MOHAMED OULD CHEIKH EL GHAZOUANI, President of Mauritania, said that “what the world has been through and what it is currently going through” has greatly weakened the individual and collective ability to fulfil the 2030 Agenda, especially on his continent.  Noting that it already suffers from structural and circumstantial imbalances that hinder its development efforts, he said that Africa is tackling poverty and unemployment, not to mention the spread of terrorism, armed conflicts and the devastating effects of climate change.  Stressing the need to alleviate the enormous debt burden of its countries and correct the imbalances in the development assistance system, he said multilateral cooperation is crucial for enabling economic growth in Africa.

Mauritania has been able to improve many of the SDG indicators, he said, adding that this is reflected in its improved ranking in the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024.  Highlighting his country’s efforts to enshrine the rule of law and promote democracy, he said it is investing in the independence of the judiciary and combating corruption.  Mauritania’s efforts to promote human rights also takes the form of fighting against the remnants of modern slavery and human trafficking, as well as protecting the rights of women and children.  It is developing strategies that guarantee that young people have education, he said, adding that such efforts have reinforced national unity and social cohesion. Stressing the need to eliminate various forms of injustice, he said the Government is building a social safety net that enable the poorest to access all public services.

Drawing attention to the reform of the education system, he said it aims to embody equality and fairness.  Further, Mauritania has created a health insurance system for citizens not covered by traditional insurance programmes.  Turning to the negative repercussions of climate change and its security implications in the African continent and the Sahel in particular, he said his country has worked hard to reduce carbon emissions by 7 per cent and to increase the use of renewable energy.  It also plans to adopt a green hydrogen development programme and promote clean energy, while continuing the fight against desertification. Industrialized countries must respect their commitments to reduce their emissions and fulfil their pledges from the Paris Summit, he underscored.

Also highlighting a foreign policy based on non-interference in the internal affairs of States and strengthening cooperation, he condemned Israel’s war of genocide against the defenceless Palestinian people.  “We demand the immediate end of this war,” he said, reaffirming the right of the Palestinian people to lead lives of dignity and sovereignty, within the framework of an independent State, with East Jerusalem as its capital as provided for in the Arab Peace Initiative. Also calling for an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon, he expressed support for African efforts to preserve the sovereignty of Libya.  Reaffirming the importance of Sudan’s stability, security and territorial integrity, he said that dialogue and reason must prevail and lead to an immediate end to the war and the humanitarian suffering of the Sudanese people.