26 August 2022
Excellencies, friends,
It is always a privilege for me to visit and interact with young diplomats. I thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan for providing me with this wonderful opportunity.
Some of you might know that I began my career as a diplomat, at a very young age.
And in addition to being the President of the General Assembly, I also concurrently serve as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives.
I know what a rewarding and exciting career diplomacy can be.
Additionally, I have always been passionate about the potential of young people to contribute to our world. I am always heartened when young people such as yourselves, choose to take up important responsibilities and dive into the world of global governance and diplomacy.
I vividly remember how exuberantly enthusiastic I was when I starting out in this field. Every experience was awe inspiring. I believed, and still believe, in the power of multilateralism and the change it can bring about. I believe that young people can, and should, play a part.
I have no doubt that, down the line, many of you will be leaders who will effectively steer the course of Tajikistan’s foreign policy.
My friends,
Foreign policy is an integral part of a country’s broader government and public policy framework.
Yes, as diplomats, you must raise the country’s profile, build relationships, and advocate the state’s principles in the international arena.
But foreign policy also entails leveraging a country’s engagement with the international community to improve its domestic well-being; to help it develop; and to help its public overcome immediate and long-term challenges.
This is especially true in the modern age.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated, we now live in a profoundly interconnected world, and the challenges we face are borderless.
That is why diplomats are so vital to a country.
I can attest to this from experience. Like other countries, the Maldives went through a difficult ordeal during the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
We had limited healthcare capacity; our medical staff were overworked; we did not have enough testing kits or personal protective equipment; and the congested condition of our urban areas made quarantining and isolation difficult.
Without the international community, we would not have been able to alleviate any of these difficulties. Our diplomats were crucial in mobilizing the resources of the international community to assist us. Most critically, they played a vital role in not only securing access to the Covid-19 vaccines which allowed us to finally curtail the spread of the pandemic, but also put in place much-needed bubble arrangements that ensured secured travel to the Maldives.
When countries need help attaining the Sustainable Development Goals, in recovering from the pandemic, in averting conflict, it is the broader international community to which they must turn. And the execution of that task falls upon diplomats.
Therefore, it is no understatement to express that the future of a country is in the hands of diplomats.
My friends,
Make no mistake, the challenges we face are many, and they are unprecedented in scale.
We now have less than a decade to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet meeting our obligations is ever more difficult, as we are still trying to repair the socio-economic damage wrought by the pandemic.
The climate crisis rages with an intensity never seen before, as temperatures soar, wildfires spread, sea-levels rise, and weather patterns become less predictable.
There is rising economic inequality and increasing instances of conflict and human rights abuse.
The global community is frustrated and anxious.
My friends,
I chose ‘hope’ as the theme of my presidency, not because I deny the seriousness and urgency of what confronts us. Rather I believe that hope is what will sustain our willpower and remind us of our capacity to make a difference.
It is the kind of ‘hope’ that is embodied in every young person who dreams and aspires for a better future.
I have seen that hope in the 8 young diplomats who joined my team to be a part of my “Fellowship for Hope”. They are now actively engaging themselves in the work of the United Nations and will return to their respective countries to further solidify the values and principles of multilateralism.
And I am certain that it is with high hopes, for yourselves and for your country, that all of you have opted for a career in diplomacy.
It is my firm hope that when you take over the reins of Tajikistan’s foreign policy, you will continue this country’s robust level of international engagement.
My friends,
I commend Tajikistan for its frequent and substantial involvement with the United Nations on important matters.
For example, Tajikistan is well recognized as one of the leading countries advocating to resolve issues such as water scarcity and climate change within the context of the Global Development Agenda.
Indeed, Tajikistan initiated the process culminating in the United Nations declaring the years 2018 to 2028 as the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development.
I am certain that its role in the implementation of the decade’s agenda will be further recognized during the mid-term comprehensive review of the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development that will be held in 2023.
You should be proud that Tajikistan, together with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have been elected as co-chairs of this important international forum.
My friends,
Tajikistan, like the Maldives, is a climate vulnerable country. Many of the consequences of climate change, including environmental degradation, drought and natural disasters are felt within Tajikistan and across Central Asia.
This exacerbates other issues such as economic instability and food insecurity, which in turn exacerbates the likelihood of conflict and strife.
Because of the cross-cutting nature of climate issues, and the severity of their consequences, addressing the climate crisis remains one of the core priorities of the General Assembly and its Member States.
Today, the world’s most vulnerable countries, including LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS, are reaping the humanitarian, political and socio-economic consequences of human irresponsibility towards our planet.
It is the responsibility of the international community to come up with solutions that will help us reverse the climate crisis in the long term.
And it is imperative that they undertake targeted interventions to assist the vulnerable countries hardest hit by climate change.
As young diplomats, you must continue to make these demands of the international community.
And you must assume leadership positions, demanding climate accountability, the reduction of carbon emissions and the protection and preservation of our planet’s biodiversity.
My friends,
Whether it is resolving conflict, mobilizing the international community to address climate change, or securing assistance to recover from a pandemic or to sustain economic development, diplomats play a critical role.
You have chosen an honorable and important profession.
Whenever I speak of youth, I always mention that not only do we have a responsibility to listen to youth in the shaping of their future – we must actively involve them.
That is why I am so glad that you have taken the initiative yourselves to actively get involved in public service, diplomacy, and multilateralism.
I encourage you to stay at it, and to work on behalf of your country with passion and determination.
And with those sentiments, I look forward to hearing from you. And I look forward to a very engaging and productive conversation with all of you.
I thank you.
