Opening Remarks by the President of the
United Nations General Assembly,
H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the National Press Club at the Fourth Estate Room,
Washington DC,
Monday 6 May 2024
(As delivered)
Ms. Emily Wilkins, President of the National Press Club, Colleagues, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am profoundly honored by your invitation to feature at this renowned National Press Club – an institution with a storied legacy and long-standing commitment to journalistic excellence.
I consider this not just as a “Headliner speaker” moment for me – but as a unique opportunity for us, together, to assess the current state of our world and for me to hear your invaluable perspectives on some of the issues facing us.
At a time when our world – which is abounds with limitless possibilities – is also encountering mounting challenges, with relentless ferocity. We need to be aware of the potential consequences and results of the situations that confront us.
On the one hand, science, technology, and human innovation, is propelling us into a new era of promise and progress.
Despite the overshadows of nationalism and the inequity in access, we have witnessed the manufacturing with lightning speed, of the COVID-19 vaccine – demonstrating that, in the face of collective threats and challenges, humanity has an enormous capacity to rally and to deliver relief and /or outcomes even faster.
Barring the accompanying challenges of cyber security and the downside of AI, the science fiction of our childhoods is therefore transforming into today’s reality.
On the other hand, we see a lack of unity and solidarity leaving much of the world behind – with a vast majority mired in abject poverty, misery, strife, want, and many other indignities of a bygone age.
The rage of some 54 active and nascent conflicts across the globe – with 35 of these concentrated in Africa alone – further compounds any chance for us to deliver the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement, for people and planet.
From Haiti to the Gaza Strip, Ukraine to Myanmar, Sudan to Afghanistan – a proliferation of conflicts are ablaze with a trail of death, and rampant human rights abuses continue unabated.
A relentless climate-induced calamity is devastating our planet – as evidenced by the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution – whose impacts cut across rising sea levels and flooding, the so-called El Niño effect, drought and frequency of intensifying heatwaves, among others.
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
To navigate this complex web of challenges in a rapidly transforming world, we must seize opportunities and address the pressing issues that lie at the very core of our values.
The UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, among other things and international instruments that provide those foundational values, and which underpin multilateralism itself.
They affirm universal rights, and we must tackle common challenges with collective solutions – resolving differences transcending borders through dialogue and diplomacy, and through international cooperation.
Despite the clear benefits of multilateralism, there is without doubt growing skepticism about the efficacy of current global institutions – including the intensifying questions on the relevance of the United Nations itself.
In the face of escalating geopolitical tensions, critics have particularly highlighted the paralysis in the Security Council – crippled by deadlock and the misuse of the veto power – as a failure by not just the Council, but by the United Nations Organization as a whole to address escalating conflicts.
Some also view the General Assembly – which I am privileged to lead – as ineffective, pointing out as a hindrance, the lack of legal force of its resolutions.
Indeed – while we reflect on these legitimate concerns – we must also acknowledge that the institutional mechanisms established in 1945 may no longer fully suffice for the challenges of 2024 and beyond.
While the foundational principles of the United Nations Charter remain relevant, I believe that a candid discussion on reform is now much more urgently needed.
Advocates of an UN-led multilateral system – like myself as President of the General Assembly – would argue that the Organization and its deeds is much larger than the Security Council.
Across the globe, through its Specialized Agencies, Funds and Programmes – including operational activities rendered by the Resident Coordinator system at country level – the United Nations offers a lifeline and hope for many hundreds of millions of people who depend on it.
In far-lung corners of the globe, the United Nations is not only a staunch defender and promoter of human rights – it is also an honest broker for peace as demonstrated by its deployment of its blue helmet’s peacekeepers and the good offices championing peace-building and preventive diplomacy.
As also clearly demonstrated in the ongoing complex cases of Ukraine and Gaza, the General Assembly – as the most universally representative body where all 193 Member States have an equal voice – offers a unique platform for dialogue.
I firmly believe that the General Assembly’s resolutions carry the desired political weight and influence on global issues than commonly thought – those resolutions being a collective voice of the often majority of the sovereign UN membership.
Its adoption of resolution 76/262 in 2022, on the so-called ‘veto initiative’ – mandating the convening of a debate in the General Assembly whenever a Permanent Member of the Security Council casts a veto – has enhanced accountability and transparency and fosters better collaboration between the Council and the Assembly.
I am therefore confident that – by remaining anchored in the core values and tapping into our demonstrated ability for innovation and adaptation – we can inject new vigor into our multilateral system and reaffirm its enduring relevance.
Let me close by recalling that – when I was elected to the Presidency of the General Assembly ten months ago – I committed to reignite the much-needed trust and solidarity among Member States to achieve the 2030 Agenda; anchored on my four watch words of peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all.
With five more months remaining in my Presidency, I am steadfast in pursuing this Vision to restore the diminished faith in our multilateral system – and, importantly, to renew our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
I have launched several initiatives, including the recent General Assembly’s first-ever Sustainability Week – which I convened last month, focusing on the critical sectors of the economy such as debt, tourism, infrastructure, transport, and energy.
Let us be laser focused on our goals, as we also approach the Summit of the Future in September – during which world leaders are expected to forge a new global consensus to advance international cooperation and address global challenges.
The much-anticipated Summit outcome documents are expected to be more transformative and action-oriented – the Pact for the Future, fortifying global governance with concrete reforms; a Global Digital Compact, addressing the disparity in access to digital technologies, and accompanying ethical challenges; and the Declaration on Future Generations, committing us to preserve the integrity of our environment, protect human rights, and achieve peaceful societies.
As we look forward to the Summit of the Future, I invite all stakeholders – including you, distinguished members of the press – to join us in reaffirming that UN-led multilateral system is not only relevant but that is indispensable.
Yes, the imperative for durable peace across the globe is under severe threat – and its absence imperils our ability to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement, among other global commitments. But I urge you to reject the cynical view that we lack the power to make the difference – as a united global community.
Instead, let us recognize the boundless potential of humanity to collectively address the myriads of challenges, advance progress, and to create a world, worthy of habitation by present and future generations.
I thank you, and I eagerly await your questions.
END.
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