Rwanda, 2013

Thirteen years ago, the

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) established

humanitarian principles for the twenty-first century.

Together, Member States and international organizations

stood for the idea that the world’s poorest nations and

poorest people should not have to live without dignity

and hope.

The world is a different place now. We have

witnessed the struggles of a global economy reeling

from a financial crisis and, indeed, a recession. But

we have seen a billion people lifted out of poverty,

more children in schools, greater care for the sick. And

we have observed a generation born in a new age of

information, ready to embrace ever-expanding frontiers

of technology.

But the transformative effect is not yet complete.

The list of shortcomings is as long as that of the

successes, and as we think about the theme of “The

post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage”, we

must have the courage to go beyond business as usual.

The report of the High-level Panel on the Post-2015

Development Agenda, A New Global Partnership:

Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through

Sustainable Development, has laid out an ambitious

vision for the future, and I congratulate the eminent

persons who worked to produce it.

But together we must now take an honest look

at the MDGs, determine what worked and what did

not, and commit to forging a new global partnership

founded on mutual responsibility and trust. That will

require developing nations to take greater ownership

of the post-2015 agenda. One of the failings of aid has

been the lack of attention to country-specific context

in agreements. So now is the time for the developing

world to make its voice heard in order to shape the

debate and ensure that policies and programmes are

demand-driven.

It will also require Governments to empower those

whose lives we are trying to transform, to give them a

stake in the process and a say in their countries’ progress.

In Rwanda, we have found that empowering local

leaders while demanding accountability is an effective

catalyst of development. But for decentralization to

work, the centre must remain stable. That is why we

continue to place such emphasis on good governance.

It has inspired trust in our institutions and been a

foundation for our development. We know it is the best

way to achieve inclusive and sustainable development.

There must also be a far greater focus on the role of

the private sector and recognition of its power to create

prosperity. For that, we need a global environment

without trade barriers and one that facilitates

investment in infrastructure. Greater investment is

particularly needed in roads, railways and airports

in order to connect domestic markets to regional and

global ones. Investment is also needed in energy.

Electricity, something taken so much for granted in the

developed world, is still a luxury for far too many people

and businesses. Access to knowledge, information

and technology will also play an important role. It is

levelling the economic playing field for developing

countries and is beginning to break the cycle of poverty.

Post-2015 presents an opportunity to turn that new

sense of possibility into a reality, to give people in

developing nations increased opportunity. In Rwanda

we are on course to meet all the MDG targets, but for us

they are the floor, not the ceiling. We remain tireless in

our pursuit of progress, because we know all too well the

cost of failure. Next April, Rwanda will commemorate

the twentieth anniversary of the genocide. Over three

long months, flickers of life went out all over the

country, but today Rwandans are standing strong,

having overcome adversity. In building a new nation,

we have a purpose that is shaped by a tragic past but

focused firmly on the future. And as within the larger

African and world community we move towards the

next chapter of global development, we must create

strong and meaningful partnerships that have a positive

impact on the lives of all. Together, we can make sure

that the post-2015 era is defined by opportunity and

optimism, prosperity and progress, dignity and hope.

On another issue of critical importance, Africans

supported the global consensus against impunity and

the creation of an international justice system to fight

it. We did so on the understanding that such a system

would promote peace and security within and between

nations, and that it would uphold the principle of the

equal sovereignty of nations. In practice, however,

the International Criminal Court (ICC) has flouted

those principles. It has shown an open bias against

Africans. Instead of promoting justice and peace, it

has undermined reconciliation efforts and helped to

humiliate Africans and leaders, as well as serving the

political interests of the powerful.

Nowhere have the shortcomings of the ICC been

more evident than in the ongoing trial of Kenyan leaders.

The people of Kenya have shown their eagerness to heal

the wounds of their past, reconcile and move on. That

is why they elected the current leaders who are on trial.

Those efforts to reconcile their communities and move

forward should be supported, and development of the

national judicial capacity to fight impunity should be

promoted rather than undermined.

The General Assembly and the Security Council

should be examining this matter as well as the wider

issues of universal jurisdiction that have already been

brought before them. That is the least we can do to

uphold the principles of justice and the equality of

nations, support reconciliation processes and respect

the dignity of Africans.