Mugabe talks about Agenda 2030

President Robert Mugabe says Zimbabwe is fully committed to the implementation of the Agenda 2030 adopted by the United Nations member countries last year and has even aligned the agenda with the country's economic blueprint, the ZIM ASSET, but the punitive and heinous sanctions imposed on the country are the biggest impediment to the full realisation of the agenda.

Mugabe made the remarks while addressing the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly debate at the UN headquarters in New York this Wednesday.

"On our part, I am happy to inform you that we have established national multi-stakeholders and multi-sector structures to domesticate and implement the 2030 Agenda in a co-ordinated and integrated manner with our national development programme, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset). Our biggest impediment to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda is the burden of the punitive and heinous sanctions imposed against us by some among us here," said Cde Mugabe.

"My country, Zimbabwe, is the innocent victim of spiteful sanctions imposed by the United States and other powers and these countries have for some reason maintained these sanctions for some 16 years now. As a country, we are being collectively punished for exercising the one primordial principle enshrined in the United Nations Charter, that of sovereign independence. We are being punished for doing what all other nations have done, that is, possessing and owning their natural resources, and listening to and responding to the basic needs of our people," he added.

Under 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up the Agenda 2030, countries are expected to, over the next 15 years, mobilise efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.

President Mugabe said the successful implementation of the agenda requires genuine and total commitment by all.

He, however, admonished the west and its neo colonial policies and attitudes, saying disadvantaged nations have been asking for UN reforms for the past 20 years but there is no progress.

"For over 20 years, many of us have come to this rostrum, pleading and demanding for reforms of the Security Council. Today we are no closer to achieving that goal than we were 20 years ago. This is so in spite of the universal acknowledgement of the injustice, unfairness and inappropriateness of the current composition of the Security Council."

"We now have an opportunity, in the ongoing negotiations, in the intergovernmental negotiations, to redress this unjustifiable and unjust situation in the interests of a strong and more united organisation capable of delivering on its mandates," said Cde Mugabe.

President Mugabe reiterated his calls for self-determination and independence as intrinsic and fundamental rights that should be enjoyed by all people without distinction.

To that end, he said peace in the Middle East and the full realisation of the rights of independence for the people of Western Sahara must be prioritised by the global organisation by fulfilling its duties as enshrined in the UN Charter.

On a positive note, President Mugabe commended the outgoing UN Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki Moon for a successful tenure at the helm of the global organisation and also noted the inclusivity and transparency shown by the UN in the selection of the next UN secretary general.