– As delivered –

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

8 October 2018

Address to the First Committee

Your Excellency, Mr. Ion Jinga, Permanent Representative of Romania and Chair of the First Committee,

I would like to begin by congratulating you and the members of the bureau on your election. I count on your leadership on the key issues before this Committee and look forward to working with you.

 

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

Disarmament and international security lie at the heart of our determination to achieve sustainable development and to save current and future generations from the horrors of war.

While the world has seen a reduction in inter-state conflicts, the many conflicts that continue to affect different parts of the world show we have so much to do to achieve the ideals of peace within and among nations.

In addition, the challenges to international peace and security have evolved, and that has implications for this Committee.

Nuclear proliferation remains a critical issue; chemical and biological weapons pose a constant threat, including from non-state actors; cyber security threats have emerged in recent years, including as a means for covert attacks. And an arms race in outer space looms as a realistic possibility for, perhaps, the first time.

Dear friends,

The challenges that I have outlined are central to the theme of the 73rd UN General Assembly:  “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies”.

This means the work you do in this Committee – in the fields of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control – to secure a more peaceful and secure world, is vital and demands the highest sense of responsibility.

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Indeed, the First Special Session of the General Assembly devoted to Disarmament in 1978 declared that “All the peoples of the world have a vital interest in the success of disarmament negotiations. Consequently, all States have the duty to contribute to efforts in the field of disarmament”. This statement applies equally to all the threats you deal with as a Committee.

Allow me to reflect on three points that are pertinent to our efforts toward disarmament and international security.

First, we must build on the strong commitments world leaders made in the General Assembly two weeks ago.

During your work you must integrate the commitments to peace and prosperity made by Member states during the recent Mandela Peace Summit.

As emphasized by so many world leaders during the General Debate, the organization must promote greater investments in prevention, to avoid the higher cost of addressing conflicts.

I am deeply encouraged by recent progress in the Horn of Africa, as well as the diplomatic rapprochement in the Korean Peninsula.

The second point relates to the need to encourage countries to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adopted in 2017.

While the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017 was an historic step for multilateralism and international law, it is important that Member States ratify the treaty and to bring it into force, sooner rather than later.  I am pleased that during the General Debate, 7 States deposited their instruments of ratification, bringing the number to 19 countries that have ratified so far; and 69 signatories. We need 31 Member States to ratify the Treaty for it to come into force.

We must also remain committed to our obligations under all international instruments regulating the use and proliferations of arms.

Third, we must Strengthen Inclusion as a means to Promote International Peace and Security

The evidence is clear that sustaining peace or preventing conflict requires a multidimensional approach. I believe that when we give due attention to investing in women and young people and promoting equal and inclusive societies, we can make headway in sustaining peace.

That is why youth, peace and security, as well as women’s empowerment, are two of my seven priorities.

Disarmament and international security lie at the heart of our determination to achieve sustainable development and to save current and future generations from the horrors of war.

 

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés

President of the UN General Assembly

Friends,

Before concluding, allow me to say this: I am deeply aware of the challenges and tensions that surround and influence discussions on disarmament; however, I encourage Member States to continue to negotiate meaningful outcomes for the common good of our interdependent world.

As representatives of our Governments, we have a responsibility to pursue multilateral dialogue and to avoid, at all costs, violence and conflict.

I therefore, wish to thank Member States for their participation and fruitful deliberations during the High Level Plenary meeting in commemoration of the International Day on Nuclear Weapons.

In a time of general skepticism towards multilateral institutions and arrangements, and the need to prevent the unraveling of those systems that have served us well since the founding of our United Nations, we all need to work together to show that the General Assembly can deliver new agreements and understanding towards peace.

Therefore, during the next months of work, we shall be looking to you to create the necessary synergies to positively influence multilateral processes towards the main objective of disarmament.

I encourage all Member States to envision disarmament and arms control efforts as a means to a greater end. Our collective end goal must be peace and security for all the peoples of the world, so all communities and people can thrive and enjoy individual well-being.

The Secretary General’s actions proposed in his Agenda for Disarmament must be a great source of inspiration to us to use disarmament to save humanity, to save lives, and to secure a common future.

Let us make the work of this body relevant to all people, by demonstrating that we can, when faced with the most difficult of challenges, truly deliver.

Thank you.