I would also like, as his mission draws to a close, to pay a vibrant tribute to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António GUTERRES.
Over the past decade, he has exercised his high office with profound humanity and absolute fidelity to the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations, in an international context that has been among the most trying in the contemporary history of our Organization.
Côte d’Ivoire wishes to express to him its deep gratitude for the excellence of our cooperation, which was strengthened throughout his term of office.
Mr. Secretary-General, President Alassane OUATTARA has asked me to convey to you his warmest regards, informed by high esteem and friendship, as well as his sincere wishes for success in the future stages of your rich professional career.
Mr. President, This session is being held in a very worrying international context. Conflicts and flashpoints are multiplying, geopolitical divisions are deepening, while the rise of terrorism and violent extremism threatens an ever greater number of territories.
At the same time, climate upheavals are hitting our countries hard, not to mention the humanitarian crises and the deep inequalities that are weakening our societies. Added to this are the real risks of destruction of humanity linked to the uncontrolled development of artificial intelligence.
The world is therefore at a difficult turning point. It is thus witnessing, almost helplessly, the gradual fragmentation of its peace architecture and an alarming reconfiguration of the international arena.
Before our eyes, multilateralism is being severely tested, weakened by an erosion of trust among nations and in the institutions that safeguard the world order. In these times of multilateral fracture, we must imperatively find appropriate solutions to put an end to these dangerous escalations, give priority to dialogue and revive trust.
With regard to international institutions, that trust is measured by their ability to translate the universality of their principles into concrete action and to treat every State, large or small, with the same requirement of fairness.
The trust of peoples, for its part, is nourished by tangible results, by the certainty that the decisions taken in their name effectively serve their security and dignity and protect their future.
The theme chosen this year thus accurately reflects these expectations of our time. It invites us, precisely, to the imperative of restoring trust in our collective ability to respond effectively to global challenges, to support the current changes and reforms in the architecture of the United Nations, so that our Organization may once again be capable of providing concrete solutions to the concerns of all peoples.
For Côte d’Ivoire, this means that multilateralism must be revitalized and, consequently, that diplomacy must be restored to its proper place and credibility for the effectiveness of its action.
In view of these challenges, an immense task awaits the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, whose selection process is now fully under way.
Côte d’Ivoire hopes to see this process lead to the designation of a person of very high stature, whose moral values, independence of mind, diplomatic experience and sense of dialogue will enable the United Nations to continue, with ambition and effectiveness, its mission in the service of peace, development and solidarity among nations.
International developments remind us every day of the human, political and economic cost of protracted conflicts.
Côte d’Ivoire remains deeply concerned by the resumption of hostilities in the Near and Middle East, the consequences of which weigh on peace and on food, energy and economic security throughout the world.
The dramatic situation prevailing in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the Sudan is equally worrying, with grave and unending humanitarian consequences.
All these persistent confrontations are aggravating the suffering of populations and producing harmful effects that extend far beyond the borders of the States concerned.
Accordingly, we call for dialogue to prevail over arms.
To the Haitian people, we also extend our solidarity. Côte d’Ivoire will continue to contribute to the ongoing initiatives aimed at supporting the Haitian authorities and international partners in restoring security in that brotherly country, in order to restore democratic legitimacy to its institutions.
This is an opportunity for my country to reaffirm its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and to lend its full support to the many mediation efforts undertaken by the United Nations, the African Union and the competent regional organizations.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Africa is bearing the full brunt of the retreat of multilateralism and the difficulties the United Nations has experienced in recent years. Owing to the lack of support from certain partners and from the United Nations, several African countries are struggling to resolve conflicts on a lasting basis and to bear the cost of the various counter-terrorism and peacekeeping operations. Meanwhile, violent extremism, transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking of all kinds continue to weaken several regions of the Continent, particularly the Sahel.
Our experience and the reality on the ground show that no State can, on its own, durably overcome such threats, which require greater regional cooperation and international solidarity for appropriate responses.
These threats also call for investment in conflict prevention and for addressing upstream the fragilities on which crises feed, particularly poverty, inequalities, youth unemployment and other forms of marginalization of all kinds.
In this regard, we commend the efforts of the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS and all partners engaged in the security and stabilization of our region.
The expected effectiveness of these Institutions therefore calls for them to be more representative, more inclusive and more in tune with the demands of our time.
Indeed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to explain to younger generations that the Organizations created in the aftermath of the Second World War can no longer faithfully reflect the political, demographic and economic realities of the twenty-first century.
My country once again reaffirms its support for an ambitious reform of the Security Council, in order to ensure Africa permanent representation within this important organ whose decisions directly affect our peace and security.
It is for this reason that Côte d’Ivoire welcomes the progress made through the Pact for the Future and calls for its prompt implementation. The real challenge is no longer to adopt new commitments, but to translate those already undertaken into tangible results for the well-being of our populations.
Peace cannot be lasting without truly inclusive and equitable development.
As the 2030 deadline approaches, the progress made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals remains insufficient, while financing needs remain considerable in many developing countries.
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development rightly recalled that the necessary resources exist, but the challenge now lies in our collective ability to mobilize and direct them with greater equity, solidarity and effectiveness in the service of sustainable development.
Côte d’Ivoire therefore calls for an ambitious reform of the international financial architecture and for a renewed global partnership, in order to ensure developing countries more equitable access to the resources necessary to finance infrastructure, health, education, energy, industrial transformation and the creation of decent jobs for young people.
Climate challenges require the same mobilization. Africa contributes the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet remains among the regions most severely affected by their consequences. Droughts, floods, land degradation and disruption of food systems directly threaten the livelihoods and means of subsistence of millions of people.
In this context, respect for international commitments in the areas of climate financing, adaptation and technology transfer constitutes an imperative of justice and solidarity.
The transformation of our world is also technological.
Artificial intelligence and the digital revolution are opening up considerable prospects in many areas of our contemporary world. However, these technological advances can also deepen existing divides if their development and access remain unevenly distributed.
In this regard, Côte d’Ivoire supports the efforts of the United Nations aimed at promoting global governance of artificial intelligence that fosters innovation, while protecting human dignity, international security and sustainable development, in a spirit of inclusion, ethics and equitable sharing of the benefits of technological progress. Mr. President, The trust that we seek at the international level must also be built within each of our States, through the strength of our institutions and our ability to create the conditions for sustainable and shared development.
For its part, my country is continuing, under the leadership of President Alassane OUATTARA, its march towards a stronger and more diversified economy, while ensuring peace and stability.
This ambition is now being advanced through Côte d’Ivoire’s 2026-2030 National Development Plan, which is part of a long-term vision, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Our ambition remains to build a prosperous and united nation, where economic growth translates into more opportunities, social progress and well-being for all our populations.
At a time when the United Nations has entered its ninth decade of existence, we have a collective duty to demonstrate that multilateralism remains the best response to the challenges of our time.
We must choose dialogue rather than confrontation, cooperation rather than withdrawal, solidarity rather than indifference. We must restore trust among nations, ensure that law prevails over force, place the human being at the heart of our decisions and make our diversity a source of richness rather than a cause of division.
Then the United Nations will continue to embody the hope of peoples and to fulfil the promises that gave rise to its creation.
Côte d’Ivoire, faithful to its values and deeply committed to peace, dialogue and multilateralism, will continue, with humility but with determination, to contribute to this collective endeavour, because we believe that the destiny of humanity remains profoundly shared.
Finally, it is for us to ensure that the United Nations remains, for present and future generations, a true crucible of human dignity and the guarantor of a better world.
I thank you.