Ethiopia

Honorable President of the General Assembly; Honorable Secretary-General of the United Nations; Excellencies and distinguished guests;

Honorable President Annalena Baerbock, on your election as President of the 80th General Assembly, I extend my congratulations to you and to your country, Germany, and wish you a successful term.

I would also like to express my gratitude to Honorable Philémon Yang, President of the 79th General Assembly, for the excellent leadership he demonstrated.

On behalf of Ethiopia, a founding member of the United Nations, I wish to express the honor I feel in addressing this historic gathering marking the eightieth anniversary of the United Nations.

Madame President,

Looking back on the eighty years of its existence, the United Nations has considerable achievements to celebrate. Our sacrifice for decolonization has left a lasting legacy on the global body, making it truly universal with the admission of newly independent states.

Wars are prevented; humanitarian catastrophes are averted; and deadly pandemics successfully contained. Global cooperation under the framework of the Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals has resulted in a reduction of extreme poverty and paved the way for climate action.

These achievements however, could not conceal the outstanding need for reform and revitalization. The most glaring one is the inequitable representation of states in the global security, political and financial architecture. The United Nations must also overcome the systemic problems it suffers from a lack of impartiality, selectivity, and double standards.

The emerging controversy over the fundamentals of the international system and the principles of the United Nations Charter is risking the very foundation of international cooperation. These trends should not be normalised or serve as a baseline in the determination of our standards and targets.

We are also deeply concerned by isolationist policies, unprecedented military buildup, arms race, and the disturbing trend of retraction from development and climate commitments. These worrying trajectories are counterproductive to the collective progress of humanity and undermine the very premise of peaceful interstate relations.

It is Ethiopia's conviction that the remedy lies within our reach. No state can single-handedly manage global challenges. We, therefore, call on fellow Member States, especially developed countries that have historic responsibilities, to reverse recent downward trends and intensify efforts towards the collective public good of development and peace.

Madame President,

Ethiopia supports the peaceful resolution of all conflicts. The path of violence must yield to the power of diplomacy. We affirm our historic position on the right of the Palestinian people for self-determination. Direct negotiation among the warring parties is an immediate necessity. Humanitarian assistance must reach all the people in need. This is not a political preference but a moral imperative!

As Ethiopia has pronounced in its position during the adoption of the resolutions on the two-state solution, the international community should join hands to end the vicious cycle of violence and stalemate in order to give peace a chance. We wish to underscore, any proposed peace and reconstruction plan in the Middle East should not create complications to adjacent countries and regions.

More than any time before, the United Nations is indeed called upon to face events that greatly exceed its powers and capabilities. It was in 1949, at the 4th session of the General Assembly, the Ethiopian delegation forewarned the risks of ineffectiveness and intrusion into the mandates of the General Assembly. This was caused by the excessive number of bodies and mechanisms created. It is in this light that we see the ongoing reform process under the UN80 initiative as an opportunity to preserve the mandates of the General Assembly by rectifying its dispersion to a multitude of other bodies.

Ethiopia reiterates Africa's longstanding call that there should be more decentralization and deployment of institutional and financial capacity to the Global South, especially to the African continent, where the United Nations has most of its programs.

Madame President,

Africa, guided by Agenda 2063, is advancing development as its preferred security policy. The continent is scoring a higher rate of economic growth! Domestic revenue mobilization is on the rise! Africa's climate action in renewable energy development, emission reduction, and afforestation is unmatched in any other part of the world. Efforts to enhance public welfare, combat transnational threats, and decrease inequality are being intensified.

Despite these achievements, the global crisis continues to impact Africa's capabilities to deliver on development aspirations. Chief among these is the compounding debt crisis. In line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Seville outcome document, we emphasize the need to advance an ambitious agenda on development finance. Coercive measures and trade restrictions, in particular those targeting Africa, must be lifted immediately. More importantly, Ethiopia calls for a new global action for debt cancellation, restructuring and suspension.

Madame President,

It is our view that the national security of states, especially those in the same region, is indivisible and inter-dependent. To this effect, we will intensify our efforts to combat global terrorists operating in our region. We call on the international community to extend the required support to the African Union Peace Missions, in particular the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia. Now is not the time to retreat from global action in combating terrorism.

Furthermore, we reiterate our call for urgent action to reform the United Nations Security Council. Africa's representation in both categories of membership of the Council must be given priority. There is no shortcut or half-solution to this longstanding pursuit for justice.

Distinguished delegates, Excellencies,

I have the distinct pleasure to share with this august Assembly recent milestones of great significance achieved by the people of the Nile River Basin. With the entry into force of the Agreement on the Nile River Basin Cooperative Framework, the Entebbe-based Nile River Basin Commission is nearing establishment.

This year, we also celebrated another milestone. On the eve of the Ethiopian New Year, Ethiopia commissioned the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which transforms Ethiopia's renewable energy generation capacity.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, with an installed capacity of over five thousand megawatts, signifies our commitment to clean energy for all. Its true meaning is found in the lives it transforms. The Renaissance Dam brings light to 60 million Ethiopians who currently lack access to any form of clean energy. It promises power to Ethiopia's energy demand, which grows by more than twenty percent every year.

It is a symbol of liberation for millions of Ethiopian women and girls, freeing them from the back-breaking search for firewood. The Dam will be instrumental in the attainment of all of the Sustainable Development Goals. It boosts our capability to provide clean water to our people who live under chronic shortage, create employment to our youth, and ensure food security.

GERD also enhances regional connectivity. The overwhelming support and solidarity we received on the occasion of the inauguration inspire greater efforts to forge cooperation among the riparian countries of the Nile River Basin.

Madame President,

Our Pan-African aspiration to break the vicious cycle of underdevelopment should bring our countries together to realise initiatives that will transform the lives of our people. The time is now to work towards Africa's true independence, driven by African agency and guided by the common destiny of our people.

Ethiopia with its second largest population in Africa and significant maritime trade, places high importance on the safety and security of maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

We concur with the Secretary-General's statement during the Awaza Conference that no state should be locked out of opportunities for growth, finance and technology due to geographical circumstances.

The international law maxim that defines the high seas as a common heritage of mankind and guarantees equal right of access and use to all states must be brought to reality. In collaboration with other states, Ethiopia will work towards a comprehensive approach to ensure equal development and security for all states along the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Ethiopia will also keep on advancing this legitimate policy objective through diplomacy and peaceful engagement.

Madame President,

In conclusion

I am convinced, the spirit, genius, and competence of humanity towards unity, justice, and collective wellbeing will triumph over the current atmosphere of rivalry.

For its part, Ethiopia is firmly committed to upholding multilateralism, centred on the Charter of the United Nations, and to contributing to the maintenance of collective security and sustainable development.

Thank you!