AA/Uganda/Hamza Kyeyune
The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Dennis Francis, renewed his call for a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israeli shelling has killed more than 24,000 people since October 7, causing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
In a speech on the sidelines of the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, the UN official acknowledged that failure to resolve global problems has called into question the relevance of the UN.
“I must tell you that I am deeply concerned and even dismayed by the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip; it is for this reason that I ask this Movement to use its influence to put an end to the carnage that unfortunately we are all witnessing. In this situation we must ask ourselves: how much is enough? I renew my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of all hostages,” he said.
He added: ”I am convinced that a negotiated political solution is the only way through which Israelis and Palestinians can realize their fundamental right to live in peace, on the basis of a two-state solution. As President of the General Assembly, I will support and encourage all initiatives in this direction.
For his part, the President of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, underlined that “Africa condemns this unacceptable, immoral and illegal war against Gaza and calls for an immediate end to this unjust war against the Palestinian people”.
He called for the implementation of the two-state solution and urged all Non-Aligned Movement countries to “call for a stand for international justice and international law for all people struggling for freedom and dignity.”
Fifty-eight foreign ministers from several member states of the Non-Aligned Movement have unanimously condemned the attacks on Gaza and welcomed South Africa’s genocide charge against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
At the summit, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa criticized the failure of the UN, particularly the Security Council, where the United States vetoed several resolutions criticizing Israel.
“We must establish a just and equitable global governance system that meets the needs of all people facing threats and harm,” he said.
The week-long NAM summit, which began on Monday and ends on Sunday, is the largest gathering of states in the world after the United Nations, with 120 member states, 18 observer countries and 10 organizations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls to stop bombing the Palestinian enclave and take steps toward establishing a Palestinian state after the war.
*Translated from English by Hajer Cherni
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2024-01-20 15:26:32
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