Global Digital Compact

Summary

This transcript covers the 15th plenary meeting of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, featuring addresses from several world leaders. The central theme was the need for multilateral cooperation to address global challenges, with a particular focus on reforming the UN system and responding to ongoing conflicts.

Many speakers emphasized the importance of UN reform, including restructuring the Security Council to be more representative and limiting the use of veto power. There were repeated calls to strengthen multilateralism and the rules-based international order in the face of increasing geopolitical tensions.

The Israel-Gaza conflict was a major topic, with numerous leaders condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and calling for an immediate ceasefire and two-state solution. Other regional conflicts discussed included Ukraine, Myanmar, and tensions in the South China Sea.

Climate change, sustainable development, and reforming the global financial system were highlighted as key priorities requiring collective action. Several speakers stressed the need to empower developing nations and ensure a more equitable international order.

There was broad agreement on the need to revitalize the UN to make it more effective in addressing 21st century challenges. However, divergent views were expressed on specific conflicts and reform proposals. Overall, the discussion underscored both the continued relevance of the UN and the urgent need to adapt it to a changing world.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– Ongoing conflicts and crises, particularly in Gaza/Israel, Ukraine, and other hotspots

– Reform of the UN system, especially the Security Council, to be more representative and effective

– Climate change and sustainable development challenges

– Global economic inequality and need for financial system reforms

– Importance of multilateralism and international cooperation to address global issues

Overall purpose/goal:

The overall purpose of this General Assembly debate was for world leaders to address the most pressing global challenges, advocate for their countries’ interests and perspectives, and discuss ways to strengthen the international system and multilateral cooperation.

Tone:

The overall tone was one of urgency and concern about the state of global affairs, with many speakers expressing frustration at the UN’s inability to effectively address major crises. There was a mix of criticism toward certain countries/actions and calls for unity and cooperation. The tone became more impassioned when discussing specific conflicts like Gaza. Some speakers struck a more optimistic note about possibilities for reform and progress on issues like climate change and development.

Speakers

– President: President of the General Assembly

– Dickon Mitchell – Grenada: Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Physical Development, Public Utilities, Civil Aviation and Transportation, and Minister for National Security, Home Affairs, Public Administration, Information, and Disaster Management

– Amadou Oury Bah – Guinea: Prime Minister, Head of Government

– Cardinal Pietro Parolin – Holy See: Secretary of State

– Wang Yi – China: Special Representative of President Xi Jinping, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Minister for Foreign Affairs

– Murat Nurtleu – Kazakhstan: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

– Chenda Sophea Sok – Cambodia: Deputy Prime Minister

– Xavier Bettel – Luxembourg: Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs

– Abdoulaye Maiga – Mali: Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization

– Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi – Indonesia: Minister for Foreign Affairs

– Sergey Lavrov – Russian Federation: Minister of Foreign Affairs

– Alicia Bárcena Ibarra – Mexico: Minister for Foreign Affairs

– Espen Barth Eide – Norway: Minister for Foreign Affairs

– Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – India: Minister for External Affairs

– Vivian Balakrishnan – Singapore: Minister for Foreign Affairs

– Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla – Cuba: Minister for Foreign Affairs

– Enrique Austria Manalo – Philippines: Secretary for Foreign Affairs

– Luca Beccari – San Marino: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Political Affairs, International Economic Cooperation, and Digital Transition

– Mohamad Hasan – Malaysia: Minister for Foreign Affairs

– Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty – Egypt: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates

Additional speakers:

– António Guterres: United Nations Secretary-General

Revised Summary of the 15th Plenary Meeting of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly

The 15th plenary meeting of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly brought together world leaders to address pressing global challenges and discuss ways to strengthen international cooperation. The discussion centered on several key themes:

UN Reform and Global Governance

A primary focus of the debate was the urgent need for comprehensive reform of the United Nations system, particularly the Security Council. Multiple speakers, including representatives from India, Malaysia, Singapore, Egypt, and Norway, agreed on the necessity of making the Security Council more representative and effective. India’s representative, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, emphasized the need for greater representation of developing countries. Malaysia’s Mohamad Hasan called for limiting or abolishing veto power, especially in cases of crimes against humanity. Singapore’s Vivian Balakrishnan stressed the importance of reforming international financial institutions to be more equitable, while Norway’s representative advocated for transforming the UN to be more future-ready and responsive.

The Israel-Palestine Conflict and Gaza Crisis

The situation in Gaza and the broader Israel-Palestine conflict emerged as a major topic of discussion. Speakers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Luxembourg, San Marino, and Egypt strongly condemned Israeli actions and called for an immediate ceasefire. There was broad support for a two-state solution and Palestinian statehood, with urgent calls for humanitarian aid and protection of civilians. Malaysia emphasized ending Israeli occupation and complying with ICJ decisions, while Egypt’s Sameh Hassan Shoukry rejected the forced displacement of Palestinians. Luxembourg’s Xavier Bettel called for unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza and the release of all hostages.

Climate Change and Sustainable Development

Climate change and sustainable development were identified as critical global challenges requiring collective action. Singapore highlighted the “triple crisis” of climate, biodiversity, and pollution. Egypt called for adopting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. The Philippines, Cambodia, and Mexico emphasized the need to implement commitments from COP28 on renewable energy, increase climate financing for developing countries, and reform the global financial architecture to better support climate action.

Global Economic Inequality and Development

Addressing global economic inequality and supporting developing nations emerged as a key priority. Grenada’s Keisha McGuire emphasized the need to support economic resilience in small island developing states. Cuba’s Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla called for a new world economic order to address inequalities. Guinea’s representative stressed the importance of debt relief for developing countries. India advocated for strengthening cooperation between Global South countries, while Russia’s Sergey Lavrov called for reforming the international financial system to benefit developing nations.

Regional Security Issues

Several regional security concerns were raised during the meeting. Kazakhstan’s representative highlighted conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa. The Philippines promoted ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific, while Malaysia expressed concern over South China Sea disputes. Myanmar’s situation was discussed by several ASEAN members, with calls for implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. The Holy See raised concerns about nuclear threats and arms control.

Human Rights, Refugees, and Migration

Multiple speakers addressed issues related to human rights, refugees, and migration. Luxembourg emphasized the importance of protecting human rights defenders and journalists. San Marino’s Luca Beccari called for addressing the root causes of forced displacement. Several countries stressed the need for continued support for UNRWA and its crucial role in assisting Palestinian refugees.

Multilateralism and International Cooperation

Throughout the discussions, there was a strong emphasis on the importance of multilateralism and international cooperation in addressing global challenges. Many speakers reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Charter and called for strengthening the UN system to better respond to current and future crises.

Conclusion

The 15th plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly highlighted the complex and interconnected nature of global challenges facing the international community. While there was broad agreement on the need for UN reform, climate action, and addressing economic inequalities, the specific approaches and mechanisms for achieving these goals remain subjects of ongoing debate and negotiation within the international community.

President: The 15th plenary meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. The Assembly will continue its consideration of Agenda Item 8, entitled General Debate. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Physical Development, Public Utilities, Civil Aviation and Transportation, and Minister for National Security, Home Affairs, Public Administration, Information, and Disaster Management of Grenada. I request for the call to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Dickon Mitchell – Grenada: Mr. President, Members of the Assembly, guests and friends, thank you for the opportunity to address this Assembly. It is my honour to speak to you as the Prime Minister of Grenada and the Chair of the Caribbean Community, CARICA. Mr. President, before I get into the core of my remarks, allow me to draw to your attention two hemispheric issues that require the attention of this Assembly. The first issue is that Cuba continues to face severe economic hardships. While Grenada and CARICOM welcome the United States’ decision to remove Cuba from its list, and I quote, of states not cooperating fully, unquote, in the fight against terrorism, Cuba remains on the American list of state sponsors of terrorism, and the U.S. blockade remains in place. CARICOM is deeply troubled that the Cuban people have been forced to endure this 60-year imposition, which serves no constructive purpose and continues to harm the people of Cuba. We reiterate our call for the removal of Cuba from that list and the end of the blockade. Secondly, there is an urgent humanitarian crisis in Haiti, marked by acute food insecurity and a challenging security situation. We are grateful to Belize and Jamaica for sending security personnel to support the Kenyan troops, but the funding of the multinational security support mission remains critical. We are deeply interested in the United States’ proposal to transition this mission We call on the international community to do its part to support the MSS mission and to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, especially by helping Haitian children’s access to education. I want Haitians to understand that the future of their country begins with investing in their youth. Thank you for consideration of these two important matters. President, my message today is simple. It can be summed up in one word. Resilience. It is a trendy term, I realize. But for 16 million people in the Caribbean community, resilience is not merely a buzzword. It is the definition of daily life. Resilience resonates in our core as Caribbean people, making the most of tough circumstances and finding new ways to not only survive, but to thrive. So today, I want to speak about resilience in the face of climate change, paths to economic resilience, and the role of education in ensuring both. I will conclude by speaking about what Grenada and our fellow CARICOM nations are looking for in terms of international cooperation, but also what we bring to the table in return. Mr. President, the notion of resilience is not just a policy goal for me. It is deeply personal. And I tell you the story that you are about to hear, not because it is unique, but because, at its heart, it is an experience that has been shared among so many of us in Grenada and the Caribbean. I was born in 1977 in a small hillside village in the parish of St. David in Grenada. Most households, including my own, did not have running water or electricity. We would walk to the public standpipe to fetch water in buckets. I grew up in a small agricultural community. The people I lived with worked the land or took up domestic work in turn. At the time, that was common in Grenada. We were an agricultural island. We lived modest lives built on hard work, a sense of unity, and a sense of determination. But when I was quite young, that began to change. In 1979, Grenada experienced a political revolution that brought many changes. Education became a focus. So did tourism. Then, in 1983, when I was only six years old, the revolution came to a violent end, and we were thrust into the spotlight of global politics because of American intervention. It was a dividing line in our shared history and in mines. By 1989, both my parents had left the island to pursue opportunities overseas. My aunt helped to raise my siblings and me. In the years that followed, I continued my education. However, at that time in Grenada, education was not state-funded after age 16. So to continue my studies, I had to hustle. I had to develop entrepreneurial skills. I collected spice in the hills, and I sold it. Many of the kids in my village did the same. Those were frugal years, and I had to be disciplined. Once I finished my A-levels, I returned to teach at my high school, much to the amusement of my friends, many of whom were still attending high school there. But this role helped me to save for the next step in my educational journey. Cheney, Law School in the Islands of Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. So within a few years, I became a lawyer in Grenada with my own practice, serving clients locally and internationally. My personal resilience in the face of the many difficulties that crossed my path over the years allowed me to achieve the dream I sought. Finally, I was in a position to give back to my community. But Mr. President, there is a limit to resilience. In 2020, something happened that none of us in this Assembly were prepared for. As the COVID-19 pandemic began to take root in Grenada, I could see the strain on many of our people. We could see the glaring inadequacies of the systems and policies that were in place to support us. I saw the tension between the government’s decisions and the needs of the people. And so I could no longer stay on the sidelines. For months, I met with people who felt the same way I did, hoping to find ways to help our communities adapt to the challenges. But eventually, I realized that no matter how much we try to support change from the outside, Real and meaningful transformation had to come from within. So it was at this moment that I decided to run for office. But it was not an easy decision. But I was driven by the belief that leadership means listening, adapting and being willing to step up when your people need you. And so now as Prime Minister, I am determined to ensure that the resilience I learn becomes a cornerstone of Grenada’s future and the future of the wider Caribbean. Mr. President, that means developing resilient minds. And so a major priority for me is ensuring that children in Grenada have the opportunity to learn, to study and to realize their full potential. Because after all, it was education that took me from a small village to where I stand today, addressing you at the United Nations General Assembly. And it is education that will empower the next generation of leaders, thinkers and dreamers who I am sure will go on to achieve even more. So in Grenada, we are working to ensure that every child has access to free education up to the age of 18. This is because we understand. that our greatest asset is our people. For small nations like ours, the path to resilience lies in unlocking the potential of our young people. But it is not just about traditional education. It is about preparing them for a digital and technological future. We need to ensure that they have access to digital education, to skills training, and the tools they need to compete in the global economy. Digital education and digitization more broadly is a priority for our government because we know that if we want to build future resilience in the next generation of young people, we need to prepare them with the relevant training now. So at a time where it is possible to work in any market in the world, from anywhere in the world, digitization means that young people in the Caribbean have just as much potential access to global opportunities as their peers in Europe or North America, and with the added benefits of year-round sunshine. So digitization for Grenadians represents the democratization of opportunities and this is where international cooperation is crucial. By bridging the digital divide, we can empower our young people to be more resilient. We have become experts at resilience in the Caribbean, because that is the Caribbean’s reality. In Grenada, our resilience has been continually tested. One of our most challenging moments in recent history came in 2004, when Hurricane Ivan devastated the island, leaving destruction in its wake and forcing us to rebuild from the ground up. Less than one year later, we were struck by Hurricane Emily, and so we borrowed heavily. And while we were thankful that we were able to do so, the financial toll has been immense. For many years after, we struggled under the weight of that debt. Mr. President, only three months ago, that resilience was again tested, when the islands of Karikou and Pitimatnik, which form part of the tri-island state of Grenada, were hit by Hurricane Beryl, causing unimaginable destruction. And so again, this round of rebuilding will take months, if not years. The lesson that we and the wider Caribbean community continue to take to heart is that we understand that we cannot continue to rebuild after every storm without seeking sustainability. So, with international partnership, we developed innovative financial tools, like the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, which allows us to receive financial payouts and recover more swiftly from natural disasters. We also introduced a hurricane relief clause in our financial agreements, enabling us to suspend debt payments in times of crisis, giving us the resources we need to focus on recovery. These efforts reflect more than just economic policy. They show that small island nations like Grenada can develop sophisticated solutions to the challenges we face. However, we also understand that we cannot do it alone. We need partnerships with the international community, partnerships that will help us access both the financial tools and the technology needed to adapt to this new reality. Grenada, like many other small island developing states, is baffled by the continued debate in some spaces about whether climate change exists. But we do not have the luxury of skepticism. Rising sea levels are already affecting lives and livelihoods in our coastal villages. And warming seas continue to spawn stronger and more frequent storms. Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record in the Atlantic. And so the message that we in the Caribbean have for those who are looking to adapt to climate change, our message is simple. Learn from us. If there is an upside from the many storms that we have endured over the years, it is the lessons that we were able to take away from the various disasters. We have lived through the destructive power of hurricanes, which can erase decades of progress in just a few minutes. But we have also seen that when communities are prepared, we can save lives and we can save livelihoods. There is much more we can do. There is much more we must do. As a region, we have a clear vision and a plan to harness technology, ranging from drones that assess storm damage to early warning systems that enhance our preparedness. But we cannot fund these projects alone. While nations like Grenada are doing our part, we need the international community to step up and support our efforts. We are asking for more than just financial aid. We are looking for partnerships where we can work together on climate adaptation. Because we believe the resilience we are building today, through technology, through innovation, through partnerships, can serve as a model for others. My friends, we are a living lab on the frontlines. Let us help you to paraphrase a famous tourism slogan. What happens in Grenada does not just stay in Grenada. The lessons we are learning can help nations facing their own climate crises, from wildfires in Canada to flooding in Europe. Join us in testing ideas and technologies that can make a difference beyond Grenada. So in concluding, Mr. President, friends, colleagues, resilience is not something that can be built overnight. It requires partnerships, innovation, and a shared commitment to a better future. Today, I invite the international community to join us. We are asking for the $100 billion promised to support climate adaptation and mitigation to be met. Partnership, in our case, requires concrete financial support to help us rebuild with greater resilience. But beyond that, we are also inviting the international community to partner with us so that we can share our experiences and learn from one another. In return, we offer our lessons in resilience. We offer the knowledge that comes from living with and dealing with the worst of climate change, from building back after devastation, and from finding innovative policies and programs to secure a digital future. Reneida, Karikam, stand ready to share these lessons with the world because my friends, resilience is not just about surviving a storm, it is about ensuring that together we emerge from it stronger, more united, and more understanding of each other than ever before. Mr. President, I thank you for the opportunity to address this August assembly.

President: On behalf of the assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Fiscal Development, Public Utilities, Civil Aviation and Transportation, and Minister for National Security, Home Affairs, Public Administration, Information and Disaster Management of Grenada. The assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Amadou Oury Bah, Prime Minister, Head of Government of the Republic of Guinea. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the assembly.

Amadou Oury Bah – Guinea: Secretary General, President Yang, Distinguished Heads of State and Government, Distinguished Delegates, I’m standing before you today on behalf of His Excellency, General of the Armed Forces, Mamadi Doumbouya, President of the Republic of Guinea, with the honor and responsibility. of representing a nation that is engaged in a historic transformation. We are here to reaffirm our determination to redefine our future, a future built on peace, justice, and dignity for all. Today, September 28, 2024, there are three dates, three events, three moments that embody the spirit of resilience and freedom of our people. September 28, 1958, the people of Guinea chose to vote overwhelmingly no in the referendum proposed by General de Gaulle, thus choosing immediate independence. On September 28, 2009, this same people reclaimed at a heavy price the full enjoyment of their freedom, democracy, and dignity. Today, on September 28, 2024, on this symbolic day for Guinea, we are here before this august assembly to reaffirm our freely made commitment toward these dynamics, to build a future based on peace, justice, and dignity. At this time of great global turbulence, a time of conflict, growing inequality, and a climate crisis that threatens the existence of humanity, it is crucial that we be bold in our actions and united in our vision. This is my conviction as I stand before you. At the outset, I commend the United Nations, this unique space for dialogue and cooperation, where all nations, large and small, can meet on an equal footing to build a better world. Our faith in this institution is a profound one. For it reflects our common values, that is, peace, sustainable development, and respect for human rights. We know that the challenges we are facing today are great ones. But we also know that the spirit of solidarity and cooperation that have guided this organization since its creation is more crucial than ever. Distinguished President, ladies and gentlemen, today the Republic of Guinea has begun an ambitious process of a profound transformation of its state. Led by the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development and by the President of the Republic, His Excellency General of the Armed Forces, Mahmoudi Doumbouya, we have chosen to turn the page on instability, to write a new history, a new story, that of a resilient nation that is reinventing itself to provide its people with a life full of dignity, freedom, and prosperity. Guinea aspires to become a model of resilience and renewal in Africa, thus proving that in the face of adversity, a positive transformation is possible. The most striking example of our commitment to justice and to combating impunity is the historic trial regarding the events of September 28, 2009, for the first time in the history of our nation. The perpetrators of this tragedy have been brought before a national court. This was a pivotal turning point in our battle against impunity. This trial has become a global reference point, it’s an example for Africa, and it embodies our will to rebuild our society based on justice, truth, and reconciliation, while inspiring other countries to follow our path toward accountability and transparency. In this same vein of transformation, His Excellency the General of the Armed Forces, Mamadi Doumbouya, has laid out a clear and ambitious vision to guide Guinea toward a prosperous future founded upon three key pillars, the social, economic and political pillars. In addition, we are basing these actions on five values that define the governance of our country. Institutional rectification, through which we are building robust institutions, legitimate institutions that are impartial. Through rebuilding, we are strengthening the integrity of politics. Through reconciliation, we are bringing together all elements of our nation. Through recovery, we are establishing transparent and responsible governance. And lastly, through repositioning Guinea, we are stepping up our commitment toward our global partners, ensuring active, dynamic cooperation with the world’s institutions, both bilateral and multilateral. These values guide each step that we take toward national transformation in a spirit of justice, solidarity, and dignity. This national transformation is based on an emblematic project that embodies our vision for the present and future. That is the Cimandu Mega Project and its ambitious Cimandu 2040 program. Cimandu 2040 was born as a mining project. Guinea now is building 670 kilometers of multi-use railways for mineral ore exportation of the iron mines of Cimandu. This project for 2040 is now much more than just a mining project. It’s a model for comprehensive transformation for Guinea, which aims to build around this project. This is a real social and environmental program in which humans and their environment can coexist in harmony. Unlike other countries that fell prey to the natural resource curse, we are trying to avoid that path. We have learned lessons from the past, and we are committed to making Simandou a lever for shared prosperity, stability, and sustainable growth. Ladies and gentlemen, in this process of transformation, we have drawn inspiration from the rich and diverse history of our country, a history that is marked by our ancestral values of justice, solidarity, and respect for human dignity. I remind you that most of the empires that existed in West Africa were based on our country, that is, the current Republic of Guinea. Since the Kurukand Fuga Charter, proclaimed in 1236, which laid the foundations of a just society by abolishing slavery and promoting equality and freedom for all, and all the way up until the establishment of the Futa Theocracy, recognized as a land of asylum and protection for the oppressed fleeing the slave trade, Guinea has always been a bastion for humanist values and fair governance. These traditions, which can be found in the social structures of all of the country’s regions, from Lower Guinea to Forested Guinea, where the collective management of resources and peaceful resolution of conflict are at the heart of our life together. Our national identity clearly is rooted in a quest for justice, empathy, peace, and solidarity. Today, we are building the future of our nation. We are reaffirming these values in our new draft constitution. We would like to build a modern state that incorporates these timeless principles, a state in which each citizen, regardless of their origins, culture or faith, has a role to play in a harmonious and close-knit social fabric. Ladies and gentlemen, this path toward transformation cannot be accomplished single-handedly. We are calling for sincere and strengthened international support based on mutual respect, understanding and support as we pursue our common goals. Guinea is not asking for compassion. Rather, it’s proposing a partnership, an active and dynamic alliance so we can come together to build a better world. This period also is a unique opportunity for Guinea to redefine its role on the international arena as a committed and responsible actor that contributes to regional stability and to peace in the world. We have taken active part in peacekeeping efforts led by the United Nations, and we will continue to do so. We are convinced that peace is the key precondition for development and justice. That is why we are willing to provide more than 650 police and gendarmes for the stabilization of Haiti, this martyred country. However, peace can only be achieved through strengthened cooperation and meaningful reforms of multilateral institutions. And that is why we must also rethink our approach to resolving persistent conflicts in the region of the Sahel. It is high time to transcend purely military responses, and it is time to promote an integrated strategy that combines economic development, institutional stability, and peace. This approach should be focused on each community in this vast space to enjoy their freedom, respect, identity and recognition of their own rights in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith state space. This is what can ensure national cohesion and peaceful coexistence. The Security Council of the United Nations today must truly reflect the diversity and aspirations of the world of today. We strongly support the Ezowini Consensus, and we call for a more equitable and democratic representation within decision-making bodies. East Africa, with its 54 member states, represents more than a fourth of the UN’s member states. It can no longer be pushed to one side in decisions that concern global peace and security. We call for the African continent to acquire permanent seats in the Security Council with all of the associated rights, including veto rights. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, in light of the many crises that are threatening our world, it is clear that our responses must be collective, humanitarian, and based on empathy with people suffering in conflict zones. Everywhere, people are suffering from the ravages of war. Families are separated, communities displaced, lives lost, central infrastructure destroyed. Whether in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in Europe, or in the Middle East with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or in Africa, especially in Sudan, or in other regions of the world, the suffering of the people is immense and transcends borders and nationalities. In addition to these human tragedies, there also are the devastating effects of climate change, which are exacerbating conflicts and increasing the vulnerability of those who have the least. We reaffirm our commitment to including the Futajalan Highlands on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This would send a strong message in favor of environmental protection. And in doing so, we are striving for a paradigm change in regional governance in West Africa. The future of our nation will be based on our ability to invest in our young people as well, because youth are the greatest asset of our country. By providing young people with opportunities and the means to achieve their full potential, we can effectively combat the evils that drive them toward clandestine immigration. Immigration is in no way a solution, rather it is draining our country of its human resources which are so precious. In addition, technological and digital advances must serve the interests of all. Therefore, we are advocating universal access to technological innovations while ensuring that ethics remain at the heart of their use. As said by Francois Rabelais, science without conscience is the ruin of the soul. Ladies and gentlemen, today we are calling for the nations to come together around a common vision, that of a world that places humans at the heart of every thought and action. Together we can overcome the most difficult challenges, we can quell tensions and embrace a lasting peace. The world is waiting for us to do this. The United Nations was born to promote international peace and security, and it must act while there is still time to silence weapons and bombing. As for Guinea, as a sovereign and determined nation, it will forge its own destiny and it stands firmly on the international stage. Zor, and others. The African people are a national scene with a clear and independent vision. One year ago, at this very podium, our Head of State General Mamadou Mbouya declared clearly our commitment to the interests of Africa with entire sovereignty, without being influenced by contradictory interests coming from outside the continent. Today, this principle continues to guide our actions. We favor above all else the development and prosperity of our continent. Such is the will of His Excellency General of the Armed Forces Mamadou Mbouya and the people of Guinea that our actions today forge a future of peace and light for all. Long live peace, together for a better world. Thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister, Head of Government of the Republic of Guinea. The Assembly will hear an address by His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See. I request protocol to escort His Eminence and invite him to address the Assembly.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin – Holy See: Mr. President, I am honored to extend to you and to the representatives of the nations assembled here the warm greetings of His Holiness Pope Francis, while also congratulating Your Excellency on your election as President of this esteemed Assembly. Mr. President, The Holy See is deeply concerned that we are witnessing a world increase in the number of conflicts worldwide and the severity of their violence. These conflicts are responsible for a significant loss of innocent lives and a vast amount of destruction. Seventy-five years after the ratification of the Geneva Conventions, humanitarian law is still being undermined and increasingly being violated. The targeting of places of worship, educational institutions, medical facilities, and other civil infrastructure is a prevalent phenomenon. The Holy See calls for the strict observance of international humanitarian law in all armed conflicts. The situation becomes more complex when one considers the destabilizing role often played by violent non-state actors in many of the crises around the globe. It is imperative that these groups seek constructive engagement with states, renounce violence and acts of terrorism, and enter into legality. Peace is only possible if it is wanted. The pursuit of peace is a collective responsibility. It is imperative to move beyond rhetoric and the tendency to ascribe blame. However, the reality is that there is no genuine commitment to achieving peace. In times of conflict, there is often a tendency to prioritize military victory over the pursuit of peace. It is incumbent upon diplomacy to demonstrate an unwavering dedication to pursuing every avenue for negotiation. To pursue peace, however, it is not enough simply to eliminate the instruments of war. Its root causes must be eradicated. Foremost among these is anger, a scourge that continues to afflict entire areas of our world, while others are marked by massive waste of food. Nevertheless, the prevailing tendency has been to maintain the growth in military expenditure while striving to fulfil the commitments made on sustainable development. Pope Francis appeals to rich countries to acknowledge the gravity of so many of their past decisions and determine to forgive the debts of countries that will never be able to repay them. It is easy to become complacent and resigned in the face of the constant stream of new forms of poverty. However, this dramatic situation can be encountered all around us, not only in certain parts of the world. This is the case, for example, of the modern phenomenon on homelessness. Poverty has a particularly detrimental impact on women, often trapping them in a vicious cycle of unfortunate circumstances, resulting in isolation and abandonment before they are forced to make desperate and unwelcome decisions. As Pope Francis says, the path to peace calls for respect for life, for every human life, starting with the life of the unborn child in the mother’s womb, which cannot be suppressed or turned into an objective of trafficking. The practice of so-called surrogate motherhood represents a grave violation of the dignity of both the woman and the child based on the exploitation of situation of the mother’s material needs. The Holy See hopes for an effort by an international community to prohibit this practice universally. The dignity of migrants must be upheld. People seeking refuge must be not rejected but welcomed with respect and a sense of humanity. Another affront to human dignity is trafficking human beings. This illegal and above all dehumanizing practice must be stopped and the traffickers brought to justice. Closely related to the dignity of human life is the care of our common home. The effects of climate change are borne by the poorest countries who contribute the least to it but are those who carry the greatest burden of its effects. Opportunities and risk are also given by the rise of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. There is a need to ensure a safeguarded space for proper human control over choices made by artificial intelligence. In light of the tragedy that is armed conflict, it is urgent to reconsider the development and use of devices like the so-called lethal autonomous weapons and ultimately ban their use. No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being. There is a necessity for the establishment of a binding ethical and regulatory framework to be negotiated both within the non-military and military. The Holy See is convinced that a world free of nuclear weapons is both necessary and possible. The goal of a world free of nuclear weapons can only be achieved through discussions based on mutual trust. It is evident that the adherence to and respect for international and disarmament agreements and international law should not be perceived as a form of weakness. The Holy See renews its call for a total and complete disarmament. Unfortunately, as Pope Francis says, we are witnessing a third world war fought piecemeal. In the midst of the ongoing tragedy of the Russian war in Ukraine, we are faced with a situation that calls for urgent action to prevent further escalation and to create a path towards a just and peaceful resolution. While diplomatic efforts are crucial, it is evident that military engagement continues to prevail. It is therefore essential to find ways to encourage gestures of goodwill and spaces for direct dialogue between the parties involved. The Holy See continues to be worried about the ongoing stability in the Middle East, particularly following the terrorist attack of 7 October 2023 in Israel by Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups. However, the military response by Israel, considering the high number of civilian casualties, raises many questions about its proportionality. The Holy See calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the West Bank, as well as the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, and urges humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian The Olympic Committee on the Human Rights of the Jews and Muslims in the Middle East and the European Union. The Olympic Committee reaffirmed that the only viable solution is a two-state solution with Jerusalem having a special status. The Olympic Committee expressed a serious concern regarding the situation in Jerusalem where several discriminations and harassments are taking place hindering the peaceful coexistence for Christians, Jews and Muslims. It condemns all anti-Christian acts perpetrated months ago by a minority of Jewish individuals and calls on the authorities to continue confronting this ideological deviation firmly and clearly. The current situation in Lebanon represents a significant cause for concern for the Holy See. The ongoing intensification of the conflict between Hezbollah and the Israeli military is putting at high risk the whole region. The Holy See demands that all parties adhere to the principles of international humanitarian law and halt the escalation and enter into a ceasefire without delay. Furthermore, the Holy See highlights the humanitarian crisis in Syria and urges the international community to do more in supporting the Syrian people who feel hopeless about their future. The ongoing armed conflict in Sudan has resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with displaced persons, particularly women and children, succumbing to starvation and malnutrition. The Holy See urges the international community to promote peace negotiations and provide the population with vital humanitarian aid. The Holy See calls for more humanitarian support in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique. The situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo is deteriorating rapidly, leading to a disturbing increase in the humanitarian crisis. The withdrawal of the MONUSCO by the end of the year is likely to create a security vacuum. It is crucial to continue supporting diplomatic efforts to find an appropriate and sustainable solution to the ongoing conflict. The Holy See follows with great preoccupation the social-political situation in South Sudan, aggravated by the humanitarian crisis, the recent floods and the conflict. It calls on the international community to show solidarity with the population, and urges all the country’s leaders to place the well-being of the people at the center of their political agenda. The spread of jihadist threats in the Gulf of Guinea is causing concern for the security of not just the Sahel, but all of West Africa. Christians are being targeted, while climate change and armed attacks are worsening the food crisis and causing children to drop out of school. Immediate and long-term action is needed to prevent a loss of education and stability in the region. The Holy See is following the dramatic situation in Haiti with apprehension and hopes that the steps that are being taken, with the support of the international community, to establish democratic order and stop the violence, will lead to peace and reconciliation in the country. The dramatic situation and the dire need for humanitarian aid in Myanmar which has been exacerbated by an increase in armed conflict in recent months and made worse by severe flooding are also a source of deep concern. The Holy See calls on all parties to seek a durable peaceful solution to the situation and to ensure access for humanitarian aid to all affected communities without prejudice. The Holy See follows with great attention to what is happening in Nicaragua. It is in particular concerned about the measures taken against the personnel and institution of the Church which directly affect the sensitive issues of religious freedom. It is hoped that in conjunction with the other fundamental rights of individuals and society this freedom will be adequately guaranteed. For its part, the Holy See is open to respectful and constructive dialogue with the authorities of the country with a view to resolving difficulties and promoting peace, fraternity and harmony for the benefit of all. The recent presidential elections in Venezuela have demonstrated that despite the numerous challenges faced, the Venezuelan people continue to place their trust in the democratic values enshrined in the Constitution. These democratic values are founded upon the sovereignty of the people which is expressed through the act of voting. In the serious crisis that followed the announcement of the result, with several deaths, numerous detentions, also of minors, and the use of violence, the Holy See, deeply saddened and worried, appeals to the authorities. And to all those who have any responsibility for what has happened, to respect and protect the life, dignity, human rights, and fundamental freedoms of its citizens. Furthermore, it calls upon them to seek ways to resolve the present situation for the good of all, including with the assistance of members of the international community who have declared themselves willing to help in a flexible and reasonable manner. The Olympic Committee encourages the talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan so that they may continue the dialogue, assist the displaced persons, respect the places of worship of the different religious denominations, and reach a final peace treaty between the parties as soon as possible. The Olympic Committee looks also favorably on the aspiration of the Balkan countries to join the European Union and hopes that this objective will be achieved as soon as possible. While disarmament fosters peace among nations, there is also a need to foster peace within societies through democracy. It is the result of a considerate and committed acceptance of the values that inspire democratic procedures. Democracy is founded upon the tenets of freedom of expression and the fundamental principle of respect for the will of the people. This implies that changes in the orders of power can occur. However, there is an increasing tendency to alter constitutions or to modify electoral rules and procedures for the purpose of remaining in power. Democracy entails respect for the established rules and the recognition of the expressed will of the people. made it clear that the path to peace calls for respect for human rights. Regrettably, in recent decades, attempts have been made to introduce new rights, leading to instances of ideological colonization, in which gender theory plays a central role. The latter cancels differences in its claim to make everyone equal, and does not even help ensuring the harmony between women and men. It is also inconceivable to associate the concept of right with the practice of abortion, which involves the taking of an innocent life. The Holy See is profoundly alarmed that some of the most common violations of human rights occur in the area of religious freedom. Christians are the most vulnerable in this regard, where one in seven are subjected to persecution. Mr. President, there is a need to recover the roots, the spirit, and the values that gave rise to this organization, while at the same time taking into account the changing context. The first and most necessary reform needed is the return to a sincere and open dialogue. It is evident that without dialogue and an open exchange of perspectives, even when there is disagreement, consensus and agreement cannot be reached. The Odyssey, as it has done in these last six decades of presence at the UN, continues to support the work of the organization, making its voice heard in defense of the poor, of those in vulnerable situations, supporting every peace process and initiative. Thank you, Mr. President.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Secretary of State of the Holy See. I now give the floor to His Excellency Wang Yi, Special Representative of President Xi Jinping, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Minister for Foreign Affairs of

Wang Yi – China: Mr. President, Colleagues Today, humanity has once again come to a historical crossroads. We are facing a changing and turbulent world. Challenges of insecurity, imbalanced development, and ineffective governance are increasingly prominent. Hotspot conflicts, major country confrontation, and geopolitical tensions keep emerging. The future of this planet is becoming a cause for growing concern. Meanwhile, we are also embracing a world full of hope. Multipolarity and globalization have become the unstoppable trend of our times. The aspirations of the Global South nations for modernization have never been stronger. Our stride toward modernization has never been more steadfast. This institution, the United Nations, embodies the aspirations of people across the world for lasting peace and common prosperity, and bears witness to the glorious journey of the international community coming together in pursuit of progress. President Xi Jinping stressed on multiple occasions that the role of the UN should be strengthened, not weakened. Amid global transformation not seen in a century, what China calls for is to follow the trend of the times, keep to the direction of human progress, and make the right choices of history. What China proposes is to uphold peaceful coexistence. In today’s world, the security of all countries is tied together in face of various kinds of global challenges and risks. No one can stay immune or enjoy security alone. Countries need to be guided by a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security. We should respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, take the legitimate security concerns of others seriously, and resolve disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation. We should actively explore a path for major countries to coexist in peace and work for a new type of international relations characterized by mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation. In today’s world, the development of all countries is deeply integrated. If the rich get richer while the poor remain poor, then everyone is born equal would become an empty slogan, and fairness and justice would be even more elusive. Achieving modernization is a legitimate right of the people of all countries, not a prerogative of a few. We should be committed to advancing global modernization and ensure that no one and no country is left behind on the journey toward modernization. We should advocate a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, unequivocally oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and help developing countries leap over the development divide to maintain the vitality of global economic growth. In today’s world, Each civilization has its own strengths. President Xi Jinping pointed out that there is no such thing as a superior or inferior civilization, and civilizations are different only in identity and location. We should respect the diversity of civilizations and strive to replace estrangement and clash of civilizations with exchanges and mutual learning. We should advocate humanity’s common values, namely peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom, refrain from conducting values-oriented diplomacy, and oppose ideology-based confrontation. We should respect each other as equals and help each other succeed with an inclusive mind. In today’s world, countries should all enjoy sovereign equality. As a large number of global South nations are growing with a strong momentum, gone are the days when one or two major powers call the shots on everything. We should advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and see that all countries, regardless of their size, have their own place and role in the multipolar system. We should practice true multilateralism, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and make international relations more democratic. We should follow the principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits and make global governance more just and equitable. Mr. President, peace is the most precious thing in our world today. You may wonder if there is a path leading to peace. In fact, peace is the path. Without peace, development will not sustain. Without peace, cooperation cannot happen. For the sake of peace, a single ray of hope is reason enough not to give up. The slightest chance deserves a hundredfold effort. An end to the Ukraine crisis remains elusive. I am pleased to commit to no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting, and no provocation by any party, and push for de-escalation of the situation as soon as possible. China is committed to playing a constructive role, engaging in shuttle mediation and promoting talks for peace, not throwing oil on the fire or exploiting the situation for selfish gains. At this session of the General Assembly, China, Brazil and other countries in the Global South have jointly launched the Group of Friends for Peace. Its very purpose is to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, build consensus for a political settlement of the crisis, and contribute to a prospect of peace. The question of Palestine is the biggest wound to human conscience. As we speak, the conflict in Gaza is still going on, causing more casualties with each passing day. Reconciliation has started in Lebanon again, but might cannot replace justice. Palestine’s long-held aspiration to establish an independent state should not be shunned anymore, and the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people should not be ignored anymore. There must not be any delay in reaching a comprehensive ceasefire, and the fundamental way out lies in the two-state solution. China has always been a staunch supporter of the just cause of the Palestinian people to regain their legitimate national rights and a staunch supporter of Palestine’s full UN membership. We have recently helped to bring about breakthroughs in intra-Palestine reconciliation and will continue to work in concert with like-minded countries for a comprehensive and just settlement of the question of Palestine and durable peace and stability in the Middle East. The issue of Afghanistan concerns regional peace and security. It is important to help the country exercise prudent governance, fight terrorism effectively, improve people’s life, and reinvigorate the economy to create a better life or future for the people of Afghanistan. The Korean Peninsula should not experience war again. The important thing is to make persistent efforts for de-escalation, commit to seeking solutions through dialogue and consultation, realize a transition from the armistice to a peace mechanism, and safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula. China is deeply aware that Asia needs stability and development and opposes division and conflict. As an important origin of human civilization and a key engine of global growth, Asia has the wisdom and capability to stabilize the situation through regional cooperation and handle differences properly through dialogue and consultation. We are firmly against the meddling by countries outside the region and will firmly resist attempts by any force to stoke trouble and confrontation in the region. Mr. President, as the world faces increasingly serious challenges, China has never opted to be an indifferent spectator. Instead, we’ve been playing a bigger part in global governance than ever before. President Xi Jinping has put forth the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative in recent years. They carry China’s wisdom for resolving various difficult issues confronting humanity and bring impetus from China for improving global governance. In the face of uneven and inadequate global development, China’s proposal is to put development at the top of the global agenda. Focus on delivering the sustainable development goals of the UN 2030 agenda, increase input in development, and help developing countries better respond to different risks and challenges. At the recent Beijing summit of the FOCAC on China-Africa cooperation, President Xi Jinping outlined 10 partnership actions to be taken together with Africa to advance modernization and announced the decision to give over 40 LDCs, including those in Africa, zero tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. China is the first major developing country and the first major economy to take such a significant step. In the face of unilateral bullying acts such as sanctions and blockade, China firmly supports countries in defending their legitimate rights. Including the equity and openness of the international system, making global development more coordinated and beneficial for all, and jointly opposing technology blockade and rejecting decoupling or severing supply chains. Sanctions and pressure will not bring monopolistic advantages. Suppressing and containing others will not solve problems at home. The right of people of all countries to pursue a better life should not be taken away. Here we once again urge the United States to completely lift its blockade, sanctions and terrorism-related designation against Cuba. In the face of aggravating ecological challenges, China is firmly committed to a path of green, low-carbon and sustainable development. We will move from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality in the shortest time span in world history, contributing China’s efforts to harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. At the global level, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must be upheld and the Paris Agreement must be implemented in earnest. Developed countries should assist developing countries in developing their capacity to cope with climate change. Touting the need of climate response while suppressing the green industries of others will only hold back global progress toward green transition. In the face of burgeoning artificial intelligence, China is committed to taking a people-centered approach, developing AI for good, and putting equal emphasis on development and security. We are working to explore and establish widely recognized international rules and standards. China supports the UN’s role as the main channel for global AI governance and is committed to strengthening international cooperation on AI capacity building. China has put forth the AI Capacity Building Action Plan for good and for all, and we are ready to make more contribution to the sound, orderly, fair, and inclusive development of AI. In the face of the task of human rights protection, China maintains that all countries’ right to independently choose their path of human rights development should be respected. No country should impose its own will on others or interfere in others’ internal affairs in the name of human rights. In human rights protection, China is committed to putting people first and promoting the free and well-rounded development of the people. We have found a path of human rights development that suits China’s national conditions. China is ready to engage in equal-footed dialogue and exchanges with all countries and UN human rights bodies, and jointly promote the sound development of the global human rights cause. Mr. President, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. This is the history and the reality. Both the Cairo Declaration and the Postum Proclamation stated in explicit terms that all the territories Japan had stolen from the Chinese, such as Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, shall be restored to China. And this constitutes an important part of the post-war international order. Right here in this August Hall, 53 years ago, the 26th session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, deciding to restore all the rights of the People’s Republic of China at the UN, to recognize the representatives of the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of China to the UN, and to expel the representatives of the Taiwan region from the UN and all the organizations related to it. Once and for all, the resolution resolved the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN. It made clear that there is no such thing as two Chinas, or one China, one Taiwan. On this matter of principle, there is no gray zone or room for ambiguity. The complete reunification of China will be achieved. Taiwan will eventually return to the embrace of the motherland. This is the overwhelming trend of history that no one and no force can stop. Mr. President, in a few days’ time, the People’s Republic of China will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its founding. Over the past 75 years, no matter how the world changes, China’s dedication has not changed. It is dedicated to pursuing happiness for the Chinese people and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is also dedicated to human progress and world harmony. In the course of seeking its own development, China has kept in mind the common interests of the whole world, generating new opportunities for the world through its own development. Not long ago, the Third Plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee made an important decision on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. It will set in motion a new journey where China joins hands with the world in common development and progress. Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to world peace. The Chinese culture values peace, and the Chinese nation has no tradition of external expansion. China, once a victim of foreign power bullying, knows full well the value of peace and the hard-won gains of development. In fact, China is the only major country that has written peaceful development into its constitution, and the only country among the five nuclear weapon states to pledge no first use of nuclear weapons. We are actively exploring and putting into practice the Chinese way of addressing hotspot issues, boosting the prospects for resolving the security dilemma and improving security. to foster a market-oriented, law-based, and world-class business environment. China has realized full mutual visa exemption with many countries, and is expanding its unilateral visa waiver program to facilitate two-way personnel flows. China is vigorously promoting high-quality belt and road cooperation, a concrete step to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China will also speed up the implementation of the eight measures in support of Global South cooperation and a series of initiatives supporting Africa’s peace and development in order to help countries in the Global South stride toward modernization. Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to improving global governance. China has been an abiding supporter of the UN’s continued reform and development to bring about a modernized UN 2.0. The international financial system needs to be more fit for the times, and global governance should be more balanced and effective. China will continue to fulfill its international obligations, provide financial support, and send our best minds to the United Nations. The UN system needs to respond to the legitimate calls of developing countries and increase the representation and voice of those in the Global South. Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to the advancement of human civilization. Chinese modernization is rooted in China’s commitment to the development of the world. China advocates that different civilizations respect and learn from each other to jointly advance the cause of human civilization. China has proposed the setting up of an International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations. We call for more people-to-people exchanges and cooperation across the world to promote understanding and amity among people around the world. Mr. President, next year will mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of this very organization. China stands ready to work with all countries to renew the founding purposes and mission of the UN, reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the UN Charter, advocate and practice true multilateralism, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and jointly usher in a better world. Thank you.

President: I thank the special representative of President Xi Jinping, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Minister for Foreign Affairs of China. I now give the floor to His Excellency Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.

Murat Nurtleu – Kazakhstan: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let me first congratulate His Excellency Philemon Yang on his election as the President of the current session. I assure him I wish him every success in his noble endeavours. Excellencies, as we gather here, the global system is dangerously close to a breaking point. Dozens of our fellow member states represented in this August Hall are gripped by conflict and instability, claiming many thousands of lives. Entire continents are affected by the climate crisis. Multilateralism is struggling to keep pace. And yet, the United Nations is still the indispensable, universal organisation. After almost eight decades, it remains a vital platform for dialogue and cooperation on the most acute issues of our time. This undeniable fact compels states to keep working through the UN towards a sustainable world. It reinforces our determination to seek global peace and stability. And this Green Podium, this Hall, reminds us that no nation, no matter how powerful, can tackle global problems alone. Excellencies, the plight of millions of conflict victims worldwide, across the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and parts of Africa, deserve immediate, decisive, and collective action. But the UN Security Council’s decision-making process is paralysed. As underscored by the Secretary-General, this sad reality undermines the credibility, legitimacy, and effectiveness of the organisation as a whole. Having annual discussions about reforming global institutions is no longer enough. It is time to enact the change our world so desperately needs. Last year, from this podium, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan introduced the initiative of world unity for just peace and harmony. This visionary framework seeks to cultivate peace, stability and security through meaningful and equitable engagement between the global south and global north. The voice of middle powers and developing nations are vital in bringing divides, bridging divides and nurturing a more effective international security architecture. It is in this spirit that I invite all nations to embrace my country’s initiative. Together, we can pave the way for a more harmonious and united world. Excellencies, the present risk of another nuclear arms race is exacerbating geopolitical polarization. For over four decades, Kazakhstan’s people and land were subject to the devastating effects of 456 nuclear tests. Nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation are key pillars of my country’s foreign policy. Kazakhstan is therefore deeply concerned by the escalating rhetoric of nuclear threats. We appeal to all nuclear states to adhere to the nonproliferation treaty and comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. I also urge those countries who have not joined the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons to do so as soon as possible for the safety, stability and survival of our world. As the chair of the third meeting of the TPNW, we will promote establishment of an international trust fund for assistance to victims of nuclear tests. Excellencies, another existential threat to no nation can afford to ignore is climate change. This year is expected to be the hottest on record. Droughts, floods and other weather calamities continue to cost lives and damage economies around the globe. We therefore call again on G20 countries and multilateral development banks to share the burden by providing green technologies and concessional financing to low and middle income countries in line with the Paris Agreement. Our region stands on the front line of global warming despite accounting for only 1% of global emissions. Central Asia will face an above average 2.5 degree increase in temperatures by 2050. This sober reality has deepened our commitment to addressing climate change. That is why my country will host the regional climate summit in 2026 aimed at further enhancing cooperation among UN members on climate resilience and green transition. One of the consequences of climate change is water scarcity across the world. It undermines food, energy, ecological systems. As the current chair of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, Kazakhstan is working with regional partners on a long-term and sustainable cooperation mechanism for the effective use of water and energy resources in Central Asia. Our approach takes into account the interests of all stakeholders in irrigation, hydropower and environmental protection. Excellencies, the largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan, actively promotes the interests of all LLDC countries in addressing the multi-faceted challenges our group faces. Despite significant strides, we are still far from implementing the Vienna Program of Action. We are lagging on critical indicators, particularly the adoption of innovative technologies for trade facilitation and the development of transit and transport corridors. These challenges magnify the vulnerability of LLDC’s chock of investments to diminish trade and escalate the debt burden. Furthermore, our geographical constraints prevent us from integrating fully into global trade and economic processes on an equal footing. We are dedicated to advancing our group’s vital interests globally and regionally. My country is already a bridge for 80% of overland transit cargo traffic between Asia and Europe. Kazakhstan is committed to strengthening synergies between the Belt and Road Project The Global Gateway Initiative and the North, South and Trans-Caspian International Transport Road Corridors. Together we have the unique potential to transform our landlocked status into land-linked connectivity. Excellencies, The Summit of the Future distinctly highlighted digital transformation as the dividing force behind the 2030 Agenda. Part of the true key to this shift is ensuring every nation has equitable access to cutting-edge technologies. The rapid development of AI exacerbates cyber threats and brings new challenges. This includes its potential use in warfare, the consequences for data privacy, the risks of misuse for information wars, deepfakes, and more. Kazakhstan believes the UN can and must play a leading role in this revolutionary field. We urge technological and digital advanced states to take an active part in developing common ethics and standards to govern AI in the most responsible and peaceful way. The establishment of a UN AI office would be a welcome step in this direction. Excellencies, In the current geopolitical landscape, Central Asia is increasingly asserting itself in global affairs. Our region is not only a crossroad of cultures and economies, but it is also rapidly transforming into a bridge for cooperation between East and West. To adhere to the formula, successful Central Asia, successful Kazakhstan. Along with our partners, we are building a more connected and resilient Central Asia through a set of C5-plus dialogue platforms. Today, our regional agenda also includes the development of Afghanistan into a stable and predictable state, a reliable trade partner. In this context, the United Nations Regional Center on Sustainable Development for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty will be a game-changer for coordinated SDG delivery. We do hope this innovative undertaking will receive broad support from Member States. Excellencies, upholding human rights is not merely an aspiration, but one of the key prerequisites of sustainable development. It is also the best antidote against those inequalities that are often the root cause of instability and conflicts. Our national reforms aim to build a just and fair Kazakhstan based on inclusivity, transparency, and the rule of law. My country has abolished the death penalty, instituted a zero-tolerance policy against torture, and strengthened national preventive mechanisms. To reinforce our commitment to the values of life and humanity, Kazakhstan, along with our Central Asian neighbors and Mongolia, is spearheading the initiative to build a We are advancing the UN Human Rights Council agenda by proposing impactful resolutions focused on children, child education, and combating domestic violence. Being one of the champions of repatriation of women and children from conflict zones in the Middle East, Kazakhstan will host an international conference in 2025 on best practices in the field of repatriation and reintegration. Through partnership with the UN volunteers, we are creating new opportunities for young people and actively promoting 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, both at home and on the global stage, Kazakhstan and its people stand resolute in our commitment to build a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future. Central to this mission is our unwavering dedication to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, embodying our shared aspiration for humanity. As we look ahead to the 80th anniversary of the United Nations next year, I urge all states to unite in the full implementing this ambitious agenda. We have the chance to transform this upcoming historical milestone into a true celebration of shared achievements. Let the summit of the future and the UN General Assembly session mark the beginning of a transformative journey towards a brighter and more inclusive future for all of us.

President: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. I now give the floor to His Excellency Chenda Sophea Sok, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia.

Chenda Sophea Sok – Cambodia: Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Your chosen theme, Leaving No One Behind, Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations, mirrors the prevailing aspiration of the international community despite intractable security threats and challenges, as well as uncertainty and continuously evolving geopolitical landscape. The current picture of the world is grim. Violent armed conflict in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, Myanmar and many other parts of the world and many more, rage on despite efforts to de-escalate them. Worse, with intensifying geopolitical tensions, any misstep in various flashpoints may trigger a regional or even global war, potentially involving nuclear weapons. Military spending has surged across the world, draining resources that could be used to address multiplying non-traditional threats, threats that no single country can effectively tackle alone, such as climate change, pandemics, food insecurity, technological disruption, transnational crime, and backsliding on SDGs. Mr. President, distinguished delegates, Cambodia cannot emphasize enough the urgency for all of us to act together to confront these daunting challenges. It is critical that the principles of the UN Charter and international law remain the backbone of the world order and global cooperation. The use of diplomacy and mediation must be prioritized to resolve conflict and prevent de-escalation. Cambodia believes that sustainable peace can be achieved only through meaningful dialogue based on mutual respect, genuine goodwill, tolerance, and a commitment to peaceful coexistence. Based on these core principles, Cambodia sees great merit in the new Agenda for Peace presented by the UN Secretary General and supports the actions laid out in the Pact for the Future for promoting international peace and security. Also based on these principles, Cambodia hopes for a prompt end to the war between Russia and Ukraine through diplomacy and dialogue based on equal respect. We commend all efforts to de-escalate the fighting and all initiatives that seek to end the war through peaceful means and that engage all sides to work together towards a lasting peace. On the Palestine-Israel conflict, Cambodia remains committed to its long-held support for a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions. We believe this plan is the only way Palestinians and Israelis can heal their prolonged antagonism and live side-by-side peacefully. Cambodia supports the establishment of the State of Palestine and Palestine’s bid to become a full member of the United Nations. Cambodia condemns all acts of terrorism and calls for dialogue to stop the ongoing war and the ever-worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We are deeply concerned over the prospect of an all-out region-wide war in the Middle East with the latest report on intensifying fighting in Lebanon. The current rapid escalation of war in this region must stop. Members of the international community must insist on all sides to work proactively to seek ways to defuse the very grave situation now. The crisis in Myanmar remains a serious concern to us. Cambodia, along with other ASEAN member states, is committed to the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus as the basis for a peaceful and inclusive solution. We stress the importance of fostering an environment conducive to dialogue and to cease-fire negotiations. We also emphasize the The need for humanitarian relief and for a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led political process aimed at a lasting peace and reconciliation. ASEAN, on the strength of its diversity, should continue to lead the effort to help Myanmar restore normalcy and the Laos chairmanship. On the other hand, Cambodia welcomes the appointment of UN Secretary-General on Myanmar and looks forward to her working closely with the ASEAN Chair’s own Special Envoy on Myanmar. A final point, Cambodia opposes unilateral coercive measures. They have a detrimental impact on ordinary citizens in targeted nations. Sanctions and economic blockades disproportionately harm the most vulnerable and impede achievement of these sustainable development goals. Mr. President, distinguished delegates, let me touch now on leaving no one behind. Given Cambodia’s own dark past, we believe that peace is the key prerequisite for development, especially development that is sustainable and inclusive. Cambodia sees the attainment of sustainable development and human dignity for every individual as an absolute necessity. Cambodia’s current long-term development strategy, called the Pentagonal Strategy, aims to build Cambodia into a vibrant and just society that thrives on lasting peace, political stability, good governance, and respect for the rule of law. With economic growth projected to reach 6% in 2024, Cambodia is on track to further reduce poverty to below 10% by 2028. It is also on track again to gain upper middle income status by 2030 and high income status by 2050. How do we get there? First, Cambodia will give top priority to building its human capital to meet the demand of the digital age. We will invest more on, first, quality education, science and technology, second, training and technical skill, third, health and well-being, and fourth, food security and equal social protection with special attention to women, girls, and the marginalized. Second, we will deepen economic diversification by developing key sectors such as transportation and energy, and we will promote new drivers for economic growth and job creation. The construction of the Phunan-Decho Canal, inaugurated last month, will connect our capital, Phnom Penh, to the Gulf of Thailand. It will be a game-changer for sustainable growth in Cambodia and for improving the livelihood of our people. Third, to enhance efficiency, inclusion, and access to public services, Cambodia will accelerate the development of e-government and of a digital economy and society. I am happy to note our significant investment in financial inclusion with the introduction of an interoperable digital payment system by the Central Bank using blockchain technology called Bakong. Fourth, we take a whole-of-society approach to development that seeks to enhance resilience, sustainability, and inclusion by promoting gender equality, a green and circular economy, and environmental protection. After years on the list of the least developed countries, Cambodia looks forward to its expected graduation by LDC status by 2029. these milestones will reflect our impressive progress on our journey of revival and development. Mr. President, distinguished delegates, Cambodia values multilateralism, the rule-based international order, the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and international law. These are indispensable for consensus building and mobilizing concerted actions. And we worry that confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of multilateralism is eroding. Conflicts are multiplying. Geopolitical competition is intensifying. Adherence to international regimes is declining on many fronts. Armed control, trade, the environment, human rights. In this time that member states reaffirm, it is time that member states reaffirm their commitment to the global system and rebuild trust in it. The United Nations, with its unparalleled convening power, has long been the driving force in addressing global challenges and promoting cooperation among states. But unprecedented challenges today are testing the limit of this esteemed body. We urgently need to revitalize the UN and make it more robust and more proactive. Cambodia fully supports the Secretary General’s reform agenda, including the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform. The UN Security Council needs to be tailored to the 21st century and to be effective for today’s task. Its composition must be more fairly representative. As the Secretary General has rightly stated, we can create a future fit for our grandchildren, with systems built for our grandparents. Cambodia also fully supports the Secretary General’s call for bold climate actions. To achieve net zero emissions by 2050, as it has pledged it would do, Cambodia has launched many measures, including raising the current 62 renewable energy share. In July, under ECOSOC, we welcomed the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration on SDGs. We reaffirmed our commitment to the 2030 Agenda. We endorsed an effort to bridge the SDG financial gap, reform the global financial system, and strengthen multilateral governance. As all of us together look to the future, it should seem evident that no nation can achieve these ambitious goals alone. Global challenges demand global solutions. Cambodia is committed to strengthening international cooperation, sharing knowledge and best practices, and working collaboratively with our global partners. By acting together, all of us here can create a world where peace, sustainable development, and human dignity are a reality for all our peoples. Cambodia commends the success of the Summit of the Future and reaffirms our steadfast commitment to the letter and the spirit of the Pact for the Future, to international peace and security, to turbo-charging SDGs, to modernizing multilateral institutions. Mr. President, distinguished delegates, Cambodia is proud to play a significant role in global peacekeeping. Since 2006, we have sent over 9,000 of our people to serve in 11 UN missions, including over 800 women. We are honored to present our candidacy for membership in the Organizational Committee for the Peacebuilding Commission for Thailand. We seek your support for our bids. Cambodia supports relevant adjustments and reforms to increase the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations and promote the agenda for women, peace and security, and youth peace and security. Cambodia is also honoured to host the 5th Review Conference of the Mindband Convention, also known as the Ottawa Convention, in November in Siem Reap. This landmark event will serve as a platform for renewed global solidarity in the pursuit of a world free from the scourge of anti-personal mind. We extend a warm invitation to all Member States to join us for this important gathering. To conclude, Cambodia reaffirms its steadfast commitment to working hand-in-hand with the UN and all Member States to advance the noble goals of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity. Cambodia stands ready to contribute our unique experience, resources, and unwavering determination to this endeavour. For Cambodia, sustainable and inclusive development means no one and no place is left behind. I thank you for your kind attention.

President: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of Luxembourg.

Xavier Bettel – Luxembourg: Colleagues, it’s an honour to be in front of you again for being able to speak about the situation and how we see the world. I listened to a lot of speeches and when I listened to the main theme of the topic we had last week and the beginning of the week, No One Behind, I have to tell you that we are in a bit of a special situation. How should you explain to someone in Palestine, in Lebanon, in Kiev, in so many different places around the world that we want to leave no one behind? That just because of war. How would you explain to some of the countries now that after some national elections the development and the aid for those more poor countries are cut by saying no one behind? How do you want to say to people waiting outside, demonstrating outside that we came here together to find solutions about all the troubles that we have nowadays? I can tell you that for them we are just discussing but not acting. We are like a very barking dog without teeth, barking all the time but leaving so many people behind. That’s just a not so optimistic introduction but this is the case how it is today when I see that for the moment 60 conflicts are existing and about 50 conflicts could start tomorrow. So in total we have about 115 conflicts potentially or existing already and they go from Congo to Yemen, from Sudan to Myanmar, from Syria to Venezuela, from Haiti to Libya, from Armenia to Azerbaijan could happen tomorrow. So you see the whole world is in fact, if you look geographically, in conflict. You have these big conflicts we speak a lot about but you have also all these little conflicts who are not on our agenda every day but where people suffer that much also. I have next week a meeting of the French-speaking countries and as I want to be welcomed, don’t And now, excuse me, I will continue also in French. When I speak of the major conflicts that exist, let me begin with Ukraine. This week we had President Zelensky here, and a lot of you have been to Kyiv. You’ve been there to support Ukrainian colleagues. And I remember the discussions that we’ve had here, and I see a couple of colleagues from the Russian Federation here. That’s good. It’s something new. Very often they leave the room. I’d like to ask them today why there is this war. Why this war? I remember at the beginning of this conflict, a lot of you felt that this wasn’t my role, but I tried to dialogue with President Putin and also have a dialogue with President Zelensky, and I remember the arguments that were put forward. I won’t tell you details of my discussion with President Putin, but asking why Russia has attacked Ukraine. And it was – we were told that it was Ukraine that wanted to make Russia fearful, that it was a danger to Russia. Beginning a war is easy. Ending a war is what requires greatness. And you can have peace conferences. They are organized. But without the presence of Russia or China, believe me, these are moments of moral support for Ukraine. But if we want to find a solution, then you have to get everybody around the table to find a lasting solution for Ukraine. We ourselves are Luxembourg, and we are a small country, but twice we have experienced aggression. Twice we thought we had neighbors that thought they knew better for our country than we did ourselves. And so we understand the suffering of Ukraine. We know what it is to have a bigger neighbor and a neighbor that feels they know better. Today, in the European Union, Germany is a brotherly country, a partner country with France and Belgium. And we are lucky to have the European Union of 1957. And when we see conflicts in this world, you see that the European Union, and we’re not always the best example in everything, but you can see that we live in peace. And that goes from Baltic countries down to Portugal, from Greece to Ireland. And you can see that it works when you sit around a table and discuss things. Or at the time when we had conflicts, you see that it was force that was the response. So let’s get around the table with our partners, but let’s have peace talks where we also have the Russian partners and the Russian partners participating so that we can work out a plan for the future. Luxembourg does what it can. We have supported demining, for example. And don’t forget, I just visited Laos. 30 years after the war, 40 years after the war, people are still dying from remnants of war. And don’t forget that if tomorrow the war in Ukraine comes to an end, there will still be victims tomorrow and the day after and the day after that as human consequences of having placed mines everywhere. We have to also help children that have been deported to Russia, and we need to ensure that impunity is not the rule. And after conflict, of course, referring to Ukraine, I have to refer to the Middle East. This week we’ve had discussions with partners to find a two-state solution. For me, what is important today is that we have to be conscious of the fact that there won’t be a winner of this war. What’s being caused here? How do you explain to a young Israeli that Palestine is a friendly country when their brothers or sisters are held hostage by Hamas? How do you want to explain to a young Palestinian that Israel, its neighboring country, somebody said after the if the head of Hezbollah is killed there’ll be no terrorism that’s the same but these terrorist organizations are like octopuses if you cut off one arm another one grows there’s no one approach against them fanaticism we we have to restore the hope of young people and if we don’t find a solution quickly we are training future generations for Hamas and Hezbollah in that region that is so full of conflict 40,000 people already dead UNRWA which is an organization that is part of this house let’s remember that and that is being placed on the list of terrorist organizations are we all going to accept that our own agency working there be considered as a terrorist organization and for those that are not familiar with UNRWA’s work I counsel you to go to Palestine and see what UNRWA is doing on the ground providing education health if there wouldn’t be that if UNRWA wasn’t there they’re doing everything to ensure that they can do what they can so many people have already given their lives to UNRWA to help the Palestinian people and if we accept here that UNRWA is considered a criminal organization we open the Pandora’s box for everything we have to understand today that there’s no alternative to UNRWA and no one is saying well I can replace UNRWA I can I can deal with Palestine tomorrow whatever happens So, I really do urgently call upon Israel to stop placing an agency of this House on a terrorist list, and we are not reacting to it. That means we’re accomplices in accepting everything. Now, I understand that Israel has the right to self-defense, but there are limits as well, and it’s important to be balanced. On this matter, people always want to say you’re for Israel or you’re for Palestine or you’re against one or against the other. No, you can be for peace. You can be for the civilian population without being in favor of one or not in favor of the other. We think too much about this one party against another party, and it’s the civilians that suffer. We talk about recognition as well. My country is one of the few countries that has not recognized. Some countries have recognized. Okay, but that recognition is a one-time thing. I don’t want to have recognition just as a symbol. I want it to have an impact. So that’s also a message to all of you that haven’t yet do this. Let’s coordinate, have an exchange of views, and see how we can have an impact on the ground so that that has an effect, not just to say, well, we’re giving moral support and that is – we want to help the people that are there on the ground. And there will need to be a two-state solution. We need a two-state solution, and we need to realize that peace in Palestine will constitute the security of Israel. And without peace in Palestine, there will never be any guaranteed peace for Israel. They go hand in hand. And I’d like to have this coordination between countries. And if there is no coordination, then we need to think about possibly opening up a diplomatic representation in Israel and in Palestine that we haven’t yet done as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, to stress that we want to have two states that we recognize. And when I think of the vote that was held here a little time ago, Do you agree with the interpretation of the ICJ? We asked for an opinion. Let’s not forget that. Do we decide afterwards whether we want to respect that opinion? You don’t wait for a judge to give a ruling and then say whether you agree with it or not. No, you request an opinion of a judge and then you request the opinion of that international organisation or it may as well not be there in the first place. So, the Sahel, another difficult area where some years ago we were discussing with partners. Now we’ve seen coups and instability in Africa. People who are becoming refugees because they’re afraid that they might be mistreated by the coup leaders that took power overnight. What’s important for me, I’m a foreign affairs minister, but I’m also a minister for cooperation. We’ve spoken about the Pact for the Future, we’ve spoken about this investment and I remember as former prime minister the Millennium Goals, the MDGs. Now we have the Sustainable Development Goals and particularly this year is the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and we speak about these things. But we forget as well. As new minister for cooperation, I have established new criteria. I, for example, have asked countries with which we’ve signed an agreement that I don’t want to dictate things. For a long time Europe thought it knew what was best for Africans. No, Africans have to make their own choices. But it’s important to support them as well through cooperation policies and then you can have partnerships, you can have exchanges and collaborations. What I ask of those countries, however, is not the minerals, it’s not about their economic recovery and I’m not asking them to change their legislation. All I’m asking is that they don’t backslide, that they don’t go backwards. So in other words, the rights that exist for everybody already are respected, be that the rights of women. When I think of a country that’s a member here where women don’t have the right anymore to be educated, do we accept that? No. And I won’t shut up about that. I don’t accept it. Where religions can’t be followed in a country, no, I don’t accept that. And when we ask that the rights of minorities and gender minorities are respected as it exists today and there be no backsliding, I will say something if that’s not the case. This week I was at a meeting with a head of state, an African head of state, and I wanted to work with them. And I spoke about these three conditions. The importance of respecting them. And that head of state told me with regard to sexual minorities that if their population feel that homosexuality is a crime, then they will criminalize it. To be a head of state, Mr. President, is not always to do what the majority wants. It’s also to defend the minorities in a country. You can’t always follow what some people want against others, to be done against others. In a country of diversity is what makes the wealth of a country. And if tomorrow rights that exist now are withdrawn, that means that I can’t have a serene dialogue with that country if they go in that direction. And I regret that very much. And I’m not asking anybody to change their rules on abortion or religion or to have marriage for everyone or give rights today that don’t exist. But don’t backtrack. These are things that we’ve seen in Europe and elsewhere in the world. So don’t make that mistake of going back to a previous world. And the pact for the future. And we’ve got SDG 16, rule of law and justice. I’d like to thank – I’m grateful for the discussion that we’ve had here talking about the rule of law. Now, in the EU even, we have certain countries that see this rather flexibly. I don’t think that’s acceptable. And we have had to take action within the European Union against certain countries. But we do have to keep our backbone here when it comes to women’s rights and justice. Women’s rights, for example, in Luxembourg. We’ve discussed whether we should give additional Money to political parties that place more women on electoral lists. But why give a premium for something that should be normal? We have decided that if somebody doesn’t do this, there will be less money. But why should we give more money for doing something that should be normal? No, you can make progress, logical progress, rather than giving a premium to an organization to do something that should be normal. The environment. When I look at the SDGs, we speak about the environment. Well, that seems to be a little bit forgotten. I mean, we had a lot of demonstrations, Fridays for Future and others, and then the economy seemed to take the upper hand on the environment. And don’t forget that some countries might disappear with the environment. I mean, we’re surrounded by other big land masses, so we won’t. But some islands might risk disappearing. Are we aware that it might not be a popular view, but if we don’t act, then we will be leaving heritage to future generations that we won’t be proud of. There’s a COP coming up in Baku, and I think that that will be a very important point in time for all of us. And today we have a conflict between them and Armenia, and I hope it will be solved before that COP. Let’s do that. Let’s commit ourselves to peace in Azerbaijan. Let’s show that we can be proud to come to Baku, that we can be proud to have results where everyone will be happy to have gone without having it in the back of their minds. Is there a risk that tomorrow there might be a conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia? So let’s deal with that. That’s really all I can recommend. Then with regard to this dog that barks but never dies. Yes, in Europe we have rules like we do in the UN that date back to The Leftovers of the Second World War, with the five permanent members and Africa not represented. And in 2024, now we’re asking ourselves, well, how can we have a Security Council talking about the world without Africa being represented? That’s the first thing. And now we’re being told, well, it would be good to have this and that country as a permanent member. I’m not opposed to that, but it’s not by enlarging the circle of the privileged that we will become more efficient. If we want to be more efficient, effective, we have to ask ourselves the question whether it’s normal that a permanent member through a veto is able to block a process. No, it’s not. I think you have to think about this Security Council reform. Why couldn’t it be that if a country enters a veto and the two-thirds majority would be able to overturn that veto and that then there would be a vote in the General Assembly? And if two-thirds here as well voted in a different direction to the veto, then that veto would be rendered ineffective. If we want to make progress, that’s the only thing we can do. Just having more members in the Security Council would just be expanding the problem because more people would have the right to veto. So I conclude here, Mr. President, by saying that being a permanent member of this House is not a privilege. It’s a responsibility. And if you look at the time that this was created, it was done by countries that were there to guarantee power. They were the major powers that were there because they were the guarantors of peace, whereas today some of them are more troublemakers than anything else. And they prevent us finding peaceful solutions which are in everyone’s interest. My dream, Mr. President, is to come here one day and address you being convinced that we can say that in this world, and I said this three or four years ago in my speech, that we can say that in this world, and I said this three or four years ago in my speech, Irrespective of where we are and the color that we might have, the religion that we might follow, our gender, our sexual orientation, how much money my parents had, I have the same chances, the same rights, but also the same obligations. And then I would be proud to be part of an international community. I thank you.

President: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of Luxembourg. I now give the floor to His Excellency Abdoulaye Maiga, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization of Mali.

Abdoulaye Maiga – Mali: Distinguished President of the General Assembly, distinguished Heads of State and Government, Secretary General of the United Nations, Ladies and gentlemen, at the outset, I’d like to convey the warm greetings of His Excellency Colonel Assimi Goïta, President of the Transition Head of State of Mali, and those of the Government and people of Mali. Mr. President, I’d like to also warmly congratulate you on behalf of the Malian delegation on your brilliant election to the presidency of the 79th session of the General Assembly. Your beautiful country, Cameroon, an African country that is our brother and friend, enjoys excellent relations with my country. You can count on the full support of the Malian delegation. support of Mali as you fulfill your mandate successfully. Here I also congratulate your predecessor, Ambassador Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, for his outstanding leadership of the work of the 78th session of the General Assembly. And lastly, allow me to reiterate to the Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Antonio Guterres, our encouragement to continue his efforts to achieve the noble goals of our common organization. Mr. President, on June 26, 1945, by signing the UN Charter in San Francisco, the peoples of the world pledged resolutely, I quote, to protect future generations from the scourge of war, which twice in one human lifetime inflicted unthinkable suffering upon humanity, end quote. Today, we have the opportunity to discuss the following theme, leaving no one behind, acting together to promote peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for our present and future generations. The choice of this theme, 79 years after the signing of the UN Charter, is it a simple coincidence or the outcome of a certain mindset? We don’t know. However, we must note, unfortunately, that the question of preserving generations is still a keenly relevant one, not only future generations but also our own generation. Is this a failure of the UN? It is certain that an objective assessment with realistic recommendations regarding our collective system would be key for our future. Mr. President, Mali, commends the relevance of this theme, which is one of pressing importance. It is true that tensions and wars currently underway continue to jeopardize international peace and security, development, and the fundamental rights of populations. This comment comes from a country that, since 2012, has been experiencing a multifaceted and complex crisis that has led to the loss of more than half its territory and caused many innocent victims through an incestuous opportunistic association of terrorist groups and armed forces – armed groups. Mr. President, the drama in Mali dates back to the allegiance between the cell office group for call and combat of al-Qaida to the GSPC, Algerian – Algerian GSPC, on September 11, 2006, exacerbated by the intervention of NATO in Libya in 2011, a reckless intervention. The destabilization of this country, this brotherly country, has exacerbated insecurity in our country through terrorism, all kinds of trafficking, laundering of capital, and community conflicts manipulated by terrorists and their foreign state sponsors, as well as the violent actions of certain individuals. For their part, the Malian authorities, having noted and witnessed the failure of international forces – on their territory since 2013, decided to take their fate back into their own hands. And since June 7th, 2021, after the swearing-in of His Excellency Colonel Azimi Goyta, President of the Transition and Head of State, a vast campaign was launched to equip and reorganize the defense and security forces associated with a Malian transformation project. The National Refoundation Conference was launched in December 2021. It allowed Malians to engage in an exhaustive diagnosis of the causes of the crisis, followed by the adoption of 517 relevant recommendations. In this vein, and after having experienced insecurity caused by the circumstances, we took stock of what was happening in Mali, and it was frightening. Mali was battered, humiliated, looted and pillaged, abandoned, left high and dry, stabbed in the back. I could go on with these expressions to describe the suffering experienced by the people and the Malian defense and security forces. Based on this experience, knowing that the danger to Mali resulted from these circumstances, His Excellency Colonel Azimi Goyta, President of the Transition and Head of State of Mali, laid forth a realistic vision of the geopolitical situation. Using a popular Bambara proverb, which I hear loosely translate, the delectable sauce on one man’s table comes from the theft of another man’s cattle, Thomas Hobbes, describing the state of nature in a similar manner, stated that man is the wolf of men. Based on these proverbs about gastronomic and hunting references, the head of state described the ruthless reality of international relations, and especially the role of Africa, the looting of the raw commodities of which serve the development of others and not Africans for the most part. In addition to this vision, the head of state instructed or called on Malians as part of the re-foundation to become themselves again. The head of state, on April 23, 2024, launched the National Program for Education on Values, which aims at a return to our origins, without which it would be difficult to imagine a bright future for our country in its legitimate quest for sovereignty. This call to become ourselves again has to do with the question of who we are. The immediate response to this question was provided by the slogan of Mali. One people, a great family and cosmopolitan nation. One goal, to amplify diversity in unity. To better define what it means to be Malian, Prof. Ibrahim Ndiaye, expert within the Committee on the Implementation of the National Program for Education on Values, stated that Malians are characterized on one hand by five cardinal values, humanity, empathy, the obligation to transmit human values to future generations, the sense of honor, accepting differences and otherness on the social, human, and cultural fronts. And on the other hand, five inviolable principles that have to do with the country itself, that is an indivisible, inalienable Mali, a Mali that’s not for sale, a Mali that’s no one’s property, an imperishable Mali. Mr. President, by being themselves, Malians have forged a third path. They are not becoming predators, lawless barbarians that seek to rustle other people’s cattle, but also not to become eternally powerless victims of predation. The middle path promoted by Mali consists of carrying out our own development, taking a more virtuous path, ensuring the respect of our sovereignty while respecting that of others, rejecting outside control, and refusing to interfere in others’ internal affairs, remaining open to all partnerships based on a win-win relationship. It’s also important to note that these principles and values characterize Bintadis Bintandis, the Burundi peoples of Burkina Faso and Niger. With regard to the Malian political transition, we must recall that following the National Refoundation Conference, the Malian people chose to conduct political reforms before holding elections in order to firmly establish virtuous governance. The implementation of the recommendations of the conference allowed us to achieve tangible results, especially the establishment of the independent authority of elections management, the adoption of a new constitution on July 22nd, 2023, following a well-organized referendum, the completion of our territorial and administrative reorganization, strengthening our fight against corruption and bolstering transparency in public action, and the revision of our mining code to make it more equitable and to favor local regulations. Mr. President, to further foster national unity, which is the basis of all development, the head of state announced on December 31st, 2023 the holding of the Inter-Malian Dialogue for Peace and Reconciliation to, quote, eliminate the root causes of community and inter-community conflict with the ultimate goal of reconciling these communities. Based on a participatory and inclusive approach, the Inter-Malian Dialogue took place in three stages on the communal, regional, and national levels, allowing Malians, both within the country and abroad, to engage in transparent exchanges to find Malian solutions for prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts. Unlike the agreement on peace and reconciliation that resulted from the Algiers process, which certain parties, signatories to which have actually turned toward terrorism, which has become a pretext for certain states to interfere in our internal affairs, the Inter-Malian Dialogue allowed Malians to air the dirty laundry within their families without external interference. After the demise of the Algiers Accord on January 25th, 2024, today the Inter-Malian Dialogue and its recommendations, officially submitted to the head of state on May 13th, 2024, remain the only reference frame for internal conflict resolution. We once again call on all Malians to join this trend toward reconciliation, a key stage toward returning to constitutional order which would be secure and stable thanks to the holding of presidential elections. When it comes to combating insecurity, since the Malian Defense and Security Forces began launching offensive actions autonomously, they’ve achieved many successes with regard to combating terrorism. Several regions have now been recovered from the hands of terrorist groups, especially the region of Kidal on November 14th, 2023, after a memorable military operation. Today, terrorist groups have been severely weakened. The Malian Defense and Security Forces have been deployed throughout the national territory. In addition, our forces’ offensive The government of Mali remains aware that a purely security-based response is limited in its effectiveness. That’s why, in addition to military action, the government of Mali has a comprehensive integrated strategy with the goal of restoring the authority of the state throughout the national territory. It includes political administrative measures as well as measures for economic and social development, including dialogue with armed groups and the provision of basic social services to our brave population. Despite these concrete and positive results, these criminal groups continue to have a certain capacity to cause trouble through their desperate attempts to undermine our territorial integrity, and they are terrorizing our populations. And here, from this podium, I must denounce the support for these groups from foreign state sponsors. After years of denouncing these state sponsors that are supporting international terrorism, Ukrainian authorities flagrantly violated in an unprecedented way the UN Charter, as well as the relevant UN conventions and resolutions regarding the prevention of terrorism. And the officials of this country, having confused the international arena for a theater stage, acknowledged their participation in the cowardly terrorist attack against a patrol of the Defense and Security Forces on July 24th to 26th, 2024, in Tinzawatin in the region of Kidal. Mr. President, in light of the conflict situation in the Sahel, motivated solely by their desire to take their country’s fate into their own hands, Their Excellencies Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of FASO, head of state of Burkina, Colonel Asim Egoita, President of the Transition, head of state of Mali, and Brigadier General Abdurrahman Tiani, President of the National Council for the Salvation of the Homeland, head of state of Niger, launched the Alliance of the States of the Sahel, which is a collective defense and mutual assistance architecture to combat terrorism, by signing the Liptakogorma Charter on September 16th, 2023. Ten months later, exactly ten months later, on July 6th, 2024, the founding fathers of the AES, the Alliance of States of the Sahel, sovereignly decided to transform this mechanism into a confederation based on three pillars, diplomacy, defense, and development, with the ultimate goal of bringing about a federation. Very quickly, important results were achieved. in the fight against terrorism, thanks to our pooling of our resources for defense, as well as joint military operations, and thanks to our tireless commitment to eradicating terrorism. That is why the member states of the Confederation of States of the Sahel on August 19, 2024, sent a joint letter to the Security Council of the United Nations to condemn the support of the Ukrainian authorities for international terrorism, to denounce aggression against Mali, and to demand that the Security Council take appropriate measures against the Ukrainian government. Here, I would also like to recall that this letter was sent at a time when Mali was still waiting for the outcome of a previous letter sent to the Security Council from August 15, 2022, which exposed the acts of aggression committed by France against Mali, as well as France’s involvement in the promotion of three forms of terrorism in the Sahel – armed terrorism, economic terrorism, and media terrorism. With a surface area of 2.758 million square kilometers, with 71 million inhabitants, most the young people, with an outstanding economic potential, as well as mineral resources covering almost all of the elements of the periodic table, the Confederation of the States of the Sahel, based on the heads of state, peoples, and defense and security forces, are well aware of their own dignity and their honor. And they’re more motivated than ever by the blood of their own treacherously spilled. They are resolved to combat terrorism in all of its forms and to honor the memory of victims, civilians and soldiers, Sahelians and foreigners. They are determined to defend their territorial integrity and to ensure their prosperity in a peaceful manner, as laid out in the preamble of the Lip Takabuma Charter, which refers to various international organizations, including ECOWAS, and to universal values. As for the lords of war and chaos, with the assistance of God, we will triumph again and always over your sinister and diabolical schemes. Strangely, since the creation of the AES, we’ve been surprised by the fierce hostility it has encountered, especially from certain officials of ECOWAS who are Acting on the orders of imperialist and neo-colonial entities The rest of history is well known. Amadou Hampate Bah said, I quote, If you try too hard to get rid of a pesky frog, it will end up settling in your own pond, end quote. The Confederation of States of the Sahel is open to all investors as long as the partnership benefits the populations of the Sahel and as long as it respects the sovereignty of states. Mr. President. Here, I would like to commend relations of cooperation, which are exemplary and productive between Mali and Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, and many other of our true allies. Mali remains open to all partners that wish to help it address its many challenges. In this regard, I reaffirm that the government of Mali remains willing to pursue and bolster its cooperation with the UN, especially through its agencies, funds, and programs with which we enjoy excellent cooperation relations. Here as well, we would like to commend and recognize the wisdom of His Excellency, President Abdelmajid Tabun, President of the Democratic Republic of Algeria. On August 29, 2024, during a visit to the south of Algeria, you had said that Libya, Niger, and Mali were brotherly nations which you supported and would never harm. The Malian people were not surprised by these remarks, which eloquently demonstrated your Pan-Africanism, like that of your celebrated predecessors, including late President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, effectuously nicknamed Abdelkader Mali. After his establishment in Gao and the commitment made by Malian authorities through the following actions – offering Malian territory as a rear base for the Mujahideen, thus opening up a southern front, taking part in armed battles against the French colonizers, deploying Malian combatants alongside Mujahideen on the Algerian territory to defend the freedom and dignity of Algerians, defending the Algerian cause and all diplomatic institutions until they recovered their independence. However, it is our duty to call to your noble attention The incongruous remarks made by two of your colleagues, which go against your wish to promote harmonious relations with your neighbors, including Mali. On July 31st, 2024, the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs declared that the Malian crisis did not need a military solution. He said this is a conflict between brothers. The solution must be political. With regard to the Algiers Accord, he stated that it was beneficial to Mali and had protected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Mali. Deviating from this accord, therefore, would have a negative impact on all of its achievements, he said. In addition, on August 26th, 2024, your representative to the UN declared, I quote, this morning I learned from media reports that a drone carried out a strike in the north of Mali killing about 20 civilians. Those who were operating this drone can be held accountable to no one, end quote. If you look at those first remarks, you can see major interference in the internal affairs of Mali. The nature of the solution used by the Malian authorities concerns only the Malians themselves. With the demise of the Algiers Agreement on January 25th, 2024, Malians have only one wish regarding its fate, that it rest in peace. Distinguished Minister of Foreign Affairs, the accord is dead and gone, and you will not be able to resurrect it. Here I would like to reiterate that no one loves Mali more than Malians. I also remind you that Mali and its people are not just spectators in the face of attacks and adversity. For every bullet fired against us, we will reciprocate. For every word employed against us, we will reciprocate. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. As for the Algerian PR, in addition to providing Rubin Bord, I’m sure associated with delicious dishes like shakshuka and shorba, for fugitive terrorists and renegades, his role as go-between is in no way assisting the promotion of neighborly relations. In his remarks, he makes serious baseless accusations, on one hand implying that the victims were civilians, which is defamatory and irresponsible, and on the other hand, he stated that the operators of the drones were not accountable to anyone. This helps to fuel a disinformation campaign against Mali while supporting the idea that the valiant Malian defense and security forces would be incapable of themselves operating drones. Here, I would like to remind you that the rise and the improvement of the Malian armed forces is a tangible reality that has helped us to regain control of all of our national territory. The operators were indeed Malians who acted with professionalism, like the rest of the defense and security forces, and they were targeting terrorists in accordance with international norms. I remind you that several years ago, those who promoted the instrumentalization of human rights were determined to tarnish the counterterrorism performance of the national Algerian army, and they highlighted the subversive question of who is killing whom. And today, we are very disturbed that the Algerian PR himself is the one weaponizing human rights against the Malian army. Mali calls for these two mad diplomats to stop meddling in history. Clearly, they have no idea about the history between the people of Algeria and of Mali and the contributions of Mali to the war of liberation in Algeria. They also are ignorant of geography because they wrongly consider Mali to be a wilaya, that is, an Algerian province. Mr. President, Mali, I repeat, calls on these two wayward diplomats to cease to interfere in this history. They clearly know nothing about the history between Mali and Algeria, and they wrongly consider Mali to be a wilaya, that is, an Algerian province. I repeat once more, Mali calls on these two wayward diplomats to cease to interfere in a history they don’t understand. They clearly are ignorant about the history between the peoples of Mali and Nigeria, the extraordinary contribution of Mali to the war liberation in Algeria, and they are also ignorant of geography because they wrongly consider Mali to be a Wilaya or an Algerian province. Mr. President, with regard to the regional international situation, Mali remains closely – continues to closely follow developments in Africa and the rest of the world. We are deeply concerned by the violence in the Middle East, especially occupied Palestinian territory. The Malian people reaffirm the support for the brotherly Palestinian people in a legitimate battle for self-determination. The government of Mali reaffirms its support for the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within secure, internationally recognized borders. We condemn without reserve the indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli army against the Palestinians. On the humanitarian front, Mali is concerned by the situation, the dire plight of millions of refugees and IDPs throughout the world due to armed conflict, natural disasters, and climate change. Here, I’m thinking in particular of my countrymen who are refugees in neighboring countries, countries that I thank for their hospitality and generosity. I assure them that the government of Mali will spare no effort to continue to assist them and to pave the way for a dignified return of these refugees, a safe and dignified return to their homes. There are many challenges to international peace and security, and these call for a reform of the UN architecture. In the same vein, Mali continues to advocate a reform of global political, economic, and financial governance to create optimal and just conditions for the development of our countries. In light of this, Mali continues to call for a reform of international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF. Similarly, we welcome alternative and credible models such as BRICS. Climate change constitutes a real threat for current generations. We must have the courage Thank you all for your courage to leave behind dogmatism and narrow self-serving interests with regard to this issue. The time has come to effectively implement the decisions of our summits and of our COPs. The countries that caused climate change must shoulder their full responsibility, including by supporting the efforts of countries of the South to engage in eco-friendly development. Mr. President, in closing, I would like to observe that this 79th session of the General Assembly is taking place in a context marked by massive challenges for our states and for our multilateral institutions. International peace and security have never been in such danger since the two world wars, including in danger from international terrorism and violent extremism. In this context, it is difficult to attain the SDGs by 2030 when it comes to education, health care, access to drinking water, energy, and justice. However, despite these obstacles, Mali remains ready to fully play its role in the implementation of its national and international commitments while continuing to hope in the future. May God bless Mali and preserve Malians from obscurantist and destructive forces throughout the world. May God bless the Confederation of States of the Sahel and protect the populations of the Sahel from obscurantist, destructive forces throughout the world. May God bless Africa, and protect Africans from obscurantist and destructive forces throughout the world. May God bless the world and protect all of humanity from obscurantist and destructive forces in the world. Thank you for your very kind attention.

President: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization of Mali. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia.

Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi – Indonesia: Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Mr. President, this is my last opportunity as the Foreign Minister of Indonesia to represent my country to speak before the UNGA, a decade of so many challenges, but at the same time, a decade of Indonesia’s many contributions in addressing global issues. One of them is Palestine. Indonesia cannot, I repeat, cannot sit back and relax seeing the injustice that continues to be committed against the people of Palestine. Indonesia is and will always stand with the people of Palestine to attend their right to have an independent state of Palestine. As I speak now, more than 41,000 people in Gaza have been killed. Situations in the West Bank and Lebanon are deteriorating. Is that not enough? Will the Security Council only take action to stop Israel’s atrocities when all Palestinians are displaced, or when 100,000 Palestinians are killed, or when a regional armed conflict breaks out? That will be too late. PM Netanyahu yesterday mentioned, and I quote, that Israel seeks peace, that Israel yearns for peace. Really? How are we supposed to believe that statement? Yesterday, while he was here, Israel conducted unprecedented massive air attack on Beirut. PM Netanyahu wants the war to continue. We must stop that. I repeat, we must stop that. We must pressure Israel to come back to a political solution for a two-state solution. Mr. President, the overwhelming majority of the UN members strongly support the two-state solution, and this is the right time to walk the talk. Recognizing the state of Palestine is the least that we can do now to give Palestinians equal footing on the world stage and to exert pressure to Israel to stop their atrocities. Therefore, I urge countries that have yet to recognize the state of Palestine to do so now. If every each of us does it, for sure it will give impact. The recognition of Palestine today is an investment that will yield a more peaceful, just, and human world tomorrow. Once again, Indonesia urges the permanent members of the Security Council to concretely act to immediately stop Israel from blatantly violating international law and to end Israel’s impunity. The mandate of the Security Council is to maintain peace, to create peace, not to maintain and prolong wars, or even worse, to support the perpetrator of atrocities. Inaction means complicity. Colleagues, wherever Indonesia goes, we carry the voices of the global South. Indonesia started this commitment in 1955, when Indonesia hosted the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung, Indonesia. The Bandung spirit of equality, cooperation, and solidarity will always be alive to inspire the global South to gain their rights, including their rights to development. That is the spirit that we need if we want to have a global leadership where moral virtues are the compass of our business. Do not bury the principle of the UN Charter and international law under the rubble of double standard, trust deficit, and zero-sum game. Mr. President, Excellencies, against these global challenges, Indonesia continues to be part of the solution. By embodying this commitment, Indonesia’s presidency in 2022 managed to prevent the G20 from collapsing, despite deep geopolitical division. During the global pandemic, we led the establishment of the Pandemic Fund and co-chaired the COVAX AMC Engagement Group to ensure that Indonesia’s future is secure. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Indonesia continuously calls for inclusive partnership in addressing global human rights issues. And amidst regional rivalries, Indonesia pioneered the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific as a framework for concrete and inclusive cooperation. To embrace, not to contain. We have demonstrated that global leadership will never be attained through force, domination, and fear. Global leadership should be about guiding collective action by listening, empowering the collaboration, and instilling hope. This is, what I say, leadership without hegemony. Mr. President, Excellencies, to attain this vision, we must focus on three key priorities. First, advancing peace through inclusive leadership. Multilateral systems should be reformed. The UNSC must be an inclusive space for peace, where a wider range of voices can be heard, and timely decisions can be taken for our collective good. Without peace, our efforts to attain global goals such as the SDGs will remain a dream without reality. Indonesia is committed to contribute to global peace by being one of the largest troops contributing countries in UN peacekeeping missions, and remain firm in our proactive role to counter terrorism. We also strive to ensure that the peace we are promoting will be inclusive by advancing the Women’s Peace and Security Agenda, contributing to women’s empowerment. including pursuing equal access to education to women and girls in Afghanistan. Investing in women is investing in peace. Empowering women is empowering prosperity for all. Second, ensure a resilient future for shared prosperity. Indonesia believes in a future where all nations thrive no matter how big or small. But the global pandemic and impact of climate change has shown us all that to prosper together, we must work together. Therefore, the implementation of the Pact for the Future is important to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs and scale up partnership and sustainable development even beyond 2030. At the same time, geopolitical tensions have also significantly impacted the global supply chain, affected the development trajectory of the global south, many of whom remain unable to freely exercise their right to development. In this context, Indonesia has taken proactive steps. Earlier this month, Indonesia held the second Indonesia-Africa Forum to enhance cooperation in international supply chains and connectivity and build collaboration in preparing for the future challenges. Indonesia also hosted the 10 World Water Forum this year. We believe that water is a crucial element for shared prosperity. And third, building bridges to foster global collaboration. Colleagues, a winner-takes-all and take-it-or-leave-it mentality should no longer exist when collaboration is the only antidote in addressing the global challenges of today. For Indonesia, a world where the only option is us versus them will only result in the world of us or them. Global solidarity and collective responsibility is the answer. The essence of the Bandung spirit, and this spirit guided us through our G20 presidency in 2022, chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023, and continuous effort to voice the aspiration of the global south. Indonesia envisions a world where nations collaborate together to address shared challenges, uphold international law, and protect human rights and dignity of all people. In Southeast Asia, ASEAN with 650 million people has proven that diversity can coexist with stability, peace, and prosperity. Indonesia also continues to work with ASEAN to restore peace and stability in Myanmar through implementation of the ASEAN Five Points of Consensus and to enable the safe and dignified return of the Rohingya people. Beyond ASEAN, we also continue to deepen our engagement to the Pacific region to become part and parcel of an inclusive and peaceful Indo-Pacific architecture based on the principle of solidarity, equality, and mutual respect. Mr. President, colleagues, peace, justice, and humanity will always be at the core of Indonesia’s foreign policy. Indonesia understands that global leadership is not something that is inherited, nor does it fall from the sky. It must be earned through our collective efforts. Rest assured that Indonesia’s commitment toward common peace, common prosperity, and common security will be carried forward across Indonesia’s successive administrations. It is in this spirit that I am proud to announce Indonesia’s candidature. I am pleased to present the candidates for a non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council for 2029-2030. This candidature reflects our deep commitment to contributing toward global peace and security. So, colleagues, let us work together to build a legacy of peace for our future generation. Thank you very, very much.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Sergey Lavrov – Russian Federation: Distinguished Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, a few days ago, within this building, the forum entitled the Summit of the Future took place. Russia showed understanding to the Secretary General’s idea to convene that summit, since the crisis of our organization is growing worse and something needs to be done about that. And we were involved honestly in the preparations for the summit, although, quite frankly, we didn’t have any particular illusions about it. In the contemporary history of the UN, there have been many ambitious events that concluded with loud declarations that were quickly forgotten about. For example, in 2000, the Millennium Summit declared the task of freeing people from the scourge of war. Just two years after that, the USA, at the head of the Coalition of the Willing, under the laughable pretext, without a mandate from the UN Security Council, invaded Iraq, a country which has still not been able to recover from the destructive consequences of that escapade. In 2005, the UN World Summit declared a commitment to establishing a just peace in accordance with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter. This sacred obligation certainly didn’t stop the USA and their allies from… from getting the then leader of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili in 2008 to unleash an armed aggression against the people of South Ossetia and Russian peacekeepers. And a further three years after that, NATO organized the military intervention in Libya, destroying its statehood and undermining the stability of neighboring countries. In 2015, the UN Summit on Sustainable Development adopted grandiose plans to combat poverty and inequality, but they turned out to be empty promises in light of the reluctance of the countries of the West to refrain from their neo-colonial practices of mining the wealth of the entire world for their benefit. Just look at the statistics of the promises that were kept in terms of financing the development of the countries of the Global South and the transfer of environmentally friendly technologies. Just like Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon in the past, the current Secretary General advanced his own initiative under the slogan of rebooting global cooperation. It’s an excellent slogan. Who could be opposed to that? But what global cooperation can we really talk about at a time when the West has trampled all of these unshakable values of globalization that they’ve been telling us about for so many years from this rostrum, trying to convince us that they would ensure equal access for everyone to the goods of contemporary civilization? There is the inviolability of property, the presumption of innocence, the freedom of speech, access to information, fair competition on markets with understandable and unchanging rules. The Secretary General is talking about global cooperation at the same time as the countries of the West have unleashed a veritable sanctions war against a good half, if not the majority of states in the world. And the dollar, which was advertised to us as the heritage and good of all of humanity, has been grossly transformed into a weapon. For more than 60 years, there has been a trade blockade of Cuba, the cancellation of which the overwhelming majority of members of the international community are calling for. In the pursuit of the ever more ephemeral aim of preserving their domination, Washington is blocking the normal work of the World Trade Organization on dispute settlement and reform of the Bretton Woods institutions, the structures of which, for a long time now, have not reflected the real balance of forces in the global economy and finances. The West also wants to transform the UN into a tool for advancing its mercantile plans. As was shown by the Summit of the Future, there are more and more attempts to erode the intergovernmental nature of the organization. Long necessary changes in the staffing of the Secretariat are being held back. If the Secretary General is calling for a reboot of global cooperation, then the Secretariat must advance unifying ideas and propose compromise options, rather than coming up with excuses to introduce into the UN’s work narratives that are beneficial to the West. It is not too late to do that, but in order to do that, we cannot have unrealistic summits and declarations. Rather, it must be done through rebuilding confidence and trust on the basis of the charter principle of the sovereign equality of all member states. However, as long as confidence is being undermined, for the time being it is, and the actions of the West to create in circumvention of the UN narrow formats that are subordinate to it to resolve fateful issues such as Internet governance and artificial intelligence. But those problems affect the future of all of humanity, and they must be considered on a universal basis, without discrimination or trying to achieve unilateral advantage. That is to say that there must be an honest negotiation involving all members of the UN, rather than the way that the so-called pact of the future was prepared for, without a single plenary round of negotiations that all countries would be involved in. But instead of that, the work was carried out under the control of Western manipulators. As a result, the pact, even before it was born, had already joined the pantheon of declarations that sound nice in English. Sad as it is, that is the fate of products of these world summits. However, things are not any better when it comes to implementing Security Council resolutions, which are binding. The sabotage of decisions on the Kosovo settlement and the Dayton agreements on Bosnia and Herzegovina says a great deal, but the most glaring example continues to be spinning We have been working out over almost 80 years the consensus resolutions on the creation of an independent Palestinian state coexisting in peace and security with Israel. There can be no justification for acts of terrorism, which Israelis fell victim to on the 7th of October last year, but everyone who still has a sense of compassion is outraged by the fact that the October tragedy is being used for the mass collective punishment of the Palestinians in the form of an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The killing of Palestinian civilians with American weapons must immediately be ended. It is important to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave, the reconstruction of infrastructure, and, most importantly, it is important to guarantee the realization of the legitimate right of the Palestinians to self-determination and to allow them not in words but in deeds, as they say, on the ground, to create a contiguous and viable state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem. Another glaring example of terrorist methods as a means of achieving political aims is the inhumane attack on Lebanon that transformed civilian technology into a lethal weapon. There must be an immediate investigation into this crime, but already we cannot remain silent in the face of the many publications in the media, including in Europe and here in the United States, that indicate to varying degrees the involvement and, at the very least, awareness of Washington when it comes to the preparation of that terrorist attack. We understand that the Americans always deny everything, and they do everything they can to hide any facts that come to light, as they did in response to the irrefutable evidence of their involvement in the terrorist attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Those gas pipelines, incidentally, were a marvellous symbol of that self-same global cooperation that our Secretary General dreams of, but as a result of their destruction, the competitiveness of the European Union in the global economy has been undermined for long years to the benefit of the United States. It is on the West’s conscience as well that the The truth about those who organized many other heinous crimes has been put on a back burner, including the bloody provocation in the Kiev suburb of Bucha and the series of poisonings of citizens of Russia in Britain and Germany. The UN Secretariat cannot remain separate from efforts to establish the truth in situations that directly impact global security, and in doing so is obliged to strictly observe Article 100 of the UN Charter to act impartially and to avoid the temptation to play into the hands of individual states, particularly those that are actively calling not for cooperation, but to divide the world into the flowering garden and the jungle, or to those sitting around the table of democracy and those that are on the menu. We must not forget also about the service record of those that demand that their rules be implemented by the rest of the world. The invasion of Afghanistan and the glorious 20-year presence there of the infamous coalition was accompanied by the formation of al-Qaeda, a direct result of the aggression against Iraq that was the creation of ISIL. Unleashing the war in Syria gave rise to Jabhat al-Nusra, which is now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and the destruction of Libya opened the floodgates for the permeation of terrorism into the Sahara Sahel region and for the flow of millions of illegal migrants to Europe. We call upon all of those who are thinking about the future of their peoples and countries to be very wary of any new escapades by those who invented these rules. We are particularly concerned by the now almost commonplace practice of political killings, as once again took place yesterday in Beirut. The tragic and unacceptable turn of events in the Arab-Israeli conflict in Yemen, in the Red Sea Basin, in the Gulf of Aden, Sudan, and other hotspots in Africa, reflects an indisputable fact. Security can either be equal and indivisible for all, or it won’t be for anyone. An understanding of what would seem to be a simple truth in the context of European security is something that Russia for years has been trying to impart to Washington, London, and Brussels, who are obsessed with their complexes of their own exceptionalism and impunity. Although they initially promised not to expand NATO, and in 1999 and in 2010 they signed in official documents of OSCE summits an obligation to not ensure their security at the expense of others. In fact, the North Atlantic Alliance for three decades has been been carrying out the geopolitical and military expansion of NATO into Europe. It is trying to take root in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, creating direct threats to the security of our country. And now the same is happening in the Asia-Pacific region, where NATO infrastructure is creeping in to contain or deter China and Russia. Narrow military-political blocks are being created that undermine the inclusive security architecture under the ASEAN umbrella. And the West is not only not remembering about the global cooperation that our Secretary General is such a fan of, but openly, in their doctrine documents, they are harshly accusing Russia, China, Belarus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Iran of creating threats to their domination. In respect of Russia, they have declared the aim of dealing it a strategic defeat, almost just like London and Washington planned in May 1945, with the development, even before the end of the Second World War, of an operation entitled Operation Unthinkable to destroy the USSR. Back then, this was kept top secret, but the current Anglo-Saxon strategists are not hiding their ideas. For now, they do its true hope to defeat Russia using the illegitimate neo-Nazi Kiev regime, but they’re already preparing Europe for it to also throw itself into this suicidal escapade. I’m not going to talk here about the senselessness and the danger of the very idea of trying to fight to victory with a nuclear power, which is what Russia is. Equally senseless are the Western backers of Kiev swearing that there is no alternative to negotiations based on the infamous peace formula. They are defending this doomed ultimatum by shamelessly invoking the UN Charter, demanding the territorial integrity of Ukraine be ensured. And I would like to recall, in particular, I would like to remind the colleagues in the Secretariat that the Charter isn’t just about territorial integrity. Charter 1 of the Charter declares the obligation to respect the principles of the equality and self-determination of peoples, and that served as the international legal basis for the process of decolonization, which incidentally still needs to be completed, however much the French, the British, and other former colonial countries may resist. In 1970, the General Assembly unanimously established, decided in its declaration, that everyone must observe the territorial integrity of those states whose governments respect the rights of peoples to self-determination, and on that basis provide the entire population living on that territory. And I underscore that this was a unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly following long years of difficult discussions. There’s no need to prove that Ukrainian neo-Nazis, having seized power in Kiev as a result of the U.S. and allies-supported bloody coup d’etat in February 2014, didn’t and are not still representing the Russian population of Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya. and others doing anything they can to talk about human rights are in a very telling way staying silent about these rights when it comes to the racist actions of their clients in Kiev. In the light of this forgetfulness, I’ll remind you about another requirement again in Article 1 of the UN Charter, the requirement to respect the rights and fundamental freedoms of any person regardless of race, sex, language and religion. The rights of Russians and those that feel that they are part of Russian culture following the coup of Trudita in Kiev have methodically been exterminated. The Russian language in Ukraine is banned by law in all areas, in education, the media, art, culture and even in day-to-day life. Recently, another law was adopted banning the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. These are gross violations of the rights of Russians enshrined in the UN Charter and they bring with them threats to the security of Russia and all of Europe stemming from the Kiev regime and those that are dragging it into NATO. And all of these are the root causes of the current Ukrainian crisis. It is to address these that is the aim of the special military operation that Russia is carrying out to defend its security and the present and future of the people on their native lands. We value the sincere aim of a number of our partners to advance, out of the best interests, mediation initiatives. We value their constructive results focus unlike the hopeless Zelensky peace formula. We call upon our friends in their further efforts to take into account in full the facts that I have mentioned about the real reasons of this situation, the real causes of this situation. Unless they are addressed, a just UN Charter-based peace will not be possible. A realistic settlement plan was outlined by President Putin on the 14th of June when, once again, convincingly, he demonstrated Russia’s goodwill when it comes to achieving negotiated agreements, the prospect for which were thrown out by Kiev and its backers as a result of the coup d’etat in 2014. The disruption of the Minsk agreements. in 2015 and the Istanbul Agreements of 2022. The unprecedented level of arrogance and aggressiveness of Western politicians against Russia simply not only nullifies the Secretary General’s idea of global cooperation, but it is increasingly also blocking the functioning of the entire system of global governance, including the Security Council. That’s not something we chose, and we’re not responsible for the consequences of this dangerous course. However, if the West doesn’t stop, there will be serious costs that will be felt by everyone. It is clear to the global majority that confrontation and hegemony will not resolve any global problem. They will only artificially hold back the objective process of the formation of a multipolar world order that will be based on the equal rights of large and small nations, that will respect the values of human identity, the equality of men and women, and the rights of peoples to determine their own fate. And incidentally, all of these are also quotes from the UN Charter, just like the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states as well, a confirmation of which, to the shame of the members of our organization, was blocked by the US and their satellites at that very same summit of the future when the pact was adopted. Speaking on the 18th of September, before the participants in the fourth Eurasian Women’s Forum in St. Petersburg, President Putin underscored the need for a pooling of efforts in the name of sustainable development and general, universal, equal, and indivisible security. Addressing the most complex problems facing all of humanity is something we can only do together taking into account one another’s interests. The West must realize this and refrain from its neo-colonial ideas. The Global South and the East are more loudly speaking about their rights and their fully fledged participation in decision-making processes on the whole range of the international agenda, which is becoming particularly relevant in a situation in which the West is steadily destroying the model of globalization that they themselves created. The role of interstate associations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America is growing stronger, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the African Union, the community of Latin American and Caribbean countries, the League of Arab States, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and others. The contacts between those regional integration structures are being established among themselves and also with the global association the BRICS, which is creating opportunities for harmonizing approaches and agreeing on mechanisms for mutually beneficial cooperation and development that are not under the control of any negative external force. All of these objective processes need to be taken into account in the work of the G20 as well, where the G7 is no longer able to pick the tune. We need to take a new look at ways of ensuring security in various regions, learning lessons from the sad experience of the functioning of the NATO-centric models, or the so-called model of Euro-Atlantic security that the West has used to serve their own expansionist ideas. Russia advanced the initiative of forming an inclusive architecture of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia, which, and I wish to underscore this, is open for all states and organizations on our shared continent. We stand ready to work together to find mutually acceptable solutions, the use of interlinkages and the natural competitive advantages of a single Eurasian space. This will be the subject of an international conference in Minsk that begins on the 31st of October this year. We are not stepping away from dialogue with the West. In July, upon the proposal of Russia, there was an open debate in the Security Council on the subject of building a more just, more sustainable world order. We believe it is important to begin the discussion that has begun in the UN as well as in other platforms. A fairer world order undoubtedly requires the expansion of the representation of the Global South in the UN Security Council. We support our position in favor of the candidacies of Brazil and India, while at the same time taking a positive decision on the well-known initiatives of the African Union. However, of course, we cannot even talk about any additional seats for Western countries who are already excessively overrepresented within the Security Council. Ladies and gentlemen, May next year we will mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War, during which the genocidal policy of the Third Reich killed tens of millions of people, including 27 million citizens of all of the peoples of the Soviet Union. These crimes do not have a statute of limitations. in the interests of giving rebirth to those ideals that were enshrined by the Founding Fathers. That is the aim of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter that was created upon the initiative of Venezuela. Its purposes and principles remain fully relevant, and the most important thing is to make sure that absolutely everyone is guided by those principles, not selectively, choosing from a menu, but rather in their entirety and as they are interlinked, including the principle of the sovereign equality of states. Then, working in favor of forming an honest balance of legitimate national interests, the legitimate national interests of all countries, we will be able to give life to the purpose of the UN that is enshrined in the Charter, to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations. Thank you.

President: I now give the floor to Her Excellency Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Alicia Bárcena Ibarra – Mexico: President, distinguished delegates, I would like to convey to you the greetings of our President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. And I am honoured to come back to this General Assembly, where it was my home for many years, to address you now as representative of Mexico. We are facing a turning point. The neoliberal hegemony has shown its palpable failure, given a model of extractivist development that only socializes losses, privatizes gains, impoverishes people and devastates the planet. The arms races and wars are once again part of international geopolitics. The devastation of the environment is only continuing. Frustration and miscontent are fueling extremism in proposals that deny people’s rights and once again deny democratic values. The institutions of the international system are losing legitimacy. This is what the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, was referring to in his address when he spoke about a purgatory of polarity and instability, which are symptoms of civilization crises and stages of transition in which the old has not yet died and the new has not yet been born. The similarities between the current times and the interwar period in the last century is increasingly evident. They are also increasingly concerning because we know how things turned out then, terrible years in which the global production became a conveyor belt for war, where humanity once just became one more good. However, history also teaches us that in these crises with bravery and courage, it is possible to change the destructive path of destiny. In the interwar period last century, Mexico’s foreign policy wrote an exceptional chapter showing humanism, solidarity and respect. for International Law, which are characteristic of us. Mexico gave itself the task of upholding the value of the League of Nations, justice, self-determination, integrity, independence and equality between its members. With these flags, we categorically condemned the arms race, the invasions of Manchuria, Austria, and Ethiopia, and the progress – the advance of fascism in Europe. And after the Second World War, Mexico led the declaration of Latin America and Caribbean as being an area free – a zone free of nuclear weapons. Today, like them, Mexico is trying to build emancipatory alternatives. This is part of our Mexican humanism, which is the result of our millennium-old history and compass in our project to – for national transformation, building a fair, equal, and fraternal society, a moral economy that guarantees the equal distribution of income and respect for the environment. This is a revolution of consciences, which has made it possible for us to change the increasingly precarious living conditions that our people had suffered before, during, and now. Things are different under the administration of Andres Manuel López Obrador. Now, more than 9.5 million Mexicans have been brought out of poverty in five years, and the Gini coefficient has reached a historic low. The minimum wage has gone up by 135 percent, which has dispelled the inflationary myths of those who wish to maintain the status quo. We’ve also got rid of tax breaks, strengthening the public coffers, and putting an end to corruption and tax evasion and avoidance. All of this has been done against a backdrop of responsible public finances, which has made Mexico a destination for investment. We’ve also taken unprecedented measures at the constitutional level to recognize the rights of indigenous people. to guarantee the equality and political participation of women, and also to leave a clear legacy of social achievements in our constitution, so that nobody can deprive future generations of these things. These premises are also reflected in our foreign policy, because Mexico is a country of migrants, and we are no strangers to any stage of the migratory cycle. In line with our experience, we have rolled out the Mexican model for human mobility. This is a proposal that aims to manage migration comprehensively in a holistic way, to deal with its structural causes, and with hemispheric cooperation. The model has five pillars, empowering Mexican communities abroad, and advocating the United States to adopt ways for them to be fully regularized. Secondly, to beef up and broaden cooperation for development in communities of origin and return. Three, to address the political factors and economic sanctions that prevent development, hamper development, and lead to irregular migration. Fourth, to bring about safe, orderly, and regular ways of people to move to get work. We have said it loud and clear. Migration is not a problem. It is a phenomenon. It’s not a crime, and migrants are not criminals. The problem is the factors that lead people to leave their homes, and the dangers that they’re facing when they don’t find legal ways to migrate, and practices that criminalize them. From this rostrum, we rightly recognize the contributions of more than 37 million Mexicans who live in the United States. They are very able workers who provide $324 billion per year to this country’s GDP, and they are critical for the economy of both countries. We have been able to change the narrative and conversation with the United States to focus on the structural causes. We have also convened leaders of the countries of origin in the region in Palenque with strategic agreements that have been able to reduce clashes on the border between Mexico and the United States by 66%. We also said loud and clear that development and stability will not be the norm of the international system unless we guarantee the rights and inclusion of women. As the first country in the Global South to adopt a feminist foreign policy, we hosted the third ministerial conference on feminist foreign policies, and in the declaration, the conference recognized a range of commitments that are reflected in the pact of the future. But just this week, only nine women heads of state and government actually spoke at this rostrum, only nine out of 133 countries. The world cannot make headway without half of its population. Never again anything about us without us, because the future will be feminist or it will not. As Nicholas Stern said, climate change is the greatest market failure of all time, and it is also the greatest global challenge that we have. The only way to mitigate it is to take collective and simultaneous measures. These require financing and they require that countries fulfill shared, common, but differentiated responsibilities. We reiterate our commitment to the Paris Agreement, the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal framework and the biodiversity convention and the synergies between the three Rio conventions. We need to restore the integrity of our ecosystems as providers of essential goods and services for the economy and for social well-being and also for climate stability. We have taken part in the consultative processes of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, ITLOS, the Inter-American Court on Human Rights, and the International Court of Justice on states’ responsibility. We will continue to work to achieve the ratification of the Agreement on the Conservation of Marine Biodiversity in Areas Beyond International Jurisdiction and to maintain the moratorium on mining extraction on the seabed. The security context in the world, friends, is changing enormously. We are alarmed by the growing various threats to international peace and security, particularly the violations of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the increasing risks of a nuclear war, the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced. Against this backdrop, we defend the territorial integrity in all geographical contexts, including in Ukraine and Palestine. We are in favor of a political solution and negotiations that include both parties, Russia and Ukraine. In this regard, we welcome the initiative of Brazil and China on there being a group for peace set up in New York. The war has gone on too long and it affects us all. We are all losers, apart from the mercenaries of death, apart from those arms companies that are making money out of suffering and the losses of millions of people, children and the destruction of entire families. Against this concerning backdrop, we need to redouble our efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons. Their devastating effects cannot be contained in space or in time, and that is why they are contrary to international law and the survival of humanity. But firearms are also a source of violence and insecurity throughout the world. Mexico is suffering from the flow of more than half a million weapons into its territory every year. They flow in illegally. The arms industry needs to be held accountable for its negligence, and Mexico has turned to the courts with this in mind. We are convinced that the arms industry is a key part of the expansion of this problem as well as how to solve it. Mexico is well aware of how the illegal flow of weapons is the other side of the coin of the illegal flow of drugs and organized crime, in particular in our country’s northern border. Friends, humanity in Gaza has shown itself to be bankrupt given the inaction of the international community. More than 70 percent of the victims of this war have been women and children. More than 85 percent of civilians have had to flee their homes. Most of the people there lack access to food, water, and electricity. That is why we requested to intervene in the case brought by South Africa before the ICJ on the implementation of the International Convention on the Application of the Convention on Genocide. And together with Chile, we referred the situation in Palestine to the ICC, and we also sent an amicus brief to the court to highlight the court’s jurisdiction. We reject the false dilemma between sterile violence of terrorism and the disproportionate punishment wrought by governments who are blinded by the double standard. To make the two-state solution a reality, the United Nations resolutions need to be adhered to as well as the ruling of the ICJ on practices in the occupied Palestinian territory. The institutions and rules underpinning our international system are the last line before barbarism. That is why we categorically condemn the flagrant violations by the current Ecuadorian government of the most basic standards of international coexistence and the principles of the United We thank the United Nations Charter with their violent, illegal break-in of our embassy in Quito on the night of the 5th of April, the attack on our diplomats and the illegal abduction of one person to whom Mexico had given political asylum who remains a prisoner and who is seriously ill. We reiterate our thanks to the international community for the widespread condemnation of this fact. We cannot forget it or normalize it. Dear friends, we know one thing, which is that the United Nations Security Council needs urgent reform. Mexico proposes eliminating the veto entirely. And until that is not achieved, at least limiting the veto in cases of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Our region, Latin America and the Caribbean, is one of our priorities because the progress of any of our countries means the progress of all. Defending dialogue, stability, democracy, and in so doing, we have proposed the peaceful settlement of disputes and we have been guarantors in the peace process between the Government of Colombia and the ELN. And we have hosted two cycles of negotiations. We’ve also hosted talks between the Government of Venezuela, the Democratic Unitary Platform and the United States. Following principles of solidarity, self-determination and the well-being of people, we will continue to be involved in supporting Haiti in rebuilding its stability and security. We reiterate our condemnation of the economic embargo imposed on Cuba for more than six decades. This violates international law. And we believe that Cuba must immediately be taken off the United States list of countries alleged to be sponsors of terrorism. Mexico, honoring its tradition of asylum throughout our history, Dear friends, on the 1st of October, we will inaugurate the administration of the first female president in 200 years of our country, Dr. Claudia Scheinbaum. With her leadership, the humanist government will – indeed. Thank you very much. The first woman. With her leadership, the humanist government will deepen efforts to combat poverty and inequality, will focus on well-being and the shared prosperity, because the equality for women has now arrived, in protecting the environment and respecting our national heritage. We have to work together. Our foreign policy will continue to deploy our highest values, focusing on our roots and our struggles. We offered hope in the face of fear, solidarity in the face of hatred and humanism in the face of devastation. Ours is a world that offers a backdrop that is somewhat dispiriting. Citizens around the world are finding little that gives rise to optimism. Every day we see on our screens scenes of cruelty and the almost arithmetic mechanical reporting of how many people have died. Many people are looking at the United Nations now, at this house, and legitimately looking, given the intelligence that you can see in these rooms, looking for us to be in line with our promise and to ensure that dialogue and diplomacy can prevail. And rightly, they’re frustrated to see that rather than brothers rather than the collective defense of human dignity, rather than applying equal standards in international law, instead of this, factional geopolitical interests are being imposed and shameful double standards. And without any kind of shame, there is this naked empire of force being used, which is another way of saying the obscene concentration of power in the handful of a few who benefit from the status quo, the privileged and those who find this situation profitable. The misery and blood of so many people, simple externalities that are not reflected in their balance sheets. We, the nations of the world, build this house, the United Nations, to forge a different path. And today we say that in spite of all of its shortcomings, it is this civilizational work that deserves our commitment and, if necessary, reasonable alternatives. These are the foundations that the human family laid down after the two world wars, the tool that we had to use. But today we see it appears to be impotent, inert, faced with the rage of barbarism, helpless, given that its mission is being frustrated. We need to sow new seeds of hope, changing governance and architecture, because almost decades on, the world, its challenges and its physiognomy can no longer be recognized in a mirror that obstinately reflects the world of 1945. We need to recover trust in multilateralism and its institutions, in agreement and cooperation, in the belief that in spite of our rich diversity of colors and geographies, we are brothers and sisters belonging to the same community, the same planet, with the same destiny. That is why the Pact of the Future convinces us to renew this commitment, to vanquish fear and mistrust. In this path, in the building of a fair world, you will always find in Mexico a loyal companion, a committed partner, and a fraternal brother. We need to take ownership of today to build tomorrow. And as José Emilio Pacheco said on the eve of another era in 1968, he said, one world is falling apart, another world is being born. The darkness surrounds us, but the light is glimmering. He said, there is no hope, but there is life, and everything belongs to us. And I would also like to quote Eduardo Galeano, who said, what if we start to exercise the never-before-proclaimed right to dream? What if we are delirious for a while at the beginning of this millennium, forcing ourselves to look away from the infamy to dream another world, a world where justice and freedom, Siamese sisters condemned to live separately, will once again sit side by side, one where we’ll be compatriots and compatriots of all of those who are determined to seek justice, wherever they may have been born and wherever they may live or when they may have lived, without any regard being given at all to the borders of the map or time. Thank you.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mexico. I now give the floor to His Excellency Espen Barth Eide, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway.

Espen Barth Eide – Norway: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Our United Nations was born as the Second World War ended. Shattered by the experiences of two devastating wars, with their unspeakable atrocities, wise people came together to write the United Nations Charter and to establish the United Nations Organization. The Charter codifies the key principles of international law, including the prohibition of the use of force, but in self-defense or upon the authority of the Security Council. Effectively, wars of aggression were outlawed, whereas the inherent right to self-defense was reconfirmed. In the Charter, and flowing from it in the years to come, we also established the other key principles that codify international humanitarian law, as well as international human rights law. This is the quintessential set of principles that shall govern international relations. However, our Secretary General was perfectly right when he pointed out that if violations and abuse is allowed to continue with impunity, the very foundations of the UN Charter is under threat. And indeed, they are under threat. President, for the first time in 79 years, we have a major interstate war in Europe. In its war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia is in blatant violation of the very essence of the Charter. It violates the principle of sovereignty, inalienability of borders, and the prohibition of use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of another member state. Let’s safeguard the equality of all states, large and small, always and everywhere, and are fundamental for member states’ security. Norway stands by Ukraine. Like so many friends of a free and independent Ukraine, we contribute significant military and civilian assistance, and we are determined to do so as long as it takes. We want Ukraine to prevail. We want peace in Ukraine. But it must be a just peace, in line with the key principles of the UN Charter. An unjust peace would imply that we, once again, are living in a world where might makes right and where borders can be changed by force. If we must all reject such an outcome, it would set a terrible precedent. My fellow delegates, even wars have rules. International humanitarian law, as embodied in the Geneva Conventions, lays out the key principles of distinction and proportionality. Warring parties are obliged to follow these rules, irrespective of whether the war itself is legal. Every member of this Assembly is bound by the Geneva Conventions. They are as much a part of our common commitment to a rules-based order as the Charter itself. The principles under international humanitarian law are obligatory, not optional. For the rules to work, we have to be consistent in their application. We must treat similar cases similarly, irrespective of the context. We must speak out if our adversaries violate these rules. It is equally important that we speak out if our traditional friends violate them. In fact, It is in the latter case that we demonstrate that we do see these rules as universal. President, almost a year has passed since Hamas’ heinous terror attack on Israel on October 7. Its effect on Israeli society can hardly be overestimated. We condemn these horrific acts in the strongest possible terms. The hostages that are still in Hamas’ captivity must be released immediately and without conditions. There is no doubt in our mind that Israel, like any other state, has a right to defend itself against terrorism. At the same time, Israel, like any other state, is bound by international humanitarian law. The immense suffering inflicted on the Palestinian population in Gaza is beyond comparison. Much of Gaza has been turned into rubble. At least 41,000 people have been killed, and many more are injured and maimed for life. I echo the Secretary General when he says that nothing can justify such collective punishment. Norway was among the very first Western countries to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. We have condemned the violations of international humanitarian law. We have expressed great concern about the severe limitations of humanitarian access and the shocking number of UN staff, aid workers and journalists killed. We stood on UNRWA’s side when it was subjected to a smear and defamation. While so many countries suspended their funding, we increased ours, and we reached out to co-donors to encourage them to return. I am pleased to see that almost all donors are now back. President, the Middle East is going through one of its darkest years. In the West Bank, illegal Israeli settlements are expanding at an alarming pace. Settler violence is rampant. And as we have gathered here at the UN this very week, Lebanon has seen its deadliest days in decades. We are at the brink of a major regional war. Even neighboring countries that long ago entered into peace agreements with Israel are under immense pressure. The situation is worsening by the hour. And make no mistake, the conflicts in the region are deeply intertwined. Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed this Assembly. His core message was that we all have to choose. Either we are with Israel, or we are with Iran and its proxies. He also stated that there could only be peace once Hezbollah and Hamas were totally defeated. President, we have seen this film before. I didn’t like the ending. Twenty-two years ago, in response to the terrorist attacks on this very city, another leader stated that we were either with him or with the terrorists. This division into a simplistic notion of black and white, leaving no space for nuance or complexity, let alone impartiality, and with an excessive trust in military force alone, is utterly dangerous. And indeed, it did not end well. We need to learn from past mistakes. However, President, in every crisis lies an opportunity. I remain convinced that there is no credible alternative for lasting peace other than a two-state solution. While ceasefires in Gaza and in Lebanon are most urgently needed. Ending hostilities must not be confused with lasting solutions. Serious thinking is required here and now, to prepare for the day after. Two days ago, almost 100 Member States took part in a meeting called by Saudi Arabia, the European Union and Norway, launching a global alliance to implement the two-state solution. Three decades after the Oslo Accords, more and more states are realizing that endlessly waiting for the right moment to negotiate will not work. I call on those states that have not yet done so to recognize the State of Palestine and to allow it to become a full member of this organization. We call on everyone who can to help to build Palestine’s institutions, and on regional actors to help embed a political settlement in a broader regional framework. President, we are witnessing from the front row the shortcomings of the institutions that we established in 1945. The adoption of the Pact for the Future is a major success for this United Nations. With this, we have resolved to update our institutions and our practices across the three pillars of peace and security, development, and human rights. We also opened a conversation about the critically important issue of how to make artificial intelligence a force for good. President, Norway supports a reform of the Security Council that makes it both more representative and more efficient. Both permanent and elected seats should be added, and the historical injustice to Africa should be mended. The use of the veto should be limited rather than expanded. When the UN Charter was drafted, Norway was an early proponent of the principle that no state should vote in its own case. And indeed, this principle is enshrined in the Charter in Article 27.3. This principle is, however, repeatedly ignored by the Security Council. But again, this principle is an obligation. It is not an option. To make our development efforts more efficient, we need to reform the international financial architecture. And in order to enhance the ability of states to provide essential services to their populations, it must be possible for them to tax their citizens and their companies. Norway will continue to be a driving force for international tax cooperation, including by supporting a UN Framework Convention. Central to the pact of the future are robust commitments to gender equality and women’s rights. Innovation must be at the forefront. Not because it is the right thing to do, but because it is the smart thing to do. We need equitable societies. We must build more effective and accountable institutions, including in this very organization. President, the triple planetary crisis is mankind’s most daunting challenge. To save our planet, we must adapt our economies. The future must be renewable, circular, and nature-friendly. There is good news, President. Despite increasing political divides, the last few years have seen that multilateralism can deliver when it comes to the relationship between us as mankind. In Dubai, we agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly and equitable manner. In Montreal, we agreed to reset our partnership with nature. In Nairobi, we launched a negotiation process towards a treaty to end plastic pollution. And here in New York, we agreed to take better care of our common oceans. What is true for all these agreements and the Pact for the Future alike, however, is that the real verdict lies in our ability to implement them. We must act. We must act now. President, as we approach the 80th anniversary of this United Nations, we must step up our efforts to develop this organization so as to make it more transparent, more inclusive and more representative of the world we live in today. Norway fully supports the integrity and independence of the Secretary General and his reform agenda. Reform will not be achieved through micromanagement. We, the Member States, must provide the Secretary General with input and guidance. But we must also show trust and allocate resources to enable him to lead. When a new Secretary General shall be elected, we must ensure that she has the tools she needs to help us strategically deliver on the noble goals we have agreed upon. I thank you for your attention.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister for External Affairs of India.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – India: Madam President, Excellencies, distinguished members of the General Assembly, greetings and namaskar from 1.4 billion people of Bharat. I congratulate the President of the General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. Philemon Young, and strongly support the 79th UN General Assembly’s theme of leaving no one behind. Madam President, we are gathered here at a difficult time. The world is yet to recover from the ravages of the COVID pandemic. A war in Ukraine is well into its third year. The conflict in Gaza is acquiring wider ramifications. Across the global south, development plans have gone off-rails and SDG targets are receding. But there is more. Unfair trade practices threaten jobs, just as unviable projects raise debt levels. Any connectivity that flouts sovereignty and territorial integrity acquires strategic connotations, especially when it is not a shared endeavour. Energy advancements, which have long been a source of hope, are now equally a factor of anxiety. Climate events occur with greater intensity and frequency. Food security is as worrisome as health security. In truth, the world stands fractious, polarized, and frustrated. Conversations have become difficult, agreements even more so. This is surely not what the founders of the United Nations would have wanted of us. Madam President, Almost exactly eight decades ago, the first steps towards the formation of the UN were taken near here at Dumbarton Oaks. Refined thereafter at the Yalta Conference, they were finally approved in San Francisco. The debates of that era centered around how to ensure world peace, a prerequisite for global prosperity. Today, we find both peace and prosperity equally endangered. And that, Madam President, is because trust has eroded and processes have broken down. Countries have extracted more from the international system than they have put into it, enfeebling it in the process. We see that vividly in every challenge and every crisis. Reforming multilateralism is, therefore, an imperative. The urgency of this call is highlighted by the theme of this session. Leaving no one behind means advancing peace, ensuring sustainable development, and strengthening human dignity. Peace cannot be delivered by a UN paralysed when faced with division, conflict, terrorism, and violence. Nor can it be advanced if access to food, water, and energy is a priority. Food, fuel and fertilizer is jeopardized. When capturing markets lacks restraint, it damages the livelihood and social fabric of others. Evasion of climate action responsibilities by the developed undermine the growth prospect of the developing. Indeed, when resource crunch limits the very pursuit of SDG targets, it is not just economies, but human dignity itself that is impeded. If the world is in such a state, this body must ask itself, how has this come to pass? The problems arise from a combination of structural shortcomings, political calculations, naked self-interest and, yes, disregard for those left behind. It is natural to feel overwhelmed by what we confront now. After all, there are so many dimensions, different moving parts, issues of the day, and the changing landscape. But every change must begin somewhere. And there is no better place than where it all started. We, the members of the United Nations, must now seriously and purposefully address ourselves to that task. Not because it is a competition for influence or a squabble for positions, but because if we carry on like this, the state of the world is only going to get worse. And that could mean that more of us are going to be left behind. Madam President, as the world contemplates these concerns, India has sought to respond in a variety of ways. First, by focusing on the issues of the vulnerable – women, farmers and youth. Targeted policies and initiatives for their betterment. Assured access to piped water, to electricity, to cooking gas, and new homes are changing millions of lives. The gender gap has started to close, be it in health, in education, or in the workplace. Our food producers, thrice a year, get financial support at the click of a button. And a third-term government has made skilling of the youth its key priority. Second, by expanding opportunities for employment and for entrepreneurship, including through stronger training and large-scale financial incentives. 495 million mudra loans have been given to small businesses in the last decade. Sixty-seven percent of them are to women. Equally telling, 6.56 million street vendors have availed of 8.85 million swanidhi loans. This is just in the last four years. Forty-five percent of the beneficiaries are again women. Third, by creating templates that are applicable elsewhere – it could be digital delivery or enhancing the quality of governance and public services, as indeed making medicines and health facilities accessible and affordable. A digital public infrastructure and a people’s pharmacy are today examples of what India can readily offer to the world. It is also an alternative vision, where technology is used to empower, not to dominate. Fourth, by encouraging the Global South to voice its shared concerns and come together. To that end, we have convened three Global South Summits, the most recent in August 2024. And fifth, by contributing to the well-being of the global commons and responding to the pressing needs of those in distress. This has ranged from undertaking projects in 78 nations, providing resources to neighbours and responding to HADR situations, to supplying medicines and ensuring maritime safety and security. Madam President, given the scale of transformation underway in India, each of these dimensions underline that the world’s problems can indeed be tackled, and that by working together, we can surely create a larger lifting tide. In these troubled times, it is necessary to provide hope and rekindle optimism. We have to demonstrate that big changes are possible, and not over a long period. And nothing is more powerful in this regard than the transformative potential of the digital. We have seen its impact in our daily lives in India over the last decade. It is visible when public benefits, from nutritional support and housing to energy and health, are delivered efficiently and on a vast scale. Or when small business loans and farmers’ support are extended without using intermediaries. In fact, when street vendors and expat workforce confidently use fintech in their regular transactions. When services delivery and benefits move seamlessly and transparently, less people will be left behind. That, Madam President, is India’s experience and India’s relevance. Such leapfrogging possibilities, coupled with people-centric policies and visionary leadership, can be real game-changers. When India lands on the moon, rolls out its own 5G network, There are economic answers, just as there are social ones. Madam President, The UN has always maintained that peace and development go hand in hand. Yet, when challenges to one have emerged, due regard has not been given to the other. Clearly, their economic implications for the weak and vulnerable need to be highlighted. But we must also recognize that conflicts themselves must be resolved. The world cannot be fatalistic about the continuation of violence on a large scale, no more than be impervious to its broader consequences. Whether it is the war in Ukraine or the conflict in Gaza, the international community seeks urgent solutions. These sentiments must be acknowledged and acted upon. Madam President, The UN is a testimony to the agreed principles and shared objectives of the world order. Respect for international law and commitments are among the foremost in that regard. If we are to ensure global security and stability, then it is It is essential that those who seek to lead set the right example, nor can we countenance egregious violations of our basic tenets. Terrorism is antithetical of everything that the world stands for. All its forms and manifestations must be resolutely opposed. The sanctioning of global terrorists by the United Nations should also not be impeded for political reasons. Many countries get left behind due to circumstances beyond their control. But some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences. A premier example is our neighbour, Pakistan. Unfortunately, their misdeeds affect others as well, especially the neighbourhood. When this polity instils such fanaticism among its people, its GDP can only be measured in terms of radicalisation and its exports in the form of terrorism. Today, we see the ills it sought to visit on others consume its own society. It can’t blame the world. This is only karma. Madam President, a dysfunctional nation, coveting the lands of others, must be exposed and must be countered. We heard some bizarre assertions from it at this very forum yesterday. So let me make India’s position perfectly clear. Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed. And it can have no expectation of impunity. On the contrary, actions will certainly have consequences. The issue to be resolved between us. is now only the vocation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan and, of course, the abandonment of Pakistan’s long-standing attachment to terrorism. Madam President, The global order is inherently pluralistic and diverse. The UN began with 51 members. We are now 193. The world has changed profoundly and so have its concerns and its opportunities. But to address both, and indeed to strengthen the order itself, it is essential that the UN be the central platform for finding common ground. And that it certainly cannot be by remaining anachronistic. Large parts of the world cannot be left behind when it comes to deciding the key issues of our times. An effective and efficient UN, a more representative UN, and a UN fit for purpose in the contemporary era is essential. Let us, therefore, send out a clear message from this UNGA session. We are determined not to be left behind. By coming together, sharing experiences, pooling resources, and strengthening our resolve, we can change the world for the better. I thank you, Madam President.

President: I thank the Minister for External Affairs of India. I now give the floor to His Excellency Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore.

Vivian Balakrishnan – Singapore: Madam President, Your Excellencies, I bring you greetings from a tiny island city-state in the heart of Southeast Asia called Singapore. I think we must be one of the smallest who now qualifies as a member of the United Nations for the past 59 years. I would like to congratulate His Excellency Philemon Yang on assuming the Presidency of the 79th Session of the General Assembly. I also commend His Excellency Dennis Francis for his stellar leadership during the 78th session. The world is in an acutely dangerous phase, and civilians in multiple trouble spots are paying a horrendous price. The risks of miscalculation and escalation have sharply increased, most notably in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan. The loss of so many innocent lives is heartbreaking, and the lack of trust amongst the major powers and the resulting deficit of global leadership makes it very difficult to find effective, peaceful solutions to all these ongoing conflicts. We are approaching the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, and we must double down on our commitment to a rules-based multilateral system on almost every issue confronting the world. From peace and security to climate change, from the ocean to outer space, from poverty to food insecurity, a reformed United Nations is absolutely essential for global solutions. The UN remains the only neutral and universal platform for dialogue and cooperation amongst all nations. The Summit of the Future was a very significant milestone for the UN and our multilateral system. The adoption of the Pact for the Future offers the hope that nations can reach agreement given wise leadership and political will. And the Pact begins the journey to transform our multilateral system and to maintain the salience of the United Nations. We must accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, reinvigorate international cooperation, and transform global governance. That is why Singapore has always been a staunch supporter of the Summit of the Future. We stand ready to work with our friends to implement the Pact. I would like to highlight three points. First, we must return to the basics by reinforcing the foundational role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security. That is the raison d’etre for the UN. We must restore respect for the rule of law and the UN Charter. This has underpinned global peace and security for the last 80 years. We cannot allow recent violations of international law to become normalised. The ongoing war in Ukraine exemplifies a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter. The invasion of one country by another, under the pretext of historical errors and grievances, cannot be justified by any means. Article 2 of the UN Charter is categorical. All members shall refrain from the threat or the use of force against territorial integrity. It is well worth recalling that that is why the Preamble of Security Council Resolution 242, passed in 1967, also contains or refers to the Inadmissibility of the Acquisition of Territory by War. If we allow the notion that might is right to prevail, the world will become a very dangerous place, especially for small states. That is why Singapore and other small states have to consistently stand for compliance by all Member States with international law and the UN Charter. We, as a small state, have no interest in taking sides or getting embroiled in great power rivalry. We do not want to become an arena for proxy wars. We simply aim to defend our sovereignty, to exercise our autonomy, and to chart our own futures. Our people deserve that. That is why small states like Singapore have always been ardent advocates for international law and the UN Charter. For small states, multilateralism and international law is not an option. It is, in fact, an existential necessity. Last week, Singapore, in collaboration with the International Peace Institute, launched a report on small states and transforming global governance. The report that was prepared by the International Peace Institute and the Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore highlights the priorities and the perspectives of small states. We hope that this report will catalyse further discussions on strengthening and transforming the UN and the multilateral system. Excellencies, the work to strengthen international law and the existing international legal frameworks is an ongoing exercise. Singapore will continue to strongly support the work of the International Court of Justice, which is paramount for upholding the rule of law and protecting the interests of all countries, and especially small states. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, is absolutely crucial, and especially for an island city-state like Singapore, totally dependent on trade. In fact, our trade volume is three times our GDP. UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. Freedom of navigation and overflight is a universal right. It is not merely an optional privilege. granted by the grace of whoever claims the seas. UNCLOS also provides an essential foundation for coordinating our efforts on issues such as sea level rise, plastic pollution, the loss of biodiversity, and ocean acidification. As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of UNCLOS this year, we call on all countries that have not yet done so to ratify UNCLOS, and to do so as soon as possible. We also need to develop new instruments to strengthen international legal frameworks. The consensus adoption of the BBNJ Agreement in June last year was a crucial step in strengthening the UNCLOS framework concerning the conservation and the sustainable use of the oceans and its resources. I am pleased to announce that Singapore ratified the BBNJ Agreement earlier this week. The UN plays a critical role in formulating new rules, norms, and principles governing the global commons. For example, the UN has made good progress in establishing a framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, a process that we in Singapore have always supported. Singapore also supports the Secretary-General’s new Agenda for Peace, and we stand ready to work with all UN members to strengthen the role of the UN in promoting peace and security, particularly in preventive diplomacy, mediation, and conflict prevention. Such efforts are urgently needed to save civilian lives and to prevent catastrophes. Singapore remains a steadfast supporter of the UN’s humanitarian efforts. We are gravely concerned with the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the sheer scale of human suffering. The Singapore Government, along with our non-government organisations and our citizens, have contributed more than $17 million in humanitarian aid and donations for Gaza, including through UNICEF and UNRWA. We have consistently emphasised the need for the safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian aid to all civilians in need, and we reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire and for the immediate unconditional and safe release of all hostages. Singapore will continue to provide more support for the civilians in Gaza. Second, we must intensify efforts to support the implementation of the SDGs. With less than six years remaining, we are still far from achieving the 2030 Agenda. To fulfil the promise of leaving no one behind, we must support the poorest and most vulnerable countries. This is important because sustainable development provides the foundation for peace and security. We need to accelerate our collective efforts in combating climate change. As a small island state, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and especially sea level rise. We welcome the high-level meeting held earlier this week on this issue. Although our share of global emissions is actually very small, we remain fully committed to peaking our emissions before 2030 and to achieving net zero by 2050. The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, or SIDSFOR, earlier this year marked a significant milestone for all SIDS. We welcome the adoption of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, which outlines an action plan for the next decade. Singapore will support our friends in SIDS, and we launched a new technical assistance package at SIDSFOR called SIDS4Change, which covers priority areas, including blue carbon. Singapore will continue to support our fellow small states. We will share our development experience, and I’m happy to announce that we will renew our capacity building programme for the Forum of Small States, or FORSS, and we’ve labelled this programme FORSS. for Good, a package that will offer digital-themed programmes including leadership and governance in the age of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. Third, we need to empower and transform the UN so that it is future-ready and capable of responding to the emerging global challenges. And to achieve this, several measures are necessary. We must provide more opportunities for young people, especially, to engage in the work of the UN, and to serve as agents of change to revitalise international cooperation. We welcome the adoption of the Declaration on Future Generations, which underscores our collective commitment to building a world that serves the interests of the future generations. After all, our young people have even more at stake. Next, we must harness the power of digital technologies in a safe and secure manner. The adoption of the Global Digital Compact is a significant step forward, offering a pathway to close the digital divide, and the Compact contains an action-oriented set of commitments that can accelerate the implementation of the SDGs. We are witnessing the dawn of the age of AI. By now, the promises and the perils of AI are well known to all of us. We need to empower innovation in AI, whilst installing global guardrails to protect human safety, human dignity, and values. Therefore, initiating a dialogue on global governance in AI is imperative. Singapore welcomes the report of the High-Level Advisory Body on AI, and we commit to working with all UN members to further develop these recommendations. Finally, we must transform global governance by making our institutions more representative, more responsive, and more effective, particularly for the sake of small states and developing countries. We need a more nimble multilateral system in which the international financial architecture and the UN work more synergistically. Equally important is the need to reform the UN itself to make it more efficient, effective, and responsive. That includes reforming the UN Security Council in order to reflect the contemporary realities through an expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent membership categories. The effective functioning of the Security Council is at the heart of a robust and responsive UN. The five permanent members of the Security Council have a special responsibility that accompanies their privilege, and they must demonstrate leadership by cooperating to maintain international peace and security. The veto initiative has made the use of the veto more accountable by making the permanent members answerable to all of us in the General Assembly every time they cast a veto. This is a good first step, but it is not the end of the journey that is necessary. Much more work will be needed to make the Security Council more transparent and accountable, and Singapore will continue to work with the other UN member states in this regard. Madam President, Excellencies, The world is traversing an acutely dangerous period of geopolitical tension. A descent into chaos and conflict is a clear and present threat. In this moment of uncertainty, all countries, big and small, have a responsibility to work together to preserve the peace and to save lives. We cannot achieve this without the UN playing its rightful role as an arena for dialogue, for partnership. This is the moment, in fact, to double down on multilateralism, and to strengthen the role of the UN as a collective vehicle for peace and sustainable development. Thank you, Excellencies.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore. I now give the floor to His Excellency BBruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba.

Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla – Cuba: Mr. President, Secretary General, I dedicate these first words to reiterate Cuba’s solidarity and support to the brotherly people of Palestine, a victim of more than 75 years of colonial occupation, flagrant violations to their legitimate rights as a nation, submitted to cruelty, aggression, collective punishment, and apartheid. Over the last 11 months, the Israeli army has massacred more than 40,000 civilians. In that indiscriminate and disproportionate massacre, this has killed more boys and girls than men and women. They die with the complicity and weapons contributed by the government of the United States, with the complicit silence of others. We pay tribute to the more than 220 aid workers of this organization who have also been killed. Cuba’s position is clear and unequivocal. President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez has said, and I quote, history will not forgive the indifferent. And we will not be among them. The genocide against the Palestinian people must end unconditionally and without further delay. Israel, with the complicity of the United States, has brought the world to the brink of a major world conflict. The irresponsible aggression against Lebanon, Syria, Iran and the people of the Middle East will have consequences that are hard to predict. Your Excellencies, 79 years after the establishment of this organization, the continued violations of the United Nations Charter and international law, aggressions, interference in the internal affairs of states and the imposition of unilateral coercive measures for political purposes have become facts of life. Aggressive expansionist and supremacist military doctrines of domination are undermining international peace and security to an alarming extent. The risk of a nuclear catastrophe is real and imminent. For the ninth consecutive year, world military expenditure has continued to increase. In 2023, it reached a record figure of $ 2.44 trillion. That is to say millions of millions of dollars. This includes the development of new nuclear weapons. There has been a regression in spite of the huge efforts 13th May 2008 In its own prosperity and security they fail to comply with their always insufficient promises on official assistance for development. The selfish figure, boastfully promised in 2023 and quickly forgotten, represents less than 0.37% of their national incomes. The aspiration of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals has vanished. According to Forbes, just in the last four years alone, the collective wealth of the five richest people in the world has grown while five billion people continue to live in poverty. The 1% richest in the world accumulate almost twice as much wealth as the rest of the global population. We’re talking about five billionaires who in this period saw their wealth increase by some 423 billion euros while the global population has got poorer. According to Oxfam, the richest 1% have accumulated almost double as much wealth as the rest of the world population. With a tax on the wealth of billionaires, 2 billion people could be brought out of poverty. We are talking about structural crises, which are determined by the imperialist system and the international order imposed on us. None of these problems will be solved by undermining the intergovernmental nature of the United Nations, as some aim to, or by weakening its essential role in the promotion of sustainable development for all. Climate change is advancing inexorably. Climate change is an unquestionable fact. In July 2024, scientists announced that the planet had endured 13 straight months of record high temperatures. If the irrational and unsustainable production and consumption patterns of capitalism are not changed in an urgent and significant way, it will be impossible to limit the global average temperature increase by 1.5 degrees Celsius in comparison with pre-industrial levels. Responsibilities should be shared by all, but not all should bear the same responsibilities, nor is it fair for this to be so. However, a step in the correct direction could be taken at the COP 29, which will be held in Azerbaijan, and we could adopt a new collective financing will have a new possibility to begin closing the climate finance gap and pay their financing debts. We, the countries of the south, will have to design a sufficient goal that responds to our own needs with guarantees for development and social justice, despite the huge obstacles and challenges that we face. The solution will inevitably include writing off foreign debt, which has already been paid several times over, a fair democratic international order ensuring peace and balance in the world, the exercise of the right to development by all states on an equal footing based on sovereign equality, strengthening the participation and representation of developing countries in decision-making and policy-making processes in the world, an order that guarantees the general good and prosperity of all peoples in harmony with nature and the sustainable management of natural resources to ensure the exercise of all human rights for all people. We need a new civilized coexistence among nations in which solidarity, international cooperation, integration, and the peaceful settlement of disputes prevail. has to be an alternative to the philosophy of dispossession, war, the use or threat of use of force, aggression, occupation, domination, and the cultural, political, financial, technological and military hegemony or any other manifestation threatening the peace, independence and sovereignty of states. An international order without unilateral blockades or sanctions, based on multilateralism, fully abiding by the United Nations Charter and international law. Madam President, the government of the United States has clearly continued to engage in the pernicious and unrealizable attempt to determine and control Cuba’s destiny. It is an old ambition, anchored in the Monroe Doctrine, which defines the imperialist and hegemonic nature of the United States policy towards Cuba and the region of our America. The economic, commercial and financial embargo is also a political, technological and communication blockade. It has been conceived as one of its main weapons of aggression to destroy the Cuban economy. It aims to cut off the country’s financial revenues to bring about the collapse of the economy. and many more. It is accompanied by the most ferocious disinformation and slanderous campaign, perennial attempts to interfere in our internal affairs and the complicit tolerance of groups which, from U.S. territory, perpetrate violent and terrorist acts against Cuba. These actions violate international law. They run counter to the purposes and principles of this organization and numerous resolutions adopted by this General Assembly. The siege so conceived has been reinforced with Cuba’s inclusion in the U.S. State Department’s arbitrary shameful list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism. It is a fraudulent designation, void of any international authority or mandate. However, by virtue of this, reprisals of an extraterritorial character, exceeding the sovereign jurisdiction of the United States, are taken against Cuba and are manifested in and against any country. In May of this year, the U.S. State Department itself recognized that Cuba was fully cooperative with the United States and with the international anti-terror efforts. This mere recognition of a The universally established truth has not led to a relaxation of the unilateral coercive measures, but it does make the presence of Cuba on that illegitimate list to be ever more consistent, confusing and unjustifiable. Soon there will be new presidential elections in the United States. This is a matter that only is up to the United States citizens. It’s only incumbent on the U.S. people, despite the nefarious and historical habit of the government of the United States, to interfere in the elections and internal affairs of almost all member states of the United Nations, even its allies. History has taught us that no matter the results of these elections, the anti-Cuban sectors and politicians who have turned the attacks against Cuba into a profitable business will continue to be vocal and influential. They are the ones who have learned to manipulate the U.S. political system to pursue a particularly narrow and hostile agenda, which is the interest of a well-defined elite sector. They do not in any way represent the will of the majority of the people of the United States, nor that of the Cubans who live here. No matter the results of these elections, Cuba will continue to defend its sovereign right to independence and to build socialism the way we Cubans decide, without any foreign interference. will also continue to advocate for a respectful and constructive relations with the United States. Madam President, In 2014, the community of Latin American and Caribbean states gathered in Havana decided to proclaim our region as a zone of peace. That historic commitment is becoming increasingly relevant every day. We defend peace and multilateralism against the unilateral coercive measures that seriously damage Syria, Belarus, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Russia, Cuba, and several other nations. We strongly reject any attempt to undermine the legitimate constitutional order of our countries through putschist methods. It has already happened in Bolivia in 2019 and on the 26th of June, and there are attempts to do the same again in Honduras. We denounce the attempts to generate violence and destabilization in Venezuela. We reiterate our full support and solidarity with the Bolivarian and Chavista government headed by President Nicolas Maduro Moros and the civic and military unity of the Venezuelan people. The calls made not to recognize the electoral results are irresponsible and disrespectful to the people’s will and their legitimate institutions. The destabilizing actions taken against the National Unity and Reconciliation Government of Nicaragua must also cease. The brotherly people of Sandino will continue to count on our full support. We reiterate our support to Puerto Rico’s legitimate right to self-determination and independence. The international community owes a great debt to Haiti. Haiti carried out the first independence revolution against slavery in this continent. We welcome the efforts made by the Caribbean community to find a sustainable solution to the tragic situation in Haiti, with respect for the independence and sovereignty of that sister nation. We support Argentina’s legitimate right to sovereignty over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas. We reaffirm our support and commitment to the peace efforts in Colombia, which Cuba will continue to contribute to in every possible way from its position as guarantor. Africa, the cradle of humanity, will always be able to rely on Cuba’s support in its efforts to move towards the goal of self-development. We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with the Sahrawi people and their self-determination. Cuba strongly rejects the We condemn the measures aimed at harming the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China. We condemn the interference in its internal affairs and we reiterate our unswerving support to the One China Principle, as was decided by this General Assembly in its historic Resolution 2758, which recognized the People’s Republic as the one and legitimate representative of the Chinese people. We are in favor of a serious constructive and realistic diplomatic solution by peaceful means to the current war in Ukraine. And this must be in line with international law, guaranteeing the security and sovereignty of all. In this context, Cuba supports the joint proposal presented by Brazil and China to find a political solution to that crisis. Madam President, distinguished delegates, let us join together our efforts to achieve effective multilateral institutions which are able to respond to the interests of the people, of the humble, the poor, the needy and the exploited. They are the overwhelming majority based on just equality, the exercise of human rights by all human beings and respect for the sovereign rights of every nation. Thank you very much.

President: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba. I now give the floor to His Excellency Enrique Austria Manalo, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines.

Enrique Austria Manalo – Philippines : Mr. President, in 1946, In 2006, Carlos P. Romulo, who would become the first Asian President of the General Assembly, said, quote, We are not here to make peace, but to build for peace, not to reap and divide the harvest of victory, but to make ready the hearts and minds of men and women for the needs of peace. In those early years of the United Nations, the Philippines had clearly understood the magnitude of the work ahead. As a founding member and a young nation, the Philippines committed fully to the aims and purposes of the United Nations. Eight decades hence, we still do. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. affirmed that multilateralism, quote, remains the single viable platform for collective action against transcendent global challenges, unquote. He emphasized that the rule of law and the integrity of the multilateral system must prevail amidst the current global challenges. The UN has held itself as a platform and pathway to address international peace and security. It serves as the ground for states to find convergence amidst crisis and conflict. It offers response and relief, hope, and humanity. The Pact for the Future is a testament that global problems require global solutions and that a better world is possible when states commit working together towards a common vision. The pact bridges our collective hopes, our contemporary aspirations, with the UN Charter and the sovereign equality of states anchoring our will. Mr. President, our world has been changing more rapidly than at any time in recent history. The UN must rise to the occasion with an agenda that fosters equity, justice, international peace and security, development, and adopts processes that are inclusive, transparent, responsive, and effective. One way to achieve this is to reform the Security Council and revitalize the General Assembly. Security Council reform should be a package consisting of the enlargement of its membership and improvement of its working methods in order to create greater transparency and accountability of the Council to the general membership of the United Nations. Transforming the international financial architecture is also imperative if we are to realize just and inclusive growth worldwide. We must therefore deliver on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. We must lose no time. It is time to implement the global digital compact. Governance of new spheres of human activity, including artificial intelligence, the Internet, and outer space, must keep up with the speed and scale at which these technologies are developing. New rules should place human dignity as a priority. At the same time, we must complete the business of eliminating weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms. A treaty on fissile material production is long overdue. Mr. President, the U.N. development system has accomplished much, but it requires greater coherence and efficiency with full respect for states’ priorities and ownership. The global humanitarian system has been a silent sentinel of hope and humanity to peoples in war, famine, disease, calamities, and displacement. It requires greater support from the international community if it is to effectively address the suffering of people in Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen, Sudan, Myanmar, and the Congo. The rising numbers of those forcibly displaced in the Ukraine and Gaza and other places beg for a deeper sense of collective responsibility. Within our means, the Philippines supports agile response systems to humanitarian emergencies through the Central Emergency Response Fund, the U.N. Relief and Work Agency, and the World Health Organization Contingency Fund for Emergencies. The Philippines has steadfastly contributed to U.N. peacekeeping operations over the past six decades. Since 1963, we have deployed over 14,000 troops in 21 U.N. peacekeeping and special political missions. We should bolster the peacebuilding fund and support U.N. Security Council resolutions to safeguard education and protect cultural heritage from terrorism and armed conflict. We echo the call of the 2024 Africa Counterterrorism Summit in Abuja for country-led and country-owned solutions for a peaceful and secure African continent. And we are honored to be part of this. Mr. President, climate change has affected communities across the world in the most profound and often tragic ways. The Philippines’ acute climate vulnerability makes This makes us one of the staunchest proponents for strengthening climate and disaster risk resilience. And we are honored to host the Board of the Fund Responding to Loss and Damage. This fund will provide critical assistance to nations most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Next month, the Philippines will host the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction to spotlight best practices and solutions for the world’s most disaster-prone regions. We consistently call on developed nations to fulfill their commitments under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. And we are convinced that legal clarity on the duties and responsibilities of states under international law with respect to environmental protection and climate change will foster solidarity on global climate action. In this regard, the Philippines welcomes the advisory opinion of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea on the collective duty of states to protect and preserve the marine environment. And since last year, the Philippines has shepherded UN discussions on a draft instrument to protect for the protection of persons in the event of disasters. The 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami this year reminds us again that the rising scale and frequency of disasters demand such an instrument. Mr. President, no one must be left behind. We must fulfill the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Philippines’ governance agenda aims to achieve a single-digit poverty rate by 2028. Between 2021 to 2023, we reduced poverty incidence in the Philippines by nearly 3 percent, equal to 2.45 million people through innovative and social protection programs. The World Food Program has cited the Philippines for being a thought leader in this regard. As we move towards middle or upper middle-income status, we recognize that the UN and international financial institutions can redesign frameworks to support middle-income countries, which represent 75 percent of the world’s population. And the Philippines will host a conference early next year to advance these discussions. Now 60 years old, the Group of 77 continues to advocate for a fairer, more inclusive global economic order. We thus hope that the Second World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development will catalyze strategic action for narrowing global inequalities. We welcome amendments to international health regulations and progress on a pandemic agreement. The Philippines leads the Group of Equity to promote developing country priorities in the negotiations on this agreement. We also lead discussions in the World Health Organization on a sustainable global health workforce, as the world braces for a shortfall of about 10 million medical professionals by 2030. And we will host the Philippine-Pacific Forum on Human Health Resources later this year to discuss regional solutions. Migrants across the world are in need of more protection. Together with health workers, seafarers were the unsung heroes during the COVID-19 and the post-pandemic recovery. The Human Rights Council adopted in July the Philippine-led resolution recognizing the human rights of seafarers. International and intergenerational solidarity make our societies more humane and empowering. And we welcome the Declaration on Future Generations, and we support a binding Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. Effectively building peace means fostering inclusive societies which harness the full capacities of persons and communities. Our work in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao offers Filipino best practices for people-focused peacebuilding. This inspires the Philippines’ leadership in amplifying the role of women and youth in peace processes. Next month, the Philippines will convene the International Conference on Women, Peace, and Security ahead of the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2025. Our recent chairship of the Commission on the Status of Women convinces us that despite progress made, much remains to be done to achieve true gender equality. Mr. President, multilateralism is underwritten by a rules-based order, governed by international law, and informed by the principles of equity and justice that safeguards the rights of all states. If multilateralism is to thrive, all states must adhere to the rule of law. Times of flux and crises offer opportunities for reinforcing a rules-based international order. The International Court of Justice, as a principal organ of the United Nations, together with other international judicial and legal bodies, advances the rule of law. They uphold the primacy of resolving international disputes by peaceful means and not by the threat or use of force. The growing volume and variety of cases brought before the ICJ and the Permanent Court of Arbitration signify the global trust and confidence in their role in the peaceful dispute resolution area. And Member States must invest fully in these institutions. The use of force and threat of use of force to result The 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the binding 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea constitute the foundation of our policy on the South China Sea. The award declares that claims exceeding entitlements beyond the limits of UNCLOS have no legal basis. Despite irresponsible and dangerous actions against our legitimate activities within our own waters and exclusive economic zone, the Philippines remains committed to diplomacy and other peaceful means to settle disputes. We will abide by the UN Charter and the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Resolution of Disputes in asserting our sovereignty, our sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the South China Sea. We do not accept narratives depicting the South China Sea as a theater of major power rivalry because they all ignore what is an essential truth. All states in this region have a right to determine their own destiny and secure their own future. This is what the UN Charter is about. The future of the Asia-Pacific is being shaped not by one or two powers, but by all states therein. As such, ASEAN centrality stands as a vanguard of the regional architecture based on the sovereign equality of states, jointly building a peaceful, rules-based, and people-centered community. Approaching 60 years, ASEAN exemplifies the agency of states working together in fashioning multilateral approaches and solutions to present-day challenges. Mr. President, the Philippines stands alongside the pathfinders and bridge builders of nations. We offer constructive solutions across the spectrum of the work of the United Nations, from human rights, health, and humanitarian action to development, disarmament, and disaster and climate risk reduction, from peacemaking to peacemaking and peacebuilding. As the first Asian republic and the founding member of the United Nations, our diplomacy has consistently pursued peace, the sovereign equality of states, the rights and dignity of all persons. The Philippines is a trusted partner, innovative pathfinder, and committed peacemaker. We bring experience, depth, and steadfastness in working with the international community to address common global challenges. We thus count on your support for our vision. Bid for a non-permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council for the term 2027-28. Mr. President, almost 80 years since General Romulus Cole, the mission of the United Nations remains perfectly clear – to keep building for peace. Thank you.

President: I thank the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines. Now I give the floor to His Excellency Luca Beccari, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Political Affairs, International Economic Cooperation, and Digital Transition of San Marino.

Luca Beccari – San Marino: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the Government of the Republic of San Marino, I would like to congratulate His Excellencies, Mr. Philemon Yang, on his election as President of the 79th Section of the United Nations General Assembly and to wish him a fruitful work. The Republic of San Marino supports the priorities of your program and ensures you, Mr. President, full cooperation in all works of the General Assembly. I would also like to extend my special thanks to Secretary General Antonio Guterres for his energy and determination in leading the United Nations in this difficult and challenging time. Mr. President, the coming years will be crucial not only for the future, but for the future of our generation to come. We as a nation have the right to live in peace and security and in harmony with nature. We should not forget that the world, especially the young generation, is watching us. Regrettably, we are facing an increasing number of crises and an unprecedented number of armed conflicts around the world. Furthermore, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda has been slowed down by the international context of uncertainty, a combined planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, aggravated by shocks of war, destabilization, and increased fragility. The impact of multiple crises is felt most severely by the poorest and most vulnerable, those increasing poverty and inequalities within and between countries. Achieving sustainable development is a big part of the challenges we face, and the 2030 Agenda remains our collective roadmap to addressing them. The Summit of the Future is an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, including delivery on the SDG Summit commitment, and renew our commitment to leave no one behind. Through our renewed commitment, the Pact for the Future can rebuild trust in multilateralism and in our ability to jointly address global challenges. In this regard, we appreciate that the Pact for the Future adequately reflects ambitious action in all three important global cooperation in order to leave no one behind and in order to build a cyberspace that reflects global standards for peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development. Mr. President, San Marino sees an urgent need to strengthen our collective support for a rule-based international system rotated in the United Nations. We unequivocally support this institution’s foundational basics, which include the proposal for the UN Charter, as well as the UN Security Council’s recommendations for a global and inclusive international system. We are committed to strengthening our collective support for a rule-based international system rooted in the UN Charter, as well as the UN Security Council’s recommendations for a global and inclusive international system. The last, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an existing obligation under international human rights law. In this time of widespread violation, it is crucial to recommit to the UN Charter and its values in order to maintain international peace and security, taking effective collective measures for the prevention of conflict and for the suppression of acts of aggression. We support the recommendation of the Secretary-General’s new Agenda for Peace and welcome the new intensified efforts on conflict prevention. The recognition of the interdependence of peace and security, sustainable development and human rights is fundamental if we want to achieve a credible result. We support the request for the Secretary-General to continue to develop a new model of peace operation and the recognition of the role of the regional organization in enforcing of maintaining peace. Mr. President, we are facing challenging times with an unprecedented level of violence, mass atrocity and displacement. San Marino is deeply concerned about the number and the scale of armed conflict across the globe which cause immense suffering to millions of civilians. The unprecedented rise in global military expenditure is alarming too. We are also very concerned about the upsetting increase of dangerous nuclear rhetoric and by the specter of nuclear escalation. The Republic of San Marino firmly condemned any use of threat of use of nuclear weapon, considered such threat irresponsible and injustifiable. Any use of nuclear weapon would have catastrophic and unspeakable consequences for humanity. Unfortunately, today, due to increasing tension, due to deterioration We commend the Secretary General of this organization for having emphasized the need to eliminate nuclear weapons as a necessary action in the new Agenda for Peace. San Marino reaffirmed its commitment for a world free of nuclear weapons and attached great importance to the historic Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, whose ratifications are constantly increasing. Mr. President, The war of aggression against Ukraine brought dramatic consequences for the civilian population, including civilian deaths, the destruction of vital infrastructure, and massive displacement. We reiterate our resolute condemnation of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine and reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s political independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. In the true spirit of multilateral and international cooperation, San Marino took part to the Summit on Peace in Ukraine held in Switzerland last June. We support all the international efforts aiming to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace for Ukraine based on the UN Charter and international law. Mr. President, The Republic of San Marino has firmly and repeatedly condemned the horrific terrorist attack of October 7. San Marino calls for an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, condemns the torture and sexual violence perpetrated by the terrorists, and calls for an immediate and unconditional At the same time, we cannot remain silent in front of the death of more than 40,000 civilians, most of them children and women. More than 90,000 Palestinians have been reported injured, while the majority of houses and hospitals have been damaged, raided or hampered. The level of destruction and suffering in Gaza is unprecedented. The civilian suffering, the civilian deaths, tolls and the ongoing captivity of hostages are heartbreaking and unacceptable. We urge all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law, preserving the life, dignity and humanity of all people affected by armed conflict. Furthermore, the tragic death of UNRWA staff members and of the other humanitarian workers and of the journalists cannot be tolerated. San Marino has joined several initiatives in order to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation of civilians in Gaza and has made financial contributions to UNRWA, UNICEF and OCHA in order to support the work of these agencies that have been operating in highly challenging conditions. The international community must break this terrible cycle of violence and recommit to a lasting peace, restoring hope and security to Israeli and Palestinians through a renewed peace process. San Marino remains committed to a lasting and sustainable peace based on the two-state solution in which Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and security and mutual recognition. The Marino reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire for a return dialogue to address the legitimate concern of the State of Israel and the legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people. A lasting and sustainable peace based on the two-state solution is the only long-term option for peace, and for this reason, we believe that the admission of Palestine to the United Nations as a full member will facilitate the achievement of this solution. San Marino welcomes the resolution adopted in May 2024 at the 10th Emergency Special Session, which upgrades Palestine’s right to the United Nations as an observer state, urging the Security Council to favorably consider its full membership. Mr. President, the spiral of death and devastation has already extended to Lebanon. This represents a treacherous escalation of the conflict that has further destabilized the entire region. We therefore stress the need for restraint. Mr. President, respect for international law and accountability are key factors that play a crucial role in preventing and stopping violation and crime. We reaffirm our commitment to the UN Charter and to the principle of the responsibility to protect, which is essential in the prevention of atrocity crime. We are deeply worried about the disregard and violation of international law. The Republic of San Marino reaffirms its full commitment to the obligations under human and humanitarian law, such as the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crime of Genocide, the Rome Statute, and the Geneva Convention. San Marino reaffirms its full support to the International Criminal Court, whose work is crucial in the fight against impunity for genocide and crime against humanity. The Republic of San Marino would also like to reiterate its support for initiatives such as the ACT Group Code of Conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, war crime, or crime against humanity, and the French and Mexican Declaration on Voluntary Restraint Use of the Veto by the Permanent Member of the Security Council. Mr. President, protecting civilians from the devastating impact of war must be our priority. Armed conflict around the globe has dramatically impacted the lives of millions of civilians. The protection of civilians’ infrastructure is essential to guarantee food security in times of conflict. Food production and distribution, water delivery, sanitation, energy provision, and healthcare We support the Security Council Resolution 2573, which condemns attacks against critical civilian infrastructure, indispensable for their survival. San Marino also calls on all parties to achieve the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2417, which condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, as well as the unlawful denial of humanitarian access. San Marino is gravely concerned by the scale and scope of grave violations against children presented in the Secretary-General’s annual report. San Marino supports the work of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict and her office, UNICEF, the Department of Peace Operations, and all child protection actors from the UN Civil Society. Armed conflict continues to devastate children’s lives and to compromise their fundamental rights. We are witnessing an increase in attacks on schools and hospitals. This is unacceptable. To strengthen the protection of children in armed conflict, we call on all parties to armed conflict to fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian, human rights, and refugee law, and with international norms and standards for the protection of children. Moreover, we call for full accountability for all grave violations through national and international justice mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court. We also call on all Member States to ratify the optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. We also encourage all parties to support all Mr. President, San Marino believes it is essential to strain the global response to the climate emergency. The existential threat caused by a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution should give to all of us a sense of urgency and priority in tackling this challenge. We support the commitment taken at COP28 last December, which includes the imperative of transitioning away from fossil fuel energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner, tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 in line with 1.5 degree pathways. San Marino is fully committed to decarbonizing the global economy by 2050 and to healthy and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 and recognizing the need to halt pollution, which caused the death of 9 million people annually. Moreover, we also need to tackle the water crisis, a growing global threat that will inevitably intensify in the coming 50 years, with devastating consequences on sustainable development, the environment and regional peace and stability. Mr. President, the increasing evident interrelationship among global challenges highlight the need for member states today more than ever to work together to overcome difficulties. The United Nations is the only universally intergovernmental body based on the sovereign equality of all its members. Its unique role as the center for setting goals, harmonizing action and sharing experience to achieve the common ends, such as peace and security, sustainable development, human rights and the rule of law, We need a much stronger focus on collective global solution to current and future challenges, which threaten peace and prosperity for all. We need to revitalize the United Nations and reinvigorate multilateralism to ensure its continued significance. To this end, it is essential to rebuild trust in the potential of the organization, in its leadership and, most of all, trust between its members and all the stakeholders. Moreover, the global governance must become more inclusive and accountable for the effective by providing more space for the participation of civil society and private sector. In this regard, we need more inclusive international financial architecture, strength, a rule-based and equitable financial system that ensure a more effective and inclusive global economic governance, with a meaningful development impact and providing space for innovative solutions. Multilateralism must effectively deliver on peace as a global public good. All must remain at the center of our action because they are crucial to future world stability and maintenance of international peace and security. In this regard, San Marino follows with particular interest the Security Council reform, as we have started on previous occasions. Our country believes that intergovernmental negotiations favor the search for an agreement based on a broad and strong political consensus, able to reflect the interests of all negotiating groups. San Marino calls for a reform that makes the Council more democratic, transparent, efficient, and accountable. This goal can be achieved only through a continuous dialogue among the State and the awareness that overcoming the respective initial position is essential to negotiate the broadest agreement possible. In conclusion, Mr. President, we stand at a critical juncture where the steps we take today will shape the international rule-based order and the United Nations system for decades It is essential to find new ways of working together and to ensure that multilateral institutions will be able to address the rapid change taking place. Member states must assume their responsibilities, including that of making our organization able to fulfill its mandate, which is to protect the citizens of the world. San Marino is a state with a strong identity thanks to its century-old history of peace and freedom. Our state is small, but proud to bring its contribution to the United Nations community. Thank you for your attention.

President: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Political Affairs, International Economic Cooperation and Digital Transition of San Marino. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mohamad Hasan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malaysia.

Mohamad Hasan – Malaysia: Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Excellency, Mr. President, Thank you for this opportunity to address the 79th Session of the General Assembly. President of Malaysia, I stand before you today, Mr. President, reiterating our commitment to peace, in line with the values enshrined in our esteemed Charter. Seventy-nine years it has been since the founding of the United Nations. From the dust of the Second World War, we emerged, many of us as new nation-states, with a shared goal to build a safer world. Thank you. For many of us, it is not a safer world than it was 79 years ago. For many, it has only become a deadlier world. It has become a world in which war can be waged remotely and with impunity, a world in which a drone strike can fatally interrupt a lesson at school, a surgery in a hospital, or a convoy delivering humanitarian aid. We have lost, Mr President, we have lost against these practices, yet our calls for peace are repeatedly ignored and vetted away. In other words, it is a world in which the mighty continue to silence the meek, with far greater weapons than before. Nowhere does this ring truer, of course, than in Gaza. We stand at a critical juncture in world history on the failure of global governance to address the genocide of Palestinians. And it has echoed across the world on the abysmal response by world leaders to end these horrendous crimes. Yet, there are also many of us who have pursued justice for the people of Gaza. For almost one year now, we have raised our voices in protest and sought to establish a ceasefire. Again and again, our voices have been shut down in the Security Council through the power of veto. It is clear the mechanisms of Security Council have been abused to enable mass atrocities. Our failure to establish a ceasefire is no longer justifiable. We have run out of excuses, Mr President. It is time to address the problem. The veto should not be exercised at will. There must be interceptions in cases of crimes against humanity and attacks of civilian infrastructure. We must commit ourselves towards a reformed United Nations. Justice begins with ending impunity and ensuring accountability. For this to be realised, the undemocratic veto must be limited or abolished altogether. The humiliating paralysis of Security Council must be corrected through the empowerment of this General Assembly, where the voices of the majority prevail. Understand this, our willingness to reform is a matter of life and death of countless innocent people. They are children dying between missile strikes and between the words that we speak today. Mr President, the theme of this General Assembly session is Leaving No One Behind. In the spirit of this effort, it fills us with hope to see the State of Palestine seated among us today. Malaysia loves the 143 Member States for their support in extending the UN’s Principle of Equality Among Nations to the State of Palestine this year. And we strongly urge the remaining minority to join the majority. It is time to realise Palestine’s right to statehood and full membership in this Assembly. It is only through the elevation of dialogue and diplomacy that we can seek a long-lasting solution. Not through collective punishment, not through man-made famine, and not through impunity and disregard for international law, Mr President. Indeed, the elevation of dialogue and respect for international law have been compromised in this Assembly for some time now. Israel has violated every international law there is. including the Genocide Convention, Geneva Convention and Human Rights Treaties. Just months ago, the world witnessed Israel’s mockery and utter disrespect of the United Nations in this very hall with the insolent shredding of the United Nations Charter. Israel’s actions with each passing day raise our doubt as to whether it actually believes in the UN system or values its membership in this organization. Its illegal occupation has entrenched a system of apartheid and discrimination against Palestinians. The Israeli regime has itself declared its intent to wipe out an entire population. This is, Mr. President, without question, a genocide. The United Nations must not remain idle. We must urgently utilize the existing processes founded by the General Assembly along with mechanisms developed by the Human Rights Council. Malaysia calls on the international community to reinstitute the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid. Furthermore, Malaysia demands that the Security Council invoke the powers under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter and impose an immediate arms embargo against Israel. Therefore, Mr. President, our task is threefold. Number one, we must limit or abolish the veto. Number two, we must continue to empower the voices of the oppressed within this General Assembly and thirdly, we must halt the flow of weapons to rogue states who have proven a hundred times over their willingness to commit crimes against humanity. Although the powerful few may behave as though might is right, let there be no question that in the United Nations, the voice of majority will not go ignored. Indeed, we must empower smaller countries to meet the challenges of our time. The international landscape is in flux, Mr. President. Superpower rivalries, global economic uncertainties, climate change, unequal development, and the many misfortunes that come with it. Countries situated in Southeast Asia are not exempt from these worries. Yet through the decades, we have not only endured, but overcome many of our shared hurdles together. We have achieved this together, the ASEAN way. Through ASEAN, we have propelled ourselves to get forward within the international architecture by bolstering peace, security, economy, and regional identity. Yet the years ahead will profoundly test us. ASEAN resilience, ASEAN shared norms and identity, and ASEAN processes and mechanisms. The future stands ready to assume the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025, and we are fully cognizant of reasserting ASEAN in the driver’s seat of the Asia-Pacific region. Our chairmanship will focus on the region’s drive for future readiness. We will emphasize reinforcement of global aspirations, inclusive and people-driven policies, and future-oriented mechanisms. We will aim to fortify ASEAN’s centrality amid the emergence of multilateral pacts affecting the region. This is a key step to prevent the region from becoming entrapped in unnecessary geopolitical rivalry or possible escalation. Mr President, ASEAN centrality must also involve managing the most critical issues of the South China Sea. This body of water, rich in resources and carrying the vital shipping line, has become a flashpoint of rising geopolitical tensions. Escalation of rhetoric is a dangerous path to follow. We must not allow the situation to become dominated by growing distrust. This benefits no one. It only further undermines security and destabilises global trade. We must collectively pursue a different vision of the South China Sea, a future in which this region is a zone of peace, stability and cooperation. We must adopt a collaborative approach, embedded in diplomacy and dialogue. Thus, I call upon all countries to abide by the UNCLOS in the conduct of maritime governance. We must prioritise peaceful and co-existence. This is also one of the many reasons the Member States must continue to work together with regards to Myanmar. We will push for stronger humanitarian assistance and adherence to the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus to seek solutions. We will do it as one. The diversity of our region, far from being an obstacle, is symbolic of our power to build bridges. It goes without saying, Mr President, that our stewardship of ASEAN will therefore emphasise continuous dialogue with our partners, as well as the adaptability needed to engage with different challenges and stakeholders. This year, we strive to realise our common desire and collective will to live in a region of lasting peace, security and stability, sustained economic growth, social progress and ultimately, shared prosperity. Yes, shared prosperity, Mr President. This is the ghost of geopolitics, Mr President. Often spoken, but never seen. Mr President, the countries of the Global South have continued to be marginalised and remain under-represented on many fronts. Global socio-economic development, climate mitigation efforts, education, health and infrastructure development. International mechanisms fail to adapt to current realities, often isolating and penalising developing countries, placing the burden of environment guilt onto them while disregarding our very real needs. The lack of infrastructure, technology and resources has prevented developing countries from fully engaging in international systems and aspirations. One of the primary challenges, Mr President, is equitable access to financing for development. Innovative and new models of financing for development that drive sustainability, conservation, climate action and achievement of SDGs should be part of new multilateral solutions. The climate crisis may be the most pressing challenge of our time. It is no longer a distant threat. It has flooded our doorstep, Mr President. It transcends borders by disrupting economies and displacing entire communities. The scientific data has spoken. We are witnessing unprecedented levels of warming, extreme weather and devastating impacts of rising sea levels. National efforts alone will not suffice. The climate crisis requires global solutions in the form of climate financing, technology transfer and capacity building. We must continue to push. We all push for a just and equitable approach. The meeting of the development needs of the Global South. At the same time, Malaysia advocates the importance of Global South’s unity. We have a broader vision of promoting peace, development, and stable multipolar order through the empowerment of the voices of the South. The countries of the Global South hold massive potential to further the pursuit of peace and justice around the world, through solidarity among developing nations and through mutual support and understanding. This is fundamental to ensure fair and equitable progress for all. The Global South demands your attention, Mr. Chairman. We must not leave anyone behind. Unfortunately, global trends are pointing in the opposite direction. Around the world, we are witnessing an upsurge in hate speech and violence toward minorities. The past few years have been shadowed by the rise of Islamophobia in particular. We are appalled by the alarming trend of hatred, intolerance, and acts of violence against Muslims. This cannot continue, Mr. President. In the era of globalization, there is room for everyone to co-exist. And it is our job, under the banner of a united world, to ensure that peace will prevail. We must take action now. Malaysia urged for the prompt appointment of the UN Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia. We stand ready to support any efforts undertaken by the UN towards nurturing dialogue between communities that will promote worldwide acceptance and understanding. While Islamophobia is a threat to Muslims, broader issues of hatred against the followers of any religion will undermine the universal values of our people. Mr. President, we stand on the eve of the 80 years of United Nations. We have achieved wonders together. Ours is a story of the modern successes of humankind. Together, we have delivered food to the starving. We have eradicated diseases. We took decisive actions against apartheid in the 20th century, and we must do it again now. Let our commitment to justice never fail, no matter how formidable the task. Let there be no doubt the question of Gaza is a direct test of the capability of the United Nations. Let this 76-year-old issue not etch into a century of our failure to uphold justice. We strongly call for an end to the occupation and for the Israeli regime to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice. Mr. President, let our dreams of free Palestinians live beyond today and beyond the words that we have said. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

President: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates of Egypt. Thank you very much.

Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty – Egypt: Ladies and Gentlemen, Heads of Delegations, President of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Philemon Yang, Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, I speak to you from this rostrum at a critical time, at a time of a complex crisis underway in the Middle East and stretching out beyond. Egypt is a country rooted in history, but also a forward-looking country. We’ve gone through many wars, we’ve faced many challenges. As a result, justice and peace are our lodestars as we seek to build a region and a world that’s rooted in dignity, freedom and justice. I’ll be speaking on behalf of one of the founding members of the United Nations. You’re all well aware of the role we played in the establishment of the United Nations, in the establishment of consensus and the UN’s establishment in Africa and Arab states and developing countries. We’re very much in favor of preserving an effective multilateral system and stable international relations underpinned by respect for international law and expansion of peace and cooperation. Thus, we believe it is necessary to ring alarm bells at this specific moment, given that the international system established roughly eight decades ago is currently showing its structural shortcomings, threatening its very existence, and this owing to ineffectiveness, inequality and growing recourse to double standards. Young people the world over are asking legitimate questions about the usefulness of the international multilateral system and what it yields for today’s world in terms of peace and security. Is it helping to eradicate poverty and hunger? Is the system protecting us against climate change? Is it helping to build knowledge? Is it helping us to adapt to technological changes? We’re seeing occupation, terrorism, killing and destruction. Is this being prevented? Is the system unified? Is it transparent? In order to answer these questions, which are very legitimate, and they were addressed in fact during the preparations for the summit of the future. In fact, one of the outcomes of the summit of the future is very positive. It was a step, a positive step towards revitalizing and rendering more effective the international multilateral system with the United Nations at its heart. If I may, I’d like to sketch out our vision for restoring trust and credibility and combating double standards. A vision which can help us to renew our multilateral system and bolster its capacity for building a brighter future for our people. It’s underpinned by five key principles. First of all, we must recognize that there is no alternative to the multilateral system. Global challenges are interdependent. They know no borders. They go beyond the capacity of any one state or any group of states to address them. Thus, it’s necessary to recognize that the integrity of the United Nations underpinned by its legitimacy and its very existence, all of this is at stake. Israel’s brutal aggression against Gaza, underway for almost a year now, as well as the current attack on the West Bank, are shameful. They place shame on the international community and its institutions, which are unable to do the bare minimum to put an end to this aggression. The international community took months to start asking for an end to this brutal aggression. We staunchly condemn the Israeli escalation. It’s dangerous and it knows no limits. It is pushing the region to the brink of the abyss. We categorically reject and strongly condemn Israel’s current aggression vis-à-vis Lebanon. This is a flagrant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, its territorial integrity, its unity and its political independence. Our overarching priority, as things stand, is to put an end to the bloodshed, immediately, without any conditions and permanently. We’re strongly opposed to any attempts to resolve the Palestinian issue through forced displacement or population transfer. We attach particular importance to the unconditional and immediate delivery of medical and humanitarian assistance to civilians, civilians who are not bearing weapons in Gaza. Egypt has undertaken substantive mediation efforts together with our friends, Qatar and the United States. Unfortunately, these efforts were… We would like to reiterate that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 4th of June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital is the only way to achieve a comprehensive and just solution, restoring stability to the region and to the entire world. Because this issue is of utmost importance. It lies at the very heart of the conflict in the region. I cannot but commend the Secretary General for his very courageous stance which shows that he’s shouldering his responsibility. I’d also like to extend our gratitude to all UN leaders and UN agencies, specifically UNRWA. We extend our condolences to the families of those martyred UNRWA personnel who fell during their duties and others who fell owing to the Israeli occupation. We want to put an end to the war machine, to put an end to the destruction which is in violation of international law. Next, we need effective participation, not a fig leaf of participation. Participation is not a gift. It’s not a gift given to other states. It’s the very foundation, the prerequisite for an effective response that the international community can mount to successive crises plaguing the international system so as to ensure that common ownership is taken of international decisions. Furthermore, we cannot accept that Africa and Arab states to date have no permanent representative on the Security Council nor enjoy the related prerogatives. We endorse the said declaration and the… Isilwini Consensus to repair the historical injustice done to the African continent. Genuine participation is only possible if there is deep-rooted reform of the international financial architecture and of international financing institutions. We must modernize multilateral development banks and their practices and bolster access of developing countries to concessional funding, especially in the face of crises. We support the SG’s appeal to make the Bretton Woods institutions fairer to developing states. There is no alternative to a common approach so as to address growing sovereign debt of developing countries. This can be done by buttressing existing mechanisms, strengthening their effectiveness, but also establishing new mechanisms helping low- and middle-income countries. What’s also important is debt swaps. These must be broadened so as to address debt distress and help these countries achieve sustainable development. Economic justice can only be done if we place the priority on Africa’s development. This is how we can guarantee that we prevent conflict and ensure lasting peace. When we held the presidency of the Steering Committee of the Heads of State and Government of the African Development Commission, as well as the presidency of His Excellency President El-Sisi, post-conflict reconstruction on the African continent was French of mind. And Egypt will seek to accelerate the development process so as to achieve the African Union’s 2063 agenda. This brings me to my third point in principle. Exchange of resources between states, some of which have a comparative advantage, requires us to adopt the principle of common but differentiated responsibility, especially as regards climate change. Governance and natural resources are limited. The ability to solve climate challenges is clearly linked to the types and amounts of financial assistance that’s provided, as well as the technologies that are made available for climate challenges to be tackled at the national level. National ownership of climate projects is a guarantee that we align domestic priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals, with due regard for the environmental, economic and social dimensions, ensuring that the transformation, the green transition, is equitable and does not scupper our efforts to eradicate poverty. This was our priority at COP27 in Chalmarsheikh. Our compass, our north star as we seek to achieve effective and practical solutions is the agreement on the loss and damage mechanism, which aims to help developing countries which are hardest hit by climate change. Fourth, the principle of participation and shared responsibility goes hand in hand with a rejection of unilateralism in the management of global resources and the settlement of disputes that stem from these resources. For instance, transboundary water courses is a case in point. There’s a global water crisis that’s affecting Egypt. Egypt is a densely populated country located in an arid zone. It is heavily reliant on the Nile to be able to respond to its mounting water needs. The principle of cooperation with the Nile Basin Brother Countries encapsulates Egypt’s approach to better management of our common resources with a view to securing our interests in keeping with international law and ensuring equitable and sustainable use of resources without any consequences for the downstream countries. We will continue to work so as to attract foreign investment for development projects in keeping with the various rules, including in the Nile Basin. Despite our genuine efforts, Ethiopia has been insisting, stubbornly misportraying the facts and starting up the renaissance dam, beginning operations without due regard for international law, nor the opinions of millions of people living downstream in Egypt and in Sudan. Following 13 years of vain negotiations, Ethiopia took a unilateral decision in blatant violation of international law, specifically the 2015 Declaration of Principles, the Security Council Presidential Statement issued in 2021. Well, in fact, in December 2023, negotiations came to a standstill. Egypt will continue to monitor. The commissioning of this dam, the filling of this dam, we will be following this very closely. We will keep the Charter in mind and we’ll take all necessary measures so as to secure the interests of our people and our very existence. Egypt will not tolerate any existential threats. Those who do not recognize this are mistaken. Moving on, the world needs the United Nations to address emerging challenges, such as challenges in the digital sphere, cybercrime, cyber security, artificial intelligence. These new challenges shouldn’t detract from our key purposes, that is, collective security. This is absolutely vital. This is the very raison d’etre of the organization, the maintenance of international peace and security. The collective security system, including the disarmament and non-proliferation system, has been weakened. Direct or tacit threats of use of nuclear weapons is no longer a chimera. It’s a direct threat. We’ve seen this in the war in the Gaza Strip. We’re seeing this day in, day out. As states possessing nuclear weapons are modernizing their arsenals and indirectly threatening the use of nuclear weapons without any genuine serious efforts being made to create a world free of nuclear weapons or areas free of nuclear weapons or other WMDs and acceding to the NPT. And this despite the NPT review conference’s conclusions, specifically the 1995 decision on the the Middle East. We live in a region that’s particularly hard hit by the imbalance in the collective security system. This is something that’s drawn everyone’s attention, and we regret this. That is the increase in Security Council resolutions establishing peacekeeping operations. And this despite the fact that the Security Council is unable to stop this scourge that is conflicts, is disease, nor can it treat the symptoms. And for that reason, the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has described the United Nations as an organisation babysitting these conflicts. Speaking of conflicts and upheavals in neighbouring countries, as well as throughout the North Mediterranean, all the way through to the Horn of Africa in the South, we’re particularly committed to strengthening the UN’s role so as to address the root causes of conflicts. We need to ensure that peace is maintained, but also we need to sustain peace. This requires states to respect the unity and territorial integrity of other states. We also need national ownership of decisions without anything being imposed by external actors. This applies to all crises in the region, Sudan, Somalia, Libya. The way to resolve crises is to strengthen state institutions through comprehensive political processes so as to fill these political and security vacuums which are being exploited by some political and confessional forces, by regional and international parties who want to extend their influence at the expense of peace. National ownership thereof. The transition should proceed with parliamentary and presidential elections held concurrently and as swiftly as possible. We are hopeful that by pulling our efforts and endorsing the new UN mission in Somalia, we’ll be able to preserve security and stability in that country in keeping with what its people and its government want. We condemn all unilateral measures threatening Somalia’s unity, its sovereignty extending across its territory. Egypt attaches particular importance to capacity building in our brother nations across Africa together with the United Nations through the International Conflict Settlement Center as well as the Egyptian Partnership Agency that works on development. Egypt is committed to working hand-in-hand with our regional and international partners so as to restore equality and to combat double standards as well as international hypocrisy and to revitalize the international system, the multilateral system, implementing the various principles I enumerated in keeping with the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. We will be shouldering our responsibilities as part of the humanitarian response that must be mounted. to address crises in our region. We’re the third country in terms of refugee applications in 2023. Under the leadership of our President, President el-Sisi, we’ve been bearing the brunt of the burden supporting our brothers from other Arab states and African states, over 10 million refugees are currently being hosted in Egypt. However, there are certain limits which cannot be exceeded because of the burden this implies. The international community is therefore duty-bound to fill the funding gap and to mobilize the requisite resources so as to address the issue of humanitarian operations and meet the needs of refugees fleeing conflict in various countries. Despite international crises and challenges coming one after the other and the ongoing rise in the number of migrants, Egypt will continue its efforts so as to bolster its human capital. We will do this through a national dialogue. We are prioritizing human rights and democracy. And we’re not doing this to please external players. We’re doing this to fulfill the aspirations of our people, young people, as well as women, so as to achieve gender parity as well. We’ve just adopted the first national action plan on women, peace and security. We will be implementing our national strategy on human rights. Furthermore, we’ll continue working to maintain peace and security in our region. and the world over. Inspired by the values of the Egyptian civilization, a majestic long-standing civilization, our young people will take forward this vision. They’re the ones who will craft the future and preserve human lives without any discrimination on the basis of race, gender or otherwise, all within the international multilateral system. I thank you.

President: I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and the Egyptian expatriates of Egypt. We have heard the last speaker in the general debate for this meeting. The 16th plenary meeting to continue with the general debate will be held immediately following the adjournment of this meeting. The meeting is adjourned.

Agreement Points

Reform of the United Nations Security Council

Speakers

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – India

Mohamad Hasan – Malaysia

Vivian Balakrishnan – Singapore

Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty – Egypt

Espen Barth Eide – Norway

Arguments

UN Security Council reform needed to make it more representative

Limit or abolish veto power in Security Council

Reform international financial institutions to be more equitable

Strengthen UN’s role in maintaining peace and security

Transform UN to be more future-ready and responsive

Summary

Multiple speakers agreed on the need for comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council to make it more representative, effective, and responsive to current global challenges. This includes limiting or abolishing veto power and making the Council more democratic and transparent.

Addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Speakers

Mohamad Hasan – Malaysia

Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi – Indonesia

Xavier Bettel – Luxembourg

Luca Beccari – San Marino

Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty – Egypt

Arguments

End Israeli occupation and comply with ICJ decision

Condemn Israeli aggression and call for immediate ceasefire

Support two-state solution and Palestinian statehood

Urgent need for humanitarian aid and protection of civilians

Reject forced displacement of Palestinians

Summary

Multiple speakers expressed strong concern over the situation in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire, condemning Israeli aggression, and emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian aid. They also supported a two-state solution and Palestinian statehood as the path to lasting peace.

Climate change and sustainable development

Speakers

Vivian Balakrishnan – Singapore

Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty – Egypt

Enrique Austria Manalo – Philippines

Chenda Sophea Sok – Cambodia

Alicia Bárcena Ibarra – Mexico

Arguments

Address triple crisis of climate, biodiversity, and pollution

Adopt principle of common but differentiated responsibilities

Implement commitments from COP28 on renewable energy

Support climate financing for developing countries

Reform financial architecture to support climate action

Summary

Several speakers emphasized the urgent need to address climate change and promote sustainable development. They called for implementing commitments from COP28, increasing climate financing for developing countries, and reforming the global financial architecture to better support climate action.

Similar Viewpoints

These speakers shared a common perspective on the need to address global economic inequalities and support developing countries. They emphasized the importance of debt relief, economic resilience, and reforming the international financial system to better serve the needs of developing nations.

Speakers

Dickon Mitchell – Grenada

Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla – Cuba

Amadou Oury Bah – Guinea

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – India

Sergey Lavrov – Russian Federation

Arguments

Support economic resilience and opportunities in Caribbean

Address debt burdens of developing countries

Promote inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction

Strengthen cooperation between Global South countries

Reform international financial system to benefit developing nations

Unexpected Consensus

Importance of regional cooperation and centrality

Speakers

Enrique Austria Manalo – Philippines

Vivian Balakrishnan – Singapore

Arguments

Promote ASEAN centrality in Indo-Pacific

Reform international financial institutions to be more equitable

Explanation

While not explicitly stated by all speakers, there was an unexpected consensus on the importance of regional cooperation and centrality, particularly in the context of ASEAN. This consensus highlights the growing significance of regional bodies in addressing global challenges and maintaining stability.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement among speakers included the need for UN Security Council reform, addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, tackling climate change and sustainable development, and supporting developing countries in addressing economic inequalities.

Consensus level

There was a moderate to high level of consensus on these key issues, particularly regarding UN reform and the need for immediate action in Gaza. This level of agreement suggests potential for collaborative action on these fronts, but implementation may still face challenges due to differing national interests and geopolitical considerations.

Disagreement Points

Approach to UN Security Council reform

Speakers

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – India

Mohamad Hasan – Malaysia

Arguments

UN Security Council reform needed to make it more representative

Limit or abolish veto power in Security Council

Summary

While both speakers agree on the need for UN Security Council reform, they propose different approaches. India focuses on making the Council more representative, while Malaysia emphasizes limiting or abolishing veto power.

Addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict

Speakers

Mohamad Hasan – Malaysia

Xavier Bettel – Luxembourg

Arguments

End Israeli occupation and comply with ICJ decision

Support two-state solution and Palestinian statehood

Summary

Malaysia calls for an immediate end to Israeli occupation and compliance with ICJ decisions, while Luxembourg emphasizes support for a two-state solution. The approaches differ in their immediacy and specific demands.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of disagreement revolve around the specific approaches to UN reform, addressing regional conflicts (particularly the Israel-Palestine issue), and methods for achieving sustainable development and climate action.

Disagreement level

The level of disagreement among speakers is moderate. While there is general consensus on the need for reform and action on key global issues, speakers differ in their specific proposals and priorities. This level of disagreement is not unusual in international forums but may complicate efforts to reach concrete, unified action on pressing global challenges.

Partial Agreements

All speakers agree on the need for UN reform, but they emphasize different aspects: Singapore focuses on financial institutions, Norway on overall UN responsiveness, and India on Security Council representation.

Speakers

Vivian Balakrishnan – Singapore

Espen Barth Eide – Norway

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – India

Arguments

Reform international financial institutions to be more equitable

Transform UN to be more future-ready and responsive

UN Security Council reform needed to make it more representative

Similar Viewpoints

These speakers shared a common perspective on the need to address global economic inequalities and support developing countries. They emphasized the importance of debt relief, economic resilience, and reforming the international financial system to better serve the needs of developing nations.

Speakers

Dickon Mitchell – Grenada

Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla – Cuba

Amadou Oury Bah – Guinea

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – India

Sergey Lavrov – Russian Federation

Arguments

Support economic resilience and opportunities in Caribbean

Address debt burdens of developing countries

Promote inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction

Strengthen cooperation between Global South countries

Reform international financial system to benefit developing nations

Key Takeaways

There are widespread calls for reform of the United Nations, especially the Security Council, to make it more representative and effective

The Israel-Palestine conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza is a major concern, with many countries calling for an immediate ceasefire and two-state solution

Climate change and sustainable development remain critical global challenges requiring increased financing and support for developing countries

Economic inequality between developed and developing nations is a persistent issue, with calls to reform the international financial system

Regional security issues, particularly in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Indo-Pacific, are significant concerns for many countries

Resolutions and Action Items

Support Palestine’s bid for full UN membership

Implement commitments from COP28 on renewable energy and climate action

Reform international financial institutions to be more equitable for developing countries

Limit or abolish veto power in the UN Security Council

Provide urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza

Unresolved Issues

Specific mechanisms for UN Security Council reform

Details of climate financing for developing countries

Concrete steps to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict

How to address growing nuclear threats and arms control

Equitable solutions for transboundary water management disputes

Suggested Compromises

Two-state solution for Israel and Palestine

Common but differentiated responsibilities approach to climate action

Balancing ASEAN centrality with major power interests in the Indo-Pacific

Debt relief and increased development financing for developing countries

Peaceful dialogue to resolve South China Sea disputes

The world is in an acutely dangerous phase, and civilians in multiple trouble spots are paying a horrendous price. The risks of miscalculation and escalation have sharply increased, most notably in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan. The loss of so many innocent lives is heartbreaking, and the lack of trust amongst the major powers and the resulting deficit of global leadership makes it very difficult to find effective, peaceful solutions to all these ongoing conflicts.

Speaker

Vivian Balakrishnan – Singapore

Reason

This comment succinctly captures the current state of global affairs, highlighting the interconnected nature of conflicts and the challenges in resolving them due to lack of trust and leadership.

Impact

It set a somber tone for the discussion and framed subsequent comments around the need for multilateral cooperation and reform of global institutions.

The UN has always maintained that peace and development go hand in hand. Yet, when challenges to one have emerged, due regard has not been given to the other. Clearly, their economic implications for the weak and vulnerable need to be highlighted. But we must also recognize that conflicts themselves must be resolved.

Speaker

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar – India

Reason

This insight highlights the interconnectedness of peace and development, and points out a key shortcoming in how global challenges are addressed.

Impact

It shifted the discussion towards a more holistic view of global issues, emphasizing the need to address both peace and development simultaneously.

The veto should not be exercised at will. There must be interceptions in cases of crimes against humanity and attacks of civilian infrastructure. We must commit ourselves towards a reformed United Nations.

Speaker

Mohamad Hasan – Malaysia

Reason

This comment directly challenges the current power structure of the UN Security Council and calls for significant reform.

Impact

It sparked further discussion on UN reform, particularly around limiting veto power in cases of humanitarian crises.

The international community must break this terrible cycle of violence and recommit to a lasting peace, restoring hope and security to Israeli and Palestinians through a renewed peace process.

Speaker

Luca Beccari – San Marino

Reason

This comment offers a balanced perspective on the Israel-Palestine conflict and emphasizes the need for a renewed peace process.

Impact

It shifted the tone of the discussion from blame to a focus on constructive solutions and the need for international cooperation in resolving the conflict.

The climate crisis may be the most pressing challenge of our time. It is no longer a distant threat. It has flooded our doorstep, Mr President. It transcends borders by disrupting economies and displacing entire communities.

Speaker

Mohamad Hasan – Malaysia

Reason

This comment emphasizes the urgency and global nature of the climate crisis, framing it as an immediate threat rather than a future concern.

Impact

It refocused the discussion on climate change as a critical global issue, leading to further comments on the need for international cooperation on climate action.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by highlighting the interconnected nature of global challenges, from conflicts to climate change, and emphasizing the need for reform in global institutions, particularly the UN. They shifted the conversation from a focus on individual conflicts or issues to a more holistic view of global affairs, emphasizing the need for multilateral cooperation, institutional reform, and urgent action on climate change. The comments also underscored the importance of balancing peace and development efforts, and the need for more equitable representation in global decision-making processes.

How can the UN Security Council be reformed to make it more representative and effective?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Sergey Lavrov (Russia), Vivian Balakrishnan (Singapore), and Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (India)

Explanation

Many speakers emphasized the need for Security Council reform to better reflect current global realities and improve its effectiveness in maintaining international peace and security.

What concrete steps can be taken to achieve a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Xavier Bettel (Luxembourg) and Espen Barth Eide (Norway)

Explanation

Several speakers stressed the urgency of finding a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and called for renewed efforts towards a two-state solution.

How can the international community effectively address climate change and support developing countries in their climate mitigation efforts?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Vivian Balakrishnan (Singapore) and Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty (Egypt)

Explanation

Many speakers highlighted the urgent need for global action on climate change and emphasized the importance of supporting developing countries in their climate efforts.

What measures can be taken to reform the global financial architecture to better support developing countries?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (India) and Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty (Egypt)

Explanation

Several speakers called for reforms to international financial institutions to make them more equitable and responsive to the needs of developing countries.

How can the international community address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and work towards a lasting ceasefire?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Mohamad Hasan (Malaysia) and Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla (Cuba)

Explanation

Many speakers expressed deep concern about the ongoing conflict in Gaza and called for immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis and work towards a lasting peace.

What steps can be taken to strengthen the role of the UN in conflict prevention and peacebuilding?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Enrique Austria Manalo (Philippines) and Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty (Egypt)

Explanation

Several speakers emphasized the need to enhance the UN’s capacity for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, particularly in light of ongoing global conflicts.

How can the international community address the challenges posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Vivian Balakrishnan (Singapore) and Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty (Egypt)

Explanation

Several speakers highlighted the need for global cooperation in addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies, particularly AI.

What measures can be taken to combat terrorism and extremism on a global scale?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (India) and Enrique Austria Manalo (Philippines)

Explanation

Several speakers emphasized the ongoing threat of terrorism and the need for coordinated international efforts to combat it.

How can the international community better support refugees and address forced displacement?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty (Egypt) and Enrique Austria Manalo (Philippines)

Explanation

Several speakers highlighted the global refugee crisis and called for increased international support and cooperation in addressing forced displacement.

What steps can be taken to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Speaker

Multiple speakers including Vivian Balakrishnan (Singapore) and Enrique Austria Manalo (Philippines)

Explanation

Many speakers emphasized the importance of achieving the SDGs and called for renewed efforts to accelerate progress, particularly in light of setbacks caused by global crises.

Summary

This transcript covers statements from multiple world leaders at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, addressing global challenges and calling for international cooperation. The overarching theme was “leaving no one behind” while advancing peace, sustainable development, and human dignity. Many speakers emphasized the need for UN reform, particularly of the Security Council, to better represent developing nations and address current global issues. Climate change was a major focus, with small island nations highlighting their extreme vulnerability and calling for more climate financing and action from developed countries. Several leaders discussed regional conflicts and security concerns, including the situations in Gaza, Ukraine, and the Horn of Africa. Economic challenges facing developing nations were frequently mentioned, with calls for reforming the global financial system and providing more support for sustainable development. Some countries defended their domestic policies and development efforts while rejecting criticism from others. Nuclear disarmament, combating terrorism, and addressing migration were other key topics raised. Many speakers reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and the UN system, while also pushing for its modernization and reform. The right of reply section featured heated exchanges between several countries, particularly India and Pakistan over Kashmir and terrorism allegations. Overall, the discussion highlighted both shared global challenges and ongoing geopolitical tensions among UN member states.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– Climate change and its disproportionate impact on small island developing states and vulnerable countries

– Calls for reform of the UN Security Council and international financial institutions

– Ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises in various regions, particularly Gaza/Israel, Ukraine, and Haiti

– The need for increased climate finance and support for sustainable development in developing countries

– Concerns about nuclear proliferation and calls for disarmament

Overall purpose:

The overall purpose of this General Assembly session was for world leaders to address pressing global challenges, call for reforms to the international system, and advocate for their national interests and priorities on the world stage.

Tone:

The overall tone was one of urgency and concern about the state of the world and the ability of the current international system to address global challenges. Many speakers expressed frustration with the lack of progress on issues like climate change and UN reform. The tone became more confrontational during the right of reply segment, with countries like India and Pakistan trading accusations.

Speakers

– President: President of the United Nations General Assembly

– Gaston Alphonso Browne: Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Corporate Governance and Public-Private Partnerships of Antigua and Barbuda

– Edi Rama: Prime Minister of Albania

– Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa: Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Samoa

– Sonexay Siphandone: Prime Minister of Lao People’s Democratic Republic

– Feleti Teo: Prime Minister of Tuvalu

– Terrance Micheal Drew: Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, National Security and Immigration, Health and Social Security of St. Kitts and Nevis

РKay Rala Xanana Gusṃo: Prime Minister of Timor-Leste

– Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni: Prime Minister of Tonga

– Hamza Abdi Barre: Prime Minister of Somalia

– Christian Ntsay: Prime Minister and Head of Government of Madagascar

– Filip Ivanovic: Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Montenegro

– Rashid Meredov: Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan

– Tae-yul Cho: Minister for Foreign Affairs of South Korea

– Penny Wong: Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia

– Alva Romanus Baptiste: Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs of St. Lucia

– Kamina Johnson Smith: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica

– Mohamed Ali Nafti: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad of Tunisia

– Peter Shanel Agovaka: Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands

– Lejeune Mbella Mbella: Minister of External Relations of Cameroon

– Taye Atske-Selassie Amde: Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia

Additional speakers:

– Representative of Iran

– Representative of Indonesia

– Representative of Japan

– Representative of India

– Representative of Pakistan

The 79th session of the UN General Assembly convened world leaders to address pressing global challenges under the theme “leaving no one behind” while advancing peace, sustainable development, and human dignity. The discussions covered a wide range of interconnected issues, highlighting the need for comprehensive international cooperation.

Climate Change and Environmental Challenges

Climate change emerged as a critical concern, particularly for small island developing states (SIDS) and vulnerable countries. Gaston Alphonso Browne of Antigua and Barbuda emphasized the urgent need for climate action and financing, while Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa of Samoa highlighted the extreme vulnerability of SIDS to climate impacts. Feleti Teo of Tuvalu called for the operationalization of a loss and damage fund, underscoring the immediate threats faced by low-lying nations.

Peter Shanel Agovaka of the Solomon Islands delivered a stark message, stating that “Climate change is no longer a threat but a crisis,” and criticizing the Paris Agreement as “failing humanity.” This sentiment was echoed by other speakers, who pushed for more stringent, legally binding measures to address climate change.

Several leaders emphasized the importance of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) for SIDS, advocating for its adoption to better reflect the unique challenges faced by these nations in accessing development financing and climate support.

UN Reform and Multilateralism

A recurring theme was the need for comprehensive reform of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council. Lejeune Mbella Mbella of Cameroon advocated for Security Council reform and African representation, a sentiment shared by several African nations. Rashid Meredov of Turkmenistan called for strengthening the UN’s role in global governance, while Tae-yul Cho of South Korea supported UN reform to address 21st-century challenges.

Ethiopia’s Taye Atske-Selassie Amde stressed the need to modernize the UN as it approaches its 80th anniversary. Australia’s Penny Wong reaffirmed the fundamental purpose of the UN, particularly in times of global conflict and crisis.

Many speakers discussed the outcomes of the Summit of the Future and the proposed Pact for the Future, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive and effective multilateral system.

Sustainable Development and Economic Challenges

Numerous leaders highlighted the economic challenges facing developing nations and called for reforms to the global financial system. Sonexay Siphandone of Lao PDR emphasized the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and development financing, while Christian Ntsay of Madagascar called for reform of the international financial architecture.

Hamza Abdi Barre of Somalia stressed the need for debt relief and financial support for developing countries. Peter Shanel Agovaka of Solomon Islands and Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni of Tonga focused on economic transformation and infrastructure development, including digital transformation.

Several speakers mentioned the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) as a framework for addressing the unique challenges faced by small island nations.

Digital Transformation and Technology

The importance of digital transformation and technology in development was a significant topic. Leaders discussed the need for improved digital infrastructure, capacity building, and the bridging of the digital divide. The Global Digital Compact was mentioned as a crucial initiative for ensuring equitable access to digital technologies and fostering innovation.

Regional Conflicts and Security Issues

Several regional conflicts and security concerns were addressed. Filip Ivanovic of Montenegro and others expressed concern over the situation in Gaza and called for a ceasefire and a two-state solution. Edi Rama of Albania voiced support for peaceful resolution of conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Kamina Johnson Smith of Jamaica provided detailed information on the multinational security support mission in Haiti, emphasizing the urgent need for international assistance to address the country’s security and political challenges.

Taye Atske-Selassie Amde of Ethiopia raised concerns over maritime security in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean and discussed the Cooperative Framework Agreement of the Nile River Basin.

Human Rights and Dignity

Human rights and human dignity were emphasized as important priorities. Mohamed Ali Nafti of Tunisia stressed the importance of upholding human rights and combating discrimination, while also addressing the challenges of irregular migration. Terrance Micheal Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis called for Palestinian statehood and human rights, and Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão of Timor-Leste reaffirmed his country’s commitment to democracy and human rights.

Peacekeeping, Conflict Prevention, and Disarmament

Discussions on peacekeeping and conflict prevention highlighted the need for more effective UN interventions and support for countries emerging from conflict. Several speakers addressed the importance of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, calling for renewed efforts to reduce global nuclear arsenals and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

Conclusion

The 79th session of the UN General Assembly provided a platform for world leaders to address interconnected global challenges and call for reforms to the international system. While there was broad agreement on the urgency of issues such as climate change, UN reform, and sustainable development, approaches and specific proposals varied among nations. The discussions underscored the need for unified, decisive action across multiple fronts, including climate change, human rights, digital transformation, and regional stability. As the world faces increasingly complex challenges, the role of the United Nations and international cooperation remains crucial in finding collective solutions and ensuring no one is left behind.

President: The 14th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. The Assembly will continue its consideration of Agenda Item 8 entitled General Debate. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Gaston Alphonso Browne, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Corporate Governance and Public-Private Partnerships of Antigua and Barbuda. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Gaston Alphonso Browne – Antigua and Barbuda: Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, today we all stand at the edge of a precipice. Never before has humanity been confronted with such stark choices to end wars or condemn humanity to endless suffering, terminate poverty or watch millions starve, to act on climate change or doom future generations to a scorched planet. The choices we make today here in this Assembly and in every institution of governance will shape the survival of entire nations and the future of our world. For small states like Antigua and Barbuda, these are not distant realities, they are existential threats. Our islands are on the front lines of a climate catastrophe that we did not cause, a debt crisis we did not create and conflicts in which we have no part. And yet, we suffer the heaviest toll. The world is at a pivotal point and inaction is no longer an option for any of us. Small island developing states are the first to suffer, but we certainly will not be the last. All will be consumed if we continue to dither and delay. SIDS have learned to fight for survival against the rising seas and violent storms. But today, we must also fight for something greater, the survival of justice, equity, peace and human dignity itself. The time for games and lofty rhetoric has passed. We demand committed, concrete action, and we demand it now. We do not do so only for ourselves, but for all of humanity. The fourth United Nations Conference on Small Island Developing States, SIDS IV, is a pinnacle of monumental achievement, a milestone that marks not only our collective progress as SIDS, but also our unrelenting resolve. SIDS IV gave birth to the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, the Abbas, a renewed declaration for resilient prosperity. This agenda is not just a roadmap for the future, it is a lifeline for now. For SIDS, the Abbas represents the difference between thriving and perishing. It’s our roadmap to a prosperous future. At its core is the SIDS Center of Excellence, built by SIDS for SIDS. This center is intended to be more than just an institution. It is an instrument for meaningful change, a center for groundbreaking technologies, revolutionary processes, and certainly pioneering solutions. With its global data hub, innovation, and technology mechanism, as well as the Island Investment Forum and Debt Sustainability Support Service, the DSSS, the Center of Excellence can be literally transformed the way in which we adapt to our vulnerabilities and set a path for resilient prosperity. However, this vision cannot succeed in isolation. We need the cooperation and support of the global community to ensure its success. Without global cooperation, our hope of a secure future within our countries will crumble under the weight of inaction. That is why today I call for unwavering commitment of the international community to the center’s success. Our survival depends on it. Mr. President, climate change is not an abstract or academic threat. For my people and the people of SIDS, it is a persistent and destructive reality. Intense hurricanes are now an annual terror. Coastal erosion is wiping away our productive areas for tourism and agriculture. The climate crisis is not on the horizon. It is here. Now burning through our ecosystems, flooding our villages and leaving us with fewer tomorrows. And yet, we find ourselves at an absurd situation. Continue to subsidize the very industries that are accelerating our destruction. Fossil fuel companies have become the architects of our demise while generating ostentatious profits for the owners. We must fight to end this madness and I emphasize that we must fight to end this madness in protection of our planet and the interests of humanity. We need a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty to halt the reckless destruction of our environment, to end fossil fuel subsidies and to chart a course toward a sustainable future with a negotiated and graduated transition. Let COP 29 be the moment we draw a line in the sand. Let it be known that we can no longer afford the luxury of delay. While we recognize that fossil fuels still play a vital role in the energy security of many countries and we do not expect their production to cease overnight, we should not support companies extracting oil and gas to continue generating extravagant profits at the expense of our planet. It is only fair and just that these companies pay a global levy to fund mitigation efforts and compensation for the damage that they continue to inflict. And this is not punishment, it’s climate justice. It is a moral and legal responsibility in which the polluter pays. And it is also very appropriate that the time for action is now. While we face the climate emergency, we are also drowning in a sea of plastic pollution that is choking our oceans and devastating our biodiversity. It is no longer a question if we act, but how swiftly we can mobilize against this threat. Our nations must commit to a binding treaty as required by the UNEA Resolution 5.14 to put an end to plastic pollution and safeguard our world’s most fragile ecosystems. Let us not allow this tightening suffocation of our planet to continue. Distinguished Delegates, Antigua and Barbuda in concert with other small island developing states has played a leading role in pursuit of climate justice. And I said to all of us that we cannot relent on the issue of climate justice. At COP26 in 2021, together with Tuvalu, we established the Commission of Small Island States and Climate Change and International Law Courses. Today, an expanded membership from the Caribbean and the Pacific stands united in our demand for accountability. In 2022, the Commission sought the first-ever advisory opinion from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on the obligations of states to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In May of this year, the Tribunal rendered a historic opinion, affirming that major polluters are under legally binding obligation to protect the oceans and, by extension, small island states from the catastrophic harm of climate change. This precedent sets the stage for the advisory proceedings now before the International Court of Justice, initiated under the leadership of Van Wattu, with the co-sponsorship of Antigua and Barbuda and other states. It is remarkable that the smallest nations are those driving this global response to the greatest threat to human survival. Yet despite our efforts, the COP process continues to fail us. Instead of limited global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, an essential threshold for our survival, the world is hurtling towards a disastrous 2.8 degrees centigrade rise. This is nothing less than a death sentence for small island states, but it is also a harbinger for grief for the rest of the planet. We must demand that major polluters not only respect their obligations on international law, but also compensate us for the loss and damages that we have suffered. Those who preach about a rule-based international order must now lead by example. Funds must apply equally to all, including the mighty, not just to the poor and powerless. At COP29, we expect no further delay in the capitalization and operationalization of the loss and damage fund for which we have struggled so long and so desperately. Fight For Survival is not just about climate, it’s about financial justice, reparatory justice and other injustices and inequity. The international financial system is skewed, outdated and unjust, literally punishing the most vulnerable while rewarding the already rich and prosperous with favourable terms for their financial instruments. For too long, small states like mine have been shackled by debt we did not cause. Debt that arose from recovery spending on recurring disasters that are beyond our control. We cannot achieve climate justice without addressing the structural inequities in international financial architecture. It is time to lift the burdens that keep us bound to the past and unable to invest in our future. The SIDS Debt Sustainability Support Service is a critical mechanism that can provide tailored solutions, utilising debt for climate swaps, debt relief, repurposing of SDRs and carbon pricing funding to help us escape the cycle of unsustainable debt. This is not charity, it is the justice of financial inclusion. And in the end, by remedying past injustices, it will establish a world that is fairer, more just and more at peace with itself. Excellencies, the adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, the MVI, which Antiguan Barbuda was honoured to help advance in this organisation, offers a path towards correcting the imbalance of unjust treatment accorded to small and vulnerable nations. It is a vital tool, designed to acknowledge the complexities we face, not just in terms of limited economic capacity and other structural vulnerabilities and a lack of resilience, but also in our exposure to myriad external shocks. International financial institutions must act on this, integrating the MVI into their policies to ensure that support is targeted where it is most needed. The work has been done, the case has been made, the arguments are irrefutable. There can be no just and sustaining reform of the World Bank, other IFIs and multilateral banks without their effective implementation and use of the MVI. There can be no legitimate excuse for failing to utilise the MVI. As I said before, the arguments for its use are irrefutable and just. Mr President, these initiatives which SIDS have undertaken are a small component of the wider and more fundamental necessity for reform of the international financial architecture to provide greater funding accessibility and better terms to include lower interest rates and longer maturity transformations. They are part of the widened need for change to effectively address the historic imbalances against SIDS, including financial exclusion. International financial institutions and the nations that sit on their controlling boards must develop bespoke funding instruments that meet the needs of small vulnerable states and other developing countries, taking into consideration their vulnerabilities and lack of resilience. Mr President, we must also recognise that the principles of justice and equity we champion here apply equally to all nations and are conditions precedent for a peaceful world. In this spirit, Antiguan Barbuda calls for the end of the designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and for the lifting of the long-standing senseless embargo that has restricted its economic development. The time has come to cast off the chains of this outdated measure which no longer serves the interests of our modern interconnected world. Let us work together toward a future built on mutual respect and cooperation, where Cuba, like all nations, can fully participate in the global community. This is not a matter of politics, it is a matter of fairness and human dignity. The delegitimization of governments based on ideological differences, utilising misinformation and disinformation, including atrocity propaganda, serves no useful purpose but creates unnecessary tensions and conflicts. Let us embrace and respect our differences, standing in solidarity with each other in defence of global peace and prosperity. Excellencies, I wish now to address the grave issue of small arms and light weapons that are routinely exported from wealthy nations to our shores, creating havoc and instability. I call on the United States and other small arms and light weapons producing countries to put systems in place to curb the exportation of these lethal weapons to our shores. They are causing immense harm. This issue is now emerging as a public health epidemic among SIDS, to the extent that I hereby make a clarion call for a high-level meeting at the 80th UNGA to debate the threats of these weapons to peace and security and to devise effective solutions. Antigua and Barbuda cannot remain silent as innocent lives are destroyed and generations are condemned to fear and hatred. The events unfolding in the Middle East, particularly the conflict between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah, are deeply troubling. The violence is destabilising the entire region and reverberating across the world. Every missile fired, every life lost, deepens wounds already too many to bear. The violations of international humanitarian law are alarming. We call on all parties to end the suffering by sitting down at the table of peace, where sincere negotiations can lead to a lasting solution. We believe that the only sustainable resolution is the creation of two sovereign states with borders respected and rights upheld. It is time for the people of this region and all conflict zones to end these conflicts and to give peace a chance. Let us give peace a chance. From Gaza to Sudan, Ukraine to Yemen, the scars of conflict run deep, leaving devastation in their wake. The anguish of families torn apart by war reverberates across the globe and it is our collective humanity that bleeds. Conflict kills the victims of bullets and bombs, but it also diminishes all mankind. On September 17, inspired by the Secretary-General’s impassioned call for peace, I wrote to him proposing an initiative that transcends borders, language and conflict. With that letter, I transmitted a concept note setting out a proposal for holding international music concerts for peace across every region of the world. This initiative is intended not only to raise our global voices in a unified chorus against the horrors of war and other conflicts, but also to raise critical funds to support displaced persons and those who continue to suffer. Music is a universal language. It speaks to the soul in ways that words cannot. In moments when words fall short, music carries our collective cries for peace and justice. This would be more than a performance. It would be a global appeal, a powerful demonstration that peace is not just an ideal. It is an absolute necessity, a survival imperative for this and future generations. I call on all nations, large and small, to support the concept of international music concerts for peace. Mr. President, the world is crumbling under the weight of crises that include poverty, wars, pandemics and climate devastation. We are at a defining moment, and the choices we make now will determine the fate of every nation large and small. We can end these grave challenges, but it requires more than words. It demands decisive, concrete, unified action. Tegan Barbuda, like all small states, does not stand on the sidelines. We stand on the principles of peace and love for common humanity, and in the path of struggle against these global predicaments we did not create. Yet we fight not just for ourselves, but for a world where justice reigns, where peace endures, and where future generations inherit not a planet in peril, but one that prospers. The world must act now, for the choices we make today will resonate through history. Let us choose peace. Let us choose justice. And let us choose the survival of our one human race in our one homeland, the planet Earth. Peace.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Corporate Governance and Public-Private Partnership of Antigua and Barbuda. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Edi Rama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania. I request Protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Edi Rama – Albania: Our prospect for a more peaceful, just and equitable world are blurred today. Our times are challenging. A few days ago we committed to the pact of the future, a sound framework with a high level of ambition and actionable deliverables. We have made other similar major commitments in the past. We have not always kept them, to put it very mildly. We have paid the price. This is yet another chance, one we take under pressure, to make a difference for a more peaceful and prosperous future, while the time we live in could not be grimmer. Albania humbly joins this discussion after the conclusion of its mission for the first time at the UN Security Council. We aim to represent this community of countries that stand together for those values and principles that are non-negotiable and we sincerely hope to have met the expectations of many. Today, more than ever, we need tolerance and trust and an extended hand of friendship to each other. Make no mistake, by tolerance I do not mean complacency. Tolerance demands that we go beyond our comfort zones and not merely tolerate, but tolerate respectfully, actively and graciously by not simply accepting others’ views, but constantly engaging with the complexity of all our own histories. Tolerance for us Albanians is not merely the passive acknowledgement and grudging acceptance of someone’s diversity. That form of tolerance, the tolerance that Muslims and Christian Albanians expressed during World War II towards the Jews by putting their lives on the line against evil and making Albania the only country in Europe to end the war with more Jews than it had when the war began, requires its own partisan spirit. It requires engaging with the one who is different from us, accommodating disagreements with respect and continuing to build bridges so that we can continue to debate and foster further understanding and peace by putting ourselves in the others’ shoes. It also requires that we continue to challenge ourselves by reflecting on the possibility of our own biases and prejudices, by reflecting on the arbitrariness and unilaterality that we attribute to others and by constantly interrogating our own double moral standards. It is with a trust in humanity and humanism that Albania became a safe heaven for the people who escaped death after the fall of Kabul under the Taliban, who were welcomed and accepted by my country, while bigger and richer EU member states of NATO turned their back to them. In the same spirit, we gave shelter to several thousand Iranian refugees whose lives were in daily danger in Camp Liberty in Iraq, where they were raided and killed by Tehran assassins. We paid a dear price for being their hosts. The Tehran totalitarian regime engaged in a large-scale cyber attack against Albania, which aimed to bring the country to its knees by wiping out all our digital infrastructure of public services. They were very brutal, but they failed miserably. We didn’t waver, and we will not waver, in our commitment to shelter those people in our country for as long as it takes. Our hospitality was not, and is not at all, related to any political stance against Iran, but only to humanitarian belief engraved in our spirit as a nation. We recently extended a hand of help to our neighbor and special friend Italy in an effort to ease the difficulties that geography has burdened on them with one of the most pressuring phenomena of our times, immigration. Meanwhile, instead of just talking, we tried to act, without pretending to solve the huge immigration problem in Europe, but on the other hand, without just sitting around, and by trying to build and add something constructive, we just did our part. This attitude of solidarity, cooperation and good neighborly relations is the linchpin of our policy in our region, the Western Balkans. In our region, after more than a quarter of a century, the deep wounds left by the violent disintegration of the former Yugoslavia still need to be healed. But we have also seen the construction of peace, reflected above all by the vision, unparalleled wisdom and courage that led to the creation of the European Union. All of us in the Western Balkans have tried for over a decade to come together and meet and talk about the challenges and plans for our common future. It is Albania’s firm belief that we need to look at the past with the eyes of the future and not look at the future with the eyes of the past. Today, the peoples of the Balkans have a moment of historical opportunity in a context of historical danger in the wider Europe, where the Russian aggression against Ukraine should serve us all as a permanently ringing bell. I would say that the Western Balkans is in a much better position today than ever before. But we must work tirelessly and patiently among ourselves, in the region, and above all with our allies and partners to make sure that the return to the past is not just impossible, but simply unimaginable. In this context, our brotherly Republic of Kosovo is an irreversible reality as a state among the six countries of the Western Balkans, with a clear European perspective and an undisputed allegiance to the large democratic community of nations. Any artificially drawn parallels between Kosovo and the occupied areas of Ukraine are meant to distract and to confuse whomever possible under this roof and the whole international public opinion, but they can never achieve to dilute the truth, which is Kosovo is now an intrinsic part of the international reality, an inspiring member of the Euro-Atlantic community, and must not be held hostage by anyone with false pretensions and excuses, starting with a group of five EU members that still do not recognize Kosovo’s rightful place in every international forum and organization. In the third year of the unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression of Russia against Ukraine, we feel compelled to renew our call for Russia to stop this war. This is a war that neither Ukraine nor our community of like-minded nations choose, a catastrophe conceived by the decision of one country and indeed one delusional dreamer of an old imperial past. Rewarding an aggressor who annexes the territories of a sovereign country by disarming the victim of the aggression does not bring peace, but paves the way for more war. All those who seek peace by stopping Ukraine instead of stopping the neo-imperialist Russia’s aggression are wrong, and they should be aware of a very simple truth. A peace that defeats Ukraine would bring only further aggression and would turn our world into one ruled by might, not by right. Yes, we seek peace too, and we want peace to be made between Ukraine and Russia as soon as possible. And of course, we would support any peace attempt and format that would include Russia around the table. But we seek a just peace based on the Charter of the United Nations, international law, and the resolutions of this General Assembly of the United Nations, a peace that cannot undermine Ukraine and its rights. Earlier this year in Tirana, our capital, we hosted the second summit between Ukraine and Southeast Europe and welcomed President Zelensky, a true and brave leader of resistance, which is not simply a resistance to a brutal aggression. nds, but at the same time a resistance for the very existence of democracy and the just ruled based Europe and world. Albania will continue to stand by Ukraine and support it for as long as necessary and as long as a lasting just peace is achieved. There is another war waging in Europe’s southeast too. Albania stands firm in its position that there is no place for Hamas and its likes in the world we want to live in, in a fully recognized right of the Palestinian people to have their own safe place in this world and their right to give birth and raise their children in their own state. Guaranteeing such a basic condition for millions of Palestinians is much easier said than done, just as it is much easier said than done for the Jewish people to live in their land without anyone around questioning their right to exist. We need to restore our moral compass in the Middle East, yes of course, but there is no moral compass that can relativize and God forbid normalize terror and a terrorist organization like Hamas as a part of the peace we all want between Israel and Palestine. Doing so would be like relativizing the scourge of anti-Semitism and accepting to coexist with a new vicious form of Nazism, which is the worst thing that could have happened for so many years to first and foremost the Palestinian people themselves. Nevertheless, it is not too difficult to state loudly and strongly that so much violence and destruction cannot be the long-term solution for both Israel and Palestine and should stop. We reaffirm here our national support for a just and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the two-state solution. Albania supports the international community efforts related to this conflict through dialogue and negotiations leading to a true independent state solution, living in peace and good neighborliness, a functional state of Palestine and a secure state of Israel, which instead of being lectured from far away should be supported with no yes buts in its fight against terror, while still more than a hundred innocent people are being kept hostage in hellish holes under the face of the earth by the butchers of the last year, October 7. The rule of law stands at the heart of one of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, a goal which plays the role of the enabler and accelerator of all other Sustainable Development Goals. Its importance stands on the promise of achieving more inclusive, just and peaceful societies, without strong institutions. Access to justice and respect for human rights, progress on other goals such as ending poverty, ensuring food security, promoting health and well-being, including fighting climate change, will be limited. Albania is living proof of the radical transformation of good governance practices and mindset. Our public services are now 95% paperless and the digitalization of access and services has curbed corruption, informality and mistrust in institutions. With its unprecedented justice reform, Albania has invested tremendously over the last few years in achieving SDG 16 as a crucial tool for achieving a sustainable future for social progress, economic prosperity, environmental sustainability and justice. But for a developing country, the struggle for just and fair institutions and good governance is not one that can be won within a year, through some reforms or even during a single decade. On the contrary, it is a perpetual effort to transform domestically over making to the most effective practices of providing access to citizens at all levels and instances of government. We are committed to playing our part and collaborating with the international community to ensure the successful realization of our Albania 2030 vision. Building upon the ongoing work during our previous mandate, as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, we will continue to work with like-minded countries to improve the governance and institutional efficiency for the UN, as well as multilateralism and respect for human rights. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Albania is committed to the universal principles of human rights and dignity in a world where every human being can realize their full potential and live with dignity and respect. A very dear daughter of the Albanians, St. Mother Teresa, once said, I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many rebels. No better saying can mirror today’s need to work together on what is clearly the substance of multilateralism. Thank you very much.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania. The Assembly will hear an address by Her Excellency Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Independent State of Samoa. I request the protocol to escort Her Excellency and invite her to address the Assembly.

Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa – Samoa: Madam President, Excellencies, Tarafalawa and good afternoon. I would like to extend my congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Philemon Yang of the Cameroon on the Assumption of the Presidency of the 79th Session of the General Assembly. The theme of your Presidency is one which resonates with us as we strive to navigate a path towards a more peaceful, sustainable and resilient future for our people and the planet. Please be assured of Samoa’s support and successful execution of your mandate. The effects of climate change are being lived in real time. We’re not even at the end of 2024, yet we’ve witnessed countries in all corners of the globe endure extreme weather events, from ferocious wildfires to devastating floods and scorching heat waves. In July this year, we saw the earliest Category 5 hurricane Beryl hit the Caribbean with such ferocity, causing devastation and even in parts of Mexico, Venezuela and the USA. Our collective efforts must not end at national borders. In our most difficult times, it is easy to abandon the collective to safeguard the individual. But history reminds us of the folly of that approach. Climate change remains one of the gravest concerns for all countries, especially SIDS. Its impacts are more extensively felt due to our special circumstances and the lack of capacity to respond to climate change. Climate change is not only a threat to the environment, but it is also a threat to the economy. We must respond quickly and effectively. Unless substantial investments are made to mitigate climate change, boost adaptation and build more resilient economies, we face urgent climate and financial risks. Climate change also has significant security implications for our food, water and energy supplies, competition over natural resources, loss of livelihoods, climate-related disasters and potentially forced migration. We must do more to turn the tide. To honour our commitments and obligations and to take urgent and ambitious climate action now. Our expectations for the upcoming COP29 in Azerbaijan include securing an agreement on NCQG that is truly fit for purpose. It is time to review the outcomes of the first global stocktake to ensure that new NDCs due in 2025 are as ambitious as possible. Excellencies, we must keep global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius. This is a red line for many SIDS like my country Samoa. In this era of unprecedented sea level rise, international law must evolve to meet the climate crisis and the disproportionate effect it has on SIDS. Earlier this week, Aeosus leaders adopted a declaration of sea level rise and statehood. The declaration provides affirmation that international law is based on the fundamental principle of the continuity of states. Our statehood and sovereignty cannot be challenged. No matter the physical changes wrought by the climate crisis, we will remain sovereign states unless we choose otherwise. As part of the Blue Pacific continent, Samoa is committed to ensuring that our ocean spaces, resources and ecosystems remain healthy for current and future generations. We have witnessed many demands on our marine resources from a variety of sectors. Cognizant of the threats that such demands and pressures place on these critical resources, places on these critical resources, we launched the Samoa Ocean Strategy in 2020. Our national policy framework that seeks to sustainably manage Samoa’s vast ocean and marine resources. The strategy provides bold and comprehensive integrated ocean management solutions to advance ocean stewardship and ensure that cultural and economic values that Samoans derive from the ocean continue to be available to all generations. Stewardship of the ocean extends beyond our national boundaries. In this regard, Samoa is working towards ratification of the BBNJ agreement while continuing to engage regionally and internationally on advocacy of ocean health and sustainability of our marine ecosystems, including fisheries resources. We call on our partners to continue working with us to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, which deprives us of resource benefits and undermines our management efforts. We continue to engage in the work of the INC for an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. For Samoa, the need to address the global plastic pollution problem, especially in the marine environment, is a priority. Your Excellencies, we need to protect our biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. Healthy biological diversity maintains the web of life that we rely on, such as food, water, medicine, economic growth and sustainable livelihoods. The protection of our mangroves and reef systems increase the resilience to climate change-driven erosion and flooding. Supporting healthy ecosystems and the sustainable well-being of coastal communities. Our experience with COVID-19 pandemic has taught us to be better prepared for global pandemics. Non-communicable diseases are a priority concern and accounts for much of the burden of diseases in Samoa. Chronic NCDs are overtaking communicable diseases as the dominant health problem and are the leading causes of mortality, morbidity and disability. At the national level, NCDs account for almost half of the deaths and premature deaths at that in Samoa. Excellencies, food security is a priority that requires the transformation of our food systems. We must return to locally produced quality fresh foods with less reliance on processed imported foods. As important is the need to address the balance of issues of access, affordability and convenience against quality and well-being. In last May, we met in Antigua and Barbuda for the fourth SIDS conference, where we adopted the ABAS, a 10-year action plan for our sustainable development. SIDS are in the crossfire of multiple crises. Climate change, the economic and social repercussions of COVID-19, which many of us still haven’t fully recovered from. We face a unique set of vulnerabilities which impede our ability to achieve sustainable development. Most SIDS, like Samoa, face high indebtedness, compounded every time there is a natural disaster. These disasters will only increase and intensify as long as climate change remains unaddressed. The work of the systematic observations financing facility and the risk-informed early action partnership in this space is much appreciated and fully supported by SIDS. Samoa looks forward to the timely and effective implementation of the MVI by international financial institutions and our development partners as a tool to assist SIDS in accessing finance. I am determined in this call, not only as Prime Minister of my country, but as Chair of EIOSIS. In July this year, Samoa presented its third voluntary national review report to the High-Level Political Forum. Its focus is on the continued commitment of the government to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, at a pace commensurate with our prioritization, resource availability, and active engagement of our communities. We continue to place emphasis on achieving the SDGs through a balancing of the strengths of our culture and society, transformative reforms, effective resource mobilization, and the careful management of our natural environment. Your Excellencies, the Global Digital Compact has been the focus of this year’s Summit of the Future, aimed at establishing a comprehensive framework for the governance of digital technologies and the internet. We request that support for SIDS include capacity building, technical assistance, and strengthening digital infrastructure through cybersecurity measures and educational initiatives for public and private enterprises. The successful implementation of the Digital Compact will require a coordinated and multifaceted approach with the assistance of UN entities and development partners in applying the principles to our national context as well as to the regional and global levels. Samoa remains a peaceful country, committed to justice and the protection of human rights. We are concerned that the wars in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza and surrounding areas are still ongoing with no resolution in sight. The terrible loss of civilian lives, displacement of people, as well as the destruction of infrastructure and the environment is something we do not condone. The provision of arms to these conflicts needs to cease. Arms and weapons only fuel more death and destruction. The UN can play a greater role in finding a path towards peace and we are committed to the collective responsibility of our global community to achieve this through international cooperation and diplomacy. 2025, being the 80th year of the UN anniversary, presents an opportunity all of us to seriously consider the reforms of the Security Council. We must consider the expansion of both the permanent and non-permanent seats of the Security Council to enhance the representation of the underrepresented and the unrepresented regions. Your Excellencies, the more things change, the more we cannot afford to stay the same. The tools of a foregone era can no longer ensure our future. The complexity of the challenges that beset us requires a greater understanding of the challenges themselves, as well as those those being challenged. Samoa remains committed to the United Nations and our conviction that it remains the foremost forum to address all international issues. Thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Independent State of Samoa. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Sonexay Siphandone – Lao PDR: Madam President, at the outset, I would like to express my sincere congratulations to you, Excellency Philemon Leung, on your election as the President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. I have full confidence that with your extensive diplomatic experience and wisdom, you shall successfully lead this august Assembly under the theme of leaving no one behind, acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations, which is of most importance and relevance to the current global situation. In the same vein, I would like to commend His Excellency Dennis Francis for the successful conduct of his tenure as the President of the General Assembly. Madam President, today the international community is facing multifaceted challenges taking place across various regions, such as geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, economic and financial crises, even more frequent and devastating natural disasters resulting from climate change, rising poverty and widespread social unrest worldwide, among others. These remain real threats to international peace, stability and security, and obstacles to national development efforts of Member States, as well as the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, leaving many countries that have yet to fully recover from the impacts of COVID-19 with exacerbated economic and financial difficulties. Against this backdrop, I have witnessed that the Member States have strived to enhance cooperation both through the multilateral frameworks and regional mechanisms to jointly address the pressing issues, aiming at creating an environment conducive for maintenance of peace, which is the most fundamental condition for sustainable development. However, these challenges that we are facing are much more fragile and could lead to more dire consequences and potentially reshape the current and future international peace and security landscape, especially the geopolitical tensions that are becoming more confrontational and widening division, all of which require immediate attention, including the prolongated conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and many countries in Africa. The LARPEDA is deeply concerned with the ongoing armed conflict that is gravitating towards spilling over in the entire Middle East region, which would consequence an even more humanitarian crisis for innocent civilians. Therefore, we maintain our consistent support to all international efforts aimed at achieving a permanent ceasefire and cessation of all violence in Gaza and the adjacent areas, as the fundamental condition for safe and unhindered humanitarian access for the people, as well as rapid peace agreement negotiation. The LARPEDA reiterates its support for the two-state solution for the Palestinian issue, where Palestine and Israel coexist in peace in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions, and calls for respect for the inalienable and legitimate rights of Palestinian people for creating necessary conditions for Palestinians to become a full-fledged member of the United Nations. Madam President, many countries all over the world, including the LARPEDA, have experienced and suffered firsthand the consequences of war and solving disputes by force, which directly endanger peace and security with unpredictable destruction to innocent lives. As such, the only way to solve disputes at all levels with a view towards sustainable peace is to begin with building mutual trust along with diplomatic negotiations based on respect for sovereignty and adherence to the fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter. I am of the view that the international community must ascend to its required responsibility and political commitment that lead to tangible results based on international principles to address various issues at hand, as well as emerging challenges in the future. Simultaneously, we must further enhance our development cooperation and global partnership, ensuring the concrete implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, together with the outcomes of the Summit of the Future that the world leaders have just endorsed most recently, based on the promotion of multilateralism with the United Nations at its core, to adequately and timely respond to the needs of the international community. It is my view that the application of unilateral coercive measures is against the principles of the UN Charter and international law. These measures have severely and disproportionately affected the innocent people and obstructed development progress in many countries. On that account, we reiterate our unwavering support in line with the calls of the international community for ending the economic embargo against Cuba and removing it from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and removal of all unilateral coercive measures against any sovereign state. Madam President, the Lao PDR has the honour to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2024 for the third time under the theme ASEAN – Enhancing Connectivity. Building a more connected, integrated and resilient region that is able to respond effectively and timely to the emerging challenges amidst the regional and global complex and rapidly changing landscapes, thereby contributing to the global common cause of maintaining peace, stability and security, as well as sustainable development in the region and the world. Importantly, this year ASEAN is focusing on developing strategic plans in each pillar as well as the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 towards resilient, innovative, dynamic and people-centred community, as well as the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. In addition, ASEAN is accelerating the accession process to admit Timor-Leste as a full member of ASEAN in the near future. On the developments in Myanmar, the Lao PDR, as the ASEAN Chair, continues to uphold the ASEAN’s commitment to assisting Myanmar in finding a peaceful and durable solution to the ongoing problem in Myanmar through the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus based on the Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led process. The Lao PDR will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders, aiming at building a conducive environment to implement the Five-Point Consensus, including the Inclusive National Dialogue and humanitarian assistance. Madam President, the Lao PDR remains steadfast to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on socio-economic development together with the environment protection and reduction of poverty. Last July, the Lao PDR presented its third Voluntary National Review of the SDG implementation at the 2024 High-Level Political Forum, which demonstrated that there remains small progress and off-track goals. Among them, the implementation of the National SDG 18, Lives Saved from Unexploded Ordinance, has made progress in varying degrees. However, the Unexploded Ordinance remains a major threat to the lives of the Lao people and poses obstacles to the national development while hindering the progress of the other SDGs. We therefore take this opportunity to call upon the international community to provide predictable and adequate support and assistance to the Lao PDR in addressing this long overdue and challenging problem, in accordance with the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The Lao PDR is of the view that one of the main obstacles to implementing the SDGs is insufficient funding. As such, there is an urgent need to reform international financial architecture through the collaboration among the UN Development System, development partners and the international financial institutions, while promoting the participation of the developing countries in the international economic decision-making, norm-setting and global economic governance. Currently, it is our view that the UN Development System at all levels must enhance its roles in cooperating with and providing support to the member states, especially the least developed countries, the landlocked developing countries and small island developing states in order to help tackle their special needs and challenges. Another key factor that can help accelerate national development efforts is the role of science, technology and innovation, including artificial intelligence, in facilitating green growth and digitalization that is environmentally friendly and investment in carbon capture and storage. Thus, the Lao PDR calls on the international community to facilitate access and transfer of appropriate technology and innovation to help leapfrog the development, including support for the implementation of strategic plan and vision for the development of digital economy of the Lao PDR. Furthermore, I am of the view that human capital is another decisive factor. Presently, one-third of the Lao population are within the age range of 10 to 24, making the Lao PDR the nation with the youngest population in Southeast Asia, and those figures are projected to continuously increase for the next 10 years. At the same time, the working age population is expected to increase around 67% of the total population by 2030, as compared to 63% in 2020. The government of the Lao PDR invested in its human capital development in order to reap the benefits of its demographic dividend. As part of such efforts, the government of Lao PDR organized the first Human Capital Summit on Education in 2023 and the second Summit on Nutrition in 2024, aimed at enhancing education, quality, basic health care and nutrition of the Lao people. On graduation from the least developed country status, the Lao government has adopted the Lao PDR Smooth Transition Strategy for LDC graduation by 2026 and beyond. From the result of the tri-annual review by the UN Committee for Development Policy in early 2024, the Lao PDR continues to meet all three thresholds for graduation by 2026. However, given the current situation, we are of the view that there remains the necessity for us to continue to focus our forces and efforts to cope with external shocks and address domestic economic and financial difficulties, as well as impacts of natural disasters, including the ongoing floodings, in cooperation with the United Nations and development partners in order for the Lao PDR to be able to overcome various obstacles and continue its development momentum towards a smooth, quality and sustainable graduation from the LDC status. Madam President, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the international community for the successful outcome of the Summit of the Future, which has reaffirmed strong commitments of the world leaders to supporting multilateral systems, maintenance of peace and promotion of international cooperation for sustainable development through the adoption of the Pact for the Future, which focuses on the current challenges of the world and building a better future for the future generations. In this connection, the Global Digital Compact has set the goals to eliminate all obstacles and facilitate digital cooperation at the international level, while also ensuring that technological advancement contributes to the acceleration of the SDG’s achievement. The Lao PDR always takes into consideration our common responsibility for future generations and thus highly values the adoption of the Declaration on Future Generations, which prescribes the principles and commitments to protecting our world peace and stability, ensuring equal access to social services, information and innovation while addressing the impacts of climate change, among others. All of these will help ensure the sustainability of our planet, in which future generations could continue the utilization of natural resources in the future. Despite being one of the least emission-polluting countries in the world, the Lao PDR, like many other countries, has encountered severe consequences of climate change and natural disasters. Hence, the Lao PDR has adopted its National Strategic Plan on Climate Change and committed to contributing to the international efforts in addressing climate change. Allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate all on the success of the High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise on 25 September 2024, which has reiterated the need for strong international cooperation to address climate change. Notwithstanding the fact that the Lao PDR is a landlocked country, we stand ready to contribute to the international efforts to protect the environment. The Law PDR continues to uphold its cooperation with the Member States of the UN and regional countries to contribute to the cause of maintaining peace and security, promoting prosperity of all nations worldwide, as well as overcoming the challenges of today and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in order to provide an enabling condition for a bright future of the current and new generations. I thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Feleti Teo, Prime Minister of Tuvalu. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Feleti Teo – Tuvalu: Your Excellencies, Madam President, I am humbled and indeed honoured to stand before you today at this August Assembly for the first time as the Prime Minister of Tuvalu. I bring to the General Assembly and the related high-level symmetries the best wishes of my people and the Government of Tuvalu. I take this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency President Philemon Yang for assuming the role of the President for the 79th United Nations General Assembly. Tuvalu wishes you a very successful Presidency. I also take this opportunity to congratulate the outgoing President, His Excellency Dennis Francis, for a job well done and for his exceptional leadership during his Presidency. Madam President, I applaud President Yang’s insightful vision for this session, namely leaving no one behind, acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations. The theme challenges us to work in unison to advance peace and security, sustainable development and human dignity. Considering how off-track the progress of the SGG, it is a timely and practical, a pragmatic call. We must therefore advance in unity as a family of nations. However, it is imperative to recognise the inherent disparity in our respective developmental capacities. The LDCs and the SITs trailing on the lower end of the global economic scale face persistent and significant financial challenges in their developmental efforts. For Tuvalu, a purely import-oriented economy, our economic fragility is further compounded by poor natural endowment, geographical isolation from major markets and environmental vulnerability to climatic crisis. Madam President, your vision to promote human dignity at this critical moment is highly commendable. Ensuring that all individuals have access to resources and opportunities to participate in international decision-making processes is crucial for a just and effective response to these global challenges. In that regard, it is regrettable that the Republic of China-Taiwan continues to be excluded from the United Nations system despite its significant contribution and partnership across various development sectors. The UNGA Resolution 2758 does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system and therefore must include Taiwan so that no one is left behind. As a vibrant democracy that has made remarkable progress on the SDG, Taiwan is well-positioned to make meaningful contribution to global efforts in achieving those goals. It is also regrettable to observe that the people of Cuba continue to bear the economic burden of long-standing unilateral economic blockades. With such measures, Cuba is denied crucial international development assistance and partnerships necessary for its recovery and rebuilding efforts. Tuvalu aligns itself with member states that support the lifting of those blockades and join other member states called for the removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Excellencies, Tuvalu applauds the Secretary General and his team for their tireless efforts in the organization of several important high-level meetings this week. Tuvalu also commends the commitment and constructive contribution by all member states that enabled the success of those meetings. Excellencies, Tuvalu welcomes and supports the Pact for the Future, adopted earlier this week at the Summit of the Future, together with the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact. What is needed now is robust political will and unwavering commitment to implement the provision of the pact. We are heartened by the pact’s call for a bold and comprehensive outcome document on addressing climate change at the upcoming COP29 in Azerbaijan. While climate change affects every nation, its impacts are disproportionately felt more by small island developing states like Tuvalu. Despite our insignificant contribution to climate change, we face the most severe consequences when climate-induced disasters do occur. We therefore urge all member states to honor their commitment to increased support for climate finance and technology transfer to help nations like Tuvalu develop and enhance their adaptive resilience. The science is very clear. Atmospheric temperatures continue to rise due to the increasing emission of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels. Therefore, phasing out fossil fuels is crucial to global efforts to reduce carbon emission and to curb global warming. Towards that objective, Tuvalu and several other like-minded nations are leading the promotion for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative. The initiative is to garner international support on a binding treaty arrangement that regulates and limits the use of fossil fuel with the ultimate objective of total phase-out. And I take this opportunity to invite other member states of the United Nations family to support the initiative. And I express the sincere hope that the commitment in the pact provides the much-needed reboot to the global multilateralism architecture and the UN system generally. Tuvalu supports and looks forward to the effective implementation of the pact for the future to build a more equitable global system where no nation and no community is left behind. Excellencies, climate change-induced sea-level rise is and will always be a top priority for Tuvalu. Sea-level rise is not only a top development priority, but also a top survivability priority for Tuvalu. The Pacific Ocean that used to define us will soon engulf us and will determine our future existence if sea-level rise is not halted and the Tuvalu coastlines are not suitably fortified and reinforced. Sea-level rise is a global and a multidimensional phenomenon that requires immediate global actions. For Tuvalu, sea-level rise poses the greatest existential threat to our economies, to our culture and heritage, and to the land that nourished our ancestors for centuries. Current predictions on the rate of sea-level rise are frighteningly disturbing. The predictions are that in 26 years’ time, by 2050, more than 50% of Tuvalu’s sea-level rise will be Tshilvalu, Tshilvalu’s land territory will be regularly flooded by regular tidal surges. Fifty years afterward, in 2100, more than 90% of Tshilvalu’s land territory will suffer the same fate. The predictions do not account for severe climatic conditions like cyclones and hurricanes, which would exponentially accelerate the reaching of those thresholds. Tshilvalu therefore commends the President for the timely and successful organization of the High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise on Wednesday. Tshilvalu is heartened by the commitment of all Member States to strengthen international cooperation and partnerships for more comprehensive and effective responses to sea-level rise. We are committed to providing the Secretary-General with our national report on this issue within the suggested time frame and look forward to contributing to a concise, action-oriented and intergovernmentally negotiated declaration. The High-Level Meeting marks the take-off for our global effort to shape an ambitious declaration by the General Assembly in September 2026. The declaration, in my considered view, must be a strong pronouncement in support of the expectation of the one billion people affected by sea-level rise. The declaration shall be an unwavering commitment to our sovereignty, dignity, prosperity and rights. The declaration must be action-oriented and comprehensive and toward those objectives we expect the declaration to include the following principle. Firstly, the declaration shall ascertain the principle of statehood continuity as a tenet of international law and international cooperation and to affirm that statehood cannot be challenged under any circumstances of sea-level rise. Secondly, the declaration shall reaffirm the permanency of maritime zones established in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Thirdly, the declaration shall call on the international community and regional institutions to enable human mobility pathways that facilitate movement safely, orderly and with dignity. Fourthly, the declaration shall devise concrete programs for the international community to support our efforts to safeguard our unique culture and heritage, both tangible and intangible. Fifthly, the declaration shall establish dedicated and innovative financing mechanism to support the positive adaptation journeys of the most vulnerable communities. And finally, the declaration shall underscore the importance of knowledge, data and science to anticipate and plan for the impact of sea-level rise. Excellencies, I wish to reiterate the commitment of Tuvalu to address the effect of climate change through identified science-based transformative adaptive solution. These solutions are designed to reclaim and elevate land, enhance our resilience against sea-level rise and ensure our sovereign rights to our land and cultural identity are safe and protected for our future generations. I acknowledge the efforts of the Pacific people and leaders in addressing the pressing issue of sea-level rise. The Pacific leaders in their annual meeting in Tonga last month reiterated the importance of the 2021 Declaration on Maritime Boundary Preservation and the 2023 Declaration on Statehood Continuity and Climate Change Related Sea-Level Rise. The Pacific leaders also called for sea-level rise to be a stand-alone agenda in the UNGA and other related UN processes like the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Furthermore, in 2021, Tuvalu, in collaboration with Antigua and Barbuda, established the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law. The said commission successfully secured in May of this year an advisory opinion from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, which clarifies that greenhouse gas emissions pollute the marine environment and that states have the legal responsibility to take all necessary measures to prevent, reduce and control them. This advisory opinion is a significant development as it shifts the conversation from political commitment to binding legal obligations. Excellencies, the science on climate change is comprehensive and clear, and that the climate is changing and is significantly impacting small island states through rising sea levels. Nationalized scientific data and information has allowed my government to create a three-dimensional model that specifically demonstrates the impact of climate change and sea-level rise in Tuvalu. We showcased this three-dimensional model here in New York during the High-Level Week. And I must admit it is alarming and disturbing to see how quickly Tuvalu’s entire land territory will be engulfed by rising seas as greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase. Excellencies, I am pleased to share with the General Assembly this afternoon a watershed treaty between Tuvalu and Australia titled the Falepili Union Treaty. The treaty carries the title of a treasured Tuvalu value of the Falepili, which connotes good neighborliness, care and share, and mutual respect. The treaty is firmly grounded on mutual respect of each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence. The treaty prioritized three key areas, namely climate cooperation, mobility with dignity, and shared security. For the first time, there is a country, Australia, that has committed legally to come to the aid of Tuvalu upon request when Tuvalu encounters a major natural disaster, when Tuvalu is experiencing a major public health pandemic, and when Tuvalu is subjected to some form of military aggression. For the first time also, another country, Australia, is legally committed to recognize the permanency of the future statehood and sovereignty of Tuvalu despite the impact of climate change, particularly sea level rise. The treaty also provides for a mobility pathway for citizens of Tuvalu who so chooses to live, work and study in Australia. And I look forward very much to the full operationalization of the Falepili Union Treaty next year in 2025. Excellencies, let me reiterate Tuvalu’s unwavering support for the Antigua and Barbuda’s agenda for CITS, the ARBAS, that was adopted in May this year. ARBAS addresses the unique challenges faced by small island developing states through a multifaceted approach that includes climate action, economic diversification and social development. Excellencies, Tuvalu is one of the smallest states in the world in terms of its land territory and population. But it is a very large ocean state, considering the extent of its exclusive economic zone. So Tuvalu has a very – so Tuvaluans have a very close relationship with the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean sustains our daily lives and economic prosperity. The impact of climate change on fish stock migration and declining marine resources together with IUU fishing and marine pollution pose a major challenge to Tuvalu’s progress towards sustainable economic development. As a signatory to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, Tuvalu is committed to the sustainable utilization and equitable distribution of marine resources. Tuvalu is also committed to the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which aims to protect the ocean. This commitment is reinforced by UNEA Resolution 5-14 to develop an ambitious international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal. Excellencies, Tuvalu expresses its sincere gratitude to the Economic and Social Council for their consideration of deferring Tuvalu’s graduation from the Least Developed Countries category earlier this year. It is important to reiterate that while Tuvalu has met the graduation threshold for some time now, Tuvalu continues to have serious reservations about leaving this group. As one of the last remaining Pacific Island countries, in the LDC category, Tuvalu is exceptionally vulnerable to the impact of climate change and rising sea levels. Even the Committee for Developing Policy has recognised that Tuvalu’s vulnerability to climate change is not only severe, but permanent. For this reason, Tuvalu applauds the newly developed Multidimensional Vulnerability Index that could complement the traditional Gross National Income Indicator as the basis for development and climate finance access. Excellencies, Tuvalu commenced the commemoration and promotion of the International Day of the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons this year. The event served as a powerful reminder of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear testing and warfare, as well as the ongoing threat posed by these weapons. By observing this event annually, as agreed to in Resolution 78-27, reinforces our commitment to nuclear disarmament. Tuvalu is also a party to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. And I am also pleased to announce that in June of this year, Tuvalu became one of the few remaining states to accede to the Biological Weapons Convention, further solidifying our steadfast commitment to creating a world safe from nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. Excellencies, 12 months ago, we adopted a Declaration on Universal Health Coverage following the review of implementation of the 2019 Universal Health Coverage, titled Moving Together to Build a Healthy World. This year’s adoption of the Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance has once again unified us in a concerted global effort to build a healthier world. As unified as we ought to be, achieving equitable and adequate essential health care services for all must remain a common priority. International cooperation remains appropriate to the efforts of improving and strengthening health care systems, particularly those that are lacking. On the 5th of this month, Tuvalu celebrated its 24th anniversary of membership in the United Nations. It has been over two decades since Tuvalu joined its August body as the 189th member state. Tuvalu remains grateful for the privilege to engage with other member states in our common pursuit for the advancement of peace and security, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations. Next week, on the 1st of October, will be Tuvalu’s 46th independence anniversary. And as I prepare to celebrate this momentous occasion for the first time as the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, I wish to take this opportunity to express my special appreciation and gratitude to the United Nations and its member states, and in particular, Tuvalu’s generous traditional and emerging partners for all the support and assistance afforded to my country. Her Excellencies, in conclusion, I render Tuvalu’s unwavering support to the Pact for the Future and for the accompanying declaration and compact adopted during the Summit of the Future earlier in the week. I express the sincere and genuine hope that the commitments in the pact provide the much-needed reboot to the global multilateralism architecture and the UN system generally. The global community must seize this opportunity to reaffirm and to recommit to multilateralism and international cooperation, to the Sustainable Development Goals and to the principle of the United Nations Charter. Tuvalu calls on the global community to rally behind the pact for the future and to build a more equitable global system where no nation, no community is left behind, particularly those frontline nations to the devastating impact of climate change and the climate change-induced sea level rise like my country, Tuvalu. I thank you, Madam President, Fa’afetai Lassie, Tuvalu Mondiatua, Tuvalu for God.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of Tuvalu. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Terrance Micheal Drew, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, National Security and Immigration, Health and Social Security of St. Kitts and Nevis. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Terrance Micheal Drew – St. Kitts and Nevis : Mr. President, Secretary General Guterres, esteemed colleagues, excellencies, my fellow citizens of our twin island federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and friends from every corner of our shared planet, today I rise on behalf of my island-developing state and yet in truth I speak for the many small island nations, large ocean states that know too well the high cost of inaction. We are small, yes, but our voices carry the weight of rising seas, thundering storms and livelihoods tittering on the edge of erosio. A sustainable future for SIDS demands more from us all. Let us begin by paying tribute to His Excellency Dennis Francis, whose leadership and presidency of the 78th session demonstrated the fierce determination of the Caribbean. Thank you for your service. We stand ready to drive the changes necessary for a sustainable, secure world. Thank you for your sterling leadership, Mr. President. I must also acknowledge Secretary General Guterres, who with unflinching resolve has championed justice, equity and hope. This past year tested our commitment to peace and security, yet it also revealed the vast opportunities we must seize if we are to steer humanity toward a better way. Mr. President, Phli-Lemon Yang, congratulations on your election as President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. We have great confidence in your leadership as you guide us with the theme, Unity and Diversity, for advancing peace, sustainable development and human dignity everywhere and for all. As we convene here in this hallowed hall, I recall the words of former Secretary General Kofi Annan, the future of peace and prosperity that we seek for all the world’s peoples needs a foundation of tolerance, security, equality and justice. That foundation is fragile, but it is essential. And it is crumbling under the weight of neglect, greed and abuse of power. Seventy-nine years ago, in the wake of war’s devastation, visionaries sought to build a world where diplomacy and dialogue could triumph over destructive intolerance. Yet today, we stand on the precipice of a perilous return to a world where peace is kept at gunpoint, where weapons are romanticized and violence is exalted in the pursuit of absolute power. We need more than diplomatic platitudes. We need a humanity steeped in decency, justice, equity and inclusivity. We must rise from these chambers, not resign to the idea that the children of Haiti, Congo, Sudan and Palestine are less deserving of the rights and freedoms that we enjoy. We are all one people, one world. We cannot have peace without justice, nor justice without true, solid equality. In the Caribbean, our lived reality of rising tides washing away our hopes of unforgiving heat setting ablaze our dreams. We pray for rain and receive the floods, dragging our homes and our futures to the abyss. When the guns flood our communities, tearing children from their mothers’ arms, it is a collective cry for action. When the global south starves while food wastage continues unabated, we must be shaken from our complacency. The half-truth is that the world is becoming mortally insecure. We stand on disappearing shores. We are besieged by storms, natural and man-made. Corporate greed, colonial arrogance and unchecked consumerism have torn apart our social contract with each other. We are no longer at peace with nature. The greatest delusion we feed ourselves is that security and sustainability are separate endeavors. They are, in fact, intertwined. ndo’o. We cannot build secure nations while allowing the climate crisis to rob future generations of their birthright. Security is more than an absence of conflict. It is the presence of dignity, of justice and hope. Generations ago, the labour movement in St Kitts and Nevis paved the way for people’s emancipation, an emancipation built on the principles of social, economic and human dignity. Today I echo their call. We must do better. We must be better. Our ambitions must be grander, our visions clearer. When we say leaving no one behind, acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations, it cannot be a hollow phrase. It must be a sacred commitment, a pledge to every soul, from the wealthiest nation to the smallest island state. For when the waters rise in the south, even the north will eventually drown. When the forests burn in the north, the south too will choke from the smoke, for it is one planet, one human race. The pandemic has left scars that still fester, and global economic fragmentation threatens to deepen the divides between us. From small island states like mine, the failure to meet these goals is not just a disappointment, it is a death sentence. The clock is ticking and we cannot afford to wait any longer. We must act, and we must act now. Today the Caribbean braces for an intense hurricane season facing the escalating fury fuelled by warming oceans and unprecedented storms. Our brothers and sisters in Grenada, Caricou and Petit-Martinique, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica are still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Beryl, which became the earliest formed Category 5 hurricane on record this past July. In the Pacific, our brothers and sisters there remain exposed to the incessant battering of typhoons that ravage their islands. And as I speak, the South East United States is being pounded by Hurricane Helene. Lives and livelihoods hang in the balance as entire communities brace for the next assault. Hoteliers, for example, in my own country of St Kitts and Nevis have approached our government stating that with a sense of dread, that they may soon no longer be able to market themselves as beach resorts. Our famous beaches, once the lifeblood of our tourism-driven economy, are steadily disappearing under the relentless rise of the sea. The sands that once beckoned visitors from across the globe are now receding, swallowed by seas which continue to rise. The loss will be irreversible if we do not act, and if we do not act now. The Sustainable Development Goals were meant to shield us from such devastation, offering a progressive agenda to build resilience and safeguard all our citizens. Yet despite their promise, according to the UN’s 2024 SDGs report, only 17% of the targets are on track. Nearly half are showing minimal or moderate progress, and over one-third have stalled or even regressed. The clock is ticking, and we must do more than observe its passage. We must act before these realities become permanent fixtures in our collective future. In May 2025, the Government of St Kitts and Nevis will proudly co-host the Global Sustainable Islands Summit with Island Innovation, a pivotal event dedicated to advancing sustainable development on islands across the globe, titled Sustainable Future for Island Communities. This summit will build on the momentum of SIDS4 conference held in 2024, tackling the pressing challenges island nations face. This summit will call to action a space where we share practical solutions and partnerships that ripple far beyond our shores. Our islands are sentinels of climate change and the proving ground for sustainable development. It is with this spirit of shared responsibility and urgent action that I extend a heartfelt invitation to all leaders of island nations gathered here to come, to engage, to commit to meaningful change. A recent uncommendable stride toward equity and inclusion has been the adoption of the MVI, the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index. This serves as a powerful testament to the potential of multilateralism when it is both purposeful and effective. St Kitts and Nevis stands with the Caribbean community and the Alliance of Small Island States in welcoming Resolution 78-322, while urging this esteemed body to rally the necessary political will and resources to drive its implementation across international financial institutions and multilateral development banks. For us small island developing states, the MVI is not just another metric. It is a lifeline, offering a means to cushion the relentless blows of climatic and economic crises that disproportionately affect us. Its full implementation will demonstrate to the world that the United Nations and by extension the global system remains committed to uplifting those most vulnerable. It will restore trust in a system that must not only recognize vulnerability but actively work to address it. The time has come to reshape the United Nations, to reform its structures so that they reflect the realities of our modern world. Too many voices remain unheard. Too many nations marginalize. The UN Security Council must include representations from the region’s most vulnerable to threats to the threats of our time. Regions such as Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Nowhere is this change more urgently needed than in the international financial architecture. St Kitts and Nevis stands in solidarity with the government of Barbados in its fight for financial and climate justice, pledging our full support for the Bridgetown initiative. This bold framework demands a reformation of the global finance, making it more responsive to the unique vulnerabilities of small island developing states like mine. We cannot build resilience without first ensuring that the international system works for the most vulnerable among us. In the Caribbean, we continue to call for and guard our zone of peace. The Argyle Declaration serves as a shining example of how we in the Caribbean manage security challenges. We go back to basics. We talk to each other. Specifically, the declaration has been instrumental in facilitating dialogue between Venezuela and Guyana, demonstrating that even the most complex disputes can be navigated through peaceful means. This model of engagement, one of dialogue and cooperation, is the very essence upon which this institution was founded. The international community would do well to follow this approach and inject new life into our diplomacy. And to this end, I reiterate CARICOM’s call for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, to put an end to the suffering. The only pathway to peace and to secure fundamental human rights and dignity is through the two-state solution, and Saint Kitts and Nevis stand in full support. Mr. President, as we face these global challenges, we should always remember Haiti. I want to reiterate that again, Mr. President, that we should always remember Haiti. Haiti, the beacon of resilience and courage, stands at the crossroads of its next chapter. Saint Kitts and Nevis, alongside the Caribbean community, firmly supports the work of the National Transitional Council as it strives to create an environment conducive to a multi-stakeholder political solution. Haiti was there for the downtrodden of the world, lighting the path toward freedom for many. And now the world must be there for Haiti, not because it is a place of sorrow, but because it remains a symbol of human endurance and defiance against injustice. With the establishment of the multinational security support mission, the Caribbean community seeks to usher in a new day for Haiti’s families. I want to thank the government and people of Kenya for their significant contribution. And of course we want to usher in a new day for Haiti’s families, a day where schools become places of learning, hospitals are places of healing, and markets are not arsenals for gangs but havens for community and prosperity. Haiti’s future is not only one of security, but one of sustainability, and we must rally to give it the peace it deserves. Mr. President, year after year, this body sends a strong message to the people of Cuba, a message of hope and a message of support. The embargo that has isolated Cuba for decades is not right, Mr. President, and it continues to be a stain on our collective conscience. St. Kitts and Nevis joins the Caribbean community in calling for an end to this unjust embargo and for Cuba’s removal from the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. Cuba has long been a friend to the Caribbean, its doctors, educators exemplifying true philanthropy. And I might state here, Mr. President, that I am a graduate of the Cuban educational system. Instead of denigrating the island, we should elevate and learn from its sustainable solutions that have empowered their people and, in turn, the region. A stronger, more sustainable Cuba enhances the security and sustainability of the Caribbean. Mr. President, in the same breath, we must not forget Taiwan. The people of Taiwan have proven time and time again their firm commitment to sustainable development. The theme of this assembly, leaving no one behind, compels us to ensure Taiwan’s inclusion in the work of the United Nations system, particularly in the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Taiwan’s leadership in innovation and technology is not just an asset, it’s a necessity for the global community to meet the challenges of tomorrow. The United Nations must extend its vision to include Taiwan, a nation whose exclusion undermines the very principles we stand for, peace, sustainable development and human dignity. Mr. President, esteemed colleagues, citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis, citizens of the world, St. Kitts and Nevis is not seeking for pity. St. Kitts and Nevis is not seeking for anyone to feel sorry for us. We are small, but as we say in our country, we are Talawa. St. Kitts and Nevis is seeking for partnerships. We are on a transformative journey to become a sustainable island state, guided by seven pillars, which are water security, energy transition, food security, sustainable industry, sustainable settlements, circular economy and social protection. We are taking bold and tangible actions by building renewable energy desalination plants for reliable 24-7 water supply, aggressively advancing geothermal energy and our sister isle of Nevis with the goal of a unified sustainable energy grid for both islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, and extending it to the rest of the Caribbean, constructing our first modern climate smart hospital, building climate smart affordable housing solutions, ensuring that our people have safe sustainable places to live and to call home, finalizing one of the Caribbean’s largest solar plus storage projects. We are on track, Mr. President, to meet CARICOM’s 25 by 25 agenda, reducing our food imports and bolstering local food production. We created, for example, a children’s medical fund to ensure that disadvantaged families can access vital medical care for their children. And may I state, Mr. President, that as a result of this policy, St. Kitts and Nevis recorded no death of any child between the ages of one to four in 2023. We continue, therefore, to advance our education beyond our universal compulsory system, promoting lifelong learning as key to national development. All of these and more we are pursuing, Mr. President, demonstrating to the world that we don’t just complain. We don’t want to be a part of just problems. We want to be a part of the solutions. And that is why we will continue to seek partnerships, Mr. President. My friends, we stand at the crossroads. We can no longer afford the luxury of inaction. We must meet the moment with the courage it demands. We must reject business as usual and embrace a new path forward. One that values people over profit. One that prioritizes the planet over power. As we gather in this assembly, let us remember, let us remember, we are all stewards of this fragile world. The rising tides do not respect borders and the fires of conflict burn without discrimination. For St. Kitts and Nevis, for the Caribbean, for every small island nation whose future hangs in the balance, I ask you to stand with us. Let our voices rise like the oceans that surround us, powerful and unyielding, calling for a future where peace is not just the absence of war, but the presence of justice, of sustainability, of hope. Mr. President, citizens of the world, leaders, all who are present, together let us seize this moment and shape the future. Together let us stand proud and strong. Together let us act now for the moment demands it. Thank you very much.

President: On behalf of the assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, National Security, Immigration, Health and Social Security of St. Kitts and Nevis. The assembly will hear and address by His Excellency, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the assembly.

Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão – Timor Leste: Your Excellency, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, all protocols observed. It is an honor to address this assembly once again on behalf of Timor-Leste. This session holds a special significance for the Timorese. Last month in Dili, with the esteemed presence of the United Nations Secretary General, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of our historic popular consultation. A quarter of a century ago, the people of Timor-Leste, under the auspices of the United Nations, exercised their vote for independence. With the support of the international community, we were able to return the destiny of our country to its people, the destiny of living in peace, freedom and independence, after 24 years of resistance and a forgotten war in which more than 200,000 Timorese sacrificed their lives. In 2002, when we became the 191st member of the United Nations, it was a memorable day for the Timorese people and was undoubtedly a triumph for the international system. Today I stand before you with pride, representing a vibrant democracy, a democracy that has embraced peace, dialogue, human rights and the rule of law. Although a small country and a young state, Timor-Leste is an example of this relentless pursuit of peace and has a firm disposition on the international stage. Immediately after our vote for independence, we began a process of internal reconciliation among Timorese and external reconciliation with our Indonesian neighbours. Reconciliation is a powerful mechanism for healing the past and building the future. Reconciliation and trust are the instruments of peace that the world needs. Your Excellencies, The story of Timor-Leste is a story of hope and resilience. The creation of the United Nations was founded on hope. The hope of achieving peace in all its dimensions and in all places. Promoting sustainable development. Finding collective solutions to global challenges and threats. And uniting international cooperation around these goals. However, there has never been so much hopelessness, uncertainty, instability and distrust as in today’s world. As everyone knows, global crises are numerous and complex. The Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, are due in six years. And I must say that we are far from achieving them. Some countries have lost the race even before leaving the starting line. Timor-Leste and the G7 plus countries propose the inclusion of SDG 16. Peace, justice and strong institutions in the 2030 Development Agenda. Because we believe that leaving no one behind means prioritizing the most fragile first. Peace and stability are priorities. Peace and stability are priorities for achieving sustainable development. Without peace, there is no justice, no strong institutions and no development. And without development, peace becomes fragile. Two days ago, the G7 plus held a side event here at the United Nations. Where we discussed our successes or our setbacks. But the common problem we all faced in solving internal problems was a lack of funding. A lack of funding. Timor-Leste is proud to have already made some significant progress. However, we are well aware that much remains to be done. The overlap of crises in the world has exacerbated social and economic inequalities. Hunger is the most illustrative face of inequality. And it is women, young people and children who suffer the most from this tragedy. In a world where global military spending exceeds 2.4 trillion dollars, more than 800 million people suffer from extreme hunger. Some countries report alarming levels of hunger. While others endure severe hunger in regions devastated by decades of conflict and instability. Your Excellencies, Timor-Leste, being a half island, is currently focused on diversifying its economy. With particular emphasis on agriculture and the blue economy. By investing in these sectors, we aim to improve the livelihood of our people and enhance food security. Like many other countries, Timor-Leste is grappling with climate change and unsustainable activities in the ocean. As we know, in the words of Sylvia Earle, we need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depended on it. Because they do. Timor-Leste is located within the Coral Triangle, a magnificent area of marine biodiversity. Our seas host important ecosystems and marine life and serve as an important migratory route for species such as the incredible pygmy blue whales. Timor-Leste is pleased to share that we have ratified the agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. And we support and actively participate in negotiations on the Marine Plastics Treaty. Internally, we are committed to exploring our ocean resources in a balanced and sustainable manner, ensuring that we can develop our country while simultaneously protecting our marine environment for future generations. Your Excellencies, we recognize that small island developing states and least developed countries face enormous challenges in achieving the SDGs. During the fourth International Conference on Climate Change, in Antigua and Barbuda, I saw that we shared a perception of geographical and historical disadvantage. Without financial conditions, capacity building and technology transfer, we cannot do better. Moreover, we are trapped in international financial systems that place us at a disadvantage, burdening us with conditional aid, financial assistance and debt. The loss at sea is a major challenge. burdening us with conditional aid, financial assistance and debt. The Loss and Damage Fund, approved at COP28 in Dubai, must secure more significant contributions from the wealthy and developed countries. This commitment is urgently needed. As Secretary-General António Guterres stated during his visit to Timor-Leste last month, many of us won the battle against colonialism and the struggle for democracy, but we are still fighting for sustainable development. In his new Agenda for Peace, he also notes that the unequal suffering caused by the effects of climate change is among the greatest injustices in the world. Timor-Leste agrees. Timor-Leste agrees. We all know that we can only win this battle with genuine global solidarity and effort. Unconditional support, based on our identified needs and priorities, is required. It is with sadness that I stand before you, in a world ravaged by international conflicts and wars. A world that, if not entirely at war, is threatened by war. We possess the instruments of international law, diplomacy and multilateral cooperation to resolve disputes peacefully. But these instruments are not applied consistently and are often ignored. We call for the peaceful resolution of international disputes and conflicts, whether related to borders, sovereignty or cooperation. Timor-Leste will host the 24th Regional Conference on the Special Committee on Decolonization in May 2025. Ladies and Gentlemen, is a country that has faced political uncertainty for almost five decades. In October 1975, the International Court of Justice held that Western Sahara was a non-self-governing territory and that it should follow the parameters and principles stated in the UN General Assembly resolution for self-determination through the free and genuine expression of the will of the peoples of the territory. More recently, rulings by the European Union courts, as well as the decision of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, state that Western Sahara is separate and distinct from Morocco, without Morocco exercising any sovereignty over the territory. When in 1991 the United Nations Security Council established the United Nations mission for the referendum in Western Sahara through resolution 690, the Timorese were motivated and hopeful that one day it would be our turn too. However, in 1992, the referendum in Western Sahara was postponed. I am now calling, after dozens of Security Council resolutions, for their implementation leading to a referendum on self-determination for the Sahrawi people. I am pleased to see the presence of the Palestinian delegation as an observer member of the United Nations, and I hope that next year we will also have the presence of a Sahrawi delegation. I call for an immediate ceasefire between the Polisario Front and Morocco to pave the way for an exhaustive dialogue based on goodwill between the parties for a negotiated, peaceful solution acceptable to both sides, but which respects the will of the Sahrawi people. I call on the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to embrace this just cause of the Sahrawi people as Kofi Annan did for the Timorese cause. Your Excellencies, war cannot be an instrument of domination. It is a scourge that destroys lives, communities and nations, and it must not, and indeed does not, remain confined within borders. We must ensure that international law is respected by all, not just by some. Timor-Leste expresses its deepest concern and full support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and calls for an immediate end to the genocide, and also calls for the end to the war in Ukraine. I call for the principles of the United Nations Charter to be applied with courage and leadership. I call for more thought to be given to peoples and individuals, victims of global policies and leadership, entrenched status quo. An example of this is Cuba, a friend of Timor-Leste, without which our health sector would still be in a deplorable condition. The economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed on Cuba for decades, with its implications for its people, is unacceptable. If the focus this year is on human dignity, let us not forget, please, the most forgotten people of the world. Your Excellencies, the Security Council must become more representative, and its decisions must reflect the collective will of the international community. The voices of smaller nations should not be drowned out by the interests of the more powerful states. The world’s main peace and security body must be expanded so that it is not underrepresented, and must include the permanent voice of the African continent, as well as Latin America and Asia. Timor-Leste supports comprehensive and long-term reform of the Security Council, to expand both permanent and non-permanent members, as only then will we have a solid and transparent architecture for global peace. We also believe that the General Assembly itself should have more power on security issues, to prevent Member States from becoming paralyzed in critical situations. We are encouraged by the calls of the United Nations Secretary-General to eliminate nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction before they eliminate us. Timor-Leste has ratified the comprehensive Nuclear Task Ban Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and calls on everyone to contribute to ensuring our common future, including the ratification of the Treaty by Pacific Island Nations. We call on all nations, especially the developed world, to join us in building a fairer, more equitable and more sustainable future, and in doing so, fulfill the vision of the Pact for the Future. Before concluding, I must express my appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who now also holds Timor-Leste’s nationality, for his efforts to transform the present towards a future of dignity for all generations. This vision will only be possible if all UN Member States can overcome their differences and act together for the consolidation of peace and development. Peace is a global mission. Development is a global duty. I would like to remind you that without the United Nations, our future would be even darker. Even with all its weaknesses and need for change, the United Nations is the most promising mechanism available to us to overcome the challenges of our time. Without this body, we would truly have no way out. With perseverance and the will to do good, no matter how inconvenient it may seem, no challenge is insurmountable. Thank you very much.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The Assembly will hear and address by His Excellency Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni – Tonga: Mr. President, warmest Pacific greetings from the Kingdom of Tonga and our blue Pacific continent. First, I wish to congratulate Your Excellency on assuming the esteemed presidency of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. I also thank your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Tennis Francis, for his able leadership during a period where global challenges continue to increase in numbers and complexity. I acknowledge the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his steadfast stewardship of our home, the United Nations, during these troubled times. Mr. President, we convene at this 79th session with the theme of leaving no one behind. My delegation pledges our unwavering support to this noble goal. At a time of escalating conflicts, near-conflict situations on the horizon, all too often triggered by political instability, economic disparities, social tension, and the security threats posed by climate change, we must rally around this goal. If we fail to do so, we will further erode world peace and fail people’s lives far and wide. The long-awaited reform of the Security Council is now urgent, crucial, and must happen swiftly. It is our responsibility to resolve adequately the security challenges of the 21st century. We must include non-traditional security issues like climate change in each agenda. Further, we must include the voice of small island developing states. In our quest to leave no one behind, we must take a hard look at a lagging process in achieving a sustainable development by 2030. This goal is equally in peril unless we change our approach. Human dignity is intrinsically built on both peace, security, and sustainability. If we cannot act now decisively and collectively, the goal to leave no one behind will be just words and will have further eroded people’s trust and hope. The key is not words. The key is our shared commitment to action. Mr. President, I commend the tireless effort that have led to the ambitious and balanced steps of the summit of the future. Not only do we stand at a critical juncture in our collective history, but it is now where we must safeguard the needs and interests of both present and future generations. The spirit of compromise and commitment demonstrated by delegation and regional groups give us hope that multilateralism can work. As our forebears, our founders did, we pledge to spare succeeding generations from the cause of war, and we commit to building a world where there is hope and they can thrive. Our commitment must be to sustainable development, to the preservation of our planet’s resources, and to the pursuit of a future that is inclusive, equitable, secure, and sustainable. We must commit to the highest value of human dignity and justice. Thus, we welcome the adoption of PACT for the future. We are resolute in our commitment to working cooperatively with member states to advance peace, sustainable development, and human dignity. We hope for action that will leave no one behind. Mr. President, last month, Tonga assumed the chairmanship of the 53rd Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting. We were honored to welcome Secretary-General Guterres as a special guest. I reiterate our forum leaders and Pacific peoples’ deep credit for his in-person participation. We now look forward to continued and augmented support and tailored solution from the United Nations in our effort for our people’s lives and futures. The theme of our meeting was a resilient Pacific, built better now. The urgency of our theme certainly was underscored by the torrential rains, the flash flooding, and the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Nukalofa on the first day of our meeting. This was yet another stark reminder of our vulnerability to natural disasters. Once again, it has also demonstrated our unwavering resilience and the priority we place on the full implementation of our early warning for all initiative by 2027 and for disaster preparedness. Mr. President, the 2024 Sustainable Development Goals report before us is grim. The report reveals what we see every day on the ground, a stark diversion from the ambitious target set forth in the 2030 agenda. Climate change, escalating inequalities, and persistent conflicts are compounding challenges, leaving many countries struggling to meet even the most fundamental goals. Without urgent and coordinated global action, the vision of a more equitable and sustainable world may remain just another elusive dream. This means eroded trust in our ability to keep promises. It will jeopardize both our planet and its inhabitants. We must and we can confront this seemingly insurmountable challenges. With innovation and determination, we can no longer afford business as usual. Mr. President, decade after decade, year after year, we present to this esteemed body the existential threat that climate change poses to the Pacific, including Tonga. Our situation has become even more urgent this year. Climate change is the single greatest threat to the survival and prosperity of the blue Pacific continent. Once again, we urge the international community to promptly and dramatically act to restrict global warming to 1.3, 1.5 degrees Celsius. Industrialized nations must strengthen their emission reduction commitment. We must ensure that climate finance is speedily and easily accessible to Pacific island countries. There there be no doubt, we are teetering on the brink of a climate catastrophe. While in Tonga, the United Nations Secretary General issued a global SOS, or Save Our Seas warning of rising sea levels. The WMO echoed this urgent message, launching the state of the climate in the Southwest Pacific 2023 report. The report confirms that 2023 was the warmest year on record. The scientific consensus is irrefutable. Our climate is changing at an unprecedented rate with devastating consequences. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense. Cyclones and typhoons are wreaking havoc on our communities, leaving behind trails of destruction that take years to repair. The economic toll is immense, but the human cost is far greater. Lives lost, communities shattered, hopes lost, and futures uncertain. Mr. President, the most alarming aspect of the crisis is the unprecedented rise in sea levels. The WMO report confirms that sea level rise in the Southwest Pacific is significantly exceeding the global average. In some parts of the Pacific, sea levels have risen by 10 to 15 centimeters in the past 30 years, more than double the global average. With our bold and coordinated global action to expedite assistance to the Pacific and its most vulnerable inhabitants, Tonga and other Pacific countries can expect sea levels to topple by mid-century. This will accelerate the frequency and severity of storm surges and coastal flooding. For the nation of the Pacific, these changes are not merely environmental issues. They are existential threats that jeopardize the very existence of small Pacific Island countries, including Tonga. Rising sea levels are eroding coastlines, swallowing entire islands, and forcing families to abandon their ancestral homes. This is not just about losing land. It’s about our very identities losing heritage and culture. We issued a strong call for including sea level rise as a standalone and permanent agenda in the UNGA. And Mr. President, the upcoming COP29 presents a critical opportunity to operationalize the loss and damage fund, transforming pledges into tangible support for vulnerable nations. Mr. President, our ocean, seabed, and land are simply who we are. As I mentioned earlier, the severe and irreversible threats posed by climate change-related sea level rise will disproportionately impact the lives, livelihoods, food security, ecosystem, and the well-being of our people. We have established key declaration. For example, the 2020 free declaration on the continuity of statehood and protection of persons amid sea level rise, and the 2021 declaration on preserving maritime zones against climate impacts. We have also developed and endorsed the Pacific regional framework on climate mobility and introduced a framework for resilient development in the Pacific. The latter is the world’s first regional framework linking climate change and disaster risk. Now we need to act now. We commend the United Nations for addressing this critical issue and welcome the high level plenary meeting on addressing the threats posed by sea level rise. The 2020 free declaration on the continuity of statehood takes a clear stance on protecting Pacific people’s right and sovereignty. By asserting the continual existence of Pacific Island Forum members’ statehood, sovereignty, and rights and duties, the declaration underscores our determination to safeguard both the territorial and human dimension of our states under international law. The declaration commits to protecting persons affected by climate change, ensuring that human rights, political status, cultural heritage, identity, and dignity are upheld. We call for global cooperation to achieve the declaration objectives in line with international principle of fairness, equity, and shared responsibility. Mr. President, yes, the challenges we face are immense. But they are not insurmountable. The resilience of the Pacific people is legendary. Through centuries, our communities have weathered countless storms, adapted to changing conditions, and preserved our rich culture through adversity. Now more than ever, we must draw upon this resilience. It is now that our forum island countries urgently require timely, predictable, and scale-up access to climate finance. Tung’a is proud to announce the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility, or PRF, a Pacific-led, member-owned, and managed climate and disaster resilience financing facility. Tung’a will host the PRF office, and we acknowledge the commitment and contribution received from our development partners and friends of the Pacific thus far. We call upon global partners to support our Pacific-led solutions, the PRF. The key goal is to bridge the financing gap for smaller, high-impact adaptation projects. I would like to once again thank the United Nations Secretary-General for his leadership and commitment in supporting the Pacific Islands Forum by convening a global pledging event for the PRF in 2025. We again urge multilateral climate funds, such as the Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund, to establish dedicated climate finance access windows tailored to the conditions and needs of vulnerable countries like the Pacific small island developing states. Mr. President, we appreciate the support for the new 10-year program to recognize the special case of small island developing states, the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SEADS, or APAS. This agenda goes beyond being a merely policy framework. This is our collective vision for sustainable growth and resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. We support the allocation of resources and tailored systems to facilitate the implementation of the concrete actions outlined in APAS’ 10 thematic areas. At the same time, reforming the international financial architecture will be crucial to support this new program of action, and this includes free substantive global policy agendas, redefining eligibility for development resources, improving access to climate finance, and creating long-term debt sustainability. Implementing the APAS is a vital step towards accelerating the achievement of the SDG by 2030. We request the support of key entities within the UN to help implement the APAS. Recognizing our unique vulnerabilities by fellow Pacific Island Forum leaders, we welcome the adoption of the MVI. This practical instrument, advocated for over many years by SEADS, offer a more comprehensive understanding of the vulnerability, providing renewed hope and impetus to the 2030 agenda through a more context-responsive approach. We look forward to the operationalization of MVI in relevant MVI settings, UN settings, and urge international organizations and financial institutions to consider MVI ratings in their eligibility criteria for grant and concessional financing. Mr. President, the opinion may be that our Pacific communities are remote and small. Let there be no doubt, our economies continue to suffer, like so many, from the effects of geopolitical tension and supply chain disruption. Our people suffer from rising inflation, and we go through increased hardship and deepening poverty, particularly for the most vulnerable in our blue Pacific continent. However, at such critical times, the Pacific Island Forum is steadfast in its commitment to building a resilient Pacific region, a region of hope and prosperity that ensures all Pacific people can lead productive lives. We invite all partners to support our development aspirations outlined in our 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and our forthcoming Pacific Roadmap for Economic Development. Resilient transformation demands for Pacific peoples to have access to quality, affordable, accessible, and inclusive health and education services. Our blue Pacific region will focus on improving climate-resilient health care and education infrastructures and digital platforms to mitigate risks, manage climate-sensitive diseases, and end CDs effectively, and ensure continuity and equity in learning across our blue Pacific continent. We remain resolute in our commitment to the global fight against NCDs. We reaffirm our commitment to building stronger partnerships between government sectors and other relevant sectors to address the root causes of NCDs through a holistic whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. Addressing the global plastic pollution problem, especially in the marine environment, is a priority. This is a threat to our ecosystem and health, and the Pacific Ocean is our Pacific identity. It is a vital resource for food and livelihoods, and a healthy ocean will aid in our fight against climate change. Mr. President, the actions of the Government of Tonga focus on three key thematic areas – national resilience, quality services and affordability, and progressive economic growth. Our goal is to enhance national resilience by creating stronger platforms to tackle natural disasters and address the persistent issues brought about by climate change. We aspire to alleviate related poverty and improve the quality of social protection measures. We will also mobilize national and international responses to reduce the supply and use of illicit drugs and address harm reduction processes. We aim to enhance education for everyone, prioritizing safer schools, tackling drop-out rates, advocating for gender equality, and expanding vocational training opportunities, all while ensuring quality services and affordability. Our efforts are also directed towards improving access to health care that is both affordable and of high quality, with a particular emphasis on addressing COVID-19, NCDs, and preventative measures. Our focus is on developing governance services that are of exceptional quality and can be easily accessed by all. This entails enhancing access to high-speed broadband technology and ensuring that energy communication, drinking water, and a clean environment are more affordable. Our main objectives for fostering progressive economic growth include giving priority to trade and private sector development, enhancing the quality and accessibility of public infrastructure, and forging stronger partnerships to drive development. Mr. President, as I conclude, allow me to close the circle and come back to the critical element of this session’s theme, leaving no one behind. This aspiration must be our guide for eradicating poverty, ending discrimination, and upholding the fundamental rights of individuals, reducing inequalities and vulnerabilities that not only undermine our shared humanity, but also leave too many without hope. The advancement of one community or nation cannot occur in isolation from the well-being of others. By embracing a fair and equitable playing field, we foster a more resilient and harmonious global society, advancing peace, sustainable development, and human dignity. We must travel the path to ensuring peace and sustainable development with a sense of urgency, just as others have done before us. In this, let us be guided by shared values of justice and human dignity. Our collective endeavour to leave no one behind must ensure every person’s potential is recognised, their rights upheld, and so we must bridge gaps, dismantle barriers, and amplify voices that have historically been marginalised. This is what we owe present and future generations. I thank you, Mr President, and may God bless Tonga, and may God bless the United Nations.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga. The Assembly will hear and address by His Excellency Hamza Abdi Barre, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Hamza Abdi Barre – Somalia: Your Excellency, President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Excellencies, Heirs of State and Government, Distinguished Guests, Distinguished Representatives, Ladies and Gentlemen, Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Allow me to begin by congratulating you, Mr President, on your election as President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Please be assured of Somalia’s full cooperation as you undertake the responsibilities entrusted upon you during your tenure. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank your British sister, His Excellency Denis France, for the successful precedence of the last session. Mr President, this session of the General Assembly convenes amid a rising number of global challenges. Nguyen, from Escalating Transnational Conflicts and Humanitarian Crisis to the Existential Threats of Climate Change and Growing Economic Inequalities. This resonates profoundly for our theme of this year, Leaving No One Behind, acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations. In the spirit of our unity and shared responsibility, we must confront the persistent and escalating conflicts that continue to cause immense human suffering and destabilize entire regions. Today we are facing with crises that test our collective conscience and our commitment to peace. In Sudan, the conflict has escalated into a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing millions and ravaging communities. Civilians endure indiscriminate violence and widespread gender-based assaults. We urgently call for immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians, and adherence to international humanitarian law. It is crucial to ensure safe and restricted access for humanitarian aid and to foster inclusive dialogue that respects the rights and aspirations of all Sudanese people. In Gaza, the situation has reached catastrophic levels, driven by the persistent blockade and relentless cycles of violence that have created one of the most severe humanitarian disasters of our time. Despite the senseless killing of tens of thousands of men, women, and children since last October, over two million Palestinians are trapped in open-air prisons, where access to basic goods, services, and medical care is severely restricted. Children in Gaza have particularly suffered the most, with the many enduring unimaginable trauma, malnutrition, and lack of access to education and health care. They live under constant fear, as their homes, schools, and hospitals are repeatedly targeted and destroyed. The ongoing conflict has not only destroyed the physical infrastructure of Gaza, but also crashed the hopes of an entire generation. The world cannot continue to turn a blind eye on this gross injustice and the continuous violations of international law by the Israeli government. We call on the international community to take immediate and decisive action to reinforce an unconditional ceasefire, to lift the inhuman blockade, and to recommit to a political process that ensures a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, thereby restoring the rights, dignity, and future for the Palestinian people. In Ukraine, the war now in its third year has inflicted a devastating toll on civilians, destroying homes and critical infrastructure, and leaving millions without essential services. The legacy of trauma and displacement will affect generations. We urgently call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, a ceasefire, and adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law, including avoiding attacks on civilians, critical infrastructure, and nuclear facilities. It is essential to open channels for dialogue and achieve a lasting political settlement. The international community must act swiftly to prevent further escalation and support efforts for peace. Mr. President, while international crises demand our attention, we must not overlook regional threats that directly challenge national sovereignty and stability. Somalia currently faces a serious threat from Ethiopia’s recent actions, which flagrantly violate our territorial integrity. Ethiopia’s attempts to annex parts of Somalia under the guise of security access are both unlawful and unnecessary. Somali ports have always been accessible for Ethiopia’s legitimate commercial activities, reflecting our commitment to regional trade and cooperation. However, Ethiopia’s aggressive maneuvers, including its controversial agreement with one of our regional administrations, undermine Somali sovereignty and embolden secessionist movements threatening our national unity. These actions not only serve division at a time when Somalia is striving for peace and cohesion, but also serve as propaganda for terrorist groups like Shabaab, who exploit Ethiopia’s provocation to recruit and radicalize vulnerable individuals. Such destabilized behavior poses a significant risk to the security and stability of the entire Horn of Africa. Somalia asserts its sovereign right to defend its territorial integrity and calls on Ethiopia to cease its provocations and adhere to international law. We urge the international community to stand with Somalia in condemning these violations and upholding the principles of international sovereignty and territorial integrity, which are the cornerstones of international peace and security. Regional stability depends on mutual respect for these principles, and Ethiopia must be held accountable for actions that threaten to destabilize the Horn of Africa. Mr. President, while the conflict may capture the headlines, we must not lose sight of other pressing global challenges that demand our immediate attention and collective action. Somalia’s experience underscores the importance of sustainable funding for peacekeeping. For over 15 years, we have hosted key African Union missions like AMISOM and ATMIS, which have been critical in countering Shabaab and supporting state building. As a new mission, AUSM takes over with the focus of counterterrorism and capacity building. Its success depends on reliable funding. Peacekeeping is about creating lasting stability, not just maintaining peace, and we urge the international community to support innovative funding solutions to ensure these missions fulfill their vital roles. Mr. President, climate change is a global crisis that touches every life and every community, but nowhere is its impact more deeply felt than in vulnerable nations like Somalia. We endure relentless droughts, devastating floods, and rising temperatures that tear apart our communities and threaten our very survival. While the recent COP28 conference made important strides with the creation of a loss and damage fund and the commitment to expand renewable energy, there remains a significant challenge accessing these funds. For many developing countries, the reality is that complex bureaucracy, rigid criteria, and lack of necessary resources often stand in the way they receive the help they so desperately need. It is not just about making promises. It is about ensuring that those promises can reach the people who need them most. We call on the global community to simplify access to these crucial funds so that countries like Somalia can build resilience, protect our people, and secure the future where everyone has the chance to thrive. Mr. President, reforming the United Nations Security Council is essential to ensure it reflects today’s geopolitical realities. The current structure no longer adequately represents the voices and concerns of world nations, particularly those in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We support the Isilwini Consensus, which calls for a more representative and inclusive council. This reform is necessary to enhance the UN’s credibility and effectiveness in addressing the full spectrum of global challenges, from peace and security to development and human rights. Reforming international financial institutions is also crucial to building a fairer global economy that promotes inclusive growth and sustainable development. The existing international financial system is heavily scourged, a wafer of view, perpetuating inequalities and restricting the ability of developing nations to thrive. We call for reforms that make these institutions more accountable, transparent and responsive to the needs of the world’s poorest and the most vulnerable. Mr. President, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is not an ambitious, it is a necessary. With only six years left, the world is far behind on our collective promise to end poverty, protect our planet and ensure peace and prosperity for all by 2030. We must urgently renew our commitment by increasing funding, creating innovative partnerships and focusing on reaching the most vulnerable. As Somalia takes its seat on the UN Security Council, we stand ready to work with all nations to address these challenges, strengthen cooperation and promote multilateralism and build a world where no one is left behind. Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Somalia has come a long way on its journey toward stability and development. This past year has been particularly significant, marked by critical milestones that signal Somalia’s rising trajectory. We have successfully completed the debt relief process, allowing us to reclaim our economic sovereignty and integrate into a global financial system. Additionally, Somalia’s accession to the East African community marks a new era of regional integration, trade and cooperation. We have also made a historic stride in lifting a longstanding armistice embargo, a step that will further enable us to safeguard our sovereignty and security. Security is fundamental to development, and Somalia has prioritized the fight against terrorism with remarkable success. In the past two years, our national security forces have reclaimed more than two-thirds of the territory that was once under the control of a Shaba terrorist group, significantly diminishing their operational capability. Mr. President, With marked progress in governance, democratization and political stability, Somalia stands on the brink of significant economic growth, with fast and tight resources and strategic locations along major maritime trade routes. Our arable land offers great potential for agricultural protection, and our livestock sector is already among the strongest globally. We also have one of Africa’s highest potentials for renewable energy, particularly in onshore wind power. And our extensive coastline provides rich opportunities for sustainable fishing and other sectors of the blue economy. To capitalize on these assets, we are drafting a national transformation plan that outlines our vision for leveraging our resources to achieve stability, self-reliance and prosperity. We welcome international investment and cooperation to help us realize this potential, integrate into the global economy and contribute to regional peace and stability through strong partnerships. Mr. President, As we look ahead, Somalia is determined to be defined not by the hardships of its past, but by the possibilities of its future. Let us act now to build a future where every nation, every community and every person can thrive in dignity and peace. I thank you for your attention.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Christian Ntsay, Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Republic of Madagascar. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Christian Ntsay – Madagascar: Mr. President, Heads of State and Government, United Nations Secretary General, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have come here with a profound sense of honour and responsibility to address you today with the mission entrusted to me by His Excellency, Mr. Andri Rajolina, President of the Republic of Madagascar and on behalf of the Madagascar people. I wish to applaud the election of Mr. Philemon Yang, His Excellency, to the Presidency of the 79th Session of the General Assembly. Your exemplary parkour and your wealth of knowledge in terms of global affairs are undeniable assets to guide our work. Rest assured, Your Excellency, of the support of Madagascar in the fulfilment of your noble mission. Madagascar, as newly elected Vice-President of this General Assembly, is honoured to serve for this term 2024-2025. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The theme of this session of the General Assembly, Leaving No One Behind, Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations, particularly resonates today in this time of grave uncertainty in the world and for the world. Today we are strongly reminded of how interconnected the different global challenges are and how important it is to engage in a collective response with solidarity and being resolute. Indeed, peace, the fragile foundation of a world that faces divisions, is today being jeopardised by many different crises, a multitude of crises with dangerous and profound geo-strategic ramifications. Far from being a regional conflict, the war in Ukraine is shaking the international order and exacerbating geo-political tensions, worsening food and energy insecurity and putting global peace and security in peril. Terrorism and transnational crime continue to sow terror and distress, affecting in a disproportionate way the most vulnerable populations. The proliferation of weapons and drugs, in particular in conflict zones, are feeding a hellish cycle of violence and instability, thus hindering the long-term development objectives and mortgaging off the future of entire generations. The climate emergency has become a tangible and devastating reality. The multiplication of extreme climate events, the degradation of ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity are all warning signs that should push us to act with a sense of determination and clear-sightedness. Glowing inequalities across the world make fertile ground for social tensions, for conflicts and for instability. The Covid-19 pandemic, far from having been a great leveller, has exacerbated existing gaps, shedding light on how vulnerable healthcare systems are and social protection systems are in many countries and further widening the gap between rich countries and developing countries. President, ladies and gentlemen, faced with these challenges, we cannot give in to fear or to fatality. Multilateralism as embodied by the United Nations remains the best weapon that we have available to us and remains our collective instrument to build a more safe and peaceful world. However, and unfortunately, we must note and we must realise that the multilateral system now that was created in the post-war period is struggling to effectively respond to the challenges of a world that is so swiftly and significantly changing. A courageous and ambitious reform of the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, is the only way to achieve this. to guarantee the well-being of future generations. To this end, the President of the Republic of Madagascar, Mr. Andrew Radjalina, recalled during his statement in Glasgow at the COP26 conference that took place in 2022 how important it is to ramp up the mobilization of $100 billion in line with the Paris Agreement in order to finance the energy transition policy in Africa. The fight against climate change can therefore not be decoupled from development issues. It’s essential to support developing countries in their transition towards a green and resilient economy by providing them the financial and technology resources that they require while recognizing their right to development. It is essential and urgent to promote a development model for a more inclusive and more equitable world that leaves nobody behind. Above and beyond words, now is the time to act. It is time now to turn our commitments into concrete actions, especially for Africa, by investing massively in education, in health care, in drinking water, in social protection for all, in infrastructure and innovation, and in job creation, in particular for young people and for women. For inclusive multilateralism, it is time to promote more just and more equitable international trade and to promote and guarantee equitable access to knowledge and to technology and to the finance and investment systems. They need to be fairer as well, and the same goes for social justice and sustainable peace in the world. President, ladies and gentlemen, Madagascar, aware of these global challenges and of how urgent it is to bring concerted and lasting solutions, is committed with a sense of determination alongside the United Nations and its member states to build a more just and sustainable world with more solidarity. The Fiha Wanana, which is a national way of living together, is profoundly rooted in Malagasy culture and guides our action. It brings across our profound aspirations to live in harmony with mutual respect and solidarity, ensuring we leave nobody by the wayside and never forgetting the most vulnerable, working thus for a more fair society. The general policy of the state of Madagascar, implementing the vision of His Excellency Mr Andrew Rajolina, President of the Republic, places human capital as the main key pillar for development. Over the last five years, we’ve invested enormously in education, in training, health, security, innovative and inclusive social programmes, the fight against malnutrition, and in infrastructure in order to catch up with our development deficits and thus break the vicious cycle of poverty. The country continues to invest massively in these areas, which are the main foundation of our actions to foster human development. True to our country’s tradition of being a peaceful and tolerant people, Madagascar has made democracy, the respect of the rule of law and good governance, key tools to maintain stability, to strengthen peace and security, and to consolidate our path towards sustainable development. Of course, this is shown and very clearly proven explicitly in our classification in the Global Peace Index that has placed Madagascar in second place. So that’s the second most peaceful country in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2024. Of course, we do nevertheless have many challenges, however, the leadership of His Excellency Mr. Andri Radjoulina, President of the Republic, is in line with the hopes of our compatriots who entrusted him with a new term in 2024 to engage in agricultural and industrial transformations for Madagascar to create more jobs and decent income for young people and rural people, to bring added value to the Madagascan economy, and to bring more peace and sustainable development for the country. Today, Madagascar is the third largest rice producer in Africa, however, our ambition is to become number one with new policy guidance for regional development coming from the government to optimize farming in the rice paddies of our country, focusing on new knowledge and new technology in terms of using agricultural inputs for all farmers and to improve irrigation infrastructure in order to double, even triple productivity on the short term, focusing on the so-called agricultural aggregation to better attract private investment in intensive rice production and also other crops like potatoes and dry grains, etc. When it comes to development challenges, Madagascar intends to bolster its tireless efforts to improve our road network by building the flagship Sunshine Road project, the Routes du Soleil, that connects the regions on the east side of our great islands, and this is going to bring about more growth and investment, public and private investment, more fluid trade to develop tourism in our regions and to rapidly transform regional economies and strengthen peace and security in the country. These efforts on our road network are also part of our government’s priority actions to carry out large infrastructure projects. Renewable energy is thus one of the priorities that my government has today to achieve its industrialisation plan and its many actions seeking to improve the living conditions of our population, in particular the rural population, by substantially reducing the state budget in a lasting way by subsidising the cost of electricity production to carefully support the development projects. In this regard, we are now ramping up our solar energy project with 47 different solar panel projects in the country and we are also starting to build hydroelectric power stations and solar power stations with private investors and development partners that will allow us to reach additional production of more than 500 megawatts over the next four to five years. The goal that we seek is to double the shares of the agricultural and industrial sectors in Madagascar’s GDP in order to bring about real growth that creates jobs and sustainable income for youth and for rural people, thus transforming our economy and substantially reducing poverty to enable the development of our great island to soar. Aware of the climate change challenges and the challenges that that causes for peace, security and development, Madagascar, although we are one of the most vulnerable to climate change, is a very low greenhouse gas emitter and we are facing harsh blows from cyclones, drought, coastal erosion and loss of biodiversity and this risks considerably reducing, even annihilating economic and social progress made through agricultural and industrial transformations that we’ve been engaging in thus far. Since Madagascar is one of the few countries that is actually saving the planet with a negative carbon footprint thanks to our forests, we’re actually one of the real green lungs of the African continent, in light of this I urge the international community to ramp up and to accelerate climate adaptation finance for the most vulnerable countries, in particular island countries like Madagascar. Madagascar is determined to preserve our precious natural assets for future generations. President, ladies and gentlemen, by way of conclusion, Madagascar more than ever now is appealing for strengthened multilateralism that is more just and that is based on dialogue, cooperation and solidarity. Madagascar will continue to work tirelessly alongside the United Nations and its member states to build a world of peace, development and dignity for all. Thank you for your attention.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Republic of Madagascar. I now give the floor to His Excellency Filip Ivanovic, Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Montenegro.

Filip Ivanovic – Montenegro: Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to address to you today on behalf of Montenegro and to reiterate our unequivocal support and commitment to the goals and principles of the UN Charter, as well as the overall mission of the World Organization, as we are confronted with unprecedented challenges across the globe, not only in terms of international peace and security, but in other domains as well. Allow me to extend due acknowledgement and gratitude to the President of the previous session of the General Assembly, His Excellency Denis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, for his achievements and guidance through these unsettling circumstances. Furthermore, I would like to express our best wishes to his successor, His Excellency Philemon Yang of Cameroon. We wish him a successful tenure, and we welcome the choice of this year’s debate team, as it faithfully portrays the very mission of the United Nations, and you can count on the full support of the Montenegrin delegation. Ladies and gentlemen, leaving no one behind while acting together for peace and security, sustainable development and human dignity are the key challenges lying before the United Nations, to which unfortunately, as a community, we still have failed to provide an effective and a comprehensive response. Achievement of a peaceful and sustainable future against the backdrop of one-sided, arbitrary and authoritative actions of a handful of international actors, but whose actions are jeopardizing the peace and welfare of the majority, will insist on our full-scale vigilance and awareness, and put our words and our rhetoric to a practical test. Even though the occurring geopolitical developments have clearly demonstrated that our efforts have fallen short and that we must do much more, and not just more, but much better, there is a solution and an alternative. Multilateralism, at its best and strongest, led by a more powerful United Nations, at the helm of international cooperation and global response, if we are to have a peaceful and prosperous global society. Dear colleagues, national-based narrow approaches, instead of global solutions, still dominate the international environment. And rather than uniting in joint endeavours with positive global circumstances, we are losing ground to authoritarianism and unilateral behaviour. In addition to the crisis in the Middle East, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, civil war in Sudan, instability in the Horn of Africa, Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Haiti, we are facing a number of other issues, including the climate emergency, growing food insecurity, erosion of democracy and human rights, growing terrorism and violent extremism, cyber threats and backsliding on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, only contributing to an already alarming global situation. We commend and support the Secretary-General’s new Agenda for Peace, which offers and identifies indeed the needed tools and measures for generating a quality response to the ongoing challenges, especially through disarmament, more investments in diplomacy and mediation, mitigation of geopolitical influence on the population, prevention of further fragmentation of global trade rules, effective tackling of the climate change issues, as well as prevention of violence and human rights violations. As we are all very much aware, the pace of the SDGs’ implementation is not at the percentage we hoped for. Member States need to commit to the realisation of the 2030 Agenda as the best possible way to build long-standing peace and prosperity. However, we need to take into consideration that the developing economies are not able to sufficiently finance policies to implement the SDGs, especially in the light of the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises. We are committed to the promotion of good governance and strong institutions at all levels as key enablers of sustainable development, peace and security, and we strongly advocate for reforms towards a more inclusive and representative international financial architecture. Therefore, we support the Secretary-General’s appeal for a wholesale reform of the financial architecture, which at the moment does not offer developing countries the affordable financing needed to achieve the SDGs, and we join the UN in calling upon the international financial structure to finance these countries in a form of eligible credit arrangements. Within its capabilities, Montenegro will continue to fully support the transformation based on accelerating the implementation of the goals and objectives of sustainable development, with the aim of achieving continuous, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, while protecting natural resources, improving the state of human resources and strengthening social inclusion. Excellencies, in view of the volatile situation in the Middle East, I would like to express Montenegro’s deep concern over the escalating violence and the humanitarian situation in Gaza with the destruction of infrastructure, lack of water, food and healthcare. We call upon all the parties to de-escalate and engage in a meaningful dialogue. Our position is clear. We have condemned the indiscriminate terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel from October 7, 2023. At the same time, however, we also condemn every act of violence against the civilian population, as well as the interruption of water, food and energy supplies in the Gaza Strip. It is of absolute importance that the humanitarian corridors are opened and humanitarian aid provided to civilians. Any response to a terrorist attack must be undertaken in accordance with international humanitarian law. We call for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, during which negotiations would be conducted towards a two-state solution, as only a two-state model guarantees lasting a sustainable peace in the region. Again, regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, the international law must be upheld by all the parties to the conflict and all hostages still in captivity, released immediately and unconditionally. Montenegro also reiterates its strong condemnation of the destruction that the Russian aggression has caused in Ukraine, including the killing of civilians, as well as unlawful attacks on civilian infrastructure, sexual and gender-based violence, and reports of child abduction. We emphasize yet again that there can be no impunity for war and other heinous crimes, and that we must ensure responsibility as a precondition for ensuring a durable peace. In this regard, we support all accountability initiatives to fight impunity and ensure justice. As the aggression has been particularly devastating for children, we call on the Russian Federation to fully respect the international humanitarian law and to immediately implement measures to protect children. In addition, we call on the Russian Federation to cease attacks on civilian infrastructure and allow aid to the affected civilian population, including areas under temporary Russian military control. I would like to reconfirm our support to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Montenegro will continue to support Ukraine and will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic aid. Like the entire international community, we want to see a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with the UN Charter and the adopted resolutions of the UN General Assembly. Dear colleagues, I believe we can all agree that the ongoing global crisis represents one of the gravest challenges to international peace and security since the creation of the World Organization. The world ought to be united as ever before in defending democracy, human rights, the freedom of choice, rule of law, and ensuring peace and prosperity, but above all preserving human lives. The international community must also do significantly more in the fight against climate change with decisive actions much needed, such as the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and the resolution of the interconnections between the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution are needed while strengthening climate action. Sustainable development goals and the fight against climate change are fundamentally linked to peace and security and human rights. Without peace, all other goals, from human rights and gender equality to addressing climate change, water and energy, and food security, will not be achieved. The increasing number of conflicts, as well as ever-growing threats to international peace and security, require a change in the current global practice and the application of a holistic and coordinated approach within the UN system based on prevention. It is in this context that we must take a better advantage of the preventive capacity of the Human Rights Council. As a member of the Council for the term of 2022-2024, we fully recognize its contribution to the early warning system when it comes to prevention of violence and mass violations of human rights. Unfortunately, as it is the case with other forums, I am afraid we do not use them properly and to the fullest scope of their potential. Nevertheless, Montenegro remains a dedicated defender and promoter of human rights and freedoms, their universality and indivisibility, which we must not take for granted. Advancing and supporting the integration of human rights and the gender perspective in all aspects of the work of the United Nations and preserving the universality and independence of the human rights system remain our absolute priority. and in that light, further strengthening of the Human Rights Council role in responding to situations of serious human rights violations globally. Excellencies, there are still far too many places in the world where peace, stability, human rights, and even basic necessities are a luxury. This is something which we cannot be proud of. On the contrary, we more often place emphasis on reactionary humanitarian response rather than on a preventive one. Nevertheless, although of vital importance for the affected population, the humanitarian aid needs to be followed by an adequate political solution representing the best way to sustainably end violence and to establish long-term peace. Europe is firmly committed and determined to actively and constructively contribute and support collective efforts to preserve world peace and security, and in this line supports the new Agenda for Peace as an opportunity to shape new responses to old and emerging threats, including strengthening prevention, adapting UN peacekeeping forces to this new environment, and strengthening the peace-building architecture, including ensuring adequate predictable and sustainable financing for peace-building and implementation of Agenda Women, Peace, and Security in all its dimensions, as well as the Agenda Youth, Peace, and Security. At the same time, Montenegro continues to actively participate in peacekeeping missions, aware that only a safe neighborhood can provide a guarantee of our own security and prosperity. Furthermore, we hope the new Agenda for Peace will contribute to the preservation, implementation, and further strengthening of the global architecture for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation, as well as multilateral export control regimes, strengthening at the same time multilateral capacities to address the challenges of terrorism and violent extremism, hybrid threats, as well as cyber risks. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the solution to all of these challenges must go hand in hand with the reform of the UN system, in line with the reform Agenda of the Secretary-General. In particular, as a small country, we are interested in strengthening the authority and role of the General Assembly, as well as its efficiency, but also of other main UN bodies. The reform of the UN system presupposes a flexible attitude of all participants in the negotiation process, especially in the process of reforming the Security Council. We believe that the reform of the UN Security Council, as the guardian of international peace and security, is necessary, with the expansion of its membership achieving a more equal representation of regional groups, which would thus enable more effective maintenance of international peace and security. In order for the United Nations to maintain and strengthen its central position in the global governance system, it is vital that the organization is reformed and adapted to the geopolitical realities of the 21st century and modern democratic values. Excellencies, in the conditions of an increasingly sharp international polarization, fragmentation and instability, economic and geopolitical uncertainty, it is our common responsibility to show the true value of the United Nations and effective multilateralism as a global solution to global challenges. We can either choose further isolationism and erosion of trust, growing xenophobia, nationalism and extremist ideas, or we can make a breakthrough by choosing a future based on the highest civilizational values of equality, justice, responsibility and solidarity, and not on retrograde ideologies, selfishness and unscrupulous populism. As John Adams once said, every problem is an opportunity in disguise. It is precisely what we have at our hands, a unique opportunity to use the current deteriorating international environment as momentum for building a more equal, just and sustainable world with a revitalized multilateralism based on fair and humane globalization, respect for human rights and dignity of all. We must act for peace and progress now, while we still have a chance built on achieving a just and quality of life for all. Montenegro, proud of its centuries-old multi-ethnic and multi-confessional tradition, remains steadfast on the course of a Euro-Atlantic future, good neighborly relations and multilateralism. Being a geographical part of Europe, values as well as principles-wise, we are convinced that only the acceleration of integration process and the stronger incentive of our EU partners can bring about stability and prosperity of the region, which is undoubtedly an important asset and contribution to the overall security and stability of Europe. Montenegro will continue to tirelessly pursue and promote those policies with undiminished commitment to the values of multilateralism, open and friendly cooperation. To conclude, ladies and gentlemen, the very core principles of the United Nations Charter are not just being compromised, but essentially nullified. We cannot act as innocent stand-byers as we are not. We must rise to the challenge, raise our voice and stand up for those in need, and demonstrate that our common values are not subject to interpretation, but that those who violate these principles have to be held accountable. Too many people have already lost their lives in recent conflicts across the globe. They have lost their loved ones and their homes, and in most cases forced to flee their countries. This must not happen in the 21st century. This is not what our predecessors fought for. We are better than this, but we must show it. This cannot be a heritage we wish to leave to our children. We must do better for the sake of the generations to come. I thank you.

President: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Montenegro. I now give the floor to His Excellency Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

Rashid Meredov – Turkmenistan: Your Excellency, Madam Chair, distinguished heads and members of delegations, first of all, allow me to congratulate you on the beginning of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. I congratulate Mr. Philemon Yang on his election as the President of the General Assembly and wish him every success. I would also like to express my gratitude to Ambassador Dennis Francis for his effective leadership of the General Assembly during the 78th session. Ladies and gentlemen, strategic partnership with the United Nations and cooperation with member states are the main approach of Turkmenistan in addressing the pressing global issues and challenges. The key condition and main criterion in this work for Turkmenistan is adherence to the UN Charter, international legal norms, and recognize beneficial models of relations based on equality, sovereignty, and mutual respect among all participants in international affairs. In this logic, Turkmenistan supports the global mission of the United Nations as a conductor of the collective mandate and the balance of interests of member states. This position was reaffirmed at the meetings of the UN Secretary General with the President of Turkmenistan and the National Leader of the Turkmen people during his visit to Turkmenistan this summer. For the 79th session, Turkmenistan has decided to follow four priorities, which are peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, humanitarian issues. All of these areas are closely interconnected. This means that their implementation must be comprehensive, based on unified principles and approaches. In this context, Turkmenistan advocates for equal, fair, and balanced approach that would ensure the UN pays the same attention to all key areas of the international agenda. In matters of ensuring peace and security, Turkmenistan’s efforts at the current session will be aimed at strengthening peace and trust, enhancing the role of preventive diplomacy mechanisms, and furthering peacebuilding processes in line with the new agenda for peace. When it comes to global security, Turkmenistan is specially promoting model of neutrality within the United Nations, which is capable to provide the world community with practical tools to resolve existing and prevent potential conflicts and contradictions. Next year, we will celebrate the 30th anniversary. of the UN General Assembly Resolution on International Recognition of Neutral Status of Turkmenistan. Over the past years, our neutrality has demonstrated its alignment with the high ideals, basic principles and goals of the United Nations. The unanimous adoption in 2015 of the corresponding resolution of the General Assembly has demonstrated that neutrality became a heritage of the entire world community. During the 79th session, our country will be promoting further support of the political and legal foundations of neutrality and their application across a broad range of UN activities. Preventive diplomacy holds an important place here. We are convinced that the time has come to reflect on the significance of neutrality for global politics and its potential in the current strategic landscape. In this regard, Turkmenistan puts forward the initiative to provide neutral countries the status of priority partnership with the United Nations in its peacekeeping efforts. We are confident that this will serve as an effective impetus for the international community to more actively utilize the tools of neutrality and preventive diplomacy. One of the essential aspects of the United Nations security agenda is the practical implementation of the General Assembly resolution declaring 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust. Naturally, as the country that initiated the resolution, Turkmenistan will take on the leading role in organizing relevant events next year. At the same time, we rely on the support of all member states, the UN Secretariat and its leadership to ensure that the International Year of Peace and Trust becomes a manifestation of the goodwill of the international community, its desire for peace and harmony, overcoming differences, conflicts and rejection of dividing lines. In the regional dimension, the most important aspect of ensuring security is cooperation in the Afghan direction and support for the people of Afghanistan in their aspirations to begin peaceful, constructive work to rebuild the economy and social sphere and solve humanitarian problems. In this context, I would like to highlight major infrastructure projects in Afghanistan being implemented by our country together with international partners. Among them is the construction of the strategic Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Just two weeks ago, we began a new stage of construction of this pipeline on Afghan territory. Other significant projects include the construction of power transmission and fiber-optic communication lines along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan route, as well as a new railway from Turkmenistan towards the Afghan direction. Turkmenistan’s humanitarian aid to the Afghan people will continue, including the free construction of social facilities there and the education of Afghan students in our country’s educational institutions. Thus, Turkmenistan in practice confirms its strong position of solidarity with the people of Afghanistan. In addressing the global climate agenda, Turkmenistan will be focusing on protection of the environment in Central Asia and Caspian Sea region. In this regard, our country advocates for more active and extensive UN involvement in saving the Aral Sea. Turkmenistan initiated the adoption of two recent UN General Assembly resolutions on cooperation between the UN and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. Furthermore, in 2023, ISCAP adopted a resolution on the modalities for creating UN special program for the Aral Sea Basin. Among other specific problems of Central Asia, which have much broader consequences and impact, we highlight desertification and the reduction of water resources. All of this requires more active cooperation with the UN and the presence of its resident offices in the region on a permanent basis. Turkmenistan is ready to work on this. As a concrete step, in cooperation with the UN, our country is promoting the establishment of a specialized structure, the Regional Center for Climate-Related Technologies. Another topic that has gone far beyond regional borders is the Caspian issue. In this regard, we especially emphasize that preserving the Caspian Sea as a unique natural complex are not just the internal affairs of the littoral states, but a global-scale problem and challenge. The approaches to solving them should be appropriate. Therefore, Turkmenistan appeals to the UN, its relevant agencies such as UNEP and UNDP, financial institutions, environment funds, primarily global environment facility and green climate fund, and other structures, urging them to move towards systematic and targeted cooperation with the Caspian states to combat the sea’s shallowing destruction of its ecological balance, reduction of biodiversity, and other ecological and climate issues affecting the Caspian Sea. The President of Turkmenistan at the last session of the UN General Assembly proposed the Caspian Environmental Initiative. We are ready to start the active dialogue on this topic and hope the full support of the General Assembly. In matters of sustainable development, we propose moving forward with a number of specific initiatives from Turkmenistan. In particular, we are talking about developing a global framework program for the transition to a circular economy. Other initiatives include the creation of a global atlas of sustainable transport connectivity and alliance for global energy security and sustainable development. In cooperation with the UN, we are ready to begin developing algorithms for joint work on these proposals. Turkmenistan will continue to work with the UN to overcome the consequences of the humanitarian crisis, address population issues, protect motherhood and children, and safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities, refugees, and stateless persons, among other topics. I would like to note that our country has done significant work in reducing and preventing statelessness. Currently, more than 32,000 people, including refugees and stateless persons, have been granted Turkmen citizenship. It means that this year we have fulfilled a five-year international action plan to eliminate statelessness. Ladies and gentlemen, next year, the entire world will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. We are approaching a milestone where responsibility, foresight, and realism must guide all our thoughts and actions. It is time to reflect on the paths traveled, assess the experience, correct mistakes and shortcomings, and together move forward in improving the work of our organization and its institutions. One thing must remain unshakable. It is commitment to the values, principles, and goals of the United Nations, because they have proven their viability. nd Alignment with the Fundamental Long-Term Interests of Humanity. Around this fact, now more than ever, it is necessary to combine all responsible forces. Turkmenistan believes in the United Nations and its huge creative potential. For our country, the United Nations has always been and remains the unique international organization with universal legal status. The voice of the United Nations must remain strong in ensuring global peace and security, sustainable development and solving humanitarian problems. Turkmenistan will continue to contribute its efforts in addressing the global challenges for the future of the world through realization of its priorities. Thank you for your attention.

President: I now give the floor to His Excellency Tae-yul Cho, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. Madam President, Distinguished Delegates,

Tae-yul Cho – Korea: I would like to extend my congratulations to His Excellency Philemon Yang on assuming the presidency of the 79th session of the General Assembly. Let me also pay tribute to Secretary-General António Guterres for his dedication to global peace and prosperity. The year 2024 has sadly earned the distinction of being the most conflict-ridden year since World War II. Across the globe, from Ukraine to the Middle East, conflict and division have torn at the fabric of human dignity. Two billion people, or roughly one in four, reside in conflict zones, 310 million people require humanitarian assistance worldwide, and more than 120 million, or one in 70, are refugees. Meanwhile, records suggest that we are brushing dangerously close to the critical threshold of 1.5 Celsius degrees. Most worrying of all, the international community seems to be losing the sense of what these numbers really stand for. Real lives disrupted, families displaced, futures lost, and a planetary crisis looming. As the war of aggression against Ukraine drags on to its third year, as seemingly intractable challenges mount with no end in sight, cynicism and powerlessness are hardening in some quarters. There is growing belief that multilateralism is ineffective and the United Nations is no longer relevant. But I stand before you today to affirm that this is not true. My nation’s very existence as a free, democratic, and prosperous country is the proof that the United Nations in action works. It was the first ever UN-led coalition that defended the freedom and democracy in the Republic of Korea, ravaged by war in the early 1950s. Our journey from devastation to democracy and prosperity was made possible by the continued support of the international community, particularly through UN agencies and programs. The story of the Republic of Korea provides the antidote against paralyzing defeatism. It is a story of what we can achieve when good men and women choose to act together. There is concrete evidence that a multilateral system can make a real difference. If global challenges are mounting, then we must double down on multilateralism. We need more of the UN in action, not less. This is why I applaud the timely and proactive initiative of Secretary-General António Guterres to convene the Summit of the Future this year. As we prepare to mark the 80th S-Session of the UN General Assembly next year, we must ask ourselves what will be the UN’s role in the decades to come? Where do we see ourselves in the 90th and 100th sessions of the UN General Assembly? The Pact for the Future is the culmination of all our soul-searching at the Summit of the Future. It galvanizes our resolve to act not just for the present, but for the future generations as well. Mr. President, now the onus is on each and every one of the UN members to fulfill the commitments under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. Earlier, I mentioned that UN in action works, but we must not forget UN in action actually means UN members in action. Under the foreign policy vision of President Yoon Sung-ryeol, the Republic of Korea seeks to be a global pivotal state, recognizing both its indebtedness to the multilateral systems and its growing ability to be their champion. The Republic of Korea is committed to do its part as a UN member by serving three functions, a facilitator, a supporter, and an initiator. First, in the global efforts to build sustainable peace, the Republic of Korea will act as a facilitator. Peace is not merely the absence of conflict. It is the sustainable presence of security and opportunity. The Republic of Korea understands this deeply, having endured the trials of war and division. Today, the Republic of Korea is one of the core contributors to UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts around the world. Its troops and experts serve in some of the world’s most volatile regions, providing not just security but hope. To ensure that peace is durable, however, it is important to go beyond the individual efforts of contributing countries. The Republic of Korea advocates strengthening the UN’s peacebuilding architecture with the Peacebuilding Commission at its core, fulfilling its unique mandate to bridge all three pillars of the United Nations to bring greater coherence and a more integrated approach. We will actively participate in the Peacebuilding Architecture Review next year, with a focus on how to strengthen the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus. We will also align our humanitarian aid and development cooperation programs with the United Nations activities to promote peace and security around the world, and collaborate with the United Nations to identify multifaceted challenges and address their root causes in a coherent and holistic manner. At the heart of our mission as a facilitator is our role as an elected member of the Security Council for the 2024-25 term. Our focus is on peacekeeping and peacebuilding, advancing the UN peace and security agenda, and addressing the complex relationship between climate and security. However, we must also face the dysfunctions that have hampered the Council’s effectiveness. It is increasingly difficult to justify the current structure when a permanent member continues its war of aggression on its neighbor, challenging the fundamental tenets of the UN Charter it is tasked with upholding. The misuse of its right to veto is putting deadlocks on important and urgent work. As we seek to find practical solutions by actively building common ground amongst the diverging views of the Council members, we will also work with all UN Member States to achieve a comprehensive Security Council reform in the international intergovernmental negotiations. Expanding elected membership under equitable geographical distribution and through regular elections will contribute to a more democratic, effective, transparent, representative, and accountable Council. The compromise proposal of longer-term re-electable seats deserves due attention in this regard. The Republic of Korea will also actively address the surging demand for humanitarian aid in the midst of ongoing conflicts. This year, the Republic of Korea has committed US$200 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and we also plan to provide US$100 million to tackle the humanitarian crisis by this year’s end, including US$30 million for civilians affected by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Sadly, conflict in the Middle East is now being further escalated, especially in the Israel-Lebanon border. The Republic of Korea joins the United States, France, and many others in urging the parties to pause their fighting and instead give diplomacy a chance to succeed. Second, the Republic of Korea will play a role as a supporter for the Global South in their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. e, and Siaosi. As the first country to transition from an aid recipient to a donor nation, we firmly believe that we can and should be the tide that lifts other boats. This philosophy underpins our approach to official development assistance, which has grown by 30 percent this year from last year and quadrupled since 2010. With only six years left to meet the SDGs and only 17 percent of these goals on track, we also wish to be smart about how our ODA is put to use, however fast-growing it is. Our initiative to serve as a green ladder through our Green ODA demonstrates the commitment to tackle the nexus of climate change and the SDGs. Recently, the Republic of Korea has committed an additional $300 million to the Green Climate Fund, $7 million to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, and has plans to continue expanding its Green ODA. But financial support is only part of the occasion. We are buttressing our funding with intangible support by sharing our unique developmental know-how and by building wider and more sustained partnerships. The inaugural Korea-Pacific Islands Summit held last year, as well as the first-ever Korea-Africa Summit held in June this year, were landmark events which highlighted our commitment to deepening mutually enriching partnerships with these regions. At the June Korea-Africa Summit, we pledged to increase our ODA to Africa up to $10 billion by 2030 and to collaboratively address global challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and supply chain disruptions. We put a particular focus on empowering the youth of Africa, the youngest continent in the world, to drive sustainable development through initiatives like Tech for Africa. Next year, we plan to organize the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit where sustainable development will again take center stage. All of this would only be a half measure without Korea’s own green transition. We will remain fully committed to carbon-free energy initiative. Third, the Republic of Korea will act as an initiator in the global efforts to install new norms and governance for human dignity and well-being. The exponential growth of technology, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, has not only opened new frontiers, but also poses potential risks to human rights and dignity. Meeting such a new challenge requires new norms and governance fit for our time. To that end, my president, standing in this very hall last year, pledged to lead the global discussions on AI governance, and we have since spearheaded efforts to establish frameworks that ensure AI is developed and used in service of humanity. The Seoul Declaration for Safe, Innovative, and Inclusive AI, adopted during the AI Seoul Summit in May, marked a significant milestone in building the norms for civilian AI. The adoption of Blueprint for Action during the second summit on responsible AI in the military domain earlier this month in Seoul further laid the groundwork for norms for military use of AI. We are also dedicated to addressing cyber threats and promoting an open, free, and safe cyberspace that respects human rights. Leveraging its expertise in cybersecurity, the Republic of Korea has actively participated in global efforts to establish comprehensive norms, including the UN Convention Against Cybercrime. Our work extends to the UN Security Council, where, as an elected member, the Republic of Korea is helping to lay a solid foundation for the Council’s effective and agile response to cybersecurity issues. Another area of concern is plastic pollution, a global crisis that threatens both ecosystems and human health. The Republic of Korea will host the fifth and the last session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution in Busan in November this year, where we hope to work with the UN members to reach a binding agreement to end this pollution. Mr. President and Madam President, the heartbreaking tragedy is that, just miles from Seoul, we find cynicism at its bleakest. North Korea continues to pose threats to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond, with its ongoing development of nuclear and missile capabilities, as shown by the recent disclosure of uranium enrichment facilities, as well as provocations that have swooped down to despicable levels, such as sending trash balloons into the South. Moreover, North Korea has been engaged in military cooperation with Russia, providing it with missiles and millions of ammunitions. It is indeed deplorable that Russia, a permanent Security Council member and one of the founding states for the non-proliferation regime, is engaging in illegal arms trade with North Korea, and in April of this year, vetoed the extension of the mandate of the Panel of Experts on sanctions against North Korea, which had been functioning effectively for the past 15 years. The heart of the matter is that North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and egregious human rights abuses are two sides of the same coin. North Korea is only able to develop these weapons of mass destruction with impunity by repressing the human rights of its people and diverting scarce resources from its starving populace. What Pyongyang offers is not a vision, but a cold and self-serving calculus, a calculus that only sees two indeficits persisting indefinitely, a deficit of peace on the peninsula and a deficit of freedom in North Korea. Madam President, the August 15 Unification Doctrine unveiled by President Yoon Sung-ryeol last month presents a vision of a unified Korean peninsula that is free, peaceful, and prosperous. Recognizing that achieving sustainable peace is an unfinished task on the peninsula, we firmly believe that the road to peace runs through the expansion of freedom and through the unification of the Korean peninsula. This peace will contribute to global peace and security. Under this vision, freedom, which has underpinned the Republic of Korea’s independence, growth, and prosperity will at last be fully unlocked in the North, restoring the human rights of each and every Korean. Achieving this vision requires the international community to advocate the freedom and human rights of North Koreans who have no voice. The Republic of Korea is committed to working together with the international community to steer North Korea towards making the right decisions. Madam President, nearly 75 years ago, founders of the United Nations stood together, bound by faith in multilateralism, to defend freedom and sovereignty and uphold the UN Charter. As we approach the 80th session of the General Assembly next year, we must recommit ourselves to the principles that brought us together. Multilateralism is not an outdated concept. It is the only path forward. To stand idle in the face of today’s challenges would be to abandon both the vulnerable today and the generation of tomorrow. Thank you very much.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia.

Penny Wong – Australia: President, friends, steeled by the horror of the most catastrophic conflict in history, humanity forged our United Nations. Its purpose often defined not as taking us to heaven but saving us from hell. Yet we convene this week with so much of the human family enshrouded in darkness. More conflict than any time since World War II. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Yemen, Gaza, and now Lebanon. Brutal, degrading conflict, ingraining hate and division, pushing peace into the unseeable distance and pulling neighbours into an endless, reflexive cycle of blame and retaliation. Such entrenched violence has its own gravity. More violence becomes the path of least resistance. Seeing past hatred is hard, building trust is hard, compromise is hard, making peace is hard, but the future otherwise is not worthy of our children and the present not worthy of ourselves. We must remember why we built this institution. The United Nations system is where the world comes together to agree and uphold standards and rules to protect all of the world’s peoples and the sovereignty of all nations. These rules always matter and never more so than in times of conflict when they help guide us out of darkness back toward the light. Back on a Path Towards Peace, Stability and Prosperity Not long after we last gathered here, Israel was attacked by the terrorist group Hamas, which killed 1,200 people. This was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Hamas continues to hold hostages. It was an attack that cannot and should not be justified. Like many countries, Australia has imposed sanctions on Hamas, its leaders and financial facilitators. In Israel’s response, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than 11,000 children, nearly 2 million Gazans displaced, some many times over, more than 2 million facing acute food insecurity. This must end. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas. All lives have equal value. Last month, we marked 75 years since the world established the Geneva Conventions, the foundations of international humanitarian law to limit human suffering in conflict. War has rules. Every country in this room must abide by them, even when confronting terrorists, even when defending borders. Israel must comply with the binding orders of the International Court of Justice, including to enable the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale. Australia shares the frustration of the great majority of countries more than 77 years since this General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, a plan for two states, side by side, one Jewish, one Palestinian. Seventy-seven years later, that Palestinian state is still at the end of a peace process that has ground to a halt. The world cannot wait. We must all contribute new ways to break the cycle of conflict. Earlier this year, Australia voted in the General Assembly in support of Palestinian aspirations for full membership of the United Nations. We have sanctioned Israeli extremist settlers and will deny anyone identified as an extremist settler a visa to travel to Australia. But individual country actions alone are not moving the dial. The international community must work together to pave a path to lasting peace. The world cannot keep hoping the parties will do this themselves. We cannot allow any party to obstruct the prospect of peace. As I have said for many months, Australia no longer sees Palestinian recognition as the destination of a peace process, but a contribution towards momentum, momentum towards peace. Australia wants to engage on new ways to build momentum, including the role of the Security Council in setting a pathway for two states, with a clear timeline for the International Declaration of Palestinian Statehood. Because a two-state solution is the only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence, the only hope to see a secure and prosperous future for both peoples, to give the Palestinian people the opportunity to realise their aspirations through self-determination, to strengthen the forces for peace across the region and undermine extremism. A two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, is the opposite of what Hamas wants. Hamas does not want peace, and it does not want security for the state of Israel. Any future Palestinian state must not be in a position to threaten Israel’s security, and there can be no role for terrorists, and it will need a reformed Palestinian authority. Right now, the suffering across the region must end. Hostages must be released, aid must flow. Australia has provided more than $80 million in humanitarian aid to support civilians who have been devastated by this conflict, but humanitarian aid is not a long-term answer. It is now nearly 300 days since Australia and 152 other countries voted for a ceasefire, and today I repeat that call. Just as I repeat Australia’s call for a ceasefire in Lebanon and for parties to fully implement Resolution 1701, Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza. We know Australia is not a central player in the Middle East, but we seek to be a constructive voice for peace and the upholding of international law, including the protection of civilians. In order to protect civilians, we must also protect aid workers who deliver the food, water and medicine civilians need to survive. Aid workers are the best of humanity. Their selfless devotion to improving the lives of others should not cost them their own. Yet 2023 was the deadliest year on record for aid workers, and 2024 is on track to be even worse. Gaza is the most dangerous place on earth to be an aid worker. Australia felt this deeply with the IDF strike against World Central Kitchen Vehicles which killed Australian zombie Frank Hom and her colleagues. This was not a one-off incident. More than 308 workers have been killed since the start of the conflict. This week, Australia has convened a group of ministers to pursue a new declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel. This declaration will be developed over the coming months to demonstrate the unity of the international community’s commitment to protect aid workers and to channel that commitment into action in Gaza, in Sudan, in Ukraine and in all current and future conflicts. All countries will be invited to join the declaration and I want to thank my fellow ministers from Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland and the United Kingdom and the humanitarian leaders who have partnered with us in this. As zombie Frank Hom’s family said this week, people like zombie are rare and their bravery and selflessness should be not only celebrated but protected. They can’t be brave at any cost. The world’s peoples are counting on all of us here to rededicate ourselves to international humanitarian law and the rest of the rules we have agreed to preserve peace and security. Russia continues its vicious assault on the people and sovereignty of Ukraine in flagrant violation of the UN Charter. Aside from terrible damage and loss of life in Ukraine, Russia’s invasion is also propelling the global crisis in food and energy security, raising the cost of living for working people all over the world. This year we saw Russia end the mandate of the Security Council’s panel of experts on the DPRK after 14 years of unanimous support. The DPRK continues its unlawful activities with impunity, conducting illegal arms transfers to Russia and threatening our region, including the Republic of Korea and Japan. And we are concerned that Russia is sharing nuclear and space information and technology with Iran. Rules are being blurred, undermined and at times blatantly violated. We must rally to defend these rules that protect us all. These rules that form the character of the world we want. A world where Australia and other countries have the freedom to decide our own futures without interference and intimidation. A world where we can find collective solutions to our toughest problems. These problems are evolving and changing. But the commitment of some states to the rules underpinning the international system has not evolved for the better. Whether cyber attacks, interference, disinformation or economic coercion, some states circumvent the rules, putting further out of reach collective approaches to counter new and emerging threats. Pressing challenges like climate change, technology, poverty, reform of financial architecture and increasingly necessary peace building work. We need reform of the UN system to better serve us all. But reform cannot become a means for disruptors to dismantle protections for smaller countries. No state should pretend the rules don’t apply to them. Ignoring international rulings, using might over multilateralism, ruling by power alone, not by law, favouring impunity rather than facing accountability. Forcing outcomes by economic coercion or military muscle rather than on the level playing field we have established so carefully. We see some states trying to set us against each other when the challenges demand that we come together, that we stand together in support of the security, prosperity and sovereignty of all countries. Australia has a different vision for the world. One where no country dominates and no country is dominated. When disputes inevitably arise, we insist those differences are managed through dialogue and according to the rules, not simply by force or raw power. It’s why we have consistently pressed China on peace and stability in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. And why we have welcomed the resumption of leader and military level dialogue between the United States and China. Some countries may dismiss the rules as a western construct. Well, our Asia Pacific region tells a different story. Take the agreement between Vietnam and Indonesia to delimit their exclusive economic zone after 12 years of negotiations, an example of how long-standing maritime disputes can be resolved in accordance with international law. Take Vanuatu’s landmark international court of justice initiative on climate change, or Fiji and Solomon Islands maritime boundary agreements. Take the Bay of Bengal arbitration where states peacefully resolved long-standing and sensitive claims under UNCLOS, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Or Australia and Timor-Leste, initiating the first ever compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS, leading to the signing of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. We are now proceeding to the resolution of our Maritime Boundary Dispute. We see it in the Philippines’ decision to go to the arbitral tribunal constituted under Oteyongklos and its unanimous clear ruling in the South China Sea arbitration between the Philippines and China, which is final and binding on the parties. These cases in our region illustrate how international law has been built, defended and promoted by small and medium countries from different traditions. The countries of our region have embedded the rules that serve us all and we make an ongoing contribution to maintaining and promoting them. Together we want to pursue peaceful ways to resolve disputes. We know this doesn’t happen on its own. All of us help make it happen. Australia is doing this by being active, by exercising agency and by contributing our efforts to the balance of power in our region and in the world. Our candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the term 29-30 reflects our deep commitment to contributing to international peace and security. The Security Council is a foundation of our collective peace and security. But we must reform it. Australia wants greater permanent and non-permanent representation for Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific. This body must represent the world as it is in the 21st century. We must also reform the peacebuilding and conflict prevention architecture. It’s not working. That will be the focus of our coming term on the Peacebuilding Commission. We will support national prevention strategies in our term, essential for local peacebuilding. And we are providing additional resources and staff to the PBC’s support and secretariat bodies. We will increase our voluntary contribution to the UN Peacebuilding Fund to $15 million a year because we are committed to doing all we can to de-escalate and prevent conflict. We do this by responding when we or our neighbours are coerced or have sovereignty threatened. We do this by supporting our region’s security, as we did at the Pacific Islands Forum this month when we stood side-by-side with Pacific leaders to announce a Pacific-led, Australia-backed Pacific policing initiative. We do this by backing the call of Fiji’s President for a cessation of ballistic missile testing in the Pacific. We do this by combining reassurance and deterrence, by working with our friends and partners openly and transparently, so no potential aggressor thinks the pursuit of conflict is worth the risk. But there is so much more to do. Friends, for peace to be truly durable, it must be built by and for all of society, including women. Yet here in the world’s premier peace forum, only about one in ten speakers so far this week have been women. Gender equality is a primary predictor of peace, even more so than a state’s wealth or political system. That is why Australia champions the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. We support initiatives we know are working, like the Southeast Asia Women Peace Mediators, who link stakeholders to enhance the potential for constructive dialogue. Like the Pacific Women Mediators Network, a locally-led, vibrant, inclusive platform to support women’s political leadership. And earlier this week, with Germany, Canada and the Netherlands, Australia invoked Afghanistan’s responsibility under international law for the violations of the rights of women and girls. The Taliban have erased women from Afghanistan’s self-portrait. Effectively imprisoning half their society’s population immediately halves their country’s potential, depleting the soul and the prospects of a nation. Any country that wants to develop fully must encourage the full participation of all its people. So we can’t pursue only parts of the 2030 Agenda. We must achieve all of the Sustainable Development Goals. And yet, with just over five years to 2030, over a third of the SDGs are stalled or regressing, and finance targets are not being met. In times of scarcity, we need every development dollar to count. This is why we need to strengthen the global financial architecture, and this is why Australia is backing the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index and the Bridgetown Initiative. This is why Australia is championing reforms that make the MDBs more responsive to global shocks and build sustainability and resilience, particularly in the smallest and most vulnerable countries. This year, Australia committed AU$492 million to the Asian Development Fund, working with Japan to unlock a record AU$5 billion in new assistance to the region’s most vulnerable countries over the next decade. Financial pressures are further strained by the trend of trade being used as a point of leverage rather than an opportunity, as economic interdependence is misused for political and strategic ends. Nearly every country in this room depends on open trade, with transparent and predictable rules. So we must keep working together to uphold these trade rules that underpin our economic growth and the livelihoods of our peoples. Of course, it’s not just finance and unfair trade arrangements that threaten development. Climate change is causing more disasters, reversing years of development gains overnight. Extreme weather threatens food and water security, with grave implications for global stability. Australia is acting at home, enshrining our ambitious emissions reduction targets into legislation, 43 per cent by 2030, net zero by 2050. We are transforming our economy. Within this decade, 82 per cent of our electricity generation will be renewable, up from just 32 per cent when I first addressed you two years ago. We are building new industries to accelerate our economic transition and to export reliable renewable energy to the world. And we are acting internationally to respond to our partners. By the end of 2025, Australia will offer climate-resilient debt clauses in our sovereign loans. And the groundbreaking Australia Tuvalu-Fallipili Union Treaty entered into force on 28 August. Friends, it is the first time. Two nations have recognised in a legally binding treaty, continuing statehood and sovereignty notwithstanding the impacts of sea level rise. And this agreement supports Tuvaluans to live and thrive at home through land reclamation and investments in infrastructure, education and health. At the same time, Tuvaluans have the choice to live, study and work in Australia. Mobility with dignity means ensuring people have a genuine choice to stay. Pacific voices have demonstrated sustained, clear and innovative leadership as well as tremendous resilience. This is why we are bidding to host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific. We want to show the world the unique climate challenges facing our regions and amplify the voices of small island developing states, the custodians of the world’s oceans. President, we know that along with climate change, technology will define the multilateral system and development goals for decades to come. We want safe, accessible technology that is used for the global good, not as a tool for censorship or surveillance or exclusion or division. From the start of negotiations for the Global Digital Compact, Australia has advocated that all states should boost access to digital technologies that offer benefits to our world. We know that if countries don’t have digital infrastructure, they’ll miss out. That’s why we’re building sustainable South-South connectivity, including submarine cables across the Pacific. We also know not all knowledge is new. First Nations peoples’ deep knowledge must be preserved and it must be protected. Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been innovators, inventors and knowledge holders for over 65,000 years. Whether it’s fire stick farming used to sustainably manage country or the engineering of great stone fish traps across rivers and seas, that unbroken line of innovation has continued to this day. Earlier this year, Australia’s Ambassador for First Nations People helped bring countries together to finalise the World Intellectual Property Organisation Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge. It’s a treaty that acknowledges the link between traditional knowledge and innovation and intellectual property. It helps First Nations communities identify and protect the use of their knowledge by others, which in turn will spur collaboration between researchers, innovators and communities opening up new opportunities for First Nations entrepreneurship. But friends, this treaty is remarkable for another reason. You see, it serves as a source of optimism. 193 member states agreed on new rules to the world’s intellectual property system. That’s an extraordinary achievement. As I said at the outset, the international outlook is framed by entrenched division, where consensus often seems a lost cause. But we collectively move the intellectual property system a step forward, just as we collectively move forward this week with the pact for the future. And these recent wins remind us of the gains we’ve made that we all need to protect. Of the ways our lives are being… ndi, and many others who have lived in a harsher, more dangerous world, who built this UN system to confine horrors of the past to history and to give us all a better life. We have no option, and we have no excuse, but to find a way through our challenges today, immense as and intractable as they are. We must work together. We must drive change where it is needed, transparently, together. We must drive change to include all the world’s peoples, to deploy the collective agency this forum provides so we combat climate change, poverty and coercion, so we negotiate peace. President, friends, we must not allow others to divide us for their own gain, to dilute the protections that are inherent in the UN Charter, that are codified in the Geneva Conventions. Rather, we have to reinforce those protections in the interests of all states and civilians. That is what Australia is for, a peaceful, stable, prosperous world for all, where sovereignty is respected and where civilians are protected. I thank you.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Alva Romanus Baptiste, Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs of St. Lucia.

Alva Romanus Baptiste – Saint Lucia: Distinguished Mr. President, I find it more than proper to set in motion my address to this 79th session of the UN General Assembly by invoking the wisdom of one of America’s most outstanding orators, the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who said, and I quote, We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action. Mr. President, over the decades, we the representatives of small island developing states have come to this hallowed chamber to state the case for fairer treatment of our developmental needs and our challenges by the international community. We have argued for special and differential treatment because we are indeed different, indeed special and indeed unique in our sizes, our economies, our finances, our social circumstances, our vulnerabilities. Mr. President, we are indeed severely disadvantaged by an unfair global financial system that has amplified inequities by the measurements and standards it has employed to assess our development. And despite our best efforts, it seems that we were simply engaging in odds to the death because there has hardly been the type of concrete and fundamental responses and actions to change the rules and the systems that have been suppressing our developmental aspirations. However, Mr. President, we have persisted in our advocacy. We have not abandoned our faith in the strength and advantages of multilateralism. And so today we are pleased to applaud two recent decisions by the international community that provide an expectation that the unique vulnerabilities and special circumstances of St. Lucia and all the small island developing states will receive the particular attention they deserve. I speak first of the fourth international conference on small island developing states recently held in Antigua and Barbuda, which adopted a new 10-year plan of action for seeds. The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Seeds is a bold new plan to give priority at the international level to the sustainable development needs of seeds over the next 10 years and maps out the nature of the support which the international community must deliver in order to achieve them. Through this agenda, the economies of seeds can be transformed and so there must be absolutely no delay in its implementation and in delivering on the commitments made to bring life to its provisions. This cannot wait. The second decision that we applaud is the recent adoption by the United Nations of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, MVI. While we note that the resolution advancing the MVI calls for its voluntary adoption, St. Lucia urges the international community to speedily adopt and implement the MVI. It took the international community 32 years to develop and adopt this vital and necessary tool for sustainable development and global equity. Let us not wait another 32 years to test and implement it. The MVI must be brought into use today. This cannot wait. It is urgent because the challenges facing our small, open and vulnerable economies are quite complex. Caribbean economies have over the past two decades been plagued by a number of interrelated and interlocking factors including persistent fiscal deficits and high debt, stubborn and persistent structural rigidities. These interrelated factors have been significantly exacerbated by external shocks including frequent and major fluctuations in energy prices, financial crisis and more recently the COVID pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, not to mention the planet’s greatest existential threat, climate change. In this regard, there is a pressing need for immediate action to halt and reverse the slow progress that is being made on the issue of climate change and climate justice. This General Assembly needs no reminders of the violent and destructive impact of climate change and the extent of the peril in which the world, particularly seeds, finds itself as a result. St. Lucia is considerably dismayed and disappointed that after years of advocacy by seeds to establish the loss and damage fund at COP28, the fund which should have been activated in July this year is yet to be operationalised. St. Lucia therefore urges those concerned to swiftly and urgently operationalise the loss and damage fund so that seeds can receive timely support and on the scale required to recover from the disastrous impact of climatic events on their small economies and societies. Further, it is essential that at the forthcoming COP29, the special circumstances of seeds are protected and operationalised across the entire climate change policy agenda. This cannot wait. In the same way the world must recompense seeds for the injustice of the climate crisis that we are suffering, those countries which propelled economies, the economic development through the unholy and inhumane transatlantic slave trade and slavery of our African ancestors must pay reparations for this crime against humanity which they inflicted upon the people they brought from Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas, as well as on the indigenous peoples of those regions. President, St. Lucia therefore reiterates the call it made at the 78th session of the UNGA that the UN should become seized of the question of reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and slavery in the western hemisphere. This is why, in part, our Caribbean civilisation resents the current carnage in Gaza and the West Bank because in Gaza, President, for the last year, over 41,000 persons, the majority being women and children, have been killed by an Israeli army in the name of self-defence occasioned by a terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th, 2020. ndo, and more than 110 journalists have been killed. President, this war in Palestine, what some have referred to as genocide, whatever it is called, must be brought to an end today. For the world has no future with it and has no appetite for it. President, year in, year out, since its independence, St. Lucia has been calling for the recognition and establishment of a Palestinian state. However, to date, there continues to be needless impediments to this accomplishment. President, I respectfully submit that this unnecessary undermining of Palestinian statehood is, to a large extent, the root cause of the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict. President, Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live side by side in peace. However, peace for Israel must not come at the expense of the Palestinian people, nor can a permanent ceasefire be based on the whims and fancies of Israel. President, it must be predicated upon meaningful and honest negotiations utilizing the tools of diplomacy. Hence, no state should become material accomplices to aggression against the Israeli and Palestinian people because the solution is not far-fetched or unreachable. The Palestinians must be allowed to exercise their right to self-determination, to have their own state and full membership of the United Nations alongside the State of Israel in accordance with UN resolutions that go back to 181 of 1947 and include Resolution 3246 of 1974, which reaffirms the inherent rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty, and the right of the Palestinians to return to their homes and property. President, the only way to secure a just and peaceful future in the Middle East and for Israel to have secured borders is for the Palestinian people to live in their own internationally recognized homeland. The right to self-determination is a universal right and the Palestinians are no exception. The people of Palestine cannot wait. It is this same right which says that the people of Ukraine must be allowed to choose their own destiny and that Russia must end this unwarranted war against Ukraine and restore and respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine. It is this same right of self-determination which dictates that the heroic people of Cuba have a right to determine their own path to political, economic and social development and that the economic embargo imposed on Cuba for over six decades by the United States is illegal, unjust and inhumane. It must be ended forthwith in accordance with the many resolutions of the UN General Assembly from 1992 which have rejected that embargo totally and overwhelmingly. The people of Cuba cannot wait. Further, Cuba’s emphasis on medical internationalism as a central foreign policy objective as well as its non-involvement in armed conflicts abroad invalidate Cuba’s inclusion on the U.S.’s list as a state sponsor of terrorism. Instead, President, given that it is well established that Cuba’s alternative model of development has provided important social benefits to the Cuban people, coupled with its emphasis on medical internationalism, it should be on a list of countries acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations. No one must be left behind. It is this same right to self-determination that says that the 23.5 million people of the Republic of China and Taiwan have the right to be a member of the United Nations and other international organizations and the UN Resolution 2758 of 1971 does not preclude Taiwan’s inclusion and participation in the United Nations system. We believe that Taiwan, with the 20th largest economy in the world and with its important role in technological development and world trade, has much to offer from which the international community can benefit. No one must be left behind. It is this same right to self-determination that says that the people and government of Venezuela must be allowed to conduct their internal affairs without sanctions imposed upon them by other states. In Haiti, the situation remains unstable and deeply concerning, although some political advances have been registered through the efforts of CARICOM’s eminent persons group of three former Prime Ministers. However, the international community has only provided 14% of the resources required for the multilateral security support mission for Haiti. We welcome the announcement from the President of Kenya this week that it will deploy 600 more security forces to Haiti by November, and we thank the Government of Kenya for its support of the Haitian people. The funding required for humanitarian assistance in Haiti is also woefully short of its target. We therefore call upon all other countries which had pledged to assist Haiti to urgently and immediately fulfill their commitments to do so. Haiti cannot wait. In view of the foregoing, to safeguard the future, we have to be prepared to take action now, this moment, this very minute, at this time, on certain issues that are essential for a peaceful and sustainable future, and we cannot and must not be selective about which declarations of the Pact or of the principles of the Charter of the UN that we will respect and when we will do so. In the convening of the Summit of the Future this week, and in the theme that is guiding the deliberations of this 79th session of the General Assembly, the international community has seemingly come to understand that it can no longer procrastinate, no longer delay the actions needed to secure a better future for mankind. Let us for once, therefore, turn our words into action. The time for action is now. The time to make multilateralism truly work, not just for SIDS, but for all of us, is now. The time for reform of the Security Council is now. The time for climate justice for SIDS is now. The time to end the conflicts and needless wars is now. The time to give the youth of this planet, who are the people of tomorrow, the hope and the opportunities to better themselves is now. The time to put humanity first is now. If we act together today for peace, for sustainable development, for justice, no one will be left behind and there will be a better tomorrow. Consequently, President, if we do not act with the fierce urgency of now, our UN speeches and resolutions, in the words, again, I may reach out, if I may reach out for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and I quote, will end up as a meaningless drama on the stage of history, shrouded with the ugly garments of shame. President, I thank you and I yield the floor.

President: I thank the Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation, and Diaspora Affairs of St. Lucia. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica.

Kamina Johnson Smith – Jamaica: Thank you, Mr. President. I extend Jamaica’s congratulations on your election to the leadership of this distinguished body. You can be assured of our full commitment to the successful execution of your mandate for the 79th session. I also commend your predecessor, Ambassador Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, a fellow CARICOM national for his successful tenure. We the member states of the United Nations are all facing the same world of multiple and intersecting challenges. The great difference between us, however, is our capacity to meet, withstand, and recover from the shocks they bring. If there is one realization that we must share, it is that these challenges cannot be solved alone. They can only be addressed through multilateralism, diplomacy, and international cooperation. Mr. President, Jamaica is a small island located in the second most climate-vulnerable region in the world. We emerged from a brutal history of slavery and colonization, achieving political independence a mere 62 years ago. Until recently, most of our independent history has been characterized by lvls of Poverty, Debt and Unemployment. But as we chart a course towards sustainable prosperity, we are determined that these characteristics will not define the Jamaica we bequeath to future generations. Against the odds, Jamaica has been building our resilience. Our macroeconomic fundamentals today are stronger than they have been at any time over the past 50 years. Our credit ratings have been upgraded by international rating agencies, and our fiscal credibility has improved. Jamaica is now an attractive destination for investment. Over the last 10 years, in spite of the pandemic, we have more than halved our debt-to-GDP ratio, significantly reduced our poverty rate, brought unemployment to historic lows, and increased our minimum wage by more than 100%. Our management of the economy has created fiscal space that has allowed us to invest more into social welfare, national security, health, and education. Through our National Broadband Network project, we have increased internet penetration to 77% and internet user penetration to 85.1%. We’re closing our domestic digital divide, providing more and better services online. We’ve also embarked on Jamaica’s largest-ever expansion and upgrade of infrastructure, using a mixture of pure budgetary financing and public-private partnerships. Mr. President, these advancements have been hard won. Our effort has required social, political, and international partnership, measured policy, and strategic management. Even as we acknowledge the sacrifices made to enable our achievements, we recognize that many of our successes can be easily eroded by exogenous shocks, including climate change, which we view as a clear and present danger to humanity. As a small island-developing state, Jamaica is severely affected by higher temperatures, warmer seas, sea-level rise, and the increased intensity and frequency of natural disasters. Hurricane Beryl, which impacted the Caribbean in July this year, was the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record. Beryl resulted in the dislocation of families and communities, along with significant damage to infrastructure, houses, schools, and farms. Damage was more severe in our agricultural belt, wiping out crops, killing livestock, and triggering knock-on effects on higher food prices and inflation. Our new climate-smart agricultural practices were no match for the hurricane. Her winds took the panels for solar-powered irrigation pumps and flattened 70 percent of our greenhouses. We experience almost a half of every year in the uncertainty of a hurricane season. Natural and climate-based disasters continue to set back efforts to attain the SDGs and realize sustained, inclusive growth and development. We have therefore sought to strengthen our ability to respond to and recover from such disasters through a risk-layered approach to disaster response financing. Jamaica, therefore, has significantly increased resources through our Contingency Fund and the National Natural Disaster Reserve Fund. We have established the National Disaster Fund, triggered by measured impact on GDP, and become the first small island developing state to independently sponsor a catastrophe bond. Additionally, we participate in the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility. These mechanisms, however, do not reduce the occurrence of disasters, nor prevent the disruption, dislocation, and destruction that they cause. It bears repeating that no country can combat the effects of climate change on its own. Jamaica, therefore, affirms our unwavering commitment to international cooperation to counter the negative impacts of climate change and to the pursuit of climate justice. We urge the major polluting nations to honor their commitments under the Paris Agreement and to meet their financial obligations. Furthermore, we welcome the adoption of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for CIDS, the ABAS, at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States. More particularly, Jamaica endorses the call for a redoubling of international cooperation and action to accelerate mitigation and adaptation. All countries must maintain the target of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius through enhanced NDCs based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Allow me to pause here to congratulate the government of Antigua and Barbuda for successfully hosting the conference. Jamaica calls on the UN and international financial institutions to adopt a new climate finance goal at COP29. We further call for urgent and accelerated mobilization of international action and resources. This includes the full and effective operationalization of the loss and damage fund to address issues of responsiveness and scale that are most critical for CIDS. Mr. President, Jamaica welcomes the adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index. We call on our development partners, including multilateral development banks and other international financial institutions, to urgently examine the index and comment its use. Rather than considering GNI alone, it takes into account the structural and environmental vulnerabilities of CIDS. Its use by MDBs will better align access to and terms of financing with supporting these countries’ developmental needs. Jamaica also commits to advancing dialogue and cooperation with stakeholders in the international capital markets to adapt their operations to the vulnerability resilience profiles of CIDS. Improved access to development financing is fundamentally critical for CIDS, which are particularly off-track in attaining the SDGs. Mr. President, the SDGs were adopted by leaders as a universal clarion call to tackle poverty, ensure peace, and promote prosperity. Jamaica shares the concern that globally only 17 percent of the SDG targets are on track. We are proud that our progress is further along domestically, and we fully support and are honored to co-lead the Secretary General’s SDG Stimulus Leaders Group. International cooperation is urgently needed to drive sustained efforts to tackle structural and systemic issues that contain access to development finance. Through our collective advocacy, we aim to elevate the global agenda to ensure that no one is left behind. We call upon wealthier countries and the IFIs to partner with developing countries and to redouble their efforts to create and implement innovative strategies to unlock financing and spur investments towards attaining the SDGs. The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development presents an opportunity to commit to tangible deliverables to address the current financing challenges. These include impactful, practical, and meaningful reform of the international financial architecture, to strengthen the voice and representation of developing countries in international decision-making, and to substantially improve the quantity, accessibility, and affordability of financing for development. Mr. President, this brings me to the summit of the future. The adoption of the Pact for the Future, the Declaration on Future Generations, and the Global Digital Compact signaled renewed hope in multilateralism. The consensus demonstrated by our collective resolve to deliver inclusive and durable solutions to current and emerging global challenges brings new hope. With foresight, political will, and joint action, we can deliver a better world for future generations. Jamaica commends the work of Namibia and Germany in their facilitation of the Pact, and we were honoured to have co-facilitated, together with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Declaration on Future Generations. Mr. President, Jamaica believes that in leveraging multilateralism to advance sustainable development, human rights, and international peace and security, to deliver results for all the peoples of the world, no country or region should be excluded from the opportunities to attain the SDGs. Jamaica, therefore, joins the call for the discontinuation of the crippling economic, commercial, and financial embargo against our closest Caribbean neighbour, Cuba. We further call for a cessation of the classification of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism. These measures continue to have a devastating impact on the economic and social well-being of the people of Cuba, and preclude progress towards their attainment of the SDGs. Mr. President, Jamaica also once again condemns the brutal October 7 attacks in Israel and the devastating counterattacks in the Palestinian territories. The undeniable human crisis and instability compel all parties to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. We commend the United States, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and others who are making concerted efforts towards a peaceful resolution. We continue to support the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, and believe that a two-state solution is the best way to achieve lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. It is in this context that Jamaica has recognised the state of Palestine, and we call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages to bring an end to the protracted war and human suffering. Mr. President, much closer to home, Haiti continues to face one of the most challenging periods in its storied history. Rampant gangs are causing chronic instability and unspeakable violence, especially against women and children. Millions of Haitians are facing hunger and dislocation. They need and deserve the unwavering support of the international community to restore peace, security, and prosperity. demoracy, and to address the devastating humanitarian crisis. Jamaica will continue to play its part, including through CARICOM and the Eminent Persons Group, in supporting the political process in Haiti. Significant progress has already been made, particularly since the Kingston Talks convened by CARICOM in Jamaica in March of this year. We welcome the installation of the Transitional Presidential Council, the appointment of an interim Prime Minister and Ministerial Cabinet, and the finalization of the Provisional Electoral Council. The multinational security support mission is critical to the restoration of peace and security in Haiti. We reiterate our gratitude to the Government of Kenya for its leadership of and commitment to the MSS. We are pleased to confirm that on 12 September, Jamaica deployed its initial command contingent, along with Belize, as part of the MSS. We are committed to scaling up our numbers. But we also call on the international community to contribute more personnel and equipment. Restoration of peace and security is critical to the creation of an environment in which free and fair elections can be held. The establishment of democratic governance is critical for sustainable economic growth and development for Haiti. Mr. President, since the deployment of the MSS, we have seen improvements in the situation and have reason for cautious optimism. More is needed, however, and time is not on Haiti’s side. It is critical that we preserve and advance gains made. It is critical that we maintain hope and stability. We therefore urge the Security Council to renew the mandate of the MSS and to consider future transition to a peacekeeping framework to guarantee funding. We also call for continued and increased support from member states, including financial contributions to the trust fund. This is needed for deployment of additional personnel to support the HNP as they recover communities from criminal gangs. Mr. President, we further call on the international community to significantly increase contributions to the humanitarian response plan for Haiti, which remains underfunded at 39% of target. Support to be new must also be ramped up so that displaced families can be fed and provided with critical health care and children can return to the classrooms to resume their education. Jamaica will continue to do what we are able. We will support our sister CARICOM nation in the effort to restore peace, security, and stability in Haiti and, by extension, the region. As Mr. President, Jamaica is seeking to comprehensively address the issue of gangs, crime, and violence in our own society, fully recognizing the compounding impact of transnational crime, including illicit trafficking in drugs, arms, and ammunition. We have embarked on a mission of transforming and strengthening our security forces and agencies while preserving human rights, increasing operational efficiency, and delivering high-quality policing services to the public. We have made significant improvements to the working conditions of our policemen and women, and the National Police College of Jamaica has now received the highest international accreditation for curriculum and quality of training. We continue to expand CCT networks in collaboration with our stakeholders, have increased mobility, and introduced new equipment and technology, including forensics. We have also introduced new community policing models. The government is also undertaking social interventions in vulnerable communities. We have trained and certified approximately 40,000 at-risk youth and enrolled approximately 81,000 parents in parenting programs. We are also working closely with the private sector and NGOs to expand social services in vulnerable communities. On transnational organized crime, Jamaica has made substantial investments in advanced coastal radar systems and acquisition of offshore patrol vessels. We are also increasing the use of technology in securing our ports. Mr. President, as a result of these initiatives, major crimes have consistently declined to the lowest levels in 25 years. So far this year, there has been a 17% decline in homicides over last year. Jamaica is a safer place to live, work, raise families, and do business. We recognize that continued bilateral, regional, and multilateral cooperation, especially in the areas of training, intelligence sharing, and joint operations, is vital if we are to comprehensively and sustainably continue to reduce crime and violence. And in this regard, while we appreciate steps taken, we reiterate our call for more concrete action from bilateral partners to stem the illicit flow of small arms and ammunition from their ports. We welcome the recent outcome of the RevCon 4 on small arms and light weapons. More particularly, we welcome the emphasis placed on technical assistance and capacity building, customs control, emerging technologies, and through life conventional ammunition management. These are all critically relevant matters to ultimately turning around crime-ridden inner-city communities into peaceful and prosperous ones. Mr. President, cybercrime is a major threat to citizen security and an obstacle to sustained economic development. International cooperation is necessary to address the matter of cybercrime. Jamaica actively participated in the negotiations together with our fellow CARICOM partners on the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime. We therefore look forward to the adoption of the Convention by the General Assembly and look forward to future engagements within the framework of this instrument. In closing, Mr. President, Jamaica has taken difficult decisions and has taken responsibility for our economic future. We have demonstrated that we are able to positively impact our own outcomes and redefine our future. We continue to believe not only in our own resolve, but also in the power of multilateralism and international cooperation to overcome shared global challenges. The people of the world are counting on these United Nations and the international community to deliver on climate, on human rights, on peace and security, and on development. With that support, Jamaica is committed to doing our part to meet the challenges of today while laying a solid foundation for future generations. I thank you.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mohamed Ali Nafti, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad of Tunisia.

Mohamed Ali Nafti – Tunisia: In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen. At the outset, it is my pleasure to extend our warmest congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Philemon Yang and the Republic of Cameroon on presiding over the 79th session of the General Assembly. We wish him success in conducting its work and stress Tunisia’s support to his vision, namely unity and diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone, everywhere. I would also like to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis for a successful presidency. We renew our appreciation to the continuous efforts of the Secretary General, His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, to restore trust in multilateralism. Mr. President, as hopeful as we are to achieve the necessary change and reforms and pave the way towards a safer, more peaceful, equitable and sustainable world through the initiatives and tracks proposed in the Secretary General’s framework or common agenda and through the outcomes of the summit of the future, we express deep concern and disappointment and denounce the current situation in the Middle East. The horrendous humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people continues on their territory. For almost a year now, they have been subjected to the most despicable war crimes, a genocide and all forms of violations of human rights and the purposes and principles for which the United Nations was established. Such violations are perpetrated by the occupying forces without any sense of accountability. Meanwhile, the international community remains unjustifiably and immorally silent. The failure of the international community to ensure the respect of the international humanitarian law, despite the measures imposed by the ICJ to protect civilians in Gaza from the risk of a genocide, puts the life of Palestinians at stake. Suddenly, the slogan repeated from different rostrums calling for human rights and humanitarian issues to take precedence disappears when it comes to the Palestinian people. The only way towards a safe future for all peoples start with a belief that all human beings are equal without any discrimination or selectivity and away from double standards. We cannot start a new phase of multilateralism, international relations and sustainable development based on the principle of leaving no one behind if we continue to ignore the tragedy of the Palestinian people. In this vein, we call upon the international community to take immediate, effective and responsible steps to save what can still be saved, stop the bloodshed and end the genocide and starvation of Gaza. This war has targeted schools, hospitals and civilian infrastructure and facilities, killing more than 40,000 people. We also call upon the Security Council to break its stalemate and play its natural role, namely the maintenance of international peace and security by holding the occupation authorities accountable for the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, imposing an immediate ceasefire, stopping the blatant and abhorrent attacks on innocent Palestinians and preventing forced displacement, settlements and the violation of sacred places. The war on Gaza caused a deep rift in humanity and jeopardized people’s trust in the UN system and main organs to implement their resolutions. We recall the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion adopted on July 19, 2024 at the request of the General Assembly on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of the Zionist occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It found that the continued presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal and that the State of Israel is under an obligation to seize immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This opinion puts the international community to the test to prove its commitment to the supremacy of international law and its applicability to everyone without any exception, selectivity or double standards. Our country continues to firmly and unconditionally support the right of the Palestinian people to restore their imprescriptible, legitimate and inalienable rights, mainly their right to self-determination and establishment of an independent sovereign state on all the Palestinian Territory with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as a capital. Tunisia stresses its support to the Palestinian request for full membership at the United Nations. We appreciate international recognition of Palestine and hope that it would lead to Palestine becoming a full member at the United Nations without further delay. Once again, we strongly condemn the attacks on brotherly Lebanon, targeting its people and threatening its stability and security. At a time when our countries are meeting at the United Nations, we call upon the Security Council to take a firm stance to stop these crimes against humanity without delay. Mr. President, the principle of leaving no one behind cannot be achieved with slogans. We cannot achieve the desired goals and overcome the failures of the past and the present unless we all have a genuine will to change and reform. For this reason, we need a unified and responsible diagnosis of the root causes for the failure by the current international community to address the growing conflicts and wars, the increase in extremism, terrorism, and organized crime, the deterioration of crises and climate disasters which threaten the survival of millions of people. In addition, the levels of poverty, hunger, and inequality are unprecedented. There is a big increase in the number of refugees and displaced. The development and digital gap between the North and the South is widening, and the international financial system is unable to respond to the development needs of the majority of states. All these challenges represent dangerous indicators that the current international system is no longer on track, hence requiring us all to carry out the necessary reviews and reforms to address all the chaos, inequality, and turmoil. Those challenges also require states, peoples, and institutions to make joint efforts, share responsibility, and respect international law, the UN Charter, and human rights on an equal footing without any discrimination or politicization. The past eight decades have proven the urgent need for reforming international relations and reviewing the basics and working methods of multilateralism to address the needs of people and end every disorder which caused tragedy and suffering for millions and led to undeniable existential threats. Such threats cannot be addressed using the same tools and methods that only take into account the interests of a minority of states at the expense of others. In this regard, we stress the urgent need for developed countries to respect their commitment to financing development, supporting climate efforts, and effectively contributing to the eradication of poverty while supporting growth and building the resilience and sustainability of developing countries. We also stress the need for ending all forms of trusteeship, the imposition of policies and instructions, and interference in states’ internal affairs to ensure their national sovereignty, independence, choices, and cultural specificities are respected because this diversity is a source of wealth. The challenges ahead can only be faced by rebuilding international relations based on solidarity, fair and constructive cooperation, mutual respect, and equality. We also call for promoting the role of the United Nations and introducing the necessary reforms to its institutions and organs to improve their performance and promote their credibility, mainly the Security Council, which is now paralyzed by growing geostrategic conflicts. Mr. President, based on its genuine belief in multilateralism and its respect to the purposes of the UN Charter, Tunisia took part in all tracks and initiatives proposed by the Secretary General’s plan, our common agenda, as well as the SDG Summit and the Summit of the Future. Which was recently held here at the UN. If the necessary follow-up and implementation mechanisms are adopted, their outcomes represent a historic opportunity and an essential tool to overcome challenges, mitigate risks, and establish a safer, more peaceful and sustainable world. At the same time, we reaffirm the urgent need to introduce structural reforms to the global financial system and review the role of credit rating agencies to alleviate the debt servicing burden on developing states and facilitate their access to development financing. This will allow them to recover from the repercussions of successive global crises for which they have paid a high price, even though they did not have a role in causing most of them. It will also allow them to focus their efforts on meeting the human development needs of their people. We also call for developing tools for bilateral and multilateral international cooperation to ensure the recovery of stolen assets moved abroad. This will accelerate economic recovery and promote development, given that it is the inherent right of people affected. Such violations should be prevented in the future because they deplete states’ resources and represent the biggest form of corruption. Mr. President, irregular migration is growing in a number of regions, especially in the Mediterranean, our region. It is one of the main indicators of the weak global governance and the lack of political will to address the consequences of development crises, climate change and conflicts. As we have stressed time and again, this multidimensional issue requires a collective responsibility sharing approach among countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as regional and international organizations to address the root causes of this phenomenon and not just its consequences. We also called for comprehensive solutions that address vulnerabilities, the decline in literacy rates and weak development programs to usher in a new reality in countries of origin, especially in Africa, and provide their people with a dignified life and decent work opportunities to preserve their right to life and development and protect them from the perils of a journey they take in the Mediterranean seeking a better life and to shield them against exploitation of criminals, smuggling and human trafficking networks. Our approach to dealing with irregular migration is clear. It is based on the respect of human rights and the rejection of all forms of racial discrimination and hate speech while respecting our international commitments and national legislations. We continue to make every effort possible to save lives and provide the necessary care to those in need while preserving their dignity. However, we reject any implicit settlement project for irregular migrants. We also reject any attempt by politicians and the media to exploit the situation of migrants and their suffering to make political gains and achieve their suspicious agendas. Mr. President, in Tunisia, we are aware of the challenges in the face ahead and are firmly attached to reform and the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and good governance. These are based on fighting and preventing corruption and achieving our people’s aspirations to more well-being, prosperity and sustainable development. We are attached to the pillars of our foreign policy and international commitments and rely on our human capacities and our constructive cooperation and partnerships with our friends and partners based on mutual benefit. Our youth are a source of inspiration and the face of the future, so we ensure they play a leading role in transformative solutions and decision-making. We continue to promote our legal frameworks and strategic plans to ensure the inclusion and economic empowerment of women and promote their participation in public life at all levels, including peacekeeping in the world. With the same commitment and will, Tunisia continues to play an active role in international and UN efforts to promote regional and international peace and security, ensure the respect of international law and international humanitarian law, end all forms of injustice, occupation and human rights violations, and achieve development for all. We stress our firm position in support of the efforts of our Libyan brothers and sisters to overcome their differences and reach a political settlement through constructive dialogue with the help of the United Nations to maintain Libya’s security and stability and strengthen its unity. Once again, we reject all forms of foreign intervention in Libya’s internal affairs. We also call for uniting UN and international efforts to find a political solution for the situation in Syria and Yemen that ends the suffering of these two brethren people and restores peace and security while preserving their sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Tunisia calls upon Sudanese parties to stop the fighting and opt for dialogue and peaceful settlements to overcome the current crisis and restore security and stability to the Sudan in order to end the scourge of war and displacement causing suffering to its people. With regards to the African continent, which is the most affected by climate change, global crises, terrorism and instability, we call for more UN and international efforts to help the continent in overcoming its different challenges and crises and move forward towards stability, peace, security and sustainable development. African solutions for African problems should be the approach for achieving the goal of silencing the guns by 2030. We once again call upon the United Nations to provide financial and logistical support to African-led peace operations. It is important that cooperation and coordination continue among UN and regional organs to achieve the Africa we want. Mr. President, the world has just entered a new phase of digital change and the use of modern technologies is on the rise in all fields. As we stress the importance of the global digital compact, we call for strengthening cooperation and technology transfer to bridge the digital gap between the South and the North so that no one is left behind. In the same vein, we call for fighting digital chaos and misinformation as well as the criminal and illegal use of digital technologies to sow the seeds of chaos and destabilize communities. Mr. President, the next phase is very complicated because of the challenges facing the security and well-being of the present and future generations and the future of our planet. We can no longer address the situation with the same tools and methods. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past. The only way forward is based on solidarity, cooperation and our shared destiny. Tunisia’s foreign policy and diplomacy has always been based on optimism and pragmatism. Despite all the shocks and challenges facing our world, we believe that the UN remains our only hope since it represents international legitimacy and since it carries the hopes and dreams of the people as we prepare to celebrate its 80th anniversary next year. God willing. Thank you.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad of Tunisia. I now give the floor to His Excellency Peter Shanel Agovaka, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands.

Peter Shanel Agovaka – Solomon Islands: Mr. President, It is an honor and privilege to address this 79th session of the General Assembly. I bring warm greetings from the government and people of my country, Solomon Islands. Mr. President, Solomon Islands extends our warm and sincere congratulations to His Excellency Philemon Yang as the President of the 79th session of this August Assembly. Rest assured, Mr. President, of Solomon Islands’ support during your tenure in office. We thank His Excellency Ambassador Dennis Francis for his sterling leadership in the last session. Mr. President, The theme of this General Assembly calls for global solidarity, collective actions for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations, leaving no one behind. Mr. President, We live in a fast-changing environment that is shifting towards a multipolar world. We must seek a multilateral, rules-based world order that is equal, inclusive and free from power politics and geopolitical tensions. We also seek an international system that respects international law and recognizes the special situation of small island developing states. The growing economy, inequality between the haves and the have-nots, pronouncement of climate energies around the world, poverty, hunger, disease, social injustice and racism, hegemonic interests, militarization and nuclear posturing is dividing the world and creating tension and fear amongst us. The rich and powerful are spending some $2.4 trillion on arms that could have been best used in the 2030 Agenda and fighting the biggest enemy of humanity, climate change. Mr. President, it is our shared and solemn duty to commit to bold collective action in protecting the health of our planet. We must hold ourselves to account and secure the future of our people by unlocking the opportunity of prosperity and plant seeds of peace. In this connection, Solemn Islands calls for the reform of Britain’s Woods Institution to ensure it is fair, democratic and represents the rise of global south, including the multidimensional and complex challenges facing the small island developing states. We call for global and regional financial institutions to scale up support for small island developing states. We reiterate our support for the United Nations General Secretary’s SDG stimulus of $500 billion annually to support developing countries and to get the SDGs back on track. In the same vein, Mr. President, we echo our call for the establishment of small island developing states permanent seat in decision making within the international financial architecture to ensure inclusivity in the spirit of leaving no one behind. The slogan used by the disabled rights activist James Charlton speaks to this call very clearly, and I quote, nothing about us without us. Mr. President, Solemn Islands was elected this year to serve on the Executive Board of the UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS. We are indeed grateful for the support given, and we will work to position this United Nations program and agencies closer to those who need it most. As the third largest Pacific country with LDC status, Solomon Islands calls for an enhanced United Nations country presence. In the last 46 years, Mr. President, the United Nations conducted its relations with Solomon Islands from a far distance. In living up to our charter obligation, Mr. President, Solomon Islands formalized relationship this week with the Republic of Rwanda and Colombia as a testimony of our foreign policy of friends to all, enemy to none. And we uphold the respect of sovereignty, territorial integrity of all 130 countries we have formalized relationship with, including the respect of the one China principle in the case of the People’s Republic of China. Mr. President, on Security Council reforms, the world continues to witness the limits and failures of the Security Council to prevent deadly conflicts with the use of veto. Fostering international peace demands an expanded council with an equitably, geographically representation that is democratic, equipped with a revised working method. We urge during this session we shift into text-based negotiation and make the reform happen. Mr. President, Solomon Islands aspires to be a candidate for the regional seat of the Security Council in 2030. As a peace-loving country, we reiterate our standing position of condemning all wars around the world and call for a diplomatic solution. Mr. President, on the conflict in Palestine, Solomon Islands condemns all the violence and carnage from all parties, including the terror attack on Israel by Hamas. The suffering and collective punishment on the Gaza population by Israel has claimed more than 41,000 Palestinian lives in less than a year. This is unacceptable, Mr. President. The disregard for international law and humanitarian law have seen the matter referred to the International Court of Justice. We hope those with influence do more for peace and not fan the flame of expanding conflict into Lebanon. Solomon Islands reiterates its long-standing position on the Palestinian conflict and supports the global push for a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side with secure borders in a just, permanent and complete peace. Mr. President, colonialism has no place in this day and age. Solomon Islands supports the implementation of the United Nations’ Fourth Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. We also recognize the inalienable rights of self-determination of all non-self-governing and trustees, including New Caledonia and the French Polynesia, to choose their political future within Chapter 11 of the UN Charter and General Assembly Resolution 1514. Mr. President, the recent brutal violence in New Caledonia calls for a new political solution with the spirit of the 1998 Noumea Accord. We call on the United Nations to do more to calm and stabilize the situation in New Caledonia. Solomon Islands welcomes the constructive discussion between France and the New Caledonian Government to facilitate the Pacific Island Forum fact-finding mission to New Caledonia, of which Solomon Islands is part of. As a large ocean state, 98% of the territory is covered by the ocean. The Pacific occupies 20% of the world’s surface and provides 1.5 billion tons of annual catch of tuna, which is around a third of the world’s supply. Our approach to the ocean is premised on achieving a healthy, resilient, secure and productive ocean that supports sustainable use and development for the benefit of the people of Solomon Islands now and into the future. As stated last year, Mr. President, Solomon Islands will be co-hosting a Hornier Summit on the SDG 14.4 with the Pacific Island Forum fisheries, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Ocean and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The summit aims to examine status on the SDG 14.4 at global, regional and national levels, share knowledge and experience on the management of tuna stock, provide policy and strategic actions that will feed into the third UN conference in 2025 in France. Mr. President, on the matter of pollution and waste management, Solomon Islands looks forward to the finalization of negotiations on the Treaty to End Plastic Pollution, including Murray Environment in November this year. We have already banned single-use plastics. We are also reforming waste management in partnership with our friends Japan and Australia and the Asian Development Bank. As stewards of the ocean, Solomon Islands values the work of the United Nations Commission on the limits of the continental shelf and will continue to address outstanding continental shelf claims. Solomon Islands upholds its obligations to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and will domesticate the recently signed United Nations Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction. Mr. President, in response to the discharge of treated radioactive contaminated water into the ocean by Japan, the lack of national and regional scientific knowledge on the understanding, the intergenerational impact and the transboundary nature of the discharge continues to cause uneasiness and anxiety for my country. United Nations Specialized Agency, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, must continue to build bridges of trust with states and support states’ capacity to read and understand the IAEA’s report and to monitor the discharge of treated radioactive contaminated water into the ocean. Our concern, Mr. President, is connected to the sad history of our region being used to test, store, and dump nuclear waste and weapons. Mr. President, Solomon Islands remains a nuclear weapon-free state under the 1985 Rarotonga Treaty. This week, we signed and ratified the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. This is a message of peace to all our friends not to engage in military nuclear projects and to free the world of nuclear weapons. Mr. President, education empowers the nation, including my nation. Let me thank Cuba for the training of Solomon Islands medical students. Cuba has done this despite enduring more than six decades of United States of America economic, commercial, and financial embargo, a relic of the past that should now be discarded. Once again, we call on our friend and partner, the United States of America, to end this embargo. The United Nations stands for good neighborly relations and peaceful coexistence. The world will benefit from Cuba and USA, United States of America, improved relationships. Mr. President, following the conclusion of Solomon Islands International Assistance Force in August this year, our priority is now to strengthen our law enforcement capability and institutional strengthening. We will work with all our partners to achieve this goal, and we would like to thank our partners, and particularly Australia, for the ongoing support in this regard. And I appeal to the United Nations to provide space for Solomon Islands to participate in the peacekeeping mission. Mr. President, Solomon Islands welcomes the power of the South-South cooperation and acknowledges the People’s Republic of China’s various development initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative in supporting Solomon Islands development aspirations, including the 2030 Agenda. In education and health, we thank once again China for the commitment to establish an ocean research center and acknowledge the ongoing construction of Solomon Islands National Referral Hospital Comprehensive Health Center. We also welcome India’s pharmaco corporation and Japan’s commitment to construct a fisheries research center in the Solomon Islands. Mr. President, on the international trade front, Solomon Islands acknowledges China as the first major economy to offer zero tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines to all least developed countries. We call on all our partners to follow suit. China has become Solomon Islands’ largest infrastructure partner and is currently supporting Solomon Islands’ digital transformation with the ongoing installation of 161 communication towers across the country. Already, we are witnessing more of our rural population now connected to the digital age. Mr. President, our inter-island connectivity has been improved with the completion of two all-weather airports and an international airport in the Solomon Islands. We thank New Zealand and Australia for their support. We would also like to acknowledge Japan, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank for their ongoing support in improving our infrastructure connectivity. Nevertheless, as a geographically fragmented country, we need more infrastructure to meaningfully deliver on our SDGs. Mr. President, Solomon Islands values the contribution of all our development partners and calls for partnership that is country-owned, led, and driven. We seek partnership that is genuine, meaningful, durable, and free from onerous conditions. Mr. President, climate change is no longer a threat but a crisis. Solomon Islands is located in a hot spot where the impact of climate change is three times the global average. Science tells us we are on a 2.5 degree Celsius trajectory. The Paris Agreement is failing humanity. We need a stronger legal binding framework that will put us on a 1.5 pathway. The voluntary approach under the Paris Agreement has failed miserably. The changing narrative on climate change is unacceptable. Mr. President, diversions away from talking about ambitious climate action, survival, or the construction of safe islands is replaced by a discussion on sinking and migration. We need to give hope to our people on the front line of climate change. The G20 is responsible for 80 percent of global emissions. The group must take a stronger leadership role in fighting against climate change. Mr. President, Solomon Islands in July presented its second voluntary national report at the High-Level Political Forum in July. The report revealed uneven progress. The review, however, has allowed the country to re-strategize and prioritize four key interconnected and people-centered pillars, mainly economic transformation, secondly, good governance, thirdly, national unity and stability, and fourthly, human capital development. Mr. President, our economic transformation agenda is centered on enhancing transport infrastructure connectivity, boost investment in agriculture, fisheries and tourism, improve private sector investment environment for indigenous Solomon Islands, and reduce cost of doing business in my country. Over the last three months, Mr. President, the government has been socializing these priorities through several targeted national forums, including our development partners. Mr. President, the government is leading the preparation of our smooth transition strategy to graduate out of LDC status. The strategy will not only look at what needs to be done before 2027, but also in the next five to ten years post-2027, including the implementation of critical economic and social investment to prevent regression. Mr. President, we reaffirm our commitment to the implementation of the Doha Program of Action and support the call for the General Assembly to review existing resolutions on smooth transition to ensure the graduation framework is better, resilient, irreversible, and fit for purpose. Solomon Islands, Mr. President, welcomes the adoption of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Islands Developing States, which offers immense opportunities to access adequate and affordable funds to drive economic growth and prosperity for small island developing states. Solomon Islands also welcomes the adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, and we look forward to its early implementation. Mr. President, in conclusion, Solomon Islands pledges a commitment to the Pact for the Future, a forward-looking framework that places the health of our planet, people, prosperity, and peace at the center of our agenda. Supported by a reformed financing architecture that will table-charge sustainable development and guarantee a better tomorrow for all and leave no one behind. Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands. I now give the floor to His Excellency Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister of External Relations of Cameroon.

Lejeune Mbella Mbella – Cameroon: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I have the honor of delivering before this august assembly the entire statement that His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic and Head of State, authorized me to deliver on his behalf, and I quote, Mr. President, first of all I would like to express to you my sincere congratulations upon your election to the presidency of this Your accession to this senior position is a source of pride for your country, Cameroon, as well as for Africa and the international community. I would like to express our gratitude to those member states that supported your candidacy and elected you, in particular those from Africa, who nominated you unanimously as the candidate of our continent. I commend the work and achievements of your predecessor, his Excellency, Ambassador Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, who was able, with determination, to lead the work of the 78th session of the General Assembly. Lastly, I take this opportunity to reiterate the support and appreciation of Cameroon for the Secretary-General, Mr Antonio Guterres, who, despite the many situations facing our world at this moment, is working tirelessly for the advancement of the ideals, the purposes and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and working to ensure the success of our shared organisation. Mr President, you decided to place at the heart of the General Debate of this 79th session the theme, Leaving No One Behind, Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations. This theme, it must be underscored, expresses the urgent need for joint action in a difficult and complex international climate, with both challenges and opportunities. Among those challenges, we need to note that our shared home, the planet Earth, is the victim of extreme climate disruption, which is jeopardising the physical survival of some countries and forest and coastal areas in various regions of the world. Torrential rainfall and subsequent devastating flooding, as we have seen in recent months in Africa, in Europe and in Asia, as well as heatwaves, landslides, are all the most visible symptoms of this, and some countries suffer them more than others. Today, people displaced due to climate change are now as numerous as are refugees and internally displaced persons who are victims of war. This is no longer a spectre, but rather a painful daily reality in many places. And yet we agreed upon a set of measures to combat these scourges in the Paris Agreement and in many other subsequent commitments. Cameroon, which is a state party to this agreement and which belongs to the Congo Basin Great Forest Massif, is sparing no effort to find relevant solutions together with neighbouring countries to the global current climate crisis. Consequently, we firmly call for the measures that we adopted together in the Paris Agreement to effectively be applied without any hindrance or delays. Unfortunately, the financial and technical means and resources that constitute the primary means of implementation of this agreement continue thus far to be mobilised in a very parsimonious way. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, on top of this climate crisis there are conflicts and hotbeds of tension, both old and new, that spare no geographical area. The Sahel, Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon and Ukraine are the most illustrative examples of this. This sort of situation is driving an arms race, including in space, in the seas and the oceans. It is also driving a greater use of light weapons as well as weapons of mass destruction. It constitutes a serious threat of the use of nuclear weapons. And lastly, it is also generating geopolitical tensions, all sorts of rivalries and mistrust between states, giving rise to a threat to peace, security and international stability. If nothing is done urgently, we may be forced to once again in the near future live through another dark chapter in the history of humanity, as was the case at the beginning of the 20th century. For Cameroon, it is important that we reverse this trend as quickly as possible. We must do this in order to save ourselves from a war and the scourges that come with it, in order to preserve future generations in light of the ideals advocated by the founding fathers of the United Nations. My country remains convinced that the use of dialogue, consultation, consensus, preventive diplomacy and confidence-building measures must always take priority in order to guarantee lasting peace in our world. To achieve this, we must proceed with a reform of the Security Council in order to make sure that it continues to fully fulfil its original mandate as the principal organ responsible for the maintenance of peace and security. Given that Africa is still the only continent that does not have a permanent member on the Security Council, it is essential and urgent that this injustice be corrected and that our continent be able to, as is its right, have equitable representation as a fully-fledged member in this important organ. This calls for the granting of two permanent seats with veto rights and two other additional non-permanent seats. Mr President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, When we adopted the document entitled The Future We Want, as well as the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the aim was to begin a decisive battle against underdevelopment. Four years ago, at the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, we took further commitments, reaffirming that the Sustainable Development Goals are our action plan, the application of which is a question of life and death. As we approach the 2030 deadline that we set ourselves, we must acknowledge that the expected results are far from being achieved, as is made manifest in various progress reports presented by the Secretary-General. As we saw earlier, in the context of the Paris Agreement to protect the planet, financial and technological means of implementation have not yet been fully mobilized. For that reason, Cameroon once again calls for renewed political will and more decisive action to overcome this situation. The new Doha Programme of Action for the least-developed countries, the Antigua and Barbuda Programme of Action for small island developing states and the Programme for landlocked developing countries that will be adopted at the upcoming conference in Gaborone in December, as well as the African Union 2063 Agenda, together with its second decade of priorities, The Continental Free Trade Zone. These are all, in our view, frameworks for guidance and incentives for the development of the poorest countries that need to be actively implemented if we want to leave no one behind. In this regard, Cameroon, for its part, has undertaken a number of structural projects in the sectors of energy, transport infrastructure, communication and telecommunications, extractive industries and processing, as well as many other sectors, with the aim of becoming an emerging country by 2035. Mr President, plans, projects and programmes for recovery and reconstruction, as well as humanitarian action, have been set up by our government to respond to the special and urgent needs of populations, above all those living in rural areas or those affected by the abuses of the terrorist sect Boko Haram in the far north of Cameroon, as well as those resulting from the socio-political crisis in the far north, the north-west and the south-west regions. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely and firmly thank our bilateral and multilateral partners for their constant support for our national progress and development agenda, and I would like to invite them to continue to do us the honour of their faithful and loyal support. Mr President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, all of the actions undertaken by developing countries will only produce the expected results if the global macroeconomic framework is reformed. This framework, need we recall, is based on institutions that have been there since the Second World War, institutions that have become obsolete, and the structure and organisation of which are in large part at the source of disruption, imbalances, dysfunctioning and even inequalities that still are not conducive to the full development of poor countries and the global south. Consequently, Cameroon echoes the appeal and the movement aiming for the reform of the international economic and financial architecture. This appeal and this movement focus in particular on the better representation of developing countries in these institutions, as well as more equitable taxation, appropriate monetary policy, more sustainable debt, a better adapted energy transition, healthy agriculture, controlled industrialisation and decent work. Mr President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, we welcome the holding here on the 22nd and 23rd of September 2024 of the Summit of the Future, which we participated in, and above all the adoption of the Pact for the Future and its two annexes on the digital sphere and future generations. This pact once again commits us to the active pursuit of peace, sustainable development and human dignity, thanks to a series of concrete actions that require the consequent means of implementation. We cannot deprive ourselves of these actions, which could open up the way to the future we want in the context of a reinvigorated multilateralism, supported by the ideals, the purposes and the principles of the United Nations Charter. It is a question of safeguarding the planet, building peace, bringing about sustainable development with, first and foremost, the eradication of poverty, shared prosperity and full respect for human rights focused on human dignity. Unless there is the necessary clear political will, the means for the active implementation of the provisions agreed in this pact and its annexes, we risk not achieving, as we would like to do, the desired results, and in so doing we would disappoint present and future generations. At this juncture, allow me to appeal for a mobilisation from all corners in order to resolutely implement these provisions and to prove those sceptics wrong that have lost faith in the United Nations. As our shared organisation prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary, let us give ourselves the means to modernise. Let us also give ourselves the resources to effectively respond to the expectations that have been placed in our organisation, to respond to the present challenges and to keep alight the flame of a more humanist international cooperation. Mr President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, we are living through a time of threats and challenges to peace and development, but also one of great opportunities. We have at our disposal the resources we need thanks to the prodigious development of science and technology as well as artificial intelligence. It is now up to us to set aside our selfishness and to act in solidarity with a sense of collective responsibility in order that we may together overcome the challenges that no country can face alone. In doing so, it is up to us to make proper use of these resources to ensure the wellbeing and survival of the planet and the human race today and in the future in the context of constant vigilance and enlightened awareness and an in-depth reflection on the part of the international community about controlled globalisation. Thank you for your kind attention.

President: I thank the Minister of External Relations of Cameroon. I now give the floor to His Excellency Taye Atske-Selassie Amde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.

Taye Atske-Selassie Amde – Ethiopia: Excellency President of the General Assembly, Excellency Secretary General of the United Nations, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your Excellency Philemon Yang, let me express my congratulations to you and your country, Cameroon, on your election to preside over the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and I wish you a successful term. I also wish to express my profound appreciation to His Excellency Dennis Francis, President of the 78th session of the General Assembly, for his able leadership. It is an honour and privilege for me to address this August assembly representing my country, Ethiopia. Mr President, as a country that was one of the 51 founding members of the United Nations, Ethiopia is a strong proponent of effective multilateralism centred on the United Nations. Ethiopia views with grave concern the challenges of the United Nations facing in discharging its role in peace and security and socio-economic development. Nevertheless, ensuring readiness and capability of the United Nations to resolve global challenges has been a generational quest. Five years into the establishment of the United Nations, in the year 1950, 74 years ago, Ethiopia in its policy statement stated that the United Nations is committed to a Stated to this August assembly, I quote, We are filled with anxiety concerning the surprises which the future may hold in store, fears that the United Nations may be called upon to face events even more serious than those of the present time, and that such problems may greatly exceed its power and capacity. That future is now, and that future is the present. We are faced with persisting peace and security challenges across the globe. There is a devastating existential threat emanating from armistice, extreme poverty, inequality and climate change. At the same time, global commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals is receding and the debt crisis in developing countries is worsening. Furthermore, our constrained ability to manage the emerging multipolar world carries the risk of undermining multilateralism. As envisaged, the United Nations is called upon to face challenges that are proving to exceed its powers and capabilities. It is our view that collective security will be realized if states are able to exercise their authority and carry out their responsibilities to safeguard their national security. The conventional dictates, including peacekeeping missions, can deliver the desired results when we prioritize support for national efforts and capabilities. We must, therefore, at all times preserve the sovereignty and political independence of states at the foundation of effective collective security. We also call for greater economic and security cooperation among member states, which is pivotal to empowering national institutions. The shortcomings of the United Nations reflect the reluctance on the part of the international community to promote the effective realization of the principles and purposes of the Charter. The United Nations should be at the center of efforts to resolve global peace and security challenges. Without a substantial role for the United Nations guided by the principles of the Charter, we risk making the General Assembly an inconsequential platform with no guarantee for a meaningful contribution to global peace and security. On its part, the United Nations should play its role by demonstrating impartiality, independence, competence and credibility among all its members. Furthermore, we underscore the urgency to reform the United Nations Security Council and its working methods. The reform of the Security Council is not only about rectifying the injustice done to Africa but also about the credibility of the Council itself. The impacts of Africa’s exclusion and the Security Council’s inability to discharge its cardinal responsibilities manifest in its disproportionate focus on internal affairs of African affairs. In addition, the Council’s lukewarm attitude toward regional solutions and the implementation of measures detached from reality on the ground are results of Africa’s non-representation. We therefore call on Member States to commit to prioritizing Africa’s representation in both categories of membership of the UN Security Council with all rights and prerogatives as articulated under Africa’s common position. There is no shortcut or half-solution to this long-standing quest for equality. Mr. President, the African Union has designed Agenda 2633 as the blueprint for the continent’s development. The agenda is being implemented in synchronization with the UN Agenda 2030. The fact that the SDGs are off track mostly due to lack of financing is a source of concern for Africa. The compounding debt crisis also requires urgent and sustainable solutions. Therefore, those Member States with impact on global financial institutions should make the necessary financial resources available. On its part, Ethiopia has been consistent in its effort to achieve this development goal. In parallel with resolving complex security challenges through an African Union-facilitated peace process, Ethiopia has redoubled its efforts to forge peace and development. We are making progress in poverty eradication and realizing people-centered development. We introduced transformational shifts to our monetary and economic policies and to advance our digital infrastructure. We are confident our development paths will bring about great benefits to our people. We call on all actors in development finance to work with us with a sense of solidarity and cooperation to navigate the challenges of reform and attain sustainable economic growth and development. Mr. President, I have the distinct pleasure to announce to this Assembly the milestone the Nile River Basin has achieved this year. The Cooperative Framework Agreement of the Nile River Basin, CFA, is poised to enter into force with the required number of ratifications. The entry into force of this first-ever Nile Basin-wide treaty, the Cooperative Framework Agreement, will pave the way for sustained cooperation and shared growth across the entire river basin. Ethiopia, along with its co-riparian sisterly countries, will work towards the realization of the principles of the CFA and the full potential of the Nile River. Furthermore, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is generating electricity, responding to the energy demands of Ethiopia and the Eastern African region. It is our sincere hope that the remaining riparian countries will join the CFA and play a constructive role in ensuring equitable and reasonable utilization of the Nile River. I am also proud to announce to this August Assembly that the Ethiopian Green Legacy, a notable initiative of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, saw the planting of 40 billion seedlings within five years, increasing our forest coverage from 3 to 24 percent. This stands as a substantial goal, a contribution to the absorption of greenhouse gas and a tangible measure against the adverse impact of climate change. Based on its long-term low-emission development strategy, Ethiopia is also on the path to sustainable energy transformation by developing and transitioning to non-fossil fuel energy sources. Such efforts must be supported by the full activation of the global commitment, especially through the provision of adequate climate financing. Mr. President, maritime insecurity in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean is a source of great concern for Ethiopia. With over 120 million population and significant maritime trade, Ethiopia entirely depends on the safe, secure maritime activity in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. This region is threatened by conflicts, piracy, and other illicit activities. Over the years, Ethiopia has played an instrumental role in combating the cause of insecurity. We also continue our efforts to work with other neighbors to contribute on durable basis to ensure peaceful navigation on the High Seas. We see a great need to chart a new path for inclusive maritime security engagement with equal participation of countries with stakes on both sides of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Furthermore, terrorism continues to be a grave threat to the peace and security of the whole of Africa. The growing rise of violent extremism like Al-Shabaab and its international and internal affiliates have continued their vicious attack against civilians and security of the region. The region has reached a milestone in degrading terrorism owing to the resilience of the people of Somalia and the sacrifice of the sons and daughters of Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, and my country, Ethiopia. The authorization of the Security Council and the international finance for the African Union Peace Support Operation have indeed played an instrumental role. I am confident the Government of Somalia will soon recant with and recognize the sacrifice we made to Somalia’s liberation from the grip of terrorist groups. Ethiopia’s Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland is based on existing political dispensation in Somalia. Our objective is shared growth and prosperity in the region. Similar agreements have been concluded by other states and there is no reason for the Government to withdraw. ndo, and the Federal Government of Somalia to incite hostility that obviously intends to cover internal political tensions. I, therefore, reject the unfounded allegation levied against my country. Utopia’s name can never be associated with any one of the allegations. I rather call on the Federal Government of Somalia to join hands to eliminate terrorist groups that are causing chaos and mayhem on the people of the region. The recent maneuvers of actors from outside the Horn of Africa region undermine these efforts. Nevertheless, Utopia will not be deterred from its resolute commitment to combating terrorism. We, therefore, call upon these actors to immediately stop their reckless actions. We also call on the international community to recognize the imminent risk originating from these irresponsible acts and to take concrete measures to prevent the loss of hard-won gains in combating terrorism in the Horn of Africa. Mr. President, in conclusion, I would like to reiterate Utopia’s commitment to the maintenance of global peace and security and upholding multilateralism. I thank you, Mr. President.

President: I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. We have heard the last speaker in the general debate for this meeting. The exercise of the right of reply has been requested. May I remind members that statements in the exercise of the right of reply are limited to 10 minutes for the first intervention and to 5 minutes for the second intervention and should be made by delegations from their seats. I call on the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iran: Mr. President, I take the floor to exercise the right of reply of my delegation in response to the statement made today by the representative of the Israeli regime. What you heard here today from the notorious Israeli Prime Minister was nothing but an unsuccessful attempt to distract attention away from his genocide and brutal war crimes. To date, in Gaza alone, he has brutally massacred more than 42,000 civilians, mostly women and children, wounded 93,000 other civilians, destroyed critical civilian infrastructure, and demolished schools, hospitals, and mosques. He has even repeatedly killed an unprecedented number of journalists and United Nations staff and attacked many UN relief centers. He brutally has used starvation as a method of war. Making unfounded accusations against regional countries, including my own, has long been a standard practice of the Israeli regime. Its exclusive purpose is to conceal its blatant crimes and brutalities in the region. Obviously, no amount of disinformation, fabrication, and lies can cover up this regime’s decades-long criminal practices and wicked and war-mongering policies. Mr. President, the extent, frequency, and gravity of the barbaric crimes of the Israeli regime in Palestine and now in Lebanon is unprecedented. These brutalities have all elements of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The Israeli forces commit all such crimes on a daily basis, repeatedly and concurrently in front of the eyes of all humanity. They turned Gaza into a graveyard of children and hell on earth, as has been said by United Nations staff and officials. The apartheid-occupying regime of Israel is now waging an all-out war of aggression against Lebanon. It has targeted civilians, mostly women, children, and the elderly, and attacked civilian infrastructures. Moreover, the deliberate targeting of civilians in Lebanon by detonating pagers and other electronic devices across the country was a blatant terrorist act committed by the Israeli regime. This evil practice is the most outrageous manifestation of weaponizing ordinary communication devices to commit terrorist acts and to harm civilians. This adventuristic act of terrorism must sound a warning bell for the entire international community. This new version of terrorism must be condemned unequivocally by all. If unchecked, the Israeli regime will commit terrorist acts in other countries using such devices. They must therefore be compelled to stop such acts of terrorism everywhere. Mr. President, the evil regime of Israel is the exclusive source of insecurity and instability in the region and beyond. Continued aggressions and crimes of this regime in Palestine and Lebanon continue to seriously threaten regional and international peace and security. Its aggression against Lebanon could not be isolated from the overall situation in the region. The Zionist regime’s real and ill-intended objective is to drag the entire region into a full-scale war. The military adventurism of this criminal regime must be stopped before it becomes too late. For this terrorist regime, international humanitarian and human rights law, binding orders of the International Court of Justice, as well as the principle of humanity, mean nothing. It has persistently and flagrantly violated all principles of the United Nations and therefore does not deserve the membership of this organization. The atrocity, crimes and genocide committed by this occupying apartheid regime must not go unpunished. Impunity would only continue to embolden this regime to persist in its pattern of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and to commit more crimes more brutally. The international community, the United Nations and the Security Council must take their responsibilities seriously and do whatever in their power to stop destabilizing policies and illegal practices of the Israeli regime in the volatile region of West Asia. This regime must also be held accountable for all such inhuman policies and unlawful practices. And as our foreign minister told today before the Security Council, Netanyahu and his criminal gang must have been arrested and prosecuted for the most heinous crimes, not to let him appear before this august body and take pride in his evil deeds. Inaction to prevent the brutality of this rogue, aggressive regime that has already crossed all red lines will further embolden it to pursue further crimes. This must be avoided. We once again strongly condemn and categorically reject the heinous acts of the rogue regime of Israel against Palestine, Lebanon and other regional countries. We also reiterate our full support for the realization of the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. Under international law, Palestinians have an absolute right to resist occupation and aggression using all available means. We also fully support the inherent right to self-defense of all regional nations against the aggressions of the Israeli regime. As we have said time and again, the path to de-escalation is clear. Israel must be compelled to stop immediately and permanently all its attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and other parts of the region. In response to saber-rattling and threats made today by the Israeli regime’s representative, I must stress that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to vigorously defend its territory, people and vital interests. Obviously, and in exercising our inherent right to self-defense, we will do it in time and the manner we choose. Mr. President, the Israeli regime’s representative has also made an unsuccessful attempt to falsely portray our nuclear program as a source of concern. Iran’s nuclear program has always been and will remain exclusively for peaceful purposes. In fact, the real source of serious threat is the Calandestan nuclear weapon program of the Israeli regime and its nuclear weapon arsenal.

President: I call on the representatives of Indonesia.

Indonesia: Mr. President, my delegation wishes to exercise our right of reply in response to the statement made by the delegation of Vanuatu earlier today. We appreciate the reaffirmation of respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity of Indonesia. This is the right to uphold towards fostering a friendly and constructive relations in line with the core principles of the UN Charter. Mr. President, Indonesia has taken note of the remarks made regarding development in the provinces of Papua in Indonesia. As a vibrant and robust democracy, Indonesia continues to listen to the will and aspiration of its people who seek peace, prosperity, and development. I wish to take this opportunity to emphasize the following points. First, on the call for greater autonomy. Since 2001, the special autonomy laws grant Papuans the authority to directly elect their own representative and leaders through democratic processes. These laws provide solid ground and assurances that only Papuans can be elected as leaders in the Papua provinces, a special arrangement that is only applied in the Papua province. Moreover, the establishment of the Papua People’s Assembly and other representative bodies reserved for Papuans ensures the political and cultural representation in line with their customs and identities. Indonesia remains committed to further increase the meaningful participation of the people of Papua in decision-making. On the 20th anniversary of the special autonomy law in 2021, the number of seats in the local parliament increased from 25 in 2001 to 60 seats. Similarly, the membership of the Papuan People’s Assembly grew from 93 to 225 seats in 2021. These improvements will further guarantee their direct and active participation in governance and development, not only for Papua, but for Indonesia as a whole. Second, on the call for progress in development, the government of Indonesia has been steadfast in its commitment to ensure that Papuans benefit from the same progress seen across the archipelago. All provinces in Papua are among the top eight provinces with the highest budget allocations in Indonesia. These resources are focused on the development of extensive infrastructure and social welfare projects, including roads, airports, seaports, schools, and hospitals. At the same time, human development has been a central priority. Over the past decade, human development index in Papua and West Papua has risen from 54.45 to 61.39, and West Papua’s human development index from 59.60 to 65, transitioning from low to medium status according to UNDP standards. Poverty rates have also seen a marked decline, and life expectancy has significantly increased. Finally, I wish to reaffirm Indonesia’s unwavering commitment to the long-term development and prosperity of its people, including the people in all the provinces in Papua, and ensure that their aspiration for peace and progress is realized. I thank you, Mr. President.

President: I call on the representative of Japan.

Japan: Thank you, Mr. President. In the statement by the Solomon Islands, there was a reference to treated radioactive contaminated water to refer to the discharge of Alps-treated water at the Tokyo Electronic Power Company holdings Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into the sea. It is unfortunate that I am compelled to exert my right of reply in response to this misleading statement. Firstly, I must make it clear that the Alps-treated water being discharged from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station is not nuclear contaminated water. This water has undergone a rigorous purification process through the Advanced Liquid Process System, in short, ALPS, which effectively removes multiple radionuclides to meet international safety standards. As ALPS-treated water is discharged after sufficient purification and dilution, it will have negligible radiological impact on people and the environment. This is one of the major conclusions drawn by the IAEA through its safety review and verified by monitoring activities by Japan and the IAEA involving interested third countries. Furthermore, in July 2024, the IAEA published a report following its second review mission that began after the discharge started in August last year. This report reaffirmed the fundamental conclusions of the IAEA Comprehensive Report of July 2023. It stated that the IAEA did not identify anything inconsistent with the requirement in the relevant international safety standards. The report also confirmed that the equipment and facilities are installed and operated in a manner consistent with the implementation plan and the relevant international safety standards. Secondly, the Government of Japan has shared science-based information on the safety of the discharge with the international community in a transparent manner. In particular, the Government of Japan has provided individual briefing sessions to countries and regions which have expressed interest. As a result, a wide range of countries and regions have expressed their understanding and support for the effort by Japan and IAEA regarding the discharge of Alps-treated water. For instance, Japan and our Pacific neighbours share a special interest in our ocean. At the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders’ Meeting in July this year, the leaders of Pacific Island countries and regions, including Solomon Islands, acknowledged the dialogue with Japan and concurred on the importance of being based on scientific evidence in this matter, recognising the IAEA as the authority of nuclear safety. One year has passed since the start of the Alps-treated water discharge. Japan will continue to share the results of ongoing review and multi-layered monitoring by international participants in a transparent manner and in good faith. Japan will also continue with its efforts to gain further understanding from the international community and to engage with various stakeholders in a region of Asia-Pacific and beyond. I thank you.

President: I call on the representative of India.

India: Mr President, this Assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty this morning. A country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trade and transnational crime, has had the audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy. I speak about the reference to India in the speech of the Pakistani Prime Minister. As the world knows, Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours. It has attacked our Parliament, our financial capital Mumbai, marketplaces and pilgrimage routes. The list is long. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst. It is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices, that too in a democracy. The real truth is that Pakistan covets our territory and in fact has continuously used terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an inalienable and integral part of India. A reference has been made to some proposal of strategic restraint. There can be no compact with terrorism. In fact, Pakistan should realise that cross-border terrorism against India will inevitably invite consequences. It is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecutes its minorities relentlessly even now, dares speak about intolerances and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is. Mr President, we are talking about a nation that for long hosted Osama Bin Laden, a country whose fingerprints are on so many terrorist incidents across the world, whose policies attract the dregs of many societies to make it their home. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that its Prime Minister would so speak in this hallowed hall. Yet we must make clear how unacceptable his words are to all of us. We know that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies. Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration. Thank you, Mr President.

President: I call on the representative of Pakistan.

Pakistan: Mr President, my delegation is obliged to exercise its right of reply in response to the baseless and misleading assertions made by India. India continues to peddle a false narrative in this forum, year after year, relying on tactics of denial, distortion and deflection. However, these distortions cannot alter the reality that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory. It has never been, nor will ever be, a part of India, nor is it an internal matter. The United Nations Security Council, through numerous resolutions, has unequivocally called for a free impartial plebiscite to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination. India is obligated, under Article 25 of the UN Charter, to implement these resolutions. Instead of honouring its obligations, India has chosen the path of repression, subjecting the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri people for self-determination through a brutal and oppressive occupation. India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 further intensified this occupation, with nearly 1 million soldiers deployed to suppress the Kashmiris’ legitimate right. My Prime Minister shed a spotlight on these facts today, which may be uncomfortable for India, yet this remains the truth, which India cannot deny through its sophistry. Mr. President, India’s crimes in IIOJK are heinous and committed with impunity. Innocent civilians, including women and children, are being targeted through staged encounters, extrajudicial killings and collective punishment. Entire villages have been razed. The entire Kashmiri political leaders remain incarcerated, and a media blackout continues to stifle independent voices. This is the largest military occupation in the world, where over 8 million Kashmiris live in a perpetual state of siege and horror. The reports of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and statements from over a dozen UN Special Rapporteurs have documented these widespread violations, and called for the investigation of human rights violations in IIOJK, yet India has consistently denied them access to the occupied territory. Mr. President, India has once again resorted to the familiar tactic of deflecting global attention from its own terror activities by raising baseless accusations of terrorism. It is ironic that a country which uses terrorism as an instrument of state policy against its neighbours should attempt to point fingers at others. India, which has been sponsoring terrorism and orchestrating assassination campaigns, is hardly in a position to lecture others on this issue. In addition to its state terrorism against the defenceless people of IIOJK, India continues to sponsor terror activities, not only against Pakistan, but also in other countries. For decades, India has been the primary perpetrator, supporter, and financer of terrorism. India’s sponsorship of terrorist organizations such as Tehreek-e-Taliban, Pakistan, and the Balochistan Liberation Army has led to the loss of thousands of innocent Pakistani lives. Pakistan has shared irrefutable evidence of India’s involvement in terrorism with the international community. The arrest and conviction of Kulbhushan Yadav, a serving Indian naval officer and an operative of India’s intelligence agency RAW, is irrefutable evidence of India’s state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan, including targeted assassinations in Pakistan. Now the Indian terrorist franchise has gone global with assassinations and attempted murders of political dissidents on North American soil. Mr. President, the Delegation of India referred to the events of 1971, which were not a question of genocide, but of India’s foreign aggression and attack on national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan. I would like to request the Indian Delegation to refer to the General Assembly Resolution of December 1971, which upheld the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan against the foreign invasion. Mr. President, while the Indian Delegate referred to India as the biggest democracy, the world knows that India’s reign of terror against its minorities continues unabated. The BJP-RSS government, which has ruled India since 2014, is imposing a reign of fear and violence not only against the people of IIOJK, but also against its own Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and other low-caste Hindus. Islamophobia has deeply infiltrated the Indian state, where 200 million Muslims face lynching by cow vigilantes and pogroms led by RSS, often with government complicity. Muslims are facing forced conversions, disenfranchisement, restrictions like the hijab ban, and the destruction of hundreds of mosques, including the Babri Masjid, all aimed at erasing Muslim identity and culture, which are integral parts of India’s history. Mr. President, India must end its state-sponsored terrorism, seize its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, and fulfil its obligations under international law. Pakistan has been and will continue to highlight India’s state terrorism against our people and the people of India’s illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Make no mistake, Indian state terrorism in IIOJK will not be able to dampen the indomitable spirit of those seeking their inalienable right to self-determination, nor will India’s attempt to divert attention from its sponsorship of terrorism ever succeed. I thank you, Mr. President.

Agreement Points

Need for urgent climate action and support for vulnerable nations

Speakers

Gaston Alphonso Browne – Antigua and Barbuda

Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa – Samoa

Feleti Teo – Tuvalu

Arguments

Urgent need for climate action and financing

Vulnerability of small island states to climate impacts

Call for operationalization of loss and damage fund

Summary

These speakers emphasized the critical need for immediate action on climate change, particularly in supporting small island developing states that are disproportionately affected by climate impacts.

Reform of the United Nations and multilateral system

Speakers

Lejeune Mbella Mbella – Cameroon

Rashid Meredov – Turkmenistan

Tae-yul Cho – Korea

Taye Atske-Selassie Amde – Ethiopia

Arguments

Need for Security Council reform and African representation

Need to modernize UN for its 80th anniversary

Call for strengthening UN’s role in global governance

Support for UN reform to address 21st century challenges

Importance of effective multilateralism centered on UN

Summary

These speakers agreed on the need for comprehensive reform of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, to make it more representative and effective in addressing contemporary global challenges.

Economic support and development financing for developing countries

Speakers

Sonexay Siphandone – Lao PDR

Christian Ntsay – Madagascar

Hamza Abdi Barre – Somalia

Peter Shanel Agovaka – Solomon Islands

Arguments

Implementation of SDGs and development financing

Call for reform of international financial architecture

Need for debt relief and financial support for developing countries

Focus on economic transformation and infrastructure development

Summary

These speakers emphasized the need for increased financial support, debt relief, and reform of the international financial system to better support developing countries in achieving sustainable development goals.

Similar Viewpoints

These speakers shared concerns about the situation in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling for peaceful resolutions and supporting a two-state solution.

Speakers

Filip Ivanovic – Montenegro

Edi Rama – Albania

Terrance Micheal Drew – St. Kitts and Nevis

Arguments

Concern over situation in Gaza and call for two-state solution

Support for peaceful resolution of conflicts in Ukraine and Middle East

Call for Palestinian statehood and human rights

Unexpected Consensus

Digital transformation for development

Speakers

Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni – Tonga

Peter Shanel Agovaka – Solomon Islands

Arguments

Importance of digital transformation for development

Focus on economic transformation and infrastructure development

Explanation

Despite being small island nations often associated primarily with climate change concerns, both Tonga and Solomon Islands emphasized the importance of digital transformation and infrastructure development for their economic progress, showing a shared focus on technological advancement.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement among speakers were the urgent need for climate action and support for vulnerable nations, reform of the United Nations and multilateral system, and increased economic support and development financing for developing countries.

Consensus level

There was a moderate to high level of consensus on these key issues, particularly among representatives from developing and small island nations. This consensus suggests a strong unified voice from these countries in calling for global action on climate change, UN reform, and economic support. The implications of this consensus could potentially lead to increased pressure on developed nations and international institutions to address these concerns more urgently and comprehensively.

Disagreement Points

Approach to addressing climate change impacts

Speakers

Gaston Alphonso Browne – Antigua and Barbuda

Penny Wong – Australia

Arguments

Urgent need for climate action and financing

Commitment to renewable energy transition

Summary

While both speakers emphasize the importance of addressing climate change, they differ in their approaches. Browne calls for immediate international action and increased financing for vulnerable nations, while Wong focuses on Australia’s domestic renewable energy transition.

UN Security Council reform

Speakers

Lejeune Mbella Mbella – Cameroon

Taye Atske-Selassie Amde – Ethiopia

Arguments

Need for Security Council reform and African representation

Importance of effective multilateralism centered on UN

Summary

While both speakers support UN reform, Mbella specifically calls for African representation in the Security Council, while Amde focuses on broader multilateralism without explicitly mentioning Security Council reform.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of disagreement revolve around approaches to climate change, UN reform, and regional security issues. However, there is general agreement on the importance of these issues, with differences primarily in specific strategies or focus areas.

Disagreement level

The level of disagreement among the speakers is relatively low. Most speakers share common concerns and goals, particularly regarding climate change, sustainable development, and UN reform. The differences are mainly in the specifics of implementation or in regional priorities. This level of disagreement suggests that there is potential for collaboration and compromise in addressing global challenges, though reaching consensus on specific actions may require further negotiation.

Partial Agreements

Both speakers agree on the urgent need to address climate change impacts on small island states, but they differ in their specific calls to action. Mata’afa emphasizes the general vulnerability, while Teo focuses specifically on operationalizing the loss and damage fund.

Speakers

Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa – Samoa

Feleti Teo – Tuvalu

Arguments

Vulnerability of small island states to climate impacts

Call for operationalization of loss and damage fund

Similar Viewpoints

These speakers shared concerns about the situation in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling for peaceful resolutions and supporting a two-state solution.

Speakers

Filip Ivanovic – Montenegro

Edi Rama – Albania

Terrance Micheal Drew – St. Kitts and Nevis

Arguments

Concern over situation in Gaza and call for two-state solution

Support for peaceful resolution of conflicts in Ukraine and Middle East

Call for Palestinian statehood and human rights

Key Takeaways

Climate change remains an urgent global threat, especially for small island developing states

There are widespread calls for UN reform, particularly of the Security Council

Many countries emphasized the need for sustainable development and economic support for developing nations

Regional conflicts, especially in the Middle East, remain a major concern

Human rights and human dignity were highlighted as important priorities

Resolutions and Action Items

Operationalize the loss and damage fund for climate impacts

Reform the UN Security Council to include more representation from Africa and other regions

Implement the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index to better support developing countries

Provide increased financial and security support to Haiti

Work towards a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine

Unresolved Issues

Specific mechanisms for climate finance and loss and damage compensation

Details of potential UN Security Council reforms

How to reform the international financial architecture to better support developing countries

Peaceful resolution to conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and other regions

Addressing human rights concerns in various countries

Suggested Compromises

Gradual transition away from fossil fuels while ensuring energy security

Expanding both permanent and non-permanent Security Council membership

Balancing sovereignty concerns with international cooperation on development and security

Pursuing both immediate humanitarian relief and long-term political solutions in conflict zones

Promoting universal human rights while respecting cultural differences

Climate change is no longer a threat but a crisis. Solomon Islands is located in a hot spot where the impact of climate change is three times the global average. Science tells us we are on a 2.5 degree Celsius trajectory. The Paris Agreement is failing humanity. We need a stronger legal binding framework that will put us on a 1.5 pathway. The voluntary approach under the Paris Agreement has failed miserably.

Speaker

Peter Shanel Agovaka – Solomon Islands

Reason

This comment starkly frames climate change as an immediate crisis rather than a future threat, especially for small island nations. It challenges the effectiveness of current international agreements and calls for more stringent, legally binding measures.

Impact

This comment shifted the discussion towards the urgent need for climate action and the disproportionate impact on vulnerable nations. It led to other speakers echoing similar concerns and calls for stronger international commitments.

The world ought to be united as ever before in defending democracy, human rights, the freedom of choice, rule of law, and ensuring peace and prosperity, but above all preserving human lives. The international community must also do significantly more in the fight against climate change with decisive actions much needed, such as the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and the resolution of the interconnections between the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution are needed while strengthening climate action.

Speaker

Filip Ivanovic – Montenegro

Reason

This comment provides a comprehensive view of global challenges, linking democracy, human rights, and climate change. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of these issues and the need for unified global action.

Impact

This comment broadened the scope of the discussion, encouraging other speakers to address multiple global challenges in an integrated manner rather than as isolated issues.

The recent brutal violence in New Caledonia calls for a new political solution with the spirit of the 1998 Noumea Accord. We call on the United Nations to do more to calm and stabilize the situation in New Caledonia.

Speaker

Peter Shanel Agovaka – Solomon Islands

Reason

This comment brings attention to a specific regional issue that may not be widely known, highlighting the ongoing challenges of decolonization and self-determination.

Impact

By raising this specific issue, the comment diversified the discussion beyond global challenges to include regional concerns, emphasizing the role of the UN in addressing localized conflicts.

We must remember why we built this institution. The United Nations system is where the world comes together to agree and uphold standards and rules to protect all of the world’s peoples and the sovereignty of all nations. These rules always matter and never more so than in times of conflict when they help guide us out of darkness back toward the light.

Speaker

Penny Wong – Australia

Reason

This comment reaffirms the fundamental purpose and importance of the United Nations, especially in times of global conflict and crisis.

Impact

This statement set a tone of recommitment to multilateralism and international cooperation, influencing subsequent speakers to address the role and reform of international institutions.

The Cooperative Framework Agreement of the Nile River Basin, CFA, is poised to enter into force with the required number of ratifications. The entry into force of this first-ever Nile Basin-wide treaty, the Cooperative Framework Agreement, will pave the way for sustained cooperation and shared growth across the entire river basin.

Speaker

Taye Atske-Selassie Amde – Ethiopia

Reason

This comment introduces a significant development in regional cooperation over shared water resources, a critical issue for many regions facing water scarcity and potential conflicts.

Impact

This announcement shifted the discussion towards the importance of regional cooperation and diplomatic solutions to resource-sharing challenges, providing a positive example amidst discussions of global conflicts.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by highlighting the urgency of climate action, especially for vulnerable nations, reaffirming the importance of multilateralism and the UN system, and bringing attention to specific regional issues and cooperative solutions. They broadened the scope of the debate from global challenges to include regional concerns and examples of successful cooperation. The comments collectively emphasized the interconnectedness of global issues and the need for unified, decisive action across multiple fronts, including climate change, human rights, and regional stability. This led to a more nuanced and comprehensive discussion of international challenges and potential solutions.

Summary

This transcript covers speeches from various world leaders at the 79th United Nations General Assembly. The central theme was addressing global challenges through multilateral cooperation, with a focus on sustainable development, climate action, and peace. Many leaders emphasized the need for UN reform, particularly of the Security Council, to better represent developing nations. Climate change was a major topic, with small island states and developing countries calling for more climate financing and support from wealthy nations. Several speakers highlighted the disproportionate impacts of climate change on vulnerable countries despite their minimal contributions to emissions. Economic issues were also prominent, with calls to reform the global financial system to better support developing countries and address debt burdens. Leaders from small states advocated for their unique challenges to be recognized. Peace and security concerns were raised regarding conflicts in various regions. Overall, there was a strong emphasis on the importance of multilateralism and collective action to tackle shared global challenges, even as some speakers noted frustrations with the pace of progress on long-standing issues. The need to accelerate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 was a common refrain throughout the speeches.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– Calls for reform of international institutions like the UN Security Council and global financial system to be more inclusive of developing countries

– Addressing climate change and its disproportionate impacts on small island and developing states

– Promoting peace, security and conflict resolution in various regions

– Achieving sustainable development and the SDGs, with a focus on financing for development

– Advancing human rights, equality and dignity for all

Overall purpose:

The overall purpose of this General Assembly session was for world leaders to address pressing global challenges, reaffirm commitment to multilateralism and the UN system, and advocate for their countries’ interests and priorities on the world stage.

Overall tone:

The tone was generally serious and urgent, with many speakers emphasizing the gravity of issues like climate change, conflict, and inequality. There were frequent calls to action and appeals for greater international cooperation. Some speakers adopted a more forceful or critical tone when discussing reforms or injustices, while others struck a more hopeful note about the potential for progress if nations work together. The tone remained relatively consistent throughout the various speeches.

Speakers

– President: President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

– Robert Golob: Prime Minister of Slovenia

– Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif: Prime Minister of Pakistan

– Benjamin Netanyahu: Prime Minister of Israel

– Mia Amor Mottley: Prime Minister of Barbados

– Tshering Tobgay: Prime Minister of Bhutan

– Xavier Espot Zamora: Head of Government of Andorra

– Muhammad Yunus: Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh

– Dorin Recean: Prime Minister of Moldova

– Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas: Prime Minister of Vanuatu

– Andrej Plenkovic: Prime Minister of Croatia

– James Marape: Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea

– Robert Abela: Prime Minister of Malta

– Philip Edward Davis: Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of the Bahamas

– Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa: Prime Minister of Tanzania

– Ralph Gonsalves: Prime Minister and Minister for National Security, Legal Affairs, and Information of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

– Russell Mmiso Dlamini: Prime Minister of Eswatini

– Robinah Nabbanja: Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament of Uganda

Additional speakers:

– Antonio Guterres: Secretary General of the United Nations (mentioned but did not speak)

The 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly brought together world leaders to address pressing global challenges through multilateral cooperation. The discussions focused on several key themes, including climate change, economic inequality, institutional reform, peace and security, and sustainable development.

Climate Change and Environmental Challenges

Climate change emerged as a dominant theme, with leaders emphasizing the urgent need for action and increased financing. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados called for immediate measures to combat climate change and provide financial support to vulnerable nations. Small island nations, represented by leaders such as Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas of Vanuatu and Philip Edward Davis of the Bahamas, highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on their countries despite their minimal contributions to global emissions.

James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, committed to forest conservation and biodiversity protection, while Russell Mmiso Dlamini of Eswatini promoted the adoption of renewable energy and sustainable practices. Several leaders proposed specific initiatives, including the expansion of the Loss and Damage Fund and increased investment in climate-resilient infrastructure.

Global Economic Inequality and Development

Economic issues featured prominently, with many leaders calling for reform of the global financial system to better support developing countries. Prime Minister Mottley of Barbados advocated for the Bridgetown Initiative, which aims to restructure international financial institutions. Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan highlighted the unique challenges faced by middle-income countries, while Robinah Nabbanja of Uganda stressed the need for fair access to development financing.

The importance of regional economic integration was underscored by Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia. Russell Mmiso Dlamini of Eswatini called for debt relief and concessional financing to support developing nations. Several speakers also addressed the impact of unilateral sanctions on developing countries and called for their removal.

Reform of International Financial Institutions

A significant theme that emerged was the need to reform international financial institutions to better serve the needs of developing countries. Leaders called for more equitable representation in decision-making processes and the creation of new financing mechanisms to address global challenges. The Bridgetown Initiative, proposed by Barbados, gained support from several nations as a framework for reforming the global financial architecture.

Peace, Security, and Conflict Resolution

Peace and security concerns were raised regarding various regional conflicts. Robert Golob, Prime Minister of Slovenia, condemned the violence in Gaza and called for a ceasefire. Dorin Recean of Moldova emphasized the need for peaceful resolution of conflicts, while Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan expressed support for UN peacekeeping efforts.

The situation in Haiti was addressed by multiple speakers, who called for increased international support to address the country’s security and humanitarian challenges. Ban Ki-moon’s quote, “The world is overarmed and peace is underfunded,” was cited to highlight the need for greater investment in peace-building efforts.

UN Reform and Multilateralism

Several leaders, including Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, called for reform of the UN Security Council to make it more representative and effective in addressing global security challenges. Specific proposals included expanding the number of permanent and non-permanent members and limiting the use of the veto power.

The importance of strengthening multilateralism was emphasized by several speakers, including Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. Robert Abela of Malta highlighted the importance of small states’ participation in global decision-making, and Robinah Nabbanja of Uganda advocated for more equitable representation in UN bodies.

Sustainable Development and SDGs

The commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 was a recurring theme. Xavier Espot Zamora of Andorra reaffirmed his country’s commitment to SDG implementation. James Marape of Papua New Guinea focused on youth empowerment and education, while Robert Abela of Malta emphasized the importance of digital transformation for sustainable development.

Russell Mmiso Dlamini of Eswatini stressed the need for universal health coverage, and Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa of Tanzania called for increased support to achieve the SDGs. Several leaders also addressed the challenges faced by landlocked developing countries and small island developing states in achieving sustainable development.

Regional Issues and Cooperation

Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines highlighted the importance of regional stability initiatives. Leaders from various regions discussed specific challenges and opportunities for cooperation, including economic integration, conflict resolution, and environmental protection.

Technology and Digital Transformation

Several leaders addressed the role of technology and digital transformation in sustainable development. They emphasized the need to bridge the digital divide and ensure equitable access to technology, particularly in developing countries. Discussions also touched on the potential of digital solutions to address climate change, improve healthcare, and enhance education.

Health and Pandemic Preparedness

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact was reflected in discussions on global health challenges. Leaders called for improved pandemic preparedness, equitable access to vaccines and medical supplies, and strengthening of healthcare systems. Some speakers also addressed the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance and the need for global cooperation to combat it.

In conclusion, the 79th UN General Assembly highlighted the interconnected nature of global challenges and the critical need for collective action. Leaders emphasized the importance of reforming international institutions, addressing climate change, reducing economic inequality, and strengthening multilateral cooperation to achieve sustainable development and global peace.

President: Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to start the 13th plenary meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. The Assembly will continue its consideration of agenda item 8 entitled General Debate. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Robert Golob, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Robert Golob – Slovenia: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to address the General Assembly today. Colleagues, few days ago we adopted Pact for the Future. In these times of wars, climate catastrophes, increasing inequalities, and deepening polarization, it was a rare flicker of unity. The Pact should represent a start of a new era of global partnership of countries willing to strengthen the multilateral system with the UN at its core. There was another flicker of hope this week. Security Council presided by Slovenia. my home country, adopted a presidential statement on the leadership for peace. All 15 members of Security Council reaffirmed to maintain international peace and security and to commit to international law, including the UN Charter. It is a good start to re-energize our collective work for a better, more peaceful and more humane world. Let me address some of the most pressing issues of today and start with peace and security. Secretary General António Guterres, who enjoys our full support and enormous respect, has repeated on several occasions that last year, with the highest number of conflicts in decades, was also the deadliest one. Slovenia has been elected member of Security Council since January, and during this time we have observed and witnessed a gradual but steady erosion of power of rules. The Council is increasingly unable to respond in an effective way to major conflicts such as Gaza, Ukraine or Sudan. And we are not doing any better in other crisis managements. What we are witnessing in Ukraine is aggression of a stronger, more powerful neighbor upon a smaller and weaker one. This is clearly a blatant violation of the UN Charter, and if we are let this aggression to pass, we open the doors to many similar wars across the globe. In Gaza, almost four months since the Council’s resolution on ceasefire and hostage release, the deal is nowhere close. As the Secretary General said yesterday at UNRWA meeting, people in Gaza are existing, not living, existing among lakes of sewage, piles of rubbish and mountains of rubble. The only certainty they have is that they are not living. that tomorrow is going to be worse. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, violence and dehumanization of Palestinians is increasing and has reached a boiling point. All this is taking us further away from the two-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace and security. Escalation of Gaza crisis into the region is now a reality. The region is at the brink of an abyss. De-escalation is urgently needed, starting with the ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. In Sudan, we are witnessing a man-made humanitarian catastrophe, with millions displaced and in desperate need of humanitarian aid. At the same time, we are seeing the atrocity happening again in Darfur. How is this possible? Has Security Council really failed the humanity? To be honest, it is the permanent five Security Council members who bear most responsibility. By misusing veto power and putting national interests first, they effectively blocked the working of the UN Security Council. The concerns and pain that we feel for civilians, the condemnation of violations of the Charter and of international humanitarian law should not depend on our geographical or political proximity to the conflict. We should all put common interests first, and the world would be a much better place. Having said that, let me come to reform of the Security Council. Our experience with the Security Council has given us renewed appreciation for the need to reform the Security Council. We urgently need a Council that is a true representation of the international community, a council that is fit for the world of today. We need to ensure that the distribution of the seats is fair. The council needs stronger voices of the regions that have been underrepresented, such as Africa and the continent. Reform of council’s composition needs to be accompanied with the reform of the veto powers. The reality is that we won’t be able to eliminate veto, but we could definitely regulate this right of veto more precisely. The Security Council also needs to exercise its power with higher ambition when it comes to prevention of conflicts and play a stronger role in peace-building activities that involve all aspects of the UN system. Colleagues, let us not forget that United Nations are much more than the Security Council alone. We commend the work of nameless humanitarian workers who are on the ground in armed conflicts among the civilians representing the face of United Nations. Erosion of respect of international humanitarian law is making their work so much more difficult. Gaza conflict was, however, a turning point in this regard. In Gaza, humanitarians are not just occasional collateral victims. They seem to have become a deliberate military target. There is no other explanation for the highest number of humanitarian workers being killed last year, of whom a vast majority in Gaza. The sense of impunity for crimes in Gaza is putting humanitarian organizations under stress elsewhere. This is undermining the The very essence of the United Nations and it is affecting the work of the humanitarian organizations and agencies like ICRC and UNRWA all around the globe. Third pressing issue, climate change. The impact of climate change is mostly felt on the lifeline for people and nature, that is water, the most precious of the elements. Extreme weather events are multiplying water-related risks across the world. This global challenge demands a global and collaborative response. Solutions exist but are not equally accessible to everybody. The UN Secretary General’s Early Warning for All initiative is the right step in this direction. As the catastrophic floods devastated my home country last year, we initiated development of an advanced digital solution linking earth observation with supercomputing and artificial intelligence. The system, when built, will help us predict floods and droughts and improve our resilience. We are ready to share this solution with our partners globally. Remote sensing and earth observation inform our early warning systems, but we are fully aware that many countries lack the capacity to monitoring all the hazards and are restricted in their access. I call upon all to form a global partnership around the early warning for all to help overcome these challenges. The partnership would boost our common preparedness and ensure that everyone on earth is protected from hazardous weather, water, or climate events through life-saving early warning systems. Fortunately, people suffering from armed conflicts do not have the luxury of high-tech solutions. More often than not, they are denied basic access to clean drinking water. Even more, we are increasingly seeing how access to water is becoming weaponized in Yemen, Somalia, Gaza, and Sudan. Slovenia decided to take initiative and relaunched the Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflict. Together with a cross-regional group of countries, such global partnerships are urgently needed to safeguard the human right to water for all. And last but not least, on humanity. We need to make sure that people around the world age with dignity and rights. The current international human rights law offers only a fragmented and inconsistent framework for the full protection of human rights of elder persons. This is why we are leading a global action towards a legally binding instrument on human rights of older persons. The world should spare no time to address the main issues related to gender equality, including the future developments and implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda. The UN should lead by example when it comes to the full, equal, and meaningful role and leadership of women in our societies. In its entire history, the General Assembly has been led by only four women. We never had a female UN Secretary General. The time has come to reflect gender equality in top leadership positions of our organization. Slovenia has joined the supporters of the Rotation for Equality Initiative, which calls for gender rotation in the position of the President of the United Nations General Assembly. In the times of crisis, children are always the most vulnerable ones. Today’s world is increasingly hostile to children’s rights. More children than ever are experiencing violence. In all settings, many have lost their lives, are forcibly and many others, who have been physically displaced, exposed to most traumatic experiences, imprisoned, denied education and healthcare, and face extreme poverty and social exclusion. Gaza is an example of extreme suffering of the children. Slovenia is offering concrete help with the foundation Let Them Dream, which is dealing with the rehabilitation of children from Gaza. It is an extremely noble and human project, which was launched years ago and has already helped hundreds of children from Gaza who came on rehabilitation in Slovenia and will continue to do so. Sadly, some of these kids were now already the victims of recent aggression on Gaza. Let me finish with the story of the two young girls from Palestine. At the beginning of this week, I attended an event on Missing Futures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory organized by Save the Children. At this event, I heard stories from two courageous girls, Sara and Rand. They spoke about their challenges in life. They spoke about their feelings. They spoke about their plans for the future. And despite all of the destruction, dehumanization and fear, there was no anger nor hate in their stories. They just had this enormous wish to live a normal, decent life. They just had this enormous wish to be able to educate and study in order to be able to contribute back to their community. One wants to become a doctor, the second wants to become a humanitarian worker. Today, I fulfilled my promise to them and I bring their story to the General Assembly. Only with our united call for peace and against war, we could make sure that Sara and Rand and all the other children of Palestine and the world are not among the victims. Among the thousands missing futures of children under occupation. I want to say this out loud and clear to the Israeli government. Stop the bloodshed. Stop the suffering. Bring the hostages home and end the occupation. Mr. Netanyahu, stop this war now.

President: The assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the assembly.

Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif – Pakistan: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, as-salamu alaykum wa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh, and a very good morning. And he said, oh my father, I have seen eleven planets and the sun and moon bowing to me. He said, oh son, do not tell your story to your brothers, they will devise a scheme for you. The devil is the enemy of humans. It’s an honor for me to address the United Nations General Assembly for the second time as the prime minister of a country that has always been a proactive member of the U.N. Assembly. I would like to congratulate you and wish you all the success, Mr. President, on your election as the president of the 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly. I would also like to appreciate the efforts of Ambassador Dennis Francis for his skillful stewardship of the 78th session of the U.N.G.A. Mr. President, the father of our nation, Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, declared in 1947 that we stand by the United Nations Charter and will gladly make our full contribution to peace and prosperity of the world. Pakistan has stood by this commitment unwaveringly. Today we are facing the most daunting challenges to the world order, Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, a dangerous conflict in Ukraine, destructive conflicts across Africa and Asia, rising geopolitical tensions, resurging terrorism, galloping poverty, stifling debt, and the mounting impact of climate change, we feel the chill of a new world order. In response to these challenges, our Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, called for the Summit of the Future. It led to the adoption of the 54 Actions on Development, Peace and Security, Technology and Global Governance in the Pact of the Future. Mr. President, today I stand before you to express the searing pain and anguish of the people of Pakistan at the plight of the people of Gaza. Our heart bleeds as we witness the tragedy unfolding in the Holy Land, a tragedy that shakes the very conscience of humanity and the foundation of this institution. Mr. President, can we as human beings remain silent while children lie buried under the rubble of their shattered homes? Can we turn a blind eye to mothers cradling the lifeless bodies of their children? This is not just a conflict, this is systematic slaughter of innocent people of Pakistan. Ladies and gentlemen, an assault on the very essence of human life and dignity, the blood of Gaza’s children, stains the hands of not just the oppressors. but also those who are complicit in prolonging this cruel conflict. When we ignore their endless suffering, we diminish our humanity. It is not enough to condemn, Mr. President. We must act now and demand an immediate end to this bloodshed. We must remember that the blood and sacrifice of the innocent Palestinians will never go waste. We must worry about their plight and difficulties and stand by them. We must work for a durable peace through a two-state nation. We must seek a viable, secure, contiguous, and sovereign state of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders with al-Quds al-Sharif as its eternal capital. And to advance these goals, Palestine must also be immediately admitted as a full member of the United Nations. Mr. President, in a span of a few days, Israel’s unrelenting bombing of Lebanon has killed over 500 people, including women and even small children. The failure to implement UN resolutions has emboldened Israel. It threatened to drag the entire Middle East into a war whose consequences could be very grave and beyond imagination. Similarly, like the people of Palestine, The people of Jammu and Kashmir too have struggled for a century for their freedom and right to self-determination. Instead of moving towards peace, India has resiled from its commitments to implement the Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. These resolutions mandate a plebiscite to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their fundamental right to self-determination. Ladies and gentlemen, since the 5th of August 2019, India has initiated unilateral illegal steps to impose what its leaders ominously called a final solution for Jammu and Kashmir. Day in and day out, 900,000 Indian troops terrorized the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir with draconian measures, including prolonged curfews, extrajudicial killings, and the abduction of thousands of young Kashmiris. At the same time, in a classic settler-colonial project, India is seizing Kashmiri lands and properties and settling outsiders into occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their nefarious design to transform the Muslim majority into a minority. This hackneyed tactic is employed by all occupying powers, but it has always failed in Jammu and Kashmir too. It shall fail by the grace of God. Ladies and gentlemen, the Kashmiri people are resolute in the rejection of the false Indian identity. The New Delhi seeks to impose upon Andrej Plenković, James Marape, Robert Abela, Philip Edwar, James Marape, Robert Abela, Andrej Plenković, James Marape, Robert Abela, Philip Edwar, James Marape, Robert Abela, Philip Edwar, James Marape, Robert Abela, Philip Edwar, James Marape, Robert Abela, Mr. President, remember, illegal occupation creates a fresh hell every day in the killing fields of Palestine and in the pristine valleys of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from conflicts, Mr. President, the 21st century has brought a cascade of crises, including the reversal of development and the mounting impact of climate change. Two years ago, my country was devastated by catastrophic floods, causing $30 billion in damages. It is now clear that each summer will bring blistering temperatures and trigger fresh climate impacts. Pakistan emits less than 1% of global carbon emissions, yet we have paid a very heavy price for no fault of ours. This is most unfair in any calculus of global justice. We must uphold the axiom, the polluter must pay. Ladies and gentlemen, Pakistan looks forward to fulfillment of commitments made by our development partners to support the achievements of the SDGs and climate goals, including a new annual goal beyond $100 billion in climate finance. Mr. President, with nearly 100 developing countries trapped in the vicious cycle of debt and liquidity crisis, which I always call a death trap rather than a debt trap, achieving the SDGs in these circumstances remains a distant mirage. Mr. President, since assuming office in March this year, the progress and prosperity of my 240 million people has been my singular focus. We have taken some very difficult but necessary decisions that have rescued our economy from collapse, restored macroeconomic stability, controlled physical deficits, and strengthened our reserves. As a result, inflation has come down to a single digit, by the grace of God, and the prospects for economic growth has revived. I would like to explain this challenge and the way we are negotiating, Mr. President, by reciting a stanza from a poem, which enormously makes me very emboldened, but very brave, and hardworking, and commit untiring efforts. And this stanza is a befitting example of hard work and, of course, facing challenges, and then paved the way for success stories. And stanza is, when things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you are trudging is all uphill. When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you are trudging seems all uphill, when the credits are low and debts are high. When the credits are low and debts are high, when you want to smile, but you have to sigh. When you want to smile, you have to sigh. When care, read health. When care is pressing you down a bit, when care or health is pressing you down a bit, rest if you must, but don’t you quit. This is how, Mr. President, we have learned to face our challenges and negotiate the most daunting challenges we have faced. Mr. President, situated at the crossroads of South and Central Asia and the Middle East, we have prioritized geoeconomics and regional connectivity to secure win-win outcomes for our people. The second phase of the landmark China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has been successfully launched through the APEC’s Special Investment Facilitation Council. We are mobilizing investments in resilient infrastructure, renewable energy, minerals, sustainable agriculture, and technology. This will herald a new era of development and modernization in my beloved country. Ladies and gentlemen, for two decades, Pakistan has fought terrorism boldly and most successfully, defeating terrorist groups within Pakistan. We have paid a very heavy price. 80,000 of our brave soldiers and civilians have been martyred, including innocent school-going children and the gory memories of APS school carnage haunt us till date. Our economy has suffered a loss of $150 billion. Unfortunately, today, we are again confronted by a new wave of externally financed and sponsored terrorism, especially by the TTP, Fitna al-Khawarij, and its associates. Ladies and gentlemen, make no mistake, inshallah, by the grace of God, we are determined to eliminate this threat as well through our comprehensive national effort by the name of Azme-e-Istaikam, meaning Resolve to Promote Peace and Stability, and we will work collectively with the international community to combat all forms of terrorism and reform the global counterterrorism architecture. Mr. President, Pakistan seeks the earliest possible normalization of the situation in Afghanistan. We join the UN’s appeal for $3 billion in humanitarian assistance to the millions of suffering Afghan brothers and sisters. At the same time, we endorse and share the international expectations that the Afghan interim government would respect human rights, including the rights of women and girls, and promote political inclusion. In particular, the interim government must take effective action to neutralize all terrorist groups within Afghanistan, especially those responsible for cross-border terrorism against neighboring countries. These include ISIL-K Daesh, the Al-Qaeda-associated TTP, Fitna-al-Khawarij, Majid Brigade, the BLA, and other terrorist groups, which unfortunately are seen. on Afghan Territory. Mr. President, another troubling global development is the escalation of Islamophobia, which is now manifested by frequent desecrations of the Holy Quran, attacks on mosques, negative stereotyping of Muslims, and acts of discrimination and violence against them. The most alarming manifestation of Islamophobia is the Hindu supremacist agenda in India. It aggressively seeks the subjugation of 200 million Muslims and the obliteration of India’s Islamic heritage. Pakistan and the OIC will work with the UN Secretary General and a special envoy to implement a plan of action to combat this scourge. Ladies and gentlemen, Pakistan seeks an immediate end to the tragic conflict in Ukraine and its peaceful resolution in accordance with the UN Charter and international agreements. Ladies and gentlemen, Pakistan has a long and proud history of solidarity, friendship, and cooperation with the nation of Africa. We will continue to cooperate with them to counter terrorism and resolve regional conflicts, including through UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding in their region. Finally, Mr. President, as we leave this August Hall, we must carry with us a message for our people that the weak are not voiceless, that the oppressed should not lose hope, that poverty is not preordained, and that Allah Almighty’s promise of justice and

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Benjamin Netanyahu – Israel: Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I didn’t intend to come here this year. My country is at war, fighting for its life. But after I heard the lies and slanders I decided to come here to speak for my people, to speak for my country, to speak for the truth. And here is the truth. Israel seeks peace. Israel yearns for peace. Israel has made peace and will make peace again. Yet we face savage enemies who seek our annihilation and we must defend ourselves against these savage murderers. Our enemies seek not only to destroy us, they seek to destroy our common civilization and return all of us to a dark age of tyranny and terror. When I spoke here last year, I said we face the same timeless choice that Moses put before the people of Israel thousands of years ago. As we were about to enter the promised land, Moses told us that our actions will determine whether we bequeath to future generations a blessing or a curse. And that is the choice we face today, the curse of Iran’s unremitting aggression or the blessing of a historic reconciliation between Arab and Jew. In the days that followed that speech, the blessing I spoke of came into sharper focus, a normalization deal between Israel and the Arab world. between Saudi Arabia and Israel seemed closer than ever. But then came the curse of October 7th. Thousands of Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists from Gaza burst into Israel in pickup trucks, on motorcycles, and they committed unimaginable atrocities. They savagely murdered 1,200 people. They raped and mutilated women. They beheaded men. They burned babies alive. They burned entire families alive – babies, children, parents, grandparents – in scenes reminiscent of the Nazi Holocaust. Hamas kidnapped 251 people from dozens of different countries, dragging them into the dungeons of Gaza. Israel has brought home 154 of these hostages, including 117 who returned alive. I want to assure you, we will not rest until the remaining hostages are brought home, too. And some of their family members are here with us today. I ask you to stand up. With us, with us is Eli Stevie, whose son Idan was abducted from the Nova Music Festival. That was his crime. A music festival. And these murderous monsters took him. Kobi Smyrno, whose son Jonathan was murdered, and his corpse was taken into the dungeons, into the terror tunnels of Gaza. A corpse held hostage. Salim al-Atrash, whose brother Muhammad, a brave Arab-Israeli soldier, was murdered. His body, too, was taken to Gaza. And so was the body of Ifat Haiman’s daughter Inbar, who was brutally murdered at that same music festival. With us is Sharon Sharabi, whose brother Yossi was murdered, and who prays for his older brother Eli, who is still held hostage in Gaza. And with us, too, is Izhar Lifshitz from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a kibbutz that was wiped out by the terrorists. Thankfully, we achieved the release of his mother Yocheved, but his father Oded is still languishing in an underground terrorist hell of Hamas. I again promise you, we will return your loved ones home. We will not spare that effort until this holy mission is accomplished. Ladies and gentlemen, the curse of October 7th began when Hamas invaded Israel from Gaza, but it didn’t end there. Israel was soon forced to defend itself on six more war fronts organized by Iran. On October 8th, Hezbollah attacked us from Lebanon. Since then, they’ve fired over 8,000 rockets at our towns and cities, at our civilians, at our children. Two weeks later, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen launched drones and missiles at Israel. The first of 250 such attacks, including one yesterday, aimed at Tel Aviv. Iran’s Shiite militias in Syria and Iraq have targeted Israel dozens of times over the past year as well. Fueled by Iran, Palestinian terrorists in Judea and Samaria perpetrated scores of attacks there and throughout Israel. And last April, for the first time ever, Iran directly attacked Israel from its own territory, firing 300 drones and missiles. I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran. If you strike us, we will strike you. There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that’s true of the entire Middle East. Far from being lambs led to the slaughter, Israel’s soldiers have fought back with incredible courage and with heroic sacrifice. And I have another message for this assembly and for the world outside this hall. We are winning. Ladies and gentlemen, as Israel defends itself against Iran in the Seven Front War, the line separating the blessing and the curse could not be more clear. This is the map I presented here last year. It’s a map of a blessing. It shows Israel, Israel and its Arab partners forming a land bridge connecting Asia and Europe between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Across this bridge, we will lay rail lines, energy pipelines, fiber optic cables, and this will serve the betterment of two billion people. Now look at this second map. It’s a map. Look at the second map. It’s a map of a curse. It’s a map of an arc of terror that Iran has created and imposed from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. Iran’s malignant arc has shut down international waterways. It cuts off trade. It destroys millions, destroys nations from within, and inflicts misery on millions. On the one hand, a bright blessing, a future of hope. On the other hand, a dark future of despair. If you think this dark map is only a curse for Israel, if you think that, then you should think again. Because Iran’s aggression, if it’s not checked, will endanger every single country in the Middle East and many, many countries in the rest of the world. Because Iran seeks to impose its radicalism well beyond the Middle East. That’s why it funds terror networks on five continents. That’s why it builds ballistic missiles for nuclear warheads to threaten the entire world. For too long, the world has appeased Iran. It turns a blind eye to its internal repression. It turns a blind eye to its external aggression. Well, that appeasement must end, and that appeasement must end now. Countries of the world should support the brave people of Iran who want to rid themselves of this evil regime. Responsible governments should not only support Israel in rolling back Iran’s aggression, they should join Israel. They should join Israel in stopping Iran’s nuclear weapons program. In this body, in the Security Council, we’re going to have a deliberation in a few months. And I call on the Security Council to snap back U.N. Security Council sanctions. against Iran, because we must all do everything in our power to ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons. For decades, I’ve been warning the world against Iran’s nuclear program. Our actions delayed this program by perhaps a decade, but we haven’t stopped it. We’ve delayed it, but we haven’t stopped it. Iran now seeks to weaponize its nuclear program for the sake of the peace and security of all your countries, for the sake of the peace and security of the entire world. We must not let that happen, and I assure you, Israel will do everything in its power to make sure it doesn’t happen. So ladies and gentlemen, the question before us is simple. Which of these two maps that I showed you will shape our future? Will it be the blessings of peace and prosperity for Israel, our Arab partners, and the rest of the world, or will it be the curse in which Iran and its proxies spread carnage and chaos everywhere? Israel has already made its choice. We’ve decided to advance the blessing. We’re building a partnership for peace with our Arab neighbors while fighting the forces of terror that threaten that peace. For nearly a year, the brave men and women of the IDF have been systematically crushing Hamas’s terror army that once ruled Gaza. On October 7th, the day of that invasion into Israel, that terror army numbered nearly 4,000 – 40,000 terrorists. It was armed with more than 15,000 rockets. It had 350 miles of territory. A year later, the IDF has killed or captured more than half of these terrorists, destroyed over 90% of their rocket arsenal, and eliminated the key segments of their terror tunnel network. In major military operations, we destroyed nearly all of Hamas’s terror battalions, 23 out of 24 battalions. Now to complete our victory, we are focused on mopping up Hamas’s remaining fighting capabilities. We are taking out senior terrorist commanders and destroying remaining terrorist infrastructure. But all the while, all the while, and I’ll say this one more time, we remain focused on our sacred mission, bringing our hostages home. And we will not stop until that mission is complete. Now ladies and gentlemen, even with Hamas’s greatly diminished military capability, the still exercise some governing power in Gaza by stealing the food that we enable aid agencies to bring into Gaza. Hamas steals the food, and then they hike the prices. They feed their bellies, and then they fill their coffers with money that they extort from their own people. They sell the stolen food at exorbitant prices, and that’s how they stay in power. Well, this too has to end, and we’re working to bring it to an end. And the reason is simple, because if Hamas stays in power, it will regroup, rearm, and attack Israel. So, Hamas has got to go. Just imagine, for those who say, well, Hamas has to stay, it has to be part of a post-war Gaza. Imagine, in a post-war situation, in World War II, imagine allowing the defeated Nazis in 1945 to rebuild Germany. It’s inconceivable. It’s ridiculous. It didn’t happen then. It’s not going to happen now. This is why Israel will reject any rule for Hamas in a post-war Gaza. We don’t seek to resettle Gaza. What we seek is a demilitarized and deradicalized Gaza. Only then, only then, can we ensure that this round of fighting will be the last round of fighting. We are ready to work with regional and other partners to support a local civilian administration in Gaza committed to peaceful coexistence. As for the hostages, I have a message for the Hamas captors. Let them go. Let them go, all of them. Those alive today must be returned alive, and the remains of those whom you brutally killed must be returned to their families. Those families here with us today, and others in Israel, deserve to have a resting place for their loved ones, a place where they can grieve and remember them. This war, ladies and gentlemen, this war can come to an end now. All that has to happen is for Hamas to surrender, lay down its arms, and release all its prisoners. all the hostages. But if they don’t, we will fight until we achieve victory, total victory. There is no substitute for it. Israel must also defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah is the quintessential terror organization in the world today. It has tentacles that span in all continents. It has murdered more Americans and more Frenchmen than any group except Bin Laden. It’s murdered the citizens of many countries represented in this room. And it has attacked Israel viciously over the last 20 years. In the last year, completely unprovoked. A day after the Hamas massacre on October 7, Hezbollah began attacks against Israel which forced more than 60,000 Israelis on our northern border to leave their homes, becoming refugees in their own land. Hezbollah turned vibrant towns in the north of Israel into ghost towns. So I want you to think about this in equivalent American terms. Just imagine if terrorists turned El Paso in San Diego into ghost towns. Then ask yourself, how long would the American government tolerate that? A day? A week? A month? I doubt they’d tolerate it even for a single day. Yet Israel has been tolerating this intolerable situation for nearly a year. Well I’ve come here today to say, enough is enough. We won’t rest until our citizens can respond. return safely to their homes. We will not accept a terror army perched on our northern border, able to perpetrate another October 7th-style massacre. For 18 years, Hezbollah brazenly refused to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which requires it to move its forces away from our borders. Instead, Hezbollah moved right up to our border. They secretly dug terror tunnels to infiltrate our communities and indiscriminately fired thousands of rockets into our towns and villages. They fire these rockets and missiles not from military sites, not from that. They do that too. But they fire those rockets and missiles after they place them in schools, in hospitals, in apartment buildings, and in the private homes of the citizens of Lebanon. They endanger their own people. They put a missile in every kitchen, a rocket in every garage. I said to the people of Lebanon this week, get out of the deathtrap that Hezbollah has put you in. Don’t let Nasrallah drag Lebanon into the abyss. We’re not at war with you, we’re at war with Hezbollah, which has hijacked your country and threatens to destroy ours. As long as Hezbollah chooses the path of war, Israel has no choice and Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens to their homes safely. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. Just this week, the IDF destroyed large percentages of Hezbollah’s rockets, which it built with Iran’s funding for three decades. We took out senior military commanders who not only shed Israeli blood, but American and French blood. as well, and then we took out their replacements, and then the replacements of their replacements. And we’ll continue degrading Hezbollah until all our objectives are met. Ladies and gentlemen, we’re committed to removing the curse of terrorism that threatens all civilized societies. But to truly realize the blessing of a new Middle East, we must continue the path we paved with the Abraham Accords four years ago. Above all, this means achieving a historic peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. And having seen the blessings that we’ve already brought with the Abraham Accords, the millions of Israelis who’ve already flown back and forth across the Arabian Peninsula, over the skies of Saudi Arabia, to the Gulf countries – the trade, the tourism, the joint ventures, the peace, the peace – I say to you, what blessings such a peace with Saudi Arabia would bring. It would be a boon to the security and economy of our two countries. It would boost trade and tourism across the region. It would help transform the Middle East into a global juggernaut. Our two countries could cooperate on energy, water, agriculture, artificial intelligence, and many, many other fields. Such a peace, I am sure, would be a true pivot of history. It would usher in a historic reconciliation between the Arab world and Israel, between Islam and Judaism, between Mecca and Jerusalem. While Israel is committed to achieving such a peace, peace. Iran and its terror proxies are committed to scuttling it. That’s why one of the best ways to foil Iran’s nefarious designs is to achieve the peace. Such a peace would be the foundation for an even broader Abrahamic alliance. And that alliance would include the United States, Israel, Kurds, Arab peace partners, Saudi Arabia, and others who choose the blessing of peace. It would advance security and prosperity across the Middle East and bring enormous benefits to the rest of the world. With American support and leadership, I believe this vision can materialize, and much sooner than people think. And as the Prime Minister of Israel, I will do everything in my power to make it happen. This is an opportunity that we and the world should not let go by. Ladies and gentlemen, Israel has made its choice. We seek to move forward to a bright age of prosperity and peace. Iran and its proxies have also made their choice. They want to move back to a dark age of terror and war. And now I have a question, and I pose that question to you. What choice will you make? Will your nation stand with Israel? Will you stand with democracy and peace? Or will you stand with Iran, a brutal dictatorship that subjugates its own people, exports terrorism across the globe? In this battle between good and evil, there must be no equivocation. When you stand with Israel, you stand for your own values and your own interests. Yes, we’re defending ourselves, but we’re also defending you against a common enemy. that through violence and terror seeks to destroy our way of life. So there should be no confusion about this. But unfortunately, there is. A lot of it. In many countries, and in this very hall, as I’ve just heard, good is portrayed as evil, and evil is portrayed as good. We see this moral confusion when Israel is falsely accused of genocide, when we defend ourselves against enemies who try to commit genocide against us. We see this, too, when Israel is absurdly accused by the ICC prosecutor of deliberately starving Palestinians in Gaza. What an absurdity. We helped bring in 700,000 tons of food into Gaza. That’s more than 3,000 calories a day for every man, woman, and child in Gaza. We see this moral confusion when Israel is falsely accused of deliberately targeting civilians. We don’t want to see a single person, a single innocent person, die. That’s always a tragedy. And that’s why we do so much to minimize civilian casualties, even as our enemies use civilians as human shields. And no army has done what Israel is doing to minimize civilian casualties. We drop flyers. We send text messages. We make phone calls by the millions to ensure that Palestinian civilians get out of harm’s way. We spare no effort in this noble pursuit. We see yet another profound moral confusion when self-described progressives march against the democracy of Israel. Don’t they realize they support the Iranian-backed goons in Tehran and in Gaza, the goons who gun down protesters, murder women for not covering their hair, and hang gays in public squares, some progressives? According to the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Iran funds and fuels many of the protesters against Israel. Who knows, maybe some of the protesters, or even many of the protesters. ancestors, outside this building now. Ladies and gentlemen, King Solomon, who reigned in our eternal capital, Jerusalem, 3,000 years ago, proclaimed something that is familiar to all of you. He said, there is nothing new under the sun. Well, in an age of space travel, quantum physics, and artificial intelligence, some would argue that’s a debatable statement. But one thing is undeniable. There is definitely nothing new at the United Nations. Take it from me. I first spoke from this podium as Israel’s ambassador to the UN in 1984. That’s exactly 40 years ago. And in my maiden speech here – I think it’s the same podium, by the way – in my maiden speech here, I spoke against a proposal to expel Israel from this body. Four decades later, I find myself defending Israel against that same preposterous proposal. And who’s leading the charge this time? Not Hamas, but Abbas, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. This is the man who claims he wants peace with Israel, yet he still refuses to condemn the horrific massacre of October 7th. He’s still paying hundreds of millions to terrorists who murder Israelis and Americans. It’s called pay for slay. The more you murder, the more you get paid. And he still wages unremitting diplomatic warfare against Israel’s right to exist and against Israel’s right to defend itself. And by the way, they amount to the same thing. Because if you can’t defend yourself, you can’t exist. Not in our neighborhood. certainly, and maybe not in yours. Standing in this podium 40 years ago, I told the sponsors of that outrageous resolution to expel Israel, gentlemen, check your fanaticism at the door. Today, I tell President Abbas and all of you who would shamefully support that resolution, check your fanaticism at the door. The singling out of the one and only Jewish state continues to be a moral stain on the United Nations. It has made this once respected institution contemptible in the eyes of decent people everywhere. But for the Palestinians, this U.N. house of darkness is home court. They know that in this swamp of anti-Semitic bile, there’s an automatic majority willing to demonize the Jewish state on anything. In this anti-Israel, flat-earth society, any false charge, any outlandish allegation can muster a majority. In the last decade, there have been more resolutions passed against Israel in this hall at the U.N. General Assembly than against the entire world combined, actually, more than twice as many. Since 2014, this body condemned Israel 174 times. It condemned all the other countries in the world 73 times. That’s more than 100 extra condemnations for the Jewish state. What hypocrisy. What a double standard. What a joke. So the U.N.’s hostility. So all the speeches you heard today, all the hostility directed at Israel this year, it’s not about Gaza. It’s about Israel. It’s always been about Israel. about Israel’s very existence. And I say to you, until Israel, until the Jewish state is treated like other nations, until this anti-Semitic swamp is drained, the UN will be viewed by fair-minded people everywhere as nothing more than a contemptuous farce. Now given the anti-Semitism at the UN, it should surprise no one that the prosecutor at the ICC, one of the UN’s affiliated organs, is considering issuing arrest warrants against me and Israel’s defense minister, the democratically elected leaders of the democratic state of Israel. The ICC prosecutors rush to judgment. His refusal to treat Israel with its independent courts the way other democracies are treated is hard to explain by anything other than pure anti-Semitism. Ladies and gentlemen, the real war criminals are not in Israel. They’re in Iran. They’re in Gaza, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Yemen. Those of you who stand with these war criminals, those of you who stand with evil against good, with a curse against a blessing, those of you who do so should be ashamed of yourselves. But I have a message for you. Israel will win this battle. We’ll win this battle because we don’t have a choice. After generations in which our people were slaughtered, remorselessly butchered, and no one raised a finger in our defense, we now have a state, we now have a brave army, an army of incomparable courage, and we are defending ourselves. As the book of Samuel says in the Bible, Netzach Yisrael lo yishaker, the eternity of Israel will not falter. In the Jewish people’s epic journey from antiquity, in our odyssey through the tempest and upheavals of modern times, that ancient promise has always been kept. And it will hold true for all time. To borrow a great poet’s phrase, Israel will not go gently into that good night. We will never, we will never need to rage against the dying of the light because the torch of Israel will forever shine bright. To the people of Israel and to the soldiers of Israel, I say, be strong and of good courage. Chizku v’imtsu ve’alti ra’u mipnehem, ki Adonai Elohecha hua olech imecha, lo yarapecha ve’lo ya’azvecha. Am Yisrael chai, the people of Israel live, now, tomorrow, forever. Thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the State of Israel. The Assembly will hear and address by Her Excellency Mia Amor-Mottley, Prime Minister, Minister for National Security and the Public Service, and Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment of Barbados. I request protocol to escort Her Excellency and invite her to address the Assembly.

Mia Amor Mottley – Barbados: Mr. President, we need a reset. And we need to reset. Mr. President, in your absence I congratulate you on your assumption of this chairmanship of the General Assembly. We can wait. As I said, Mr. President, we need a reset. And we need to reset. Those of us here today representing our brothers and our sisters the world over have endured four years of polycrisis. As the children of Mother Earth, we continue to wrestle with the climate crisis. As a human family, we grapple with the legacy of the pandemic. As a digitally connected people, we are now regrettably confronted by multiple theatres of war and scenes of horror and famine flowing from that war. Armed conflict instead of pursued development. Citizens of every country as well, struggling to contain the rising cost of living and the implications for them and their families on a day-to-day basis. And Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, we are all now threatened by the second but silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance together with a growing incidence of death and disability from chronic, non-communicable diseases. We cannot afford the distraction of war. If ever there was a time to pause and to It is time to reset. It is now. Collectively, as an international community, and individually, as leaders in each of our countries, we must now deliver new opportunities and solutions to these crises which dampen economic growth, which restrict the ambitions of our people and numb our sense of the beauty and goodness that the world ought to be offering, because it has it to offer. The reset for which I am calling, and indeed all of our citizens are demanding, must see an end to all forms of discrimination. Let rules and institutions today exist which create first and second class citizens, as we have said from this podium year after year, depending on your nation of origin. Militate against the trust and the credibility and the hope, and it fosters a crisis of confidence in the existing international order, which must become inclusive and responsive for all. More than any other complaint from this podium has been the disparity in treatment and the inability to be able to have fair and transparent treatment for all that would lead to the trust necessary for us to solve the problems of our times that are truly beyond man-made causes. Neo-colonialist structures that perpetuate and reflect an old world order, characterized by racism and classism and misogyny, while ignoring the legitimate aspirations of billions, will not help to foster the hope or trust that is necessary to meet these poly-crises. We must ensure that the global institutions give developing countries, especially small vulnerable states like my own, or vulnerable middle-income countries, seats at the table of decision-making where we can be seen, heard, become active agents in our own cause and lead our own development paradigms. My friends, we are reminded that 2024 is the final year of the United Nations Decade for the People of African Descent. Much has been achieved The recognition, the justice, and the development for people of African descent that was promised by this decade has, to say the least, not yet been fully realized. And it is for this reason that the Caribbean community joins the growing chorus, and my own country in particular, for the immediate proclamation of a second decade to complete the unfinished work and address the matter of reparations for slavery and colonialism. I start here because this is a necessary but complex conversation, and the Caribbean community is resolute that it must happen. Its resolution lies, and I want to be very clear, its resolution lies in a multi-generational approach, in the same way that the 20 million pound sterling debt that was incurred by the British government only was repaid in this 21st century, almost 200 years later. So that the notion of unaffordability becomes a non-issue once we recognize that the solution to reparations must be multi-generational and grounded in development. Mr. President, of necessity, the reset must also be characterized by institutional reform, which has to start in the United Nations Councils. These councils suggest that some are full members, and others are only part members, and some may be part-time members, and some may be occasional members. All of this has no place in the 21st century. The anger and the mistrust of our citizens and institutions, in leaders, in multilateralism, and in the processes which exclude while yielding much talk and little action, is very real. Nowhere is reform and consequentially trust and hope more important to the well-being of billions of people. people today than in relation to the global financial architecture, restricted access to capital, its disproportionately high costs barring us from doing that which we must, its inadequate scale, and the overwhelming burden of debt often imposed on us by circumstances beyond our control. These are all now combining to force governments in the world’s poorest countries and frankly across many vulnerable middle-income countries to devote more resources to debt service than to health and education and in some instances even infrastructure. For far too many members of the human family, cold ground is our bed and rock is our pillow. Too many go to bed with their bellies hungry and too many may not even have a bed. Our reset must therefore collectively build a common agenda that reflects and reinforces our shared humanity. It is that shared humanity that binds us together. Mr. President, you know better than most our African brothers and sisters got it right with the principle of Ubuntu and have used this principle, this General Assembly to remind us that its simplicity is what we should aspire to. I am because you are. I am because we are. My well-being is tied to yours and our collective well-being is connected to Mother Earth’s. This best voices the approach needed to give expression to the reset that is absolutely necessary. And we acknowledge that there are glimpses of hope. We have, for a For example, on Monday, agreed to a pact for the future, but we still have war. We have agreed on a global digital compact, but we still have raging pandemics in the slow motion silent pandemic. All of this rests, my friends, on the common agenda that the Secretary General has set out for us before. Yesterday, we agreed in a high level meeting on a political declaration on antimicrobial resistance. A lot of fancy words, but this is where the rubber hits the road, because all of us in this room know people who have died from infections and for whom the antibiotics simply are no longer effective, so that within 48 hours, a person’s life is snuffed out, almost as if they were at war. My friends, following on the intervention of the Bridgetown Initiative and the Paris Pact for People and Planet, the efforts of many across the board, we acknowledge that there is some hope, and it is evident in the beginnings of the reform that we are seeing little by little, but nevertheless, they have started. These are all important steps, but we cannot take our eyes off the prize. Barbados’ call for fundamental reset includes attitudes and behavior as much as actions or reforms. Heads of government are in agreement that we must trigger national development agendas of transformation with both speed and scale. We have a date with destiny against 1.5 degrees. We know that that is what is needed to survive, and the implications for people, even as we speak, can be dire. But if there is a failure to act with clarity of purpose, and if the political will retards progress on the front of the much-needed reform within the international financial institutions, purely because heads of government do not speak to ministers of finance when they reach Washington D.C. or their board directors, if there is a need for that to be dealt with, then my friends, there must be a commitment to be equal to the current challenges of member states if we are not to perpetuate the discriminatory practices that result in undermining the transformational opportunities that we need. Depriving vulnerable countries from being able to access concessional income that is long enough to build the resilience to save lives and to protect livelihoods is unjust, and that is why we must remain focused. That is why, my friends, we launched yesterday the third iteration of the Bridgestone Initiative, which identifies three key principles, very simply. One, we must change the rules of the international financial system and reform its governance and instruments. Two, we must shock-proof vulnerable economies by dealing with debt and liquidity in a comprehensive, development-focused manner, and if we need to give countries a shot of liquidity like we give them a shot of adrenaline to avoid them falling off the cliff of death, then we must do so. And thirdly, we must augment financing by boosting country capacity to invest in resilience by several means, including what has been announced already, the re-channeling of special drawing rights through our multilateral development partners, but that will only be truly effective if there is another issuance of SDRs in the near future. Indeed, we must also address the challenge, and this I believe to be the fundamental mission of this generation, of how we are going to secure the global public commons to be able to maintain our safety and stability as a global community. We’re going to have to discuss how we can secure it and, of course, how we must finance it. And that is not only the climate crisis or the loss of biodiversity that we speak about but the other many global challenges that can truly destabilize countries and regions. Mr. President, these considerations are of fundamental importance to the sustainable existence of our generations, future generations. The SIDS agenda is another story of promises made but not kept. 30 years ago the international community gathered in my own country to take action for the first time on the unique challenges faced by small island developing states. We birthed in my home country the first ever global agenda for small island developing states which became known as the Barbados program of action. I thank Mauritius for its strategy of implementation, Samoa for its pathway. They were carriers of the baton of a development agenda for small island developing states in the intervening years in the face of multiple global crises from health to climate to finance. The vulnerabilities, yes, of our countries as small states have become more pronounced. In May of this year we gathered in Antigua and Barbuda for the fourth international conference on small island developing states and I call on the international community and the multilateral system to let us work together to ensure that the promise created in Bridgestone in 1994 is delivered and realized through the Antigua and Barbuda agenda for SIDS 2024 otherwise known as ABAS. Let me use this opportunity as well to inform you that two days ago we took over the presidency of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, the V20 for the countries of the world from Ghana whose president I would like to thank for the excellent stewardship of the group over the past two years and indeed for the strengthening of its institutional capacity. The priorities of our term as chair of the V20 The V20 countries will be the multiple dimensions of climate crisis, dealing with them, the impact of the climate crisis on human health and of course the issue of debt and climate because if we don’t solve that, we cannot take the appropriate actions to deal with climate. I invite all United Nations members who are not yet members of the V20 but who are climate vulnerable to join this group because it is only through amplification of our voices and consistency of our message and solidarity that we will continue to see the pace and scale of reforms that we need to be able to save our people’s lives. I commend to you the declaration of the leaders of the Climate Vulnerable Forum that was adopted this week on Wednesday. Mr. President, above all else, we need a global reset on peace. There needs to be global peace and those of us who are old enough would have recognized that there are peaks and valleys as it relates to this issue of conflict. There are few areas where the world is more in need of the United Nations acting as the United Nations to secure the objectives of the Charter than in the area of peace and security. The silence that has engulfed Sudan is unacceptable and may well be rooted in the racism that the world still carries as a badge of honor from the victories of the last great war of World War II. The actions in Myanmar cannot continue. Ukraine has sucked more oxygen out of the global community and the global financial system than any of us can appropriately accept at the very time when the world needs to be applying its resources and efforts to fight in the greatest crisis known to mankind, and the spread of the war. From Gaza, to the consequences in the West Bank, to now clearly what is happening in Lebanon as we speak with Israel, all of these are but the tip of an iceberg of death, violence and instability, and robs the global community of oxygen and resources at the very time when we need it most in a strategic way. We all know as students of history that even the longest war in history came to an end. These wars, yes, they too will come to an end, but the question is when and at what cost and without much loss of life, with how many children not being able to be either given the chance to live or will now live with memories of war that will affect their every action for the next 60, 70, 80 years of their lives. Innocent people are paying the price with the one thing that is theirs to give, and they don’t give it willingly. It is their life. Unless we address the root causes of these wars one by one, and the manners in which they are being sustained and financed, we will never, never know anything else other than war and rumors of war in these theaters. The transmittal of these scenes of horror in real time into people’s bedrooms, into people’s living rooms will trigger two extreme reactions, neither of which are acceptable to us in the third decade of the 21st century. We will either get the desensitizing of ordinary people to the loss of lives, especially those of innocent children and women on the one hand, or we will get on the other hand And the anger and inclination for vengeance that it spawns necessarily. We need peace and it cannot be too difficult for us to work for peace. It is the same Bible that tells us in the stories of the Old Testament, much which has guided many people across this world. But when we turn from the Old Testament to the New Testament, it is Romans that says to us, vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, not any country, not any human being. So that the Bible can’t be used as a convenient aid when it suits us and rejected when it doesn’t. In the midst of this maelstrom, we were very clear. My country took the step this year of recognizing and establishing diplomatic relations with the state of Palestine in spite of having supported a two-state solution since 1969. And we did this because it is clear to us that the state and people of Palestine, human beings, are entitled to full recognition by integration into and support from the international community. The charter does not say we the people, with the exception of any one group from any one part of the world. We join with others, therefore, in congratulating the state of Palestine and taking their seat among the United Nations member states as they did on the 10th of September of this year. And let me be clear. We condemn the actions. of Hamas on October 7th. But we equally and strongly deplore the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which is the result of the disproportionate use of force by Israel. There is no justification for it. And that is why treaties exist governing the rules of engagement for war, because we as human beings learnt better and know better and committed to better. A two-state solution, no matter how elusive it may appear to be now, is the only answer. And I’ve said already this week that we have known difficult battles in mankind’s history, but when we were in it we didn’t think we could achieve it, but we did. We abolished slavery. We removed apartheid in South Africa. These difficult battles are not beyond our creativity, our capacity and our resilience to resolve them. Similarly, we insist that the killing in Ukraine really has to stop. The people of Ukraine must be allowed to live within the internationally recognised boundaries of their state in peace and freedom from the threat of use or force. And as I said, it is sucking too much oxygen out of the global financial system and countries that should be the beneficiary of aid are being told that they may have to wait in the interest of the defence of others because of war. I say to us truly, there has to be a singular commitment to build a peace, truly. Mr President, my own region has not escaped the scourge of instability and violence. The Americas do not constitute today a theatre of war. But we are today witnessing, for some years now, an unprecedented escalation in the number and calibre of assault weapons which are finding themselves in the hands of criminals who are wreaking havoc on the legal systems and our societies, particularly in the small island developing states of the Caribbean and indeed in the wider states of Central and Latin America. This scourge caused by guns manufactured in the United States. The right of persons to bear arms in countries not engaged in military conflict should not be an opening to accept as legitimate the presence of assault weapons in countries. It is simply not right. There is no place for assault weapons in our societies. I turn now to the fate of the people of Haiti, which continues to be of major concern to our people in the Caribbean region. The global community now has an opportunity for an essential reset with how it addresses its relationship with Haiti, and which has been born in all kinds of semi and partial concern over the course of the last few decades. We continue to have it as a recurring decimal because we have failed to solve the problems and put them on a sustainable path to development for its people. What is needed is transformation of our sister nation. And yes, we must provide first and foremost security, but transformation must be its handmaiden. The government and people of Haiti need the full support of the international community, not just in the short term, but in the long term. And yes, this starts by extending the mandate of the multinational security support force, escalating the work of the United Nations, deploying all the tools of bilateral, regional, global cooperation, not excluding countries who want to participate for spurious reasons, ensuring that those of us who can step up to the plate by significantly increasing the pledge funds that we do so, because we know that it takes cash to be able to deploy the The Caribbean community has been working hard this year to support our largest member state, and in the early part of the first few months of this year, we met on Haiti almost three to four times a week to guarantee the stability that we ask you now to help us secure. We thank the efforts of the eminent persons group of former CARICOM Prime Ministers who were on the front line of helping to resolve this complex problem day in and day out so that we could find a political consensus for Haiti. That Haiti had at this General Assembly, both the Interim President of the Transitional Council and Prime Minister Conneal, is a remarkable achievement given where Haiti was in February of this year. Let them continue on a path, please, of securing their future. And we cannot be on this podium speaking about Haiti without thanking Kenya and President Ruto for their remarkable leadership. After many delays and in what represents now a historical precedent for an African country, they have ensured that an African country has taken the lead in helping to tackle the peace and security challenge beyond its own continent. That is the kind of reset that we need in the international community. And, Mrs. President, you cannot come on this platform regrettably, although I look forward to the day when I will not have to say it, when we must ask for reprieve for the people of Cuba. It is unacceptable, it is unconscionable, and that it continues today is a mark on our international conscience. The Cuban people continue to face the most dire of economic circumstances, and that this is directly as a result of its exclusion and its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. And I have addressed our only knowledge of terrorism, and Cuba is in fact the dungeon of the Cubana Plain off the waters of Barbados, where Cubans, Guyanese, and Koreans were killed. My friends, Cuba has been a valuable partner stepping up for us when it has mattered most by the provision of nurses and doctors in pandemics. and by the provision of other essential workers when the global community needed it and when people needed to be liberated in Southern Africa. The reality is that we must have and continue to have resolve in calling for the embargo to be lifted and we will condemn it year after year after year because it is simply wrong. As we say so, we pray that the people of Cuba, as they determine what damages they have found from Hurricane Helen as well as we pray for the people of Florida who clearly are going to spend the next few days identifying the damage as a result of a hurricane that hit Category 4 when it reached Florida. This is the climate crisis that we speak about. The people of Nigeria are still counting the bodies with respect to the floods that took place there. We have hard work to do. In our own Caribbean region, Beryl literally decimated the islands of Karaku and Union Island and indeed would have affected Grenada and St. Vincent more broadly. Jamaica and my own country’s coastal infrastructure was significantly affected with our fishing industry, 90% of it being decimated. This season of superlatives with its floods and droughts, its hurricanes and fires will take the lives and livelihoods of too many. The climate crisis is hitting us almost weekly across the globe. The deniers of the climate crisis, they too need a reset, a reset that will admit of the absolute necessity of collective action by the global community to save our way of life and our planet. Mr. President, at the start of this week, the skies were much darker. I truly believe so. We are starting to see some glimmers of light. New York this week, noting that the clouds are lifting, conscious that the sun is peeping out in certain areas, not all, but in certain critical areas, giving us a sense of renewed hope that reset is, in fact, not only possible, but necessary in key areas, institutional reform, reform in our financial architecture, reform in how we view development, but above all else, reform in how we see each other and value each other. This hope springs from the pact for the future, and the many declarations that we have made here, the terms in which my fellow leaders spoke from this platform for the most part, the urgent need to recognize reset, reset, reset, even if they didn’t call it by that name. It is as if we all truly understand and accept the challenge of rising to solve the major difficulties that are faced by the people of the world, and to recognize that global moral strategic leadership requires of us the commitment to redress the wrongs and to take care of saving people and planet. But recognition of the need for the reset, while it is the first step in any issue, what is now also needed is eternal vigilance as our companion, so that as we take the steps to transform attitudes and institutions and rules, we will not succeed overnight. We will not succeed even in the next decade. But if we don’t do the reset to change the legacy of centuries of exploitation and domination, we will not be fit for purpose to meet the needs of our people in the third decade of the 21st century. I can think, therefore, of no better way to conclude than with a song that I had caused to use almost 30 years ago from my own country, a song from Edwin Yearwood, when I first stood on this podium almost 30 years ago in 1995 as a young minister of youth. And I quote, a voice in my head keeps talking to me. It tells me the road is long. It tells me the road is long. He tells me we must be strong, roll with the pain and roll with the strife, for today is the rest of the start of your life. Mr. President, may the new hope fostered here this week signal the start of a new deal for people who hitherto were not seen, and even with the existence of this body, whose voice and presence were not felt. These people have been recognized too often in these countries as mere statistics and not with the human dignity that is their birthright, or the human dignity that is the conferred right from these United Nations. Mr. President, I thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister, Minister for National Security and the Public Service, and Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs, and Investment of Barbados. The Assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Tshering Tobgay -Bhutan: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I bring to you warm greetings from His Majesty the Druk Gelpo. Excellencies, 53 years ago, on the 21st of September, 1971, a small Himalayan kingdom was admitted to the United Nations. On that day, after centuries of self-imposed isolation, Bhutan became the 128th member of the United Nations. It was a defining moment for us when a small, poor, landlocked country nestled in the world’s highest mountain joined the global community of nations. That same year, the United Nations created the least developed country category to provide targeted support to the world’s poorest nations. Bhutan was among the first to be admitted in that list. Back then, our economy was primarily agrarian, operating largely… on a barter system. Our per capita GDP income stood at just US$215. Life expectancy was barely 40 years. Infant mortality was tragically high, at 142 deaths for every 1,000 live births. And our literacy rate was woefully low. We had only, in fact, less than 300 students in the few scattered schools that had been established to provide modern education. Today, I stand before you with a story of transformation and progress. Our per capita GDP has risen to more than US$3,500. Life expectancy has increased to 70 years. Infant mortality has plummeted to 15 deaths per 1,000 live births. And our literacy rate, it has climbed to 71%, with youth literacy skyrocketing to 99%. I am pleased to report to this August assembly that because of our all-around progress, last December, 52 years after joining the United Nations, Bhutan graduated from the LDC category. To achieve this achievement did not come easily. It was a journey marked by hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice. But we were not alone. We had the support of many friends who accompanied us on this important journey. I take this opportunity to extend our deep gratitude to the United Nations. and its specialized agencies. I would also like to thank all our development partners, including Japan, the European Union, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank for their unwavering support. But most importantly, I would like to reserve our deepest thanks to India, our closest friend and neighbor. They have been with us from the very beginning of our development journey and have remained steadfast in their support and friendship. Excellencies, graduating from the LDC category is a significant milestone. But what truly matters is that we did it in our own terms. Under the leadership of our enlightened monarchs, Bhutan has pursued a development path grounded in the philosophy of gross national happiness. This approach places the happiness and well-being of our people at the center of our development agenda. Thanks to gross national happiness, our economy, while it is still small, is sustainable and inclusive. Health care and education are free for all. Our unique culture not only survives, but thrives. More than 72% of our land is under forest cover, and we are recognized as a biodiversity hotspot and a carbon negative country. Our democracy, a gift from our king, has been embraced by a reluctant population. Excellencies, having graduated from the LDC category, it is now our responsibility to ensure that we sustain our hard-earned progress and that under no circumstances should we ever backslide. As we chart a new course for the future, we are faced with new challenges, particularly those arising from our weak economy. Foremost among them is youth unemployment. To address these challenges, we must strengthen our economy. We must provide our youth with meaningful opportunities to grow and to prosper. We must embrace a new development paradigm. In this context, I am pleased to report that His Majesty the King has announced the establishment of the Gelephu Mindfulness City. The Gelephu Mindfulness City is a transformative vision for future urban spaces, a blueprint for living mindfully and sustainably. Spanning 2,600 square kilometers of pristine forests and fertile farmlands, it will enable human innovation and natural ecosystems to thrive together while fostering human well-being, environmental sustainability, and mindful living. We invite thought leaders, innovators, and investors to join us in building this groundbreaking city, contributing to a model of peace, harmony, and progress that others can follow. Excellencies, Bhutan’s story is one of hope, but it is also a call to action. More than 50 years have passed, and only seven nations have graduated from the LDC category, leaving 46 countries still in need. This is unacceptable. The international community must intensify its efforts to ensure that no… No nation is left behind that all LDC countries achieve graduation. To accomplish this, we must address poverty, inequality, and vulnerability with a renewed sense of urgency. The Pact for the Future, which we adopted collectively at the Summit of the Future, provides us with a roadmap to transform the lives of the world’s most vulnerable. However, transforming the future requires that we also transform institutions shaping it. The United Nations must evolve to meet the realities of today’s world. The Security Council as it stands is a relic of the past. We need a council that reflects the current geopolitical, economic landscape, and social realities. Bhutan has long advocated for the reform of the Security Council to make it more representative and effective. For this, India, with its significant economic growth and population, and leadership of the global south, deserves a permanent seat at the Security Council. Similarly, Japan, a leading donor and peace builder, warrants permanent membership. Excellencies, in conclusion, let me reiterate our deep gratitude for the support we have received on Bhutan’s journey to LDC graduation. Now we are committed to sustaining this progress. But we will need your continued support. In this regard, we invite your support and investment in initiatives like the Gelufu Mindfulness City. However, as we celebrate Bhutan’s progress, we must also intensify our efforts to support other LDCs. In this regard, the role of the United Nations is more critical than ever, reinforcing the imperative for multilateralism in addressing the global challenges we face. As we look to the future, I have the honor to close by repeating a profound message from His Majesty, our beloved King. I first did so seven years ago, and I repeat, no nation today can stand alone in achievement. Time is slowly telling us that there can be no lasting individual success without success as a community. And there cannot be lasting national progress and success if it does not fit into a future of global peace, harmony, and equality. The world must progress together or fail together. Thank you and Tashi Delek.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan. The Assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Xavier Espot Zamora, head of the Government of the Principality of Andorra. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Xavier Espot Zamora – Andorra: Mr. President, Secretary General, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to begin by extending my congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Philemon Yang on his election as President of the 79th General Assembly. I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having chosen unity in diversity, sustainable development and human dignity everywhere for everyone as the theme. And Dora could not be any more in agreement than we are with this goal, which we fully support because my country is tangible, real proof that people are able to live together peacefully for more than 800 years. Indeed, thanks to our understanding and mutual respect shown by our inhabitants, our country has never had a war and we’ve never had an army. And Dora has always been an oasis of peace, tolerance and cohabitation, including during the most troubled times of the old continent. I’d also particularly like to thank the Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his perseverance, for always preferring the path of conciliation and for his message in favor of international law and against climate change. I would also like to stress the impetus that the Secretary General has given to the Summit of the Future, which gave rise to the pact for the future that my country has signed. The goal of this is to strengthen the multilateral system, to adopt concrete measures, to address new challenges and establish a roadmap to address existential risks to humanity, civilization and most people on Earth. Classical authors, they are the basis of Western culture. They tell us, and I use the present tense because they never die, they say that all speech is vain and empty unless it be accompanied by action. What is important are the things that we do throughout our lives. All civilizations are born in specific circumstances and very often they go down in history thanks to their conquests. But what is the conquest of this civilization? What is its vocation? And what is the heritage that it will leave behind? Or rather, what is the conquest, vocation and heritage that we want to leave behind? Today, in the West, we very often forget that democracy goes over and above simply putting your ballot in the box every four or five years. The very substance of the concept of democracy is the values involved—dignity, tolerance, equality, freedom, respect for people and nations. These values are human rights, the rights that this General Assembly has decided to protect 76 years ago by adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It would seem that the spirit in which this declaration was forged, a symbol of peace and dignity following two devastating world wars, is fading little by little. The forward march of extremist political positions is a reaction in the light of something that is viewed as a threat, an order that is viewed as a threat. The feeling that a recent past has been lost and that it is better than the present has invaded current generations, heightened by the idea that climate change will worsen living conditions, that globalization and migration flows will dilute and depersonalize our societies, and that children and young people today will live less well than their parents did. We find ourselves at a key moment in history where the debate cannot be hidden behind rhetorical language to avoid the situation. We will soon be celebrating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, and this organization must continue to be the cornerstone of our world, to be an organization where states and the nations that make it up are moving in the same direction with the same goal, to respond effectively to the great challenges of our times in order to leave future generations a heritage which promises hope. We must urgently become mobilized to achieve the most noble goal of politics – peace. We must come together and find solutions to conflicts without violence or recourse to military resources. We would call upon all parties to work for peace and that they respect international humanitarian law and that they obey it. Because nothing can justify the attacks suffered by civilian populations. Nothing can justify the attacks against hospitals and schools. And nothing can justify using hunger as a strategy of war. Nothing can justify such irrational behaviour. Children and young people take pride of place on the international agenda of Andorra because we firmly believe that they are the present and the future of humanity, which means that all actions to benefit them become strategic actions for the development of a country, of any country. This is why, since its creation, we have supported the office of the special representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict and, more recently, the study on the impact of climate change on children and armed conflict. When I asked you at the beginning of my statement And what conquest, what vocation and what heritage did we want to leave behind? There can be no doubt, a world in peace for our children and our young people, a world that provides opportunities to each and every one of them. This is the great responsibility which we bear to ensure that future generations do not have a life worse than ours, but rather that they are fully able to participate in progress as we have agreed in recent days in the Summit of the Future. Excellencies, Andorra joined the United Nations in 1993. The international context at the time was full of hope, the reunification of Europe after the Cold War. We decided to become a member of the United Nations with the conviction that we wanted to be a society open to the world which shares with the international community its opportunities and its challenges. We believe that the problems of the world are also our problems, and it is for that reason that we wanted and want to participate in solving them. Three decades have gone by since then, and although we see the Cold War reemerging and whilst in the Middle East we see increasing tensions and whilst extremism is advancing and is of concern, Andorra fully believes in its international commitments and multilateralism. We believe that these are the best and the only instruments to resolve the current crisis. But Andorra also attaches particular importance to regional cooperation, particularly that deployed by the European Union, with which Andorra is negotiating an association agreement which will mean that we will be able progressively and in a structured way to enter the European single market, to diversify our economy and participate in building a geographic, economic and political reality, that of the European Union with a privileged status of associated state, whether it be The obligations that we undertake when joining an international organization or by signing an international treaty, Andorra acts to fully respect its commitments. And as small as my country might appear to major states, that in no way takes away from our ambitious objectives, and this is always essential, as is our multilateralism, the climate emergency, gender equality, the digital transition, and cultural diversity. On that last point, Andorra is very proud to have co-facilitated for one further year the resolution on multilingualism at the United Nations together with Guatemala. Ladies and gentlemen, climate change is undoubtedly a global threat, but it’s also true that it affects certain countries more than others. This is the case for coastal regions, where the sea level is increasing, and mountainous regions where the ecosystem has become more vulnerable. This is the case for Andorra. The effects of climate change risk changing the way of life of its inhabitants and even the economy of the country, and it’s for this reason that we have made the fight against climate change one of our main goals, internationally as well as nationally. Since the ratification of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2011, Andorra has met its communication obligations by respecting the principles of transparency, coherence, comparability, exhaustivity, and accuracy, and we have even implemented certain things ahead of time with regard to the convention. In 2015, Andorra was one of the first to join the Framework Convention and produce our NDC, determined contribution. We updated it in 2020 and 2022, and we plan to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. In 2023, Andorra was the first state to present its biannual report. The report on transparency, which showed once again the importance that we attach to our commitment to fight against climate change. Nationally, we have also undertaken great efforts to implement a new energy policy to progressively increase the national production of renewable energy and replace heat production systems with less polluting systems. This policy in favour of renewable energy was led by the public sector with the implementation of very ambitious legislation and using significant aid and action plans. However, do you know that all of these efforts will be in vain if other countries do not do the same thing, if we are not all moving in the same direction, because fighting climate change is the most urgent global challenge that we have. The broadest challenge, which requires the highest possible level of cooperation, collaboration, generosity and respect. Ladies and gentlemen, we are at the midway point in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, and we are going to soon be in the final home stretch. What has been achieved is already deceiving, bearing in mind that behind the results are millions of people who are suffering the consequences. The Sustainable Development Goals are certainly very ambitious, but if we decide to implement them with persistence, creativity and innovation, then we can bring about real change by taking as a principle inclusion and making gender equality a reality, sustainability a norm, the protection of children an inviolable principle, and by ensuring that divides are overcome once and for all. The poet and novelist of France, Louis Aragon, wrote that the future of men is women. That was in 1963, on the eve of full expression. A genuine declaration of love and admiration for his wife, his muse. In certain parts of the world, we still have a lot to do in order to understand that it’s in our interest that women have the same chances to learn and develop their talents and to work and to earn their living as do men. In Andorra, equality, non-discrimination and inclusion are cross-cutting elements of public policy. We have adopted legislative measures in this regard in order to respect our commitments and to fully achieve these goals. That is a logical consequence in a society where women play a very active part in public affairs. But over and above public policy, the key element of social transformation is education. Equal education does not just mean teaching girls and boys to mutually respect each other. It means giving them the tools necessary to question social norms which perpetuate inequalities and to enable them to build a society where every individual is able to develop themselves to their full potential, whatever their gender. Currently, parity is respected in our institutions in decision-making positions. And for the first time, we’ve had the honor to have an Andorran expert on the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. But bringing about gender equality requires determination and perseverance on the part of each and every one of us. As representatives of our respective countries, we have the moral and political obligation to promote this transformation. We must become committed to ensure that Gender equality is not just a long-term aspiration, but a concrete reality in our societies. That is the only solution that will guarantee a better future for future generations. Excellencies, access to information is in the process of redefining the paradigms of growth and economic and social development. As public services and the private sector are being converted to the digital world, the divide that separates those that have access to this world and those who do not is becoming ever more pernicious. The Global Digital Compact that we adopted during the Summit for the Future includes actions in favour of digital literary actions in order to guarantee an inclusive, open, safe and protected digital future. In this area, multilateralism has a crucial role to play to create opportunities, and at the same time it must guarantee accessibility and security in this new virtual space of globalization. For small states such as Andorra, these technologies have the potential to provide resources with exponential added value. Aware as we are of the situation and our manifest need to diversify our economy, Andorra has made huge strides in this area. Currently, 96% of Andorran homes have an Internet connection. The country has implemented a national strategy for digital transition, which is particularly focused on digital rights of citizens and respect for Sustainable Development Goals 9, 16 and 17, with the creation of an ethical and legal framework that preserves digital rights, protecting private life and data security, and ensuring free access to digital information because we want all citizens to be able to access the digital world and thus avoid situations of inequality. Ladies and gentlemen, the Principality of Andorra. of Andorra has made a commitment to this organization of peoples and for peoples 30 years ago in the hope that a better world would be possible because our country, small size, can also make exemplary choices. We presented ourselves to the world as an ancestral land which finally has found its place in the community of nations, a country that is open to the world with a constructive spirit and a peaceful disposition open to dialogue in favor of comprehension and harmony between peoples. These are the values that continue to guide us nationally and internationally. It is important that all peoples promote a new culture of peace based on an end to war and on a commitment to bring about peace agreements to resolve conflicts. Development must reach all four corners of the planet where fundamental rights must be respected and it is essential that this new digital universe be based on knowledge. I began my intervention by quoting the classical authors. If I may, I’d like to end in the same way. There’s a work that is at the heart of Greek literature that has left its mark on Western culture and which is very difficult to forget. It refers to conquest and destruction, hatred, compassion, love and death. Homer’s Iliad is in a certain way a mirror of the human condition. Even though this work shows that life is not always fair and that it is subject to the will of the gods, it also shows us that human relations can, if we want them to be profoundly humane. And I think that we must take ownership of this message. It is important to believe in humanity and to work to build a better world. All of us together, peace in the world, as well as a world of solidarity that is more just and more inclusive. I thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Head of Government of the Principality of Andorra. The Assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Muhammad Yunus – Bangladesh: Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Mr. President, let me congratulate you on your election as the President of the United Nations General Assembly. I would like to assure you of Bangladesh delegation’s full cooperation throughout this session. I would also place on record our deep appreciation to the Secretary General, António Guterres, for his unwavering commitment to deliver on the UN mandates and address the global challenges. I particularly applaud his vision in convening the Summit of the Future. The Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations could help in setting pathways beyond Agenda 2030. Bangladesh believes that the Summit’s outcome will serve as a guiding framework in materializing our shared aspirations and rethinking collaboration for posterity. I stand in this Parliament of Nations thanks to an epochal transformation that Bangladesh witnessed this July and August. The power of the ordinary people, in particular our youth, presented to our nation an opportunity to overhaul many of our systems and institutions. The uprising led by the students and youth was initially aimed at ending discrimination. Progressively, the movement evolved into a people’s movement. The world eventually saw how people at large stood against autocracy, oppression, discrimination, injustice and corruption, both on the streets and online. Our people, particularly youth, gained us independence from an autocratic and undemocratic regime with an exceptional resolve and capability. That collective resolve should define Bangladesh of the future and place our nation as a responsible state in the Committee of the Nations. This was indeed a movement that primarily brought together people who were long left in politics and development, who asked prosperity to be shared, to be inclusive. The people aspired for a just, inclusive and functioning democracy for which our new generations made supreme sacrifice. We were moved by the wisdom, courage and conviction our youth showed. Even braving bullets bare chest. Young girls were fiercely vocal against the illegitimate state power. School-going teenagers laid down their lives. Hundreds lost their eyes forever. Mothers, deliverers and scores of people across cities lent their shoulders for their children. Defying sweat, rain and fear of death, they defeated all the evil designs and machinations of few who manipulated the state machinery against truth and just aspirations of people for years. The people’s movement left an estimated over 800 martyrs in the hands of the autocratic regime. Bangladesh was born because of her people’s profound belief in liberalism, pluralism and secularism. Decades later, Our Generation Z is making us revisit and reimagine the very values that our people stood for back in 1971, as our people also did in 1952, to defend our mother language – Bangla. We believe this revolution that the world witnessed in Bangladesh in the span of a few weeks may inspire many across communities and countries to stand for freedom and justice. I would call upon the international community to engage with New Bangladesh Anew that aims to realize freedom and democracy beyond letters for everyone. Mr. President, Our youth and people together entrusted me and my colleagues in the Council with enormous responsibilities to reconstruct our decaying state apparatus. As we took to the office, to our utter shock and dismay, we discovered how endemic corruption brought a functional democracy to a farce. How key institutions were ruthlessly politicized. How public coffers were reduced to rubble. How oligarchs took over business. How chosen few concentrated wealth in their hands and amassed and laundered wealth out of Bangladesh. In all, justice, ethics and morality, almost at every level, reached a low. Under such circumstances, we were asked to rebuild Bangladesh and re-establish the country that our people aspire to see, to correct the ills of the past, as also to build a competitive and agile economy and a just society. In a drastically changed scenario, all political parties are now free to voice their views and opinions. A key priority for us is also to make all in public positions and institutions to account for their decisions and actions. We are committed to promote and protect the fundamental rights for people to speak in freedom, to assemble without fear or inhibition, to vote whosoever they choose. This is what the nation desires and we aim to achieve. We are also committed to uphold the independence of the judiciary and freedom of press, including in the cyber domain. In order to ensure that the child of a farmer or worker can scale the highest in the society, we prioritize allocation in education and health sectors over grandiose infrastructure development. We also aim at ensuring good governance across all sectors. I wish to assure that our government shall adhere to all international regional and bilateral instruments that Bangladesh is party to. Bangladesh will continue to remain an active proponent of multilateralism with the UN at the core. Bangladesh is open to national friendly relations with all countries based on mutual respect, upholding our dignity and pride and shared interests. Mr. President, in the last seven weeks, the government has initiated several actions. At our request, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has dispatched a fact-finding mission to investigate into the cross-human rights violations during the People’s Movement and to suggest for sustainable course correction. That mission has already started work on the ground in Bangladesh. I wish to register my deep appreciation to the High Commissioner, Paul Cutter. We have acceded to the International Convention for Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance within two weeks in office. The required national legislation is underway so that we can effectuate its early implementation. An inquiry commission has started investigating into all the cases of enforced disappearances reported during the past decade and a half. In order to restore people’s trust and confidence and to ensure that the tragic past never recur in future Bangladesh, we have initiated reforms in certain prioritized sectors. In that direction, we launched independent commissions to reform electoral system, constitution, judicial reform, civil administration, law and order sectors. A few more commissions are on the cards to reform other sectors including press and media. In order to create a conducive environment for business, we have rolled out extensive reforms in banking and financial sectors. We affirm not to let any foreign business interest to be affected. In our beyond rhetoric and numbers, we aim to establish effective safe I would therefore call on the international community to continue and deepen engagements with Bangladesh in meeting our people’s quest for democracy, rule of law, equality, prosperity so that we can emerge as a just and inclusive democratic society. Mr. President, Bangladesh feels that maintaining peace and addressing conflicts is central to people’s progress. During the recent revolution, our valiant armed forces have once again shown their commitment to peace by standing firmly with the people in fulfilling their aspirations for freedom during a most difficult time in our history. This was possible thanks to our commitment to peace, place human rights at the core of peacekeeping. Bangladesh remains equally committed to peacebuilding from the inception of the UN Peacebuilding Commission. We look forward to promoting and enhancing Bangladesh’s value-driven contributions to the UN peacekeeping operations. As the third largest troop-contributing country, our peacekeepers have served across 63 missions in 43 countries to date. One hundred sixty-eight Bangladeshi peacekeepers had laid their lives from Bosnia to Congo. We do hope that Bangladesh Defence Forces would continue to be called upon in the future UN peace operations, regardless of the challenges or circumstances. In our shared habitat, this world, many of the global priorities need to be set right. Climate change poses existential threat to all of us. The record-breaking heat wave this summer starkly reminded the world of the climate-induced challenges. What we need is climate justice, so that the irresponsible choices or indifferent actions or harms caused are accounted for. Long-term damages leave irreparable damages all around. We are losing biodiversity, changing pathogens leading to newer diseases, farming is under stress, shrinking water-threatening habitat, rising sea level and salinity decimating ecosystems. The damages in terms of rising intensity and frequency of cyclones or floods can hardly be ignored. The climate risks are faced far deeper by our small farmers and artisanal livelihood holders. As I speak, over 5 million people witnessed a most devastating flood in their living memory in eastern Bangladesh. Here, Secretary General Guterres showed that under the current trajectory, the world is heading for a plus 2.7 degree centigrade scenario. I would hence urge for channeling robust resources for climate adaptation in the climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh. It is moreover crucial to operationalize loss and damage fund by leveraging innovative solutions and additional finance. We equally need access to technologies and increased capacity. To be specific, we need access to life-saving technologies, particularly in agriculture, water, or public health, where trickle of modest solutions or innovations can save millions of vulnerable population. Tackling climate crisis has to go hand-in-hand in getting global economy in order as well. The world is increasingly focused on decarbonization. In order for such a shift to be beneficial to majority of global population, the transformative vision of a net-zero world has to redeem for countries like Bangladesh, else we risk falling short on our pledge to shared prosperity through shared responsibility. I believe the world needs to engage on a shared vision of three zeros that we can materialize together, targeting zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions. Anywhere in the world, we’ll have the opportunities to grow not as a job seeker, but as an entrepreneur. Where a young person can unleash his or her latent creativity despite all limitations. Where an entrepreneur can optimally balance social benefits, economic profits, and responsibility towards nature. Where social business can help an individual transcend beyond consumerism and can ultimately catalyze in social and economic transformation. Time demands new attitudes, new values, new compacts across communities and countries. Across developed and developing countries alike, across all actors and stakeholders. If we are to realize such course correction in full, the United Nations, national and local governments, non-governmental organizations, business philanthropies have to work together. If we accept and accommodate social business within existing economic structures, we can bring meaningful changes in the lives of the bottom half of the population. If we can realistically position social business, we can stay much of climate insensitive distortions within the existing market economy. I would like to invite the attention of the Secretary General, António Guterres, on that score. Mr. President, in a world of poli-crisis, wars and conflicts are leading to erosion of rights and widespread abuses. The genocide in Gaza continues unabated despite global pressure. Global Concerns and Condemnation. The situation in Palestine just does not concern the Arabs or the Muslims at large, rather the entire humanity. Palestinians are not expendable people. All those responsible for the crimes against humanity, against the Palestinian people, must be held accountable. Bangladesh calls for an immediate and complete ceasefire to protect the Palestinian people from the brutalities, particularly against the children and women. International community, including the UN, needs to act in earnest to implement the two-state solution that remains the only path to bring lasting peace in the Middle East. The two-and-a-half-year-long war in Ukraine has claimed far too many lives. The war has impacted far and wide, even lending deeper economic implications in Bangladesh. We would urge both sides to pursue dialogue to resolve the differences and end the war. Mr. President, seven years on, Bangladesh has been hosting 1.2 million Rohingyas on humanitarian ground, incurring significant social, economic, and environmental costs. The protracted crisis in Myanmar also poses growing risks with national and regional security implications for Bangladesh, both in traditional and non-traditional terms. We remain committed to supporting the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar in Bangladesh. We need continued support of the international community towards the Rohingyas in carrying out the humanitarian operations and their sustainable repatriation. Particularly important is to ensure justice for the grave human rights violations committed against the Rohingyas through the ongoing accountability processes in the ICJ and the ICC. We recognize and appreciate the efforts of the Secretary General and the United Nations system in creating a conducive environment for Rohingyas so that they can lead a free and dignified life. That requires creating pathways for the Rohingyas to return to their ancestral home in Rakhine State with safety and rights. Looking at the evolving ground situation in Myanmar, Bangladesh is ready to work with the international community to create an environment for dignified and sustainable return of the Rohingyas to their homeland. Mr. President, ensuring peace and security cannot succeed without political freedom and socioeconomic emancipation of the people. Around a decade back, the world unanimously adopted the Agenda 2030. We reposed our collective hope and trust in the universal set of goals. Yet, overall, 17% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030. Unfortunately many developing countries risk to be left behind. Every year developing countries face a significant SDG financing gap estimated between 2.5 to 4 trillion US dollars. High debt burdens, shrinking fiscal space and adverse impacts of climate change put countries like Bangladesh at greater risk. We look forward to the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development to deliver on addressing the complex and systemic challenges. The multilateral financing institutions have to be driven by a vision where wealth and opportunities can be accessed by all, that they rightfully place social business within respective programs, that they duly address the circumstances in the low-income countries, that they promote entrepreneurship and encourage creativity of individuals, that they support the dispossessed. In this regard, prevention of illicit financial flows and siphoning of resources from the developing countries merit greater attention. Entries international cooperation must re-channel the assets stolen from developing countries. We look forward to early conclusion of an international tax convention that can combat tax evasion. Mr. President, migration and mobility is an inescapable reality in an interconnected world. As a country of origin of migrants, over 11 million of our people live and work worldwide. In order for migration to be… To be beneficial for all, we have to create pathways for safe, orderly, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people. The international community has to ensure full respect for human rights and end inhuman treatment of migrants, regardless of their migration status. While Bangladesh remains committed to the full implementation of the Global Compact on Migration, our government is also committed to curb unsafe migration. Every year, nearly 2.5 million Bangladeshis enter our labour market. In a large population where nearly two-thirds is young, Bangladesh is challenged to make learning suited to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. Yet we see the world of work is changing where a young person has to adapt constantly, re-skill, adopt new attitudes. As Bangladesh is set to graduate as a middle-income country, we reckon the vital need to secure ourselves in terms of learning and technology. Let me speak about artificial intelligence. We are particularly enthused with the emergence of artificial intelligence tools and applications. Our youth are excited with the prospect of first unfolding generative AI. They aspire to work and work as global citizens. The world needs to ensure that no youth in countries like Bangladesh get left behind in meaningfully reaping benefits of the AI-led transformation. The world simultaneously needs to ensure that the development of artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence does not diminish the scope or demand for human labor. As the scientific community and world of technology keeps moving on developing autonomous intelligence, artificial intelligence that propagates on its own without any human intervention, we all need to be cautious of possible impact on every human person or our societies today and beyond. We believe that autonomous intelligence, if not, unless autonomous intelligence develops in a responsible manner, it can pose existential threat to human existence. Mr. President, we need new forms of collaboration where global business and knowledge holders connect to people’s needs. International cooperation should create space for developing countries in ways that can bring transformative applications or solutions for jobs, endemic socioeconomic challenges or livelihoods. Uniting our efforts, capacities and resources is increasingly crucial for us to leverage collective strengths, innovate and foster growth. The challenges we face in economic development, climate resilience or social development have to be addressed with common endeavors. In that context, South-South and triangular cooperation can help us, given our unique social and economic circumstances. It is also a growing necessity for the Global South to make our voices heard. In shaping and steering the global agenda, the Global South merits equal space and focus. Mr. President, The COVID times underlined before us the crucial importance of investing in public health. In the WHO, as Bangladesh leads the negotiations on Global Pandemic Treaty, we urge for convergence on the key provisions of adequate international cooperation, financing public health systems, technology transfer, research and development, diversification of production of medical diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics. We also to declare vaccines a global public good that is free from the recourse of intellectual property. These are also crucial for combating the scourges of non-communicable disease. Mr. President, This year we celebrate the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s partnership with the United Nations. It has been a shared journey of mutual learning in our modest ways. Bangladesh contributed towards promoting global peace and security, justice, equality, human rights, social progress and prosperity, and indeed in building a rules-based international order. For instance, I recall the microcredit resolution and the Friends of Microcredit that was formed in the UN General Assembly back in 1999 with exceeding spontaneity. The United Nations declared 2005 as the year of microcredit that resulted in global reach of microcredit. The Annual General Assembly Resolution on Culture of Peace since 2001, or the Resolution 1325 in the Security Council on Women, Peace and Security, may be worth recalling as well. Mr. President, as the great hall reverberates with crying call for peace, security, justice, inclusivity, and equitable distribution of wealth, as states, we need to reflect on how we embolden men and women today, create space for them to grow as entrepreneurs of tomorrow. The world has more than enough of capacity, resources, and solutions. Let us redeem all the pledges we made nationally and internationally. Let us work together to end all forms of inequality and discrimination within and among nations, especially in advancing the proposition of social business in our economic interactions. The youth in Bangladesh have showed that upholding freedom, dignity, and rights of people, regardless of distinction and status, cannot just remain aspirational. It is just what everybody deserves. In this Assembly of Nations, Bangladesh should assure that we would and continue to deliver our bid at international, regional, and national levels. In securing peace, prosperity, justice for everyone. I thank you for your attention.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The Assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Dorin Recean, Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Dorin Recean – Moldova: Thank you. Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, It is an honor to represent my country, the Republic of Moldova, at this unique forum where small and large nations alike address core issues on the global agenda. Climate change, poverty, and the global cost of living crisis are our generational challenges. So is peace and security. For some time now, it seemed we were living in a rules-based international system which strongly discouraged geopolitical conquest, spheres of influence, and disregard for the aspirations of smaller nations. The world proved to be a much safer place when smaller nations have a say and the choices their people make are respected. Peace and security, prosperity, and free choice is the core agenda for Moldova today. Generations of our intellectuals, writers, and civic activists have fought for our independence. These have succeeded in making Moldova free. After 33 years of independence, we see it in the confidence of our youth, in the revitalization of our culture, and in the way our people stand proud on the international stage, knowing their future lies in their own hands. Very next to us, Russia’s unprovoked and unjust war of aggression against Ukraine threatens the fabric of our international order. It throws us back to the times of great power politics, when a large state pursues cynical geopolitical designs to divide the region into spheres of influence and annex smaller neighbors, denying them a say in their own destiny. For Moldova, this is not a mere distance memory. It is a looming threat. Moldova knows all too well the consequences, and we are determined to never return to those times. Don’t forget, Kremlin doesn’t want us at the table. Kremlin wants us on the table, never mind all the excuses and the circumstances. Compulsion and raw force are perpetuated and complemented now with hybrid warfare, malign influence, and subversion of the democratic state. And these latest developments, ladies and gentlemen, are threatening not only Moldova. We see them escalating throughout the democratic world, too. Even mature democracies find it difficult to cope with witnessing polarization and division. Therefore, Ukraine is now fighting not just for its statehood, nation, and its very existence. It is fighting for each nation’s freedom to choose and many others. Moldova stands by and in solidarity with Ukraine in defense against Kremlin’s aggression. We urge the international community to timely provide all necessary support to Ukraine. Distinguished audience, despite the war at our border, Moldova remains an active and committed contributor to regional security. We are a reliable partner for our neighbors, Romania and Ukraine, as well as the European Union. We have preserved peace and security in Moldova. At the same time, we have supported humanitarian efforts by welcoming over one million Ukrainian refugees and ensuring their safety. Peace is not just our goal, it is our duty. Peace remains our core commitment. Moldova is also committed to a just, peaceful resolution of the Transnistrian conflict with full respect for Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. For this to happen, Russia’s illegal military presence must end. I call on the international community to reaffirm the need for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Russian military from Moldova. This is not just about Moldova, it’s about upholding international law, safeguarding regional stability, and ensuring that no country’s sovereignty is compromised by foreign military presence. Ladies and gentlemen, Moldova’s destiny belongs to Moldovans, not outside powers. Kremlin’s efforts to suppress the dignity and will of the people of Moldova through both internal subversion and external intimidation have no place in the 21st century. Despite our differences We have always taken big decisions as a nation together and have proudly reaffirmed our national dignity and self-worth. The social compact of our society is individual freedoms, human rights, competitive elections, and open society, not Kremlin’s satellite state. Today our people are closer than ever to fulfilling these aspirations. We are full of hope and determination, hope for a democratic, prosperous future in the European family of nations to which we rightfully belong. And this hope is firmly rooted in Moldova’s collective achievements over the past years, determined to work hard and tirelessly to become a proud member of the EU’s peaceful and prosperous family. Moldova stands today stronger and more united. Despite flooding Moldova with illicit money, propaganda, and falsehoods, and waging a fully fledged hybrid attack, Kremlin has failed to divide our house against itself. Moldova is no longer a grey zone, a profitable money laundering enterprise for unscrupulous oligarchs and foreign powers who plundered the state and the people and manipulated institutions for their benefit. International sanctions against these perpetrators have helped, and we are working to return their stolen money. Our commitment to reform is unwavering, and we have made progress in cleaning up its justice system and law enforcement. The international community has recognized these efforts, with Moldova’s corruption perception and rule of law rankings improving significantly. We acted to make our economy resilient, even in the face of the regional instability. Despite proximity to the war zone, Moldova’s business environment is improving, though slowly. Small and medium enterprises have a more promising outlook, and exports of high-quality products are picking up thanks to our access to European markets. Moldova is doing digital and is bringing the government closer to its citizens. Over the past few years, more has been invested in infrastructure than over ten years before that. Our energy independence is now a reality. Energy can no longer be used to blackmail and extract geopolitical concessions. Moldova’s energy security is ensured by its integration in the regional and international grids and markets. And we proceed to a fast-paced agenda of renewables and energy efficiency. Resilience is not just about security. It is about our institutions, which are stronger today than ever before, thanks to the support received from our partners. Institutions are better prepared to safeguard the choices of the Moldovan people from external interference. Crucially, Moldova has genuinely opened itself to the world. In recognition of the country’s progress, in December of 2023, EU leaders unanimously agreed to open accession negotiations with Moldova. This is our most significant achievement since independence, and we are committed to be ready to join the EU by 2030. Our European path is a matter of vital national interest and our strongest guarantee of peace, democracy, and development. On October 20th, Moldova will reaffirm its European choice in a referendum to enshrine EU integration into our constitution. Russia may continue its attempts to disrupt Moldova’s path through the threats, disinformation, and destabilization to change the sovereign choice of the Moldovan people. They want to keep Moldova captive in its past, but we, the Moldovan people, are united in determination. Only we can choose our future. We will not return the country to oligarchs who… Blander the state and want to once again turn the country into their personal fiefdom, which yields massive wealth to a few but fails the majority. We will not return to a past dominated by oligarchs and corruption. We will not be dragged back into a sphere of influence that does not reflect our aspirations. The people of Moldova choose freedom. We choose Europe. And next month, we will reaffirm the goal of our generation, fully-fledged membership in the EU, a union which has supported Moldova throughout our independence. I will touch on climate change issues now. Moldova has long been known for a temperate, welcoming climate and agricultural fertility. But just over the past year, we have aced the most severe weather extremes in our history, devastating snowfalls, unprecedented droughts, and heatwaves, and severe floods. They cause massive damages and disruptions like never before in our history. These challenges are not hypothetical. They are here, and they threaten the livelihoods of our farmers, economy, the infrastructure of our villages and towns, and the future of our children. Climate change risks destroying many things we heavily rely on throughout the planet. In this context, we welcome the adoption of the Pact for the Future by the United Nations General Assembly. This is a significant step towards building a more effective, inclusive, and sustainable global order. It reaffirms our collective responsibility to future generations. We are committed to working alongside the international community to turn these pledges into concrete actions that will shape a better, more resilient world. As a final remark, Moldova stands at its historic crossroads, both as a nation and as a member of the international community. The Moldovan people will not allow it to be stripped of its agency. Moldova chooses peace, democracy, freedom, and rule of law over war, authoritarianism, and repression. For us, this means Europe. It is our choice, and it strengthens our resolve to move more decisively towards the EU. A peace and prosperity project while rejecting war. Gresham, and any assaults on human dignity. Dear Moldovans, from home and abroad, now is the time to join our efforts, to be consolidated, and to bring the Republic of Moldova where it belongs, in the great European family, where peace and prosperity are ensured. Thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas – Vanuatu: Mr. President, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Mr. Secretary General, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the great honor to address this eminent Assembly on behalf of the Government and of the people of the Republic of Vanuatu. Mr. President, I join previous speakers in extending my sincere congratulations to you upon your election as President of the 79th Session of the General Assembly. You can count on my delegation’s full support and cooperation as you steer the work of this august Assembly. I commend your predecessor, and I welcome you. And the theme of this session, Leaving Nobody Behind, Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations, because it addresses the global challenges of our time. Mr President, 79 years after the creation of the United Nations, our efforts to create a better world for current and future generations are quite simply disappointing. It is alarming that after all these years, we continue to be plagued by multiple world crises, undermining the promise of the Charter of the United Nations and failing our peoples, the most vulnerable in particular. Vanuatu welcomes the latest UN Secretary General’s report, which highlights the fact that we are significantly falling short of our objectives to achieve the SDGs, prompting the need to fast-track actions to scale up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. We risk crossing a dangerous temperature threshold over the next 10 years, and that’s why Vanuatu has requested an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice to give some clarity on the legal obligations of states when it comes to climate change. This is an initiative that was subject to unprecedented global attention. The opinion received by the courts as part of this procedure is in our consensus-based resolution of last year, providing legal clarity on the obligations and responsibilities of states when it comes to the climate. This does not seek to blame or stigmatize any particular country, but rather it seeks to shed light on existing international rules and regulations and the obligations of all states when it comes to creating a solid basis for concrete climate action and for climate justice based on shared responsibility and accountability. I launch an appeal to all of the members of the United Nations, especially other climate vulnerable nations, to participate in these historic hearings which begin on the 2nd of December 2024. Your voices are crucial in ensuring that the Court fully grasps the implications of climate change for the most affected, and will unite us in our shared commitment to justice and human rights as part of a more sustainable future. Mr President, Vanuatu’s economy fared well when we maintained our status as a least-developing country. When we graduated, our structural challenges and vulnerabilities remained, while increasing costs continued to soar. We reiterate the need for our development partners to support us in phasing out our LDC-specific support in a gradual and predictable manner. Small island economies also continue to face multiple crises amid tightening financial conditions and rising borrowing costs. This has increased our debt distress risk and undermined our ability to invest in our recoveries. Vanuatu welcomes the outcome of the Summit of the Future, calling for global, concerted efforts to reform the global economic and financial architecture to make it fit for the challenges of this century. We call for sweeping reforms of the Bretton Woods institutions to restructure the international monetary and financial system in order to better reflect the evolving global realities and challenges, including the establishment of an international sovereign debt workout mechanism to solve current debt crises in developing countries, particularly in the most vulnerable. Vanuatu and other small island economies are struggling with the onslaught of climate-induced disasters, and while we continue to try to build resilience and adapt to climate change, we are moving backwards too often. Vanuatu loses over half of its GDP every time a severe cyclone strikes. We have had five severe cyclones in the past three years. The latest Adaptation Fund report estimates that a current adaptation finance gap of between $194 and $366 billion a year. As a country in the front line of frequent and intensifying climate disasters, Vanuatu calls for a new finance goal that will accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, build resilience, and realistically address loss and damage. In light of these initiatives to mitigate and adapt to climate change, Vanuatu also believes it is of crucial importance to prevent the severest harms to our planet’s vital and climate-regulating ecosystems before they occur. It is for this reason that we have taken the formal step of proposing an independent crime of ecocide to We thank delegations for their existing support, in particular Fiji and Samoa for their co-sponsorship of the proposal, and we recognize that there is broad and growing support for this initiative around the world. Mr. President, Vanuatu and many Pacific Island states have faced multiple correspondent banking withdrawals restricting financial inflows, including delay in the transfer of international development funds and humanitarian and disaster relief funds, as well as discouraging private sector investment. This is despite genuine efforts to improve and enforce national money laundering and finance for terrorism regulations. Safeguarding uninterrupted access to international financial services is essential for fast cross border payments, including remittances and export revenues. We welcome the efforts made by the World Bank to help Pacific Island countries address this issue, among others earlier this month. Mr. President, in 2019, Vanuatu presented its first Voluntary National Review, VNR, highlighting a very positive message of progress despite extreme vulnerability to climate-related disasters. The presentation of the second Voluntary National Review this year at the High-Level Political Forum highlighted significant challenges in our pursuit to achieve sustainable development. We continue to endure increasingly frequent and severe tropical cyclones, which were compounded by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is no clear trajectory or end in sight. However, the prospect of future disasters is looming. The government and people of Vanuatu have had to continuously adapt and strengthen resilience mechanisms to mitigate the impacts of these persistent threats and disruptions. Mr. President, fulfilling the SDGs is not merely an aspiration, but rather a necessity for us. The 2023 SDG Summit saw the adoption of a strong political declaration and launched a new phase of accelerated action to achieve the SDGs by 2030. In July this year, the convening of the High-Level Political Forum, let again, serves as a platform to follow up and review the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with an aim to galvanise real transformational change. to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. More so, the recent convening of the Summit for the Future aims to rally collective support to deliver faster and smarter on the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. It is my hope that the reforms highlighted in the Pact for the Future will enable us to rebuild trust again in the multilateral system. The Pact for the Future requires strong political will to drive transformative actions that will usher in a brighter future for all. Mr President, financing is the fuel for development, yet at the very heart of our lack of making real progress in achieving the SDGs lies a lack of financing. We remain at the front lines of a climate emergency that not only threatens our overall sustainable development, but time and again, given the lack of affordable alternatives, we are forced to incur unsustainable levels of debt to finance recovery from natural disasters. The international financial architecture, therefore, must be reformed to address the urgent challenges of today. Our varying needs must be embedded into the global economic and financial system so that it is more inclusive, fair and responsive to all. This includes developing tailored support and solutions that also facilitate easier access to affordable, long-term finance and address the decline in corresponding banking relations. Likewise, there must be a stronger push to enhance the representation and meaningful participation of SIDS in global economic and financial institutions. Mr President, Vanuatu, like many of our Pacific neighbours, continues to face acute existential health and development threats, including the burden of non-communicable diseases and malnutrition, as well as threats from future pandemics. COVID-19 and severe tropical cyclones expose Vanuatu to its fragile health infrastructure and the need to invest in a health system that can better respond to the needs of its people and to future pandemics that will be resilient to climate change and related natural disasters. We urge the World Health Organization and SIDS partners to work together to enhance access to sustainable financing, to support our efforts to prevent and control non-communicable diseases and to build a health system that is fit for purpose. Mr President, advancing the agenda of leaving no one behind in the context of the non-self-governing territories means that we must work constructively to complete the work of decolonization. Recently, the First Peoples of New Caledonia were not content with the manner in which the third referendum for political independence from France was conducted. As a result, riots took place which led to several deaths and stalling of economic activity. It’s essential to recognize the rights of First Peoples to their lands, oceans and culture. I encourage the First People of New Caledonia to work together with France to address their political future. In the meantime, New Caledonia must remain in the decolonization list. In a similar vein, we call for the rights of the First People of West Papua to be respected. I am pleased that they work together with the Indonesian government to address their challenges and to obtain greater autonomy for West Papua for greater participation in decision-making. To achieve sustainable development we need peace. Today some regions of the world are not able to enjoy sustainable development due to the inability of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. We call for the urgent reform of the UN Security Council to ensure that it is fit for purpose and able to meet the challenges of our time. We are deeply concerned over the greatest threat to international peace and security posed by the continued existence of nuclear weapons. With the current heightened global geopolitical tensions we call for a renewed and strengthened effort to come out of the current impasse in achieving nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation in all of its aspects. We further call for the United Nations Charter to be respected. In today’s fractured and polarised world we need to accelerate our efforts to work together and rebuild trust in the multilateral system, the UN at its centre. The summit of the future offers us hope and now we need to move from rhetoric to real actions on the ground. We need peace for the advancement of sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations. It’s essential to act on finance as a driving force for development. Thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo. Croatia, I request protocol to escort His Excellency, invite him to address the Assembly.

Andrej Plenkovic – Croatia: Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, today we should stand united in the face of unprecedented global challenges. From the proliferation of conflicts and deteriorating geopolitical situation, to climate crisis and food security, the world is at a critical juncture where every nation, regardless of its size, plays a vital role. Croatia’s journey over the past 34 years has been a testament to resilience and determination. Emerging from a conflict and building a modern, progressive state, we have positioned ourselves as active contributors on the global stage. As we convene here, Croatia brings not just its experience, but a deep commitment to fostering peace, advancing sustainable development, and upholding human rights as fundamental values rooted in our history. We live in a world increasingly ablaze. As a country that has endured conflict and the painful process of post-war recovery, we understand firsthand the value of peace, security, and international solidarity. Our journey from a nation affected by aggression to a contributor to global peace efforts equips us with a unique perspective. The lessons we have learned about resilience, reconciliation, and the importance of upholding international law shape our commitment to promoting peace and security worldwide. In a world facing intensifying crisis, from Ukraine to Middle East and Sudan, Croatia stands firm in its belief. that every nation has the right to self-determination and protection under the UN Charter. The Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine continues well into its third year, trampling all tenets of international law. While Ukrainian civilians continue to die and suffer, the largest active nuclear power plant in Europe is also at risk. This undermines all principles of nuclear safety and may bring about catastrophic consequences with cross-border impact. All member states of the United Nations have the right to be independent, and their people must be free to choose their own path. They must not depend on their neighbors’ permission, nor should they be left alone to succumb to a neighbor’s military aggression. In that vein, we will not tire in our support to Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and in our assistance, and we call upon all to do the same. At the same time, the looming threat of a wider conflict in the Middle East is evident. The heinous terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October horrified us. So did the unspeakable continued tragedy since endured by the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza, where thousands were killed and wounded. Whatever historical or present grievances continuing down this path will not bring a lasting resolution, only more death and destruction. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages and on both sides to engage in genuine negotiations to end hostilities and prevent further escalation. The Middle East and its people deserve a better future, the rest of the world as well. The wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East are overshadowing the immense humanitarian and civilian catastrophe. This is even more alarming considering the context of increasing fragmentation of the security architecture in many parts of the African continent. Reversing this trend should be seen as a priority by all of us. We must not leave Africa behind. A continent where half of the population is younger than 19 should and must be seen as a source of hope for humanity, not as an afterthought. The UN Charter is not just another document we can simply and easily replace. The world’s constitution must be upheld more than ever before. Reinvigoration of effective multilateralism with the UN in its center must not be reduced to a phrase we use on the occasions like this. In the same vein, we must not falter when it comes to strengthening international arms control, disarmament, and a non-proliferation architecture. This is essential not just to avoid conflict, instability, or even greater tragedies, but to reduce the already heightened risks of escalations, either deliberate or as a result of a misunderstanding. Extremist and terrorist groups and their affiliates continue to pose a severe threat around the world, leaving no society safe. Their continued expansion in various regions and the increasing level of violence they resort to only remind us that countering and preventing terrorism requires long-term commitment as well as continued coordinated efforts of the entire international community. As a country that proudly hosted, supported, and enabled the success of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, rightly considered by many as the most successful peacekeeping mission in the history of the United Nations, and which managed to join just a decade ago NATO after the departure of the last UN peacekeeper, we know all too well the meaning of peacebuilding, its significance, and the efforts it requires. As this year’s vice chair of the Peacebuilding Commission and last year’s chair, Croatia supports strengthening the links between the three pillars of the United Nations – peace and security, development, and human rights. There is no peace without sustainable development and no sustainable development without peace. There is little time left to strengthen our focus on prevention at all levels. For the Peacebuilding Commission, it means to focus more on structural prevention through national prevention strategies and operational prevention by sending flexible civilian missions upon a country’s request. The 2025 review of the peacebuilding architecture will be a crucial moment to strengthening the PBC and to broaden its mandate and give it some decision-making powers. You can count on Croatia’s active participation to share its experience and in view of its candidature to be again a member of the PBC in 2026. Croatia is also proud that today a Croatian company is a global leader in robotic demining and we are actively supporting Ukraine by providing our expertise to assist in the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance in conflict-affected areas. Ladies and gentlemen, we are committed to sustainable development, which is deeply rooted in its unique position as one of the most biodiverse and nature-rich countries in Europe. Often referred to as the nature park of Europe, Croatia has long recognized the importance of preserving its natural resources. Our achievements in renewable energy, where we rank among the top in the European Union and our strong performance in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals reflect a national strategy that balances economic growth and social stability with environmental stewardship. As we stand at the crossroads of environmental crisis and digital transformation, Croatia’s experience offers valuable insights into how we can harness innovation while protecting our planet for future generations. The path we take today will determine our future tomorrow. Therefore, we must choose it wisely. Croatia and its national development strategy till 2030 espoused a vision of a competitive, and safe country with a recognizable identity and culture, a country with preserved resources, quality living conditions, and equal opportunities for all. We have built our strategy on the three main interrelated dimensions. The Digital Transformation of Our Societies is inevitably changing our way of life and our way of doing business more rapidly and intensively than any transition in the last century. We are transforming our state and public administration businesses and society, and half of our population is using the digital services of the state. Croatia’s IT industry is competitive and booming. At the same time, while new and emerging technologies are unlocking great potential, they also come with risks. To manage these, we need effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels, as well as informed citizens. My government will continue with policies which promote this path. Croatia’s greatest challenge of the 21st century is climate change, coupled with loss of biodiversity, reduction of food and natural resources, increase in the number of droughts, fires, and floods, as well as the acceleration of the sea level rise. Croatia is located in the Mediterranean, one of the world’s regions expected to be hit hardest by climate change. It is not by accident that Croatia got a portfolio for the Mediterranean in the new European Commission. This summer, we saw record-breaking heat waves, followed by torrential rains in our part of Europe only last week. The green transition is therefore pivotal for us all. Promoting nature-based solutions is one of our main national tools for climate change and adaptation and migration. For this reason, we need to strengthen the multilateral system of dealing with climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development. We need to put more efforts in dealing with climate as a threat amplifier that endangers security and stability of many regions and countries in the world, especially in Africa. We spare no effort to integrate the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals in our national policies and initiatives and strategies and into the reinforced and reformed global governing structure. We are proud that our reforms and investments have earned Croatia a high eighth place among 193 UN member states, according to the 2024 Sustainable Development Report. Finally, for Croatia, all these measures culminate also in a demographic revitalization as another key national structural priority. We consider it an indispensable element of our resilience, competitiveness, and a prerequisite for a successful, sustainable growth. Ladies and gentlemen, our deep commitment to human rights stems from our own difficult The violations of fundamental rights that we endured as a nation have shaped our understanding of the importance of protecting human rights, dignity, justice and equality. Croatia’s journey from a war-torn country to a strong advocate for human rights in the international arena has given us a unique perspective on the necessity of upholding these principles. With this background, we remain steadfast in our dedication to promoting human rights, preventing atrocities and providing humanitarian assistance to those in need, both at home and abroad. The 2030 Agenda sets out a vision for a sustainable development grounded in international human rights standards, promoting one of the main values of the UN Charter, to leave no one behind. Only through respect for human rights can we achieve a more peaceful, equal and sustainable world. Croatia will continue to champion this cause. As a country still searching for 1,792 missing persons from the homeland war, Croatia spares no efforts to end the anguish of uncertainty for their families. We shall never cease the search for them, and we shall never stop demanding answers from those who know their fate. We contribute by sharing our acquired expertise with interested countries and by advocating for the missing persons everywhere in the world, in our national capacity and as a committed member of the Global Alliance for the Missing. Croatia is today extending its support to Ukraine by offering its expertise in prosecuting war crimes and making its seasoned experts available to assist Ukraine in navigating the complex process of accountability and justice, drawing from its own experience in addressing the aftermath of war crimes committed during the homeland war. Committed to eradicating domestic violence and violence against women, we have introduced femicide as a distinct criminal offense. Our goal is to ensure that domestic violence and violence against women is eradicated. We are committed to eradicating domestic violence and violence against women. is the elimination of gender discrimination and creation of conditions for real equality of women and men in society, at home as well as abroad, and in the multilateral system. This is why Croatia promotes women, peace and security at the global level, as we know the disproportionate effect of conflict on women, but we have also seen how women, when participating in all peace building and sustaining peace process, are agents of change and harbingers of peace. Croatia also advocates a comprehensive approach to issues affecting persons with disabilities. This includes mainstreaming disability in all fields of human rights. With this in mind, in the UN, we will be leading an effort by a cross-regional group of countries to proclaim the International Day of Deaf-Blindness. This resolution will hopefully contribute to understanding, as well as encourage and inspire national and legal recognition of deaf-blindness as a distinct and unique disability worldwide. In the past three years, Croatia has also been honored to serve as a co-chair of the Group of Friends of Responsibility to Protect in New York. We still believe more has to be done in terms of atrocity prevention and the operationalization of the Responsibility to Protect concept. In the humanitarian context, we are facing worse circumstances than ever. Croatia presides this year over the humanitarian affairs segment of the Economic and Social Council against the challenging backdrop of unresolved conflicts and eruption and escalation of new ones, climate-related disasters, disease outbreaks, economic shocks, and famine for millions of people. Focusing the discussion on the consequences of the erosion of respect for international humanitarian law, clear and strong calls were heard across the board for upholding international humanitarian law, ending impunity, bolstering women’s leadership, addressing climate emergency, and for ethical and responsible use of new technologies. Ladies and gentlemen, as one of equal successor states of former Yugoslavia, Croatia is among the founders of the United Nations. Following the dissolution of former Yugoslavia in the midst of defending itself from aggression and invasion, 32 years ago Croatia reconfirmed its commitment to the UN Charter, this time as a free, sovereign, and independent member states of the United Nations. Ours is a journey of liberty and democracy, a pursuit of peace and prosperity, of vigilant defense of human rights and dignity, while honoring the values and principles of multilateralism and international cooperation that the UN embodies. Our experience as a small but resilient nation with a deep understanding of peace, security, and development underscores the importance of reforming and revitalizing the UN to ensure it remains fit to address the global challenges of today and tomorrow. The Pact for the Future, a pivotal document for strengthening multilateralism that we adopted earlier this week, elaborates about both General Assembly and Security Council reform, and we believe we should further strengthen, reform, and revitalize these two institutions. While the role of the GA has been strengthened recently with regard to issues which the Security Council failed to address, more should be done in relation to the maintenance of international peace and security. This relates also to the cooperation of the General Assembly with both the Security Council, the Economic and Social Committee, and the Peacebuilding Commission. The UN Secretariat should be made fit for purpose, and the selection of the Secretary General and all other, especially high-level posts, need to be guided by the principles of merit, transparency, inclusiveness, gender, and geographic rotation. Finally, allow me to reflect on Southeast Europe, a region in our neighborhood. As a country with deep expertise and a nuanced understanding of Southeast Europe, we stand as a model of successful integration into both the European Union and NATO. This unique position not only gives us Croatia a special status within the region, but also grants its significant authority in advocating for peace, stability, and European aspirations of our neighbors. Croatia consistently encourages our Western Balkan partners to invest even more in fulfilling the established criteria. Regional cooperation and good neighborly relations, along with solving outstanding issues and disputes, remain an essential, indispensable part of the process. The merit-based approach and rewarding individual achievements in fulfilling the standards will accelerate accession to the European family. In this regard, those who cooperate in good faith, align with the EU’s, for instance, foreign policy resolutions and positions, and conduct genuine reforms should move ahead on their EU accession path. Of particular importance for us is the stability of our neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, with which we share more than a thousand kilometers long border. In order to achieve security and stability in the country, the constitutional full equality of the three constituent peoples – Croats, Bosniaks, and Serbs – must be ensured, and the Dayton-Paris Accords, the peace treaties that ended the war and confirmed the Multinational, Multiconfessional and Multicultural Bosnia and Herzegovina must be upheld. In conclusion, the story of our country is one of transformation from a nation, rebuilding after war to a committed partner within the global community. Our journey reflects the power of collaboration, vision and perseverance. As we look ahead, Croatia is ready to join, to continue contributing to a world where peace, justice, human rights and sustainable development are attainable for all. Together, through multilateralism, we can overcome today’s challenges and build a future where every country, every citizen can thrive. The path may be long and difficult, but by standing united, we can make it a reality. Let us move forward with renewed purpose, ensuring that the foundations we build today will support a prosperous and peaceful tomorrow. Thank you for your attention.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency James Marape, Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

James Marape – Papua New Guinea: His Excellency Mr. Philmon Yang, President of the General Assembly. His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Distinguished Head of State and Head of Governments, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. It is my honor to address this August Hall once again on behalf of my people of Papua New Guinea. Mr. President, firstly, let me congratulate you, the government and people of Cameroon on your successful election to lead the work of the 79th session of the the General Assembly. I thank your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis, for his excellent leadership during the 78th UN General Assembly. I also extend my gratitude to the United Nations Secretary General for his strong leadership to mobilize the support of the global community on key issues that require our collective efforts, especially in dealing with climate change-related matters. Mr. President, you selected a theme for this debate, leaving no one behind, acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for the present and future generations, I believe is very pertinent. I thank you and commend your foresight in drawing our collective attention to the work we must still do for peace and humanity, considering the vast challenges that continue to threaten our society and what we face today. Mr. President, I speak on three threats to humanity that is complementary to your theme. These threats, in my view, are religious intolerance, poverty induced by climate change, and geopolitical differences and sovereignty contests over territories and people. And I will prefix this statement here with my country as a backdrop. Mr. President, Papua New Guinea is the world’s most culturally and linguistically diverse nation, with over 830 languages in a myriad of sub-ethnicities and sub-cultures that are still authentically indigenous today as I speak. A real-time modern nation of 1,000 tribes. And we embrace this diversity and do our utmost best to function as one people, one nation, and one country in our intention to leave no one behind. In terms of environment, Mr. President, my country hosts up to 7% of the world’s biodiversity, mostly housed within a tropical rainforest that is the third largest in the world and has a vast marine ecosystem. We sustainably manage our forests, land, and sea because our livelihood depends on them. Papua New Guinea, in a small way, teaches the world on how living in balance with nature, tolerating cultural diversities, and practicing environmental The father of our country, our modern Papua New Guinea, the late, great Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare, was a champion in this regard. In fact, Sir Michael championed the course of Article 5 that has found its place into Paris Agreement, as I speak today, early in the year 2000. This is a reflection of Papua New Guinea’s strong affinity to the forest, land and sea. In this regard, my country has been contributing to the public or global discourse over the last two decades in as far as environmental management is concerned and matters relating to climate change. Unfortunately, this has been met with very little return of action. However, we continue to stand ready to assist the United Nations firmly in this area. Mr President, over the last 49 years of our country’s history as an independent nation, our challenges have been many, compounded by vast ethno-linguistic adversities and cultural complexities and a small size of economy. However, we have remained as one people and one nation. We have moved in the last 49 years. We started off as a least developed nation. Today, we have entered the middle-income earning nation status and we intend in the next 20 years to migrate from where we are today to a high-income earning nation by 2025. In doing that, we will migrate from being just a raw resource exporter to a manufacturing economy within the next decade. Mr President, I want to assure you all that all this is being done in total alignment and we have aligned our development agendas to the United Nations Charter, especially consistent with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Our aspirations mirror that of this August institution. In fact, in 1975, when we gained independence, our National Consistional Eight-Point Plan directs not just my government today but government into the future, as it was in the past governments that led my country on our national aspirations to leave no person behind. Mr President, our nation’s Vision 2050 that was launched in 2010 compels governments to develop Papua New Guinea into a top 50 nation by 2050 in terms of Human Development Index. Papua New Guinea looks forward to submitting to the United Nations a full progressive report in July of 2025 at the High-Level Political Forum. Mr. President, if you can indulge me in sharing an insight into managing a diverse multicultural people and what has helped us to blend as one nation, I put to you the role of Christian missionaries and their work that dates back to 1845 when the first Catholic missionaries arrived in my country. In 1975, when we gained independence, Christianity became profound. Consistency with your theme, Christianity in PNG has been the frontrunner, bearing message of unity, peace, and sustainable coexistence, embracing diversity of cultures, languages, and tribes into one human family, living in our natural environment as God has created. Since then, Christian churches have contributed immensely to our country’s development through their health and education programs. Real Christianity teaches love, peace, unity, forgiveness, giving meaning to leaving no person behind. Whilst PNG is identified as a Christian nation, Mr. President, I want to assure you and all who are listening that Section 45 of our nation’s constitution protects individuals’ right to choose and practice of faith and religion. We subscribe strongly to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Religion. United Nations has been the anchor of this God-given right of humanity, and I offer my complete support to the protection of individuals’ choice and rights to practice their faith, and ask that this remains a key duty of United Nations. Mr. President, since the dawn of humanity, history teaches us that many wars have been fought and many lives lost as a result of religious intolerance. We see that happening today. Earth’s history is stained with blood of innocent people who have died. from state, tribe, or church sanctioned killings. The United Nations, Mr. President, must condemn laws that encroach upon individual choice of religion and worship. This is a God-given right. And I see the issue of enforcement of religion upon one another as a threat to peace and coexistence of mankind. I ask the United Nations to keep watch over religious freedom of all people, especially minority people in society where major religions are practiced. Mr. President, the second threat I see facing humanity is poverty, and especially poverty induced by climate change. The pursuit of wealth has caused man to plant the heads of its resources beyond the threshold of sustainability, with little consideration for our children’s future. The acceleration of climate change, for instance, is a direct result of mankind’s insatiable appetite for resources. An attitude of survival of the fittest, nations and corporations jostle and stampede over each other in order to harvest resources, causing environmental degradation, deforestation, burning of cheaper fossil fuel, and pollution, spurring our planet into climate catastrophes that will further engender poverty. Oceans nations like mine continue to live with the climate change-induced sea level rise and weather pattern changes that has now become an accidental threat. That is why we welcome the Chair’s summary of the High-Level Meeting on Sea Level Rise. Together with other Pacific Island countries, we continue to recognize the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as a legal framework within which all activities in the ocean and seas must be carried out. We reaffirm commitment to the Pacific Island Forum Declaration of Continuity of Seas. We stand united in the support of Vanuatu-led United Nations General Assembly proposal for the inclusion of sea level rise as a standalone agenda in the United Nations General Assembly and other relevant United Nations processes. Mr. President, despite our economic needs, PNG remains committed to safeguarding both our blue ocean life and our green forest life for its children. As a forest nation, PNG continues to play a proactive role to progress our commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement by undertaking adaptations and mitigation effort. However, accessing of global climate finance continues to be a challenge to Papua New Guinea and many small nations. We call on the United Nations to look into this matter with a sense of urgency or else we can liquidate our forests and marine resources to achieve our development aspirations, especially in a pursuit to alleviate poverty from our people. It is for this reason I speak in solidarity with all forest nations, especially those in the Congo Basin and those in the Amazon Basin, for adequate compensation if we are to preserve our forests, which is in fact the lungs of Earth. Mr. President, Papua New Guinea’s vast forests, rich biodiversity, marine life, and indigenous people and cultures are now at the crossroads of great change, either of preservation or loss and extinction. The responsibility to save our environment and planet should bear on all of us in equal measure. It is now up to members of the United Nations to save these forests, which are global assets as I speak. On this note, I want to thank my good friend, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of France, for mobilizing European Union funding for a forest conservation area called Manangalas in my country. This is the kind of partnership that should be encouraged. And again, I remind the world, the forest of PNG is a global asset. It must be preserved at a price transferable to improving the lives of my forests. You cannot talk about climate change without conversation on forestry. They are the two sides to the same coin in conversations on climate change. And I call for others out there, especially those who have big carbon footprints. You have to do justice to planet Earth by doing your part, especially assisting us in the preservation of our forests. Mr. President, the third threat facing humanity, in my view, is geopolitical differences and sovereignty contests over territories and people. Increasing geopolitical conflicts and tensions are fueling fragmentation and protectivism around the world today. Restrictions on trade, disruptions in supply chains, growing competitions are crippling our economies. We need to examine peaceful strategies and solutions and invest in peace-building initiatives for de-escalation, mutual understanding, cooperation, build trust, and foster peaceful relationship. The United Nations’ role in this must be respected by all nations. For really, it was for this reason that the UN was born. So the world does not need to face many more wars again or another big war again. Mr. President, I say this, violence begets violence. And it’s evil, no matter what the justification. and others. Peace must be achieved by peaceful means. No matter how long or unjust it may seem, peace must be achieved by peaceful means. We live in a time where the press of a button, an atomic or nuclear bomb, has the ability and potential to destroy our planet. All conflicts can be resolved if we allow United Nations One rulebook to take prominence over our own political national interests. In PNZ, we partner United Nations in national and sub-national peace building efforts. One good example is the de-escalation of our own internal conflict on Bougainville, when the United Nations supervised the Bougainville Peace Agreement in 2001 and continues to ensure we comply with all requirements of that agreement, including bringing the 2019 referendum results to our national parliament. To this day, I am happy to report that no bullets have since been fired in Bougainville. This is the role and the strength of United Nations, and I call on all nations and people to respect the charter of this institution and the reasons for its existence. PNZ, therefore, calls on the UN and its systems to begin the process to review the Security Council and the reforms that must take place, including removal of veto powers, so all nations can sit equally on the table in as far as decision-making is concerned. Mr. President, we must do all we can to restore stability to the far reaches of Earth. Global conflicts cause domino effect, and the subsequent impacts are felt throughout the world, including intergenerational wounds. Mr. President, as I conclude, let me remind us again on our collective responsibility to together preserve our planet and our human race. In 1987, a space philosopher called Frank White wrote The Overview Effect, a cognitive shift astronauts experience after viewing planet Earth from space, and upon their return to Earth. These are records that most astronauts, if not all, experience a self-transcendence, appreciating Earth much more and feeling a very strong connection to all people on the planet. And I am sure Neil Armstrong, in 1969, on July 20, when he gazed back on planet Earth, standing on the moon, he would have looked back and he would not have seen his planet, he would not have seen his country, the United States of America. He would have seen the blue planet, the planet he called home. I call upon all of us, esteemed leaders of this planet, let us adopt a little bit of overview effect to see the world through the eyes of the astronauts. They see the planet from humanity perspective, one planet, one people, one humanity. They appreciated Earth much better. I want to ask all of us, all leaders of planet Earth, let us appreciate Earth, let us treasure its life-sustaining gifts, let us do everything within our means to preserve and protect planet Earth. It starts with all of us, leaders, to think and act correctly, because our children’s collective future depends on this one. We have but one planet. After all, there are not two planets. If you look at the observable universe, you look billions and billions of light-years into the observable universe. There is no one planet that looks like us, only one planet that has preserved it. Let us rise above religious bigotry, fight poverty together, and co-exist in peace under the charter we ourselves have written into this magnificent institution called the United Nations. I thank you all for the opportunity to speak. May the peace of my Lord Jesus be upon you. As a president, and all people of Earth, a beautiful life-sustaining Earth, may God bless each and every one of you.

President: The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Robert Abela, Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Robert Abela – Malta: Secretary General, President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, and Dear Friends. When we gathered this time last year, little could we have predicted that, just a couple of weeks later, our world would be plunged into even greater turmoil by the despicable attacks of October 7. In the twelve months since, we have seen continued loss of life and a humanitarian emergency on such a scale that it is all too easy to give up hope, all too easy to believe that nothing can be done, all too easy to turn the other cheek. We cannot escape from the stark reality that our world faces the gravest of challenges, and the populations of far too many of these United Nations face the greatest perils. The gravity of these threats is such that we, as leaders from across the globe, are confronted with a choice of two paths. We can choose the path of despair, dejectedly deciding that it is impossible to make a difference, or we can can choose the path of persistence, determined that no matter how rough the waters, we can and we must redouble our efforts to meet those challenges and mitigate those perils. I emphatically believe that we have a moral responsibility to take the path of persistence. I will never apologize for reaffirming the simple belief that motivated me to come into public life, that tomorrow can be better than today. And no matter what the headwinds, it is a belief that still motivates all I do. I refuse to believe that we should just give up. I refuse to listen to those siren whispers that the worst is inevitable and it is not worth working for better outcomes. I refuse to give in to the notion that we can defer difficult decisions or that small countries have to passively accept the actions of the larger players. To acquiesce to that negativity would be to accept that this General Assembly, that this United Nations, is nothing more than a council of despair. To that I say a resounding no. This United Nations can and must be a council of hope. Nobody is going to pretend that we can wave any sort of magic wand or deliver instant solutions. But we have a duty to keep hope alive, to keep trying, to keep working, to keep battling for the values that were the very foundation of the idea of a United Nations. Eight decades ago, from the… of the first truly global conflict, our forerunners had the courage and the foresight to see that the world had to have a forum where the voice of every nation could be heard. And as colonialism rightly crumbled, there were a lot of newly independent nations to add their signatures to the charter. Malta is one such nation. As we gained our independence from the United Kingdom, we took our place in the world. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Malta’s accession to the United Nations. Over those six decades, my country has developed beyond the wildest dreams of the pioneers who saw us to statehood. So as we mark 60 years of Malta as a proud member of the United Nations, and as the United Nations itself gets ready to mark its 80th anniversary, my message is clear. The world needs the United Nations now more than ever. Malta values the United Nations now more than ever. And make no mistake, Malta may be a small country, but we will always be a loud voice against deferring difficult decisions and avoiding difficult conversations. We will never resign ourselves to a future devoid of peace. We will never abandon our commitment to supporting peace processes, no matter how tough those processes may be. We will remain steadfast in our support for steps to build and maintain peace in every region of conflict. We will remain as committed to and confident in this United Nations as that day in December of 60 years ago when the ink dried on Malta’s signature. Malta has a unique political and geographical position at the heart of the Mediterranean, a bridge between Europe and North Africa, and the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East. A full member of the European Union, but with neutrality. We are acutely aware of the responsibility that this position brings. Two words sum up the role that I believe Malta can and does play. Honest broker. From hosting peace talks to brokering difficult dialogues, we aim to harness our unique position to bring those in conflict together, to at least try and find a way forward. This is exactly the approach that Malta has brought to our membership of the Security Council over the past two years. And that is exactly the approach we have brought to the chair of the OSCE, which we assumed last January. Malta was happy to step up and take the chair as an honest broker, allowing all members to endorse our leadership and ensuring the work of this vital body can continue. Like Malta, the OSCE is a bridge between neighbours across continents. Europe can only be secure and at peace if its neighbours are secure and at peace, which is why both in the Security Council and the OSCE, our guiding watchwords are always promoting sustainability, peace and security. This approach sits well alongside the OSCE’s comprehensive conception of security as not just about ending military conflict, but also addressing the social and economic tensions that create and exacerbate international tensions. To that end, we will continue to press for all nations to comply with the Arms Trade Treaty. The failure of too many countries to comply with international rules poses too great a threat. To too many innocent citizens, President, as I’ve reflected on my country’s six decades of membership of this United Nations, I’ve looked back at the wisdom of some of those who have held the office of Secretary General. Sadly, those words of Ban Ki-moon remain as true and urgent today as ever. The world is overarmed and peace is underfunded. The peace and humanitarian budgets which are at the heart of the UN’s mission remain, unfortunately, severely underfunded, harshly impacting too many of the world’s most vulnerable people, which is why Malta urges all Member States to play their part by remitting the resources to ensure the hard-working, hard-pressed front-line UN staff can play their part in bringing relief and hope where it is so desperately needed. As Malta concludes its current term on the Security Council, I am proud of what we have been able to help achieve. Amidst the tragedy of the events in Israel and Gaza, we have worked with others to prioritise the relief of humanitarian suffering. We used our seat on the Security Council to work for Resolution 2712, which demanded urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and the provision of corridors through Gaza to supply critical supplies needed by so many innocent civilians, not the least children. The resolution also called for the release of hostages held captive by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza. We are proud that this led to the release of 105 hostages during the negotiated seven-day pause. Similarly, I am pleased Malta played a key role in the Security Council adopting Resolution 2728, which demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan, alongside the immediate release of all hostages. This was the first joint motion from the non-permanent members on a geographic situation in the Security Council’s history. Understandably, much of the world’s attention has been on Israel and Gaza since October 7th, which has now expanded to a dangerous and deeply worrying escalation in Lebanon. We stand firm in our belief that we must all strive to ensure that the flames of this conflict do not engulf the whole region, and that we all take decisive steps to resolve this conflict before it is too late. Furthermore, it is imperative that we, as a global community, do not lose focus on those other parts of the world where war and the killing of civilians is also all too present and all too tragic a daily reality – Sudan, Yemen, Syria and, of course, Ukraine. So let me now turn to another country in conflict, Malta’s southern neighbour, Libya. Helping the Libyan people achieve a genuine and lasting resolution to the institutional crisis for which they have paid too high a price for too long is a key priority for Malta. For such a resolution would not only benefit the Libyan people, it would also benefit all Libya’s neighbours and also the wider region, only with a single functioning government supported by citizens. and many others. Can Libya play its full part in addressing the migrant crisis, which puts so many lives at risk? Which is why Malta welcomes the initiatives taken by UNSMIL in bringing the parties together to sign an agreement that will hopefully end a crisis at the Central Bank of Libya, and also to kick-start this stalled, wider political process. Malta will continue to stand ready to do anything it can to aid that process. And we will be unstinting and advocating for proactive engagement by the international community to support and enhance those UN-led efforts. We have a duty to aid the mediation needed to create a pathway towards national, parliamentary and presidential elections in Libya. As friends and neighbours of Libya, we can and must help. But for the process to truly succeed, it must be fully Libyan-led and Libyan-owned, to which end we unequivocally call for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces, fighters and mercenaries from Libya. And Malta re-emphasises the need for a full implementation of the Libyan arms embargo in line with all the relevant Security Council resolutions. Equality is a key value for my government and my country. Just as the situation in Libya will only be resolved by all the people of the country knowing that they have an equal voice, so are so many of the conflicts, disputes and tensions around the world fuelled by inequality. There isn’t some sort of a dextre, nice to have, but no. That view couldn’t be more misguided. Equality across gender, age, race, religion, disability, sexuality is not just imperative for its own sake. Equality is also imperative in finding lasting solutions to so many of the challenges that face us all. So I am honored Malta stands at the forefront of promoting civil liberties globally. We are one of the few countries that has already implemented an anti-racism strategy, and we are now in the process of drafting a second renewed anti-racism strategy. We will never take equality for granted at home, and we will always advocate and support greater equality internationally. All too often it is women and girls who bear the brunt of conflict, and all too infrequently are the voices of women and girls heard when it comes to solving those conflicts. Without women there can be no peace. As the world redoubles its efforts to bring peace, so must we all redouble our efforts to ensure the voice of women and girls is heard at the top tables as well as on the ground. During our term on the Security Council, Malta has worked hard to do just that. Malta has chaired the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. In the last 18 months, the Working Group has issued conclusions on the role of children in the conflicts in South Sudan, Nigeria, Mali, Afghanistan, CAR, Colombia, Iraq, and Somalia. That long list is a sad We are a testament to the magnitude and gravity of the repeated violations against children in crisis zones. We must never let up in our outrage and actions at these persistent and flagrant abuses of the rights of the child as enshrined by this United Nations. President, we have a saying in Maltese, the sea is wealthy. And indeed it is. As an island nation for Malta, the wealth of the sea equates to the wealth of our people. The health of the sea equates to the health of our people. So we need no reminder just how essential it is to protect the wealth, health and the biodiversity of our seas and oceans. And we know just how much small island nations like ours will be impacted as climate change warms oceans and raises sea levels. We, small island nations, are amongst the lower emitters of greenhouse gases. But we are literally the front line of the climate emergency. The impact of climate change will be felt by all our citizens. It is our duty to them to do all we can to minimize that change and maximize our resilience to the changes which are already being felt. Delay and prevarication simply aren’t options. Climate change must remain at the top of the global agenda. Solidarity, standing shoulder to shoulder with our fellow small island nations, is a key value for Malta. Solidarity means actions, not just words. The Islands for Islands initiative is central to our foreign policy, providing concrete, practical assistance to small island developing states. Sharing best practice and building capacity. That’s why Malta has jointly taken the lead in developing the Climate Vulnerability and Resilience Index, a practical resource to help small islands identify and prepare better for the effects of the changing climate. As sea levels become an even greater concern, so does the health of our seas and oceans become ever greater a priority. Malta remains, and will always remain, at the forefront of efforts to protect our oceans. In the very first years of our UN membership, we were one of the foremost proponents of the principle of the common heritage of mankind. Thank you, Arvid Pardo. And it remains our lodestar. We have consistently spoken up in the Security Council about the existential threat from rising sea levels, and Malta will always remain unwavering in our support for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Malta welcomes the first ratifications of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, which will provide much-needed, much greater protection for the two-thirds of global oceans that lie beyond national jurisdictions. The treaty will only come into force when 60 nations have ratified it. Our oceans need it. Our people deserve it. So I say to my fellow leaders, speed up and sign. To preserve healthy maritime environments, we all need to take practical, innovative solutions and steps. That’s why I am delighted at the success Malta’s new Shore-to-Ship initiative is having. The stunning Grand Harbour in the capital city of Malta, Valletta, is a magnet for cruise ships. But while docked in Berth, they can produce serious amounts of pollution if relying on their engines in the confined space. So Shore-to-Ship is installing onshore power supply alongside the quays, which are used by cruise ships, meaning that they can switch off their engines and help reduce pollution in this most special of places by around 90%. In Malta we know that while the sea can yield great gifts, it can also be the host for illicit activity and the breaking of international laws. The high seas must never become the Wild West. The rule of law and the will of the international community must always hold on sea as on land, which is why Malta championed the creation of a unified database of all vessels which are involved in illicit activity, shareable and usable by all participating states. Shipping is central to international trade, so ensuring they are fully applied at sea is central to any successful sanctions regime. And that can only happen if ship owners know that trying to break sanctions brings consequences. But it is essential for reasons of natural justice and to ensure buy-in from Member States that the listing of those breaking sanctions is both fair and transparent. So Malta was proud to jointly hold the pen alongside the United States for Resolution 2744 that overhauls the delisting process for the first time in almost two decades. By creating a better system for delisting where warranted, we can ward against premature lifting of sanctions which is not warranted. President, we have witnessed how effective global health policies can unite nations, especially when addressing crises that transcend borders and that affect us all. Just yesterday, United Nations Member States adopted the Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance, which has been diligently facilitated by Malta and Barbados over so many months. AMR presents a collective threat and demands our urgent attention. We know what must be done to prevent the loss of millions of lives and the very trillions of dollars in additional health care costs. This declaration should serve as a strategic roadmap for policymakers. President, when we reconvene in a year’s time, we will be marking the 80th birthday of our United Nations. But we mustn’t ever be just marking time. We need to always be marking progress. As Doug Hammersholt said, the pursuit of peace and progress cannot end in a few years, neither victory or defeat. The pursuit of peace and progress, with its trials and its errors, its successes and its setbacks, can never be relaxed and never abandoned. In Europe, the average life expectancy is just over 80 years. The United Nations will only have life expectancy longer than that if we all recommit to its future. As the saying goes, I want reports of its death to be greatly exaggerated. Yes, we can’t ignore the fact that the architecture of the world’s collective security is under stress like never before. The forces of nationalism dismiss the need to work together. Instigators of conflict believe they can escape the wrath and writ of the global community. Both couldn’t be more wrong. Acting to end conflict and relieve suffering is never easy. But that doesn’t mean we should stop trying. Reaching consensus across borders and across political differences is never easy. But that doesn’t mean we should stop trying. Acknowledging we have all contributed to the state our world is in today and setting aside pride to try and make the world a better place is never easy. But that doesn’t mean we should stop Stop trying. Arguably, the temptation to wring hands and see changes too hard to achieve is greatest for small nations like mine. To sit back and sigh that the big boys have made too much of a mess of things. Well, Malta will never sit back. Malta will never wring hands. Malta will never leave it to others. Yes, Malta will always be realistic, but Malta will always remain committed to multilateralism. When the perils are at their greatest, the need to work together is at its greatest. So let us use the next 12 months in the run-up to that 80th anniversary to reassert our collective belief in this United Nations, to redouble our efforts, to resolve conflict, to take the steps the future of the Earth needs, and to deliver the change the people of this planet need and deserve. To raise our game in supporting the Secretary General and delivering the institutional reform the United Nations needs to better fulfil its purpose. In short, and with every fibre of my being, I say to my fellow leaders now is the time to choose, and we must choose the path of persistence. We must reject the path of despair. Yes, our world faces huge challenges and huge threats, but if we lose belief in the power of collective action, if we lose belief in the ability to work together to make a difference, then we are losing belief in the very idea of a better world. If we fail to persist, we fail to lead. If we fail to perceive that, we fail the people who put their faith in us. Failure simply isn’t an option. The risks are too high, the risks are too great, the consequences are too severe, so let us make that choice. Let us today recommit as a United Nations, let us affirm the path of persistence, and no matter how tough the going, let us enter the 80th year of this United Nations with the simple goal in our head and in our hearts. Let us now, more than ever, never give up believing that tomorrow can and must be better than today. Thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta. The Assembly will hear and address by His Excellency Philip Edward Davis, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Philip Edward Davis – Bahamas: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Your Excellencies, I wish to congratulate Ambassador Yang on his accession to the Presidency of the General Assembly for this year coming and give my best wishes to outgoing Ambassador Francis for leading us in the last year. Over the past three years, the Bahamas has been pleading with member states to engage in urgent action in respect of climate change. Along with other small island developing states, we have highlighted our vulnerabilities and our predicament. We have told you what we know, shared our experiences from the front line, described what we are doing to address the various issues, and warned how our yesterdays are becoming your tomorrows. There has been some welcome progress, but it falls far, far short of what is needed. And now, we all have to live with the reality of a climate crisis that has pushed our planet past a critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius for an entire year. At this very moment, the new harsh reality manifests in hurricanes and heat, fire and floods. Member states can somehow quickly find eye-watering sums of money for bullets and bombs, but only rattle small change in their pockets when it comes to financing the costs of loss and damage, repair and recovery so desperately needed. Benjamin Netanyahu, Andrej Plenković, James Marape, Robert Abela, Philip Edwar as a whole world, to work together for the common good. The genocidal crisis of the Second World War gave birth to the United Nations, and ensuring wars of independence and regional conflict means that we have in place the structure for real effective action. And so today, as the Bahamas celebrates 51 years of membership of the United Nations, we offer our service to the international community as we bid for non-permanent membership of the Security Council for the term 2032-2033. We do so because the present crisis of today, the looming crisis of tomorrow, requires even greater degrees of ingenuity, effort, multilateral cooperation, and sacrifice than were needed in the aftermath of the Second World War. We understand well that the Council’s mandate to maintain international peace and security goes far beyond the mere absence of war. But we also know that from where we stand, on the front line of the impact of climate change on humanity, that the mandate to cooperate in solving international problems, now more than ever, requires us to stand up and step forward. We do so to amplify the voices of small island developing states. We do so because the voices of small island developing states are the harbingers of what lies in store for all of us. The Security Council of the future will not be equipped to deal with the biggest crisis of our time without voices like ours at the table. The link between climate change and global security is undeniable. Things are bad now, and they are going to get a lot worse before they get better. Climate considerations must be integrated into all aspects of the Security Council’s work. Because of this, the Bahamas stands ready to advocate and support whatever reforms are needed to help maximize the effectiveness of the work of the Council. Membership for countries like ours was not what the Charter members contemplated when the UN was established. But it is countries like ours which will help the Council with inclusive, truly representative decision-making needed to help address the greatest crisis of our time. Friends, aspirations to lasting global peace and security will remain empty dreams if not supported by economic security. For too long, the global financial system has been skewed against developing nations. It is a cruel irony that industrialized nations who bear the greatest responsibility for the climate crisis often perpetuate another form of injustice in the form of our current global system. We have been instrumental in exposing the hypocrisy of unilateral blacklisting and advocating for a framework that prioritizes fairness and inclusivity. The present system, with its dark rules and uneven playing field, drains resources from developing countries, leaving us to grapple with the consequences. The Bahamas refuses to accept this double standard. We are raising our voice to demand a fairer and more equitable international framework, one where the voices of all countries, regardless of population or GDP, are heard and respected. The Bahamas will continue to be a leading voice in championing this issue for as long as we need to do so, no matter how lonely or how long the journey may take. Even among small island developing states, the Bahamas is uniquely vulnerable. We are not waiting for solutions. We are creating them. We have created a National Youth Guard, empowering our young people to become environmental champions, because we know that future generations will have an enormous burden to shoulder. We are embracing innovation, particularly in the realm of ocean technology, to find solutions to the climate crisis. The Bahamas may be small in size, but we are not short on ambition or ingenuity. We have said it before, but we can never say it often enough. Countries like the Bahamas contribute so little to the problems of the world, and yet we are among the first and greatest affected. Over 40% of my country’s national debt is as a direct result of the impacts of climate change. Locked as we are into an annual cycle of severe hurricanes, repair and rebuild, how can we fulfill the reasonable aspirations of our people for national development? We need to stop thinking of climate change merely as an environmental threat. It is a threat multiplier, exacerbating existing tensions, creating new ones, and undermining the very foundations of global security. If we think we have refugee challenges now, do we really want to wait until millions are forced to cross borders just to survive? As resources become scarcer, as livelihoods are lost, the potential for conflict, for instability, and mass migration becomes inevitable. So we ask you to take note of your own self-interest. Your Excellencies, in our Caribbean region, the Republic of Haiti is facing a multidimensional security crisis. It is born of gang violence and resource scarcity, made worse by massive earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural hazards. In accordance with UNSC Resolution 2966, passed in 2023, and in coordination with the Government of Haiti, Member States are contributing to a multinational security support mission. The Bahamas government is strongly of the view that any mission in Haiti ought to be Haitian-led and aim to build the capacity of the Haitian National Police to counter gangs and improve security conditions. The Bahamas reiterates the importance of continued and sustained financial support from donor countries to ensure that the UN Trust Fund is able to fund the MSSM operations now and in the future. The CARICOM region, in and of itself, cannot do it alone, and so we urge you to take note of this important aspect of the MSSM mission. Looking beyond our region, in 2024, the Bahamas has looked to South-South cooperation to fill the gaps in development support. We continue to be active participants in CARICOM. We value the support of the Convos and the solidarity between Caribbean and Pacific Convos states and look forward to meeting this year in Samoa. We value the deepening relationship between CARICOM and the African Union. We see renewed value in the Group of 77 and the Non-Aligned Movement. Our concerted efforts to collectively focus on climate reparations have resulted in new pathways for climate justice at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and at the International Court of Justice. We remain determined to protect and preserve our climate and our precious biodiversity through the progressive development of international law. COP 29 must be a turning point. It is estimated that by 2050, climate-related damage is projected to rise to an almost unimaginable $38 trillion per year. My friends, in some respects, it is already too late. Where we are is not good enough, but there is still time, time just enough, if we act and act now. Let’s revitalize the stall negotiations on a new collective, quantified goal on climate finance. We cannot afford another year of inaction. Developed nations must step up, not just with words, but with enforceable, concrete commitments that reflect the scale and urgency of the crisis. While global military expenditure soared to an unprecedented $2.4 trillion last year, the Loss and Damage Fund, painstakingly established at COP 28, has secured a mere $800 in pledges. This is a drop in the ocean compared to the trillions needed to address the escalating costs of the negative impacts of climate change. This is not just an issue of funding. It is fundamentally an issue of sustainability and survival. Without it, peace and security mean nothing. The Loss and Damage Fund must be fully operationalized. This is about responsibility, accountability, and building a future where those who have polluted the most contribute the most to cleaning up the mess. The rise in global temperatures of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius this past year has put us in a new reality. But what we must do more than roll the dice. Rare effort, serious action, tangible progress – these are the only paths to sustainable solutions. And the same truths remain. We must prioritize energy solutions around sources of renewable energy, redirecting the vast subsidies given to the We must continue to work to strengthen international cooperation. We need a renewed commitment to collective, multilateral action. But friends, within this global emergency, we also see a glimmer of hope. The 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold cannot be an end point, but a turning point, an opportunity to reject complacency and chart a new course, one grounded in innovation, collaboration, and a resolute commitment to a just and sustainable future. We are not asking for a handout, but for a hand-up. Even the strongest swimmers drown if left alone in a raging sea. I would be remiss if I were to leave this podium without joining my sister, Prime Minister Barbados, in calling and renewing my call for the removal of the blockade in Cuba. It is hurting the people of Cuba. And though it is said that the blockade is against Cuba, it is the people in Cuba who suffer daily. It has not worked. It has been in place now for over 70 years. So why should it still remain? And we call upon all of us here present to seek to persuade those who have the blockade to remove it and move it as soon as possible. Thank you for listening.

Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa – Tanzania: Thank you very much. Your Excellency, Philemon Young, President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. President, on behalf of Her Excellency Dr. Samir Sulu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, I stand before this August Assembly to deliver a message of hope and peace to the people of the world. In doing so, I wish to convey warm and fraternal greetings from the President and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania. Her Excellency Dr. Samir Sulu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, wishes this Assembly every success in its important delegation. I would also like to join the previous speakers in commending you, Mr. President, for the excellent manner you are steering the work for the Assembly. Tanzania endorses and supports the theme chosen for this session, that is, Leaving No One Behind, Acting Together for the Advancement of Peace, Sustainable Development and Human Dignity for Present and Future Generations. This theme aligns well with the United Nations Charter and builds on the efforts of your President, His Excellency Denis Francis, whose remarkable leadership is truly appreciated. Tanzania recognizes and thanks the Secretary General for his great work and the important message. Mr. President, the participation in the 79th General Assembly has been a unique opportunity for us to share perspectives regarding to the pledge and commitment made for addressing global challenges such as pandemics, extreme poverty, climate change, and conflicts. I would like to share some of Tanzania’s perspectives as follows. Sustainable development, Tanzania’s path to inclusive growth. Mr. President, the Sustainable Development Goals are a beacon of hope in addressing global challenges. Tanzania’s journey towards sustainable development reflects that of many nations facing significant challenges for the determined impact of COVID-19 on health and economic systems. Climate change, marked by extreme weather patterns like torrential rain and droughts, has deteriorated health issues and strained infrastructures. We are concerned about the slow pace in attaining these goals, whereas of 2023, only 17% of targets were on track. With over one-third regressing or stalling, urgent action and global solidarity are needed to overcome barriers such as economic imbalances, climate change, conflict, and gender inequality. Mr. President, our commitment toward the realization of SDGs is focused on sustainability economic growth through strategic investment in agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, fisheries, infrastructure development, energy, and the digital economy. The goal is to improve food security, reduce poverty, ensure job creation, and drive inclusive economic growth. There are many success stories in Tanzania emanating from this investment, such as the empowerment of youth through the Building Better Tomorrow agriculture initiatives in mainland Tanzania, and empowerment of local women in Zanzibar through seaweed farming. On the other hand, Tanzania implements policies to ensure access to quality health care and education for all citizens, including the Universal Health Insurance Act and free basic education. The government also invests in vocational training and education to prepare youth for job market and digital economy. Defending Human Dignity, Inclusivity, and Equality Mr. President, for decades, Tanzania’s foreign policy has prioritized respect for human dignity. Addressing this Assembly on 4 December 1961, Mwalimu Julius Kambaragi Nyerere, the then Prime Minister of Tanganyika, stated that the basis of our action, internal and external, will be an attempt to honor the dignity of man. Mr. President, Tanzania has maintained this pledge by leading the fight against colonialism and racism. In this regard, Tanzania hosted the OAU Liberation Committee, supporting freedom fighters in their struggles for independence. Despite gaining political liberation, many countries still face economic sanctions and inhuman conditions, which hinders the achievement of genuine development. Thus, we call for the realization of the right of self-determination of all people under colonial occupation, and the fighting and lifting of economic sanctions. Mr. President, global humanitarian crisis due to war, conflict, and natural disaster requires unrestricted access to humanitarian aid, fair treatment of victims, accountability to atrocities, and the United Nations commitment to uphold human dignity for a peace world. Tanzania believes that every individual deserves to live in dignity, freedom, and security to reach their full potential. The United Nations must not remain indifferent in these solutions, as doing so would only determine its legitimacy. Mr. President, let me talk about peace and security. Security is indivisible. In the face of global health insecurity, characterized by pandemics such as COVID-19 and the current impacts, the saying, no one is safe until everyone is safe, truly gathers meaning. It is imperative that we should invest more in peace, foster unity, and rebuild trust. In this regard, Tanzania welcomes the adoption of General Assembly Resolution 78-312, which proclaimed July 7 as World Kiswahili Language Day. Kiswahili is a language spoken by over 200 million people in all continents of the world. We are the tool for advancing peace, unity, and cultural diversity. While Tanzania and other Kiswahili-speaking countries are looking forward to commemorating this day in 2025 and beyond, we also call on this Assembly to explore the possibility of recognizing Kiswahili as an official language of our esteemed organization, or as this Assembly. Tanzania, East African Community, South African Development Community, and African Union have already led the way to Kiswahili-speaking, and it is again important that we invest more in peace initiatives because there is no development without peace and unity. Your Excellency, Mr. President, in recognition of this requirement, Tanzania has for several decades participated in peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and mediation efforts. Tanzania has and continues to contribute towards world peace through its membership in the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. This contribution is also evident through its leadership in regional arrangements, such as the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and currently the Chair of the Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security of the Southern African Development Community. I wish to reassure this August Assembly that Tanzania’s commitment towards peace will not weaken. Tanzania will continue to diligently disperse the obligations emanating from the culture of the United Nations. Mr. President, let me talk about climate change. Tanzania, like many other developing countries, is highly vulnerable to droughts, floods, desalination, and effects to sea level rise. It is estimated that The sea level will rise by 41 cm by 2080. While the sea level rise cannot be reversed, Tanzania is taking several adoption and mitigation measures, including the restoration and plantation of mangrove, enhancement of coastal infrastructure, and promotion of ecotourism and aquaculture. It is imperative, therefore, that we must invest more in climate finance to help recover economies already suffering from these effects, and to enhance access to funding for loss and damage in the heat countries. Mr. President, about transformation to clean energy, as we prepare for COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, it is worth remembering that globally, an estimated 2.4 billion people are still using polluting fuel for cooking. This contributes to health problems, food insecurity, gender inequality, and environmental damage, including millions of premature deaths, limited access to education and employment for women and children, and increased household gas emissions and deforestation. Achieving universal clean cooking access in Africa by 2030 would require an estimated about 4 billion US dollars annually, a small fraction of global energy spending. Mr. President, in response to this alarming situation, Tanzania is championing a clean cooking agenda, which essentially contributed to several SDGs, including goals number seven, focusing on ensuring access to affordable and sustainable energy for all. Tanzania will host the African Energy Summit in January 2025, which means next year. Co-organized with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, the summit aims to accelerate the implementation of World Bank Group and the African Development Bank. African Bank Group Commitment to provide electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030. We look forward to working together with all partners to unlock energy potential and build a brighter, more resilient future for Africa. Mr. President, Delivering on democracy, in November this year, Tanzania will hold a local government election, followed by the presidential and parliamentary election in October next year. As we prepare for this electoral event, I wish to assure this assembly that democracy, human rights, and the rule of law will be upheld in line with President Samir’s vision as captured in the Four Arras philosophy, namely reconciliation, resilience, reform, and rebuilding. Since the announcement of Four Arras principles in 2021, the government of Tanzania has continued to foster harmony and promote unity across political, religious, and ethnical divides. In implementation of Four Arras, the government has also undertaken several moments of reform that seek to address shortfalls within the criminal justice system, allow the effective political process, and enhance the enjoyment of human rights. Mr. President, reforms are crucial for countries and international organizations to stay relevant for greater inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability, especially in multilateral bodies like the UN Security Council and the Bretton Woods Institution. Tanzania remains committed to rebuilding its economy and society, focusing on inclusivity and empowering its citizens for a stronger future. Mr. President, when I go to conclude my speech, Tanzania argues all the world leaders We are obliged to work together with goals stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations of Sparing Succeeded Generations from the Scourge of War. We must stop war and suffering that causes death and wanton suffering to innocent civilians including women and children. Let us leverage innovation, adopt inclusive policies, and strengthen international cooperation in accelerating the implementation of SDGR. Together let us build partnerships that transcend borders, ensuring no one left behind. Let us undertake the necessary reform to make our multilateral institutions fit for purpose. Let us rebuild, trust, and reconcile our differences. Let us cooperate to build resilience of our institutions and people. We can achieve the future we want if we commit to rebuild and restore what has been damaged by our past actions. As we look to the future, let us honour the commitments made in various international fora. Together, let us embrace this moment with optimism and the shared dedication to inclusivity. Thank you so much for your attention.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania. The Assembly will hear and address by His Excellency Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister and Minister for National Security, Legal Affairs. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Ralph Gonsalves – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Mr. President, Your Excellencies, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a magnificent exemplar of our Caribbean civilization. Despite a quarter-century of analysis, advocacy and prescriptions, set forth by leaders of small island developing states and international institutions charged with advancing the interests of CIDs, our travails are enduring in a global community largely disinterested in our well-being and that of small states generally. Caribbean CIDs remain unequally yoked in a global community motivated by the baser instincts of the untrammeled power of money, ideology, guns, lethal weapons, territorial and global dominance. To be sure, the CIDs have made incremental advances in the global community and in the architecture of international relations. Nevertheless, for us in CIDs, it has been a situation akin to going up a dung escalator, in which the dung escalator is moving at a faster pace. than the upward baby steps. Frequently, it appears as though much of the powerful would wish the seeds not to exist. But here we are, stubborn as the heavens. We’re not going anywhere, despite our massive vulnerabilities. Our people have a permanence in this world. Even if some of our lands wash away, we have a voice and we will continue to use it. We demand, as of right, a special support from the international community to address efficaciously the unique social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities of seeds in the interests of the nearly 70 million people who permanently occupy the seascape and landscape of the seeds. And in the interest, too, of all the other 8 billion or so persons who inhabit Mother Earth. Small island exceptionalism ought to be a category embedded formally in international law and accorded most favorable treatment. Rather than securing a most favorable treatment, the seeds are required to fight to maintain the special considerations which providence or serendipity has bestowed upon them. A case in point is the attempt currently by the International Development Association to pit the most vulnerable, the seeds, against the poorest countries in its quest to tighten the terms under which qualifying seeds of a particular income level, such as St. Vincent and the Grenadines, obtain soft loans through the World Bank. Ida Nexus. In any event, why is the World Bank persisting with the single anachronistic and ill-designed metric of average per capita income in respect of vulnerable SIDS in the age of the Anthropocene, as against a more comprehensive and sensible measure of a multidimensional vulnerability index? Your Excellencies, the unvarnished truth is that the developed countries have not kept their promises to the SIDS, except the most marginal ones. Importantly, the countries of the developed world, the major historic and contemporary emitters of greenhouse gases, have failed and or refused to keep their solemn commitments of restricting the global temperature at below 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Unless there are drastic alterations in the patterns of consumption, production, life and living in developed and large emerging economies, our planet is inexorably on a path to a proverbial hell in a handbasket. In the process, countries of an island or seaboard civilization are likely to be inundated by raging seas and enveloped in searing heat. On the matter of the financing of climate change, the developed countries which have the means and the major historic responsibility to contain this existential threat have been parsimonious and less than responsible in practice. Even today, the cynicism and doublespeak of The role of several major developed countries is breathtaking in response to the quest of most of the global community to transform the international financial institutions as fit for purpose in today’s world, and for responsible, reasonable alterations in the actual modalities of climate financing. High representatives of most of these developed countries, Philip’s service in general to the innovative proposals, the Bridgestone III proposals endorsed by the Caribbean community, only to nitpick and delay, in the particular, on the progressive essentials. Brazenly, when these developed countries make a marginal concession, they trumpet it as a major advance so as to send the proverbial fool a little further. The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS, adopted earlier this year, encompass an action-oriented framework for the way forward. The recently adopted Pact for the Future by the United Nations General Assembly provides a wider and promising buttress. In our advocacy for the 39 SIDS, we embrace, too, the cause of the least developed countries and the landlocked developing countries, all 92 vulnerable countries in the United Nations system. Your Excellencies, growing material dissatisfaction grips increasingly large numbers of people in both the metropoles and the hinterlands in this highly interconnected world. Unnoticeably, the ceremony of innocence is drowned, things are falling apart, the centres cannot hold, and the cascading effects are ripping the world apart. Osunda. The best of all lack conviction, and the worst are full of passionate intensity. Creative resistance and reconstruction are the banners under which ordinary men and women across the globe are draping themselves. Sadly, in the North Atlantic countries, there is a growing and dangerous constituency for an illiberal, even a neo-fascist option of looking forward to an illusory past in search of making again their countries unalloyed mythical paradises of unrivaled dominance. They are looking forward to a past that never was. At the same time, even a modest, middling social democracy is on the retreat because this old political shell of the post-1945 global order can barely contain the erupting contradictions within and outside it. A search for new modalities is emerging, but not yet fully formed, in part because the old order is unprepared to relinquish, cede, or share power, even as it realizes that it cannot continue to rule in the old way. But the new is yet to be born, and the forces of change lack a sufficiency of strength to deliver satisfactory alterations. Your Excellencies, the war in Ukraine, the genocide in Gaza, the conflicts in the Yemen, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the threats across the Taiwan Strait, and empire’s designs on revolutionary Cuba and Venezuela, the violence and more in Haiti, and such-like disruptions of the peace globally, all have specific origins and and others. But they are all reflective, too, of a failure of multilateralism, a hamstrung United Nations framework and a derogation from the fundamental precepts of the Charter of the United Nations. Large powerful nations, singly or in allied combinations, have a propensity to seek dominance. In this milieu, opportunistic or servile alliances emerge, or persist, as the particular circumstances admit. It all degenerates into emanation politics of the madhouse, hypocrisy, disinformation and folly reign supreme. Your Excellencies, In this context arises the trope of the neoliberal global order that the principal contradiction in today’s global political economy is between democracy and autocracy. Still, all the self-serving shibboleths and gloss of this fictional construct will not wash away the unrepentant sins of the past or the cruel impositions of the present. The blinding truth is that the central contradiction in today’s political economy is not between democracy and autocracy. The main contradiction has been, and still is today, that which resolves around the fundamental material questions of who gets what, when, where and how. It is centrally about the struggle or competition for ownership, control and distribution of material resources, which constitute the basis for regional or global hegemony. Everywhere, more and more, the poor, the hungry, the poor, the poor, the poor, the poor, the marginalized, the disadvantaged, are clamoring and organizing for a different and better future. Not an unacceptable past, not a present without possibilities of upliftment, but for a future beyond unbounded elements. Your Excellencies, sadly, in our region we have been experiencing the lived reality that the imperial ghost of Monroe still stalks the marbled halls of the citadels of a neighboring great country of extraordinary possibilities to the detriment of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. No country in our hemisphere can reasonably be considered a security or other threat to this great nation. Yet St. Vincent and the Grenadines and other Caribbean countries have been damaged collaterally and directly in significant material ways by the weaponizing of the financial system and the unjust unilateral coercive sanctions against Venezuela and Cuba which are in breach of international law. I am pleading with our friends for an amicable reset of these troubled relations in the interest of peace, mutual respect, justice and prosperity. The international community continues overwhelmingly and rightly to demand the end of the unilateral sanctions, the embargoes and unfair declarations about state sponsorship of terrorism and more made against Cuba. Your Excellencies, on July the 1st, 2024, the category 4 hurricane barrel battered St. Vincent and Grenadines, Grenada and Jamaica. Since the dawn of the 21st century, this is the 12th significant natural disaster to have struck my country. Hurricane Beryl has adversely affected one-fifth of our population and has caused economic damage amounting to one-third of our country’s gross domestic product. The relief, recovery, and reconstruction processes are underway on behalf of the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I thank all countries and organizations, including the United Nations, that have come to our aid in the aftermath of the hurricane. Unfortunately, for the recovery and rebuilding processes, we are essentially on our own. We have had to seek significant loans to rebuild our physical infrastructure and 5,000 houses, to provide income support for affected persons, and to mobilize production support for the agricultural, fishing, and tourism industries. I am appealing to the international community to assist us not with further burdensome loans but with requisite grants. The recovery and reconstruction after every natural disaster increased sharply our debt burden. Countries like ours have contributed little or nothing to global warming and man-made climate change, yet we suffer largely alone on the front lines. This cannot be fair. It cannot be just. Do we have to choose death or debt? D-E-A-T-H or D-E-B-T? Which one do we have to choose? Your Excellencies, the Caribbean Community, the African Union, the Community of States of Latin America and the Caribbean, their diasporas, and all fair-minded persons globally have been insisting that the European nations This issue of transformative reparative justice will not go away until it is appropriately addressed. Your Excellencies, The suffering and pain of the Haitian people continue to weigh heavily on the consciences of our Caribbean. Through the efforts of the Haitian people, in tandem with the regional and international communities, especially CARICOM, the USA, Canada, and Kenya, a measure of progress has been made on some fronts, but immense challenges remain in the humanitarian, security, political, and economic spheres. The building of a free, democratic, peaceful, and prosperous Haiti demands commitment and concerted action from all the relevant stakeholders in pursuance of solutions devised by Haitians and led by Haitians. Haiti fatigue is not an option for the international community. Your Excellencies, In our Caribbean, there is a growing challenge of violent crime involving the combustible mix of imported guns and bullets, illegally exported marijuana, and the trafficking of cocaine from South America. It is evident that this challenge demands much closer cooperation, operationally, between all the countries concerned in the Caribbean, North America, South America, and Europe. In the Middle East, the collective punishment meted against the Palestinians in Gaza and the continued illegal occupation of Palestinian lands, including in the West Bank, amidst a company in state terror by an Israeli regime, in total defiance of international law, is utterly unacceptable. Surely, despite the complexities of the problems that This United Nations, especially the Security Council, ought to summon the courage and will to stop the carnage and facilitate a lasting peace and security. Your Excellencies, In the Far East, the prospect of a disruption of the tenuous peace across the Taiwan Strait is alarming. The quest for hegemony and the denial of a people’s inalienable right to self-determination are wrong in the East as it is in the West. Bullying is objectionable in the West as it is in the East. Unilateral coercive action by a big power in the East is contrary to international law as it is surely in the West. St. Vincent of the Grenadines continues to urge that Taiwan be allowed to participate fully in the specialized agencies of the United Nations, including those pertaining to health, air and sea transport, climate change, disaster preparedness and global policy. Your Excellencies, It appears that there have been recently some positive movements in the long quest to effect a judicious and just reform of the United Nations Security Council. It is evident to all reasonable persons that reform of this body is long overdue. As the chair of the L69 Group, St. Vincent and the Grenadines will continue its advocacy for an inclusive, more comfortably effective representative and relevant Security Council. Excellencies, We know that a better world is possible. On the United Nations rests our hopes for a better world for peace, justice, security and prosperity. Let us also act in accord with our responsibilities, obligations and means. Please. Let us not desecrate our future. Thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister and Minister for National Security, Legal Affairs, and Information of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Russell Mmiso Dlamini, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly.

Russell Mmiso Dlamini – Eswatini: Your Excellency, Mr. Philmon Yen, President of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Your Majesties, Distinguished Heads of State and Government, the United Nations Secretary General, Honorable Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. President, it is with profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility that I stand before you today at this pivotal gathering of the 79th United Nations General Assembly. I bring you the warmest greetings from His Majesty King Swati III, the Queen Mother, the Government, and the people of the Kingdom of Eswatini. We are convened here not merely as… as representatives of our nations, but as stewards of a shared global community, united in our commitment to peace, security, and sustainable development. As we gather under the theme, Leaving No One Behind, acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations, we are reminded of our shared duty to create a world where every individual has the opportunity to thrive. Our obligation is to leave this planet in a better place for our posterity. The Kingdom of Eswatini joins this global assemble with unwavering dedication to the principles of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity. We recognize that the challenges we face today, marked by unprecedented crises, are deeply interconnected. It is only through collective action, innovation, and a firm commitment to multilateralism that we can forge a path towards a more just and equitable world. We commend the Secretary General for convening the recently concluded Summit of the Future, which has provided a unique opportunity to reinvigorate multilateralism, enhance global solidarity, and reform our international governance structures. Eswatini fully supports the Summit and its outcomes, as they resonate with our belief in a fairer and a more inclusive world. Since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, there are concerns that it no longer addresses adequately the issues faced by the global community. There is a need to reconsider the operations of multilateral institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank. and particularly the Security Council. The Kingdom of Eswatini stands by its efforts to call for reforms in the United Nations. In 2005, the Kingdom of Eswatini hosted the African Union meeting that resulted in the Ezulwini Consensus, which articulated Africa’s common position on the reform of the United Nations, including the call for greater African representation on the Security Council. While it has taken nearly two decades for this conversation to advance, Eswatini is proud of her early role in championing this cause. We urge the global community to implement this long-standing commitment and ensure that all regions and peoples have a voice in shaping our collective future. Mr. President, in Eswatini, we have embraced the spirit of Nkwe, which means run. This national ethos symbolizes our collective resolve to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It is a call for urgent action, for picking up the pace, and for ensuring that every effort is made to meet the needs of our people and our planet. With only a few years left until 2030, time is not on our side. We must double our efforts to bridge the gaps in development, combat poverty and inequality, and address the climate crisis. Nkwe is our rallying cry to run faster, to work harder, and to leave no one behind. We invite the global community to join us in this accelerated drive towards a better future for all. Africa is the youngest continent in the world, brimming with potential and prosperity. The Kingdom of Eswatini is committed to harnessing this demographic dividend by investing in our youth. Our Youth Empowerment Program, supported by government, the United Nations in Eswatini and other friends of the Kingdom, aims to equip young people with the skills and resources they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. We believe that by creating opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship, we are laying the foundation for a more prosperous and inclusive society. Addressing youth unemployment and providing our young people with meaningful opportunities is not just an economic imperative, but a moral one. We must act now to ensure that our youth can participate fully in building the Africa we want, an Africa of peace, prosperity and dignity. Poverty remains one of the greatest challenges facing our continent. In Eswatini, we are committed to eradicating poverty through inclusive growth and robust social protection programs. We have prioritized policies that provide safety nets for the most vulnerable in our society, including women, children and persons with disabilities. We urge the international community to support these efforts by promoting fair trade, increasing development assistance and fostering partnerships that create jobs and uplift communities. Let us work together to build a world where no one lives in poverty and every person can achieve their full potential. Mr. President, sustainable development is not a choice, but a necessity for the survival and prosperity of our planet. The Kingdom of Eswatini. and others. We have made significant strides in promoting poverty eradication, renewable energy, the protection of our natural resources, and ensuring equitable access to education and health care for Emaasuat. Our National Development Strategy aligns with global development goals focusing on economic diversification, poverty reduction, and human capital development. We have taken significant steps to promote renewable energy through investments in solar, wind and hydropower projects, such as the Swatini Electricity Company’s initiative to increase the share of renewable energy in the national grid. These efforts are complemented by our progress in providing access to quality education through the Free Primary Education Program and improving health care services, as outlined in our National Health Strategic Plan. However, as a small, middle-income country, we face unique challenges, including limited access to international financing, vulnerability to climate change, and economic shocks. We call on the international community to support the developmental aspirations of countries like Swatini, ensuring that our path towards sustainable development is not hindered by structural inequalities in the global system. In response to these challenges, Swatini has put forth a comprehensive SDG recovery and acceleration plan, valued at about $1.6 billion, covering diverse areas, including digital transformation, renewable energy, agriculture. Industrial Expansion and Social Protection. This plan prioritizes implementation over the development of new frameworks, emphasizing sectors such as group job creation, specifically under SDG 8, target 8.5, which focuses on creating jobs across industries as a multiplier for achieving other SDGs. By investing in employment opportunities, we believe we can address multiple dimensions of development, including reducing food insecurity, enhancing access to essential services, and minimizing social ills such as crime and substance abuse. Mr. President, the implementation of SDGs requires substantial financial resources. However, many developing countries, including those in Africa, face significant barriers to accessing affordable finance. The current global financial architecture is not fit for purpose and must be reformed to make the financing more accessible and equitable. We call for the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Plan, which emphasizes the need for innovative financing mechanisms and global solidarity. We also urge the international community to support the reform of global financial mechanisms that have seen developing countries pay much higher costs than developed nations to access the much needed funds. This unfair practice must come to an end. The summit of the future provides a critical opportunity to address these disparities and ensure that all nations have the means to achieve their development goals. Mr. President, peace is the foundation upon The Kingdom of Eswatini, guided by its longstanding tradition of peaceful coexistence, continues to advocate for dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts. We condemn all forms of violence and support efforts aimed at silencing the guns across the world, particularly in Africa. We call upon the international community to support the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the African Union Master Road Map for silencing the guns. It is imperative that we are not to leave anyone behind. We must address the root causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunity which drive instability and undermine development efforts. Health is a fundamental pillar of sustainable development, and its challenges are multidimensional, impacting not just individual well-being but also national productivity and social stability. The Kingdom of Eswatini recognizes that achieving universal health coverage is integral to the broader agenda of leaving no one behind. Despite our efforts to improve health care access through initiatives such as the National Health Strategic Plan and investment in health infrastructure, Eswatini, like many other countries, continues to grapple with significant health challenges. These include a high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, inadequate health financing, and the complexities of delivering equitable health care in rural and remote areas. Furthermore, the The ongoing threat of pandemics, such as COVID-19, and emerging health threats, such as the Mpox exacerbated by climate change, underscore the need for adequate preparedness and a resilient health system. We call upon the international community to support collaborative efforts in strengthening health systems, enhancing disease surveillance, improving access to essential medicines, and building capacity for rapid response to health emergencies. Only through such global solidarity and shared commitment can we ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages, as enshrined in SDG 3. Mr. President, climate change poses an existential threat to our future. In Eswatini, we have taken decisive steps to address this crisis. We have developed a comprehensive strategy to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, investing in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and disaster risk reduction. We are also proud to announce that Eswatini has recently adopted a ban on single-use plastics. This decision, supported by UNDP and the Eswatini Environment Agency through initiatives like Pasasakonawe, is part of our broader commitment to environmental sustainability. However, our efforts alone are not enough. We call upon developed nations to honour their commitment to climate finance and technology transfer. It is only through collective action that we can ensure a sustainable future for all. The theme of this year’s UN General Assembly is Leaving No One Behind. together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations. Ironically, Taiwan and its 23.5 million people continue to be loved by the United Nations and its specialized agencies. We wish to make a call for their inclusion. They need to be part of this global platform so that they can also fully participate in global development and growth of our goals. Mr. President, the road ahead is fraught with challenges, but it is also filled with hope and opportunity. Let us seize this moment to reaffirm our commitment to the ideals of the United Nations and to the vision of a world where peace, sustainable development, and human dignity are realities for all. The Kingdom of Eswatini stands ready to work with all nations in this noble endeavor. May we all embrace the spirit of Nkwe and let us run together with accelerated speed towards our shared goals and ensure that no one is left behind. I thank you.

President: On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini. The Assembly will hear an address by Her Excellency Robinah Nabbanja, Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament of the Republic of Uganda. I request protocol to escort Her Excellency and invite her to address the Assembly.

Robinah Nabbanja – Uganda: Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you warm greetings. From His Excellency, Yoweri Museveni , the President of the Republic of Uganda and the people of Uganda. I congratulate His Excellency Mr. Philemon Yang on his election as President of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, and I assure him of Uganda’s full support. I commend His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis, former President, to the General Assembly for his stewardship of the 78th Session of the General Assembly, and equally pay tribute to the Secretary General, His Excellency Antonio Guterres, for his commitment to the work of the United Nations. Mr. President, in the face of the current global shocks occasioned by multiple human, natural, ecological, sociological and financial crises, we can all agree that the world is not in a good place. Today, the negative consequences of disunity have given rise to conflicts, global instability, interstate rivalry, and has worsened the already existing problems of poverty, hunger and disease in many parts of the world. There is therefore a need to recommit ourselves to a common identity of shared humanity in the modern global village. As people of the United Nations, we should live by the Charter of the United Nations. We are a united nation with a sincere determination to save future generations from the scourge of war. We should fully commit ourselves to upholding the dignity and worth of the human person for peaceful coexistence and tolerance regardless of our differences in values, cultures, race, ideologies and religions without political, military threats or dominion by war. Your Excellencies, we must resolve our political commitment for the full implementation of the globally agreed frameworks for the promotion of socio-economic development and advancement of all people. In this regard, Your Excellency, urgent action is required to address global inequalities with regard to poverty, hunger and disease which continue to affect disproportionately the poorest and most vulnerable. Therefore, this is the time to ask the following questions. Why have we failed to forge stronger international cooperation in response to collective global challenges? The second question is, why is it that, in spite of the multiple global commitments derived through conceptually formulated solutions, decisions and commitments, do all these remain unimplemented? This year’s General Assembly, unlike others, should seek to answer these questions. Mr. President, we are all aware that most conflict drivers begin as unresolved local or regional tensions or problems which become increasingly complex, sometimes involving multiple actors. Regional conflicts must be addressed comprehensively beyond security with the need for broad and strong political commitments by the regional governments. Uganda believes in the peaceful resolution of conflicts wherever they occur. We are at the forefront of promoting regional peace, security and stability necessary for economic development. In this respect, Uganda encourages international partners to support local and regional-led initiatives or solutions for building peace and stability as prerequisites for sustained and inclusive economic growth and development in our countries and regions. We call on the increased collaboration by the international community to eliminate or reduce the incidence of conflicts caused by factors such as inequality, climate change, pandemics, new technologies, transitional organised crime and terrorism. Uganda believes that the benefits of this world must be shared with all humanity and detests all forms of exclusion by the relatively few wealthiest nations. We reject the increasing competition and confrontation between major powers which undermines the collective international responses to security, peace and stability. Stability and Socioeconomic Development. Your Excellencies, Uganda reiterates its call for the urgent and comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council for Africa to be represented in both permanent and non-permanent categories as a special case in order to address the historical injustice, and the urgent imperative to address it fully supports the common African position on this matter. The African Union Committee of 10 Heads of State, under the leadership of the Republic of Sierra Leone, has been pursuing the mandate to promote, advocate, and canvas for support of the common African position on the reform of the United Nations Security Council as stipulated in the Azurwilni Concessus and the City and City Declaration. The position is that Africa should have two permanent seats with a veto, if others have it, and two additional non-permanent seats on the Security Council. The Committee of 10, since 2005, has been driven with the hope and conviction of solving equality in representation and participation in inter-governmental negotiations for the reform of the UN Security Council to make it more responsive to the current circumstances to achieve a future of shared goals for humanity. The core aspiration is for Africa for Africa to get representation in the United Nations Security Council as equal partners and make a contribution to maternal systems that should become inclusive, equitable, and work for international peace and security of all without paralysis or succumbing to parachial interests of major powers. Mr. President, we demand for the right to development as equal members of the international community without any preconditions and politicization for greater human dignity, freedom, and socio-economic injustice. We call for fair access to means of production, technology, and capital for the socio-economic transformation of our economies in line with our national legal frameworks and development plans. Uganda believes that the perpetual preservation of poverty and inequalities in developing countries undermines the fundamental human rights, in particular the rights of the marginalized and the poor, and remains a threat to international peace and security, which should no longer be overlooked. Uganda, as a chair of the Non-Allied Movement, will work with countries of the Non-Allied Movement as well as other countries on intergovernmental processes that shall lead to the adoption of the UN Convention on the Right to Development. Mr. President, financing remains one of the priorities of the Non-Allied Movement. the greatest challenges that undermine the efforts of developing countries to fully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achievement of its 17 Sustainable Goals. Borrowing is critical for financing investments in sustainable development. The European date is an important tool for financing sustainable development, enabling low-income countries to invest in infrastructure, health, education and other critical areas. We emphasize that loans to low-income developing countries should be concessional and at zero interest rate. This will enable our countries to finance productive investments, including building infrastructure to improve connectivity, make debt sustainable in the long run and spur economic growth, which will in turn help to improve domestic tax correction and raise revenues. Uganda, like other developing countries, faces constraints of domestic resource mobilization due to limited tax base. We call for strengthening of the international cooperation in tax matters to ensure that it is effective and inclusive by making multinational corporations pay taxes in countries of their operations, including collecting revenue generated by e-commerce in cross-border transactions. Mr. President, we fully support the ongoing discussions on adoption of the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. We also call for the strengthening of international cooperation in the prevention of and combating illicit financial flows, with a view of ensuring that all illicit funds, all resources, including assets, are returned to their countries of origin. Furthermore, Uganda calls for the urgent reform of the international financial architecture, including the international financial institutions and their rules, to ensure equitable representation of developing countries in international economic governance decision-making that affects the trajectory of their national development. Your Excellencies, Uganda identified four key sectors of wealth and job creation in line with its national development plan, and that includes agro-processing, industrialization, services, information and communication technologies, digitalization and skills development to support our socio-economic transformation. There is no doubt that affordable energy and access to affordable, high-quality internet connectivity is vital to catalyze their full implementation in order to realize inclusive development outcomes and benefits for our people. We need to strengthen deeper collaboration with the Global South, with the support of our partners in the North, to unlock shared prosperity by building the necessary infrastructure and connectivity to increase… to increase productive capacity for rapid growth, economic take-off and sustainable development. In this regard, Uganda calls on the international community to support the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Furthermore, Uganda calls on the international community to support its path to sustainable development. We encourage foreign individuals and companies to invest in the country. We welcome inflows of money, technology, knowledge, skills and expertise as major sources of non-debt financial resources for economic development of our country. Your Excellencies, Uganda also calls for collaboration by the international community in medical research for global health to develop vaccines and treatments to combat diseases like Ebola, COVID-19, monkeypox, and improving health care capability in low-income countries, particularly in Africa. Uganda advocates for mutually beneficial trade and investment. We encourage that in pursuing sustainable development, foreign direct investment should be geared to adding value by processing raw materials inside our country where raw materials are produced and export high-value products. This will create jobs, generate high incomes and increase taxable revenues. We call on multinational companies to desist. from Purchasing Raw Materials and On Reselling Processed Products for Consumption in Developing Countries. We equally call on developed economies and multinational companies that buy raw materials to process them and add value in their countries should take measures to institute policies that allow sharing the profits they generate in the value chain with the low income raw material producing countries where it is sourced for shared prosperity. Mr. President, climate change remains one of the greatest challenges to the pursuit of sustainable development. Uganda calls on developed countries to provide the necessary financial, technical, as well as capacity building to support developing countries to effectively address climate change. We demand for climate justice, recognising that richer countries have historically profited from high emission activities for the development of their economies and bear a great obligation to lead in mitigating these impacts. Therefore, high income countries should reduce their emissions and equally support developing countries in their gradual transition to low emission development pathways without using the environment as a political and economic tool to block or slow down their development. We emphasize that climate finance should be additional to official development assistance. Mr. President, developing countries face great challenges, including the increase in unilateral political, economic and trade actions, oil policies and the weakening of multilateralism, which are frequent violations of the principles established in the UN Charter, international law and the purposes of the United Nations. We consider that it is urgent to stop these actions that threaten the economic and social development of the countries that are subject to them and consequently prevent them from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Uganda reiterates its call to put an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on these sister nations under sanctions, which is a major impediment to sustainable development. Uganda also reiterates its firm rejection to the imposition of laws and legislations with extraterritorial impact and all other forms of cohesive measures, including unilateral sanctions against developing countries, and reiterates the urgent need to eliminate them immediately. Mr. President, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Uganda took over the chairmanship of both the Group of 77 and China and the Non-Allied Movement in January 2024. I take this opportunity on behalf of His Excellency, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda, to thank all member states of the group and the movement for their confidence in ensuring Uganda is in the capacity of chair. We commend the Africa Group for endorsing our candidature for the chairmanship of both organizations. This year, I mean this year 2024, has been a crucial year with various inter-governmental processes at the United Nations on issues that are of paramount importance to both the group and the movement. And these include Inter-Area First International Conference on the Small Islands Developing States, the third UN Conference on the Landlocked Developing Countries, the Summit of the Future, the preparations for the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference, I mean COP29, all of which demand that we remain even more united and steadfast in promoting the interests of developing countries. Uganda therefore commends the members of both groups for keeping united in solidarity as we pursue the issues of our common interests. In conclusion, Mr. President, Uganda will continue with this stewardship, working together in solidarity to achieve a revitalized multilateral system which is capable of adequately addressing current and emerging global challenges. We firmly believe that multilateralism remains a fundamental and crucial mechanism for addressing our common challenges, namely 1. Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2. Scaling up action to address climate change and biodiversity loss 3. Strengthening international tax cooperation 4. Availing adequate concession of financing for development 5. The fight against illicit financial flows and enhancing global collaboration in digital and artificial technologies to maximize the benefit to society and minimize harm, among others Thank you for God and my country.

President: The meeting is adjourned.

Agreement Points

Need for urgent climate action and financing

Speakers

Mia Amor Mottley – Barbados

James Marape – Papua New Guinea

Philip Edward Davis – Bahamas

Russell Mmiso Dlamini – Eswatini

Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas – Vanuatu

Arguments

Need for urgent climate action and financing

Commitment to forest conservation and biodiversity protection

Call for climate justice and support for developing countries

Adoption of renewable energy and sustainable practices

Impact of climate change on small island nations

Summary

Multiple speakers emphasized the urgent need for climate action, increased climate financing, and support for developing countries in addressing climate change impacts.

Reform of international financial institutions

Speakers

Mia Amor Mottley – Barbados

Russell Mmiso Dlamini – Eswatini

Robinah Nabbanja – Uganda

Muhammad Yunus – Bangladesh

Arguments

Reform of international financial institutions needed

Call for debt relief and concessional financing

Need for fair access to development financing

Call for inclusive global governance

Summary

Several speakers called for reform of international financial institutions to better address the needs of developing countries and ensure more equitable access to financing.

UN Security Council reform

Speakers

Tshering Tobgay -Bhutan

Robinah Nabbanja – Uganda

Muhammad Yunus – Bangladesh

Arguments

Support for UN reform efforts

Need for equitable representation in UN bodies

Call for reform of UN Security Council

Summary

Multiple speakers advocated for reform of the UN Security Council to ensure more equitable representation and effectiveness in addressing global challenges.

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers emphasized the importance of investing in human capital, particularly through education and healthcare, as crucial for sustainable development.

Speakers

James Marape – Papua New Guinea

Russell Mmiso Dlamini – Eswatini

Arguments

Focus on youth empowerment and education

Need for universal health coverage

These speakers highlighted the importance of peaceful conflict resolution and international cooperation in maintaining regional and global peace and security.

Speakers

Dorin Recean – Moldova

Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif – Pakistan

Ralph Gonsalves – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Arguments

Need for peaceful resolution of conflicts

Support for UN peacekeeping efforts

Importance of regional stability initiatives

Unexpected Consensus

Digital transformation for sustainable development

Speakers

James Marape – Papua New Guinea

Robert Abela – Malta

Arguments

Focus on youth empowerment and education

Importance of digital transformation

Explanation

Despite representing countries at different levels of development, both leaders emphasized the importance of digital transformation and education in emerging technologies for sustainable development.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement among speakers included the urgent need for climate action and financing, reform of international financial institutions, and UN Security Council reform. There was also broad consensus on the importance of peaceful conflict resolution and investment in human capital for sustainable development.

Consensus level

There was a moderate to high level of consensus among speakers on key global challenges, particularly climate change and the need for more equitable global governance structures. This consensus suggests potential for increased international cooperation on these issues, but also highlights the ongoing challenges in implementing effective solutions.

Disagreement Points

Approach to climate change financing

Speakers

Mia Amor Mottley – Barbados

James Marape – Papua New Guinea

Arguments

Need for urgent climate action and financing

Commitment to forest conservation and biodiversity protection

Summary

While both speakers emphasize the importance of addressing climate change, they differ in their approaches. Mottley calls for urgent global action and increased climate financing, while Marape focuses on the role of forest conservation and biodiversity protection in Papua New Guinea.

UN Security Council reform

Speakers

Tshering Tobgay -Bhutan

Muhammad Yunus – Bangladesh

Robinah Nabbanja – Uganda

Arguments

Support for UN reform efforts

Call for reform of UN Security Council

Need for equitable representation in UN bodies

Summary

While all speakers support UN reform, they emphasize different aspects. Tobgay expresses general support for reform, Yunus calls for comprehensive Security Council reform, and Nabbanja specifically advocates for more equitable representation of developing countries.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of disagreement revolve around approaches to climate change, UN reform, and development financing. While there is general agreement on the importance of these issues, speakers differ in their specific priorities and proposed solutions.

Disagreement level

The level of disagreement among the speakers is moderate. While there are differences in approach and emphasis, there is broad consensus on the major challenges facing the international community. These disagreements reflect the diverse needs and perspectives of different countries, particularly between developed and developing nations, and may complicate efforts to reach unified global solutions.

Partial Agreements

All speakers agree on the urgent need to address climate change, but they propose different solutions. Davis calls for climate justice and support for developing countries, Tabimasmas emphasizes the specific impacts on small island nations, while Dlamini focuses on adopting renewable energy and sustainable practices.

Speakers

Philip Edward Davis – Bahamas

Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas – Vanuatu

Russell Mmiso Dlamini – Eswatini

Arguments

Call for climate justice and support for developing countries

Impact of climate change on small island nations

Adoption of renewable energy and sustainable practices

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers emphasized the importance of investing in human capital, particularly through education and healthcare, as crucial for sustainable development.

Speakers

James Marape – Papua New Guinea

Russell Mmiso Dlamini – Eswatini

Arguments

Focus on youth empowerment and education

Need for universal health coverage

These speakers highlighted the importance of peaceful conflict resolution and international cooperation in maintaining regional and global peace and security.

Speakers

Dorin Recean – Moldova

Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif – Pakistan

Ralph Gonsalves – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Arguments

Need for peaceful resolution of conflicts

Support for UN peacekeeping efforts

Importance of regional stability initiatives

Key Takeaways

Urgent action is needed on climate change, especially to support vulnerable developing countries and small island nations

Reform of the global financial system and international institutions is necessary to address economic inequality

Peaceful resolution of conflicts and strengthening of multilateralism are critical for global stability

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires renewed commitment and support, particularly for developing countries

UN reform, including Security Council reform, is needed to ensure more equitable global representation

Resolutions and Action Items

Implement the Pact for the Future adopted at the Summit of the Future

Operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund for climate change impacts

Support the African Continental Free Trade Area

Advance UN Security Council reform efforts

Strengthen international cooperation on tax matters and combating illicit financial flows

Unresolved Issues

Specific mechanisms for reforming international financial institutions

Details of climate financing commitments from developed countries

Concrete steps for achieving peace in ongoing conflicts like Gaza and Ukraine

Pathway for accelerating progress on SDGs given current challenges

Agreement on the exact nature of UN Security Council reforms

Suggested Compromises

Gradual and predictable phasing out of support for graduating Least Developed Countries

Balancing climate action with development needs of poorer countries

Finding common ground between developed and developing nations on financial reforms

Inclusive approaches to peace processes involving all stakeholders

Incremental reforms to the UN system while working towards more comprehensive changes

We cannot afford the distraction of war. If ever there was a time to pause and to reset, it is now. Collectively, as an international community, and individually, as leaders in each of our countries, we must now deliver new opportunities and solutions to these crises which dampen economic growth, which restrict the ambitions of our people and numb our sense of the beauty and goodness that the world ought to be offering, because it has it to offer.

Speaker

Mia Amor Mottley – Barbados

Reason

This comment powerfully frames the need for global cooperation and reorienting priorities away from conflict, setting the tone for much of the subsequent discussion.

Impact

It shifted the conversation towards the need for collective action on global challenges like climate change and economic inequality, rather than focusing on individual national interests.

The world is overarmed and peace is underfunded.

Speaker

Andrej Plenkovic – Croatia

Reason

This succinct statement captures a key imbalance in global priorities and resource allocation.

Impact

It reinforced calls from other speakers for increased investment in peace-building and development rather than military spending.

We see this moral confusion when Israel is falsely accused of genocide, when we defend ourselves against enemies who try to commit genocide against us.

Speaker

Benjamin Netanyahu – Israel

Reason

This controversial statement highlights the deeply polarized perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Impact

It sparked strong reactions from other speakers and shifted part of the discussion to focus more directly on the situation in Gaza and calls for a ceasefire.

The climate risks are faced far deeper by our small farmers and artisanal livelihood holders. As I speak, over 5 million people witnessed a most devastating flood in their living memory in eastern Bangladesh.

Speaker

Muhammad Yunus – Bangladesh

Reason

This comment grounds the abstract discussion of climate change in concrete human impacts.

Impact

It helped refocus the conversation on the disproportionate effects of climate change on developing nations and vulnerable populations.

Let us adopt a little bit of overview effect to see the world through the eyes of the astronauts. They see the planet from humanity perspective, one planet, one people, one humanity.

Speaker

James Marape – Papua New Guinea

Reason

This metaphor provides a powerful perspective shift on global unity and shared challenges.

Impact

It encouraged subsequent speakers to frame issues more in terms of collective global interests rather than narrow national concerns.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by repeatedly emphasizing themes of global interconnectedness, the need for collective action on climate change and development, and the importance of prioritizing peace and cooperation over conflict. They helped steer the conversation away from individual national grievances towards a more holistic view of shared global challenges and responsibilities. The comments also highlighted the disproportionate impacts of global issues on developing nations and vulnerable populations, bringing greater nuance and urgency to the discussion of topics like climate change and economic inequality.

How can the UN Security Council be reformed to make it more representative and effective?

Speaker

Andrej Plenkovic – Croatia

Explanation

This is important to address the changing geopolitical landscape and ensure fair representation of all regions in global decision-making.

What steps can be taken to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund for climate change impacts?

Speaker

Philip Edward Davis – Bahamas

Explanation

This is crucial for providing financial support to countries most affected by climate change, especially small island developing states.

How can the international community support Haiti in achieving security, stability, and long-term development?

Speaker

Ralph Gonsalves – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Explanation

Addressing the ongoing crisis in Haiti is vital for regional stability and humanitarian concerns.

What measures can be implemented to reform the global financial architecture to better support developing countries?

Speaker

Russell Mmiso Dlamini – Eswatini

Explanation

This is important to ensure more equitable access to financing for sustainable development, especially for small and middle-income countries.

How can the international community effectively address the root causes of conflicts, including poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunity?

Speaker

Russell Mmiso Dlamini – Eswatini

Explanation

Understanding and addressing these underlying factors is crucial for achieving lasting peace and stability globally.

What steps can be taken to strengthen international cooperation in preventing and combating illicit financial flows?

Speaker

Robinah Nabbanja – Uganda

Explanation

This is important for ensuring that developing countries retain resources needed for their development and to combat corruption.

How can the international community support the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area?

Speaker

Robinah Nabbanja – Uganda

Explanation

This is crucial for promoting economic growth and integration across the African continent.