20 September 2017 – Recalling the situation in Libya since the 2011 revolution, Faiez Mustafa Serraj, the President of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord said that international support is essential to ensure progress in the country.

The Political Agreement which had been reached between the different parties after two years of negotiations remains the cornerstone for building new political institutions and transition in the country, he said, noting that the aim is to ensure broad and inclusive participation; the transition is vital to achieve stability.

In his address to the 72nd annual general debate at the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Serra announced that all parties in the country are ready to meet the challenges confronting Libya.

He further informed that those displaced within Libya are now returning to their homes and that the Government is working to establish stability.

On the economic side, he announced that oil production reached about one million barrels per day and urged for the resumption of international financial assistance as well as the repayment of Libyan financial assets abroad which have resulted in enormous losses to the country.

Speaking on migration and human trafficking, he expressed that no one country can tackle the issue by itself and urged for international support for his country to address the challenges it confronts.

Also in his address, Mr. Serraj reiterated the need for strategic partnerships with friendly countries, and drew attention to the ongoing work to unify the country’s security forces and to make them capable of confronting the threats posed by terrorists.

He also informed the General Assembly of adoption of new laws, with the technical support of the UN, to ensure protection of human rights in the country.

Full statement available (in Arabic) here

20 September 2017 – Amid a “devastating season of natural disasters” in the region – widespread catastrophe that extends to Mexico, hit by two destructive earthquakes, and to the southern United States, viciously punished by Hurricane Harvey – the Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic today called on the United Nations to consider “new actions we must take, urgently, to counteract extreme climatic phenomena.”

Addressing the General Assembly’s annual general debate in the wake of the massive destruction caused in the region by Hurricane Irma and as Puerto Rico was being battered by Hurricane Maria, Miguel Vargas Maldonado expressed solidarity with all countries that had suffered these back-to-back extreme weather events and said that the deaths and material losses have been immense.

He said one thing was clear, that the damage caused during this hurricane season alone far exceeded the Dominican Republic’s gross domestic product(GDP). Moreover, the “lethal power” of these recent storms – which had been intensified by climate change – had eroded more than roads and beaches, it had shattered lives and destroyed dreams.

“Our economies, our way of life, and our development potential are at in danger. The Caribbean vulnerability and that of our Dominican Republic pose a risk that we cannot face alone,” stated Mr. Vargas Maldanado, and although his country had been fortunate not to suffer human losses during the catastrophic passage of Irma, “we are aware that, like every other Caribbean island, we will always be vulnerable to this type of phenomenon.”

Indeed, this reality has led him to raise once again to the General Assembly, the imperative need to join forces to confront these threats. “It compels us to act in a responsible, cohesive way for the sake of our people’s lives,” he said, stressing that it is not enough to send messages of solidarity or humanitarian aid after natural catastrophes have caused death and devastation.

“And it is absolutely not enough to sign agreements on climate change; It is critical for these agreements to be coherent, move forward a joint agenda, and develop concrete action plans,” said the Foreign Minister proposing the creation of a special fund to deal with natural catastrophes, to foster awareness, prevention, and resilience strategies, which will allow us to preserve life.

“We must act on this or otherwise the future will judge us for our total lack of responsibility,” he warned.

Full statement available here

20 September 2017 – As the high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly continued today, Baron Divavesi Waqa, President of Nauru, expressed deep sorrow and condolences to those who have suffered from the recent successive hurricanes in the Caribbean and United States and earthquakes in Mexico, stressing that “your suffering and grief is shared by us all.”

Mr. Waqa agreed that the full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) be at the centre of the coming year’s work, underscoring that the five words – ‘people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership’ – which guide the goals, are broad enough to encompass collective ideals, while accommodating tremendous diversity.

“In the case of Nauru, our status as a small island developing State underlies every aspect of the lives of my people,” he said.

Noting that Nauru was among the first countries to ratify the Paris Agreement, the President pointed out that “more than most, our prospects depend on a stable planet, including a safe climate and healthy oceans.”

“Climate change will be the defining security challenge of the century and we are simply not prepared for life on a hotter planet,” Mr. Waqa asserted. For that reason, Nauru supports the appointment of a UN Special Representative on Climate and Security.

He also urged that the mounting threats to the health of the world’s oceans be tackled ambitiously. Pointing to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as a great threat and economic loss to his country’s small economy, he emphasized that “security of our Oceans is a problem which must also be tackled by us all.”

Full statement available here

Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama of the Republic of Fiji addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-second session. UN Photo/Cia Pak

Also taking the podium, the Prime Minister of Fiji, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, said his people share a special sense of solidarity with those affected by the recent hurricanes and earthquakes, recalling that Fiji lost 44 individuals and a third of its economy last year when struck by the biggest cyclone ever to make landfall in the southern hemisphere.

As the incoming president of the 23rd session of the States parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Mr. Bainimarama is deeply conscious of the need to lead a global response to the underlying causes of these events. “The appalling suffering in the Caribbean and the United States reminds us all that there is no time to waste,” he said.

“Unless we tackle the underlying causes of climate change, we already know that some places will become unlivable and others will disappear altogether,” he stressed, noting that Fiji has offered refuge to the people of Kiribati and Tuvalu, its neighbours at risk.

Climate change affects Fijian lives, whether it is entire villages being moved away from rising seas; the loss of ancestral burial grounds; salinity affecting crops; or the constant threat of destruction to homes and infrastructure.

Noting that 2018 will mark 40 years that Fiji has helped to make the world more secure through its contribution to UN Peacekeeping, Mr. Bainimarama expressed his determination that his country would make a successful contribution to the wider security of the planet through its leadership of the next climate change conference.

Full statement available here

20 September 2017 – Kuwait intends to host an international donors conference in the coming year to help Iraq rebuild the areas devastated by the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da’esh) terrorist group, the Kuwaiti Prime Minister told the United Nations General Assembly today.

“The position of the State of Kuwait in condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is principled and constant,” said Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al Sabah, congratulating the Government and people of lraq on victories that its forces are achieving on the ground against ISIL.

He expressed hope those victories and national reconciliation efforts will eventually create the appropriate environment for starting rebuilding and reconstruction efforts, and for the return of the refugees to their homes.

He went on to note that Kuwait hosted international donor conferences in 2013, 2014 and 2015, in support of the humanitarian situation in Syria, and co-chaired the 4th international donor conference, held in London in February 2016, as well as the 5th international donor conference held in Brussels, in April 2017.

On the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Prime Minister appealed to the international community and the UN Security Council to continue to pressure Israel to implement the UN resolutions towards the attainment of all the legitimate political rights of the Palestinian people, and the recognition of their own independent state, over their own territory, with East Jerusalem as its capital, along the borders of 4 June 1967.

On the Security Council reform, he renewed his country’s call for the necessity of that15-member body to reflect new international realities and ensure permanent Arab representation commensurate with the number of Arab States and their contribution in supporting the different activities of the United Nations.

Full statement available here

20 September 2017 – With the world at a crossroads – battered by climate change, threatened by terrorism and extremism, and struggling with deepening inequality – it is not only time to bolster multilateral cooperation, but to make use of the vital capacities that can be provided by the dynamism of the African continent, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Morocco told the General Assembly today.

Addressing the Assembly’s annual general debate, Nasser Bourita cited a raft of global ills, and noted that while globalization has driven the international economy it has also increased employment instability and widened the economic gaps between and within nations. Similarly, the Internet had created unprecedented opportunities for growth and development but it has also has also provided a space for extremists and terrorist groups to promote their nefarious aims.

“All this means our collective working mechanisms need to be reformed,” said Mr. Bourita, stressing that Morocco is convinced that a global organization that is effective and truly multilateral can help solve the problems the world is facing. Morocco is equally convinced that Africa can no longer be seen as a burden on the global community – the continent must play its role in tackling global challenges, including broader development.

“Africa has not held its rightful place in the [international arena]. It should not be dealt with based only on how much assistance it receives, or how “many agenda items it takes up” at UN meetings. Indeed, Africa has imbued with immense human and natural resources. In that regard, Morocco viewed South-South cooperation as a major opportunity for forming development partnerships that could assist African countries, bolster foreign direct investment and increase African participation, with increased equal footing, in global mechanisms.

Full statement available (in French) here