Mauritania, 2014

On

behalf of the African Union and of the Islamic Republic

of Mauritania, I am pleased to express to you, Sir, my

warmest congratulations and my best wishes on the

occasion of your election as President of the General

Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. I trust that your

good judgement and your competence, as well as your

extensive experience in the diplomatic leadership of

your brotherly country, Uganda, constitute the best

guarantee for the good conduct and success of the work

of our current session.

I am also pleased to point out the remarkable

work of your predecessor, Mr. John Ashe, during his

leadership of the proceedings of the previous session.

I would also like to express my warmest thanks to His

Excellency the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon,

for his tireless efforts for international peace and

security and for his approach in support of dialogue as

the best way to address the current international issues.

The General Assembly has always been a forum

for the exchange of opinions and the discussion of

important international issues that affect the lives of

nations and people. That explains the privileged status

that it has gained within the different institutions of the

United Nations system. This annual meeting, which

brings leaders together, is a valuable opportunity to

seek a common understanding for a global vision,

ensuring proposals for efficient solutions to the current

international problems that respond to the expectations

of people around the world.

In that regard, I am pleased to address this audience

and to present to the world, through this forum, what

we Africans have done in terms of achievements and

development, the challenges facing our young continent,

our expectations of the international community and

our aspirations in terms of an effective contribution

to addressing the current situation, humanity and the

building of its future.

Several countries of the African continent have

experienced high levels of growth despite the severe

economic crisis that still prevails in the world. The

average growth rate in the continent has reached 5 per

cent and is nearing 6 per cent. That economic recovery

is the result, among other factors, of the wise economic

policies adopted by African Governments. The

promotion of local and foreign investment, the building

of new infrastructure and greater attention to the most

vulnerable members of society have therefore been

encouraged. Similarly, projects and income-generating

activities have been supported, thereby contributing

efficiently to the reduction of unemployment, in

particular among young people and women. Africa is

working tirelessly to change from a consumption space

to a production zone in order to ensure employment

opportunities for millions of its people.

The achievement of food self-sufficiency, the

development of agricultural industries and poverty

reduction in rural areas are core objectives of the

African Union. In that regard, the agriculture and

animal resources sector has received great interest

during successive African summits. The year 2014 has

therefore been declared the Year of Agriculture and

Food Security in Africa. The agriculture sector employs

some 60 per cent of the workforce and represents one

third of the gross domestic product of the continent.

In that context, the African summit recommended

that 10 per cent of the budget of African States be

allocated to the development of the agriculture sector.

African Governments have recognized the importance

of food security and adopted efficient policies for the

development of that vital sector. Such policies have

achieved their objectives and have enabled some

African countries to be self-sufficient in various

agricultural products, while other countries are making

steady progress on that path. They, too, are therefore

becoming self-sufficient.

In Africa, we seek fruitful cooperation with our

partners, thereby opening international markets to

our agricultural products and, in that way, developing

our capacities for agricultural research and providing

access to developed technologies and techniques for the

preservation of the environment.

When the Millennium Development Goals were

adopted in 2000, Africa did not have a common

vision for the major development issues. Its voice was

therefore not adequately heard. Despite that, we have

worked seriously and energetically to achieve those

Goals. Today, Africa speaks with one voice and seeks

to promote development in order to become a healthy

region free of scourges, wars and conflicts, where

justice, good governance and respect for human rights

prevail.

In that regard, African leaders have taken important

decisions on core issues for the continent, including

the vision of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the

post-2015 development agenda, which focuses on the

development of human resources and the eradication

of poverty, epidemics and deadly diseases. It must be

pointed out that the fight against AIDS, malaria and

tuberculosis has been strengthened through the many

programmes that have helped to promote actions to

reduce the effects of such scourges.

Despite such efforts, the indicators in the health

sector lead us to exert every effort to strengthen our

health-care system, to improve access to its services and

to develop its human resources and infrastructure. In

that context, African Heads of State recently launched

a strong initiative to fight AIDS. The sudden outbreak

of the Ebola virus in West Africa constitutes a major

challenge owing to the rapid spread of the disease and

the tragic fate of its victims. The steps taken to contain

the spread of that scourge remain inadequate and are

not sufficiently effective. Every day that passes until

an appropriate treatment for the disease is discovered

increases the number of victims and causes it to

spread to new areas. Despite the measures adopted and

the efforts made, to date, Africa has not managed to

successfully deal with the epidemic.

I therefore appeal to the international community

from this rostrum to work efficiently to provide

necessary vaccines for people affected by the Ebola

virus, to support measures to control its prevention

and spread, and to increase investments in the field of

scientific research in virology and endemic diseases, as

well as to provide assistance to countries affected by

that scourge. In this context, we welcome the actions

and initiatives taken by some States and international

organizations on behalf of the countries affected by the

spread of this disease.

The phenomenon of illegal immigration and the

tragedies it engenders daily prompt us to take strong

action to find efficient and rapid solutions. We cannot

simply count the bodies that wash up onto the beaches

or undertake rescue operations at sea for thousands of

migrants crammed in unsafe boats. Illegal immigration

is a complex phenomenon. It is the cumulative result

of economic factors and practices linked to organized

crime. Consequently, no matter how closely we patrol

our borders and no matter how rigorous our laws, we

will not be able to prevent waves of migrants from

moving from south to north. Appropriate solutions

must be found that take into account the real causes

of the phenomenon and that guarantee African youth

increased employment opportunities and a dignified

life.

Good governance is a necessary precondition for

successful development efforts. The African political

elite is fully aware of that fact and is committed

to promoting collective freedom and consolidating

democracy as the best means for managing public affairs.

The African Union has taken preventive measures

against attempts at usurping power by non-democratic

means, including by encouraging democratic practices,

establishing pluralism and organizing many transparent

elections.

In its very essence, democracy implies the

participation of all sectors of civil society. The nature

of African societies has therefore required positive

discrimination on behalf of women, allowing them

access to elective office and leadership positions in

order to ensure gener equality. In the same context,

youth enjoys priority in development plans and in

the political, social and economic policies of African

countries. It is estimated that the population of the

continent will reach 3 billion at the threshold of 2050;

two thirds of that total will be youth. That demographic,

specific to the continent, calls for a new focus on

investments in infrastructure and social services, and

for prioritizing such sectors as housing, employment,

human resources, diversification of energy sources and

health. Focus must also be placed on aligning teaching

and vocational training with market needs, which will

contribute to controlling unemployment and allowing

youth to showcase their talents. In fact, unemployment

in our societies stems less from inadequate employment

opportunities than from the gap between the numbers

of those trained and the actual needs of the job market.

With respect to security, we are currently facing

many dangers, including the multiplication of hot spots,

terrorism, organized crime and trafficking in drugs,

arms and people — not only in Africa, but throughout

the world. All those dangers have a cross-border nature.

Some African regions have been particularly vulnerable

due to the weakness of their democratic practice, the

spread of ethnic conflicts, economic crises with their

attendant social tensions, and the precarious situation

of their educational systems, which exercerbates youth

unemployment and deviation.

In order to address such challenges, the African

Union has established efficient mechanisms that rely on

the African peace and security architecture, including

the Peace and Security Council and the African

Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises. Despite

those efforts and achievements, the fight against

terrorism remains an international responsibility that

calls for close cooperation among all members of the

international community. It is clear that no country

alone can eradicate the phenomenon of terrorism.

The fruitful cooperation between the United

Nations Security Council and the African Council for

Peace and Security has proved effective in resolving

many of the armed conflicts on our continent. Despite

such efforts, however, the resolution of the situation

in Somalia remains complex. Similarly, the situations

in Libya, northern Nigeria and Central Africa are

cause for genuine concern. In Libya, unfortunately,

the situation continues to deteriorate, foreshadowing

a civil war that could split the country apart, driving

its people into exile and threatening to spill over into

neighbouring countries. The international community

must intercede to help the Libyans reach a peaceful and

consensual solution that guarantees that country’s unity

and stability. In northern Nigeria, the Boko Haram

movement continues to murder innocent people, kidnap

women and destroy entire villages. Africa and the rest

of the international community must join forces and

take decisive action to eliminate that terrorist group,

which threatens the whole region.

In the Central African Republic, the efforts of

the African peacekeeping force, with the support of

friendly forces, helped stop the massacres and prevented

the conflict from evolving into a full-fledged civil

war. However, persistent tension between the factions

requires us to encourage Central African stakeholders

to use this stage of the transition build trust and to

overcome the remaining obstacles to that country’s

peace and stability.

Such situations should not lead us to overlook

the peacebuilding progress that has been achieved in

many conflict regions. In that regard, we commend and

welcome the advances registered in the region of the

Great Lakes, in northern Mali and in the Republic of

South Sudan.

The Sahel was one of the first African regions to

experience the phenomenon of terrorism. But thanks to

the close security cooperation among the countries of the

region and to international solidarity, the terrorists were

repelled and the activities of illegal trafficking networks

were paralysed. In North Mali, too, Africans have

robustly addressed a difficult situation. Thus, several

countries of the continent, along with international

friendly forces, deterred terrorist groups. The risk of

terrorism was eliminated from key areas from which

criminal terrorist operations had been launched. The

French intervention was decisive and timely. Likewise,

history will remember the great sacrifices that continue

to be made by the brave soldiers of Chad.

However, the region is still exposed to security

risks, which for the moment are relatively contained.

The eradication of terrorism in the Sahel region

constitutes a major challenge additional to those

impeding development and poverty reduction. There is

a close correlation between development and security,

because it is impossible to conceive of sustainable

development without security, or security without

integrated development.

In that regard, the countries of the region are

aware of the need, on the one hand, to create a regional

framework to coordinate development efforts and, on

the other, to combat the dangers of terrorism and cross-

border crime. Therefore, the Group of Five countries

of the Sahel was created at the summit meeting of

member States held in Nouakchott in February. The

international community is invited to join Africans

in their hopes and legitimate aspirations for peace,

security and sustainable development.

The conflict in the Middle East, which escalates

from time to time, with no hope of achieving a clear

and definite solution despite multiple Arab and

international initiatives, constitutes an ongoing danger

to world peace. The parties in conflict must agree to

make sacrifices, even painful ones. The international

community must also ramp up pressure and act swiftly

to find a fair solution to the conflict on the basis of

relevant international resolutions, including those that

guarantee the Palestinian people the establishment of

an independent State, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its

capital.

Furthermore, the dangerous situations in Syria

and Iraq that have been created by the expansion

of terrorism are causes of grave concern for the

international community. We welcome the recent

measures taken to combat terrorist groups in Iraq, and

we invite the parties to the Syrian conflict to renounce

violence and engage in negotiations to avoid further

destruction to their country. The crisis in Ukraine must

likewise be resolved peacefully and quickly in order to

preserve global peace and to prevent the situation from

generating tensions between the major Powers.

The African continent seeks to strengthen its

presence in international forums and institutions,

commensurate with its size and role, in order to make

them more representative of its peoples and nations.

Although the General Assembly is an international

institution in which all countries are represented

equally, the status of permanent member of the Security

Council remains the monopoly of a restricted number

of countries. That privilege, which dates back to the

Second World War of the last century, no longer reflects

international geopolitical reality and does not take into

account the profound transformations that have taken

place throughout the world. Today, Africa occupies an

important position in the world and plays a distinctive

role within the international community, making it a

candidate for permanent representation on the Security

Council. It is therefore critical to engage as soon as

possible in negotiations on the rules for expanding both

permanent and non-permanent representation on the

Security Council.

The establishment of justice at the international

level also entails reform of the world economic system

to make it more equitable through greater promotion

of the role of the United Nations in efforts to increase

transparency, improve regulation of the financial system

and promote the investment necessary to sustainable

development.

Finally, I offer my sincere thanks for the efforts

made to ensure the success of this session. Attaining the

lofty aims for which the United Nations was established

remains dependent on the freedom of the world’s people

to exercise their right to development, advancement

and progress so that all humankind may live in dignity,

freedom, justice and equality.