During his address at the annual UN General Assembly debate, Faustin-Archange Touadéra stated that the worsening of the migrant crisis is a disturbing result of the exploitation of natural resources in countries that have been impoverished by slavery, colonization, Western imperialism, terrorism, and internal armed conflicts.

He continued to criticize by mentioning the recent influx of African immigrants on the Italian island of Lampedusa. He then went on to say that these young individuals, who are the future of Africa, are desperately trying to reach Europe in hopes of finding a better life.

The efforts of host countries and the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) to assist young people in danger due to smugglers and deceitful individuals without morals or laws were commended by President Touadéra as “unbelievable.”

Simultaneously, he emphasized the importance of Africa having a stronger voice in addressing the issue of migration.

He stated that the UN should do more than just our shared promise to restore worldwide unity by engaging African nations in finding global resolutions for the migration crises and challenges that affect young people in Africa.

He mentioned that the Central African Republic has received over 51,000 refugees from Sudan and Chad, which puts our already resilient population at risk of deteriorating humanitarian conditions and insecurity. He urged for attention to be given to the potential impact of this crisis on regional politics and emphasized the need for international support for refugees.

Restrictions affecting efforts towards achieving Global Goals.

President Touadéra criticized the imposition of “one-sided economic barriers” and the halt of financial assistance, which are impeding his nation’s progress towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He stated that this is a violation of our right to self-determination and permanent sovereignty over our natural wealth and resources, which are protected by the relevant legal instruments of the United Nations.

The President of the Central African Republic questioned how we can speed up the progress of the 2030 Agenda to promote peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability for everyone. He pointed out that certain powerful countries continue to use coercive diplomacy and international financial institutions to enforce economic, financial, and commercial blockades against countries that have been impoverished by slavery, colonization, and imperialism.

The President called upon the UN Security Council to stop using tactics that hide the true intention of prolonging instability and exploiting the country’s resources for the benefit of other nations. They also urged for the recognition of armed groups as legitimate and equal players in international affairs.

The complete statement can be found in French here.

Source: news.un.org