YouSaid · the spoken record

Kokou Kpayedo

lines on the record: 51
first: 2016-09-24
most recent: 2020-09-24
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

“Our peoples’ expectations are high and pressing, and my country urges all States to assume their responsibility to meet them and commit to taking action, which, to be blunt, entails revitalizing and reforming our Organization, particularly its principal organs, including the Security Council, in order to make it more representative and better adapted to the demands of our time. We firmly believe that greater transparency, justice, equity and democracy, with strict respect for the sovereign equality and dignity of States, particularly in Africa, will enable the Organization to write a new chapter in its existence. To that end, we must not give in to the temptation of turning inwardly as nations. Let us rather move forward together and united in the hope of the peace and development to which our peoples remain firmly committed.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“However, such successes here and there must not blind us to the fact that the Organization is still facing many other challenges. Only active international cooperation and international solidarity can help us deal with them effectively and successfully. We have not yet banished the spectre of war and armed conflicts in all their forms. And nowadays such conflicts have taken on a new form, driven by non- State actors and amorphous networks that fuel terrorism and religious extremism, including in the countries of the Sahel region and Central Africa. Moreover, climate change, especially the destructive weather events that we have recently seen in Africa, and the migration crisis are challenges that the Organization must meet with bold and sustainable responses if it is to achieve the ideals it was founded on.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“This is the right occasion to welcome the fact that they are moving resolutely and increasingly towards a preventive and multidimensional approach. In the area of development, the Organization’s adoption in 2015 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is still so far the most ambitious tool for ensuring our peoples’ welfare. The 2030 Agenda, which capitalizes on the experience gained from the Millennium Development Goals, integrates the three dimensions of sustainable development — economic, social and environmental — in a crosscutting approach. The Organization has also excelled in promoting human rights. International human rights standards have accordingly flourished in various areas, especially with regard to women and children.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“As we commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations this year, it is fitting to note that our institution has made great progress in the areas of peacebuilding, respect for human rights and the promotion of truly sustainable development, despite the prejudices that have to be overcome. One of the Organization’s major achievements is in the area of the promotion of peace and security, with peacekeeping operations that have helped to save many lives and restore stability and security in a world plagued by conflicts and emerging threats such as terrorism and violent extremism. Our peacekeeping operations, in which as one of the major troop-contributing countries Togo is an active participant, have been enhanced and improved over time.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“With regard to health care, the Government has opened dedicated centres in Lome and in each of the country’s economic regions, trained personnel and supplied critical laboratory, medical and protective equipment. The scientific committee has developed a treatment plan. We have taken various social measures for the benefit of the population, particularly the most vulnerable sectors, in order to mitigate the impact of the pandemic — reducing the costs of water and electricity, removing taxes on basic needs, providing food distribution and subsidizing the most disadvantaged citizens through the Novissi cash transfer programme, and, lastly, supporting businesses. We would therefore like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to our various partners and all who are assisting Togo in the fight against the pandemic.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In the framework of its COVID-19 response, after our first case of the disease was diagnosed, on 6 March, Togo set up a crisis committee, personally chaired by the President of the Republic, a national coordination response, a management committee and a scientific committee. In view of the disease’s long-term socioeconomic impact, my Government has also launched a national solidarity and economic recovery fund totalling 400 billion CFA francs, or approximately $665 million. The measures taken involve prevention through social distancing, case detection, the compulsory wearing of masks and education and awareness-raising among the population. We have also shut down various areas of the country, established a curfew, closed borders, schools and universities and banned gatherings.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“It has also established the African Medical Supplies Platform to improve the provision of COVID-19-related medical equipment and supplies, access to which has become increasingly difficult owing to the strong market demand. In that regard, I welcome the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union to address the challenges posed by the pandemic. My country believes that the Secretary-General’s call to the leaders of the Group of 20 to adopt a recovery plan for developing countries, as well as calls for debt suspension and cancellation, will result in action being taken.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“My country also welcomes the COVAX Facility initiative launched by WHO — a mechanism for the group purchase of eventual COVID-19 vaccines, coordinated by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization — which will guarantee every participating country fair and equitable access to vaccines through an allocation framework that WHO intends to set up. The African continent, which is confronting the cruelty of poverty and endemic and cyclical natural scourges, is also seeing a worrying spread of the disease. In order to counter that, the African Union has implemented a control-and-prevention strategy, recommended by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the cost of whose implementation alone is estimated at more than $200 billion.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Although it is promising, we are already dealing with the issue of access to future vaccines. While it is true that pharmaceutical companies are committing enormous financial resources to that end, we must not sacrifice our humanity to economic profit. We will therefore need to ensure that access to any future COVID-19 vaccine is equitable, affordable and not subject to market forces. Accordingly, I welcome the adoption of resolution WHA73.1 by the General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO), pursuant to which Member States have provided that full access to any such vaccine and other related medicines shall be timely, equitable, of high quality, safe and affordable for all.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“It is therefore imperative that the international community adopt a concerted, global and coherent approach to respond appropriately to the pandemic. In that regard, I commend the initiative of the Secretary-General who, from the very beginning of the pandemic, launched a global response by the United Nations system to address the pandemic and guide our States to safeguard themselves against the adverse consequences of the pandemic. It has been established that owing to the virus’s highly contagious nature, the preventive measures that we are taking today will not be sufficient on their own to counter and eventually eliminate it. Vaccination therefore continues to be the lasting solution. In that regard, my country encourages all the research that is under way throughout the world to achieve that goal.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“That is why I welcome the choice of theme for this session of the General Assembly, “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism — addressing Covid-19 through effective multilateral action”. In many ways, the theme is emblematic of the overall environment of anxiety, which compels us to be united in solidarity and more determined. The COVID-19 pandemic requires immense sacrifices of us, and our success in halting the crisis will depend on our willingness to unite our efforts to counter the pandemic and prevent our populations from falling back into extreme poverty. It is an unfortunate fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed our efforts to meet several Sustainable Development Goals, including in the areas of health, hunger and decent work.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“It has exposed many unforeseen vulnerabilities among the international community while causing an unprecedented economic crisis. While we are deliberating here in the Assembly we are still searching for a lasting cure for this plague. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the memory of all the victims of the virus and to commend the extraordinary work of the healthcare workers from every country who have saved millions of lives. This session is therefore taking place in an extremely unusual context in which our world is more disrupted than ever. The human tragedy that is the result is putting multilateralism to the test and urging us to act resolutely together to halt this scourge.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“At the outset, I would like congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session. We also commend the outstanding work of the outgoing President, His Excellency Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, who contributed to advancing the Organization through his wisdom and leadership during the difficult time that we are going through. I would also like to reaffirm our confidence in and pay tribute to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the skill with which he is pursuing our shared goals. When it comes to an end, the year 2020 will undoubtedly be seen as one of the most difficult in history in terms of the public-health crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which has spread all over the world, causing untold human suffering.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“This historic Compact, while non-legally binding, serves as a useful road map for the more effective management of this great crisis of our time. Our community of shared destiny compels us to overcome any temptation to resort to isolated and solitary actions. If our goal is to effectively fight against poverty and all the other ills afflicting humankind in order to build fairer and more inclusive societies, we must devote our efforts to strengthening multilateral mechanisms, while taking daily inspiration from the African proverb: “Alone we go faster, but together we go further”.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“International migratory flows are intensifying and diversifying and today constitute another major challenge to be addressed. As a result of growing economic inequality, more men and women are leaving their countries of origin in search of a safer or better life and opportunities in other places. The migratory phenomenon too often results in tragedy and is a source of sorrow for people and Governments alike. It poses enormous challenges to the international community, which must find mechanisms for collective management and more effective cooperation among States. In this regard, my delegation welcomes the adoption by the General Assembly on 19 December 2018 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which emerged from the intergovernmental conference held in Marrakech on 10 and 11 December 2018.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“As a major troop contributor to peacekeeping operations, Togo reiterates its commitment to serve wherever peace is threatened. We fully support both the zero-tolerance policy on sexual abuse in theatres of peacekeeping operations and the Kigali Principles. It cannot be stressed enough that nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction continue to pose serious threats to international peace and security. My country, whose foreign policy prioritizes general and complete disarmament, has always advocated the use of nuclear energy exclusively for civilian purposes. It is in this spirit that, on 7 August, the Togolese Government adopted a bill on the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear energy, cognizant of its positive applications, particularly in the fields of health, agriculture, industry and ionizing radiation, and so on.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The delay in the operationalization of its joint force is highly detrimental to peace and security in Africa. In this regard, we join in the many calls for international mobilization to enable the force to act and contribute to eradicating this tentacular evil that preys on our countries. That is why my country welcomes the reform of the United Nations peace and security pillar and strongly supports the actions initiated by the Secretary-General to increase the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations through more specific mandates and collaboration with regional and subregional organizations. However, it is not unreasonable to question the diminishing financial resources allocated to these operations as the challenges of peacekeeping and consolidation become more complex.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“My country remains convinced that the spread of the scourge of terrorism requires enhanced international cooperation as its complexity precludes an individual approach by States and demands a synergistic action through a shared vision. Aware of the need for cooperation at the regional level, the Togolese Government supports the Accra initiative, taken jointly with Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and the Niger in September 2017, whose objective is precisely to unify and harmonize approaches to the terrorist threat. To that end, it is vital that sustainable financing be found for the Group of Five for the Sahel, which constitutes an exemplary framework for cooperation in the fight against terrorism in the West African subregion.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The West African region has not been spared. Indeed, there have been several attacks in Mali, the Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Benin and so on. Because of its proximity to neighbouring countries hard hit by the scourge of terrorism, Togo is well aware of the magnitude of the threat and remains on high alert in the face of this asymmetrical threat. Togo is currently taking a preventive and proactive approach to the terrorist threat and has therefore sought the expertise of the Office of Counter-Terrorism to help it assess the risks posed by violent extremism. The Office’s visit, which took place in Lome from 22 to 24 July, made it possible to make recommendations and assess the priority needs in terms of technical assistance. I take this opportunity to thank the United Nations for its highly appreciated support.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The persistence of hotbeds of tension, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and the Near East, such emerging issues as terrorism, violent extremism, natural disasters and climate change, and the trends towards nuclear proliferation threaten international peace and security, without which our development efforts cannot prosper. That is why, my country, which is committed to the values of peace and peaceful coexistence, considers that we have everything to gain by acting in a concerted manner and with strong determination to end all these crises. The year 2019 has been a particularly scary year for several countries marked by an existential fear of terrorist threats. Recurring attacks around the world prove to us on a daily basis that this rampant evil remains omnipresent, forcing us to be constantly and increasingly vigilant.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Accordingly, the holding of the Climate Action Summit, which took place in the run-up to the general debate, is to be welcomed. We hope that the promises made at the Summit will lead to a reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 and their total neutralization by 2050. My country stresses the need to better endow the Green Climate Fund so that it can better assist less polluting States that are more exposed to climate change in finding the appropriate means to deal with it. Our world today is in an extremely volatile security context.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“In addition to improving the legal framework to promote good governance and access to health, education and well-being, the issue of climate change and environmental protection is a major concern for my country. It is the entire international community’s responsibility to demonstrate how closely the issue of climate change is linked to food and health security, poverty reduction, economic growth and human development. We therefore believe that it is appropriate to guarantee funds to help the most vulnerable countries preserve biodiversity. That is why it is crucial for the international community to find appropriate solutions to issues related to climate change. At this juncture, my country reiterates its support and commitment to the Paris Agreement.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“In this regard, my country welcomes the AU’s launch, on 30 May, in Niamey, of the African Continental Free Trade Area, one of the 14 flagship projects of Agenda 2063, which is intended to accelerate the industrialization of Africa, increase intra-African trade and build quality infrastructure. Similarly, the Single African Air Transport Market was established in response to the urgent need to unify the African domestic air-transport market. The Market, of which Togo is the coordinator, will stimulate huge cross-border investment opportunities in the aviation and tourism industries and provides an excellent opportunity to improve connectivity among AU member States. At the subregional level, the adoption of the principle of a common ECOWAS currency is also to be welcomed as an important factor in accelerating integration.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“In this regard, particular attention should be paid to the least developed countries and to all vulnerable countries at the margins of world trade. We should seize multilateralism as an opportunity for vibrant international economic and trade cooperation that brings hope to the human community we are building. I would like to welcome the continuous integration efforts made within the framework of the African Union (AU) and the continent’s regional communities since the adoption of Agenda 2063 of the African Union, whose goal is the structural transformation in Africa.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“When we adopted the SDGs in 2015, we knew full well that the fulfilment of our development commitments would depend on the international community’s ability to mobilize the necessary financing. Accordingly, it is vital to further promote international cooperation and solidarity in order to establish innovative partnerships that will bring progress at the international level. We therefore welcome the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, which remains a key framework for mobilizing financial resources likely to lead to tangible progress in achieving the SDGs. It is therefore urgent to make a definitive commitment to the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and to make the most of the relevant mechanisms it offers.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Therefore, in addition to the accelerated building of road, port, airport and agricultural infrastructure, my country is determinedly pursuing its 2008 education policy to introduce free primary education, the implementation of an expanded school meals programme and the introduction of health insurance called School Assur for 2 million students. The policy has encouraged greater enrolment, especially among girls. Through the Government education strategy for the period 2014-2025, Togo aims to achieve universal primary education by 2022 and to expand preschool services in rural and poor areas. The ultimate objective is to meet the standards of quality education and significantly reduce the illiteracy.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“This is already reflected in efforts to establish a strategic hub of excellence and a first-class business centre in the West African subregion and to develop centres to transform agriculture, manufacturing and the extractive industry while strengthening social development and inclusion mechanisms. In short, the plan, whose flagship project is based on rational choices that integrate all 17 SDGs, is designed to make structural transformations to the Togolese economy with the aim of ensuring strong, sustainable, resilient and inclusive growth that creates decent jobs for all and leads to improved individual well-being.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The Government of Togo has made enormous efforts at the national level to reduce poverty and ensure that no one is left behind by 2030. With this in mind, and in accordance with the 2030 Agenda, Agenda 2063 of the African Union and Vision 2020 of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), my country adopted a national development plan for the period 2018-2022, in line with the country’s emerging agenda. The plan is a five-year strategic document based on the fundamentals of economic, social and environmental development. Through the plan’s three strategic focuses, Togo aspires to become a stable and economically, socially and democratically sound middle-income country that espouses solidarity and is open to the world.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“That is why I commend the theme chosen for this session of the General Assembly — “Galvanizing multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion” — as it responds perfectly to our current concerns and reflects the values that underpin our full adherence to the Charter of the United Nations. By adopting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a number of years ago, we resolutely committed to ensuring that this programme, which remains to date the most ambitious tool we have to advance the well-being of our peoples, does not become merely another programme. In this regard, I wish to reiterate Togo’s full support for all initiatives and mechanisms aimed at implementing various strategic plans in pursuit of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Multilateralism and the pooling of efforts and experiences are appearing today no longer as mere options available to the community of States but rather as imperatives indispensable to the attainment of our objectives. Today, our Organization’s responsibilities are growing in number, and its multidimensional challenges are becoming more complex. In order to ensure more effective action, we must get used to the idea that there is no alternative to collective action and solidarity. Evidently, the scale and acuteness of these new challenges — which are fuelled and perpetuated by wars, sociopolitical crises, poverty, exclusion, environmental degradation and the effects of climate change — call on us to wake up and implement concrete, concerted and pragmatic actions.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session. While assuring you, Sir, of my country’s full support, I wish you every success in implementing the priorities of your mandate. I also wish to take this opportunity to thank your predecessor, Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, for her excellent work and the progress achieved by our Organization during her term in office. On behalf of the Togolese people, I would also like to reiterate my deep gratitude to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his unwavering commitment to peace and security in a world facing multifaceted forms of upheaval.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
““In the hope of an innovative United Nations partnership that can transform the world, starting with Africa, I welcome the commitment shown by the international community in its adoption of the SDGs. I remain convinced that the current session of the General Assembly will allow us to capitalize on the commitment to strengthen our collective working capacity between now and 2030, so as to bring about a world that is more secure, prosperous and equal, and which demonstrates solidarity and respects human rights, in response to the deep- seated aspirations of our peoples.””
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In that regard, efforts need to be undertaken that favour Africa, which is home to the greatest number of poor countries, in order to ensure its inclusion in the world economy. Moreover, the African continent remains an important lever for transforming the world in the SDG era, as it offers huge potential for a profound transformation of our world, with a youth population full of vitality, dynamic demographic growth, a wealth of natural resources, ingenuity and resilient men and women. In order to benefit from Africa’s potential, we must remove the obstacles that impede its social and economic development as soon as possible, in order to reap the positive benefits at a global level, including in the areas of climate, peace, security, health and the right to development.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“More specifically, a transformation of the African economy is key to eliminating poverty and hunger, providing young people with a future and curbing economic migrants. Such transformation is also the best protection against terrorism and the world’s growing insecurity and is essential in giving fresh impetus to growth and in reducing pressure on the environment. Transforming the African economy will help to solve the world’s challenges, but we must stay in line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and be mobilized for subsequent investments through various mechanisms, in accordance with Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. “Our collective ambition is the well-being of everyone, which means that no one should be left behind.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“My country believes that it is high time for Member States, and particularly for the five permanent members of the Council, to resolve to undertake a reform of the organ, which is the only way to avoid the frequent deadlock that prevents the Council from taking action and rapidly solving crises and conflicts. At a time when the international community is resolutely committed to pursuing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for the benefit of all, any further delay in the process of reforming the Security Council can only be harmful to the fulfilment of the SDGs. “Addressing all of those challenges calls for effective and inclusive mobilization with the means to bring about the necessary changes for a better world.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
““Seventy years after its creation, the United Nations has greatly contributed to progress in the world by promoting peace, sustainable development and human rights. It has been able to bring about such change by reforming some of its own organs in order to take into account the world’s shifting circumstances, which Togo welcomes. However, our Organization, which continues to work towards the rooting of democracy in its Member States, has found it difficult to reform the Security Council. Its current composition does not reflect real development in the world.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Security threats are a huge risk for our agenda of transforming the world and require us to intensify our efforts to promote international peace and security. To meet that requirement, my country will host the African Union Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government on Maritime Security and Safety and Development in Africa from 10 to 15 October. The Summit’s aim is to agree on a joint declaration that can better prevent and address maritime insecurity and promote sustainable and inclusive development of the blue economy in line with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. I wish to once again take this opportunity to extend an invitation to Member States to take part in the high-level Summit, which will involve all stakeholders from my country.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I would like to once again remember the countless victims of terrorism and to express Togo’s solidarity with the countries and populations that have recently fallen victim to the scourge. An effective counter-terrorism strategy requires States to continue working together by further strengthening the cooperation among their relevant technical units. The wealthiest countries must also agree to support more than they do already States like Togo that do not have the necessary resources to effectively fight terrorism. “In the light of the increasing risks and threats in our world today, our top priority must be to equip ourselves with the means to effectively and swiftly address the varying challenges that are affecting the well-being of our populations and limiting our economic development.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In that regard, Togo welcomes the fruitful discussions that took place in the African Union Peace and Security Council several days ago regarding South Sudan’s future, and calls upon the parties involved to spare no effort in strengthening the country’s foundations. Elsewhere in the world, my country calls upon all parties involved in the Syrian conflict to work in good faith to ensure that the Syrian people, crippled by a long conflict that has destabilized the whole region, can once again find peace, security and stability. “As we all know, the Syrian and the Libyan crises in particular are fuelling the scourge of terrorism, from which no region in the world is currently spared.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
““The noble objectives that our countries have set for themselves, in particular in the areas of sustainable development and the protection of the climate for future generations, cannot be achieved unless peace and security are guaranteed throughout the world. In that regard, despite the efforts that have been made under the auspices of our Organization and regional institutions, peace and security continue to be threatened or put at risk in certain regions. In Africa, Togo very much hopes that the efforts made by the United Nations and regional African organizations will help to bring peace to South Sudan and Libya, to cite but two countries.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In order to do that, an accelerated plan of action and decentralization is also being implemented and should lead in the near future to local elections. “In the area of the protection and promotion of human rights, we are determined to strengthen our achievements in order to better guarantee fundamental freedoms. We also plan to make better use of our term in the Human Rights Council for the 2016-2018 period. In that regard, my country, which has undertaken a number of reforms in accordance with the recommendations resulting from the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, is preparing for the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, which will take place from 31 October to 11 November.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“That is why my Government has deployed so many efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, which are considered to be the root causes of insecurity and terrorism. Furthermore, we are working towards strengthening democracy and the rule of law by implementing political and institutional reforms that are consistent with the realities in our countries. In that regard, the recently created the Togolese High Commission for Reconciliation and Strengthening National Unity organized a workshop in July to reflect on and exchange views among all components of the Togolese nation with regard to establishing the bases for reforms that have not yet taken effect. “We are also working to step up democracy at the local level in order to provide a better chance for the success of our development strategy to reduce regional disparity.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
““Continuing in the area of health, I would like to pay tribute to all the organizations and Member States that contributed to reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Despite the progress, we must not lower our guard because new health threats are on the horizon — diseases that in the past were under control but might resurge. We need to reinforce our health systems and policies in order to eradicate diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, better fight maternal and infant mortality and protect our world against antimicrobial resistance. “No development programme will be able to succeed and be sustainable if the national context in which it is to be implemented is not imbued with peace and cohesion.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“My country signed the Agreement and will do everything it can to aid in concluding the ratification process by the end of 2016. We are also doing everything possible to implement it. We welcome the ratification of the Agreement, which is so important for the future and survival of our planet. “The era we live in is also marked by a resurgence of new health challenges that compromise the progress we have realized in human and economic terms. Since we are aware of that reality, in my position as a coordinator of the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan in West Africa, I would like to thank all partners and organizations that made it possible for us to contain and even eliminate this epidemic.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The need to look out for the fortunes of our peoples who had been left behind will assume a whole new dimension as we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. Making development for the most vulnerable a priority is becoming increasingly crucial in the current context, which is marked by multiple and pressing challenges of persistent poverty and unemployment and threats to human security linked to climate change, disease, conflict and terrorism. “On actions for the protection of the environment, Togo is facing major climate challenges, such as coastal erosion, flooding, desertification and unpredictable rainy seasons. I take this opportunity at the Assembly to renew our firm commitment to the Paris Agreement.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
““Recognizing that accountability for the results and mutual learning processes among countries are determinants for speeding up our progress towards the achievement of the SDGs, Togo will participate in the voluntary review to take place at the next high-level political segment on the implementation of the SDGs. We therefore take this opportunity before the Assembly to thank all entities of the United Nations system that have helped us in this exercise. “It is our conviction that the SDGs should make it possible to transform the world by giving priority to the most vulnerable groups — women, young people and children, populations threatened by conflicts and disasters, migrants and refugees.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We also welcome the fact that the SDGs confirm the validity of strategic initiatives that we have been implementing in recent years, at the level of infrastructure and economic diversification and in the improvement of the business climate and the promotion of young people’s and women’s entrepreneurship. Actions are under way to begin the adoption process by the end of the year of the implementation of our national sustainable development plan, which seamlessly integrates the SDGs and will follow on our accelerated growth strategy and the promotion of employment for the 2013-2017 period.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Because of that determination, we launched, with national financing and the assistance of United Nations Development Programme, the implementation of an emergency community development programme to help significantly improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable populations in our society. “Moreover, the encouragement we received in the progress in the area of human development, such as recognition by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations of the Togolese programme on the fighting hunger and malnutrition, inspires our enthusiasm to intensify investment in development favouring the most vulnerable sectors.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
““At the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council in July, Togo, a pilot country for the Sustainable Development Goals, offered to participate in an exercise on the advancement of the integration of the SDGs into the strategies and national development programmes. On that occasion, we were able to show progress in the implementation of our SDG road map, and we were also able to share the significant progress we have made in the implementation of key actions to leave no one behind. “Specifically, our country has made significant progress in economic growth, the reduction of poverty and the promotion of peaceful democracy, and remains determined to do everything we can to ensure genuine, inclusive and sustainable growth.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Ban Ki-moon was able to successfully guide the United Nations in the process towards the design and adoption of a new framework that will lead the Organization and the people of the planet for the next 15 years. I am speaking of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. “A year ago, we adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the aim of transforming the world. Since then, we have together begun the process of implementing the 2030 Agenda to build a more prosperous, inclusive and secure world. I am therefore happy to see the relevance of the central theme submitted to Member States, because the realization of the SDGs definitely requires a new impetus of our countries individually and collectively and a resolute commitment by the entire international community.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)