Opening remarks by H.E. Mr Mogens Lykketoft, President of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, at Plenary Segment of World Humanitarian Summit
23 May 2016
©WHS
His Excellency President Erdogan, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
Heads of State and Government, Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
Last year, leaders from around the world, from civil society, the private sector and elsewhere, united behind a framework for a better future, for people and planet alike.
Now, through this Summit and the High Level Meeting on Migrants and Refugees in September, we must unite again – this time for the sake of the world’s most vulnerable people.
Expectations are high.
People around the world are demanding that we move beyond fine words
That we fulfil our core responsibilities.
That we build on the courage of humanitarian workers; the generosity of donors; and the leadership of those bearing the greatest burden – including the Turkish Government, who I also sincerely thank for hosting this Summit.
Ladies and gentlemen, now is the time to harness the skills, experience and resources that together, you bring to humanitarian action.
Now is the time to end the futile conflicts at the root of the current crisis.
To ensure adherence to international humanitarian law and accountability for violations.
To make the humanitarian system more effective, more locally oriented, and more capable of delivering collective outcomes.
Now is the time to stand up for those we are leaving behind – women, children and all those who have been displaced within their own countries and across the world.
And to secure the predictable resources the humanitarian system needs, now and into the future.
This includes the extra 15 billion dollars we need today – at just one cent out of every 50 dollars of today’s global economy, we can have no excuses.
As President of the UN General Assembly, I stand ready to support you however I can.
But today, it is up to all of you – to give hope to 125 million in need of assistance today; to embrace the Secretary General’s Agenda for Humanity.