Guyana in “full solidarity with Ukraine”, Ali highlights “disparity” financing peace and security

President Irfaan Ali who today addressed the 78th United Nations General Assembly told the Assembly that Guyana “unequivocally supports the principle of sovereignty territorial integrity” as regards Ukraine. “To be clear, Guyana unequivocally supports the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity as enshrined in the UN Charter and remains in full solidarity with the people of Ukraine and what they justly require from the international community”, Ali said.

The Guyanese leader said, “Adherence to the rule of law, including international law, must continue to be the cornerstone of all of our engagement. This is being undermined by threats and naked acts of aggression against sovereign states and by the perpetuation of old conflicts and disputes between states. The Russian invasion must end”.

Russia has been waging an “invasion” and “war” against Ukraine for more than a year which has been costly in both human lives and the amount of money being spent on both sides in the armed conflict raging in Europe. President noted that the “developed world provided approximately $220 billion in support to Ukraine.”

“The World Bank has added more than $37.5 billion in emergency financing. Almost $260 billion mobilized in less than two years. On the other hand aid to the Palestinian people over a period of 26 years amounted to just over 40 billion, according to figures compiled by the OECD, Haiti received in US dollars just over 20 billion in aid for reconstruction and development over the past 60 years. African countries are recipients of just over 113 billion over a three-year period to fight hunger, according to the OECD.

The Head of State said emphatically, “I cannot overlook the disparity in the approach to other countries and regions of the world. This must be corrected. Clearly. This is a demonstration of an unjust ecosystem surrounding and supporting development financing, peace and security. Importantly, it also proves that if truly committed, mechanisms do exist to unlock financing at scale.”