During the pandemic, bodies under the auspices of this House put themselves before scientific evidence and the sovereignty of nations and promoted forced lockdown policies throughout the world that ruined jobs, that ruined the education of entire generations of children, and cost the lives of millions of people who died alone without basic medical care. Where some allege a public health policy error, we see a global experiment in social control disguised as science. And when a state wearing public health blinkers deprives its population of the right to work, to receive an education, and to bid farewell to their dead, this results in millions of unavoidable deaths, there is a word for it: genocide. That happens in many countries, including Argentina, which boasted of being the World Health Organization's star pupil. And that is why we decided to leave the World Health Organization. Added to that is something more subtle but equally damaging: the psychological terror instilled by the state. For years, citizens around the world were told that they should be afraid. Afraid of their neighbors, of the air they breathe, of leaving their homes. That fear wasn't a mere side effect. It was the chosen instrument of their government. The problem is that emergencies eventually pass. Fear passes.

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Three decades ago, our country faced an HIV/AIDS pandemic of such severity that some questioned our long-term resilience. Through determined national leadership, bold public investment, and sustainable global partnership, Botswana built one of the world's most comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment programs. We achieved the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets ahead of schedule, and we became the first African country to achieve World Health Organization silver-tier status for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Our experience demonstrates that when national ownership and international solidarity converge, seemingly impossible challenges can be overcome. This kind of practical solidarity restores confidence in multilateralism. We stand ready to share the lessons of this experience through South-South and triangular cooperation. Botswana attaches particular importance to preserving UNAIDS, an indispensable partner in our national response, through evidence-based policymaking, technical assistance, resource mobilization, and global advocacy. That partnership helped to mitigate an epidemic by means of one of the world's most successful national responses and placed Botswana firmly on the path toward ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

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Economic and social progress, however, remain vulnerable to global health crises. The COVID-19 pandemic taught humanity a vital lesson: no country can protect itself from a global health emergency alone. Yet, even as we recover from that crisis, recent resurgences of impocks, recurring Ebola outbreaks, and other emerging infectious diseases remind us that our health system must remain vigilant and resilient. We must decisively address persistent inequalities in access to vaccines, medicines, and medical technologies. Critically, the international community must support African countries in developing robust local and regional capacities to manufacture essential pharmaceuticals and health products. In a recent meeting of the East, Central, and Southern African Health Community Conference held in Eswatini, the country's resolve to act as a singular bloc when purchasing essential drugs and medical supplies. This will help reduce costs and ensure supply chain stability. We appeal to the UN through the World Health Organization to support this endeavor.

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We will never forget the millions of lives lost due to the negligence in the fight against Covid 19. Anti-Vaccine campaigns are bringing back diseases we thought were eradicated, weakening the World Health Organization makes everyone more vulnerable. Until recently, the response to climate change was firmly established at the center of the international agenda. This year, however, the topic disappeared from the debates of the G7 and G20 forums that bring together the largest carbon emitters.

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We continue to support its meaningful participation in the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and other relevant mechanisms, and reiterate that differences across the Taiwan Strait must be resolved peacefully. Mr. President, no generation has a greater stake in our decisions than young people. Half of the world's population is under 30. Yet 67 million young people were unemployed last year, and more than a quarter of a billion were neither in employment, education, nor training. AI, the green transition, and climate change are reshaping their future jobs. We must prepare them. Last year, our Prime Minister introduced this Assembly to our Aspire Program, achieving success through personal investment, resources, and education for citizens aged 5 to 18. Built on savings, investment, and financial education, Aspire has opened more than 4,000 savings accounts, with our government committing more than US$2 million to give children a financial foundation for adulthood. We are now piloting our financial education curriculum in schools and training teachers for national rollout. We are not simply giving children money. We are giving them the knowledge to make money work for them. Financial independence must not be reserved for those born into wealth.

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