Date: Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Mr. President,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honor to address this esteemed assembly at such a crucial moment in our shared history. While my message is delivered through a pre-recorded statement, the gravity of the matters at hand compels me to speak directly to this Council. We meet today at a time of immense global challenges—conflicts that ravage nations, humanitarian crises that tear apart communities and an international order that, with alarming frequency, falters in the face of resolute action. At this critical juncture, it is essential to reflect on the role of this Council and its capacity to address the profound issues facing humanity.
At its best, this Council should be a champion for peace, justice, and human dignity—a forum for genuine dialogue and meaningful resolution. Yet, the annals of its history bear testimony to an unfortunate proclivity for apportioning blame rather than cultivating the spirit of concord.
Certain sovereign nations, particularly those hailing from the global South, find themselves perennially ensnared in the machinery of scrutiny, with mandates renewed ad infinitum—bereft of fresh contemplation or substantive discourse.
Mr. President,
Having borne the mantle of Council membership for six years, Eritrea did not undertake its candidature lightly. Rather, it was an endeavor rooted in sincere commitment to engage with integrity and forthrightness. To serve within this body is a duty which Eritrea embraced with the utmost gravity, underpinned by the sacrosanct tenets of dignity and truth.
The authors of these resolutions remain unchanged, their ruse unaltered, revealing an entrenched pattern of partiality and duplicity that runs counter to the lofty ideals that this institution purports to uphold.
Furthermore, Eritrea, along with many other sovereign nations, continues to suffer the effects of Unilateral Coercive Measures. These punitive measures, lacking legitimacy and antithetical to the fundamental precepts of international law, are designed to weaken independent nations, erode their economic sovereignty, and hinder their developmental aspirations.
Distinguished Delegates
Contrary to the fallacious narratives that seek to portray Eritrea as an isolated country, our nation plays its modest yet principled role in global affairs.
Eritrea’s diplomatic engagements, participation in multilateral platforms, and its dedication to fostering peace and stability in its region exemplify its constructive approach to international affairs. Through sports, arts, and heritage, Eritrea continues to enrich the global cultural landscape, celebrating unity in diversity and mutual respect among nations.
Even amidst challenges, Eritrean talent flourishes. This spirit of excellence and perseverance was resoundingly affirmed on the grandest of stages when Biniam Girmay cemented his legacy by clinching the coveted Green Jersey at the Tour de France. Becoming the first Black African to achieve this milestone in the race’s 111-year history, Biniam did not merely win a title; he shattered barriers, dispelled prejudices, and showcased to the world the tenacious vigor, unflagging aspiration, and peerless excellence that define Eritrean youth.
Mr.President
Eritrea’s vision is clear: we are deeply committed to building a prosperous, self-reliant nation where every citizen enjoys the benefits of education, healthcare, and housing throughout the country. We are steadfast in the reinforcement of our institutions and the cultivation of long-term alliances with nations that share our values for respect, justice, and mutual development.
As such, Eritrea’s vision for this Council is an aspiration founded in necessity. We envisage a Council that holds sacrosanct the sovereign dignity of nations, that upholds human rights with unwavering impartiality, and that eschews the insidious spectre of selective and politically expedient censure. Our collective duty must be to enshrine and safeguard the rights of all peoples, irrespective of geography, untainted by the pressures of external influence.
To conclude, Eritrea reaffirms, with resolute conviction, its dedication to constructive engagement with this Council. We remain ever prepared to contribute with earnestness in the spirit of common endeavor, and to work continuously towards the exalted ideals of peace, justice, and the sanctity of human dignity.
I, thank you!
