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Excellencies,?

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Ladies and Gentlemen,?

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Warm greetings to you all.?

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What a pleasure it is to be in Juba ¨C and to have this incredibly valuable opportunity to engage with you all today, especially as the first President of the General Assembly visiting the country.?

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Civil society organizations are the backbone of any thriving democracy ¨C your work is absolutely essential to promoting social cohesion, reconciliation and inclusive development.?

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With local knowledge and expertise, you bridge the gap between citizens and Governments ¨C amplifying the marginalized and often forgotten or overlooked voices and, importantly, striving to finding solutions that are expertly tailored to local experiences for the benefit of vulnerable communities on the ground.??

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Equally important is your crucial role as vigilant stewards of the rule of law, fostering transparency and accountability by the country¡¯s leadership and ensuring the entire system of checks and balances works to uphold basic human rights for all peoples ¨C in pursuit of the common good.?

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At the same time, I acknowledge the considerable challenges faced by civil society organizations depending on jurisdiction you operate ¨C from funding and capacity constraints to external influences and shifting power dynamics ¨C particularly amid the complexities of conflict across societies and communities you? serve.??

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Yet, we know that peace processes are multidimensional ¨C and can benefit from a multi-stakeholders approach??

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We know that peace is much more likely to take root when civil society voices are fully integrated into the peace continuum ¨C from building trust and recognizing the needs of victims and former combatants to addressing truth and legacy issues, negotiating outcomes and offering a potential framework for holistic conflict settlement.?

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As President of the General Assembly, I recognize the critical role of civil society, including in support of peace and development.?

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You are the glue that strengthens the legitimacy of the entire peace process.?

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Across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, I look forward to more civil society voices and continued work with you ¨C shoulder to shoulder ¨C to effect meaningful, impactful and transformative change on the ground.?

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As we strive to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, your advocacy, dedication and commitment to serve humanity is very much appreciated ¨C and will remain indispensable, and respected.?

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We especially count on your contributions to safeguard inclusivity in the preparations and outcomes of the Summit of the Future in September ¨C our pivotal moment to spark action across the 2030 Agenda.?

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I am, therefore, particularly motivated by the recent successful convening of the first-ever Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, from 9 ¨C 10 May, during which your? profession unleashed the power of Impact Coalitions to inform the ensuing intergovernmental negotiations on the Summit of the Future.?

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I hope you were part of this important movement, and trust that you will ensure dedicated infusion of the outcomes of this CSOs Conference into the Summit¡¯s outcomes.?

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Esteemed representatives of civil society,?

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As I conclude, if I may ask one thing of you today, it is this:??

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Keep going ¨C and do not relent in the important work you do every day in the pursuit of South Sudan¡¯s empowered future.?

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Your actions are having meaningful impact ¨C on the ground and on the global stage ¨C and they carry the power to inspire others, too.?

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If we aim to create thought leaders and change-makers, we must teach our children today what it means to have the future in their hands and empower them to take the lead.?

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We are on this planet, together as one humanity.?

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And there is a human face to every aspect of life, as the word ¡°Umbutu¡± describes.?

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Together, let us work relentlessly to create a safer, more prosperous and equitable future for the people of South Sudan, and for all peoples, in the region and everywhere.?

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I thank you again for joining me today, and I look forward to hearing your views.?

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I thank you.?

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