Benin

Mr. President of the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly,

Ladies and Gentlemen Heads of State and Government,

Mr. Secretary-General,

Ladies and Gentlemen Heads of Delegation,

Distinguished Delegates,

It falls to me, as the privilege and distinct honour, on behalf of Mr. Patrice TALON, President of the Republic of Benin, who is unable to attend, to deliver the following address:

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I am pleased to begin my remarks by first expressing my warm congratulations to you, Mr. President, on your brilliant election to the Presidency of the 78th session of the General Assembly, and by extending to you my best wishes for every success in the accomplishment of this lofty mission.

I take this opportunity to also convey my congratulations to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Csaba KÖRÖSI, whom Benin was honoured to have supported in the capacity of Vice-President, for the remarkable manner in which he presided over the work of the 77th session.

I cannot conclude my opening remarks without reiterating my thanks to His Excellency Mr. António GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, for his active and constant commitment to the effective achievement of the noble objectives of our common Organization, in the context of the many pressing challenges confronting us today more than ever.

Mr. President,

Here we are once again, gathered for the General Debate, the annual meeting of the community of the United Nations, not only to discuss the burning issues of world affairs, but also and above all to provide the political guidance that can help build a viable consensus on the ways and means of resolving them.

But before engaging in this exercise, I convey to you the warm greetings of my Government and of the entire Beninese Nation, a Nation that tirelessly strives to reveal to itself and to the whole world its potential and its strengths, and to fully play its part in the concert of Nations, in the service of a more united and prosperous humanity.

Indeed, for a little over seven years now, Benin has been methodically implementing the major reforms set out in the two successive Programmes of Action of my Government, which are aligned with the SDGs. The efforts undertaken have enabled us to move from a growth rate of 4% in 2016 to 7.6% in 2019 and, since 2020, to join the category of middle-income countries. These results reinforce our conviction that underdevelopment is not an inevitability.

To ensure that economic growth effectively serves the cause of social development, my Government has put in place a series of measures aimed at eliminating poverty and strengthening human capital. Tirelessly, we continue to improve the living conditions of the population through the implementation of flagship actions in the areas of urbanization and urban sanitation, access to energy and drinking water, on the one hand, and education and health care, on the other. All of this is taking place within a peaceful political environment, with the successful organization, in January of this year, of free and transparent legislative elections that strengthened pluralism in the national political landscape.

Despite these numerous achievements, we remain aware that many economic challenges persist, that many social goals have yet to be attained, and that security risks endure given the sub-regional environment.

Mr. President,

Located in West Africa, Benin is confronted with a series of complex challenges and dynamics, affecting in particular various aspects, among them security and political stability.

Indeed, it is no secret that, politically, the West African sub-region is grappling with political instability and governance problems. Furthermore, the security threat has intensified in several countries due to the combined effects of terrorism, violent extremism and piracy.

Resolving these problems requires sub-regional and international cooperation, as well as a continued commitment to sustainable development and democracy.

As a peace-loving country, Benin remains attached to the ideals that presided over the creation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the sub-regional level and of the United Nations at the global level, and will not fail to contribute to the resolution of these problems, which require coordinated international responses as well as enhanced cooperation on a global scale.

Mr. President,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The theme that brings us together this year, namely: "Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all," fits perfectly with the UN agenda, which a few days ago, during the SDG Summit, carried out a mid-point assessment of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

In the very particular context the world is experiencing, with various crises, notably the worrying effects of climate change, the war in Ukraine and political upheavals in certain countries, we approach this new session even as humanity continues to face a multitude of complex challenges.

The past few years have been particularly trying for populations around the world. They have highlighted the fragility of our world in the context of globalization, the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences.

In our world, shaken by convulsions, fractured by inequalities, and ill-equipped to face new threats, the United Nations must remain, for the peoples of the planet, a beacon of hope, solidarity and humanism that we must preserve at all costs and strengthen.

This theme brings us face to face with our responsibilities and calls on us to renew our faith in the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations. It reminds us of the urgent need for collective action to find appropriate and lasting solutions to the challenges of our time, the most pressing of which is the achievement of the SDGs by 2030.

These challenges underscore, more than ever, the crucial role that multilateral institutions must play for our collective prosperity and security.

Benin therefore supports all initiatives that will contribute to strengthening and to an ambitious refounding of global governance, through appropriate reforms along three (3) main lines:

1. The refounding of the United Nations that we call for requires taking full measure of how much our world has changed since 1945 and recognizing that, if we wish to fulfil the promises of the Charter, the governance of the UN must be reformed in order to adapt the Organization to the challenges of our time.

This is an opportunity for my delegation to renew its political support for the reform agenda proposed and launched by the Secretary-General, with respect to the three (3) pillars of peace and security, development, and human rights.

Furthermore, the acuteness of the crises shaking the world and the geopolitical changes that have occurred since 1945 require a rebalancing of power relations within the United Nations, particularly within the Security Council.

In this regard, Benin advocates for effective and immediate reform aimed at making this body more representative and effective, notably through an increase in the number of its representatives, whether permanent or non-permanent, in accordance with the African position as expressed in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.

2. This refounding must also take place within the multilateral trading system, with fairer trade rules governing an international environment that promotes, in developing countries, production and the creation of added value, market access, and integration into all segments of global value chains;

3. Finally, there is an urgent need for a refounding of the global financial architecture in the current context, which some describe as a "great financial divide," where the global financial system is struggling to effectively curb the impact of global crises on countries of the South and to significantly promote the financing of sustainable development.

At the midpoint of the timeline for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and if we wish to increase our chances of achieving the goals we have set for ourselves, it is imperative to guarantee an environment that allows for better access to structural and sustainable financing.

This imperative calls for an approach going beyond the traditional mechanism of Official Development Assistance, towards direct, productive investments, at the lowest possible rates and over the longest possible terms.

Mr. President,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is only subject to such courageous reforms, supported by firm political will, that we can effectively face the great contemporary challenges confronting us, challenges around whose resolution our Organization's credibility is at stake in national public opinion, as well as on the international stage.

These challenges include, inter alia:

• Peace and security, including cybersecurity;
• Democracy and human rights;
• Access to water and energy, in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner;
• Health and education;
• The fight against poverty and inequalities, whether economic, social or otherwise;
• Climate change, biodiversity and the environment;
• Food security;
• Migration, etc.

These interconnected challenges require international cooperation, concerted action and innovative solutions to resolve contemporary global problems and build a more sustainable and equitable future for all.

Mr. President,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The credibility of our common Organization will also depend on our ability to finally provide, in an equitable and lasting manner, peaceful solutions to questions that have persisted for decades, among which my delegation would like to mention:

1. Peace and security in the Middle East, particularly the Palestinian question, with regard to which Benin reaffirms its support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at creating a viable Palestinian State possessing the attributes of full international sovereignty and living in peaceful coexistence with the State of Israel;

2. The economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States of America. My delegation is of the view that the easing, or indeed the lifting, of the embargo will enable the Cuban people to cope with the many crises currently shaking our planet. In this context, we call for concrete measures to be taken toward the complete and definitive lifting of the blockade, as well as the normalization of relations between these two (2) countries, both friends of Benin;

3. The question of Western Sahara, which deserves that we redouble our efforts to find a definitive solution, by building on the gains made in the political process conducted under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, within the framework of the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions.

Mr. President,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The future of the United Nations, our common Organization, depends on our collective responsibility to give it the means to strengthen itself and to contribute to the advent of a more inclusive system of global governance, one that fulfils its promises and guarantees the best possible future for the peoples of the United Nations, particularly for young people.

My delegation will continue to work with all countries that share this ideal.

Thank you for your kind attention.

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