21 September 2022
Minister Bayramov,
Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
Let me start by thanking Minister Bayramov of Azerbaijan, Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, for establishing a platform of inclusive dialogue, and for inviting me to address this distinguished audience today.
I particularly commend Azerbaijan’s leadership for realizing two landmark initiatives: the creation of the NAM Youth Organizationand the NAM Parliamentary Network.
These platforms elevate the important voices of young people and deepen the cooperation with the legislators in the member states of the Non-Aligned Movement.
Dating back to 1961, NAM has a prominent history of leadership and solidarity.
Its influence has been convincingly displayed in recent years, for example when it led the convening of the General Assembly Special Session on the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
When the world needed it the most, NAM quickly galvanized efforts to address the crisis, calling for enhancing international cooperation and solidarity to overcome the pandemic.
It called for responses that were people-centered, gender-sensitive, coordinated and inclusive.
But COVID-19 was just a window, a short glimpse into our future,the first of many similar challenges to come.
Building on our joint efforts and experience, we need to be prepared to manage the many interlocking crises that will hit us.
That is why I welcome the upcoming High–Level Meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Its goal will be to mobilize political will at national, regional and international levels to prevent or to curtail future pandemics.
Excellencies, Dear Friends,
The return of deadly viruses is not the only risk our world is facing.
Our very real challenges of today span a wide variety: escalating conflicts, the war in Ukraine with its many consequences, global crises of food and hunger, skyrocketing energy prices and the devastating effects of climate change.
Political and security tensions are the highest they have been in decades.
Inflation shows no signs of abating.
It is against this backdrop that NAM’s voice of solidarity and cooperation will be as critical as never before.
NAM has the power to effectively shift the balance from mistrust and confrontation to dialogue and collaboration.
I welcome NAM strength at the United Nations. Not only in its numerical representation, but in its firm commitment to the United Nations Charter.
The UN Charter is the solid ground on which we stand. We have tobe faithful stewards of its principles and must be vigilant in guarding against its erosion.
I encourage you to use your influence to create bridges and consolidate our joint efforts to guarantee peace, to secure development and to protect human rights.
It is time to break the barriers and make the United Nations a truly inclusive organization..
We have no miracle solutions.
It is up to us – together – to restore trust among our nations and answer the fundamental questions of our time.
I will do my utmost to encourage dialogue, keep the door open to new ideas and maintain our focus on the issues that unite us.
I thank you.
