YouSaid · the spoken record

Mohamed Irfaan Ali

lines on the record: 59
first: 2020-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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 Government is investing heavily in Indigenous peoples’ development, ensuring their inclusion and participation in decision-making at all levels. Our land-titling programme has resulted in Indigenous peoples obtaining legal ownership of 16.4 per cent of Guyana’s land mass. In addition to regular Government investment. 15 per cent of all proceeds from the sale of carbon credits go directly to Indigenous villages to finance their development. Guyana is the first country to implement such an initiative. We are proud of our record and stand ready to share our experiences. Allow me to conclude by renewing Guyana’s solidarity with the peoples of the world, our commitment to multilateralism and our readiness to partner with States large and small in the quest for peace and prosperity for all.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“And I therefore express heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support of Member States for our candidature to the Security Council for the 2024—2025 term. I wish to assure the entire United Nations membership that Guyana is committed to working with fellow Council members and the wider United Nations membership to fulfil the mandate of the Security Council. As I reflect on the state of growing insecurity in the world, let me also reiterate the calls made by CARICOM for the early and urgent reform of the United Nations Security Council to make it more effective and inclusive. September is the month dedicated to Indigenous people in my country. We are aware that, globally, indigenous peoples are often left behind. That is not the case in Guyana.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We demand that Venezuela honour its obligation under the Charter to pursue only peaceful means to settle any disputes it may have with Guyana, including adjudication before the International Court of Justice. Allowing the Court to decide would ensure a resolution that is peaceful, equitable and in accordance with international law. Guyana will spare no effort in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. I express appreciation to every member of the international community that has continued to support Guyana’s efforts to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity. As Guyana takes its place next January as a member of the Security Council, those principles of international law and justice, so prominent in the Charter of the Organization, shall be our guide.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Venezuela’s efforts to undermine our freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity are today before the International Court of Justice, as decided by the Secretary-General, under the Geneva Agreement of 1966. The jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in the matter has been twice affirmed by the Court. We are confident that Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will also be affirmed when the Court issues its final judgment. I regret to inform the Assembly that Venezuela’s threats continue. Just last night. Guyana received a very threatening message from Venezuela, in the form of a communique attacking Guyana for putting certain oil blocs in our sovereign waters up for bid. Guyana considers that a threat to regional and international peace and security, as well as to Guyana’s investment partners.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“I also reaffirm Guyana’s long-standing solidarity with the Palestinian people and support for their dignified existence in their homeland, in accordance with the two-State solution. As States Members of the United Nations, let us do more to move past rhetoric so that the peace process can progress. When I addressed the Organization of American States (OAS) last Friday. I recalled to that hemispheric body how Guyana was excluded from the OAS for 25 years after its birth as a nation, on account of a spurious territorial claim to two thirds of our homeland by Venezuela. But justice prevailed, and Guyana was ultimately admitted. It is sad. however, that 57 years after Guyana’s independence, we remain threatened.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“I commend the offer of the Governments of Kenya and Rwanda to lead a multinational force in Haiti, as well as the offers by the Bahamas and Jamaica. Guyana is committed to working closely with partners within the United Nations and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) frameworks to find a long-lasting, stable and sustainable solution to the Haitian crisis so that our Haitian brothers and sisters can live in peace and dignity. The Republic of Cuba has been the object of aggression for more than six decades. We repeat our call for the dismantling of the unacceptable embargo against our sister Caribbean State. The economic and political aggression, along with the designation of Cuba as a State sponsor of terrorism, must come to an end.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Clearly, that is a demonstration of an unjust ecosystem surrounding and supporting development financing, peace and security. Importantly, it also proves that, if truly committed, mechanisms exist to unlock financing at scale. Adherence to the rule of law. including international law. must continue to be the cornerstone of all our engagements. That is being undermined by threats and naked acts of aggression against sovereign States and by the perpetuation of old conflicts and disputes among States. The Russian invasion must end. Greater diplomatic efforts must be made to bring an end to the war. The ongoing crisis in Haiti is of grave concern. Urgent and decisive action must be taken to secure a comprehensive solution.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“On the other hand, aid to the Palestinian people over a period of 26 years amounted to just over $40 billion, according to figures compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Haiti has received just over $20 billion in aid for reconstruction and development over the past 60 years. According to the OECD. African countries were recipients of just over $113 billion over a three-ye ar period to fight hunger. To be clear. Guyana unequivocally supports the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and remains in full solidarity with the people of Ukraine and what they justly require from the international community. However. I cannot overlook the disparity in the approach to other countries and regions of the world. That must be corrected.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“But we must together move rapidly to implementation if we are to achieve universal health coverage for all and be adequately prepared for future pandemics. Guyana has already made tremendous strides on a path to universal health coverage. In doing so. we increased our per capita health spending by 64 per cent in the past three years. Global peace is hinged on respect and human dignity. Our work at all levels must advance the dignity and rights of every person on our planet in order to create a just, equitable and peaceful world. We have noted that, since the war began in Ukraine more than one year ago. the developed world has provided approximately $220 billion in support to Ukraine, while the World Bank added more than $37.5 billion in emergency financing — a total of almost $260 billion mobilized in less than two years.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Approximately 119 million people in 26 least developed countries have faced severe food insecurity since the beginning of 2022. Due to rising food prices and trade restrictions, the situation has worsened. By 2030. it is estimated that nearly 670 million people, equivalent to 8 per cent of the global population, will suffer from undernourishment. Global agrifood systems must be urgently transformed to ensure that they are more resilient and that nutritious food is affordable for all. We also condemn the weaponization of food as an instrument of war. Guyana welcomes the convening of the three high- level meetings on health and the important commitments contained in the respective political declarations.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Commitments, including the commitment made 50 years ago to provide 0.7 per cent of gross national income in official development assistance, must be fulfilled. The existing financial architecture is incapable of addressing current global challenges and must be reformed. In that regard, the reform agenda must include the early adoption of a multidimensional vulnerability index that implements the measures contained in the Bridgetown Initiative and addresses liquidity support, private capital, development lending, trade and more inclusive governance of the international financial institutions. The world is currently experiencing a global food crisis marked by soaring food prices, heightened food insecurity and increasing levels of hunger. Conflict, climate change and the effects of the pandemic contribute to that dire state of affairs.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“As custodians of a rainforest the size of England and Scotland combined, we are of the view that the lack of financing for standing forests suggests that they are worth more dead than alive. That is why we support the expansion of financial mechanisms that appropriately value the environmental services provided by forests, including through the carbon market. We are at the midpoint of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — our global blueprint for sustainable and resilient development. Financing is the cornerstone of all efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the challenges faced by developing countries, including the funding gaps, which I highlighted at the SDG Summit.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“If the debate at COP28 is framed by two camps — one calling for no cuts in fossil-fuel production, including its most polluting forms, such as coal, and the other saying that the only solution to net zero is an end to fossil fuel production — we will fail once again to achieve a viable outcome and give our world the energy it needs to grow and prosper. I believe that net zero by 2050. as a target, can be achieved only by a combination of measures that include cuts in fossil-fuel production, incentivizing the introduction of renewables at scale, exploring advances in technology in using carbon capture and storage, curtailing deforestation and land degradation and introducing measures to curb demand for energy.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“But let me hasten to add that the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) will not achieve the desired objectives of definitively putting our planet on a net-zero trajectory if we continue to address this matter in a doctrinarian way. ignoring the current realities. Given the growth in demand for energy, a significant part of that demand will come from many in the developing world who continue to live in energy poverty. It is also a fact that renewables will not meet the growth of demand in the near future.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“According to McKinsey & Company, it will cost $375 trillion in cumulative spending on physical assets to transition to net zero by 2050. In the circumstances, the question is how realistic the transition path to net zero is. It is clear that the global ambition of net zero by 2050 is not currently realistic, given the cost of transition and the financing commitments made so far. I say all of that not to reduce ambition, but for us to honestly and frankly direct our energies to a more balanced approach to achieving net zero in a realistic environment. My country. Guyana, is blessed with the best of both worlds — that is. our ability to lead on climate change and to use our expansive oil and gas reserves can contribute to the advancement and development of our country and region.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“If we are to achieve that, the IEA estimates that by 2050 more than 85 per cent of buildings must be net-zero-carbon-ready, more than 90 per cent of heavy industrial production must be low-emissions and almost 70 per cent of electricity will have to come from solar photovoltaic sources. Based on those targets, the share of renewables in generating electricity will have to increase from 29 per cent in 2020 to 88 per cent by 2050. Meanwhile, in order to remove carbon from the atmosphere, the world will need to simultaneously halt deforestation and double the rate of the increase in tree-cover gain by 2030. That means that by 2050. 7.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide will have to be captured and stored, compared to 0.4 gigatons in 2020.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that investment in the energy sector alone will have to increase by approximately $1 trillion annually. At the same time, in developing countries, the situation is more frightening, with close to 900 million people worldwide having no access to electricity. All of that has to be seen against the backdrop of a widening financing gap in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with adaptation alone estimated at between $160 billion and $340 billion by 2030. and between $315 billion and $565 billion by 2050. according to the United Nations Environment Programme. More than 90 countries have committed to net-zero emissions.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Guyana is committed to a clean-energy transition, and we are aiming for more than 80 per cent reliance on renewable energy by 2030. Technology, capacity and financing are key to developing countries’ ability to build a relevant energy mix and the necessary share of renewable energy. We are using revenue from oil and gas resources to finance our transition to renewable energy, despite our already globally recognized net-zero status. Let me expound on the critical question of a just, affordable and equitable transition. Bloomberg estimates that achieving global net-zero emissions by 2050 requires annual investments of more than triple the 2021 level, to $6.7 trillion per year. To limit the global temperature rise to less than 2°C.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“How much longer must developing countries wait for those commitments to be fully delivered on? Although Guyana’s emission levels are already at net zero, we continue to pursue growth premised on a low-carbon development strategy. Our goal is to ensure that we use our resources sustainably to foster inclusive and equitable development for our people. As the country with the second-highest forest cover per capita in the world, we know the importance of forests in mitigating the effects of climate change at the global level. Our advocacy in that regard has resulted in Guyana being issued 33.4 million tons of carbon credits — the first jurisdictional-scale programme in the world. We have secured $750 million for the period from 2016 to 2030 so far.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Only through that can we hope to confront the most pressing challenges of our era — climate change, conflicts, the energy and food crises and the achievement of sustainable development. I continue to believe that multilateralism remains the most effective approach to addressing those challenges, foremost of them climate change. We are all experiencing its devastating effects. The difference, however, is in our capacity to respond. It is well established that those bearing the brunt of climate change have made no contribution to the current crisis. Small island developing and low-lying coastal States such as Guyana are among the hardest hit and require adequate financing to address the attendant effects. The commitments in that regard by developed countries, including the pledge of $100 billion per year, remain unfulfilled.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“I would like to congratulate the President on his election to lead the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session and to assure him of Guyana’s full support as he carries out his responsibilities. I also want to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Csaba Korosi for his leadership as President of the Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. And I join those who have spoken before me in expressing Guyana’s solidarity with the Governments and peoples of Libya and Morocco in the wake of the recent devastating flood and earthquake. The theme of this year’s session recognizes the need for us to collectively reset our global relationships and imbue them with enhanced trust and solidarity.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“I would like to conclude by reminding us all of the old saying that “A hungry man is an angry man”. Global inequality is linked to global insecurity, and global security is linked to the prosperity of all humankind.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“With regard to the challenge and threat posed to Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by Venezuela, we remain — in the words of the Secretary- General at the opening of the general debate yesterday (see A/77/PV.4) — “committed to making the most of every diplomatic tool available to us for the pacific settlement of disputes”, as set out in the Charter. In our case, that tool is a judicial settlement, as determined by the Secretary-General himself. The world’s nations can rest assured that Guyana will remain true to those peaceful processes and deny any effort to depart from them. The International Court of Justice has already affirmed its jurisdiction on the matter. The Assembly must reinvigorate the spirit of multilateralism in finding solutions to the challenges that continue to bedevil the global community of States.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Guyana also affirms its solidarity with the Palestinian people and its support for their dignified existence in their own homeland in accordance with a two-State solution. Guyana does not condone or support the threat or use of force in relations between States or in the resolution of disputes. Consistent with the Charter of the United Nations, we subscribe to the use of peaceful means to settle disputes. In that context, we thank those who have expressed support for our candidacy for non-permanent membership in the Security Council.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As part of the global family, Guyana subscribes to the rules-based international order and to the need for a resurgence of political will and commitment to protecting the multilateral architecture. We are deeply concerned about the number of persons living in conflict situations. The ongoing war in Ukraine is having terrible effects on that country and region, with the impact disproportionately felt by women and children. We urge for a speedy and peaceful resolution of the conflict and express support for the efforts of the Secretary-General in that regard. In our own region, we again join an overwhelming majority of members of the international community in reiterating Guyana’s rejection of the sanctions imposed on Cuba.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We have initiated several programmes to create earning and employment opportunities for women and to promote their financial independence, recognizing that their empowerment is inextricably linked to addressing the root causes of discrimination and gender-based violence and eradicating them. To achieve balanced growth and sustainable and resilient development for Guyana, our strategies must focus on developing a diversified economic base, strengthening our agricultural and food production systems, transforming our human resources, investing in the social sector to deliver world class health, education and housing for all our people, ensuring an inclusive and equitable society in which prosperity is enjoyed by all, and building our future through the strengthening of our democratic values and respect for the rule of law.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Access to free, quality primary and secondary education will soon be followed by free tertiary education. The Government of Guyana has invested in our indigenous communities through infrastructure, education, training, health care and the installation of Internet access capabilities. We have also begun training our workforce for 2030 and beyond. Soon we will be offering coding skills at both the primary and secondary school levels. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all areas of life are national priorities. We are committed to ensuring equal access to education for girls and boys. Indeed, more girls are attending school in Guyana and graduating from university, and our focus now includes ensuring that our boys are not left behind.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Having already achieved net zero in emissions, we are working steadfastly in our transition from a 2020 status of 95 per cent dependence on heavy fuel oil and diesel to an energy mix that includes hydropower, solar, wind and natural gas, from which more than 500 megawatts of new generating capacity will come on stream. Of that generated energy, 87 per cent will be from clean and renewable sources. Human resource transformation through education is a key driver of our development. The achievement of inclusive and equitable quality education and the promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all are inextricably linked to attaining our Sustainable Development Goals, including full employment, poverty eradication and gender equality.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We are pursuing a low-carbon development strategy, aimed at creating a model for value ecosystem services and sustainably developing and managing the blue economy, investing in clean energy and stimulating low-carbon growth, protecting against climate change and biodiversity loss and aligning with global climate and biodiversity goals. Our forests, whose area is equivalent to the size of England, store 19.5 gigatons of carbon with a deforestation rate of less than 0.05 per cent. We intend to continue the sustainable management of our forests as a key national and global good.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We are on a path to reducing Guyana’s food import bill and increasing food security through expanded cultivation and investments in new technology and climate-smart agriculture, all aimed at positioning Guyana as a leading food producer in the Caribbean Community. We are working to provide incentives, capital, land and opportunities for young people and women to participate in our agricultural transformation. To that end, we have earmarked 35 per cent of all new agribusinesses to be led by women, and we have increased youth participation in agriculture with the use of technology by more than 40 per cent.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In that context, we believe that new entrants like Guyana must be part of that balanced approach. Even as a new entrant, at COP26 Guyana proposed ending subsidies for fossil-fuel production and advocated the need for a strong global carbon price. However, we do not believe that new entrants should be punished by removing access to financing and increasing financing costs. In effect, that will only protect an existing monopoly, drive up the costs of investment and deliver a higher- priced product. We are committed to building a Guyana that addresses the issues of food security, climate change, energy security and inequalities within our country and the region. Under the banner of One Guyana, my Government has embarked on many initiatives to help bridge the gaps of inequality and access.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As such, the other 50 per cent will have to be met from non-renewable energy sources. Also, analysis by the International Energy Agency indicates that getting on the path to net-zero emissions by 2050 would require a threefold increase in the current level of investments in the clean energy transition to reach approximately $4 trillion by 2030. The question, therefore, is how we realistically strike that balance. The conversation must be practical, comprehensive and fact-based. We all recognize that adjustments must be made to save our planet. But how will we craft that adjustment, considering that our energy and food crises are also critical, and how will we ensure that inequality and lack of access do not worsen? In this energy transition, fossil fuels are still necessary.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The volume of electricity generated by fossil fuels increased by 178 per cent between 2000 and 2021 — in particular, the volume of electricity generated by coal increased by 173 per cent between 2000 and 2021. Based on a recent energy outlook report issued by the United States Energy Information Administration, coal-fired generation is expected to be a key energy component as a result of several factors, including a drop in the share of natural gas and rising oil prices. While all of that is occurring, the global energy demand is projected to increase by 47 per cent in the next 30 years. According to the International Energy Agency, global electricity demand grew by 6 per cent in 2021 and is projected to grow by 2.4 per cent in 2022 — only 50 per cent of which is expected to be met from renewable energy sources.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Forested countries such as Guyana can potentially earn billions of dollars through voluntary carbon markets. However, the current approximate price is $10 per ton on the voluntary market, while according to an International Monetary Fund report the price should be closer to $70 per ton. At the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties, we must make progress in refining the rules for the implementation of article 6 of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and make decisions that will increase the price of carbon traded in voluntary carbon markets. The world is also faced with an energy crisis. In 2019, almost 10 per cent of the world’s population did not have access to electricity.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“That analysis shows that the costs of adaptation are most likely to be higher than the predicted range of $140-300 billion annually by 2030 and $280-500 billion annually by 2050 for developing nations. In 2019, $79.6 billion was allocated to developing nations for planning and carrying out mitigation and adaptation measures. The gap between predicted adaptation costs and existing public adaptation finance flows is generally growing and ranges from a fivefold to a tenfold shortfall. The paltry $100 billion pledge and the failure to meet it must be viewed in the context of the likely costs of climate action for mitigation, adaptation and addressing loss and damage. It is not enough. The adoption in Glasgow of broad rules on carbon markets has the potential to unlock critical resources for forest-rich countries.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Those narrow groupings heighten the chance that many at-risk, economically vulnerable countries, including those in the Caribbean with large food and food-import needs, will be excluded. We all recognize that there is climate crisis. We must review some of the decisions made. For example, at the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), we agreed that there would be no more coal-fired power projects. What is the reality? While policies and planning for climate change adaptation are expanding, financing and implementation are still far behind where they should be, according to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Adaptation Gap Report 2021: The Gathering Storm.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The question, therefore, is whether globalization is applicable only under normal conditions or whether it is opportunistic in its application. When a crisis arises, do we lock ourselves in and forget about multilateralism and globalization? The evidence is glaring, first with regard to COVID-19 vaccines and more recently with respect to access to food and fertilizer. A welcome initiative is FAO’s Global Food Import Financing Facility, which seeks to respond to the prevailing soaring food import costs and address the needs of those most exposed. However, there is a need to revise the eligibility criteria to accommodate countries beyond the categories of low-income and lower-middle-income groups.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In honouring our commitment to promote peace, stability, respect for territorial integrity and democracy and the human rights of all, we must work collectively to prevent situations that can widen inequality and create social and economic havoc. Now is the time for us to decide if a new approach is needed to guarantee food security, energy security, climate security, access to health care and quality education, and security from conflict and wars. According to the World Bank and Global Trade Alert, between January and June 2022, 135 policy measures were announced or implemented that affected the trade in food and fertilizer. During the same period, 34 nations imposed restrictive export measures on food and fertilizers.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The trajectory of the global food import bill is a whopping $1.8 trillion this year, a record high. The global food import bill is projected to rise by $51 billion from 2021, $49 billion of which reflects higher prices. The question is what we are going to do about it. Can the reversal of export bans on rice and wheat and the freeing up of grains help that situation? The answer is a resounding yes. For example, export bans on rice from India and wheat from Russia contributed to a price increase of 12.3 per cent and 9 per cent for rice and wheat, respectively. The President returned to the Chair. As world leaders, we must find the balance now.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In addition, the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned that acute food insecurity would worsen in 20 hunger hotspots from June to September 2022. Since the start of the pandemic, global food prices have surged by 65 per cent and are expected to remain high over the medium term as a result of supply chain constraints, a hike in energy costs, higher shipping costs, climate issues, the war in Ukraine and the fertilizer crisis. Also, following the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war, global food prices increased sharply — to reach an all-time high in February 2022. FAO projects that the production of cereals — a crop heavily relied on throughout the world — will decline by 40 million tons, or 1.4 per cent in 2022 as compared to 2021.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Guyana’s position is that there must be an immediate re-examination of the financing gap and debt portfolio of developing countries to open fiscal space and create an opportunity for recovery, bridging the gap and attaining the SDGs. Guyana welcomes the global initiatives on pandemic preparedness. It is imperative that we collectively discuss how to address any potential pandemic and health threats so that we are better equipped in the future to avoid the inequalities that exist. The global food security problem has disproportionately affected us. The prevalence of moderate and severe food insecurity has trended upwards since 2014, with an estimated increase in 2020 equalling that of the previous five years combined. In 2020, 2.37 billion of the world’s population was food- insecure.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The developing world lost revenues and income that were earmarked for achievement of many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), pushing us farther away from our 2030 targets. A United Nations report issued in March 2022 spoke definitively about the unequal distribution of coronavirus disease vaccines and its impact on widening economic disparity between the rich and the poor. The study found that low-income countries could have increased their gross domestic product by $16.7 billion dollars in 2021 if they had had a vaccination rate similar to that of high-income developed countries. How will we address that inequality? How will we address that injustice?”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“One month ago, in Guyana, I launched the Youth Advisory Council as part of my Government’s commitment to ensuring the involvement of young people in decision-making and development as the Government works towards building Guyana’s future. We live in a troubled world that has lost its balance. Indeed, our collective actions as leaders today will convey to the next generation that their aspirations and their future and that of the planet are worth fighting for. The international community faces a series of interlocking challenges — a global pandemic, climate challenges, energy and food crises and inter-State conflicts. As a consequence of the pandemic, approximately 97 million more persons are living on less than $1.90 per day, thereby significantly increasing the global poverty rate and inequalities.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the President of the General Assembly on his election. I am confident that his stewardship will lend further credence to the impactful role of multilateralism in resolving global challenges. I thank his predecessor, Mr. Abdullah Shahid, for his shrewd leadership over the past year. I had the distinct privilege of welcoming him recently to Guyana and benefiting from his experience in championing an inclusive future for our young people. I extend congratulations to him, the Secretary-General and the General Assembly for the recently adopted resolution on the establishment of the United Nations Youth Office (resolution 76/306).”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Multilateralism is the pathway to achieving our ends. We must collectively work to preserve this instrument and to strengthen the United Nations as we build a better world for our generation and those to follow. I thank you. And God bless all the people of this planet, thank you.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We also urge all States to set ambitious targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement and to work earnestly towards them. Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) reflects our national development agenda. The strategy will ensure that we fulfill our Nationally Determined Contributions and place our country along a path of sustainable and climate-resilient development. Mr. President, Progress on the Sustainable Development Agenda will be impeded by conflicts. We therefore must continue to devote our collective efforts towards the achievement of peace in every region of the globe. Mr. President, The future we want and the United Nations that we need are in our hands. It is ours to fashion. History must not find us victims of inaction or succumbing to failure.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In this regard, we recognize the important role of the World Health Organization in coordinating the response of the UN system and in global public health preparedness and response. We look forward to increased international cooperation to contain, mitigate and defeat the pandemic. Mr. President, Competing and compounded by the pandemic is climate change. Every year is another record breaking year for extreme weather conditions and climate events. As a low-lying coastal State, Guyana, is acutely aware of the high toll of these extreme weather conditions. But equally costly is climate resilience. Developing countries are thus set between a rock and a hard place. The only way to ease this burden is through concerted and balanced climate action, especially via mitigation, climate financing, technical cooperation and capacity building.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The pandemic is reversing our gains on health, poverty and education. More than ever, the resolve of the United Nations is being tested and it is evident that no single country can overcome the debilitating effects alone. This reality must inform the trajectory of the United Nations so that it can support the efforts of developing countries to rebuild and to become more resilient. A strong multilateral system is required for collective action to stem this pandemic. I acknowledge the support of UN agencies in my country’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. We trust and support the efforts of the UN system to ensure fair, transparent and timely global access to preventive tools, equipment and materials for testing.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We are happy to report that on the 30th of June, 2020 the International Court of Justice held its first virtual hearing on the controversy involving Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Regrettably, Venezuela has refused to participate in the hearing. Guyana now awaits the determination of the International Court of Justice on whether the Court has jurisdiction to proceed to hearing the merits of the case. Mr. President, As we consider the state of our world today, we must acknowledge the challenges facing us and their implications for the progress and prosperity of our peoples. Foremost on the list is the COVID-19 pandemic and its multidimensional impacts. The pandemic has launched an attack on the health and well-being of our people while the economy has become a causality of this assault.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“My government believes that both the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council should play a more proactive role in catalyzing partnerships and should serve as platforms for ensuring coherence in the joint economic, environmental, and socio-political initiatives being undertaken. Now more than ever, we need a resurgence of political will and commitment to protect the multilateral architecture and institutions, including the International Court of Justice. Guyana reposes confidence in this institution. We are committed to the rule of international law, inclusive of the peaceful resolution of disputes. In March 2018, Guyana filed its application in the International Court of Justice seeking an affirmation of the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award and the international boundary that it established.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)