Rwanda celebrates its 60th anniversary as a UN member

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Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:05 Good morning once again, and happy 60th anniversary.

00:10 It also happens to be UN Day, so I need to say happy UN Day.

00:16 60 years ago, the government of Rwanda

00:21 was welcomed into the United Nations, the most

00:26 universal organization of its kind,

00:31 committed to solving global commons

00:35 through mutual commitments, cooperation,

00:39 and collaborative action.

00:40 In doing so, the government was affirming its resolve

00:47 to fight injustice, to uphold peace, security,

00:53 and health for citizens, amongst other things.

00:58 Honorable Minister, 28 years ago, that resolve

01:03 came under serious challenge, and the world

01:07 witnessed a horrendous genocide against the Tutsi.

01:11 Recently, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

01:19 reflected on this time and on our failure

01:24 as an international community to intervene, to prevent,

01:28 and to stop the genocide against the Tutsi.

01:31 While we have not experienced your pain, Honorable Minister,

01:42 we hope that you will allow us to walk with you

01:45 through your journey to ensure this never happens again.

01:49 We share the Secretary General's reflection on our failures.

01:57 We also honor the memory of those who lost their lives,

02:00 and we stand in admiration of the resilience of survivors.

02:08 But since then, the government of Rwanda

02:10 has worked hard to create a more stable, stronger, and just

02:14 society.

02:16 This country has shown that a nation can act decisively

02:22 together, something we should be doing when it comes

02:26 to global issues like climate change,

02:31 like the cost of living crisis that we're

02:34 going through right now.

02:37 In the United Nations, we feel very privileged to be

02:39 a partner in that journey.

02:41 And this is a partnership that's delivering

02:44 for the people of Rwanda.

02:47 We are working together to address difficult challenges,

02:50 including global realities like climate change, as I said,

02:54 like inequality, budgetary support.

02:57 While we can all point to improvements,

03:03 the overwhelming impression is that in Rwanda,

03:08 the partnership is performing favorably.

03:12 And I think we can all be proud of that.

03:14 And that is due to the leadership and strong commitment

03:20 that your government is championing,

03:22 Honorable Minister.

03:25 Allow me to highlight some of the work

03:27 that we have carried together and the possibilities that

03:30 lie ahead as we seek a more dignified and prosperous life

03:35 for families up and down this country.

03:41 We have strengthened our partnership

03:43 to deliver more positive health outcomes for Rwanda.

03:47 As recently as 2020, when COVID-19 struck,

03:52 the United Nations stepped up and mobilized resources,

03:56 including, as you saw on the video, up to $27 million

04:00 to contribute to the fight against COVID-19.

04:04 We played a central role in coordination and advocacy

04:08 of vaccine roll-ups, especially through the COVAX initiative.

04:13 And Rwanda was among the top countries

04:15 to receive COVID-19 vaccines in Africa

04:18 and to achieve vaccination levels of over 68%.

04:21 That we should be proud of.

04:26 COVID-19 and other medical pandemics

04:31 speak timelessly to the importance of working

04:35 in harmony with others and having

04:37 the courage and patience to stay the course together,

04:41 even in the face of seemingly daunting odds.

04:48 And this is something that we draw inspiration

04:50 from in the United Nations.

04:52 COVID-19 offered lessons for addressing other global crisis.

05:00 And today, we need the same resolve

05:04 to address other challenges that are coming our way.

05:07 Building on that strong foundation,

05:13 we are creating opportunities for young people.

05:17 Honorable Minister, young people account for up to 69%

05:21 of the entire population of this beautiful nation.

05:25 Over the years, the United Nations

05:28 has worked hard with the government of Rwanda

05:30 to create opportunities and jobs for young people.

05:35 By way of example, we've worked as part of Generation Unlimited,

05:42 iAccelerator, Youth Connect, Connected Girls,

05:46 and many other initiatives that are creating opportunity

05:50 for young people in this country.

05:54 Honorable Minister, we are also currently

05:56 working with several ministries,

05:59 but especially the Ministry of ICT,

06:02 to take full advantage of the digital revolution

06:06 and to shape Rwanda's journey towards a digital future.

06:11 We've worked with the Ministry of Justice

06:13 to set up the integrated electronic case management

06:16 system, thereby streamlining access to justice

06:20 and reinforcing accountability across the system.

06:27 That has become a benchmark for many countries around the world.

06:34 And again, it is something that we can all be proud of.

06:37 We've also worked with the government

06:42 to develop many other platforms to enhance the health

06:45 outcomes of Rwandans and to predict future trends.

06:49 This includes electronic medical record systems,

06:53 rapid SMS, monitoring for all health programs.

06:59 Today, Honorable Minister, the United Nations

07:01 continues to be a partner to the government of Rwanda

07:04 on improving the productivity of agriculture and food systems.

07:10 Much of this economy is dependent on agriculture.

07:15 And the United Nations is working with your government

07:17 to ensure better agronomic practices, better access

07:21 to seeds, better access to technology that

07:25 is needed to adapt agriculture to climate change

07:29 while growing more nutritious and abundant food supplies.

07:32 We've also been a proud partner in ensuring

07:37 a just and fair society.

07:41 Together, we have worked to ensure gender parity

07:45 through a particular focus on creating opportunities

07:48 for women and girls and removing barriers to their progress.

07:52 Today, Rwanda is proud to be one of only very few nations

08:00 globally that have achieved gender parity,

08:04 with about 60.3% of legislators being women.

08:10 That is something we should be proud of.

08:14 Some private sector companies that are operating in Rwanda

08:18 have now also embarked on a process of achieving

08:22 gender-safe certification.

08:24 Honorable Minister, ladies and gentlemen,

08:31 we've also been a partner to the government

08:33 to ensure that no one, no one is left behind.

08:41 This includes our support and collaboration

08:43 through the disability platform.

08:47 While a lot remains to be done, we

08:51 are creating a more dignified society

08:53 for people living with disabilities in this country.

08:57 Looking ahead, Honorable Minister,

09:03 together with our UN resident coordinator, Ozonia,

09:06 who is connected from New York right now

09:11 and could not join us physically,

09:15 we are creating a committed UN country team and staff

09:19 to continue to work with your government and other partners

09:23 to innovate solutions while accelerating

09:26 the implementation of your National

09:28 Strategy for Transformation and Agenda 2030.

09:33 We will do what it takes to be a partner of choice

09:39 to the government and people of Rwanda in their development

09:42 aspirations.

09:46 Honorable Minister, Rwanda stands today

09:49 as a powerful testament of human spirits' ability

09:52 to heal even the deepest wounds and emerge

09:58 from the darkest depths to rebuild a stronger society.

10:02 Your country offers an example of how

10:07 nations can act in a coordinated, collective fashion

10:13 with greater sense of urgency towards achieving

10:17 our global goals.

10:17 Because it is only by collective action

10:23 that governments can resolve global problems

10:26 and achieve global self-interest while also driving

10:33 national economic growth.

10:35 Happy 60th anniversary.

10:38 Happy UN Day.

10:39 It's a great pleasure to be with you this morning

10:42 as Rwanda celebrates the 60th anniversary of its membership

10:46 to the United Nations.

10:48 Indeed, six years ago on 18th of September, 1962,

10:55 Rwanda was admitted to the United Nations family.

11:00 Today's date, the UN Day, is a day

11:03 which marks the 77th anniversary of the entry

11:09 into force of the United Nations Charter,

11:12 founding the United Nations organization,

11:16 was selected to highlight Rwanda's commitment

11:20 to the spirit and values promoted by the Charter.

11:25 We are therefore celebrating 60 years of shared history marked

11:30 by painful experiences, but also success stories and lesson

11:36 learned which inspire our renewed partnership

11:40 for a better and shared future for all.

11:45 While we look firmly to the future together,

11:48 we carry with us the failure of the international community

11:53 and the United Nations to prevent or stop

11:56 the genocide against the Tutsis in 1994,

12:01 despite the early signs of its preparation and the presence

12:06 of the United Nations Assistant Mission for Rwanda, UNAMIR,

12:11 before and during the genocide.

12:13 A few months after the genocide was stopped on 8th November,

12:20 1994, the Security Council established

12:24 an international criminal tribunal for Rwanda

12:27 with a mandate to prosecute and judge

12:30 key genocide perpetrators.

12:33 The ICTR rendered 62 convictions against 93 indictments

12:40 and established major milestones,

12:44 including being the first institution

12:46 to recognize rape as a means of perpetrating genocide.

12:52 We will continue to work with the UN in the judicial sector

12:56 to restore the historical truth about the genocide committed

13:01 against the Tutsi in Rwanda for the genocide to never happen

13:07 again, be it in Rwanda or in any other part of the world.

13:14 And this will be based on the imperative of justice

13:18 and the need for the recognition of responsibility.

13:24 Distinguished guests, despite the difficult circumstances,

13:28 we have learned from the past and have

13:30 chosen to focus on the future and the good

13:34 we can continue to accomplish, cooperating actively

13:40 as members of the international community.

13:43 Rwanda is now a united, dynamic, and ambitious nation,

13:49 thanks to the determination of the Rwandan people,

13:52 but also thanks to the partnership

13:55 with the international community and the United Nations, which

14:00 has taken a progressive path since the last 28 years.

14:08 Indeed, over the past 20 years, the United Nations

14:12 and its agencies have played a key role,

14:15 working alongside the Rwandans in the reconstruction

14:20 and the socioeconomic transformation

14:22 of this country.

14:25 Today's celebration is themed "Partnering for a Better,

14:29 Shared Future for All," which shows the direction in which we

14:35 want to continue taking our partnership with the UN

14:39 over the next 60 years in sectors

14:41 that impact the lives of our people

14:44 and contribute to a better world.

14:48 In his speech to the 77th United Nations General Assembly,

14:53 His Excellency President Paul Kagame

14:55 recalled that the United Nations and other international

14:59 institutions retain the ability to set an agenda around which

15:05 we can all rally.

15:08 Rwanda will continue to play its active role in addressing

15:12 our common challenges in diverse areas,

15:15 including gender equality, refugees' rights protection,

15:20 climate change, and much more.

15:24 In the defense and peacebuilding sector,

15:28 Rwanda's participation in peacekeeping operations

15:31 is a constitutional mandate.

15:34 To date, Rwanda is the fourth UN contributor of peacekeepers

15:38 to the UN and has contributed 73,569 military personnel

15:46 to the UN and African-led missions

15:49 in Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, and the Central African Republic.

15:55 Currently, it deploys 5,283 peacekeepers,

16:01 including 4,692 military personnel.

16:07 Rwanda will continue to give its contribution

16:10 to the search or consolidation of peace around the world.

16:16 Mr. Resident Coordinator and the acting one,

16:25 I wish to say that Rwanda recognizes and appreciates

16:31 the work done by your teams through various UN

16:36 agencies in collaboration with our own institutions.

16:42 And I wish to encourage you to continue

16:47 working with the government of Rwanda for the development

16:51 of this country.

16:54 I wish to conclude by affirming that the future is promising

16:59 and we remain committed to working closely

17:02 with the UN and its agencies for the benefit of our people,

17:07 the development of Rwanda, and for continued peace and progress

17:13 globally.

17:14 I thank you for your kind attention.

17:16 [APPLAUSE]

17:19 [Applause]

17:20 [Music]

17:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]

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