20 September 2017 – Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the terrorist attacks that took place earlier this week in Borno state, Nigeria, as well as in Kossa, Cameroon, which targeted vulnerable people already affected by Boko Haram violence.

“The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the people and Governments of Nigeria and Cameroon for the loss of life,” his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said in a statement.

“He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured and calls for those responsible for these repeated acts in the countries in the Lake Chad Basin to be swiftly brought to justice.”

Mr. Guterres also reiterated the UN’s solidarity and support to the Governments of the Lake Chad Basin countries in their fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

19 September 2017 – In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mauritania, Isselkou Ould Ahmed Izid Bih, welcomed the progress made in the fight against terrorism and migration through an approach based on dialogue and openness.

After heavy fighting in 2010 and 2011, and despite a complex regional situation, Mauritania has faced the threat of terrorism successfully. “We have strengthened our defensive capacities while respecting human rights and putting in place a policy of sustainable development,” he explained. In addition, Mauritania has succeeded in building a constructive dialogue with the opposition and civil society, improving governance and reforming institutions, particularly with regard to women’s rights.

Mauritania, he continued, has reformed its legal frameworks on the basis of international agreements, in particular, to better combat terrorism. To this end, he noted the conclusion of agreements with some groups in order to allow their members to reintegrate into society in a productive way.

Mauritania, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has eradicated illegal migration from its territory, the Minister continued. “We also set out a roadmap on the fight against terrorism, including through a social assistance program,” he said, adding that repatriation programmes have also been implemented for migrants, in order to enable them to return to the country under favourable conditions.

The Minister also spoke about the problems caused by climate change in the Sahel region. In this regard, he encouraged all parties to the Paris Agreement on climate change to honour their commitments in order to limit the impacts of the phenomenon.

19 September 2017 – In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera called for the UN to rethink the concept of per capita income as a reference for determining a country’s development, stressing that only a multidimensional vision of development and poverty will allow an understanding of the needs of populations and families.

This would include issues such as access to healthcare, social equality, gender equality, and address social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities and is especially relevant to the needs of middle-income countries.

He also highlighted the crucial importance of gender equality. “Every day, women strive for a world where the full recognition and exercise of their rights is more tangible,” he said. “Their fights are inherent to the building of truly democratic societies and the inclusive coexistence in all our countries.”

Turning to climate change he said there is enough evidence to support the idea that a transformative solution to climate change is within human capabilities.

President Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado of Honduras addresses the General Assembly’s annual general debate. UN Photo/Cia Pak

In his remarks, Juan Orlando Hernandez Alvarado, President of Honduras, said his administration is building a “new Honduras” by tackling violent crime and restoring its economy. Together with Guatemala, Honduras is creating a zone dedicated to the free circulation of goods, services and people. He said negotiations are under way with El Salvador and Nicaragua to join the agreement.

Honduras, along with El Salvador and Nicaragua, and with the support of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, set up the Gulf of Fonseca Development Plan, which will create a pole of economic development. In addition, the implementation of the economic development program “Honduras 2020” provides for the creation of 600,000 jobs over the next five years.

The President also welcomed the progress made by his country in terms of transparency and the fight against corruption. “We have purged the national police, created anti-corruption tribunals and strengthened the Ministry of Public Security,” he said, in addition to signing an agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS) corruption and impunity.

However, he continued, the fight against poverty is the “priority” in the programme of governments of developing countries. “We must overcome the structural conditions that exclude entire sections of our societies,” he said, adding that poverty is the cause of migration, insecurity and violence. He also denounced the classification system used by developed countries to measure the level of development aid, explaining that Honduras, considered as a middle-tier country, is penalized.

Concluding his speech, the President said that migrants are the “new martyrs and new heroes” of our time who have to face all the challenges before they can bring their talents and dedication to their host countries. Honduras, he said, was “making every effort” to improve the living conditions of its citizens so that they did not have to leave their country in search of opportunities.

19 September 2017 – Conflicts around the globe, as well as the pressing challenges of poverty, hunger and climate change continue to exact terrible human suffering, said Sebastian Kurz, the Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria, noting that the most concerning issue is the lack of trust in the ability of States and institutions to solve these challenges.

“This is a dangerous development because there is no alternative to international cooperation,” he said, addressing the 72nd annual general debate at the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking on terrorism, he underscored that in addition to destroying radical groups militarily where they operate, more action needs to be taken to stop radicalism in societies and to prevent youths from being misled.

He also underscored that the migration crisis, could not be managed by any one country on its own.

“Uncontrolled migration leads to chaos, therefore, we need to manage orderly migration and support people as much as possible in their countries of origin,” he added, noting the need for more effective control of borders, combatting the activities of human traffickers and effective support for countries of origin.

Turning to the crisis emanating from the nuclear weapons development programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Minister Kurz reiterated that nuclear disarmament remained the “number one unfinished business.”

“Today, we often hear that nuclear weapons are necessary for security. This narrative is not only wrong, it is dangerous,” he said, urging support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adopted in July at a UN conference.

Concluding his remarks, he noted that a time when universal values are under threat, the international community needs to stand strong for human rights, rule of law and good governance. “I can assure you that Austria will continue to work for effective international cooperation.”

Full statement available here

19 September 2017 – While some pledges made in the United Nations Charter have been met, “others have come to noting,” the President of Bolivia told the General Assembly today, that the planet’s precious resources and vulnerable people must be protected from greed and exploitation by political elites.

“After more than 70 years, instead of progress, we are moving backwards,” Evo Morales told delegations at the Assembly’s annual general debate, where he denounced what he called the “abusive, wildcat consumer market” that is supporting capitalism and colonialism and sparking crises that were destroying the lives of millions of people worldwide

He said history has shown that the seizure of natural resources and political world domination led to invasion, the fall of governments, “creating chaos in order to benefit from it.” Many such invasions had given rise of terrorist groups, which in turn led to even greater harms against civilians.

Indeed, wars and violent conflicts persisted, while 2017 was the hottest year in world history. Emphasizing that all countries must comply with the Paris Agreement, Mr. Morales said it was unjustifiable that the United States had decided to turn its back on that instrument. That country was among the main polluters and its Government has now become a threat to Mother Earth. All countries must comply with the accord and work jointly to save the plant.

‘Water is the lifeblood of Mother Earth,” he continued, and that resource must be respected, shared and protected for future generations. Bolivia promoted the recognition of water as a human right, he said, noting that its Constitution prohibited the exploitation of that resource for profit. Where water flowed, so too did peace, he said, adding that it must never be a source of conflict.

Mr. Morales went on to say that the “gulf between those who have everything and those who have virtually nothing” is growing wider every year. “Inequality is immoral,” he said, going on to condemn the building of walls and passing of laws that criminalize migration. To that end, he called for the creation of a form of “universal citizenship,” saying there should be no difference between a foreigner and a national.