Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly

28 May 2022

 

Excellencies,  

Ladies and gentlemen, 

 

It is my honor and privilege to speak at this platform.  

 

We meet at a time when the world confronts profound challenges.  

 

The COVID-19 pandemic still casts a long shadow, and its socio-economic repercussions are being felt around the world.  

 

The ongoing aggression in Ukraine continues to take a tragic humanitarian toll, and has sent shockwaves through the global economy. 

 

In Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Ethiopia, Mali, Myannmar, and Afghanistan, lives have been torn apart and lost. 

 

And as these conflicts proliferate, so too does the persistent threat of weapons of mass destruction.  

 

Beyond outright conflict, terrorism and violent extremism continue to loom large as serious threats to humanity. We have seen these threats increasingly evident in the online and digital spheres. 

 

And all the while, as we grapple with these challenges, the climate crisis looms, ever present and growing.  

 

To imagine it as an abstract threat is to ignore what is happening on our planet right now: droughts, irregular weather patterns, soil erosion, wildfires, and fatal heatwaves – the list goes on.  

 

The core outcome of all of this is that people are suffering and our world, our collective societies, are being challenged.  

 

We have a responsibility to do much more, to address that suffering. 

 

We have a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable – women and girls, disabled persons, migrants, children and the impoverished, among them.  

 

Yet even now, inequalities and uncertainties have rendered communities ever more vulnerable, a sad reality further compounded by the pandemic:  

 

  • As millions of children were deprived of access to education,  

 

  • As migrants were marginalized and left behind, including in accessing healthcare and vaccination, even as they contributed on the frontlines of addressing the pandemic.  

 

  • as a shadow pandemic of domestic violence and abuse targeting women and girls unfolded.  

 

  • And as millions lost their employment, and source of income.  

 

My friends,  

 

These challenges are real, and they are serious. The post-1945 multilateral architecture has never faced challenges so profound and interconnected.  

 

Indeed, our ability to address the issues before us will test not only our resolve and imagination, but also the efficiency and relevance of our global institutions.   

 

Make no mistake, inaction or delay on any of these issues will only fuel a loss of trust in multilateralism. A loss of trust in institutions, such as the United Nations, to resolve issues, mediate solutions, and to promote peace and development.  

 

We have to act. 

 

My friends, it is easy to lose hope and give in to despair, but that is not the responsible choice. We need hope now, more than ever.  

 

I have not lost hope. I remain hopeful that humanity will persevere, strengthen their bonds, and work together to address our shared challenges.  

 

Fueling this hope are the insights I have learned over a long career: that crises can often bring about the best in humanity. And that multilateralism and diplomacy remain powerful tools.  

 

My friends,  

 

The success of regional organizations is a powerful counterargument to misgivings about the ability of countries to coalesce and work together to find solutions to shared challenges.  

 

Not only do they provide a model for multilateralism that can be replicated on a wider global scale – they play a pivotal role in upholding our current global multilateral architecture.  

 

For more than 50 years ASEAN has been proof of this. In that time, it has become a powerful driver for stability, regional cooperation, and economic integration among its ten member states.  

 

It has helped mediate differences among countries, and helped put them on common footing on policies that benefit the entire region.  

 

As an example, it has played a crucial role in shaping and upholding the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction as part of its ongoing efforts to make the region more climate and disaster-resilient.      

 

Today, ASEAN is one of the most vibrant regions in the world, comprising of 670 million people and accounting for 10% of the world’s population.  

 

It is an economic powerhouse with a combined GDP of USD 3.2 trillion. Its economic power is matched by its geopolitical importance.  

 

Working alongside the rest of the global community, ASEAN has an indispensable role to play in addressing major contemporary issues, be it the pandemic, climate change, natural disasters, conflict, terrorism, or transnational crime.  

 

My friends,  

 

Last year, under the able Chairmanship of Brunei, ASEAN took coordinated efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, while concurrently dealing with the crisis in Myanmar.  

 

During its Chairmanship of ASEAN, Brunei demonstrated that the country’s small size was no hindrance to assuming a leadership role.  

 

I commend the continued strengthening of relations between ASEAN and the United Nations.  

 

The ASEAN-UN Summit and the ASEAN-UN Ministerial Meeting have been held annually since 2010. These engagements provide an opportunity for leadership from across the UN and ASEAN to exchange views on areas of mutual interest 

 

The revitalized ASEAN-UN Plan of Action 2021-2025 will guide both organizations in further strengthening partnerships in the coming years. I welcome the work between the UN and ASEAN to implement our comprehensive partnership goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

 

My friends,  

 

As I stated, against all odds, I remain hopeful for a better, more sustainable, more resilient future. 

 

And rest assured I am not naively hopeful, nor did I choose ‘hope’ as the theme of my Presidency out of blind optimism.  

 

To be passive and hopeful is foolish. It is to naively believe that the challenges that confront us will resolve themselves.  

 

I believe in an active hope. The kind of hope which inspires us to make a substantial difference in our world. The kind of hope that helps us realize that the challenges we face are global, and that solutions, likewise, must be rooted in global efforts – a truth we must constantly remind ourselves of, and emphasize to our global constituents.  

 

The kind of hope rooted in the tried-and-true principles of multilateralism enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Principles which have inspired generations of talented and eager diplomats, including yourselves, to serve your countries, your regions, and the global community.  

 

The kind of hope that made ASEAN into a geopolitical force to be reckoned with, and that has transformed Brunei into a success story.  

 

Armed with that hope, I am optimistic that young diplomats like you will go on to change the world for the better, while representing your country to the best of your ability.  

 

Inspiring our young people in support of multilateralism, is one of the strongest tools we have in our toolbox.  

 

I remember my first time at the United Nations – how inspired I was by the people, by the discussions, by all the possibilities. That experience sparked in me a lifelong love and belief in multilateralism. This passion has carried me here, to the role of President of the General Assembly.  

 

That same passion and love for multilateralism was the prime objective behind instituting a Fellowship for HOPE, designed to bring young people from under-represented countries to the United Nations, and have them learn and work with my team and in their Missions. This programme is being facilitated with the support of countries like Brunei, and this year’s cohort includes a young man from Lao PDR.  

 

Along with bringing young people to the United Nations, I have also tried my utmost to meet with young people across the world, in New York and anywhere I visit. The purpose is to hear them. To listen to their views. Often, young people are left out of decisions that will most certainly affect them – and I understand this would be frustrating.  

 

I believe in bringing people together. Whether its young people, or academia, or local communities – I believe that the United Nations General Assembly can benefit from hearing a variety of perspectives, and views. I believe the General Assembly is the best place to showcase examples, and initiatives of people who are making a difference, and inspiring change, however small or big they are.  

 

For me, knowing that there are young people who are passionate and caring, knowing that there are solutions – this inspires hope! This is the kind of active hope, that I am keen to bring forward.  

 

Along with your young peers, I am hopeful that you will be part of the solution to ending conflicts, resolving the climate crisis, and in upholding the multilateralism that is so dearly needed to maintain our peace and well-being.   

 

I leave you with those sentiments, and I thank you.