WILLIAM RUTO’S MESSAGE AT UN ASSEMBLY

We have a golden opportunity to get people, enterprises and industries back on their feet so that the engine of development can power our societies towards prosperity that leaves no one behind.

The UN Member States and relevant stakeholders have a duty to support those affected by severe drought in not only the Horn of Africa and the Sahel regions but also in Asia, Europe and the Americas. It is through collaborations to expand inclusion that we can attain a new paradigm in multilateralism.

We must modernise agriculture and ensure — in the immediate term — that we find answers to the severe deficit in the availability, flow and accessibility of fertiliser to our farmers. This is because agriculture is the bedrock of the prosperity of many countries worldwide.

Kenya remains a strong advocate for making the sustainable use of Ocean and Blue Economy resources a development priority, holding the firm belief that significantly increased investment in this essential sector can end hunger, reduce poverty, create jobs and spur economic growth.

The World Bank, the IMF and other lenders must extend pandemic-related debt relief to the worst-hit countries, especially those affected by the devastating combination of conflict, climate change and Covid-19. The G20 must also suspend or reschedule debt repayments by middle-income countries during the pandemic recovery period.

During the address at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, New York, United States.

By President William Ruto