Eswatini’s King Mswati III recalled that the UN Charter and structure were designed to be clear and resolute.  “Now is the time to ask ourselves what has gone wrong and what steps must be taken to correct these challenges and restore the UN’s mission of fostering peace,” he said.  He proposed the establishment of ad hoc committees to tackle global conflicts and promote peace.  “Supported by the Secretariat of the United Nations, these ad hoc committees would visit conflict zones, engage with local communities and work towards peaceful resolutions,” he suggested, adding that the conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, the Sahel and the Great Lakes need such  intervention.  

In the Middle East, he continued, these ad hoc committees should facilitate dialogue with all parties involved.  “The team could ask the Palestinians what it will take to release the hostages, given the fact that the Israelis would remain aggrieved as long as their loved ones are not with them,” he specified.  In the Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict, the ad hoc committees could mediate discussions to identify pathways to peace.  

The Security Council should be fully representative of all countries to create an all-inclusive structure.  “Without such reform, the legitimacy and effectiveness of this body will remain incomplete,” he noted.   Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is far off track, but his Kingdom has advanced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the areas of economy, health, education and gender equality.  “The country’s literacy rates have improved, reflecting our investments in education,” he stressed.

“We count on the UN for support to become one of the advanced economies of the world,” he continued, spotlighting that across sub-Saharan Africa, countries spend an average 12 per cent of Government revenues on debt servicing, diverting resources urgently needed for social cohesion programmes.  “In this regard, the African Continental Free Trade Area has the potential to boost intra-Africa trade by up to 52 per cent, drive industrialization and create millions of jobs,” he said, while pressing the United Nations to seek suitable ways of including Taiwan in efforts to realize the SDGs.