21 September 2017 – Offering his condolences to the victims of the recent natural disasters in North America, Georgia’s Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, told delegations at the United Nations today that no country is immune from natural disasters, saying “solidarity is what strengthens nations addressing these severe challenges.”

Observing that this year marks the 25th anniversary of Georgia’s UN membership, Mr. Kvirikashvili noted that his country had transform itself from a UN humanitarian aid recipient to a top reformer. Against that backdrop, he pledged support to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by translating them into the national policies.

The Prime Minister enumerated the changes and commitments the Government was making, including constitutional reform, as a reflection of Georgia’s aspirations to attain full European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership. “Georgians understand this to be their destiny, as Georgia has long been an integral part of Europe’s broad cultural and historical tapestry,” he said.

Mr. Kvirikashvili recounted that the Russian Federation continues to occupy two regions of its sovereign territory – in violation of its international obligations, including Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. “Georgia is firmly committed to the peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict,” he said thanking the world leaders that supported his country’s territorial integrity and addressed in their speeches, the need to accelerate a peaceful resolution.

Full statement available here

21 September 2017 – There is still hope for peace, ‘and we must not give up’ on solving the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told world leaders at the United Nations today, while urging the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) not to go “further along a dangerous direction.”

“Negotiation is the only way out, and deserves every effort. Parties should meet each other halfway by addressing each other’s legitimate concerns,” he told the Assembly’s 72nd annual general debate, adding that China has tirelessly sought peace on the Korean Peninsula, and would stay firmly committed to its denuclearization.

He said that 19 September marked the 12th anniversary of the Six-Party talks Joint Statement, in which the parties, including China, formulated a roadmap towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. While some felt that statement has now become outdated, such peaceful trends never become obsolete.

Underscoring tireless efforts China has made for peace on the Korean Peninsula, he urged the DPRK not to go further along its dangerous direction, while calling on the United States to honour its commitments in the region.

However, “we are once again at a crossroads,” he said, noting that the world is faced with the choice between unity and division. In particular, he cited the Syrian crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian issue, highlighting that the work of the UN must be driven forward, and all must embrace the spirit of the UN as a “guardian of world peace.”

Turning to development, the past five years have witnessed a momentous journey for China, said Mr. Wang, citing remarkable achievements on a number of fronts, which will bring more benefits to the world as it is an “anchor of world peace.”

China’s project of the century “Belt and Road” initiative, he highlighted, will not only offer a new paradigm for efforts to promote world peace, but it will also inject fresh impetus to the pursue of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Full statement (in Chinese) available here

21 September 2017 – While the United Nations is “our global conscience,” Al Hussein Bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince of Jordan, said today that for too many in his country and elsewhere trying to do good, it sometimes feels like the world’s conscience is on ‘silent’ mode.

“It’s time to break the silence and start finding answers. In doing so, we can unleash a global current that carries our common humanity to safer shores,” said the 23-year-old Crown Prince, addressing the General Assembly two years after he chaired a Security Council meeting which adopted an historic resolution on ‘youth, peace and security,’ aimed at empowering young people to participate in peace efforts.

“Today, I stand before you […] as a member of the largest generation of young people in history [with] the world at an epic intersection, driven by the confluence of deepened globalization and disruptive technologies,” he said, and amid such seismic changes, young people are asking, among other questions: In which direction does our collective moral compass point, and can it guide us safely to justice, prosperity and peace for all?

Drawing on the experience of his own country to explore those issues, he noted that Jordan has been affected by border conflicts, as well as by the global financial crisis and the energy crisis. Speaking about the direct cost of the Syria crisis on his country, which has been hosting 1.3 million Syrian refugees, he said that crisis is now consuming more than a quarter of the Jordan’s budget.

“Housing, food, energy, healthcare, education, jobs: all are under pressure,” he added, underlining that the country is not turning its back on people in need, but needs answers for its youth.

“How can it be that a country as small as ours struggles in the face of such crushing adversity, only to be told that its friends are suffering from donor fatigue? Financial institutions often remind us that on a per capita basis, we are a top recipient of aid. Yet, on a per capita basis, few countries have endured as many external shocks or contributed to global peace and security as Jordan has,” he said.

The sad reality is that war economies are thriving to the benefit of a few, while real economies are suffering to the detriment of all. “It just doesn’t add up,” he said, calling on the international community to start asking tough questions, work harder to involve young people in finding the answers to bolster the values that anchor global citizenship today.

Full statement available here

21 September 2017 – The United Nations Security Council today expressed concern over the “potentially destabilizing impact” of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s plans to unilaterally hold a referendum next week.

In a statement issued to the press, members of the Council noted that the planned referendum is scheduled to be held while operations to counter Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) – in which Kurdish forces have played a critical role – are ongoing.

The referendum “could detract from efforts to ensure the safe, voluntary return of over three million refugees and internally displaced persons,” the 15-member body added.

Secretary-General António Guterres earlier this week voiced similar concerns about the timing of the vote in a statement issued by his Spokesman, which noted that all outstanding issues between the federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government should be resolved through structured dialogue and constructive compromise.

“The Secretary-General calls upon the leaders across Iraq to approach this matter with patience and restraint. The United Nations stands ready to support such efforts.”

21 September 2017 – At the United Nations General Assembly today, Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, the Vice-President of Indonesia, underscored three points to achieve ‘Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet,’’ the theme of the 72nd session.

Stating that “peace is never a given,” Mr. Kalla explained that it must be developed and nurtured through dialogue, inclusiveness, peaceful settlement of disputes, and non-use of force. “More importantly, we must develop the UN as a robust global institution that emphasizes the maintenance of peace, security and stability,” he said, expressing Indonesia’s support for UN reform.

Secondly, the Vice-President pointed out the need for synergies between sustaining peace and the development agenda – stressing that peace and stability must be cultivated to achieve sustainable development. Mr. Kalla noted the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement as among agreed-upon global commitments that must be translated into concrete actions.

The urgent need for a global action plan and partnership to combat terrorism, radicalism and violent extremism was another of his main points. He maintained that root causes must be tackled, citing extreme poverty, illiteracy and massive youth unemployment. Through a combination of “hard” and “soft” power, strengthening the rule of law and fostering community engagement, Mr. Kalla asserted, “we have de-radicalized over one thousand six hundred extremists, in over 72 prisons in Indonesia.”

As global challenges become more complex, it is evident that unilateralism is not a sustainable solution. “The world needs strong partnership […] A true global partnership,” Mr. Kalla concluded.

Full statement (in French) available here