Making the United Nations Relevant to all People– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly
1 October 2018
Closing of the General Debate
Madam Deputy Secretary-General,
Allow me to begin by expressing my condolences to and solidarity with the peoples of Indonesia, Barbados and Japan, who have been affected by terrible natural events. I am deeply saddened by the plight of the victims and the magnitude of the destruction suffered by these countries.
Excellencies,
The general debate, which we are concluding today, is a further indication of the relevance of the General Assembly and the United Nations.
This has been a week of meetings and of dialogue; a week in which the name of this Organization has appeared most frequently in the media and on social networks around the world; this is the week in which the United Nations agenda has taken first place in the offices of presidents. This week will no doubt set the tone for our agenda and for our work in the coming year.
This is also the week in which you and your teams have been under the greatest pressure, and in my case, as President, it has been a week of countless meetings and events that have helped us to move forward with the multilateral agenda and to strengthen regional and bilateral relationships. However, I believe we can all say that we have successfully concluded this general debate, and with the satisfaction of a job well done. But this is only the beginning of the new session, and I hope that the enthusiasm and efficiency of this week will continue throughout the year!
Excellencies,
I would like to summarize the outcomes of this general debate with the following seven points:
The first outcome is, without a doubt, the global reflection that we have all witnessed on the role of this Organization and on the importance of multilateralism as the only response to the problems facing humankind. There has been almost unanimous agreement, among the representatives of the more than 7.6 billion people in the world, on the irreplaceable role of this Organization. We have felt very satisfied to hear, time and again, calls to strengthen multilateralism, although this also brings us to the major challenge of ensuring that this Organization becomes every day more relevant for our peoples. I remember the words of the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, who said, and I quote, “after seven decades, the United Nations remains the only institution with the capacity and authority to enable global cooperation for our collective ennoblement”.
The second strategic outcome is that this house for one week has been made the home of all the nations of the world. This has required a huge effort of coordination and logistics from the Secretariat and its staff – to whom I give my warmest congratulations – but above all this has been a forum for enhancing bilateral ties and strengthening political and regional groups. This Assembly has been the setting for hundreds of meetings bringing together our Heads of State and Government and ministers with varying portfolios, so that this general debate has contributed to the strengthening of relations between our nations.
Third, we have shared our visions and experiences on issues of shared interest in over 400 side events that have taken place this week. It would be difficult for anyone to conceive of so many events being held simultaneously! Nevertheless, in one way or another we have all been involved in sharing experiences and stories of progress and forging commitments on issues of global concern.
Fourth, during this debate we have made two political declarations that reflect the commitment of our States, at the highest levels, to eradicating tuberculosis and combating non-communicable diseases.
In fifth place, this week seven States have signed and four States have ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, thus strengthening the commitment to a world free of the nuclear threat, to which we all aspire. A total of 69 countries have now signed and 19 countries have ratified this essential instrument.
Sixth, our Heads of State and Government have not only carried out an assessment of the most sensitive issues of the international situation, but they have also shared the most significant progress made in their sustainable development strategies, in peacebuilding and in respect for human rights. In brief, this general debate has been a forum for sharing with the world the most significant national and regional successes and challenges.
Seventh, and by no means the least, as in every year this was not merely the coming together of Heads of Government but was also the setting for meetings of hundreds of activists, young people and leaders of social organizations who are the motor of the United Nations agenda and play a key role in implementing the commitments that we reach in this General Assembly.
Excellencies,
If we add together all the statements delivered here, we will have a global snapshot of the state of the world today; a snapshot of the successes and of the most pressing challenges of our nations; a snapshot of the role that falls to this Organization and to multilateralism.
For this reason, we are grateful for the commitment of all Governments without exception to the United Nations, a commitment that has been apparent in their presence here during this general debate. Thank you to the 121 Heads of State and Government, 9 Vice-Presidents and Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers and permanent representatives who participated in this year’s discussions.
The messages that we have heard from all of you have been as diverse as the peoples of the world and yet, at the same time, there have been many points of similarity and shared concern. I was delighted to see that delegations had taken the theme of this session and the seven priorities that I had proposed as a starting point for their statements.
As mentioned by the Prime Minister of Nepal, when referring to the theme of this session, “the pursuit of making the United Nations more relevant to all people is well captured in the philosophy of ‘leaving no one behind’”.
Allow me to now highlight several of the issues that were addressed repeatedly during this general debate.
First of all, I was very much encouraged by the fact that many countries defended multilateralism and addressed the need for joint action to address global challenges. I agree fully with the statement made by the Prime Minister of Belgium, whom I quote, “Multilateralism is not an empty concept, but rather a conviction, with inexhaustible dialogue”.
Whether the topic is international conflict or terrorism or nuclear proliferation; whether talking of climate change or natural disasters or of the increase in inequalities and poverty; whether addressing migration and refugees or health and education, the impact of new technologies and the world of work, we have recognized that we face common challenges that require common responses. The President of Paraguay summed up this idea very neatly by saying, and I quote: “with the international stage characterized by political uncertainty and economic volatility, there is a need for collective and integrative strategies, with a shared sense of responsibility”.
Excellencies,
Sustainable development and the threat of climate change were the topics most often mentioned by leaders throughout the debate.
Quite rightly, countries are concerned about storms and hurricanes, and the droughts that affect them with increasing force. This terrible and devastating reality has struck the Asia-Pacific region, the Caribbean and North America; nations are concerned about the loss of crops and desertification; they are concerned about major cities being left without water; they are concerned about temperatures that are making entire regions simply uninhabitable.
This Hall has heard several voices making a shared appeal for swift and effective action for the financing and implementation of the Paris Agreement. Here I quote the President of France, who said: “we’re told that it is already too late… then let’s speed up”.
Many countries have also taken the opportunity given by this general debate to share with us their progress in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, pointing to successful examples involving renewable energy and technological re-engineering.
The vast majority of leaders referred to actions taken by their countries to work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, their policies to benefit the most vulnerable in society, and their efforts to eradicate poverty and move towards inclusive and sustained economic growth.
World leaders also referred to the celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, highlighting the full enjoyment of human rights and the global call for the full enforcement of those rights.
Many quite rightly called for achieving gender equality once and for all, as a condition for sustainable development and peace.
I was also encouraged that a clear majority of Member States expressed their support for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Mass displacements of persons, both migrants and refugees, pose huge challenges that require a response of clear policies and coordinated international action.
Excellencies,
Let us recall that this week, prior to the commencement of the general debate, we came together to honour the great Nelson Mandela, his legacy and his memory, and to recall, through the Declaration we adopted, that one of our most important goals must be to work for peacebuilding and peacekeeping.
The emphasis placed by world leaders on the need to invest more in conflict prevention and in mediation reflects a paradigm shift that is urgently needed in order to achieve sustainable peace. As the President of Liberia has reminded us, on the occasion of the successful conclusion of the peacekeeping mission in that country, “we must never take peace for granted, or forget the long shadow that years of conflict still cast over people’s lives”.
This general debate has also been illuminated by positive events, such as the peace agreements signed between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti and the promising efforts made towards denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The President of Kenya, for example, when referring to the current challenges facing the world, said that “risks and threats are complex and call for more not less cooperation, more not less observance of the rule of law, more not less negotiations, we need a rule-based multilateral system”.
Before us lies the task of converting all the ideas, commitments and challenges that have been highlighted throughout this week into concrete actions, whose hallmark must be greater efficiency, a greater impact on people’s lives, and especially the lives of those most in need of the support of this Organization. We must make a difference, and the time to do that is now.
Mr. Secretary-General and Madam Deputy Secretary-General,
Thank you for your deep commitment and your tireless work over the last few days. Your leadership is vital for making this Organization more relevant every day for our peoples.
Excellencies, delegates,
I would like to thank you for your work and your efforts in this general debate and for your support for this Presidency.
I would also like to thank the staff of the Secretariat and the technical staff who have made it possible to conclude this general debate on such a high note.
I would like to express my special appreciation to all the Vice-Presidents who have shared with me the task of steering the work of the General Assembly.
Excellencies,
Before us lies the task of converting all the ideas, commitments and challenges that have been highlighted throughout this week into concrete actions, whose hallmark must be greater efficiency, a greater impact on people’s lives, and especially the lives of those most in need of the support of this Organization. We must make a difference, and the time to do that is now.
Thank you very much.
