YouSaid · the spoken record

Robert Mugabe

lines on the record: 154
first: 1999-09-24
most recent: 2017-09-24
sittings or episodes: 11
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

“That acknowledgement has found expression in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the Sustainable Development Goals. Our survival and progress calls for reinforced solidarity, partnerships and cooperation and for development in unity, cooperation and peace. That is a call to which we must all respond positively and actively. Zimbabwe is already doing so.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“On behalf of my country, I want to express our condolences to Puerto Rico and to countries that have suffered afflictions. There are many in this part of the world. We say that we are very sorry and we appeal to the rest of us, who have not suffered similar afflictions, to assist those who have suffered in such a horrific manner. I ask anyone here to watch television today and tell me whether they know where Puerto Rico is geographically. It has been completely wiped out by a hurricane. We are very sorry. As I conclude my remarks, it is worth reminding one another that the world today, by its very interconnectedness, demands more, not less, solidarity; more, not less, cooperation and dialogue; more, not less, multilateralism. We have brought more and more issues under the global agenda and within global discourse.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It is because the monster of imperialism was defeated by us. Bring us another monster, by whatever name, and it will suffer the same consequences. Climate change is a present reality and so are its effects and impacts. Climate change is global. We cannot remain silent when a major world economic Power, or any other State for that matter, decides to abandon the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as Mr. Trump’s great United States has done. Let us work together. Climate change is a reality. It is vital that we all play our part, in keeping with the provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in order to halt the inexorable march towards the destruction of that on which our own existence depends.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Trump, that he please blow his trumpet in a musical way towards the values of unity, peace, cooperation, togetherness and dialogue, for which we have always stood and that are enshrined in our very sacred document, the Charter of the United Nations. Upon those values each nation, including the United States, can build its greatness. And it is the greatness in recognizing those values of unity, peace, cooperation, dialogue and togetherness that we would want to be guided by the United States, and not by the promise of our damnation. We shall always resist damnation, no matter whence it comes. We resisted it when it was in the form of imperialism as we fought for our own independence, our own culture and our own sovereignty, and to be masters of our own destiny. That is why we call ourselves free today.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“That will ensure national ownership and leadership of development processes, as well as the sustainability of development projects and programmes. That is what we are experiencing in Zimbabwe. My country is an unflinching advocate of respect for the sovereignty and independence of countries. We therefore strongly defend and respect the right of each country to take decisions in exercising its sovereign rights. We cannot, however, remain silent when those decisions impact or have the potential to negatively affect our own welfare. And to that end, may I say that some of us were embarrassed, if not frightened by what appeared to be the return of the biblical giant Goliath. Are we experiencing the return of a Goliath in our midst that threatens the extinction of all countries? May I say to the United States President, Mr.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Zimbabwe was honoured to be among some other 40-plus countries that participated in the voluntary national review at the 2017 high-level political forum in July. We were and still are pleased to share with other countries our experiences and to learn from others about their experiences in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. We recognize the need for beneficial partnerships, both within and outside our national borders. One of our key partners is the United Nations system, with which, I am happy to note, we work very closely. I wish in that regard to welcome the Secretary-General’s initiative to ensure that the support of United Nations country teams will be guided by national priorities.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We call on the Security Council to demonstrate its authority by ensuring the holding, without much further delay, of the independence referendum in Western Sahara. We expect the Security Council to work closely with the African Union — its proven partner for peace on the African continent — in that effort. The ever- deteriorating situation and continued suffering of the Palestinian people should spur the Security Council to renewed, time-framed efforts to bring about the two- State solution already defined in numerous General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. Development and peace are conjoined and cannot be separated. My country has embraced the 2030 Agenda as an integrated and comprehensive approach to address the myriad and complex national and global challenges, in solidarity and in cooperation with other stakeholders.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We must also seriously tackle the multifaceted and complex root causes of conflict, including enduring poverty and deprivation, unequal access to resources, the denial of the right to self- determination of peoples, and interference in the internal affairs of other States, among other causes. The continued denial of the right to self- determination to the peoples of Western Sahara and Palestine, who are living under colonial and foreign occupation, is immoral and an urgent issue for those seeking peace and security in our time. The Security Council has assumed its responsibilities, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, and adopted numerous resolutions. What remains is the enforcement and implementation of those resolutions.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Those mega investments in ever more lethal weapons and more sophisticated war machinery have not resulted in greater peace or security. Instead, we have witnessed heart-rending suffering and misery and increased mass movements of people fleeing wars and armed conflicts. That trend should be halted for the benefit of humankind. We believe that a different and better world is possible. In proposing and inviting us to focus on prevention, preventive diplomacy, the peaceful resolution of conflicts, peacebuilding and sustaining peace, the Secretary-General is pointing us in that desirable direction.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Nonetheless, the negotiations and process intended to yield the accepted reforms are painstakingly slow. We are left to wonder, justifiably so, whether those who enjoy and sometimes abuse the power and privileges of the current set-up are sincere interlocutors in those discussions. It is axiomatic that we harvest what we sow, yet by some strange logic we expect to reap peace when we invest and expend so much, in treasure and technology, in war. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, global military expenditure in 2016 amounted to approximately $1.6 trillion. In the same year, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, overseas development assistance amounted to approximately $142.6 billion.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The current system is inherently structured to enrich a few and impoverish the many. Therefore, it cannot deliver on a key aspiration, watchword and objective of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — that of leaving no one behind. For us in Africa, the current antiquated system perpetuates a historic injustice — one that can never be justified today. The 2030 Agenda represents new wine, and we call for a new wineskin, lest we ruin the new wine. It is for that reason that I reiterate my country’s unflinching support for the African Common Position on Security Council reform, commonly known as the Ezulwini Consensus. The overwhelming majority of us have accepted that we need to reform the current system in order to improve, but not destroy it.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“However, the current global development agenda differs in significant ways from all of those that preceded it. It is ambitious, revolutionary, transformative and universal, and it encompasses every single facet of human life. For its success, the agenda demands a radical, unprecedented paradigm shift in every sphere of human life. We cannot halt or reverse the continued destruction of our natural habitat or the rise in global atmospheric temperature without a change in contemporary production and consumption patterns. That has been confirmed by scientific evidence. We cannot halt or reverse the persistent, widening gap between the rich and the poor among our nations without deeper international cooperation and a genuine reform of the existing inequitable international system.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I wish to congratulate Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. I also thank his predecessor, Mr. Thomson, for his commitment to and efforts in accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The President could not have chosen a better or more relevant theme for this session, given the times that we are living in, for the pursuit and maintenance of peace and the promotion of development, in solidarity, lie at the core of the mission of the United Nations and its entire system. Since the signing of the Charter of the United Nations 72 years ago, and in subsequent conventions, resolutions and declarations adopted over the decades, Member States have sought to actualize the unquenchable human hope for peace, justice and progress.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“He has indeed been an indefatigable advocate for self- determination and a persistent champion of inclusive development, peace and coalition-building for dealing with humanitarian and other crises. We wish him well in all his future endeavours, and I am sure that many of us will miss him, especially we of Africa.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We urge the holding of the independence referendum for the Sahrawi people without much further delay. I would like to conclude by thanking the Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for the tremendous work he has done during his tenure. We have appreciated his presence at African Union summits and his visits to Africa as a clear testimony to his commitment to and partnership with Africa in advancing the cause of freedom, development and peace — and the security of our continent. We particularly applaud the Secretary- General’s leadership in mobilizing the entire United Nations system and indeed the international community to partner with Africa in stopping and rolling back the Ebola epidemic, which claimed thousands of lives and undermined Africa’s socioeconomic development.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“It is high time that the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, fulfilled its Charter duties and obligations by implementing its resolutions, which include General Assembly resolution 181 (II) and Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). The two-State solution, based on the pre-June 1967 borders, should now be pursued within those parameters and timelines. This is the only way to achieve durable peace in the Middle East. On our own continent, the United Nations is duty- bound by Charter principle to redouble its efforts to ensure the full realization of the right of self- determination of the people of Western Sahara. The 2030 Agenda recognizes that sustainable development cannot be achieved without the full realization of the right of the peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“For over 20 years, many of us have come to this rostrum, demanding and pleading for the reform of the Security Council. We are no closer to achieving that goal today than we were 20 years ago. This is so, in spite of the universal acknowledgement of the injustice, unfairness and inappropriateness of the current composition of the Council. We now have an opportunity in the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations to redress this unjust and unjustifiable situation in the interest of a strong and more united Organization capable of delivering on its mandate. Our common commitment to leaving no one behind demands that we address the plight of people still living under colonialism and occupation. The people of Palestine have lived under occupation and persecution for over 49 years.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I repeat my call on the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States and their allies to lift the illegal and unjustified sanctions against my country and its people. Let us all be bound by our commitments to the 2030 Agenda, in which we agreed to eschew sanctions in favour of dialogue. The General Assembly will elect the next Secretary- General of our Organization at the current session. We have witnessed commendable efforts aimed at making the selection process of the next Secretary-General inclusive and transparent. The greater involvement of the General Assembly and therefore of the majority of our membership does not, however, mask the opaqueness of the process at the Security Council level. We expect the current experience to lead to a more inclusive and transparent process in the future.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“These countries have maintained the sanctions on us for some 16 years now. As a country, we are being collectively punished for exercising the one primordial principle enshrined in the United Nations Charter, that of sovereign independence. We are being punished for doing what all other nations have done and still do, namely, possess and own their natural resources and attend to the basic interests of their people. Those who have imposed these sanctions would rather have us pander to their interests at the expense of the basic needs of the majority of our people. As long as these economic and financial sanctions remain in place, Zimbabwe’s capacity to fully and effectively implement the 2030 Agenda will be deeply curtailed.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“For our part, I am happy to report that we have established national and multi-stakeholder and multisectoral structures to assimilate and implement the 2030 Agenda. We have done that in a coordinated and integrated manner, with our national development programme, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation. Our task of assimilating the 2030 Agenda has been made relatively less challenging, in that the vision and aspirations of our national economic blueprint and the global agenda are basically the same. Our biggest impediment to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda is the burden of punitive and heinous sanctions imposed against us by some hegemonic and neo-imperialist Powers among us here. My country, Zimbabwe, is the innocent victim of the spiteful sanctions imposed by the United States and other Western Powers.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We are encouraged that since September last year, foundational steps have been and are being taken at various levels to implement the 2030 Agenda. In this regard, we note the convening of the Global Infrastructure Forum in April 2016, the convening of the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals in June, and the launch of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism together with the activation of its online platform. We also note the follow-up meetings pertaining to the development of concrete actions for the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development. These activities at the global level have been equally matched at the national level, with virtually all Member States reporting making preparations for the implementation of this universal Agenda.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Let me begin my congratulating you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session. I also extend our deep appreciation to your immediate predecessor, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, for his able stewardship of the seventieth session of the Assembly. We all vividly recall the momentous occasion in September last year when we adopted the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This session of the General Assembly provides us with a unique opportunity to review the measures we have taken so far, at both the international and national levels, in line with our commitments to global socioeconomic transformation. We hope that this time around this Agenda will meet a better fate.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We are under no illusion about the challenges that lie ahead, but we are not discouraged, either. Humankind has, over the epochs, demonstrated an immense tenacity in overcoming inertia and resistance to change. Now is our time to leave our own positive mark on the history of human development and interaction. Posterity expects no less from us.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I therefore denounce in the strongest terms the illegal sanctions that are imposed on my country by the European Union and the United States of America and call for their immediate and unconditional removal. We do not know what wrong we have done to the United States. I would kindly ask it to leave us free and independent to do our own thing. Once more, I put on record that my country is desirous to live in harmony with all countries big and small. We have peace in Zimbabwe just now. We do not want war. We do not want interference. We do not want to hear of regime change at all. The seventieth anniversary of our Organization has been marked by the adoption of a far-reaching Agenda that has the potential to drastically transform our world in all aspects.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The Charter of the United Nations is built on the bedrock of the sovereign equality and independence of its Members, without distinction as to their geographical size, economic might or any other endowments or qualifications. We are deeply attached to these principles and call on other Members of the United Nations to be similarly disposed. The United Nations was set up, among other purposes, to “develop friendly relations among nations”. Zimbabwe desires and is committed to nurturing friendly relations with other nations, but it cannot tolerate interference in its domestic affairs. We invite other countries with which we may have differences of whatever nature — including the United States and the NATO Powers — to eschew threats, pressures and punitive actions in favour of reconciliation, friendship and dialogue.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“This tragic situation could have been avoided through respect for the independence of other countries and non-interference in their internal affairs. In the case of Libya, we are witnessing the results of abusing the authority of the Security Council and ignoring the opinion of regional organizations, in this instance the African Union, that are supposed to be the partners of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. My country, Zimbabwe, is committed to a fair, just and effective United Nations in which multilateralism, inclusivity and transparency replace unilateralism, exclusion and back-room deals.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Terrorism and extremist violence, communicable diseases such as HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, bird flu, and Ebola cannot be overcome single-handedly. The United Nations and its specialized agencies are the place and the mechanism for this indispensable and necessary cooperation. For some months now, we have watched heartbreaking and harrowing scenes of desperate refugees seeking to enter Europe in search of safety and shelter from the ravages of conflict in their own homelands. We have also read of the tragedy and loss of life in the Mediterranean. The majority of the affected people are from Syria or from other countries devastated by conflict and instability, induced in great part by the destabilizing policies of external forces.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The African Union has designated 2015 as the Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Agenda 2063 in order to mobilize our individual and collective actions around this key issue. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to the achievement of human development, progress and the elimination of the scourge of poverty and deprivation. We must continue to build upon the achievements that have been realized since the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The growing list of phenomena that neither respect nor know any borders makes it imperative that we mobilize all mechanisms for cooperation to effectively overcome them.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We urge the United Nations to expeditiously finalize what must be done to conclude the decolonization of the Western Sahara. In the Middle East, the suffering of the Palestinian people continues unabated. What does Mr. Obama say about that? We reiterate our unwavering support for the just cause of the Palestinian people. Do we agree, Mr. United States? We also reiterate that lasting peace in the Middle East can be achieved only through negotiations to achieve a two-State solution based on the pre-1967 borders. We are concerned at the increase in tensions in that region and urge the United Nations to assume its responsibility and bring an end to this senseless conflict. The promotion of gender equality is critical for the realization of the post-2015 development agenda.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Nowhere does the Charter arrogate the right to some to sit in judgement over others in carrying out this universal obligation. In that regard, we reject the politicization of this important issue and the application of double standards to victimize those who dare think and act independently of the self-anointed prefects of our time. We equally reject attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. We are not gays. Cooperation and respect for each other will advance the cause of human rights worldwide; confrontation, vilification and double standards will not. Self-determination and independence are intrinsic and fundamental rights that should be enjoyed by all peoples everywhere, without distinction. We are deeply concerned by the continued denial of this basic right to the Saharan people.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I call on all genuine friends of Africa and all those who value justice, fairness and democracy to support Africa’s just and reasonable proposals. We equally call for the revitalization of the General Assembly, the sole universally representative and democratic organ of the United Nations, so that it can effectively carry out its Charter-mandated responsibilities. Accordingly, we fully support the call for inclusivity and transparency in selecting our Organization’s Secretary-General by ensuring that the General Assembly plays a more significant role in that process. After all, the Secretary-General is at the service of all the Member States, and not only that of an exclusive, privileged few. Respecting and upholding human rights is the obligation of all States and is enshrined in the United Nations Charter.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“While the world has drastically changed since 1945, the United Nations, and indeed the global governance architecture, remains mired in a long bygone era. This archaic hierarchy among nations threatens to erode the confidence and support that the United Nations commands among the majority, but disadvantaged, of its membership. We are disappointed that we have lost the opportunity of this anniversary to address this burning issue of Security Council reform in a manner that satisfies the just demands and expectations of the majority among us. I wish to reiterate our strong attachment to Africa’s common position on Security Council reform contained in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The successful implementation of Agenda 2063 calls not just for the commitment of African stakeholders but also for the support and engagement of partners beyond the borders of our continent. Africa is not looking for handouts. Rather it is looking for partners in massive infrastructure development, in creating and exploiting the value chains from its God-given natural resources, and in improving the quality of life of the continent’s citizens. The entire world stands to benefit more from an economically empowered African continent than from one emasculated by deprivation and with an over- dependence on others. Adaptation to change is the most crucial ingredient for the vibrancy and effectiveness of any organization, including the United Nations.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In January, the leaders of the African Union adopted Agenda 2063 as our continent’s plan to accelerate deepened economic integration of our countries and regions. Its main objective is to improve the well- being of the continent’s citizenry through sustained and balanced economic growth. At the African Union Summit in Pretoria, South Africa, in June this year we agreed on the Agenda’s first 10-year development plan. During these initial 10 years, the flagship programmes will include the creation of a continental free-trade area, an African centre for disease control, a pan-Africa university of science and technology to develop skills for the value addition and beneficiation of the continent’s vast mineral resources, a single aviation market, a high-speed train, and a pan-African e-network.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The African Union Constitutive Act recognizes that while peace and security are imperative for our progress, conflict is a major impediment to the socio- economic advancement and integration of the continent. Consequently, the Common African Position on the post-2015 development agenda designates peace and security as one of its six key pillars. It is a top priority for us. The prevalence of peace not only creates conditions conducive to development, but also ensures that the maximum possible resources can be dedicated to development programmes and projects. We welcome and encourage the continued cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, principally through the latter’s Peace and Security Council, in advancing peace and security in Africa.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The theme of this session — “The United Nations at 70: the road ahead for peace, security and human rights” — aptly complements the deliberations of the Summit meeting on the post-2015 development agenda. It is our expectation that the United Nations will draw from its seven decades of experiences to give birth to a new era of peace, equality and justice, a new era that recognizes and fosters the commonality of our common fate through renewed international cooperation and solidarity. The African Union welcomes the priorities the President has proposed, for they go in tandem with our own development plan, the Agenda 2063, which recognizes the intrinsic and inextricable linkages between peace, security, development and the full realization of human rights.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Allow me at the outset to extend to Mr. Mogens Lykketoft my warm congratulations on his election to the high office of President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session. He assumes this office at an historic moment when the United Nations has just adopted an ambitious agenda for the future of humankind. The task ahead needs all hands on deck and he can count on our cooperation and support during his presidency. I wish to commend Mr. Sam Kutesa, a distinguished son of Africa, for the dynamism with which he steered this body over the past year. We particularly appreciated his leadership in promoting inclusive dialogue and seeking consensus on the many sensitive issues that he presided over during his tenure of office.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We have witnessed the brutal and random destruction of infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. While those heinous acts were being perpetrated by Israel, the so-called civilized world maintained a deafening silence. And we ask, why? Lasting peace in the Middle East can be achieved only through a two-State solution based on the 1967 borders. Any other manoeuvres to change demographic realities through settlements or the use of force will only prolong the suffering of the Palestinians. In conclusion, as we move forward, it is important to muster the necessary political will to create a development-oriented international environment that facilitates the eradication of poverty and enhances the sound management of our natural resources for economic and social development, under a renewed and real global partnership.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“In Africa, the African Union is working tirelessly to push for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Somalia. The international community must remain intensively engaged and support Africa in the maintenance of peace and stability, thereby enhancing its peacekeeping-capacity needs through training and logistical and financial support. Africa also remains seized of the issue of Western Sahara, the last colonial vestige in Africa. The United Nations should not shake off its responsibility to ensure the realization of self-determination by the people of Western Sahara. We continue to witness the suffering and persecution of the people of Palestine at the hands of Israel. We have witnessed the callous murder of women and children in shelters, where they seek refuge from Israel’s bombs.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“To support the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda, we call for an expeditious reform of the Bretton Woods institutions, particularly their governance structures. It is high time that we addressed the democratic deficit in those institutions and improved their legitimacy. Those reforms must reflect current realities and ensure the full voice and participation of developing countries in the decision-making and norm- setting activities. Zimbabwe firmly believes that the United Nations should promote dialogue to achieve peace, the rule of law and common understanding among States. The peace, security, stability and welfare of Africa and our subregion is vital for us.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Why, I ask, should Zimbabweans continue to suffer under the American and European yoke of unjustified and unwarranted illegal sanctions? Those evil sanctions violate the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and should be condemned by the international community. We once again call for their immediate and unconditional removal. We are a peaceful and peace-loving nation, ready to engage in constructive dialogue for mutually beneficial relations. We call on those who continue to harbour ill will against us to cast away their hegemony-driven hostility, as we appeal to them to review their hard- line and cruel positions and open a new chapter in their relations with us based on mutual respect and friendly cooperation.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“The possession and exploitation of land has also turned them into masters of their own destiny, thus giving true meaning to our national independence and unquestioned sovereignty. Because Zimbabwe has thus been preoccupied with the empowerment of its people economically, it has become a victim of the evil machinations of Western countries, namely, the United States and States members of the European Union, which continue to apply unilateral and illegal sanctions as a foreign-policy tool to achieve short-term political objectives, particularly regime change. Regime change is a diabolical and illegal policy of interference in the domestic affairs of my country, and no good can come from undermining our economy or depriving our citizens of the necessities of life.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We continue to push for the leveraging of our diverse and abundant resources through beneficiation and value addition. We therefore expect that the proposals in the sustainable development goals, which complement those elements of our national aspirations, will be endorsed and integrated into the post-2015 development agenda framework. Social justice, political stability and sustainable development in African countries can best be achieved through genuine and committed support for the ownership of means of production that favour the poor, who are in the majority. In Zimbabwe, my Government has gone a long way in laying the foundation for sustained food production through our land reform programme. The majority of the rural people have been empowered to contribute to household and national food security.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We in the Southern African Development Community share the view that the post-MDG agenda must be informed by national development priorities and that the new targets must better reflect local conditions. In that regard, Zimbabwe adopted its own economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio- Economic Transformation. It is a bold and achievable development programme that has the objective of ensuring inclusive economic growth, decent jobs for all, affordable and reliable energy, food security, sustainable agriculture and the development of reliable modern infrastructure. Through the programme, we also aim to expand the industrial base, which is key to the sustained overall economic development and human development of our country.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) helped to focus and mobilize global development efforts in order to achieve progress in the social sectors. However, despite the significant achievements within the framework of the MDGs, progress was uneven between goals, among regions and within countries. Consequently, we cannot remain complacent when some sections of the global community are marginalized or even left behind. We are therefore gratified that the proposed sustainable development goals have taken on board the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals. Part of that unfinished business concerns the critical issue of poverty eradication, which remains the greatest global challenge. That issue should therefore be the top priority and overarching objective of the development agenda for the future.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Allow me to congratulate Mr. Kutesa on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. We are indeed proud of the honour that has been bestowed upon the African continent as a result of his election. The theme he has chosen for this session, that is, “Delivering on and implementing a transformative post-2015 development agenda”, is pertinent, appropriate and timely. It is relevant in our efforts to achieve a seamless transition from the Millennium Development Goals to the sustainable development goals and the broader post- 2015 development agenda. We look forward to having a candid and comprehensive debate on the challenges we continue to face at the domestic and international levels in our efforts to eradicate poverty.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We made the greatest sacrifice and paid the ultimate price for freedom and independence in Zimbabwe, and we remain determined never to relinquish our sovereignty, as at the same time we remain masters of our destiny. As we have repeatedly and loudly said and asserted, Zimbabwe will never be a colony again.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Yet we have been punished by the United States through the odious Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act, which it enacted in 2001 to effect regime change in our country. Now that malicious intent to continue with the relentless persecution of our small, peaceful country has shown itself again, through the rejection by the United States of the recent and absolutely democratic and fair results of our general elections of 31 July, even as they were applauded by the African Union and all our regional organizations. It appears that when the United States and its allies speak of democracy and freedom they do so in relative terms. Zimbabwe, however, refuses to accept that those Western detractors have the right to define democracy and freedom for it.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Shame, shame, shame, we say to Britain and its allies, who have continued to impose illegal sanctions on our people. Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans; so are its ample resources. I ask those countries to please remove their illegal and iniquitous sanctions from my peaceful nation. If those sanctions were intended to effect regime change, well, the results of the recent national elections have clearly shown them that they cannot achieve their agenda. We are preached to daily by the West on the virtues of democracy and freedom, which they do not entirely espouse. Zimbabwe took up arms precisely to achieve freedom and democracy. There was none during colonialism, and it was British colonialism, for that matter.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The illegal economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States and the European Union violate fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations on State sovereignty and the non-interference in the domestic affairs of a sovereign State. Moreover, those illegal sanctions continue to inflict economic deprivation and human suffering on all Zimbabweans. In the eyes of our people, the sanctions constitute a form of hostility and violence against them for the simple crime of undertaking the land reform programme by which land was put in the hands of the then majority landless Zimbabweans. Our small and peaceful country is threatened daily by covetous and bigoted big Powers whose hunger for domination and control over other nations and their resources knows no bounds. Shame, shame, shame, we say to the United States of America.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)