Burkina Faso

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Distinguished delegates,

I have the great privilege and immense honor of conveying to you, on behalf of His Excellency Captain Ibrahim TRAORE, President of Faso, Head of State, the fraternal and friendly greetings of the valiant People of Burkina Faso, who, despite all adversities, notably the ignominy of aggressors and enemies of peace, manipulations and interference of all kinds, have managed to develop resilience in order to continue their radiant march toward inclusive economic and social development.

I am also pleased, Mr. President, to convey to you, on behalf of the Government and people of Burkina Faso, my warm congratulations on your brilliant election to the presidency of this 79th ordinary session.

To your predecessor, Mr. Dennis Francis, I extend my delegation's congratulations for the achievements made during his mandate, in an international context particularly marked by profound divergences.

Mr. Secretary-General,

Burkina Faso duly appreciates the actions that the United Nations system and its partners, under your coordination, continue to carry out on the ground in support of the Government's efforts.

It is in this regard that my country welcomes the choice of the highly evocative and thought-provoking theme of this 79th General Assembly: "Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations."

In evoking this theme, allow me to convey at once the aspirations of the Sahelian social strata in general, and of Burkina Faso in particular:

I am a Burkinabè peasant, who watches over and perpetuates traditions and customs. I cultivate with ardor my land, bequeathed to me by my ancestors, to feed my family and ensure its well-being. I want to be able to live free, dignified and proud!

I am a woman, a mother, a worthy descendant of the Princesses Yennenga and Guimbi OUATTARA, in the image of other brave Sahelian women, endowed with a strength of character like no other. I would give my life to ensure the survival and flourishing of my children, my brothers and sisters, my compatriots, in a society of peace and love. I want to be able to live free, dignified and proud!

I am a young Burkinabè — farmer, herder, trader, civil servant, artist, artisan, student, etc. — young people from all regions and all walks of life, born of a brave and combative youth, committed to contributing my share to the development of Burkina Faso. I want to be able to live free, dignified and proud!

I am a child, girl or boy, from cities and villages, from sites for internally displaced persons. I want to be able to live free, dignified and proud!

I am a Burkinabè living abroad, a courageous, hardworking and honest worker, native of the "land of upright men." From my stay far from the motherland, I participate enthusiastically in the common struggle for the peace and stability of my country and my subregion. I want to be able to live free, dignified and proud!

I am a Burkinabè, Malian or Nigerien Soldier, or a Volunteer for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP), husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother and sister. I have sworn to defend my homeland at the cost of my life, to fight the enemy on the battlefield with selflessness, and to protect my fellow citizens from all danger. I want to be able to live free, dignified and proud!

Mr. President, these aspirations are the guideposts that shape the action of the government, whose struggle is to create conditions in which the men and women of the Sahel can live free, dignified and proud.

The theme of our session, greatly appreciated for its relevance, in fact exhumes a fundamental concern as old as the United Nations itself, and one that has been addressed by nearly all the debates that have taken place here. This means that it is no longer really a matter of reflecting on what to do or how to act. It is a matter of giving substance and life to our speeches through concrete actions.

We must go beyond words to finally act in favor of a fairer world, rid of the prejudices and stereotypes that tend to relegate certain peoples or certain parts of the planet to the background, condemned to wait in the prisons of isolation and contempt for potential aid, at the mercy of the whims of powers who claim to be the only ones capable of dictating the pace and direction to be imposed on others.

We must refocus our efforts more on the fundamental objectives of our common Organization, the United Nations, whose primary purpose is to promote the well-being of populations and peoples by ensuring peace and security for them.

This absolute urgency and necessity to co-build and act in favor of a fairer world find their full relevance in the current context, where our world is dominated by persistent crises, complex conflicts, and unequal economic governance that deepen the divide between States and the cleavages between peoples, with human tragedies as their corollary.

This disastrous configuration is the result of multilateralism at a crossroads, a multilateralism running out of steam, whose reputation has repeatedly been tarnished by the partisan and predatory actions of certain Member States who have set themselves up as "masters of the world" and who have made the submission and exploitation of other States the guiding line of their foreign policy.

We must rightly be concerned about this, for the harmony and cohesion of our world are at stake. This is why Burkina Faso takes this platform to appeal once again to the reason and wisdom of all, particularly the powers of our planet, so that an inclusive global governance, free of hegemonic visions, may be favored.

It is at this price that we will restore to the UN all its former glory.

Mr. President,

• Restoring the integrity of the territory while ensuring the security of populations and their property, reforming political, administrative, economic and financial governance so that it carries and embodies the aspirations of Burkinabè for a better life,

• Carrying out reforms and development actions that will bring about shared prosperity and sustainable economic and social progress; these are among the projects undertaken under the leadership and clear-sightedness of H.E. Captain Ibrahim TRAORE, President of Faso, Head of State.

The Burkinabè people, who have decided to affirm and assume their sovereignty by putting an end to their servitude, and who are demonstrating extraordinary resilience, like all the populations of the Sahel, have understood the stakes and scope of this struggle, and have mobilized alongside our defense and security forces.

With this unwavering support, thanks to the patriotism, ingenuity, bravery and spirit of sacrifice of its sons and daughters, Burkina Faso is recording once-unhoped-for successes as well as highly commendable results in the relentless fight against terrorists manipulated, remotely controlled and financed by neocolonialist powers.

This is the place to pay heartfelt tribute to all those, civilians and military personnel, who have fallen on the battlefield, and whose memory I salute.

Mr. President,

Through strategic and visionary reforms marked, among other things, by the increase in the operational capacities of troops and the reorganization of our combat forces in the field, we have multiplied our means of action, with the saving effect of a complete recapturing of control over the reconquest of areas infested by these criminals and their allies.

Concretely, nearly 70% of the territory is now under State control, compared to 40% in 2022. This has allowed for the resettlement of displaced populations and the reopening of schools. Thus, in less than two years, reconquest actions have enabled more than seven hundred thousand (700,000) people to return to their villages, and nearly one thousand five hundred (1,500) schools to reopen their classrooms, giving thousands of students the long-awaited chance and joy of returning to school and continuing their education.

These results, which command admiration and inspire great hope, have been made possible thanks to the action of the Defense and Security Forces, the patriotic commitment of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP), and the firm support of the populations as well as of the Burkinabè diaspora, in a tremendous surge of solidarity.

This patriotic mobilization of all components of our people has made it possible to collect the sum of approximately ninety-nine billion CFA francs (about 165 million US dollars) for the year 2023 alone — a figure that far exceeded initial projections. This shows the full determination of the Burkinabè people to finance and lead, themselves, the fight against terrorists and their allies.

Mr. President,

Even as we are reaping successes in our victorious offensive against the forces of obscurantism, certain outfits of dubious reputation and integrity have, curiously, engaged in a broad and virulent campaign of denigration and stigmatization against our combat forces, whom they accuse of violating human rights, without producing the slightest proof. This orchestrated propaganda actually aims to demoralize Burkinabè patriots and to sabotage their legitimate struggle, simply because these devotees of Chaos have not yet understood the dynamic underway in the Sahel — that is, our determination to free ourselves from all tutelage and all paternalism.

My country would like to take this opportunity to express, with deference, its infinite gratitude to all those friendly countries and sincere partners who support its cause and accompany it in consolidating its radiant march toward inclusive economic and social development. I would therefore like to invite the Member States of the UN to give no credence to all this media agitation, which clearly reflects, at bottom, the distress of terrorists in retreat and their sponsors.

I would also like to reassure them of the professionalism and reputation of our Defense and Security Forces (FDS), demonstrated through their participation in peacekeeping operations and repeatedly acknowledged right here. The systematic training and ongoing evaluations of the FDS and the VDP in International Humanitarian Law guarantee, on a daily basis, this professional rigor with regard to respect for human rights.

Mr. President,

Insofar as there is unanimous agreement on the need to combat international terrorism, my country is concerned about the support given by state entities to terrorists.

These sponsorships, which we have never ceased to denounce, and which others considered a mere figment of the imagination, were recently exposed to the whole world through a paradoxical stance taken by Ukraine, a Member State of our Organization.

Indeed, by unequivocally affirming its involvement in the terrorist attacks that caused the death of members of the Malian Defense and Security Forces at Tinzaouatène, in Mali, last July, and by admitting its support for international terrorism, particularly in the Sahel, this country has given a glimpse of the terrorist activities it is conducting in the Sahel, like other States active behind the scenes of betrayal.

We reiterate our firm condemnation of these acts of aggression and glorification of terrorism, which violate the Charter of the United Nations and the international conventions relating thereto.

These particularly serious facts reveal the ambitions that have constantly marked the history of our continent; namely, its balkanization, the assassination of leaders, interference in the internal politics of African States, and predation as an ultimate goal.

The means to achieve this range from the manipulation of national elites and regional and subregional organizations to the waging of proxy wars, as is the case in the Sahel, where Ukraine and other countries finance and arm terrorists with impunity.

This reading, which moreover finds its relevance in the worrying proliferation of military bases in our subregion, also explains the possession by criminal gangs of sophisticated, state-of-the-art weapons.

Faced with this new type of terrorism, the stability and foundations of our States and of our Organization are compromised. It is therefore urgent to undertake vigorous action.

For their part, with regard to the case of Ukrainian aggression, the countries of the Confederation of Sahel States have already referred the matter to the Security Council, on August 20th. We expect firm responses in this regard.

Mr. President,

Faced with the security imperatives of the Sahel, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger decided, in full sovereignty, on September 16, 2023, to create the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This is a military alliance of collective defense and mutual assistance to combat terrorism and organized crime on their territory.

In order to also provide appropriate responses to complex development challenges, the AES countries decided to extend the scope of their cooperation to other priority areas within their space. It is in this spirit that the first Summit of AES Heads of State was held on July 6, 2024, in Niamey, Niger.

At the conclusion of this historic Summit, Their Excellencies Captain Ibrahim TRAORE, President of Faso, Head of State of Burkina; Colonel Assimi GOITA, President of the Transition, Head of State of Mali; and Brigadier General Abdourahmane TIANI, President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, Head of State of Niger, adopted the Treaty establishing the Confederation of Sahel States (AES).

The popular support and enthusiasm generated by the advent of the AES Confederation are partly explained by the failure and incapacity of subregional institutions and mechanisms to respond to the legitimate security concerns of our populations.

This life-saving and salutary action is primarily aimed at protecting the populations of the Sahel, already hard-hit by the security and humanitarian crisis, and against whom deliberate murderous measures have been taken to further exacerbate their suffering.

Mr. President,

While this present session calls on us to leave no one behind, international news is still, alas, marked by increasingly acute tensions that seriously threaten peace and security, under the powerless gaze of the UN.

Burkina Faso calls for always favoring the path of diplomacy to peacefully resolve these disputes. We remain convinced that by upholding the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, we will succeed in extinguishing hotbeds of tension, whatever their scale and wherever they occur: in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia or the Americas.

In this spirit — in the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations — Burkina Faso reiterates its support for the ongoing political process in Western Sahara, conducted under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable and negotiated political solution, as recommended by the relevant Security Council resolutions.

In the Middle East, Burkina Faso reaffirms its solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are living through an unprecedented tragedy. The two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine living in peace and good-neighborliness, remains the objective alternative that Burkina Faso continues to support. Our acceptance of Palestine as a Member State of the United Nations is in keeping with this logic.

As a source of untold suffering for the most vulnerable populations, unilateral coercive measures imposed on States must be prohibited if we wish to give real and objective substance to the purpose of this session. This is why we call for the immediate lifting of the economic, commercial and financial sanctions imposed on certain States whose only fault is seeking freedom for their peoples. This is the case of Cuba. It is also the case of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicaragua, Iran and many other countries.

On the subject of development issues, Burkina Faso wishes to recall that, however relevant they may be, commitments to development made here at the United Nations will have no chance of success without the good faith and involvement of all.

With regard to the reform of our Organization, it is time for the African continent to be able to participate fully and rightfully in the UN Security Council, in accordance with the African position reflected in the Consensuses that have upheld it. This will make it possible to affirm the universal character of the UN and to remedy the persistent injustice against Africa.

Mr. President,

In conclusion, I would like to state that Burkina Faso has faith in the UN. It hopes, however, that the Organization's interventions will be carried out with respect for the sovereignty of Member States, their strategic choices and their fundamental interests.

In the Sahel, a wind of renewal and hope is blowing, brought about by the advent of the AES Confederation. Burkina Faso remains convinced that this new subregional integration community, which is directed against no country and no people, can contribute, in collaboration with sincere partners and in an approach stripped of all hypocrisy, to the fight against terrorism and insecurity in the Sahel.

God bless Burkina Faso! God bless the AES Confederation! God bless Africa! Homeland or death, we shall overcome!

Thank you.