Equatorial Guinea's Vice President Addresses UNGA 80th Session on Global Reform and Development

The UN at 80: Achievements and Shortcomings

• 🌍 The Vice President of Equatorial Guinea addressed the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, acknowledging the UN's 80-year history of promoting cooperation, international law, and human dignity.
• 💡 While celebrating achievements like conflict avoidance and decolonization support, he stressed the need for critical self-reflection on the multilateral system's shortcomings.

Challenges Facing the Multilateral System

• ⚠️ The UN faces significant challenges including armed conflicts, climate change, growing inequalities, migration crises, cyber threats, and lack of technological transfer.
• 📉 The current institutional platform is seen as outdated, failing to reflect the reality of today's world and often paralyzed by individual interests.
• 🗣️ The concept of 'leaving no one behind' is undermined when millions remain marginalized in systems of dependency and exclusion.

Security Council Reform

• 🏛️ The Security Council is highlighted as a prime example of the UN being out of step, with its structure rooted in 1945 geopolitical realities rather than the 21st century.
• 🌍 Africa demands full and permanent representation on this key security organ, advocating for a council that represents the world of today.
• ⚖️ Reform is deemed urgent to prevent the Security Council from being perceived as an exclusive club, powerless to respond legitimately to current threats.

Commitment to Global Goals and Sovereignty

• 🌱 Equatorial Guinea remains committed to Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, despite acknowledging implementation difficulties and slow progress.
• ⚖️ The principle of sovereignty between states is defended, opposing interference and arbitrary sanctions that undermine national independence.
• 🤝 A call is made for a world where countries are not considered enemies for befriending others, emphasizing peaceful conflict resolution.

Promoting Human Dignity and Economic Opportunity

• 🤝 The lifting of the economic embargo on Cuba is insisted upon, as it contravenes UN Charter principles and hinders development.
• 👶 Equatorial Guinea reaffirms its commitment to protecting the rights of children and persons with disabilities, and ensuring rights to food security, housing, water, and natural resource exploitation.
• 📈 The country invites business and women to invest, highlighting political stability, fiscal incentives, and the 2035 development agenda as attractive factors for sustainable and inclusive development.