“Peace greatest weapon for development,” Tuilaepa addresses New York Peace Summit

By Tuilaepa Dr. Sa’ilele Malielegaoi 27 September 2018, 12:00AM

Tuilaepa Dr. Sa’ilele Malielegaoi

Prime Minister Samoa  

Address at High Level Meeting: Nelson Mandela Peace Summit.                               

UNGA 73rd Session, UNHQ, New York, 24 September 2018.

In New York


Today, we come together as leaders and as representatives of nations united for a common cause, to celebrate and to remember the legacy of Nelson Mandela, a truly selfless leader whose life personified humility and forgiveness underpinned by dedication to service for humanity and the promotion of peace.

Our Summit is timely.  

It hails for us all a resounding message that peace and harmony remains elusive.  The world we live in is a war torn tapestry of conflict ridden countries, climate change battered and natural disaster pockmarked regions, suffering from unshakeable poverty, discrimination and intolerance of diversity.

Our efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda will be an insurmountable task, even with the best of will and intention if we do not commit ourselves to resolve these conflicts and to create conditions conducive for sustaining peace.

As leaders, our ultimate goal and responsibility is the promotion of a peaceful and prosperous world co-existing without fear of being different or suffering as a consequence of the differences.

These aspirations are enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, our Organization, whose primary purpose is to maintain international peace and security.  

These aspirations are woven into our 2030 Agenda. Sustainable Development Goal 16 requires us “to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.”  This noble aim was long recognized as reaffirmed in the Purposes and Principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which has reached its 70th Anniversary this year.

Living together in peace is about bridging gender inequality and I highlight the important role of women, youth and children as agents of peace, recognizing their significant contributions to sustainable development and peace.  

Peace starts at home, and that women must be free from gender based violence.  As wives, mother and sisters, women play an indispensable role in teaching, nurturing and inculcating the values of peace at home.

Peace and development are inseparable and indivisible.  I strongly reaffirm that without peace there is no development and without development there is no peace.

Today, we acknowledge the importance of transforming our world by achieving the 2030 Agenda which we designed to create a peaceful and prosperous society. 

Living together in Peace means a society that works together in constructive partnerships to foster a culture of peace so that our global family can succeed in our collective aspiration towards eradicating poverty so that no one is left behind. 

We can attain global peace through cooperation, mediation and dialogue.  We can begin by pursuing global understanding and respect throughout all generations to come.  After all Nelson Mandela steadfastly believes that

“Peace is the greatest weapon for development that any person can have.” Thank you.

 



By Tuilaepa Dr. Sa’ilele Malielegaoi 27 September 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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