As we forge ahead with the SDGs, reform of the United International Financial Architecture is critical to a more equitable and inclusive global economic order. Such reforms should create greater policy space and access to financing to enable countries to expand their economies through value addition to their natural resources, including critical minerals, for our people to have full benefit of our resources. This will accelerate sustainable development, address inequality, create jobs for our youth, and lift our population out of poverty. In this context, we welcome the creation of the African Credit Rating Agency to be launched in Mauritius in October this year. This development is a building block of Africa taking ownership of her development and prosperity agenda. It demonstrates progress in Africa's ambitions to drive impetus for the reform of the international financial architecture in order to ensure a level playing field. Middle-income countries continue to face high borrowing costs, limited fiscal space, debt vulnerabilities, climate-related shocks, and persistent inequality. Namibia reaffirms this severe commitment as an important step towards reforming the international financial architecture and strengthening the global partnership for sustainable development.

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Therefore, the success of an economy is not measured only by how much production grows, but rather how much it's able to reduce poverty. It's measured in young people with decent jobs and children with a better education, in citizens who are able to build their future with dignity. And this also must guide the agenda of international development. Middle-income countries face vulnerabilities that income per capita does not reflect. We ask that access to cooperation and financing be defined using more fair vulnerability criteria, and that the international financial architecture support the efforts of those who are undertaking reforms. We believe in open, predictable, and equitable trade. When a producer can export, innovate, and grow, there's a family behind that can be lifted out of poverty. The best social policy is policy that generates opportunities.

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The solution to Haiti lies in Haiti itself, and the obligation of the international community is to make it possible there, in their country, for children to be able to go back to school and for Haitian youth to be able to have a future in their own country, and as soon as the conditions allow it, for the Haitians to be able to vote for the first time in a decade. Mr. President, the Dominican Republic has worked to fulfill the essential commitments for our people, and we have been able to show results. We've reduced monetary poverty by 25.8% from 25.8% in 2019 to 14.6% in the first 6 months of this year. And just two months ago, the FAO confirmed that my country was taken off the hunger map, being the fifth country in Latin America to achieve this. We have committed to achieving the zero hunger goal by 2028, but we managed to achieve this before that. For 4 consecutive years, we've received more than $4 billion per year in foreign direct investment, and in 2025, for the first time, more than $5 billion. And we are forecasting to receive more this year. Our exports reached a record of close to $16 billion. These results are a reflection of our legal certainty, institutional stability, and trust, inspired by the trust that different actors have in the Dominican Republic. Peace, investment in new infrastructure, as well as the hospitality of our people, have led us to receive 7.5 million visitors in 2019, and this year is projected to exceed 12 million, and this figure is only rivaled by Mexico in Latin America. However, a country's progress shouldn't— progress in a country should not mean that a country is penalized. Middle-income countries host 3 in every 4 people on the planet and 2 in every 3 people in extreme poverty, and nevertheless, GDP continues to be used exclusively for concessional financing.

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Choose dialogue and peaceful settlement wherever possible. Remember ordinary families when making major economic decisions. Balance commercial interests with the welfare of people. Use technology to advance human dignity and not diminish it. Protect our planet while pursuing development and place the interests of our children and future generations at the heart of decisions we make today. Leadership is not measured only by the power of a nation. I beg your pardon again. Leadership is not defined only by the power you possess as a leader of a powerful nation. Leadership is also measured by the responsibility that comes with how you exercise that power. Papua New Guinea does not claim to have all the answers. We still are developing nations. Just a few years ago, we became a middle income earning nation. We have our own challenges, but perhaps our position as a Pacific nation allows us to remind the larger powers of a simple reality. No nation is so powerful that it can live apart from the earth. No nation is so small that its people should be forgotten when decisions affecting humanity are made. Military strength of a nation does not make the rights of another nation less important. The size of an economy does not make the dignity of a poorer person less important. Technological advancement does not diminish our obligations to protect human freedom. The size of a religious majority does not reduce the rights of a minority. Power in all forms must be exercised with responsibility and care. Mr. president, in PNG we have many tribes. We have many languages. We have many churches. We have many cultures. But we are one nation. Perhaps this lesson can be taught to everyone. Papua New Guinea puts this to the assembly. You do not have to believe what I believe in for you to defend human rights of another person. Let governments govern for people. Let churches preach and preach love to each other. Let mosque pray faithfully. Let temples welcome the worshippers. Let people search their own conscience. Let the economy serve humanity. Let technology serve humanity. Let powerful nations exercise their power responsibly. Let nations resolve their differences peacefully, wherever possible. And I pause here, especially all Christian nations, all Christian nations, our Lord and Savior Jesus talks about peace and not war. Those who are promoting peace are sons of God. You don't promote peace, you are not sons of God. And may this be known to every Christian nation. Let no state compel the human soul. Mr. president, we may have different religions. We may have different political systems. We have different cultures and national interests. We may be. We may be big nations or small nations. We may be rich or poor. We may possess different levels of military, economic and technological power. But beneath those differences, we share something greater. We share our humanity. We share one earth. This is our home. We must protect it. We must protect each other. We must leave our children a better world than the one we are presently living in. Papua New Guinea will remain proudly, proudly Christian, but we will also remain committed to the freedom of conscience, thought and religion. For ultimately, faith cannot be governed or commanded by government. Faith must come from the heart. God has given humanity the capacity to choose that freedom, and that freedom must be respected. God has entrusted this earth to our generation for only a short time. Let us use it wisely and pass it to the next generation. Let us pursue peace. Let us uphold the charter of United Nations. Let us respect the rights and dignity of every human being. Let us work together. Big or small nations. Let us ensure that power, whether military, economic, technology, or religious, is never used to suppress the rights of others. Let us protect our common home.

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