UN at 77 remarks by the UN Resident Coordinator.

This evening we gather together to mark the 77th anniversary of the forming of the United Nations, whose purpose is to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, advance sustainable development and human dignity doe all, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

In today’s world, these objectives are more important than ever. There is growing interconnectivity among continents and countries, populations and ecosystems, and finance and commerce stemming from advanced technology and the realities of shared planetary resources.

Channelling these forces in a positive way to enhance outcomes for the world’s population (which this year reached 8 billion people) depends greatly on the quality of global cooperation made possible by the United Nations. Through its various bodies, the UN impacts change in areas such as migration, climate change, public health, illegal financial flows, armed conflict, and human rights. 

Only by working together can we fulfil the potential for all nations to prosper and live up to the aspirations of the world’s youth by providing them with the social and economic opportunities they deserve and effectively managing global resources to sustain their health, security, communities, and livelihoods. 

The world today is confronted by a perfect storm of multiple crises, including wars, the climate crisis, a structurally inequitable international financial system, a trend of the SDGs going in reverse, and widening economic disparities between and within countries and regions. But as stated by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on this occasion of UN Day 2022, “Now, more than ever, we need to bring to life the values and principles of the UN Charter in every corner of the world…. let us renew our hope and conviction in what humanity can achieve when we work as one, in global solidarity “.  

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year in Sierra Leone, we have adopted the UN Day theme of ‘Peace and Unity’ to remind us of how important these two elements are to the development of the country and the opportunity that we have to further these goals through our work.    

Let us each reflect on how we can best be agents of peace and unity by supporting activities such as inclusive dialogue, building capacity for peaceful resolution of grievances and conflict, promoting transparency in government and freedom of the press, allowing for meaningful participation of women and youth in society, and providing building blocks for inclusive economic development.

On this UN Day 2022, we appreciate the work of our Government of Sierra Leone, civil society, media, private sector, and other partners, who work steadfastly to advance the sustainable development goals in every part of Sierra Leone, engaging community leaders, youth, women, farmers, entrepreneurs, health workers, teachers, and many others in building peaceful and cohesive communities.  I would like to thank them for their efforts and appreciate their partnership.  I extend special thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.

Government is guiding the economy to rebound from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and to address challenges brought on by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.  We acknowledge the difficulty of these tasks and commit the UN country team (with twenty-one resident and three-non resident UN agencies, funds and programmes while working closely with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank), to support the country to realise the sustainable development goals and implement the Medium- Term National Plan. I also want to thank Development Partners for the variety of expertise and experience they bring to collaborations to advance rights and opportunities for all Sierra Leoneans.  Solutions to complex development challenges, such as those facing Sierra Leone, are best advanced through shared knowledge, resources and commitment, an abundance of which is found among the diplomatic missions and other development partners represented here this evening. 

Let us commit to maximizing the potential for pooled knowledge and efficient use of resources to realize the country’s vision of becoming a middle-income country by 2035.  Let us continue to join together towards supporting Sierra Leone in the overriding goals of peace and unity that will make it all possible. 

In closing,

I want to take this opportunity to appreciate my colleagues, UN Heads of Agencies, Funds, and Programmes and all UN staff who continue to uphold the core values of the United Nations in all facets of their work. 

As we mark the 77th UN Day, let us continue to work collaboratively to live up to the original promise and hope of the United Nations by harnessing all our collective experience to enable Sierra Leone’s sustainable development and to advance a more inclusive, peaceful, and equitable world for all. 

Thank you very much.