🇰🇪 Kenya - President Addresses United Nations General Debate, 79th Session | #UNGA

the assembly will hear an address by his Excellency William Sam Ruto president of the Republic of Kenya and commanderin-chief of the Defense Forces I request protocol to escort his Excellency [Music] your Excellency president of the 79th session of the United Nation General Assembly Ambassador filimon young United Nation Secretary General Mr Antonio GES excellencies heads of state and government distinguished delegates ladies and gentlemen I congratulate you Ambassador filimon Yang on your well-deserved election as president of this session of the general assembly Mr President I welcome the choice of your theme unity in diversity for the advancement

of Peace sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere which resonates with the core principles of the 2030 agenda and aligns closely with the core values and mission of the United Nations excellencies the world is at a challenging moment and in a most precarious International Security dispensation the promise of the United Nations Charter to save succeeding Generations from the scouch of War has been profoundly shaken from land to Sea and from Air to the outer space Global Peace security and stability are increasingly under threat conflicts and tensions pervade every Frontier undermining the collective security that

interational cooperation seeks to uphold cases of polariz polarizing narratives factionalism social upheavals organized crime war and stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction are an alltime high great power rivalry is intensifying provoking Regional competition and inducing geopolitical and geoeconomic align realignments and tensions the subtle nuances of them versus us has produced negative coalitions Wars tensions as well as eroded trust and and confidence in global multilateral system from Gaza to daur Ukraine Yemen Eastern DRC the Sudan the Sahel and the criminality in Haiti conflict is inflicting a trail of destruction of life and livelihoods in historic proportions

these conflicts have become Battlegrounds for armed factions external interventions and proxy wars resulting in unpr intended anarchic situations and longlasting negative repercussions on global stability and economic development the world cannot realize durable peace security and shared Prosperity when emphasis is being put on what divides rather than what brings us together we must therefore promote approaches that support positive competition for all the perilous security landscape is further Complicated by emerging threats stemming from Human advancement cyber security threats and sophisticated cyber attacks on critical infrastructure pose significant risks to National Security and global stability furthermore the proliferation

of Advanced Technologies such as artificial intelligence in the military domain and autonomous Weapons Systems has in introduced new challenges for arms control and international regulation regrettably the world's most powerful states have increasingly chosen unilateralism and militarization over dialogue and diplomacy as a consequence the capacity of our multilateral institutions to maintain and enforce peace even in National crisis with significant Regional impacts is severely undermined even worse a Resurgence of nuclear arms race void by the intensifying geopolitical rivalries and tensions has made the possibility of a catastrophic nuclear warfare a real possibility our vision of a world

free from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction is dying in inally we must not sit back and leave the future of upcoming generations to fate we must intentionally rise to the occasion to meet the challenges of our time by reaffirming the core values of the UN Charter we need to master the political will and collectively reinforce our diplomatic efforts to confront the security threats through comprehensive multi-prong and con context specific approaches excellencies Kenya's commitment to International Peace and security is unwavering we continue investing in efforts that promote stability and Harmony both within our

region and Beyond we are committed to continuing to mediate facilitate and support peace initiatives and processes in our region contri uting to Regional peace operations and the UN peacekeeping missions through our participation in the Africa Union trans transition mission in Somalia we have stood side by side with our sisterly neighbor Somalia in their fight against al-shabab we are proud that Somalia will soon take up a seat as a non-permanent member of the security Council underscoring the tremendous progress achieved in consolidating peace and stability in that country the UN must however continue to support Somalia in

forging an a an agreement on the post 2024 security support Kenya welcomes the adoption of the security Council resolution 2719 establishing a framework for financing Africa Union peace support operations through un assessed contributions thereby enhancing our Collective peacekeeping efforts a well-funded Au peace operation are not only an African priority but a global good considering the complexity and interconnected nature of emerging threats to International Peace and security earlier this year under the request of the leadership of South Sudan I launched the allinclusive to initiative bringing together the Waring parties and the political leadership of South Sudan

to address the root causes of the protected conflict in that country I commend the leadership of South Sudan and all the participating parties for their commitment to the peace process I also thank all regional and international partners for their unwavering support both political and financial to the South Sudan tumini initiative ladies and gentlemen at the last General Assembly I announced Kenya's Readiness to lead a multinational security support mission to Haiti at the Haitian government's request following the security council's authorization under resolution 26 2699 Kenya has deployed 382 specially trained police officers to Haiti just a

few days ago I had the opportunity to visit Haiti witness the work of our officers in the field and observe remarkable progress on the ground our support for the Haitian National Police has significantly Advanced the pacification of cities and towns protected critical infrastructure and Rel Ed many communities previously held captive by criminal gangs I also commend Haiti's political leadership for forging an agreement and a promising roadmap towards free fair and Democratic elections we are deeply grateful for the financial and logistical support from the United States Canada and other member states that are shouldering this heavy

burden this has been critical to the MSS deployment thus far however Kenya and other Caribbean and African countries are ready to to to deploy but are hindered by insufficient equipment Logistics and funding I appeal to all member states to stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti by providing necessary support either directly to MSS contributing countries or through the UN trust fund I must emphasize however that Kenya will deploy the additional contingent towards attaining the target of all the 2,500 police officers by January next year the progress is so is the progress so far in

Haiti demonstrates that what was once deemed impossible is indeed a present and undeniable possibility Mr President we must candidly acknowledge that International cooperation in its current form has clear limitations it is constrained by entrenched systems and structures that prevent effective action and meaningful progress since the last General Assembly the global situation has has deteriorated across multiple fronts conflicts have deepened economic disparities have widened and the climate Crisis crisis has intensified to address these challenges we must rethink and reform Global collaboration mechanisms making them much more responsive adaptable and impactful the existing International Security architecture represented

by the UN Security Council continues to hamper efforts to maintain International Peace and security the council is by all intents and purposes dysfunctional and Democratic non-inclusive unaccountable autocratic and at at best opaque an institution that excludes 54 African countries with 1.4 billion people while allowing One Nation to veto decisions of the remaining 193 member states in the 21st century is simply unacceptable we must urgently seek to make the security Council representative inclusive transparent Democratic effective and accountable in Africa we are not advocating for reform and Collective action solely at the UN in fact we are

also in the process of comprehensively re reforming the Africa union to become a fit for purpose institution that can effectively represent African nations globally and deliver prosperity excellencies peace and development are inseparable pillars one cannot flourish without the other yet the 2024 sustainable development goals report paints a bleck picture only 177% of targets are on track nearly half show minimal or moderate progress and over oneir have stalled or regressed the covid-19 p pmic escalating conflicts geopolitical tensions and climate change have severely impacted progress towards the sdgs and the Paris agreement goals inadequate and unsustainable means

of implementation particularly in financing technical support and capacity building continue to obstruct our efforts to realize the 2030 agenda biased methodologist employed by credit rating agencies further disadvantage African countries making it more difficult to access affordable financing from International Capital markets additionally unilateral economic financial and trade measures not only impede the full achievement of economic and social development but also undermine the principles of international cooperation mutual respect and sovereignty let us pause and reflect on the true significance of this predicament many countries in the global South are forced to choose between buying medicine and hospital

equipment or paying their debt obligations and between buying textbooks for schoolgoing children or paying their debt obligations they are forced to choose between hiring teachers and making sure that there is equipment in schools or paying their debt I can go on and on this is not an abstract illustration detached from daily reality but the normal experience of millions of Ordinary People one must wonder what goes on in the minds of those who prioritize economic returns over people ladies and gentlemen what really happened to humanity addressing these deep rooted challenges requires transformative changes to build a

more Equitable and resilient Global framework we have outlined many of these Solutions in the P of the future demonstrating our clear understanding of what needs to be done however we have yet to master the political will necessary to turn these commitments into action it is a fundamental principle of development that no Nation can achieve lasting Prosperity if its neighbors remain impoverished our economies are interconnected and the well-being of one directly impacts the other we must ensure that developing countries have the necessary foundations to claim their rightful place in the 21st century global economy this is

not just a moral unfair imperative it is a strategic necessity to address systemic challenges such as migration labor market disparities climate change and Global Security strengthening these foundations requires reforming the International Financial architecture facilitating debt relief concessional long-term at scale financing grants and risking lending instruments is essential to increasing investment to develop vital infrastructure and expand critical sectors consider Africa's immense untap potential in clean energy resources harnessing this potential is critical not only for the continent's economic growth and social resilience but also Al for Global priorities like accelerating the energy transition combating climate change and

diversifying Supply chains energy hungry Industries such as data centers mineral processing and Manufacturing are seeking clean and affordable sources which Africa can provide in abundance yet out of the 500 gaw of renewable energy added to the global mix in 2023 Africa accounted for Less Than 3 gaw how is this possible given the continent's vast natural resources skilled Workforce and massive energy needs we cannot allow Africa to be left behind this time round affordable financing is essential but so are transformative policies and inclusive fair trade practices Market access inclusive International tax cooperation technology transfer and capacity

building this is why at cop 28 we launched the Africa green industrialization initiative aimed at unlocking Investments for the continent's immense opportunities this panafrican initiative promotes large scale high impact and bankable green industrial and infrastructure projects next month in Nairobi we will host an investment forum for the accelerated partnership for Renewables in energy to attract Investments for the unta potential in solar wind geothermal and hydrop power globally we also need to improve the tools we already have the STG stimulus fund initiated by the sector General in 2023 requires our joint support to succeed including from

multilateral development Banks similarly replenishing the International Development Association Ida is essential to provide concessional loans to the world's poorest Nations earlier this year I hosted the Ida 21 replenishment Summit in Nairobi where African leadership reaffirmed the critical importance of Ida for developing countries and called for an ambitious replenishment of US dollar 120 billion our Collective efforts must include trust and accountability to ensure that we fulfill our promises and our commitments additionally we launched the Africa Club the alliance of African multilateral financial institutions to strengthen and support Africa's position in the global Financial architecture this body

will serve as a powerful negotiator on behalf of the continent coordinate with global financial institutions and leverage African countries balance sheets to increase investment and create jobs in Africa we believe that African institutions such as the afri exim bank trade and Development Bank the Africa Finance Corporation among others understand the continent even better as part of the reform of the International Financial architecture we must not only reform the multilateral institutions but also support and stop bias against these African institutions excellencies ladies and gentlemen climate change remains one of the greatest challenges of our time biodiversity

laws and pollution have created environmental crisis that are lives reverse progress in poverty reduction and strain ecosystems to their Breaking Point extreme weather conditions continue to hinder the development aspirations of many countries especially in Africa where severe climate related hazards are becoming more frequent and more intense in 2022 over 120 people over 110 million people in Africa were Direct directly affected by climate related disasters resulting in more than $8.5 billion US in economic damages according to the emergency event database there were approximately 5,000 fatalities though the toll is likely to be higher due to Under

reporting we are at a Crossroads and the path to correcting the climate cost is clear cop 29 to be held this November in Baku aaban presents a critical milestone in ensuring that the solutions we Implement are rooted In fairness and opportunity for everybody however the new climate financing goal expected at cop 29 faces significant huddles as deep disagreements persist over who should contribute and how much funding is needed without Swift resolution these divisions risk derailing our Collective progress on climate action just as the global situation becomes increasingly urgent let me be clear political posturing and

inaction will neither protect the vulnerable from the consequences of a runaway climate crisis nor save our civilization from ecosystem collapse it is therefore critical that all nations step forward to meet their this moment with ambition and responsibility as we confront the escalating impacts of climate change we must also recognize the interconnected environmental challenges we Face such as plastic pollution which continues to wreck havoc on ecosystems and threatens Global sustainability it is imperative that we adopt a robust Global Plastics treaty during the fifth round of negotiations in Busan in the Republic of Korea this November Kenya

fully supports an ambitious outcome and the African proposal to establish the treaty Secretariat in Nairobi thereby reinforcing unep's role it is indeed unfortunate and regretable ladies and gentlemen that unep is the only body where secretariats of conventions created under it are increasingly being CED out and located elsewhere unep being one of only two un headquarters in the global South must not be cannibalized for whatever purpose or reason let alone excuse Mr President as the host country of unep and un habitat I take this opportunity to thank the assembly for approving the upgrade of the infrastructure

at the United Nations office in Nairobi the largest un campus in the world this project includes the construction of new office space and the design of ultramodern conference facilities these developments Mark a significant Milestone towards enhancing the quality and accessibility of Secretariat services to member states not only will they serve current needs but they will also strengthen the future success of multilateralism we look forward to the assembly's continued support as construction begin begin in 2025 it will be critical to ensure that unon receives sustainable and predictable resources to ensure the timely completion of this upgrade

Kenya will continue to play its part in ensuring that Union fulfills its mandate accordingly the government of Kenya has undertaken extensive improvements and expansion of physical infrastructure around the complex and will continue working towards making Nairobi a region and humanitarian hub for the United Nations Mr President excellencies ladies and gentlemen as we reflect on the theme of this session the call for Unity in diversity in the pursuit of Peace development and human dignity it is evident that we must reimagine International cooperation to align with a complex realities of the 21st century our actions must reflect

our ambition and commitment to a world where progress is measured not just by economic growth but by the well-being rights and dignity of every person the challenges we Face from climate crisis to economic inequality demand a bold rethinking of how we work together grounded in mutual respect and shared responsibility the achievement of the sustainable development goals cannot be reserved for the privileged few it must be a shared success that uplifts all nations transcending borders and disparities our Collective efforts to combat climate change must be rooted In fairness and Equity ensuring that no Nation or Community

Bears a disproportionate burden this is our shared Journey we must have a say in the choices we make we must move Beyond outdated paradigms of power and influence to create a system of international cooperation that reflects the aspirations and dignity of every human being we must Embrace a new vision of global solidarity one that upholds the principles of equity and inclusivity it is within our power to build a world that embodies the true Spirit of the UN United Nations a world where every voice is heard every life is valued and Global progress is shared by

all this is the cooperation our people expect our future demands and it is the commitment we must deliver I thank you [Applause] on behalf of the assembly I wish to thank the president of the Republic of Kenya and commanderin-chief of the Defense Forces