Chad, 2014

The sixty-

ninth session offers us a theme that invites us to deepen

exchanges on the development model that we want for

the world post-2015. The theme, “Delivering on and

implementing a transformative post-2015 development

agenda”, is perfectly in line with the theme of the sixty-

eighth session, “The post-2015 development agenda:

setting the stage”.

At previous sessions, we have acknowledged that

development through the achievement the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs) has not produced the

expected results for many States. Among the main

causes for this are the weakness of solidarity in financing

the Goals; their poor adaptation to the concerns and

realities of Africa; and the many global financial,

food, environmental and security crises that arose. The

unanimously welcomed drafting of a post-2015 agenda

gave us the opportunity to review the MDGs in greater

depth and to respond relevantly. Africa, for its part, has

adopted a Common Position that requires the adherence

of all States and their partners. This Common African

Position is part of the Africa Vision 2063. That is why

my country, Chad, fully supports it and hopes that

this approach will figure prominently in the post-2015

agenda.

Unfortunately, we note that on the eve of the

important post-2015 meeting, the same security risks

remain. Armed conflicts and the phenomenon of

terrorism are becoming persistant threats in several

areas of Africa. They are aggravated by the migratory

phenomenon that deprives our continent, Africa, of its

workforce. We must therefore join our efforts to bring

adequate and energetic responses to these phenomena,

which dangerously compromise the future of our

continent.

I take this occasion to hail the upsurge of

solidarity that we are witnessing on the part of the

international community in combating terrorism

and underdevelopment. Africa remains in favour of

various strategies for security and development in the

Sahel initiated by the United Nations, the European

Union and many other organizations. We hope that the

implementation of these programmes will be effective

so as to allow our continent to effectively combat these

ongoing phenomena.

Beyond international support, these security

challenges require African countries to take their

security into their own hands by implementing laws

that will ensure security at the national, regional and

continental levels. The countries of the Sahel — Burkina

Faso, Mali, Mauritania, the Niger and Chad — have

mobilized through the Group of Five countries of the

Sahel to combine their efforts in building a strong

system of resilience, good governance, security and

peace. It is well known that the security of one country

or region is directly linked to its development, that of its

neighbours, and thereby to that of the entire continent.

The terrorism summit convened by the African

Union Peace and Security Council, over which we

presided on 2 September in Nairobi, was a part of

these constant efforts. It sought to consider in depth

the terrorist threat and to agree specific and concrete

measures to consolidate the efficacy of collective

actions against this scourge. The summit also gave us

the opportunity to highlight our solidarity with Kenya

in particular, and more generally with the East African

region, which is facing the threat of the terrorist

Al-Shabaab group.

The decision to create such mechanisms as the

African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises

or the African regional force for the Sahel-Sahara

and Central Africa, was the fruit of this regional

and continental resolve to respond appropriately to

terrorism, which is progressively gaining ground in

Africa. We call on the countries of the Lake Chad Basin

Commission to take the necessary measures to bring

the joint multinational force into operation in order to

combat the terrorist activities of Boko Haram.

With respect to conflict resolution, Chad continues

to contribute to peace and reconciliation in Africa.

This goodwill is borne out by the organization on its

territory, at Amdjarass in the north, of a forum of peace

and reconciliation between the warring brothers of

Darfur. Chad welcomes the holding of the Brazzaville

forum on reconciliation and inclusive dialogue between

Central African brothers, where it played an active part

in seeking solutions to Central African crises.

My country welcomes the inter-Malian dialogue

towards a definitive return to peace and security in that

country. It welcomes the reconciliation process under

way in South Sudan to persuade the South Sudanese

to take up the peace pipe. We are convinced that

sincere dialogue and surpassing ourselves are virtues

that can assist in resolving these issues. My country

will continue to support this process of dialogue and

reconciliation.

Regarding the new Libya — a country that has barely

begun to exist as a homogenous entity after the fall of

the Al-Qadhafi’s regime and his assassination — the

violence has intensified and the people live in constant

fear. Libya’s neighbours are striving to assist that

brotherly country to recover its stability. The entire

international community is called upon to act on

the severe security situation in that country. Libyan

brothers of different political and social beliefs must

understand that peace can come only from the Libyans

themselves. They must therefore resolutely commit to

a political settlement, the only proper path to ensure

peace, unity and territorial integrity for Libya.

Chad, a neighbouring country of Libya, the Central

African Republic, the Sudan and Nigeria, is hosting

hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced

persons who have fled armed conflicts or terrorist

threats. Since 2003, we have welcomed more than

500,000 refugees from these neighbouring countries

and more than 200,000 Chadians repatriated from

Libya and the Central African Republic for security

reasons, including displaced Chadians. A national plan

for global response developed by the Government and

its technical and financial partners has been adopted

and is being implemented, but it requires the financial

and material support of the international community.

These various conflict situations are compounded

by other, no less important challenges such as poverty,

underdevelopment and illnesses. I note in particular the

severe Ebola crisis affecting certain countries on the

African continent, ravaging populations and gravely

affecting the economies concerned. Chad will make

its financial contributions to these countries. The

international community must act, and act quickly,

in a coordinated manner as the Ebola virus knows no

borders. I commend the upsurge of solidarity on the

part of the international community in containing the

spread of this scourge.

Beyond Africa, we call for a peaceful resolution

to the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and between

Israel and Palestine, to name but a few. On Palestine

specifically, we feel that the disproportionate use of

force and the human and material damage incurred

in Gaza are unacceptable and challenge the human

conscience. It is extremely urgent to find a solution

to this conflict, which has lasted for far too long. We

therefore call on all parties for restraint and dialogue in

order to reach a just, global and lasting solution.

Regarding the embargo to which Cuba has been

subject for many years, we once again reiterate our call

for it to be lifted, pure and simple.

Peace, stability and development are intrinsically

linked to respect for laws and universal shared values,

of which justice is the basis. Nevertheless, we note

with regret that these universal principles are not often

respected, especially by the powerful of this world. This

is the case for the International Criminal Court, which,

instead of being neutral, impartial and independent,

seems more to practise double standards and only

pursues the weak. Some 90 per cent of indictees are

Africans.

The debate on the reform of the Security Council

must be concluded, taking into account the interests and

concerns of all States so that it reflects the actual makeup

of the world. It is unjust that a billion inhabitants live in

the only continent without a permanent representative

in that organ.

At the national level Chad has a national development

plan for 2013-2015 and a national programme for food

security which seek to ensure resilient and emerging

development by 2025, supported by sustainable and

diversified sources of growth that create added value

and employment. The plan ensures that each Chadian

has appropriate access to basic social services, decent

housing and to adequate training opportunities. I

again thank all our partners who announced their

participation in financing these two programmes at the

Paris conference in June.

In order to promote a serene climate in national

political life Chad has implemented mechanisms for

political governance, the latest of which is the national

framework for political dialogue created in April 2013.

This mechanism is better adapted to current political

events as it includes civil society along with political

parties. These mechanisms have led to stability

conducive to economic and social development in a

country where challenges remain considerable.

To improve governance, Chad has adhered to the

monitoring mechanism of the African Union and the

Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. That

adherence clearly demonstrates our resolve to manage

our national resources in complete transparency. Chad

will continue to work to consolidate the rule of law and

good governance through substantial reforms of its

institutions, to combat unemployment by creating jobs

for youth, and to combat poverty and food insecurity.