UNGA 2023: Sao Tome PM, Émery Trovoada Highlights Urgent Global Issues, Calls for Reforms
The Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe, Patrice Émery Trovoada delivered a thought-provoking address at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday, September 20th.
In his speech, he touched upon a range of pressing global issues, calling for immediate attention and action from world leaders.
One of the key points raised by Prime Minister Trovoada was the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Maputo Protocol, which addresses the rights of women in Africa. He underscored the “huge deficit” in women’s participation in political decision-making and urged for greater efforts to bridge this gap.
Additionally, Trovoada expressed disappointment in the lack of progress regarding the Istanbul Convention, highlighting that it has “done little to translate the will of the Council of Europe into results.”
Climate change and environmental degradation were also at the forefront of his address. São Tomé and Príncipe, a small island developing State, has fallen victim to climate change, and Trovoada stressed the urgent need for global action to combat these challenges.
He called for accountability within the G20 for climate disruption and criticized global economic governing bodies for their failure to provide sufficient financial resources to address these pressing issues.
The Prime Minister didn’t shy away from addressing the fragmentation of global governance, the rise of populism and nationalism, and the digital technology divide contributing to wealth concentration and domination.
Trovoada further condemned coups d’état and attempts to overthrow constitutional order on some part of African nations, asserting the importance of upholding international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
He notably spoke out against the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine.
Trovoada’s speech was a wake-up call to the international community, highlighting the unequal treatment of refugees and the need for faster responses to latent conflicts. He urged for reform, starting with the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions, emphasizing that true leadership entails finding compromises for peace and progress.
In closing, Prime Minister Trovoada emphasized that peaceful, equitable societies with educated young populations are in the global interest and called for collaboration among rich and poor countries to eradicate inhumane acts and promote humanist values and freedom.
