19 September 2017 – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, took the podium expressing support for the theme of the United Nations 72nd General Assembly – ‘Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent life for all on a Sustainable Planet’ – questioning why the world’s elites failed to see its pertinence.

“Who would lose if all the people on the globe led a decent life,” he said, namely by having enough food; inoculations for “immunizable” diseases; drinkable water; education; clean electricity; fair-paying jobs; and respectable homes. “Parasitism is the only obstacle to global affluence, prosperity and peace,” he added.

Turning to “the dangerous situation on the Korean Peninsula,” he believed that, as “kith and kin,” the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) would do well to alone discuss their re-unification. He cited a unified Viet Nam, as well as that of Germany in 1990. Noting the strength of a unified Korea, he posed the queries, “Why do some actors fear strong nations in the world? Why should the Koreans themselves (North and South) allow external forces to continue to divide them?”

“We always strive not to allow actors, foreign or local, to divide the African peoples, regardless of the complications involved,” he underscored, saying that Uganda accommodates many African refugees on account of a conscious ideological position – “not to allow any actors to divide us. We only fight traitors.”

On “the small issue” of enforcing sanctions against the DPRK, Mr. Kaguta told the Assembly that Uganda is in compliance. “We do not have to trade with North Korea. We are, however, grateful that, in the past, the North Koreans helped us to build our tank forces,” he concluded.

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19 September 2017 – Noting efforts to advance socio-economic development in Uzbekistan, the President of the country highlighted that the ultimate goal is to build a democratic State and a just society, where the priority is implementation of the principle that “human interests come first.”

“We are deeply convinced: the people must not serve the Government bodies, rather the Government bodies must serve the people,” said Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Uzbekistan, at the general debate of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In his address, the noted the country’s five-year development plan, prepared through nationwide discussions, as well as of initiatives in partnership with UN agencies, including the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on advancing human development and rights.

“The most important vector of reforms is liberalization of the economic system and creation of favourable investment climate. We proceed from one simple truth: the richer the people are – the stronger shall be the State,” he added, noting fiscal initiatives including switching to free conversion of the national currency.

Further in his remarks, he also drew attention to the situation of the Aral Sea and urged for full implementation of the UN programme to assist the populations affected by the ecological disaster.

Turning to the challenges posed by terrorism around the world, President Mirziyoyev called for strengthened multilateral cooperation to build social support for the youth, protection of their rights and interests, to save them from what he said was the “virus” of the ideology of violence.

He also called for promoting universal access to education and for eradicating illiteracy and ignorance promote tolerance and mutual respect.

Full statement available here

19 September 2017 – The international community must give the United Nations a voice to raise against human rights abuses and nationalistic rhetoric, or see it become irrelevant, the Lithuanian president said in her address to the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level debate.

Addressing representatives of 193 countries, Dalia Grybauskaity urged world leaders to stand up against abuses and indifferences to basic international norms.

“Time and time again we have no courage to enforce the rules that we ourselves create. We draw red lines in the sand and then pretend they don’t exist,” Ms. Grybauskaity said, adding that that international community must stop being passive observers.

“Aggression cannot make anyone stronger. It can never earn anyone even a drop of respect,” she said. “The only thing the aggression will bring is contempt, shame and condemnation.”

She said that the international community has to take its share of responsibility, and stop those violating norms and disrupting international peace.

Full statement available here

Republic of Estonia addresses the General Assembly’s annual general debate. UN Photo/Cia Pak

Also addressing the general debate, Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia, underscored to the Assembly that the world is unpredictable. She maintained that stemming largely from climate change, it could be “counterbalanced by rapid technological disruption of our wasteful ways of life.”

The President stressed that her country of just over one million, is sensitive to unpredictability, especially for the inherently weak and “for those made weak by discrimination – often women, ethnic and religious minorities.”

Ms. Kaljulaid also pointed out that many nations suffer from unresolved conflicts, saying: “These are States which could take care of their own population and contribute at the global scene, if we were quicker to manage the conflicts which are holding them back or, worse, threatening to tear them apart.”

Turning to violent extremism, she told the Assembly, “the risk of terrorism is metastatic. Having started from disappointments and disillusionment of people from failed and failing States, it has spread globally.” She emphasized the importance of national, regional and global cooperation, saying “Effective counter terrorism measures and the protection of human rights are mutually reinforcing, not conflicting goals.”

The President concluded by drawing attention to the need for a strong UN to successfully address the challenges. Ms. Kaljulaid welcomed the Secretary General’s reform agenda, saying “We strongly support the efforts to link the reform of UN’s Peace and Security architecture with the reform of the UN Development System. We welcome the emphasis on conflict prevention and peacebuilding, creating societies resilient to vulnerabilities,” she said.

Full statement available here

19 September 2017 – Leaders from various levels of government, the private sector and civil society highlighted the need for climate action as they convened at United Nations Headquarters, where Secretary-General António Guterres warned that current pledges and plans are insufficient to keep global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees.

“Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and Maria and the massive floods in South Asia are just the most recent demonstration of the urgency of tackling climate change ,” said Mr. Guterres in his remarks to the Leaders’ Dialogue on Climate Change, held today on the margins of the high-level session of the General Assembly.

“Such events will only become more frequent and more savage, with more dramatic humanitarian and economic consequences,” he added.

In 2020, parties to the Paris Agreement on climate change, which entered force in 2016, will review progress made to date.

“By then, we need to make sure that we have substantially raised the bar of ambition,” Mr. Guterres said, outlining six issues to focus on: investment in clean technology; carbon pricing; the energy transition; risk mitigation; augmenting the contribution of sub-national actors and business; and mobilizing finance.

“Momentum is growing. Now let’s make it grow even more,” he said.

Yesterday, the Secretary-General addressed a gathering of global leaders from local governments, the private sector and civil society, which was also attended by California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr; UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael R. Bloomberg; and former US Vice President Al Gore.

Secretary-General António Guterres, speaks at the High-Level Stakeholders Meeting on Climate Change, as Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (left), and Al Gore (right), Chairman of the Climate Reality Project listen. UN Photo/Kim Haughton

“Climate change is not a distant problem for future generations,” he told them. “It is here, now, and we need to deal with it.”

Both meetings were held to forge alliances for implementing the Paris Agreement in the run-up to a Climate Summit Mr. Guterres plans to hold in 2019.

19 September 2017 – Noting that comprehensively addressing terrorism is vital for the future of the regional and international order, the President of Egypt called today for an approach to do so that is based not only on eradication of terrorism but also of its root causes, as well as challenging its supporters and those that grant it safe havens.

“In all candidness, there is no room for any serious discussion on the credibility of any international system that applies double standards,” said Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, addressing the general debate of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“Members of different international alliances should answer the questions we are raising, for answers are usually avoided by those who prefer duplicity in order to attain narrow political interests at the demise of States and at the expense of bloodshed by their people, which we shall not allow to be lost in vain under any circumstances.”

The President also noted that eliminating root causes of international crises and factors that endanger international stability necessitated implementing, in practice, the principle of common-but-differentiated responsibility between members of the international community.

For settling disputes, he urged respect of international law and negotiations based on legal, historic and moral principles, as well as respect of sovereignty of states and principle of non-intervention in their internal affairs.

Concluding his address, President Al Sisi called for a moment of “truthful self-reflection” and recognition of the deficiencies that hinder the international system for delivering on the aspirations it was realized for.

“It is also an opportunity to renew our commitment to establish a more equitable international order, given that the attainment of justice globally remains a necessary condition to confront the immense challenges impacting our world today,” he said.

Full statement available here