MBAE MOHAMED, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Comoros, said this session of the General Assembly debate takes place at a delicate time with the war in Ukraine imperilling the balance of the world.  He urged both countries to cooperate towards a ceasefire for peace, which is a prerequisite for peace in the entire world, particularly Africa.  The war in Palestine, he continued, is the “purest form of genocide” which Comoros entirely condemns.  Reaffirming solidarity to the Palestinians, he beseeched the international community to act towards an immediate cessation of hostilities and resumption of humanitarian supply, also working quickly to arrive at a two-State solution based on international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.  Further, he applauded the admission of Palestine as a full Member State of the UN.

On the situation in the West Bank, which, he said, the international community tends to forget, he echoed Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, in his words that what is happening there “is a palpable and concrete example of how hatred, resentment, contempt, have led to forms of violence that are more and more extreme and increasingly difficult to contain.”  Also highlighting the conflict in Sudan which “holds our full attention”, he called on both parties to exercise restraint and spare the population from the horrors of crises.  Turning to Western Sahara, he noted that the autonomy plan submitted in 2007 by Morocco for that territory within the Cherifian Kingdom constitutes the “surest means of achieving a lasting settlement of an anachronistic conflict”, the protraction of which would be undesirable for both the people and economic development of the region.

Comoros therefore calls on the international community and all stakeholders to embrace this plan, even as it is also open to dialogue as well as committed to the rule of law with France on its sovereignty over the Comorian Island of Mayotte.  He supported the adopted resolutions of the Summit of the Future and advocated for “real international collaboration”, for establishing legal guidelines guaranteeing the development and fair use of artificial intelligence.  He looked forward to next year’s Financing for Development conference which will enable States of the Global South to advocate for reforms of multilateral development banks and institutions to “obtain for our countries a forwarding framework of sustainable, accessible and predictable resources.”  Affected countries should therefore work together on formulation of their proposals.