Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, Vice President of Uganda, reaffirmed her country’s commitment to multilateralism, highlighting its participation in advancing peace and security in the region including by providing troops to peace missions in Somalia and acting as a guarantor of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in South Sudan.  “We urge greater international support for regionally led peacebuilding and stabilization initiatives,” she declared, also calling for greater international cooperation to address the root causes of conflict, climate change and terrorism.  She also urged for Security Council reform, calling for two permanent and two non-permanent seats for Africa. 

As the country hosting the largest number of refugees in Africa — 1.93 million — Uganda integrates refugees through land allocation and by providing them with public services.  However, that model is suffering from declining international support as global tensions rise, impeding Uganda’s ability to uphold its obligations to the Sustainable Development Goals.  “Refugee hosting should not become a debt burden,” she underscored.  Reaffirming her country’s commitment to protect human rights, she noted that “Ugandans have enjoyed regular free and fair elections at all levels of Government” since 2005. 

Further, Uganda was the first sub-Saharan African country to introduce universal primary education, which it did in 1987 — and secondary education in 2007.  Healthcare is also being upscaled, she said, recalling that Uganda’s “HIV/AIDS response remains a model of political will and community engagement” — which has achieved 96 per cent treatment coverage for those diagnosed with the disease. Returning to multilateralism, she highlighted her country’s role as the current Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, calling for the adoption of the Covenant on the Right to Development and hailing the UN’s role in addressing global challenges.  “Let us commit to leaving no one behind — better together,” she concluded.