Address to the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization)

– As delivered –

Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72^nd Session of the UN General Assembly, at the High-level Meeting on the Appraisal of the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons

Thank you very much. Good morning.

Mr. Chair, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Dear Colleagues,

I want to thank you for inviting me to address you today.

I know we call you the Fourth Committee. Today, however, I want to use your full name: The Special Political and Decolonization Committee. You are the only Committee of the General Assembly to have the word “special” in your name.

I think this reflects the uniqueness of your work. It is founded on decisions and actions from the past. However, it must reflect the realities of the present. And it must contribute to a better future.

This is not an easy task. Luckily, you are in good hands. And I want to congratulate His Excellency, Mr. Rafael Darió Ramírez Carreño, on his election as Chair. I also want to acknowledge the Secretariat team, led by Ms. Sangeeta Sharma, for its valuable support.

Today, I have a modest goal; I want to offer three objectives, which I believe could guide the Committee’s work in the busy period ahead.

First, to ensure that realities on the ground are reflected in this room.

Although a lot of the Committee’s work is born from the decisions of the past, it must react to developments, as they happen.

The Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples was adopted 57 years ago. When this document was drafted, the world looked very different to how it does today. This is a measure of what this Committee can achieve. Unfortunately, however, the world envisaged in this document does not yet exist. 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories remain on the United Nations’ decolonization agenda.

We need to resolve their status. We need to do this in line with the principle of self-determination. We need to do this using all the tools at our disposal, including the United Nations Charter, and the resolutions you have sent for adoption by the General Assembly. Importantly, we need to do this by ensuring that our discussions reflect the realities on the ground, for the people living in these territories.

Mine action is another example of past events creating present realities, which demand the attention of the Committee. Many of the anti-personnel land mines we deal with were planted during conflicts that are long over. However, the Committee is addressing the risks faced by people today, including through education and training initiatives.

Additionally, I urge you not to overlook the importance of the “Questions relating to information” item. It is a way to ensure that our discussions in New York are guided by the most up-to-date information from the ground. It is also crucial to how we communicate our work to the people outside these halls.

Simply put, we must have our finger on the pulse. And we must adapt our work to changing realities. We cannot call for progress on the ground – or for parties to meet around negotiating tables with fresh perspectives – if our own discussions are stuck in the past.

Dear colleagues,

While the Committee must be reactive, in line with changing circumstances on the ground, it must also look ahead.

And this brings me to the second objective, which is to adopt a proactive stance. The work of the Fourth Committee must feed into wider efforts to strengthen the United Nations’ capacity to prevent conflicts and human suffering.

And it has already shown the ability to do this. For example, since 1955, you and your predecessors have engaged with the Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. This work has allowed the General Assembly to develop preventive norms and standards in this area. It is also a good example of collaboration between the spheres of policy-making, science and law, for a better shared future. Additionally, the Fourth Committee has adopted this proactive and preventive stance by addressing international cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space. This, and other work, has shown us the importance of administrative bodies in promoting cooperation. I am confident that we will see this work continue over the coming year.

At the same time, we must not forget the role played by the Fourth Committee in strengthening the United Nations’ peacekeeping and special political missions. I hope that, through the 72^nd Session, the Special Committee on Peace Operations will continue its proactive stance. I urge you all to place even greater focus on ensuring that the United Nations’ deployments overseas contribute to preventing the recurrence of conflict and sustaining peace.

The final objective I will suggest, dear colleagues, is to ensure that political differences do not distract us from our responsibilities to people.

116 petitioners have addressed the Fourth Committee already this year. This is a record number. It demonstrates the continued relevance and need of your work. These petitions focus on political matters. But they also tell the stories of people.

I want to stress that a political impasse does not change the needs of people on the ground. People will still need education. In some cases, people will still need humanitarian assistance. So, even if we disagree on the status of a territory, we must find ways to work together for the people who live in it.

On this note, I want to refer to the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. I’ve taken careful note of the call, in this report, to ensure that the funding of UNRWA is “sustainable, predictable and sufficient”. I will follow this issue closely over the coming months.

Excellencies and colleagues,

Let us not avoid the elephant in the room. This Committee deals with highly political issues. These are issues which can polarize wider communities. And these are issues which will lead many of you to receive divergent instructions from your capitals. So, I am aware of the challenges facing your efforts to find compromise or consensus.

But, we don’t call this the Special Committee for nothing – I hope. And I have every confidence that we can see progress this year – even on the most contentious issues.

Thank you all, and good luck in the period ahead.