On Wednesday, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Zimbabwe's minister for foreign affairs and international trade, Frederick Makamure Shava. He emphasized the need for the international community to invest in essential sectors such as education, health and sustainable development opportunities to build more resilient societies through global partnership.
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00:00to his statements at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
00:07President of the 79th Session of the General Assembly,
00:12Your Excellency Ms. Antonia Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations,
00:18Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government,
00:23Distinguished Delegates,
00:25Allow me to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you, Your Excellency Mr. Philip Monyang,
00:32on your election as President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
00:41We are confident that under your astute leadership,
00:46significant progress will be made on the critical global agenda that is before us.
00:52Please be assured of Zimbabwe's unwavering support throughout your tenure.
01:00I would also like to pay tribute to your predecessor, Ambassador Dennis Francis,
01:07for his exemplary stewardship of the 78th Session of the General Assembly.
01:14As the General Assembly had to contend with a number of delicate issues,
01:20Ambassador Francis worked so hard to promote compromise
01:26and the collective resolution of issues anchored on the principle of multilateralism,
01:35understanding and mutual respect.
01:38Mr. President, in an increasingly polarized and insecure world,
01:45dialogue and diplomacy are indispensable.
01:48Our world is besieged by numerous global challenges, both natural and man-made.
01:57The interconnectedness of our world means that events in one region inevitably affect others.
02:07In this regard, the theme of this session, therefore, and I quote,
02:11leaving no one behind, acting together for the advancement of peace,
02:18sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations, unquote,
02:26is so relevant and timely.
02:29The theme is a reminder of our shared responsibility to build a world that is inclusive,
02:38a world that is just and sustainable.
02:41It is through collective action, grounded in solidarity and mutual respect,
02:48that we can advance peace, foster sustainability and strengthen multilateralism
02:57as well as uphold human dignity.
03:00In this spirit of unity, we must prioritize the most vulnerable and marginalized populations,
03:08ensuring that no one and no place is left behind in our pursuit for progress.
03:16Sustainable development cannot be achieved without peace,
03:21and peace cannot be sustained without addressing the root cause of conflict,
03:27chief among them poverty, inequality, intolerance,
03:32source scarcity exacerbated by climate change,
03:40and unwarranted external interference in internal affairs of some states.
03:48By investing in education, healthcare and sustainable economic opportunities,
03:55we can create resilient societies that empower individuals and communities to thrive.
04:05To attain this, we should commit to a renewed sense of global partnership
04:13where every nation, large and small, continues to and benefits from our collective efforts.
04:23Mr. President, as the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Agenda goals approaches,
04:35the global community is at a crossroads and needs to make a critical choice
04:42on how to advance these ambitions and ambitious targets.
04:47Climate change, geopolitical conflicts and economic disparities
04:53continue to pour substantial barriers to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
05:01It is therefore essential to accelerate action, enhance funding and foster innovative solutions.
05:10The next six years are pivotal if achieving the SDGs is to remain within reach.
05:19Zimbabwe fully supports the proposed SDG stimulus
05:24so as to reinvigorate the implementation of these crucial goals that we set for ourselves.
05:33In this regard, the Just Health Summit of the future was an opportune opportunity
05:42and indeed an opportune moment for the international community to come together
05:48to forge robust frameworks and innovative strategies
05:53to address the complex and interwoven challenges we face.
05:57We must leverage this moment to reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism,
06:04sustainable development and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
06:10It is imperative therefore that we adopt a holistic approach
06:15that integrates economic, social and environmental dimensions
06:20ensuring that we are all inclusive as we navigate the path towards a more resilient and equitable world.
06:31The devastating impact of climate change is our common challenge
06:37that requires collective action to enable vulnerable communities to adapt
06:44while at the same time mitigating the impact.
06:47Our SADC region has been affected by the El Nino-induced drought
06:53that has created a serious food and nutrition security.
07:01In that context, the SADC heads of states and government
07:05launched an international humanitarian appeal amounting to US dollars 5.8 billion
07:13at the end of May 2024.
07:17That figure will go up as more countries of the region complete their own national assessments.
07:24The overreaching and overarching objective is to meet the immediate needs
07:31occasioned by the El Nino-induced drought
07:35while at the same time building resilience for future shocks
07:40including through the establishment of early warning systems.
07:44Excellencies, I wish to reiterate our steadfast commitment
07:49to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
07:53spearheaded by our transformative vision 2030.
07:57This national blueprint sets forth our aspirations
08:02to propel Zimbabwe to upper middle income status by the year 2030
08:09focusing on robust economic growth, sustainable development
08:15and holistic societal transformation.
08:19Our strategic thrust encompasses substantial investments
08:26in critical sectors that include infrastructure development,
08:31education, modern heritage-based education 5.0,
08:36model healthcare and organized, modernized agriculture
08:44pivotal for ensuring the inclusive prosperity across all strata of our society.
08:52In earnest pursuit of the SDGs, Zimbabwe has recorded commendable strides
08:59across various domains.
09:01We have implemented rigorous policies such as our agricultural 6.0 model
09:09aimed at bolstering food security, enhancing access to potable water
09:16and sanitation facilities and investment in renewable energy.
09:22Our comprehensive and social protection frameworks
09:25and healthcare systems have yielded tangible reductions
09:29in poverty levels and disease burdens.
09:34Furthermore, we remain unwavering in our commitment
09:38to empowering women and youths recognizing their pivotal
09:43as architects of sustainable transformation and development.
09:49The government of Zimbabwe is advancing a devolution policy
09:54driven by our mantra which I quote,
09:59leaving no one and no place behind.
10:04The focus is on promoting grassroot development
10:10through empowering provincial and district authorities
10:14to lead the way in fulfilling their development aspirations.
10:19Our goal is to ensure that no community, no village,
10:25no town center or province is left behind in our development efforts.
10:31As a result of this policy thrust, we have witnessed a life-changing
10:37and transformative impact driven by this bottom-up approach.
10:43Our valiant developmental efforts notwithstanding,
10:46Zimbabwe is confronted by formidable challenges
10:51in its quest to attain the SDGs.
10:56The adverse impact of the punitive illegal unilateral sanctions
11:02compounded by the exigencies of climate change
11:06present real threats and barriers to our development strategy.
11:12In this regard, we call upon all those that have maintained
11:17illegal and unjustified sanctions on Zimbabwe
11:22to remove these unwarranted measures immediately and unconditionally
11:28to allow us to continue with our noble efforts
11:37to uplift the lives and livelihoods of our citizens.
11:43And in the same spirit, Zimbabwe stands in solidarity
11:48with the government and people of Cuba in their struggle
11:52against the harsh economic, commercial and financial blockades.
11:57We call for the immediate lifting of this stifling embargo
12:13to enable the people of Cuba to pursue their aspirations
12:18without hindrance and interference.
12:21Mr. President, my country remains committed to supporting
12:27the self-determination of both the people of Palestine and Western Sahara.
12:33The time for mere rhetoric has long passed.
12:42The international community cannot continue to turn a blind eye
12:47or be numb to the systematic injustices and suffering
12:52of the Palestinian people.
12:54We call upon the Security Council to fulfill its mandate
12:59by implementing robust measures that ensure the protection of civilians,
13:06the upholding of international law and the facilitation of a just and lasting peace.
13:13Most importantly, we need to continue supporting efforts
13:18towards a two-state solution which will help resolve
13:21the question of Palestine and the resultant peace
13:27and security challenges in the Middle East.
13:30In the SADC region, we are working tirelessly towards the achievement
13:35of peace and security in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC
13:42and in the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique.
13:48Excellencies, the international financial architecture,
13:54as it stands today, is an anachronistic construct
14:00that no longer meets the needs of the global community,
14:05particularly those of developing nations.
14:09Our economies, which are the livelihood of the global market,
14:15are disproportionately affected by the region
14:20and often inequitable policies imposed by dominant financial institutions.
14:27The current system, steeped in historical power imbalances,
14:32has failed to provide the necessary flexibility
14:37and support required for sustainable development.
14:40It is therefore imperative that we reform these structures
14:45to ensure that they are more inclusive, more equitable
14:50and more reflective of the diverse realities
14:55that are faced by all member states, particularly in the Global South.
15:01In a world facing all manners of insecurities,
15:06the current paralysis of the Security Council on crucial topics
15:12is unconscionable as it negates its very important existence.
15:19Reform of the Security Council is not just an aspiration
15:23but a present-day necessity.
15:27This reform is not just a matter of fairness.
15:31It is essential for ensuring that the Council's decisions
15:38are all inclusive, are credible and truly reflect
15:43the global community's diversity.
15:47In this regard, Zimbabwe stands by the African Union's
15:52Azzurini Consensus and the SETI Declaration,
15:55which advocates for at least two permanent seats
16:00with the veto power for African countries on the Security Council.
16:08Excellencies, information and communication technologies
16:13have transformed our lives for the better
16:17and can be harnessed for fast-paced development.
16:21Yet, the same technology has also been employed
16:26to commit crimes and destabilize societies.
16:30It is therefore prudent for us to come up
16:34with a global digital governance framework
16:38in order to guard against the harmful consequences
16:42of this otherwise transformative technology.
16:46Zimbabwe is fully committed and will contribute positively
16:51in all negotiations aimed at global cooperation
16:55in both harnessing the good from the digital world
16:58and also combating the negative aspects and abuse of the same.
17:04Mr. President, as I conclude, I wish to reaffirm Zimbabwe's commitment
17:10to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.
17:15The challenges we face are immense but not insurmountable.
17:22By acting together, we can advance peace,
17:25we can promote sustainable development
17:29and uphold human dignity for the present and future generations.
17:35Zimbabwe stands ready to collaborate with all Member States
17:41to ensure that our shared aspirations for a better world are realized.
17:47Let us work in unison, guided by the spirit of multilateralism,
17:52solidarity and mutual respect in order to address
17:57the pressing issues of our time
18:01and to build a more inclusive and just and sustainable future.
18:07I thank you for your attention.
18:09Thank you very much.
18:39In recent years, Israel has become a death machine
18:42that is willing to spread war and terrorism to the Middle East
18:45and other regions of the world.
18:47For his part, Zimbabwe's official Federic Macamuda remarked
18:50that in this polarizing, secure world, dialogue and diplomacy are indispensable
18:55and human dignity for present and future generations
18:58cannot be achieved without fighting intolerance, scarcity and violence.
19:02The official said this is a reminder of our responsibility
19:05to build a world in which respect, dignity and unity prevail.
19:09We have come to the end of this news brief.