Africa-Press – Liberia. HIS EXCELLENCY DR. GEORGE MANNEH WEAH
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
AT THE 15th EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE ASSEMBLY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE AFRICAN UNION ON THE HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES AND PLEDGING CONFERENCE
MALABO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA
FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022
Your Excellency Mr. Macky Sall
President of the Republic of Senegal and
Chairperson of the African Union;
Your Excellency Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat
Chairperson of the African Union Commission;
Esteemed Colleagues of the Assembly;
Invited Guests;
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:
I thank our host, His Excellency Mr. Teodore Obiang Nguema MBASOGO, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, for the hospitality accorded my delegation and me since our arrival in this beautiful City of Malabo.
I am honored to address this 15th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on behalf of the Government and People of The Republic of Liberia.
Allow me firstly to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, for his preferment as Chairperson of the African Union, and his decision to convene this important Session of the Assembly with the theme: “Humanitarian Financing: Addressing the Current Humanitarian Challenges in Africa”. The aim of this Conference, to mobilize continental and international support and resources for humanitarian response in Africa, is timely and welcoming.
It is also my pleasing duty to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Teodore Obiang Nguema MBASOGO, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, in his capacity as Champion of the 2019 African Union theme: ‘Year of Refugees, Returnees, and Internationally Displaced Persons Towards Durable Solutions to force Displacement in Africa’, for hosting this important Summit.
Your Excellencies, as you may be aware, our Continent continues to face some of the most complex humanitarian emergencies caused by natural and human-induced disasters that are driven by terrorism, insurgencies and civil conflicts, leading to mass displacements both within and across national borders.
These predicaments have exponentially increased humanitarian needs over the years among the most vulnerable populations, who are already confronted with multiple risk factors of conflict and environment degradation, among others.
These risk factors have exacerbated the philanthropic needs of the Continent. The key drivers include climate change, civil conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic slowdown.
More than 114 million of our African citizens in the fifteen most affected countries require urgent assistance. At the same time, it is important to note that financing response plans have been severely underfunded to cope with the current challenges, and the funding gap between available income and expected expenditures remains exceedingly large.
Your Excellencies, if we are to address the potential drivers of conflicts and climate change to confront the current humanitarian challenges, we must implement inclusive and initiative-taking policies in concert with the relevant regional and continental institutions; as well as our development partners.
We are convinced that the African Continent can build resilience policies and responses through regionalism and linkages across borders; that the greater action that we take on regional and intergovernmental agreements, the greater will be their pliability in addressing the issues of conflicts and climate change that are part of the key drivers to our complex humanitarian emergencies.
We are confident that, with the guidance and commitment of Member States, we can jointly implement timely measures to ensure that no person, community, or nation is left behind in areas affected by conflict and climate change, and everyone can look forward to development and prosperity through sustained growth and development.
We look forward to continuing to engage the African Union in the coming years as we strengthen the gains we have made together.
Let me assure Your Excellencies and Colleagues, that Liberia, through its flagship national development plan, the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, which is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, will continue to play a significant role in the affairs and activities of the Union.
Finally, Your Excellency President Macky Sall, as Chairman of the African Union, I would like to encourage you to continue your dialogue to mitigate crises in our African Region, not forgetting the crisis between Ukraine and Russia, which has a negative impact on global trade and world economies.
Excellencies, humanity is key. During our protracted civil conflict that caused the death and displacement of so many of our citizens, all of you played a part to restore peace to Liberia. Today, Liberia is a post-conflict success story. We thank you for all that you did for us. And so, as a founding member of the African Union, Liberia will give a generous pledge of One Million United States dollars.
I thank you for your kind attention.
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