Senior government officials on Monday, September 21 joined heads of UN agencies in Rwanda for a high-level meeting to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.
The ceremony held at Kigali Marriott Hotel was presided over by Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente who said that global solidary in confronting challenges that threaten global order.
The event was organized in collaboration with the European Union.
In his opening remark, UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, Fode Ndiaye commended the partnership and commitment of international organisations and UN member states including Rwanda.
Ndiaye said that the UN is globally mandated to maintain peace and security, uphold international law, achieve higher standards of living for its citizens, and addressing health and related problems.
The anniversary was celebrated under the theme: "The Future we want, the UN We need; reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism”.
"Seventy-five years after, it is time to reflect on what has been achieved and what needs to be done more, better and differently,” said Ndiaye, urging for global cooperation to address pressing issues.
Addressing the audience, Premier Ngirente pledged Rwanda’s continued support to the UN mission and reiterated the urgent need for international cooperation to address present and future global crises.
"Without international cooperation and global solidarity, we cannot confront the challenges of our time and those coming tomorrow. These common threats will require us to come together as nations in order to find sustainable and inclusive solutions,” he said.
Ngirente said that Rwanda works closely with the UN, particularly in delivering on the SDGs. The country has integrated the goals in the National Strategy for Transformation One (NST1) and the country's 2050 vision.
World Peace Day
On September 21 every year, the world celebrates the international peace day.
Additionally, the UN's anniversary - to commemorate the signing of the UN Charter in San Francisco in 1945 - was celebrated ahead of the annual General Debate scheduled to commence on Tuesday to Saturday.
Topics on the agenda range from inequalities to climate change and armed conflict, all sabotaging the UN’s mission of keeping global peace and security.
"On peace, UN has prevented the world from a third world war and other conflicts,” Ndiaye said, outlining the contribution of peacekeeping missions to breaking various peace deals in conflict regions.
Rwanda has about 7,700 troops in UN peacekeeping, making it the third-biggest contributor to the mission. It also has the second-largest number of women peacekeepers.