YouSaid · the spoken record

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

lines on the record: 126
first: 2006-09-24
most recent: 2017-09-24
sittings or episodes: 8
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

“Today African nations are participating in strong regional and subregional bodies, which are evolving — adopting measures to secure and preserve peace and security, while strengthening economic integration. The United Nations, as the pre-eminent world body, must also continue to evolve to more effectively serve the common interests of all Member States. It must continue to chart the way forward. In its capable hands rest the hope and aspirations for a more just, peaceful and humane world, for the sake of our people and our planet.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It is often in times of transition that great leaders emerge and institutions are strengthened. Secondly, I recall that two years ago, at its seventieth session, the Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes 17 Goals that encapsulate the aspirations of Member States to eradicate poverty and reduce, if not eliminate, inequalities within and between countries. Our commitment to achieving the Goals must be unwavering, because progress in that area is inextricably linked to ending conflict and sustaining peace. Thirdly, real progress remains elusive in the lingering effort to reform the Security Council and make it more responsive to current global realities. The call for that reform must be pursued more robustly towards an early conclusion. Africa’s views are well articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The United Nations and its partner nations were of one mind, and from that global unity a new democratic Liberian State was born. Liberia is a post-conflict success story. It is the Organization’s post-conflict success story. As I bid farewell to the Assembly today, and to my fellow Heads of State, I have a few parting thoughts. First, remember Liberia, which is making vibrant efforts to apply the tenets of democracy. Consider the lives saved, the wealth created, the stability assured because this global body led at a time of great uncertainty in our subregion and around the world. I ask the States Members of the United Nations to continue to lead, to spread the values of democracy, human rights and good governance, while strengthening solidarity for economic transformation and social resilience.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We could not have accomplished all of that without the Organization — its political leadership, the generosity of its economic development support, humanitarian contributions and, most important, the stabilization and security provided to our country through the United Nations Mission in Liberia. I applaud you, Mr. President, and your predecessors, the Member States and United Nations civil servants around the world who have sacrificed in order for us to see the very first generation of school-age children growing up in an environment of peace, free of the violence of civil conflict. Liberia’s transformation was powered by a world community that made a shared commitment to deliver peace to a country and a subregion beset by civil conflict and cross-border destabilization.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“There is so much more to share about Liberia’s post-conflict transformation — how we have empowered ordinary citizens and a shared sense of citizenship, giving women, including market and rural women, a voice and the right to be heard. We have continued to transform the health-care and education systems, engender the entrepreneurial spirit in our youth, our vibrant media and our civil society. We are establishing cross-border development corridors to enhance regional trade, and we are strengthening the rule of law to tackle systemic undermining of integrity. Liberia is experiencing the birth of a post-conflict artistic community in song, hip-hop, painting, poetry, storytelling and fashion. Liberia has come a long way.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Liberia has enjoyed the benefit of multilateralism through the full support provided by the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). From being a pariah State, Liberia has gradually regained the confidence of nations and has even risen to assume leadership roles in regional bodies — specifically of ECOWAS and the Mano River Union. I was personally privileged to play a role in the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as co-Chair of former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s High-level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda and to help frame the African common position as Chair of the African Union high- level committee.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“And from the tragedy of the health crisis, we are strengthening our health-care systems, prioritizing prevention and delivering capacity at the community level. The impact is being felt. Life expectancy progressed from a low 47 years to a hopeful 62 years, with a reduction in maternal deaths from 1,400 to 1,100 — an annual rate of reduction of 3.4 per cent. The poverty rate has decreased from 63.8 per cent in 2007 to 50.9 per cent in 2016. Infrastructure has been repaired and restored, and we continue to rehabilitate damaged roads and construct new ones. Cities and towns are bustling with new life, thanks to the increasing provision of electricity, potable water and technology. It is now possible to receive voice and data on phones and mobile devices from virtually everywhere in the country, at competitively low prices.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We are proud to report that, since the formal turnover of security responsibilities to our Government, Liberia has remained stable, peaceful and secure. We transformed the economy from a growth rate of less than zero to more than 8.7 per cent in 2013, until the health crisis and plummeting commodity prices brought a downturn to our economic recovery. Liberia has adjusted. We are resilient, and we embrace diversification. Our focus today is on strengthening the agriculture sector for value-addition and infrastructure development, with emphasis on roads and energy industrialization. Previously dysfunctional public institutions now have the capacity to respond to the needs of our citizens through decentralized county service centres, with ownership by strong local Governments.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The election will signal the irreversible course that Liberia has embarked upon to consolidate its young, post-conflict democracy. Democracy is on the march in Liberia and, I believe, on an irreversible path forward on the African continent. I thank all our partners who have made meaningful contributions — financial and in kind — to ensure peaceful elections, and those organizations that will deploy observer missions to attest to the integrity of the election process. I assumed office after 25 years of development reversal, which was further compounded by a 15-year civil war. We have made great progress and laid the foundation for the next democratic Government. We have reshaped the armed forces of Liberia and the Liberia national police and have professionalized our customs and immigration services and the small Liberian coast guard.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Eleven years ago, in September 2006, I stood before the Assembly (see A/61/PV.11) as the newly elected President of the Republic of Liberia and the first woman to be democratically elected as a Head of State on the African continent. When I speak to women in Africa and across the world, I am humbled by the inspiration drawn from my experience. The next generation must belong to women. Today I address the Assembly for the last time as I bring my two terms of elected office to a close. Liberia is just 22 days away from historic legislative and presidential elections. It will mark the first time in 73 years that political power will be handed over peacefully and democratically from one elected leader to another. That will pave the way for the next generation of Liberians to lead the country into the future.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I hope that, at the conclusion of our deliberations, we will forge a consensus and renew our commitment as leaders to transform the lives of our peoples and meet our responsibilities to our planet. The work of the United Nations has never been more important to the search for peace and sustenance for global stability than it is today. By its Charter and its purposes, the United Nations continues to represent the genius of our collective ability to live together in peace and harmony. It still offers great hope to a troubled world. Liberians bear witness to this truth and remain grateful to the United Nations, and all of its organs and agencies, for the critical security interventions and continued support for Liberia’s recovery and democratic aspirations.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“My delegation is also pleased with the initial steps taken towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. I also wish to congratulate Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. His vast experience and strong diplomatic skills assure us that he will steer the affairs of this session in an effective manner. The Liberian delegation offers him its full cooperation and support. I would also like to recognize Mr. Peter Thompson of Fiji for his stewardship over the past year, which saw the launch of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the successful conduct of the first Ocean Conference. Our theme this year is “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”, which aptly captures a universal aspiration.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The seventy-second regular session of the General Assembly is being convened at a time of historic transition in Liberia and during a period of acute challenges to the global order. Today we face the threat of climate change, the violence of terrorism, the risks and indignaty of migration and a nuclear escalation on the Korean peninsula. Moreover, there is a race against time to accommodate a restless, youthful population in search of opportunity and a brighter future. I would like to congratulate the Secretary-General on his election. His progressive and creative leadership assures us of his commitment and his action to reform the United Nations for increased efficiency, better coordination and gender parity by 2021 at the senior leadership level.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“As a resilient and determined nation that has faced the challenges of several periods of devastation, Liberia is rising again. We are determined to walk the agreed road to the achievement of our Vision 2030, and to successfully conclude the first five-year phase of our Agenda for Transformation. Our democracy, stalled by years of conflict, stands firm as we march towards its most challenging and important task: the conduct of presidential and legislative elections in 2017. On behalf of the people of Liberia, I thank the United Nations for helping us to preserve peace over the past thirteen years. I also thank the many international partners who have been with us on the road to recovery.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Liberia has embarked on its process of domesticating the SDGs through robust nationwide consultations and dialogues with major stakeholders, including the legislature, the executive, the judiciary, the private sector, civil society and faith-based organizations. With the support of our United Nations partners, we are formulating a road map to achieve full integration into our national development agenda. With 43 per cent of the biodiversity in the West African region, Liberia is mindful of the need to protect the environment from the effects of global warming and climate change. Our commitment to sustainable land and forest governance and management remains firm, as our establishment of a legal verification mechanism and an enforced regulatory framework reflects. Our partnership with Norway has been helpful in that regard.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I am pleased to report that the drawdown of UNMIL was successfully executed on 30 June, when Liberian security agencies assumed full responsibility for the security of our nation and people. We recognize the risks involved, given our severe fragility and the scarcity of resources, but we take up those responsibilities with confidence in the knowledge that our partners are still with us. I am proud to have served as a Co-Chair on the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Global Sustainability, which initiated the process culminating in the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Liberia maintains its confidence in the ability of the United Nations as the most viable body in the search for global peace and security. Liberia reaffirms its commitment to supporting the United Nations in its endeavours to achieve world peace and security, democratic governance and the advancement of the universal principles of human rights. We reiterate our commitments to addressing extreme poverty, empowering women and girls, and bringing marginalized communities into mainstream society and making their voices heard. Those are the drivers of our transformational push to save our nation and our world. Since our conflict ended in 2003, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has worked with Liberia, first to institute and then to consolidate security, peacebuilding efforts and governance gains in the country.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The ECOWAS initiative to bring peace to Guinea Bissau, the African Union efforts in Mali and South Sudan, and the Lake Chad Basin Commission’s efforts to combat Boko Haram and other terrorist groups show progress and clearly demonstrate the relevance of regional solidarity. With a view to strengthening peace and security within ECOWAS, we have emphasized the fight against organized crime, especially cross-border trade in illicit small arms and light weapons, drug and human trafficking, and piracy. As the current Chair of ECOWAS, I can confirm that we are unwaveringly committed to continuing our efforts to achieve integration through infrastructure development, trade and investment, natural resource management, food security, and peace and security with renewed vigour.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The current state of our world, conditioned by the realities of insecurity, requires collective, concerted action to avoid unacceptable levels of deprivation, poverty and human suffering. At our subregional level, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has demonstrated its commitment and preparedness to combat terrorism in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Nigeria, as well as in other parts of the subregion, with valued support from partners in the international community. We are optimistic about the regional initiatives and collaborations launched by the African Union, ECOWAS and the United Nations that aim to help consolidate peace and security on the African continent.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“This session is taking place at a time when there is an escalation of conflicts engulfing millions of people in many parts of the world. We note with particular concern the rise of international terrorism, extremism, xenophobia and violence, which continue to pose a threat to global, political, social and economic stability. The unabated crises that we continue to witness in the Middle East, on the continent of Africa and in other parts of the world are a challenge to the noble objectives of the United Nations. The mass displacement and suffering imposed on the people of Syria, who are forced to migrate far from their homeland, is a blight on the conscience of the world and questions the resolve of the United Nations.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We anticipate cogent inter-agency dialogue and collaboration between the International Organization for Migration and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in facilitating the voluntary return and reintegration of refugees and displaced persons. We call on the two agencies to forge an effective response to the issue of migrant-smuggling and human trafficking, bearing in mind that women and children are the main victims of organized crime and modern slavery. The call for the reform of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, rings louder in the deafening silence from some quarters. The equity that we promote through our commitments at the United Nations must be respected by all of its bodies. We urge the big and powerful nations of the world to bring that long silence to an end.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“It ushered in the new global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which envisions a world without poverty, a world of shared values and responsibilities, a world of gender equality and women’s empowerment and a planet saved through effective mitigations of threats — in effect, a world that leaves no one behind. As the Secretary-General’s tenure ends later this year, I would like to him to know that his actions and innovations have inspired us all. He has our very best wishes for success in his future endeavours. We congratulate and welcome the International Organization for Migration (IOM) into the mainstream of the United Nations, particularly at this time when the world is facing the daunting challenge of a massive migration and refugee crisis.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In the same vein, I commend His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark, under whose able leadership the affairs of the seventieth session were conducted, including the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. We wish to recognize, in a special way, the innovative and creative leadership of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has energized the international community’s collective pursuit of the noble objectives of the United Nations. We acknowledge, with profound gratitude, his stewardship, which brought a paradigm shift in development programmes within the United Nations system.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Last year, with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, we, all together, pledged to improve various conditions facing humankind and to protect our natural habitat. Under the theme “The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world”, we have now convened at the seventy-first session of the General Assembly to assess the progress and to deliberate on current and emerging challenges in the overall pursuit of the underlying objective of passing a better world on to our children and grandchildren. I congratulate you, Sir, and the people of Fiji on your election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session, and we rely on your vast experience to successfully conduct the affairs of this session in the furtherance of the hopes that we share for a better world.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We stand firm in our political will to meet any challenge to our commitment to leaving no one behind.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We are now proceeding with implementation of our post-Ebola economic stabilization and recovery plan, with expectations of support from our bilateral and multilateral partners for a regionally approved post- Ebola recovery strategy that the three Mano River Union countries affected have formulated. We are determined to address our development losses, including by rebuilding better and more resilient health and education systems. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda, adopted in April, offers pathways to various forms of financing, capacity-building and technological exchange in support of our pursuit of our development objectives. We must now forge genuine partnerships in order to move ahead on the road to strengthening peace and security, human rights, socioeconomic development and environmental sustainability.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who — in partnership with our countries and with support from the African Development Bank, the African Union, the European Union and the World Bank — hosted the International Ebola Recovery Conference to focus attention on, and seek support for, our post-Ebola recovery programmes. The Ebola scourge undoubtedly leaves indelible marks of grief, sorrow and unimaginable affliction. But it has also caused us to celebrate heartwarming tales of extraordinary courage and leadership across Governments and communities, as well as exceptional regional and international responses.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In 70 years only three women have served as President of the General Assembly — one of them, many years ago, being our compatriot, Mrs. Angie Brooks Randolph. Only a few women have served or are serving as special representative of the Secretary-General, and not a single woman has ever served as Secretary-General. As we ponder, in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, the three countries worst hit by the deadly Ebola virus disease, we bear witness to the foundational creed of the United Nations that we can always find it within our humanity to respond even to unknown enemies to our collective progress. Accordingly, we remain grateful to the international community for the outpouring of support and assistance as we faced down the deadly disease, the greatest modern threat to global public health.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“After the completion of these reviews, we expect implementation to bring further improvements. Liberia can attest, with gratitude, to the nature of United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding functions, which are critical and indispensable for post-conflict countries. This year, we marked the twentieth anniversary of the historic Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, and its Platform for Action for women’s empowerment and gender equality. We are also marking the fifteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), on women’s participation in peace processes. And while improvements have been made in the status of women, much more remains to be done. We must therefore all step up and take further measures, going beyond moralizing gender equality to tangible actions.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It is not beyond this body to find answers and to respond, and we know that we must. We feel compelled to ask if, at 70, our world Organization is hindered today by inflexible structures and overburdened by bureaucracies. Is the current structure of the United Nations fit for purpose — to play its role in the global transformation processes over the next 15 years? We are encouraged by the introspection that is taking place at the United Nations around these questions. We commend the foresight of the Secretary- General in directing a comprehensive review of peace operations, which is complemented by a review of the Organization’s peacebuilding architecture and a global study on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women’s participation in peace processes.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Despite commendable efforts, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe still have vortexes of conflict. Migrants and people seeking refuge from conflicts and economic hardship are swirling across Europe. We are haunted by the growing threats of destabilizing forces, such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS), and by attempts to reverse democratic initiatives, such as that in Burkina Faso, which invoked an immediate and decisive response from the Economic Community of West African States. 10/26 15-29437 29/09/2015 A/70/PV.17 Climate conditions are changing, and so must we. In many countries of the world, women are still being treated as second-class citizens. As Liberia bears painful witness, weak public-health systems in individual countries threaten global health and well- being.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The creation of the United Nations came out of a realization that only a global organization, through the support and cooperation of the comity of nations, would be suitable to grapple with the many challenges facing humankind. Today, a reduction in inter-State conflict and cooperation in the protection and promotion of human rights and in alleviating global poverty, disease and hunger are the hallmarks of this body. On the other hand, increased intra-State conflicts and international terrorism are seeking to undermine the gains made in reducing human suffering. Protracted and intense conflicts in various parts of the world pose serious threats to global peace and security. Thus new and emerging challenges call the United Nations to action.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Another milestone was the adoption here, a few days ago, of the post-2015 development agenda, “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (resolution 70/1), by which we committed to implementing measures to transform the lives of our peoples — to lift them from poverty to prosperity — and to preserve the planet. It was this same vision that, 70 years ago, motivated the founding of this global organization to promote peaceful coexistence, economic and social advancement of all peoples, respect for human dignity, and equal rights of men and women and nations large and small. I am proud to say that Liberia was among the founding Members of the United Nations.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“On this auspicious occasion, the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, I am honoured to address the Assembly on behalf of the Government and people of Liberia. I congratulate the President on his election to preside over the Assembly, and I appreciate the stewardship of his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, who ably conducted the Assembly’s affairs at the sixty-ninth session. This year has registered ground-breaking developments. After 50 years, the United States and Cuba have decided to resolve differences by establishing diplomatic relations.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The future begins today. We must commit to a new global development trajectory that gives all of humankind a world of peace, dignity and prosperity.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We therefore call on all our partners to renew their support to the New Deal for Engagement on Fragile States, which calls for stronger ownership, harmonization, results and mutual accountability. I would like to conclude by expressing our gratitude to the United Nations family for sustaining our agenda of peacebuilding and sustainable development. Since its founding, the United Nations has had its share of challenges, but it remains the beacon of hope for the peoples of the world who thirst for peace; a world that is fair, a world that is prosperous, a world in which the uncommon dreams of all will have a fair chance of realization; a world where the weak can become strong; a world where no nation feels developed and powerful until all nations have their share of global wealth. The leaders of today must rise to those challenges.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I am pleased to report that on 2 September, I chaired and launched the High-level Panel on Fragile States, under the aegis of the African Development Bank. Of the estimated 7 billion people in the world, 1.5 billion live in situations of conflict and fragility. That data puts fragile States at the centre of the new post-2015 agenda. We hold the view that international partners should accommodate the peculiarities and special circumstances of post-conflict nations. The achievement of sustained economic growth and development in those countries is critical to reducing their vulnerability to new political and economic shocks, fuelled in many cases by high expectation gaps that need to be mitigated.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I am pleased to have been asked by the African Union Summit to chair a high-level committee of 10 Heads of State that will oversee and guide the process. We held our first meeting yesterday here in New York, and agreed upon a road map that will ensure a global development framework that is not only brave and ambitious, but one that reflects African priorities, a global agenda that creates an enabling environment for Africa’s transformation that includes infrastructure development, increased productive capacities, resilience to external shocks and enhanced statistical capacities that will result will accelerate the reation of employment that is directed particularly to our youthful populations.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Today more than at any other time, we have an opportunity to transform our world; to pursue an agenda that will eradicate poverty while at the same time sustaining nature to secure natural resources for future generations. The solutions of yesterday may not apply today’s challenges, so we must muster the courage to take bold steps. I therefore call upon the Assembly to reflect on the emerging challenges we face, to boldly seize new opportunities and to commit ourselves to a new global partnership that promotes economic and social transformations for inclusive and shared prosperity for all. In Africa we are working towards a continental consensus that will convey an African position on the post-2015 development agenda.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I was honoured to have been selected by Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon as one of three co-Chairs of a 27-member High-level Panel of Eminent Persons tasked with making recommendations for a new global development agenda post-2015. The mandate of the Panel was to advise the Secretary-General on a bold and practical development agenda beyond 2015 that builds upon, as well as goes beyond, the Millennium Development Goals in establishing new goals that are ambitious and yet achievable. Last May, the Panel submitted its report to the Secretary-General for his consideration. We are pleased that many of the principles we identified are emphasized in the Secretary General’s report (A/68/202), rightly titled “A life of dignity for a11”.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“All the policies and actions that we have pursued in the past several years have enabled us to stabilize our overall national condition. We must now, over the next few years, take the hard decisions in addressing long- standing structural systems. We know that the transition from stabilization to transformation can be a long and hard road subject to brickbats from vested interests. We are bound to face criticism as we attempt to apply and respect the rule of law and as we challenge entrenched social habits, but we must change old mindsets and attitudes. We remain strong in that resolve, for it is the right thing to do.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We have adopted laws and policies that eschew discrimination of any kind, to ensure social equity and equal opportunity, but still must do more in promoting natural reconciliation and healing. We have done much in achieving an average annual growth of over 7 per cent and attracted huge multi-million-dollar direct foreign investments, especially in our natural resource sector, but still have much more to do in expanding growth and diversifying our economy, making it more resilient to internal and external shocks and more responsive to the ever- increasing demand of our people for jobs and improved livelihoods. We still have much to do in continuing the reforms that will ensure equitable benefits from natural resource capital to current and future generations.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“That has put the country on a path of irreversible progress, which has enabled us to conduct two democratic presidential and general elections and adjust our Vision 2030, while laying a firm foundation for the transformation of our economy towards moving our country to middle-income status by the year 2030. Liberia has come a long way, but we know that we have an even longer way to go. We have done much in restoring basic services and infrastructure, but still have much to do, especially in reducing our huge infrastructure deficits in power and in transport. We have done much in improving governance and strengthening our institutions of integrity, but still have much more to do in consolidating the culture of integrity and accountability in a society that is still beset by values occasioned by years of conflict.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In that regard, we commend the Security Council for its recent adoption of resolution 2116 (2013), which extends the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping Mission in Liberia to 30 September 2014. We fully commit to meeting all the expectations of the resolution, including continuing to take concrete steps aimed at developing and sustaining a self-sufficient and competent security sector able to tackle violent crimes, sexual and gender-based violence and the infringement of the rights of the ordinary person. Thanks to our commitment and the resilience of the Liberian people, we have instituted a host of reforms intended to improve governance, enhance accountability and create an enabling environment for the exercise of basic freedoms, including freedom of speech and the press.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I bring greetings from the Government and people of Liberia, who are this year celebrating 10 consecutive years of peace and progress. In those 10 years, our nation’s pride has been restored and we have returned to the community of nations as a respectable and responsible partner. With the support of the international community, especially the United Nations through its peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts, we have rebuilt a new ethnically balanced professional army and increased the size and enhanced the professionalism of our police, immigration and intelligence forces, in line with our commitment to bear full responsibility for security with in our borders as United Nations peacekeepers execute a phased drawdown.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We view our role in that peacekeeping effort as a way of reciprocating, albeit in a small way, the countless demonstrations of friendship and goodwill that were accorded to us by Mali and other members of the international community during our dark days of war. Once the epicentre of a regional war, I am pleased to note that the neighboring countries of the Mano River Union — Côte D’Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia — are at peace and engaged in consolidating the gains of stability to accelerate national transformation through regional integration. A new Mano River Union initiative will facilitate connectivity in our power and transport systems, thereby enhancing cross-border trade, in which our market women are actively engaged.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, for receiving the overwhelming endorsement of the Malian people, and we commend all stakeholders for respecting the outcome of the democratic process. We also salute the former interim President, Mr. Dioncounda Traoré, and all partners for working to restore constitutional order within the stipulated time period. Although Liberia still faces the residual challenges of its own conflict, and despite our size and limited military strength, I am pleased to report that a small contingent of Liberian troops is currently participating in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We are equally pleased with the progress made in resolving conflicts in several of our countries, as we welcome the international support that has set Somalia on a trajectory of peace and development. We appreciate the strong collaboration among regional economic communities, the African Union and the United Nations, joined by the international community, that responded robustly in the Malian crisis, thereby averting the threat posed to the peace and security of the entire region. The recent inauguration of a new, democratically elected President in Mali is a clear indication that such cooperation is the surest path to world peace. We congratulate the newly elected President of Mali, Mr.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Our continental growth has averaged over 5 percent annually, surpassing that of other regions. Moreover, our economies are diversifying, our trade infrastructure is expanding, our democracies are strong and maturing, and our regional institutions strengthening and leading the processes of cooperation and integration. But the new Africa story is not just about growth. We see improvement in school enrolment, health indicators, in trade and investment. The share of people living in poverty is declining. Democracy, while still needing room for improvement, has become the norm rather than the exception, and governance has improved significantly over the past decade.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We unequivocally condemn the use of chemical weapons in Syria and anywhere else in the world, and we call for concerted and renewed international effort to stem the rising scourge of terrorism and other transnational crimes through action to control and eliminate weapons of mass destruction. We welcome the communications revolution that has provided a broad cyber platform for the exchange of information. However, that should not provide a vehicle for the promotion of terrorism and the spread of unfounded and irresponsible information through unregulated cyber weaponry that threatens the security of nations, particularly fragile States, and open societies of freedom and democracy. Colleague after colleague who will address the Assembly will no doubt express pride at the tremendous progress in Africa.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)