conflict prevention as part of efforts to respond robustly to challenges of insecurity and underdevelopment, particularly through resilient building. We call on the United Nations Security Council to step up and meet its responsibility towards the resolution of conflicts in Africa and beyond. The rising level of inequalities are indicative of the unequal global economic system, creating huge imbalances for countries in the global south, particularly in Africa, to address poverty, debt and unemployment. It is indeed disheartening that five years towards the end of the 2030 deadline, much remains to be accomplished and the realisation of its goals and ambitions appear to be profoundly remote. Madam President, in 2025, when the world should be forging towards a path of development and prosperity, we are once again confronted with the scourge of small conflict and war. Therefore, the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review presents a unique opportunity to agree on building stronger preventive arrangements and measures for conflict prevention. The ongoing conflicts raging around the world would need to stop immediately. The unnecessary deaths, displacement and untold suffering of civilians from Palestine to Sudan, Lake Chad Basin, Ukraine to Russia, Haiti, Libya to the Sahel and in other corners of the world is unacceptable. As members of the United Nations and as conscientious global citizens, we cannot relent on our collective quest for durable peace. We must continue to pursue responsive and propulsive actions by exhorting the parties to the conflicts and make progress on key milestones on their journey to political dialogue. We must all assist by putting in necessary security arrangements and frameworks for ending conflicts, including the protection of civilians, particularly women, children and the elderly. The parties to the conflicts must allow immediate and uninterrupted humanitarian aid to reach the suffering population and they must commit to ending the hostilities. It is the responsibility of the international community to collectively muster the necessary political will and courage to end intractable conflicts. This, the bleeding, must stop. Madam President, as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the plight of the Palestinians remains unresolved with the people continuing to face alarming difficulties under dire humanitarian conditions. The situation of Palestine continues to be about the core principles of justice, respect for international humanitarian law and self-determination. The ongoing situation needs to stop. We cannot remain perturbed by these worsening conditions and it is imperative that we act urgently and collectively by utilizing our leverage to revitalize the prospects of an inclusive peace process for Israel and Palestine and the region. In this context, we reaffirm our call for the two-state solution to urgently enable the Palestinian people to regain their legitimate national rights as recognized by the international community through its recognition of the state of Palestine within the 1967 borders with Al-Quds and Sarif as its capital. We also support the membership of Palestine in the United Nations. In this spirit, we express our appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France for the recently concluded high-level conference on the question of Palestine. Madam President, As part of our call for proactive engagement towards the resolution of global conflicts, the Gambia reaffirms its support for the efforts undertaken by the UN Secretary-General in relaunching the roundtable process in the Moroccan Sahara to achieve a realistic, pragmatic and sustainable political solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. The Gambia welcomes Morocco's commitment to the ceasefire, full cooperation with Israel and relaunching the political process based on the parameters of Resolution 2756 of 2024. In this regard, we call on the Polisario to abandon its unilateral withdrawal from the ceasefire, lift restrictions imposed on the freedom of movement and the provision of supply to Minos and urge all parties – Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Polisario – to work towards a realistic, pragmatic and sustainable political solution based on compromise. The positive impact of the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative, a realistic, credible and serious effort for the resettlement of this regional dispute, is already well recognized and the people of the region continue to enjoy peace and development and protection of their human rights. Thanks to the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco's new development model for the Moroccan Sahara region. Furthermore, the Gambia also lauded the launch by His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, of the Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline, the Atlantic-African Initiative and the Sahel countries' access to the Atlantic. The three-regional Royal Initiative would give new impetus to the Moroccan Sahara region by establishing it as a new platform for security, stability and co-development in the Atlantic, the Sahara, African and Mediterranean areas. Madam President, The Gambia also continues to stand with the Government and people of the People's Republic of China on the One-China Policy. China's commitment to international cooperation and support for the critical spaces of development in different sectors demonstrate that the sustainable development of South-South and triangular cooperation are possibilities. The Gambia continues to reiterate the call for the lifting of economic embargo against the broader people of Cuba. The embargo continues to inflict undue hardship and economic devastation, occasioning substantial challenges for the Government and people of Cuba. We believe it should come to an end now. Friendly cooperation is the way forward. Madam President, As we mark 25 years since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we should take a moment to renew our firm conviction that the attainment of sustainable development and the consolidation of peace and security are anchored in the full and inclusive representation of women in all spheres of political and decision-making processes. While considerable progress has been made towards the realization of women's inclusion, women's participation in the consolidation of peace and security, there continues to be significant impediments that we must overcome. Women must always have a seat at the negotiating table. They usually bear the brunt of conflicts. Therefore, as we prepare for the Fourth World Conference on Women, and as nations sharing the same destiny, we have a moral obligation and a collective responsibility to act swiftly to address all issues hampering the empowerment of women, including the senior advancement and their contribution to the consolidation of peace and security. Madam President, In view of the outcome of FFD4, it is our hope that international finance architecture and mechanism will change for the better as the current international financing architecture, especially as it relates to debt restructuring, continues to hamper the development aspiration of developing countries. Due to limited fiscal space exerted by debt distress, developing countries find it hard to make significant investments in the social sector. The challenge is even more profound when it comes to investment in the productive base of their economies to engender growth, employment, and development. This situation significantly contributed to the dismal attainment of only 17 percent of the SDGs. Therefore, to accelerate the full and effective implementation of the SDGs within the targeted framework, we must enhance international finance cooperation and review of the international financial architecture to create arrangements, facilities, and mechanisms that would cater for targeted investments in industrialization, mechanized agriculture, provision of quality education, energy, health, and water. Madam President, The path of the future adopted last year at the 79th session of the General Assembly presents a unique opportunity to review our realities, invigorate the implementation of the SDG Agenda 2030, and intensify our efforts towards confronting the pressing challenges of our time. The PACT is about advancing our advanced prosperity. The Gambia supports the convening of the preparatory process for the review of the PACT in 2028 to align effectively with the prevailing and upcoming intergovernmental processes such as the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review, the High-Level Plenary Meeting to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action on Youth, and the World Social Summit. The success of these reviews will depend primarily on our commitment and concerted push to build a more equitable and resilient global governance framework that supports the attainment of our global goals. Madam President, Our reform agenda is still incomplete without reform of the Security Council. The Gambia supports the reform of the United Nations Security Council and the Common African position on the reform of the Council, as set out in the SIRT Declaration and the Isilwini Concession. We strongly believe that the ongoing review and reform process of the United Nations needs to make good progress, and Africa's under-representation in the permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council is a historical injustice that urgently needs to be corrected. Africa has always contributed to global peace, and Africans also paid the ultimate price during the two world wars. Hence, the Gambia believes that the time has come for the international community to support Africa's call for meaningful representation in the Security Council. The reform of the Council guarantees its legitimacy and credibility, as the body responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. We commend the AU Committee of 10 Heads of State and Government on the United Nations Security Council reforms, chaired by His Excellency, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and their leadership in this legitimate quest. Madam President, As the world continues to witness a heightened level of insecurity, the threat of climate change continues to aggravate security challenges, especially in the Sahel. We must address the impact of the climate crisis as part of the vital, resilient measures that mitigate climate-related risks where they intersect with political, social and economic factors. The Gambia would like to acknowledge the progress made at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, for moving from $100 billion to the new collective quantified goal, which is still not adequate to finance all the mitigation and adaptation actions, especially for countries in special circumstances. We need to take concrete decisions at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, to galvanize support for more climate financing. The Gambia calls for more ambitious national determination contributions by all states due to their submission this year to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Madam President, As I conclude, allow me to call on Member States to use this 88th session of the General Assembly to forge a new consensus to confront our new reality, a consensus that unites us behind our shared determination to make the United Nations a potent instrument to serve our common purposes and aspirations as one human family. This is our only planet, let us preserve it for prosperity. The Gambia is here, is ready to play its part in making our world a better place for all. On behalf of His Excellency President Adam Abaddo, the government and people of the Gambia, I wish you all fruitful deliberation towards advancing the theme of the 88th session of the General Assembly. I thank you for your kind attention. On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic of Gambia.