YouSaid · the spoken record

Aurélien Agbenonci

lines on the record
22
first
2017-09-24
most recent
2020-09-24
sittings or episodes
2
sources
un-general-debate

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  1. ““There is no doubt that, together, we will succeed in stabilizing those regions of Africa with a view to creating conditions conducive to their development and the fulfilment of the aspirations of their respective populations. “Thank you for your kind attention.””

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  2. “President, “Ladies and Gentlemen Heads of Government and heads of delegations, “Ladies and Gentlemen, “Benin belongs to a subregion increasingly affected by the deteriorating security situation. Unfortunately, the number of victims of terrorist violence continues to grow, particularly in the Sahel. The situation requires joint efforts and collective actions to address it. “In that connection, I welcome the action plan for 2020-2024 adopted in December 2019 by ECOWAS with a view to effectively and comprehensively combating that scourge in the West African subregion. “Furthermore, I would like to express Benin’s solidarity with the G-5 Sahel member countries and call on the international community to bolster regional efforts by providing strengthened support in the fight against terrorism in Africa.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  3. ““My Government’s programme of action also attaches prime importance to preserving the environment and the energy transition. The measures planned within that framework are complementary to the objectives and priorities contained in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. “The appeal I launched on 15 November 2016 in Marrakech at the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was aimed at creating an international research centre to address the effects of climate change on agriculture, received a favourable response from States. “I take this opportunity to commend the States and regional groups, along with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat, who are sparing no effort to reach the consensus necessary for the effective establishment of the centre. “Mr.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  4. “Benin has therefore decided to break with the mistakes of the past and seek to engage in rigorous and resolute governance in all sectors. My Government systematically implements major reforms through its Action Programme, whose goals are in line with the SDGs. The results achieved, which have been lauded nationally and internationally, have convinced the people of Benin that, with determination and resolve, it is possible for countries to get out of the rut and return to the path of development and prosperity. “My Government is relentlessly pursuing its path towards the radical transformation of living conditions in Benin’s cities and rural areas, including universal access to drinking water and electric power, which, as recently as 2016, was considered a privilege and a luxury in Benin.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  5. “My country therefore reaffirms its support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at creating a viable and fully sovereign Palestinian State, living side by side and in peace with the State of Israel. Benin believes that the current context of COVID-19 should justify concrete steps for the total and definitive lifting of the embargo on Cuba. However, in spite of the pandemic, regrettably, we see that the embargo is being tightened. My country again makes an urgent appeal for the normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States of America, in the interest of the people of both countries and of the entire world. Mr. President, Since April 2016, Benin has been engaged in far-reaching political and economic reforms designed to clean up its economy, create a favourable environment for investment and combat corruption and prevarication.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  6. “Benin supported resolution 72/279, aimed at strengthening the institutional architecture of the United Nations development system to ensure its greater effectiveness. Benin also firmly supports the intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the United Nations Security Council. We believe that this reform will make it possible to redress the historical injustice done to Africa — the only continent not represented in the Council as a permanent member. Benin also reaffirms, through my voice, the urgency of allocating two permanent member seats to Africa, in accordance with the Ezulwini Consensus. Mr. President, Heads of Government and Heads of Delegations, Ladies and gentlemen, Peace and harmony among States is a key component of Benin’s foreign policy.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  7. “Ladies and gentlemen, Let me remind you that in September 2016, during the general debate of the seventy-first session of the United Nations General Assembly, I stressed that mass poverty is a major threat to humankind and that we must take proactive collective action to eradicate it. Four years later, this call remains relevant. I reiterate the need for the urgent implementation of a global programme to overcome this form of poverty through collective and voluntary action. Multilateralism, which enabled the United Nations to provide the world with the Paris Climate Agreement, should be the right tool for achieving this objective. In this regard, I welcome the courageous reforms undertaken by the United Nations Secretary-General to reposition the UnitedNations development system.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  8. “This threat should not lead us to ignore the fight against HIV/AIDS and other diseases that pose a threat to our communities. Effectively combating this scourge requires, just as managing all of today’s global challenges, a coordinated international response and enhanced cooperation on a global scale. That is why Benin, through my voice, reiterates its commitment to promoting and strengthening multilateralism, as the only framework for cooperation among States seeking to resolve contemporary issues of all kinds, including the fight against extreme poverty, which is a priority.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  9. “To that end, among other things, my Government has rolled out a vast programme that amounts to nearly 200 billion CFA francs to support formal and informal businesses alike, as well as artisans and vulnerable people. I would like to express my Government’s gratitude to the United Nations, its Member States and all international organizations for the considerable assistance provided to developing countries in general and to Benin, in particular, in the design and implementation of strategies to respond to the pandemic. Thanks to our combined efforts, the spread of the virus has been limited in my country, which has meant that Benin’s rate of spread and death rates are low. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most serious public health crises in modern history.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  10. “This theme forces us to shoulder our responsibilities and reiterate our faith in and commitment to multilateralism and the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations. It reminds us of the urgency of collective action to find appropriate and lasting solutions to the challenges of our time, the most pressing of which is, as you know, the eradication of COVID-19. With the support of all its people and of the international community, Benin will continue its efforts to grapple with this pandemic and its consequences and, in particular, to revitalize its economy which, like the economies of the majority of countries, is deeply affected by this scourge.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  11. “At a time when the entire world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, I take this opportunity to offer my sincere condolences to all nations that have recorded deaths and express the solidarity of the Republic of Benin with those affected by this scourge. As all States mobilize to deal effectively with this health crisis, my country welcomes the fact that the United Nations and its specialized agencies, in particular the World Health Organization, consider it a priority. Benin welcomes the theme of this year’s session, which is entitled, “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism — confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action”.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  12. “President of the General Assembly, Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegation, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and gentlemen, His Excellency Mr. Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin, Head of State and Head of Government, who could not be here today, has instructed me to deliver the following address on his behalf. “First of all, I would like to reiterate to you, Mr. Volkan Bozkir, my warm and sincere congratulations on your election as President of this august Assembly and assure you of Benin’s full support and cooperation as you conduct your duties. I take this opportunity to express Benin’s gratitude to Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and to reiterate my support and that of my Government.”

    2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)

  13. ““I do not wish to end my statement without once again affirming the deep attachment of my country, Benin, to the United Nations, which remains a unique framework for expression, dialogue and action, enabling us to cope in a unified manner with the immense and complex challenges of our globalized world. Multilateralism is an ethical and political imperative for peace. Benin will continue to work alongside all other peoples to build a more just, inclusive and fraternal world order.””

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  14. “The creation of a Palestinian State as a full Member of the United Nations living in harmony with Israel will undoubtedly result in a dynamic that can reduce tensions in that region. We therefore support the efforts of the United Nations to achieve that goal, as well as the initiatives to meet the conditions likely to promote an international conference on the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of nuclear weapons. “I would like to reiterate our commitment to strengthening our contribution to the work of the United Nations and to further working towards the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations. The signing in Cotonou on 8 February of the agreement on the status of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali fits into that dynamic.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  15. “The composition of the Security Council must be revised in order to take into account the changes that have taken place on the international scene in recent decades. We cannot call for respect for democracy in all countries and, paradoxically, not want it to be applied in reforming the Security Council. That reform, we hope, will make it possible to redress the injustice done to Africa, the only continent not represented in the category of permanent members of the Council. Benin’s position on this issue is consistent with that of Africa, as set out in the Ezulwini Consensus. The United Nations, and more specifically the Security Council, also needs a fresh start. “The important challenges to be met include the settlement of the Palestinian question.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  16. “In many parts of the world, peace is seriously threatened and the values of freedom and the rule of law are compromised. Violent extremism and radicalism weigh heavily on international security and stability. “The assault on multilateralism, and therefore on the United Nations, is part of that pernicious trend that we must reject. That is why, in order to ensure the well-being of African populations and to address those problems effectively, the African Union needs reform more than ever. Benin strongly supports the ongoing reform process and very much wants it to be finalized as soon as ossible. “Reform of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, must also proceed so as to increase the effectiveness of the Organization, particularly in the area of peace and security.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  17. “Our hope is that the appropriate United Nations bodies will consider the implications of that proposal, which would make it possible to ensure the sustainable development of agriculture in Africa. “We are deeply committed to efforts to combat climate change, and we believe that the Paris Agreement is an indispensable tool for achieving that. In that regard, my country supports the various initiatives, particularly those of France, aimed at getting the United Nations to put in place a third generation of fundamental rights that would be embodied in a global pact for the environment. “Our session opens at a time when the world is facing a multitude of complex challenges. For decades the world has also seemed prone to crisis and in search of meaning.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  18. “Our programme of action also attaches great importance to the preservation of the environment, and important environmental protection measures are included. “I believe it is important to take this opportunity to recall Benin’s proposal on 15 November 2016 — during the solemn high-level session of the twenty-second meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Marrakech, Morocco — to establish an international research centre to respond effectively to the effects of climate change on agriculture in Africa, in conjunction with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, based in Nigeria.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  19. ““Benin has committed to addressing youth unemployment as a means of eradicating poverty. In accordance with the road map of the African Union adopted by the Heads of State and Government in January 2016, the Government of Benin, in liaison with the United Nations, has drawn up a national road map to take into account the demographic dividend in Benin. The Government’s programme of action outlines a number of projects that, when realized, will strengthen sustainable human development. “The programme, known as Insurance for Strengthening Human Capital, fits into that dynamic. Its operationalization will make health insurance compulsory for all who live in Benin and will make it possible to establish a social protection system for the poorest and most vulnerable.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  20. ““On 22 September 2016, from this rostrum, I affirmed that mass poverty is a major threat to humankind, and on that occasion I expressed the hope that the determination that led the world to adopt the Paris Agreement on Climate Change could lead us to set up a comprehensive programme for the eradication of mass poverty. A year later, that appeal is more relevant than ever, as the situation in our countries continues to deteriorate. Thousands of people are forced to emigrate, in most cases at risk to their lives, with, as a corollary, many security and economic challenges for host countries, as well as significant environmental consequences. That is why I find this theme useful for the sharing of efforts to ensure sustainable human development and the promotion of a world that respects the environment.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  21. ““I extend my condolences and my sympathies to the Governments and the peoples of the United States, France, Mexico and Sierra Leone and all the countries in the Caribbean that have been victims of recent natural disasters. “As we move into the active phase of concrete implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, Benin welcomes the theme of this session of the Assembly, entitled ‘Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet’. This theme corresponds closely to the guidelines in our Government’s programme of action, which places humankind and the planet at the centre of its concerns. Benin, as members know, is continuing its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through courageous and necessary reforms.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)

  22. “I would like to deliver the following message on behalf of Mr. Patrice Talon, President, Head of State and Head of Government of the Republic of Benin. “At the outset, I would like to reiterate my warm congratulations to the President on his election to lead the General Assembly at its seventy-second session and to assure him of my country’s support in the fulfilment of his mandate. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank his predecessor, Mr. Peter Thomson, for his efforts. I would like to once again warmly congratulate Secretary- General António Guterres and assure him of our full support and, lastly, to pay tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.”

    2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)