– As prepared for delivery –

Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly

26 September 2018

 

NAM Ministerial Meeting (Culture of Peace)

Your Excellency, Minister Jorge Arreaza,

Excellencies, Distinguished Panelists and Guests,

I am honoured to be have been invited to address you today. I would like to use this opportunity to commend the continuing and historic role of the Non-Aligned Movement in promoting peace, security and sustainable development. I would also like to thank our host, Minister Jorge Arreaza, for his continued support and leadership.

Excellencies, we have come together at this time to recognize the UN Charter and the roles and principles of the Non-Aligned Movement.

It is rather serendipitous then that this discussion should happen at the same time as the international community commemorates the centenary of the birth Nelson Mandela, one of the 20th century’s greatest liberation and peace icons.

This is particularly fitting given that Mandela’s values are also the values of the Non-Aligned Movement, an organisation that he believed in and which post-Apartheid South Africa enthusiastically embraced.

My friends, there is no better icon to represent the UN Charter than Nelson Mandela, for he was a profound believer in peace and dialogue. His decades in solitary confinement on Robben Island did not make him angry and bitter. Instead, it reinforced his belief that peace and freedom would build unstoppable momentum.

To be clear: Nelson Mandela, like the Non-Aligned Movement, was on the right side of history because he was on the side of the people.

Remembering such icons and principles are now more important than ever, for these are precarious times.

  • As it is, millions of our fellow citizens continue to suffer due to conflicts that rage around them.
  • Climate change continues to jeopardize sustainable development and peace, threatening to upend the livelihoods and support systems of billions.
  • And the world’s ever-burgeoning population continues to grow and is expected to reach 11.2 billion by 2100. This will lead to even greater demand for natural and social resources, which will only add further pressure to environment and ecosystems, infrastructure and social services.

And the backdrop to all of this: an economic crisis that lingers and that has reduced growth and investment and left many in poverty – a potent ingredient in conflict and instability.

Excellencies, in this highly uncertain world, multilateralism – and concerted efforts to come together and overcome our shared challenges – is more important than ever. The role of the Non-Aligned Movement in promoting multilateralism therefore becomes more important still.

Recognized as a force of peace, cooperation and friendship among nations, the Movement can play a leading role in defending a rule-based multilateral system.

The Non-Aligned Movement’s great strength comes not only from its values but from the spread and depth of its membership. It needs to be able to help Member States pursue the values for which Mandela lived and died, and upon which the Charter of the UN is based. In particular it must pursue this by deliberately involving women, youth, civil society organizations, and the private sector in developing innovative ways for conflict prevention, resolution, and sustaining peace.

I am pleased to say that many of these areas correspond closely to the agenda and priorities for this, the 73rd session of the General Assembly. From the role of youth in peace and security, to gender empowerment, to ensuring decent work and tackling environmental challenges, our goals this year are focused on building resilience and empowering people everywhere. In short, our focus is on ensuring that the UNGA is responsible and accountable to the needs of its 7 billion constituents worldwide.

In this regard, the Non-Aligned Movement can and should be a strong partner as we proceed.

With the support of the members of NAM, and under the leadership of the Permanent Representatives of Ireland and South Africa, the General Assembly has adopted a new Political Declaration to advance the cause of peace. What a profound message of solidarity and commitment to the global agenda of promoting and sustaining peace.

Friends, as we prepare to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reflect on the enduring values enshrined in the United Nations Charter, let us honor Nelson Mandela and re-dedicate ourselves to making the culture of peace a reality. This is what he would have expected and still more so if he knew that his name was being invoked here!

I am very much looking forward to working with you over the year ahead. With nearly two-thirds of the UN Membership, you represent an important forum for consultation and coordination for the work of the Assembly.

Let me conclude with a call to partnership towards our shared goals of a world of peace, friendship and sustainable development.

Thank you very much!