Tunisia

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and prayers and peace upon the noblest of messengers.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like at the outset to convey the sincere greetings of the President of the Republic, Mr. Kais Saied, and his high appreciation, to Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, for his valuable efforts in support of the causes of right and justice and restoring confidence in multilateral action, and I renew our support for his initiative "UN80" to reform and develop the work of the Organization, at this delicate juncture the world is experiencing, characterized by instability and an unprecedented frequency of breaches of the rules of international law and the principles of the Charter.

I also extend to Her Excellency Ms. Annalena Baerbock my warmest congratulations on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at its 80th session, wishing her success in managing its work. And I express to His Excellency Mr. Philemon Yang thanks and appreciation for his successful presidency of the 79th session.

Mr. President,

We commemorate at this session, with pride and honor, the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, and we recall the totality of the noble principles and objectives for which it was established, notably the solidarity and unity of destiny that inspired those who preceded us in the struggle and diplomatic steadfastness. The United Nations was founded amid the fiercest and cruelest wars in human history, in order to be the voice of collective conscience for peoples, the safe haven that protects humanity from the calamities of conflicts and wars. How much more do we need today to strengthen this common home and preserve it, so that it remains a beacon of hope and a platform for dialogue and negotiation, for the sake of building a more secure, just and stable world, a world more solidly grounded in and attached to universal values.

Let us heed the lessons of the past, for the past is not distant. Wars and conflicts, with the human tragedies and grave violations they have brought, have taught us that the logic of force, however great its might and however many its justifications, cannot break the will of peoples or their firm belief in their right to self-determination.

We stand today, all of us, on the threshold of a new stage that requires from us sincere resolve and tireless effort in order to renew confidence in multilateral action and in the international system's capacity to achieve the lofty goals for which it was established, through completing the reform process and adopting a clear and complete roadmap, in order to implement the "UN80" initiative in a way that restores consideration to international legitimacy and enshrines the slogan of our previous session: "Leave no one behind."

Tunisia renews its attachment to multilateral action and to shared responsibility in confronting the accelerating economic, social, security, environmental and climate challenges that our world is witnessing today, and it trusts in the pivotal role of the United Nations in finding appropriate solutions to them. In this spirit, His Excellency the President of the Republic decided, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Organization, to make the year 2025 a year under the slogan "Year of Strengthening Multilateral Action and Consolidating Cooperation with the United Nations," through organizing several events at the International Diplomatic Academy in Tunis, in coordination with the specialized UN bodies, on topics in keeping with the outcomes of the 2024 Summit of the Future — security, developmental, scientific, technological and cultural among them.

Mr. President,

We believe in the capacity of our Organization and its bodies to withstand the profound transformations the world is witnessing, and to give a measure of hope and optimism to future generations for a better future. Yet today we are seized by a feeling of disappointment and frustration in the face of the Security Council's failure to put an end to the horrific tragedy and the war of extermination and starvation to which the steadfast Palestinian people are being subjected, amid the insistence of the brutal occupying entity on persisting in its cruelty against them, in full view and hearing of the whole world, without accountability or reckoning.

It has become clear today, beyond any doubt, that the crimes of the occupation aim at the liquidation of the Palestinian cause, preventing the Palestinian people from exercising their right to resist on their own land and preserving it, and it condemns the occupying entity's declaration of its intention to re-occupy the Gaza Strip entirely and push the Palestinian people to abandon their land.

How can we consecrate the rule of law and the supremacy of the UN Charter and the principles it brought, when the State of Palestine has still not obtained full membership, despite the fact that the UN General Assembly decided decades ago that it has the right to independence, to full sovereignty and to self-determination without any external interference, while the occupying entity retains its membership in the UN system despite its systematic and continuous, uninterrupted violation of international law, and despite its repeated transgression against the work of UN agencies, their staff and their immunities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

While my country values the wave of international recognition of the State of Palestine, which today exceeds 150 states, hoping that this trend will help support its obtaining full membership without delay or hesitation, it recalls that Palestine is a state under international law, and that states' recognition of it does not create this right but reveals and supports it. The truth is clear and the right is plain.

It is a right that was affirmed by the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion of 19 July 2024, when it ruled that the usurping entity is obligated to end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as rapidly as possible, and that United Nations Member States are obligated not to recognize the legality of the situation arising from this unlawful presence, and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining this situation and its continuation, and that the United Nations, through its principal organs, must consider the means and measures to ensure this.

We call, from this rostrum, upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities immediately in order to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip and all Palestinian territories, put an actual end to the state of famine, and ensure the delivery of aid and the safety of those seeking it.

We also call upon the Security Council to intervene urgently to halt the repeated violations that have affected a number of countries in the region: Syria, Lebanon, Iran and, most recently, Qatar — which is what my country recently called for at the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha, on the basis that Arab-Islamic security is an indivisible whole.

We affirm in this context that the process of reforming the United Nations and founding a new stage for multilateral action and international relations cannot be effective and tangible for all peoples unless it enshrines the value of equality among human lives and moves away from discrimination, selectivity and double standards.

Tunisia will remain true to its commitment, holding fast with unwavering resolve to continuing to support the Palestinian people in their struggle to reclaim their legitimate, inalienable rights, which will never lapse through the passage of time — foremost among them their right to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent, sovereign state over the whole of Palestine, with Jerusalem the Noble as its capital.

Mr. President,

Achieving the objectives of the Summit of the Future remains a guiding beacon for us, but it will remain, until now, difficult to attain unless the international community shows a sincere desire to bring about change and consensus based on a precise diagnosis of the deep causes that led to the failure of the current international system. Global challenges, both existing and emerging, cannot be confronted without rebuilding international relations on the foundations of solidarity, constructive cooperation, justice, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, and respect for national sovereignty — and that is the difficult equation to which the Secretary-General referred in his opening remarks.

From this standpoint, Tunisia renews its urgent call for a comprehensive and profound reform of the international financing system and its institutions, in a way that guarantees fair access to financial resources and strengthens the effectiveness of their deployment in the service of comprehensive development, through establishing innovative mechanisms for development financing — such as the ESCWA initiative on debt-for-climate-action swaps, which Tunisia has joined, and which aims to convert external debt-servicing obligations into investments in climate action and comprehensive development goals.

Our country affirms the importance of continuing efforts to recover funds and assets looted and smuggled abroad, in a way that strengthens international justice and guarantees peoples' rights to development and good governance. My country considers this a sovereign right that never lapses.

Mr. President,

Proceeding from its firm conviction of the close interlinkage between development and peace, Tunisia affirms that investment in human beings — particularly in the fields of education, health, infrastructure and the environment — constitutes the essential guarantee for the prevention of conflicts and for addressing the causes of irregular migration.

Our approach in dealing with irregular migration flows is based on respect for human rights in their comprehensive sense and the rejection of all forms of racial discrimination and hate speech. As the authorities of my country continue to spare no effort in rescuing the lives of irregular migrants by land and sea, caring for them and enabling their voluntary return to their countries of origin in coordination with the International Organization for Migration, they renew their call for the adoption of a comprehensive approach to migration that takes into account its humanitarian and historical character — an approach that cannot be reduced to narrow security dimensions or burden the countries of the South with responsibilities beyond their capacities. We stress the necessity of supporting development efforts in countries of origin, strengthening the economic and social integration of youth, and facilitating regular mobility.

Tunisia categorically refuses to be a country of transit or a land of settlement for irregular migrants, and affirms its rejection of human trafficking networks. Migration must remain a choice, not a necessity, for whenever it is organized, it enables the creation of wealth and decent job opportunities, and constitutes a lever for development and cultural rapprochement among peoples. We recall in this context the International Conference on Migration held in Rome in July 2023, on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Tunisia, aimed at reaching comprehensive and lasting development solutions and mobilizing the material means necessary for their implementation.

On another front, Tunisia affirms the necessity of separating climate financing from development financing, considering that climate financing is a historic responsibility and a rightful compensatory due. Despite the limited contribution of many developing countries to global emissions, they face worsening climate challenges, most notably water scarcity, declining agricultural land, rising sea levels, and other extreme climate phenomena. Accordingly, Tunisia calls for honoring the international pledge to mobilize 300 billion dollars annually, allocating a significant proportion of it to adaptation programs, facilitating access mechanisms to these resources by simplifying technical and financial conditions, and activating the "Loss and Damage" Fund as an effective and equitable compensation mechanism.

Our country affirms that the right to development is a fundamental, indivisible right, based on the principles of justice, equality and international solidarity, stressing that this right requires a fair international environment that enables the transfer of technology and mastery of it, facilitates procedures for accessing concessional financing, and strengthens equitable partnerships between North and South.

Mr. President,

Tunisia continues, with full resolve and steadfastness, its reform path launched since 25 July 2021, in order to entrench a genuine democracy that guarantees rights and freedoms for all citizens and responds to the aspirations of the Tunisian people to rise to the accumulated economic and social challenges of recent years. It relies for this on its own capacities and on what its dynamic people possess of energies, doing so through diversifying partnerships on the basis of mutual benefit, in a manner that serves its interests and preserves the independence of its decision-making.

In this framework, Tunisia affirms its firm commitment to the values of human rights and public and individual freedoms, in accordance with the Constitution of 25 July 2022 and its international commitments, and its respect for its national sovereignty and the independence of its decision and the choices of its people. It stresses the importance of strengthening the comprehensive and interconnected character of human rights, including economic, climate, social, scientific and cultural rights, foremost among them the natural right to development.

Tunisia gives the social dimension a central place in its development plans, with the aim of building a cohesive and integrated society, and supports youth participation in policy-making and in transformative solution pathways and decision-making circles, out of our firm conviction that their voice must be heard and that their energy is capable of changing reality for the better. Tunisia also continues to strengthen the legislative and strategic frameworks for women's economic inclusion, expanding their participation in public life and in all fields, and ensuring equal opportunity and combating all forms of violence and discrimination against women.

From this standpoint, Tunisia affirms its commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, believing that the participation of women and youth in conflict-prevention efforts, crisis resolution and peacebuilding is a necessary condition for achieving just and lasting peace and comprehensive development.

Mr. President,

While affirming, out of its belief in the interlinkage of the interests of the two brotherly Tunisian and Libyan peoples, its firm and principled position supporting the free choices of the Libyan people — for the situation inside Libya is not an international matter but purely an internal affair, and the solution can only be Libyan, without interference from any party whatsoever, for the Libyan people are the holders of sovereignty and alone are entitled to determine the solutions they accept, with support from the United Nations — Tunisia calls, in the same context, for the necessity of respecting Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial unity, and expresses its rejection of violations of its territorial integrity, and stresses the necessity of combining international efforts to find a political solution to the situation in Yemen, ending the suffering of this brotherly people and achieving peace and security for it. Tunisia calls on the Sudanese parties to resort to dialogue and peaceful means to overcome the crisis, restore security and stability, and put an end to the suffering of the Sudanese people from the calamities of war and division.

Regarding the situations on the African continent, Tunisia affirms the necessity of addressing the causes of fragility that a number of countries on the continent face, and calls for more combined international and UN efforts to help the continent confront its various challenges and rid itself of crises, and push forward the paths of restoring stability and achieving security, peace and development. We also affirm the importance of supporting the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, particularly through supporting the financial resources allocated to preventing the outbreak of conflicts and addressing conflict situations, and ensuring sustainable peace, security and comprehensive development throughout the African continent. My country believes in the necessity of finding African solutions to African problems as an approach to achieving our goal of silencing the guns by 2030. We also renew the call to provide financial and logistical support for peace support operations, and to continue cooperation and coordination between UN and regional structures within the framework of a participatory approach that places Africa's security and stability at the top of its priorities — "the Africa we want."

Mr. President,

As Tunisia renews its firm commitment to the culture of peace as a strategic choice and a steadfast principle in its foreign policy, it affirms at the same time the necessity of intensifying international efforts to combat hate speech and incitement to violence, and stresses the importance of continuing to support the United Nations' role in preventing and settling conflicts through peaceful means, without selectivity, and in strengthening dialogue among civilizations and cultures as an essential channel for peaceful coexistence among nations and peoples.

Tunisia, engaged in peacekeeping missions in a spirit of responsibility stemming from its diplomatic doctrine and commitment, which places the human being at the heart of its concerns, believes that the protection of civilians is a moral duty before it is an international obligation. Since the earliest years of independence, and despite the newness of its national army at the time, Tunisia was among the first countries to contribute to peacekeeping operations. It participates today in four UN peacekeeping missions, reflecting the international community's confidence in the competence and discipline of Tunisian personnel.

Having realized, by virtue of its historical experience and its early engagement in these humanitarian operations, that the protection of civilians is not merely a circumstantial response but a continuous and integrated undertaking based on prevention and anticipation, Tunisia took the initiative of organizing the International Conference on "The Role of Armed Forces in the Protection of Civilians in Peacekeeping Operations" on 10 and 11 July 2025, in cooperation with the UN Department of Peace Operations, and presented a set of practical initiatives and proposals aimed at strengthening the protection of civilians, achieving the desired effectiveness of peace operations, and renewing states' confidence in them.

In conclusion, I affirm that Tunisia engaged in UN action before independence and, upon achieving its liberation to complete the foundations of its sovereignty, has taken pride in what it has done since joining the world organization on 12 November 1956, in defense of the Charter's principles, in support of international peace and security, and in contributing to peacekeeping efforts.

With the same resolve and commitment, Tunisia will continue its engagement in all sincere initiatives aimed at achieving security and stability for all the peoples of the region and the world. And hope will continue to guide us to together build a future that carries opportunities worthy of the aspirations and hopes of our peoples and our coming generations.

Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you, and thank you for your kind attention.