Rwanda, 2024

Your Excellency Philemon Yang, President of the 79th General

Assembly.

Your Excellency Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United

Nations;

Excellencies Heads of Delegations.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

As we conclude the 79" United Nations General Assembly debate, unity

has been a central theme throughout this year’s High-Level Week, and

rightfully so.

Rwanda is of the view that in today’s increasingly fractured world, unity

is central to addressing pressing issues, most of which transcend

borders and national interests.

Contemporary challenges require ambitious and coordinated action

that paves the way for equal access to opportunity, ensures sustainable

development, and contributes to global peace and security.

As we approach the second half of this decade, solidarity is key to

achieving targets under Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable

Development Goals.

Rwanda strongly endorses the UN Secretary-General’s Stimulus

Package as a timely and necessary intervention to address the pressing

challenges facing the global economy and the most vulnerable

populations.

The package represents a crucial step towards creating a more

equitable and resilient global financial system, particularly as

developing nations continue to grapple with the impacts of climate

change and widening inequality.

For too long, African countries and other marginalized regions have

borne the brunt of global economic shocks without sufficient support

from the international community. This stimulus package not only

acknowledges these disparities but also seeks to correct them through

targeted financial aid, debt relief, and sustainable development

initiatives.

By addressing structural inequalities and ensuring that resources reach

those who need them most, the Secretary-General’s proposal is a call

to action for global solidarity. It will empower nations to rebuild more

sustainably, with renewed focuS on_ green energy, digital

transformation, and poverty eradication.

Rwanda believes that now is the time for bold multilateral action, and

this package is an essential step towards securing a more just,

inclusive, and sustainable future for all.

Mr President

Rwanda commends the efforts by the Secretary General and Member

States for convening the ‘Summit of the Future’.

This Summit and the adoption of the Pact of the Future are crucial steps

in boosting action to protect the interests of present and future

generations.

Rwanda knows first-hand what division and fracture can do to a

society, let alone a community of nations.

In the aftermath of the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, We,

Rwandans, found ourselves at a crossroads, where we chose unity over

division for our own survival.

This choice was not an easy one, but it was the right one, and has

defined Rwanda’s post-Genocide nation-building ever since.

The world now stands at a similar crossroads, with a choice to make:

to choose unity for the collective good.

This is what the ‘Kwibuka Flame of Hope’ monument in memory of the

1994 genocide against the Tutsi, recently built in the gardens of this

United Nations building, stands to remind the world.

Excellencies;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Reports show that Africa is set to be the engine of future global growth

in the decades to come.

With the world’s fastest growing middle class, estimated to encompass

1.1 billion people by 2060, Africa will take the centre stage of global

affairs.

However, this feat cannot be achieved without the adequate tools to

both finance the decarbonisation of our economies and mitigate the

effects of climate change.

Building resilient economies in the Global South is an urgent priority,

which goes hand-in-hand with increased solidarity from those who are

most responsible for carbon pollution.

The pay-to-pollute model is not a viable option, solidarity and

investment are.

Consequently, advanced economies should reduce their emissions

faster and invest more in African autonomous transition.

In a few weeks, the world will gather in Baku, Azerbaijan, for COP29.

The international community should seize this opportunity to pledge

more for green investment in Africa.

Additionally, Rwanda encourages nations to join hands and conclude

an ambitious global plastics treaty, based on a comprehensive

approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastics, at the upcoming

INC-5 in Busan.

We have a historic opportunity to demonstrate our collective resolve to

end plastic pollution for the benefit of current and future generations.

Rwanda stands ready to play a positive role in that direction.

Excellencies.

Esteemed delegates.

The year 2024 marks two decades since Rwanda’s first deployment of

troops under the United Nations peacekeeping banner.

Today, Rwanda is among the top contributors with deployment in

missions across Africa.

And yet, insecurity in our region has reached unprecedented levels.

This is evidenced by the rising threat of radicalised insurgency in the

Southern part of the Continent, terrorism in the Sahel, or the presence

of state-sponsored genocidal militias right by our border.

Mr. President

Now more than ever, cosmetic fixes must be avoided in favour of long-

term solutions addressing the root causes of these conflicts.

Security is not only achieved by silencing the guns.

It is also achieved by building a fit-for-purpose global governance

system, capable of quickly adapting to crises.

Reform of multilateral financial institutions is complementary to the

reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), as both are

crucial for creating a more equitable and effective global governance

system.

The financial institutions, which shape global economic policies, and

the UNSC, which ensures peace and security, must evolve to better

address the diverse needs of today’s world.

Without reform, these bodies risk perpetuating inequalities, particularly

for Africa, which has historically been underrepresented in decision-

making processes. Reforming both the financial institutions and the

UNSC is vital to ensure fair representation, foster trust among nations,

and effectively respond to the pressing challenges of the modern era,

such as economic instability, climate change, and conflict.

In this regard, Rwanda fully supports the reform of the UN Security

Council to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency.

Such reforms are necessary to address longstanding injustices faced

by Africa, ensuring that the Council becomes more representative of

contemporary global challenges and dynamics.

Only through these changes can we build a system grounded in

equitable rules, unity, and solidarity.

As we conclude this General Assembly, let us remember that history

will judge us not by the challenges we faced but by how we responded

to them.

The reforms we seek are not just necessary, but inevitable, to ensure a

future grounded in justice, equity, and solidarity.

Rwanda stands ready to work with all nations, and we believe,

together, we can build the world we want—one where no nation or

continent is left behind. Let us seize this moment, for the future of

humanity depends on it.

Thank you.