AZALI Assoumani, President of Comoros, urged the Organization to rise above partisan interests.  “God willing, the next leadership will embody unity and the renewal of a more credible multilateralism,” he said, calling for particular attention to small island and vulnerable States.

“Despite our efforts, the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda remain, unfortunately, out of reach,” he emphasized, calling for a new level of clarity and realism.

The devastating war in the Middle East, which has led to the paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz, has spread to Syria and Lebanon as a result of Israel’s military operations, he noted.

In addition to the global shock it has caused, this conflict threatens food and energy security in vulnerable countries such as Comoros, which remain highly dependent on imports, he added.

He also stressed: “The international community will regain its credibility first by taking urgent action to silence the guns, to protect civilian lives – whether Israeli, Palestinian, Lebanese or Syrian – and ultimately implementing UN resolutions, including the two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine coexisting peacefully.”

Though his country sees no alternative to dialogue with France over Mayotte, this dialogue has not produced results, he said.

“On the contrary, France’s unilateral actions, particularly in Africa, run counter to our expectations,” he said, deploring the inclinations of certain countries to establish relations with an occupied part of his country.

He condemned cooperation initiatives with the local authorities of Mayotte, as well as the recent statement by the French Prime Minister linking development aid to the pursuit of migrants.  Comorians are at home in Mayotte and the sovereignty of Comoros over its entire archipelago is not for sale.