YouSaid · the spoken record

Alassane Ouattara

lines on the record: 92
first: 2011-09-24
most recent: 2022-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“My country’s implementation of the Paris Agreement is under way. The Agreement has been deemed to be in accordance with our Constitution, and my Government will deposit its instruments of ratification before the end of the year. Through our National Development Programme 2016-2020 and our Côte d’Ivoire Perspectives 2040, we intend to mobilize the means required to implement the SDGs. The positive economic situation in our country has already enabled us to improve all social indicators and embark on a comprehensive process to reduce poverty and redistribute the dividends of economic growth. All these achievements will be fully enjoyed by our people in the long term. The ongoing nature of many conflicts remains a true concern for my country.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Here, I remind the Assembly of the commitments made in July 2015 in Addis Ababa at the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, and also those made regarding Goal 17 of the SDGs, as well as such specific instruments as the Green Climate Fund. I welcome the choice of theme for the session, which reminds us of the need to accelerate the pace of change in our societies and to give more opportunities and means to our most vulnerable populations. We must therefore build productive economies if we wish to implement the SDG road map. Our true aspirations for sustainable development must also be mindful of the environment and our determination to combat global warming. We paved the way in Paris, and we must all implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and honour our commitments.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Our session is taking place amid grim economic and social circumstances that may slow down our collective progress in combating poverty, reducing inequalities and implementing development programmes. Despite these particular circumstances, we must be tireless in our pursuit to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the next 15 years. We must win the fight against abject poverty and suffering to spare humankind the potentially tragic consequences of failed development. That is why I invite developed countries to honour all their commitments to developing countries in the context of the SDGs and development financing.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Let me conclude by highlighting that a better world for all is possible. We all need to believe in it and work with determination to achieve it. The sustainable development goals will be achieved if national efforts are supported by the expected level of official development assistance, the level to which the developed countries have committed. The post-2015 development agenda will be an asset that will enable our countries to meet the challenges our people and especially our youth will face in a changing world.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It has regained its partners’ trust, as shown in particular by the definitive return of the African Development Bank to Abidjan. Thanks to the unity of Ivorians, the strength of our national institutions and the reforms undertaken by the Government, economic growth continues to be strong and is close to reaching double digits. At this stage in my country’s path towards economic transformation and inclusive development, the major work that remains is that of strengthening national reconciliation and caring for and protecting the most vulnerable of my countrymen. That will involve, fundamentally, restoring meaning to the concept of solidarity and the national pact underpinning the Ivorian nation. Today, Côte d’Ivoire is an ambitious nation that has set a course towards democratic institutions and exemplary governance.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“They must ultimately enable us to pursue together the fight for the eradication of poverty, while taking into account the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental dimensions. Sustainable development is inclusive, and that is what we want for our people. In that respect, I recall the need to focus on developing methods for cleaner production and for reversing the current trend of global warming. In the light of the pronouncements we made at the Climate Summit, held on 23 September here in New York, a final effort will certainly be needed to reach an ambitious climate agreement in 2015 at the Paris summit. I would like now to turn to the situation in Côte d’Ivoire. My country is at peace and at work.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“In the same spirit, I would like to acknowledge the support provided by the international community to the brotherly country of Nigeria in its fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram, and commend the African Union for its decisive involvement in Somalia. The fact remains that, with respect to the Sahel and the fight against Boko Haram, the major Powers and the United Nations need to go further in their support for the continent and show the same determination as that has been demonstrated by France against the terrorists in northern Mali. For Africa, security is the primary sustainable development goal that must be achieved. In the quest for stability and security, the consolidation of the continent’s various partnerships is a true lifeline to the future. Those partnerships also provide solidarity, openness and development.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“I wish to thank President Barack Obama for the important measures he announced in August at the United States-Africa Summit, which will help to strengthen African capacities to combat terrorism. I also wish to thank him, and, through him, the American people for the bold, outstanding measures taken by the Government of the United States of America to help West Africa to overcome the Ebola epidemic. Those measures, in addition to those taken by the World Health Organization, non-governmental organizations, France, the United Kingdom, the World Bank, Japan, the European Union and other countries, must serve as an impetus for an international mobilization.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Africa must not be the forgotten continent in the fight against terrorism. I know that Africa is not alone in facing these threats. I would like to reiterate here my sincere gratitude to our bilateral and multilateral partners, including France, the United States of America, the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union, which all are by our side. I should like in particular to thank President François Hollande for the decisive role played by France in the resolution of the crises in Mali, Guinea-Bissau and the Central African Republic, as well as for the convening of the Elysée Summit for Peace and Security in Africa and the recent conference of heads of State on the question of Boko Haram in Nigeria.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Indeed, the unprecedented spread of terrorism from the Horn of Africa to the Sahelo-Saharan area, the explosion of maritime piracy, various types of criminal trafficking, and, more recently, the resurgence of pandemics such as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, which has been ravaging certain countries in West Africa, are threatening the African continent and risk making it lose a decade of human progress and economic growth. Unlike the wars of yesteryear, these trans-border threats will in the long term spare no State and no region. That is why we must face them collectively. The current international mobilization against terrorism and extremism is very positive. However, it would benefit from being extended to Africa in order to sustainably destroy the terrorist movements that are now active at the doors of Europe.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Indeed, Africa has become one of the most attractive regions for international investors and one of the most dynamic in the world, with the annual growth rate of its gross national product at 4.5 per cent on average over the past 15 years. Africa offers unique opportunities in the areas of infrastructure, energy, agriculture, employment and the capability of ensuring food security for the continent. The health sector and that of combating climate change are also active. Africa is entering an era of progress and development that will depend on its security environment.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“At a time when the world that we wish to see post-2015 is taking shape, the MDGs are becoming clearer. We must finally give the most vulnerable peoples a decent life; we must also give our planet a reprieve and the opportunity to exist for centuries to come. The post-2015 agenda should pay particular attention to the priorities of the developing countries, particularly those of African countries, as set out in the African Common Position, which my country supports. The intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda should therefore be inclusive and balanced and achieve specific, measurable objectives so as to facilitate their ownership by States and regions. The adoption of the post-2015 development programme next year will take place in a favourable economic context for Africa.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We will use the time between now and the deadline of the end of 2015 to accelerate efforts to reduce poverty, improve maternal and child health, consolidate the remarkable progress made in the fight against HIV/AIDS and concerning access to primary education, and, finally, ensure access to clean drinking water for all of our compatriots. In the past three years, Côte d’Ivoire has made a significant qualitative leap forward in the implementation of the MDGs and intends to continue with that same dynamic process. We entered the twenty-first century determined to conquer poverty and inequality, and to build a world of opportunity. The MDGs have been the vehicle for this great ambition and the impetus for a solidarity of the kind rarely expressed in this forum.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Since the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in September 2000, and one year before the deadline for their implementation, it should be noted, as rightly stressed by the Secretary-General in his recent report, that the main objectives have been, or are in the process of being, achieved on a global scale and that considerable efforts will be needed in order for regions such as sub-Saharan Africa to in their turn succeed in doing so. At the national level, thanks to the efforts of my Government, the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals is tirelessly being pursued within the framework of the implementation of the national development programme and the strengthening of cooperation with our partners.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Ban Ki-moon, for his dedication to the objectives and ideals of the Charter of our Organization. Now that the stage has been set and the ground prepared, as we were urged to do at the sixty-eighth session, the time is now ripe to translate into reality our commitment and our vision of a world free from the ravages of the poverty and vulnerability that still affect millions of individuals. I welcome, therefore, the relevance and the scope of the theme of this session, “Delivering on and implementing a transformative post-2015 development agenda”, which is taking place in the framework of the continuation of the previous session and reflects our commitment to meet together the challenge of development.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Like the other Heads of State and Government who preceded me at this rostrum, I, too, would like, on behalf of the delegation of Côte d’Ivoire and on my own behalf, to extend to you, Sir, our warmest congratulations on your well-deserved election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session and to assure you of our full support throughout your mandate. Your election to this post does honour to your country, Uganda, and, beyond its borders, to the entire African continent. My congratulations also go to His Excellency John Ashe, President of the General Assembly at its sixty- eighth session, for his outstanding guidance of the work of the Assembly throughout the past year. I should like in particular to commend the Secretary-General, Mr.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“In closing, I would like to remind our Assembly that in order to meet the challenges of international peace and security, we must redouble our efforts to deliver on the commitments made at United Nations conferences and summits. The right to development must become a reality for all, as set out in the Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2), which was unanimously adopted in September 2000. We must all draw lessons from the shortcomings of the past in order to rebuild the world gloriously for ourselves, our children and our children’s children.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We welcome the announcement of the upcoming visit of the Secretary-General and the President of the World Bank to the Sahel region in order to mobilize the entire international community and the financial institutions. If we want to end the cycle of politico-military crises in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau must also receive international support, so that we can build upon the current inclusive transition and enable the Government to organize democratic elections next November. For that reason, on behalf of ECOWAS, I call upon the international community to contribute to the financing of general elections in that country.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“That success must not hide the major challenges still facing our region. I therefore call upon the international community to learn from the conflict in Mali and to support ECOWAS and the African Union in implementing a coherent and proactive security policy. Terrorism in the Sahel region is spreading to such an extent that entire expanses are outside the authority of States. The threat goes beyond the borders of the African continent and demands a concerted international response in keeping with the stakes involved. I would like to encourage donors and our traditional partners to provide their support to the United Nations and to our States within the framework of this strategy.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“International governance must become more democratic and increasingly embody the universal consensus and the values of our nations. Indeed, the world must be able to recognize itself in its multilateral institutions in order to effectively deal with the hazards of this new century. West Africa is aware of the threat posed to its development, the deterioration in the security environment and the proliferation of new factors of instability. Accordingly, the Heads of State of ECOWAS are rightly doing everything possible, with the support of the international community, in a determined effort to re-establish and maintain peace in our region. For that reason, we welcomed with the utmost satisfaction the re-establishment of the territorial integrity of Mali and the successful holding of presidential elections in that country.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“It is by renewing the foundations of our solidarity that we will be able to counter new threats, such as terrorism, cross-border crime, drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking and piracy at sea. The attack of a rare violence that occurred in our brother country, Kenya, is an example of those threats, and reminds us of the urgent need for collective action against the threat of terrorism. We condemn in the strongest possible terms that despicable and barbarous act, which shows that the fight against terrorism is ongoing and calls for new methods of security. In these times of great suffering, I would like, on behalf of my country and West Africa, to convey to the brotherly people of Kenya and its President our compassion and support.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The African continent, which lags behind in the effort to achieve the Goals by 2015, can nevertheless count on an increasing share in the global economy because of its growth rate. My country therefore supports the definition of a post-2015 agenda to forge a new consensus regarding a new generation of sustainable development goals, based on the Millennium Development Goals. The world we seek will not come about unless we meet the challenge of peace and security, as well as that of democracy, through a return to the values of the Charter of the United Nations. Too many wars and conflicts continue to tear humankind apart, undermining development efforts in numerous countries. We must collectively put an end to that situation by ensuring that we serve the interests of the people exclusively, using the tools we already have.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Social investments being a priority in that programme, the programme allocates substantial amounts to education, health and basic social infrastructure. The Government has also made job creation a national priority, in particular jobs for young people, and its goal is to create 200,000 jobs a year, which is a considerable number given the size of our country. As we assess what has been accomplished, we must face the fact that the world needs greater solidarity to reach the Millennium Development Goals. Therefore, we must adopt a comprehensive approach that will enable our countries to create sustainable development models that are more equitable and more respectful of our differences.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We must also resolve issues of food security, drought, access to drinking water and combating poverty, which continue to be major concerns for our States. By adopting the Millennium Development Goals, we have the collective responsibility and ambition to improve the living conditions of our fellow citizens and thereby accelerate the development of our countries. As far as my country, Côte d’Ivoire, is concerned, progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals, which was deadlocked because of the sociopolitical crisis, has today gained new momentum, thanks to the sound performance of our economy. It is in that favourable climate that the Government has established an ambitious reconstruction programme, which is based on the national development plan for the period 2012-2015.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The theme for this session, “The post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage”, calls on us all individually and collectively to consider our capacity to meet the development challenge. As we approach the 2015 target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, it should be noted that significant progress has been achieved by most countries, and we welcome the determination of all Governments to continue their efforts to meet the Millennium commitments. Although much remains to be done and the progress made can mask various national and regional realities, the current trend appears to be irreversible, despite a particularly difficult economic environment. We must seek to build on the positive outcomes that have been achieved in a number of areas, such as primary school enrolment, vaccinations and slowing the spread of HIV/AIDS.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Before touching on the topic of today’s debate, in taking the floor for the second time before the Assembly I would like to reaffirm the gratitude of the Ivorian people for the efforts of the United Nations and the international community on our behalf. Indeed, thanks to that invaluable support, Côte d’Ivoire is now hard at work and has returned to the path of economic and social development for the well-being of all Ivorians. My country is in a period of full reconstruction after establishing credible and democratic institutions following free, transparent elections. National reconciliation and political dialogue are under way in a climate of peace. We are aware of the challenges that remain, but we are on the right path.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Like the Heads of State and Government who have spoken before me, I would like, on behalf of the delegation of Côte D’Ivoire and on my own behalf, to address my sincere congratulations to Mr. Ashe on his outstanding election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session. I also wish in particular to thank Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon for his leadership of the Organization and his commitment to world peace and development. I take this opportunity to reiterate to him, in the name of my counterparts in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), our gratitude for his personal involvement in the resolution of conflicts in Africa and especially in the subregion of West Africa.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“This is a natural mission for us in many respects, because Côte d’Ivoire, as Félix Houphouët-Boigny said, is the friend of all and the enemy of none.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It is my ambition, as we approach 2020, to make Côte d’Ivoire an emerging nation, reconciled with itself and with other nations and united by republican values; a modern State that respects the independence of the judiciary and will combat impunity and ensure the promotion of merit and competence. In closing on this note of hope for my country, I call for the determined and ongoing involvement of all States Members of the United Nations in the pursuit, through dialogue and cooperation, of collective, effective and lasting solutions that will create a better world based on more harmonious and secure forms of development. Côte d’Ivoire, which in the past was often called on to help in the quest for peaceful solutions to conflicts, intends to take up this vocation once again.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The programme is focused in particular on improving basic social services, especially the provision of drinking water, health care, education, electricity and public sanitation, which are major challenges that must be met as we attempt to achieve our Millennium Development Goals. The organization of parliamentary elections before the end of this year will allow us to enhance democracy and social justice in Côte d’Ivoire, with the support and assistance of the United Nations through Security Council resolution 2000 (2011) of 27 July 2011, which demonstrates again the Organization’s determination to support Côte d’Ivoire until the end of the crisis as provided by the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. The socio-political crisis in Côte d’Ivoire over the past 10 years has undermined the economic and social development of my country.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As soon as I took office, I established national reconciliation as one of our priorities by creating a Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission designed to create conditions conducive to dialogue among all levels of society in order to heal the wounds of the crisis, re-knit the social fabric, restore national cohesion and promote peace and justice. Furthermore, the Government, which is responsible for making those principles the basis for its activities, is working tirelessly to ensure social and economic recovery towards the reconstruction Côte d’Ivoire. Thus, the President’s emergency programme launched in March, while I was at the Golf Hotel, has already had favourable results for the people of Côte d’Ivoire, particularly those of Abidjan, who suffered pillage and property destruction.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Negotiations are also under way with our Western partners to ensure that Côte d’Ivoire becomes a bulwark of regional defence and security in the fight against terrorism. The recent ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict reinforces our firm resolve to use all legal means to combat violence and to protect the security of our most vulnerable people, particularly women and children. The outcome of the social and political conflict that began in Côte d’Ivoire in 2002 marks the return of democracy to our country, based on the promise of the rule of law and a society that shares the common ideals of peace and respect for human rights. For that reason, coexistence is the cornerstone of my Government’s programme.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“To that end, a substantial reduction in military spending is required, allowing such resources to be found. Such a sacrifice would be very useful towards the survival of mankind. Aware of these crises, since taking office I have sought to enhance the security of my country. Discussions are nearing completion on tripartite agreements with our neighbours, particularly Liberia — with which one has already been signed — Ghana and Guinea, with the support of the High Commissioner for Refugees and United Nations peacekeepers present in the region. These agreements seek to ensure the voluntary and rapid return of Ivorian refugees from those brotherly countries and to protect our eastern and western borders from the movement of 11 11-50865 armed groups, drug trafficking and traffic in precious metals.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“International peace and security remain a cause of major concern for our Organization, given the proliferation of armed conflicts, nuclear threats, terrorist activity, transnational crime, human trafficking, drug trafficking and pandemics. All of these hamper the world’s harmonious development, especially in Africa, which, riven by many areas of tension, struggles to ensure its economic and social development despite its enormous potential. The United Nations has a role to play in strengthening the international solidarity that is indispensable as we seek effective and appropriate solutions to these crises. This requires the mobilization of adequate resources to fund research and development in the areas of food crop production, renewable energy and sustainable development.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In this regard, I would like to reiterate the compassion of the people and Government of Côte d’Ivoire to the victims of natural disasters, especially in Japan, the Caribbean and the United States. I extend special and brotherly sympathy to the peoples of the Horn of Africa, who are suffering the grave effects of famine as a result of an extended drought. Faced with these humanitarian tragedies, the political commitment of all States Members of the United Nations is indispensable. My delegation therefore welcomes the initiatives undertaken by the international community — especially the French presidency of the Group of 20, and the specialized institutions of the United Nations and the African Union — to meet the immediate needs of the affected populations.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The food, energy and environmental crises and natural disasters, which have become ever more frequent and serious due to the effects of climate change, demonstrate that the balance of human life, despite the immense progress achieved in a great number of areas, remains fragile. They also underscore how closely the fates of the peoples of the world are linked, as no geographic, racial or religious division can withstand either the occurrence or the negative effects of these phenomena. Aware of our responsibilities to our people and, above all, to humankind as a whole, we must therefore join forces through the multilateral framework to seek innovative and effective solutions to these crises and other catastrophes, which pose a real threat to international peace and security.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“This trend has been growing since 2010, due in part to the economic performance of emerging and developing countries, must absolutely be consolidated if we want to sustainably prevent the relapse of such a crisis. Nevertheless, strong economic growth is not enough to guarantee security and stability in our world. It must necessarily be accompanied by transparent and equitable access to employment, especially for young people, security and justice if we truly want to break the cycles of political and criminal violence. We must therefore urgently adopt a new model for development based on environmental constraints that ensures that the needs of the population for employment, security and justice are met. Such a challenge can be overcome only through solidarity.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“I am therefore honoured and proud to make a 11-50865 10 commitment to follow in the footsteps of the approach promoted by that apostle disciple of dialogue and peace. In this context, my country is fully ready, as in the past, to tirelessly promote the option of negotiation to resolve and prevent conflicts and safeguard peace — a prerequisite for all social and economic development in the world. The much sought prize of peace, even through the appropriate routes of consultation and dialogue, cannot be achieved without more balanced and fairer economic development in our world. In this regard, the economic and financial crisis that has shaken the world for three years and whose consequences are still being felt, especially in developing countries, demands action, even as growth becomes more apparent in some regions.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In this regard, I welcome the independence of South Sudan and its admission as the 193rd State Member of the United Nations. The recent history of peoples underscores the virtues of dialogue and negotiation for resolving even the most complex conflicts, as proven by the dismantling of apartheid and the progress, albeit modest, in the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. This is a theme close to our hearts, as the father of the Ivorian nation, President Félix Houphouët- Boigny, left his mark on the history of Côte d’Ivoire and the entire African continent as a result of his pragmatic approach to resolving conflicts through dialogue. The UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize attests to and represents the international community’s recognition of his efforts to promote peace.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“I celebrate this fact. The theme chosen for this session — “The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes by peaceful means” — demonstrates our will to place our Organization at the heart of international crisis resolution. It also focuses the attention of our Assembly on one of the main missions entrusted to the United Nations — the use and promotion of negotiations in the resolutions of conflicts, whose proliferation and gravity have posed an unrelenting threat to the balance and progress of humankind in recent years. The implementation of such an approach in international relations calls for resolute involvement and solidarity on the part of Member States in seeking negotiated solutions to current and potential disputes at the international, regional and subregional levels.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Joseph Deiss, my full appreciation and that of my delegation for his remarkable work and encouraging results during his presidency. I would further like to make a special mention here of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his determined commitment and tireless efforts on behalf of world peace, earning him deserved reappointment to a second term at the head of the United Nations. In reiterating my warm congratulations upon your re-election, I would also like to reaffirm, on behalf of the Ivorian people and Government, as well as personally, our profound gratitude and thanks for the crucial role the United Nations and you personally played in resolving the Ivorian crisis. I note with satisfaction that, for the first time in history, a woman — Ms. Dilma Rousseff, democratically elected in 2010 to lead Brazil — opened our general debate.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“In taking the floor for the first time before this Assembly, I offer my heartfelt thanks to the international community and all the friendly countries that had faith in our struggle for democracy, and whose support never failed us during the painful and trying post-electoral crisis in Côte d’Ivoire. Please also allow me, Mr. President, to congratulate you warmly, as other speakers before me have done, on your outstanding election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session, which attests to the recognition of your remarkable contribution to expanding the influence of the Organization and promoting its ideals. We assure you of my delegation’s full support in carrying out your mandate. I would also like to convey to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)