At UN Assembly, Tunisia’s President Cites African 2063 Agenda As Vita To Continent-Wide Development

President Béji Caïd Essebsi of Tunisia addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-first session. UN Photo/Manuel Elias
President Béji Caïd Essebsi of Tunisia addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-first session. UN Photo/Manuel Elias

20 September 2016 – Addressing world leaders today at the United Nations today, Béji Caïd Essebsi, the President of Tunisia, said this year’s general debate is taking place as his country marked the sixtieth anniversary of its independence and therefore is an opportunity to reaffirm Tunisia’s commitment to promoting peace and security, human rights and development.

At the same time, he stressed that while the country had made significant progress since the revolution, it still needed support to improve its fragile economy. As a young country, Tunisia attached great importance to the principles of freedom and the rule of law, he continued.

However, it faces various challenges at the national and regional levels. To overcome them, President Essebsi said, the Government has adopted an ambitious initiative aimed at improving the economy and ensuring sustainable development.

Despite challenges, African communities could achieve development, he said, emphasizing the importance of preventing conflict and ensuring stability on the continent. Tunisia had renewed its commitment to the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which is a call for action to build a prosperous and united Africa on the basis of shared values and a common destiny.

Expressing concern about the increase in violence and conflict, he noted that the lack of stability in the Arab world is threating global peace and security. In that regard, he called upon the international community to step up its efforts and contribute to a solution. Among other things, he stressed that the Palestinian people must create an independent state and live in dignity.