Africa-Press – Eritrea. Your Excellency Honourable Chairman,
Allow me at the outset to convey to this august body the warm greetings from your colleague H.E. Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Eritrea who could not participate in this session due to prior engagements.
It is my great honour to make a brief Statement, on behalf of my Minister, to the 120th Session of the Council of Ministers.
All protocol observed.
Your Excellency Chairman,
My brief intervention will focus on three issues namely peace and Security, unilateral Sanction and multilateralism.
On peace and security
For the Horn of Africa, peace, security and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity are of paramount importance for stability, development and regional cooperation and integration.
One key pillar of the partnership within OACPS, and with its primary partner the EU, is the maintenance of peace and security within the partnership as well as at the global level.
The stability of the current international system depends on each state’s commitment to respect the cardinal principles that underpin it. As stated in the UN Charter, the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states cannot be negotiated or compromised; and States must refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force. Unequivocal adherence to these principles, enshrined in the UN Charter, are conditions sine qua non for peaceful inter-state relations.
On Unilateral Sanctions
Eritrea is concerned that the imposition of unilateral sanctions on several OACPS countries, severely hampers their efforts to access international development and climate finance, achieve industrialization and mobilize private sector capital. This hinders the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and success of OACPS respective regional development strategies and programs. Eritrea and other victim countries have been calling for the termination of these in just sanctions.
On Multilateralism
Your Excellencies Mr. Chairperson,
The ever-growing interdependency between peoples and nations of the world necessitate the strengthening and reforming of the multilateral system to capacitate it to address shared threats and make use of collective opportunities. The commitment of the OACPS on multilateralism is evolving.
However, there is an urgent need to expedite the reform of the multilateral system at the global level to make it more representative, fair and just. This reform should address the continued marginalization of the countries in the South including the OACPS, in all aspects of global governance. The success of the reform will largely depend on extending the shared understanding on the indispensability of the system, to the necessity of creating a multilateral order that gives equal voice and influence on the hitherto marginalized parts of the world, including the OACPS, as part of the South.
Honourable Chairman
I wish to conclude by reaffirming Eritrea’s continued commitment to contribute its share to the promotion of peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea Regions; and the OACPS at large. Eritrea also remains committed to contribute to the collective effort of making OACP strong and visible in the international arena; and ensure its partnership with the EU and other strategic partners be a win-win engagement, that adds value to all Parties, through co-ownership.
I thank you!
