STATEMENT
H.E. DR. MICHAEL IMRAN KANU
AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
Mr. President,
I thank and welcome you, the Honourable Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, to the Security Council and commend Guyana for convening this timely open debate.
We are grateful for the insightful briefings by His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director of UNDP; and His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. Sierra Leone warmly congratulates Chairperson Youssouf on his election and assumption of office and extends best wishes in his important role.
Mr. President,
We meet at a time of escalating global insecurity, with conflicts across the world that continue to destabilize regions, divert scarce resources from development to security expenditures, and entrench poverty. As Secretary-General Guterres has previously observed, “the human cost of these conflicts is heartbreaking, and the cost to development is incalculable.” The result is ballooning military budgets at the expense of investments in education, healthcare, and sustainable development. This trend erodes the foundation upon which the UN was built: the inseparable pursuit of peace, human rights, and development.
Equal to the context of multiplying crises and militarization is the troubling erosion of the rules-based international legal order that was intended to safeguard peace and constrain the abuse of power. The rules-based system embodied in the UN Charter is increasingly undermined, with unilateral uses of force and violations of sovereignty eroding confidence in international law. Small States, developing countries, most especially Least Developed Countries like Sierra Leone, depend on the integrity of this system. We therefore call on all UN Member States to recommit to the principles of the Charter and to strengthen accountability so that no State is above the law.
The promises of the post-war legal order, sovereign equality, non-interference, and sustainable development are being undermined by the selective application and erosion of international law. The very rules that should constrain the exercise of power by the most powerful States have too often been disregarded, allowing interventions, economic coercion, and structural economic arrangements that deepen poverty in the Global South.
Mr. President,
There is irrefutable evidence that poverty and underdevelopment are not merely consequences of conflict but often root causes. Where people are denied opportunity, dignity, and basic services, instability festers. Conversely, sustainable peace requires a solid foundation of inclusive development, equitable governance, and resilient institutions. As Security Council resolution 2282 (2016) reminds us, “a comprehensive approach to sustaining peace, particularly through the prevention of conflict and addressing its root causes, including poverty eradication, sustainable development, and national reconciliation,” is essential.
As a matter of fact, the historical and structural inequalities embedded in the international order, established in the aftermath of the Second World War primarily to serve the interests of the industrialized powers, continue to have profound consequences. The UN and this Security Council, the Bretton Woods institutions, and the global trading system were created without meaningful participation from colonized regions. Eight decades on, these imbalances persist. Africa, in particular, remains underrepresented in global decision-making, with decisions that significantly impact the continent still too often taken without its representative voice at the table.
Sierra Leone therefore joins the global consensus on the urgent need for comprehensive reform of the Security Council and international financial institutions (IFIs), as recognized in the Pact for the Future. The Pact reflects “the most progressive and concrete commitment to Security Council reform since the 1960s” and “the most detailed agreement ever at the United Nations on the need for reform of the international financial architecture.” Reform is essential to ensure global governance that is just, inclusive, and fit for purpose.
Sierra Leone supports the call for greater coordination between the Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission, ECOSOC, and the General Assembly. We believe that synergies across the UN system and stronger partnerships with regional organizations such as the African Union, CARICOM, ASEAN, and the European Union are essential for addressing the deep-rooted causes of conflict.
Mr. President,
Poverty and conflict, in particular in Africa, are often exacerbated by external competition for natural resources. The intensifying race for critical minerals and rare earth elements, essential for the green and digital transitions, has become a significant driver of instability and conflict. External actors, including non-state actors, have in some cases fueled tensions, prolonged armed conflicts, and undermined national sovereignty.
As our lived experience demonstrates, illicit resource exploitation and violence are devastatingly linked. We therefore call for stronger international frameworks and certification mechanisms on natural resource governance to promote responsible sourcing, break the resource-conflict link, and ensure natural wealth supports sustainable development. We also encourage stronger partnerships with the IFIs, recognizing that economic transformation is a cornerstone of peace.
Poverty eradication and sustainable development are central to conflict prevention. In debates on the New Agenda for Peace, we have underscored in this Chamber the need for comprehensive, inclusive, and people-centered national prevention strategies aligned with sustainable development.
As we approach the 80th anniversary of the UN, we are reminded that the vision of the Charter was not merely to end wars, but to build the conditions for lasting peace through the economic and social advancement of all peoples. Against this backdrop, Sierra Leone wishes to highlight four points.
First, a call for inclusive global governance. A rules-based system that is inclusive, representative, and responsive is vital. A participatory and inclusive approach to sustainable development must be employed, with women and youth as major constituents. Africa and the Global South must have a greater voice in decision-making to harness opportunities for investment, partnerships, and economic transformation. Reform of the Security Council and global financial institutions is essential to ensure equity and effectiveness.
Second, mainstreaming integrated strategies for peace and development. The UN must promote a coherent approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian action. We emphasize the critical role of resident coordinators, the convening role of the Peacebuilding Commission, and the contributions of UN Country Teams in delivering effective, context-specific strategies.
Third, mandating outcome-oriented peace operations. UN peace operations must be underpinned by long-term investment in reconciliation, recovery, and development. Peace operations should support nationally led strategies for poverty reduction, youth employment, governance reform, and women’s empowerment, particularly in post-conflict settings.
Fourth, consistent application of international law and economic reform to build trust. The international community must pursue fair trade, equitable financing, and debt reform. Every investment in prevention saves up to a hundred in response. Reforming the global economic system will help developing countries achieve the SDGs and build resilience to economic drivers of conflict.
In Africa, we have seen how underdevelopment fuels vulnerability to conflict, but we have also witnessed the power of community-led peacebuilding and regional partnerships. The AU’s Silencing the Guns initiative, Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area, and the Africa Green Minerals Strategy are critical strategies that deserve full international support.
In closing, Mr. President, it is important to reaffirm that peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice, equity, and opportunity. Let us match our words with action, by investing in sustainable development, upholding international law, and reforming global governance structures to ensure peace, development, and human rights for all.
It starts with one word: Ceasefire. Ceasefire in Sudan, ceasefire in Gaza, ceasefire in Ukraine, and ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
I thank you.
