– As delivered –

Statement by H.E. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

9 October 2020

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

I am honored to address you today.

I would like to congratulate the Chair, His Excellency Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations, and other Members of the Bureau on your election. I wish you every success for this session.

I would like to repeat here what I said when I was addressing the Third Committee. I believe that when it comes to the General Assembly, these main committees are like factories with laboratories and production lines. I believe that whatever you do here will be valuable. I look forward to your work here.

As we enter the 75^th year of the United Nations, I note that the primary mandate of the United Nations – to ensure peace and security – is considered by the First Committee. And the importance of your work cannot be overstated and has become more complex in recent times with new security threats in cyberspace, and with a multitude of actors beyond states involved in conflicts.

The 75^th session will undoubtably be affected by COVID19, not least due to the limitations placed on in-person meetings.

As we all know, the benefit of face-to-face diplomacy cannot not be taken for granted. I extend my congratulations to the Bureau for their pragmatism in proceeding with a hybrid working model that includes in-person meetings, including this one. 

As the UN75 Declaration makes clear, the three pillars of the United Nations, peace and security, sustainable development and human rights are equally important, interrelated, and interdependent. One cannot progress without the others.

Enhancing peace and security, whether through disarmament or other means, will contribute to sustainable developments gains, as recognized in Article 26 of the UN Charter. And as security issues disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, addressing them can have an enormous positive impact on the lives of the most vulnerable.

Insecurity hampers progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, from education, to gender equality, to the rule of law. Going to school, establishing a business, or eradicating poverty become more challenging during a conflict. But similarly, the risk of conflict is increased by a lack of education, poverty and human rights violations . Full Implementation of Agenda 2030 will require us to make progress on peace and security matters. 

Distinguished delegates,

Nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons in humanities arsenal. This organization was born from embers 75 years ago. Their use today is unimaginable. The consequences would be devastating to humanity and to the planet.

I was encouraged by the high-level participation of Member States at the meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons that was held last week, on the 2^nd of October. I congratulate the efforts of the ‘Friends of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)’ for issuing the video message that calls all Member States to sign and ratify the CTBT and support this call.

The Nuclear Proliferation Treaty is an essential pillar of international peace and security, and the heart of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. The Review Conference, postponed due to the pandemic, is crucial to give Member States the opportunity to recommit to efforts towards non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy and monitor implementation of the agreements made by Member States.

I look forward to the rescheduling of this Conference, ahead of April 2021. And it is important that the pandemic does not disrupt efforts to maintain international peace and security without the existence and use of nuclear weapons.

I also welcome the establishment of the Open-Ended Working Group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security (“OEWG”). I also welcome the work that continues through the Group of Governmental Experts on Advancing responsible State behavior in cyberspace (“GGE”).

While neither body has been unable to meet in person due to the pandemic, I am pleased that the chairs of both bodies have facilitated an ongoing exchange through written inputs

and informal virtual meetings. This dialogue is an important part of our efforts to see both bodies successfully fulfil their respective mandates.

I also look forward a positive outcome following Member States review of the 7th Biennial Meeting of States to Consider the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.

Distinguish delegates,

In the General Debate, many leaders pointed to regional and international conflicts as barriers to progress on development and human rights. Addressing the underlying threats to regional and global peace and security is an unavoidable imperative to promoting general and complete disarmament. This is clearly a vital issue for us all. Leaders supported the Secretary-General’s call for a Global Ceasefire. They also highlighted the horrific consequences of conflicts.

This Committee is passing through one of the most critical periods in constructing and sustaining the existing principles of cooperation and agreements on disarmament and arms control. But it is amid these trying times, that this Committee must exhibit its resolve to overcome distrust.

We cannot afford to unravel what we have painstakingly built for the past 75 years.

Therefore, I encourage you to build trust between yourselves, to increase the confidence between your nations, to seek out sustainable compromises to enhance global security for us all.  

I thank you for your efforts, and I wish you all the best in your important endeavours.