H.E. Kenyeh Barla Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone and Chair of g7+ High Level Summit – 25 September 2024

In my capacity as the Chair of g7+ and on behalf of Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, co-hosts of today’s meeting I am happy to welcome you all to this High-Level Summit “Peace in the World and Peace in the g7+ countries; Shared Challenges and Solutions” and to thank you all for your presence this afternoon.

We are meeting here today, to address the urgency of the most pressing questions of our time facing our countries; And that is how to ensure lasting peace, stability and development at a time where global instability is on rise. Since our last High-level Summit at the UNGA in 2023, the number of conflicts and climate change related incidents have still been on the rise. Food insecurity, extreme poverty and instability keep on endangering lasting peace and development, especially in the g7+ countries. At the same time, the international community is getting increasingly divided by geopolitical disputes and cooperative multilateralism is declining.

With this meeting, we aim to set a strong counterweight to the challenges we face. Now, more than ever, it is our responsibility to demonstrate the unique strength of the g7+ by standing together in unity and solidarity.

Today’s gathering represents the power of dialogue and collective cooperation—pillars that are essential for shaping global policies and addressing the specific challenges that confront our nations.

It is my sincere hope that we agree on how the experiences of some of our members, who have successfully managed to consolidate peace and stability, can guide and support others in our group.

How can we use these valuable lessons not only to inspire but to help each other pursue sustainable peace and development?

Let us also remind ourselves that the g7+ was established 14 years ago in response to the inadequacies of international cooperation in peacebuilding and statebuilding. Our collective resolve to help ourselves, by sharing and applying the lessons we’ve learned from one another, is central to the mission of the g7+. With that in mind, I would like to open this meeting by proposing that countries in our group who have achieved relative peace and stability come together soon to further discuss how their experiences can benefit the rest of our members. This can serve as the foundation for a wider dialogue with all members who are striving for stability and seeking to learn from these shared experiences.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

I am now happy to outline the program of today. First, his Excellency President of Sierra Leone and his Excellency Prime Minister from Timor-Leste will give us the honour by giving their opening remarks as co-hosts. This will follow statements by distinguished heads of delegations from our respective member countries. We will close this meeting with the adaptation of the outcome statement that outlines our common aspiration.

We have simultaneous translation among English and French, Arabic and Portuguese
Without further due, I now have the honour to invite His Excellency Julius Maada Wonie Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, to give his opening remarks