The 78th UNGA Presidency at 100 Days: And Looking Ahead
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100 days ago, I assumed the Presidency of the United Nations General Assembly.
I did so with unwavering commitment to rebuild trust and reignite solidarity in a world reeling from conflict and crises – not least of which the aggression against Ukraine, where tens of thousands have died.
Little did I know that – only one month later – the world would be rocked by yet another major phase in the conflict in the Middle East; in which, yet again, thousands have perished, mainly in the Gaza Strip; and in that regard, a disproportionately high number of women and children have been killed, estimated at 70% of all deaths.
And the backdrop to all of this remains a world struggling to address climate change, to address growing global food insecurity and moreover, to incentivize action towards achieving the sustainable development goals, SDG’s.
Indeed, unity and solidarity remain elusive – precisely at a time when we need them to be more robust in order to energize the multilateral processes, to deliver credible solutions to major problems.
As I mark 100 days in office, I appreciate the successes registered since the start of the 78th Session in September, such as the adoption of Political Declarations on the SDGs, on Universal Health Coverage, on Tuberculosis, and on the Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response.
But I recognize that these early wins pale against the mountain of challenges we face – and I am aware of the lengthy road we are yet to travel in the months ahead.
Indeed, unhappily, we are net-negative in our efforts to create a better, more equitable, more just and more prosperous world.
Quite simply, notwithstanding the fact that the festive season is upon us, this hardly feels like a time for celebration – but rather, a moment to consider what we can do better, and by what means, in order to deliver a transformative impact, that adds value to our work in moving us closer to our strategic goals.
As President of the General Assembly –with the dedicated support of my team, and in close collaboration with fellow Principals of the other Main Organs, including the Secretary-General – I remain steadfastly committed to working even harder to serve the common interests of the Member States, and to restoring the once heralded dynamism of our multilateral system, by way of problem-solving.
In this regard, I will continue to seek opportunities to deliver more through, among other things, leveraging the wisdom of the General Committee; optimizing the utilization of my Advisory Boards; and fostering diverse inclusive spaces for open, honest dialogue, building upon the successful convening, thus far, of the four Gayap Dialogues.
Ending this year on a high note with the commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, a landmark instrument that levels the playing field for the treatment of people everywhere in the world, must inspire more confidence among us and motivate us to look to the New Year and to the remainder of this session with renewed hope, aspiration and commitment.
In doing so, we must take full advantage of the ongoing processes, such as the Summit of the Future, and work together creatively – as Member States and all stakeholders – to build a future world where all peoples live in peace and harmony; free from fear, and free from want.
As we move on beyond the 100 days, I urge all Member States – and all global citizens who are listening – to join my clarion call in pushing for a better future; one that is – safer, fairer, more just and with a clean, healthy and safer environment, for all.
To that end, I invite all of you to participate, in whatever forms might be possible, in an upcoming flagship project of my Presidency that is being planned for April 2024, when we will host Sustainability Week – a week of expert dialogue and High-Level engagement on four critical aspects of the sustainable development discourse: that is, transport, infrastructure, energy and tourism, with a special focus on sustainability. The thrust of this process is to add value to ongoing negotiations.
We should not and must not blithefully accept and settle for the status quo – not when we have the capability and indeed the potential to achieve so much more to secure, the dignity of the human person all around the world, which we so richly deserve – as present and future generations.
Thank you.
Look deeper still – and one can see – those girls, children with disabilities, indigenous youth, and other vulnerable children at even greater risk.
Clearly, we need to step up our efforts and deliver on the promises, we made to them, our most cherished, most vulnerable.
As President of the General Assembly, I am committed to pursuing the goals of this important Convention – and to promoting children’s rights and safety throughout the 78th session. The SDG Summit Political Declaration – adopted last September by world leaders – did exactly that. What we need now is action.
Perhaps most importantly – in the current context – is the imperative to address the tragic and heartbreaking reality, that children are dying, and being left permanently maimed and emotionally scarred by conflicts and wars.
To be clear: the loss of children in Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, and in other parts of the world embroiled in war and conflict – is morally inexcusable.
Excellencies,
Dear Colleagues,
I cannot emphasize enough that our children are our future.
In order to guarantee that, we must work much harder now – as a needed investment – to put in place a Pact for the Future that supports the children of today and tomorrow.
This is all the more important because four billion children are expected to be born over the next 30 years. We therefore have an obligation to use moments such as the Summit of the Future, and its outcome, to further entrench, reaffirm, and revitalize children’s rights.
Tomorrow, we will mark the 75th anniversary of the UDHR – a landmark document, indeed. And next year, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child itself.
We must utilize all these occasions to reflect on current challenges and to recommit to the full realization of children’s rights, everywhere in order to guarantee the development of our children to their fullest potential.
And let us recommit to doing just that.
I thank you.
