[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-21px|||||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”7px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr. Dennis Francis,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n to the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security)<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n 2 October 2023<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Your Excellency, Ambassador Rvtis Paulaskas, Permanent Representative of Lithuania,<\/i><\/p>\n Madame High Representative,<\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let me begin by congratulating you, Chair, and the other bureau members, on your deserved election to guide the First Committee through its work programme during the 78th<\/sup>\u00a0Session.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My Office and I look forward to working closely with you during this Session, to ensure that\u00a0together<\/b>\u00a0we address some of the most pressing concerns of our times.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is a great honour indeed for me to join you this morning to address the First Committee.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Your work underpins one of the key pillars of the\u00a0United Nations; and is critical for our joint pursuit of\u00a0peace<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0prosperity<\/b>\u00a0in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As you are aware,\u00a0peace<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0prosperity<\/b>\u00a0are among the four pillars I selected for the theme of the 78th<\/sup>\u00a0Session.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The just concluded High-level Week was not only the busiest in recent memory. It was one that also saw impressive engagement by Governments at the highest level; an engagement to which\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0absolutely crucial\u00a0to restore and strengthen a UN-led multilateral system\u00a0anchored in\u00a0the UN Charter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But we are also mindful that the High-Level Week and the 78th<\/sup>\u00a0Session takes place against the backdrop of greatest geopolitical crisis we have seen in decades.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As I have said repeatedly since assuming office \u2013 among other threats to our peace and security, spanning\u00a0Africa<\/b>\u00a0to the\u00a0Middle East<\/b>\u00a0as well as the situation in\u00a0Haiti\u00a0<\/b>\u2013 the continued violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a fellow UN member \u2013\u00a0Ukraine<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 constitutes a serious violation of the UN Charter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The\u00a0nuclear threat<\/b>, meanwhile, is a real existential threat that casts a dark shadow over all that we seek to do in sustaining global peace and security.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Amid these challenges, the First Committee has the great responsibility to break the deadlock and bring the disarmament agenda back on track.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As you begin your work, I urge all Member States to recommit to\u00a0the\u00a0peaceful resolution of conflicts \u2013\u00a0and importantly<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 to a world free of nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The\u00a0rise of nuclear stockpiles is a deeply disturbing trend \u2013 taking place alongside technological advancements that have made nuclear weapons even more deadly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We know these munitions are\u00a0singularly<\/b>\u00a0inhumane<\/b>. A weapon that can wipe out all of humanity is not\u00a0simply<\/b>\u00a0a weapon. It is a life-threatening\u00a0verdict<\/b>\u00a0against all living beings.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I must implore Member States to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric on their use.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I urge you instead to fulfill the promise of the NPT and to bring the CTBT into force.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies and Distinguished Delegates,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Our efforts towards sustaining\u00a0peace<\/b>\u00a0must not stop here.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We need stronger accountability and regulation on\u00a0conventional arms control<\/b>, as well.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Resolute action is needed \u2013 including from this Committee \u2013 to counteract the\u00a0<\/strong>misuse, illicit transfer and accumulation of conventional weapons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The growing reliance on\u00a0incendiary weapons<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 despite the ban on their use \u2013 is equally concerning.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These issues must be addressed responsibly, in accordance with the\u00a0Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lethal autonomous weapons systems, meanwhile, are raising new ethical concerns over outsourcing decisions on life and death to weaponized software, while the malicious use of cyberspace is also on the rise.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To reduce cyber attacks, I urge Member States to redouble their efforts to implement the agreed framework of responsible State behaviour.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies and Distinguished Delegates,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Our focus on accountability must extend, as well, into outer space \u2013 and its sustainable use.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Space is our common heritage, and it must be used for peaceful purposes only. Importantly \u2013 as also recommended in the Secretary-General\u2019s report on Our Common Agenda \u2013\u00a0sustainability\u00a0<\/b>for all must be embedded into all efforts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, we see the growth of orbital debris, satellite congestion, commercialization of space through the exploitation of\u00a0 resources, and the deployment of anti-satellite weapons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At the same time, proper regulation is sorely lacking.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is\u00a0clear<\/b>\u00a0we need legally binding rules to govern our solar system and the deepest reaches of the cosmos.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies and Distinguished Delegates,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This year, the Committee for Programme and Coordination was not able to agree on 10 programmes \u2013 which the Main Committees should now consider.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I urge you \u2013 Chair, and the Committee \u2013 to urgently examine the relevant open programmes and to share your conclusions with the Fifth Committee as soon as possible, to allow the latter to take your input into account.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It would be remiss on my part to conclude without recalling that this Committee can \u2013 as it did in the past \u2013 rise to the occasion.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In1946, the First Committee came together \u2013 in a collective push for\u00a0disarmament<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 which culminated in the submission of\u00a0the very first resolution ever adopted by the General Assembly.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n To maintain its relevance and resourcefulness, the First Committee must\u00a0in the same spirit<\/b>\u00a0unite and\u00a0recommit<\/b>\u00a0to the shared interests of humanity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I encourage you to\u00a0again<\/b>\u00a0choose joint priorities over national agendas.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And \u2013\u00a0together<\/b>, I repeat, together \u2013 ignite common solutions that break the chains of conflict and intransigence that are holding our collective sustainable development hostage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is truly the imperative of our time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I thank you.<\/b><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,\u00a0\u00a0 Mr. Dennis Francis,\u00a0\u00a0 to the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) 2 October 2023 \u00a0 Your Excellency, Ambassador […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" [et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.21.2\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"-21px|||||\" custom_padding=\"0px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.21.2\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_padding=\"7px|||||\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.21.2\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.21.2\" _module_preset=\"default\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]<\/p> Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/p> Mr. Dennis Francis,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/p> at the Closing of the High-Level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote<\/span><\/b><\/p> the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons<\/span><\/b><\/p> Excellencies,<\/i><\/p> Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/i><\/p> I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all delegations for their active participation in this High-Level Meeting.<\/p> Today, we have heard a resounding call for nuclear disarmament, a moral imperative that\u00a0cannot<\/b>\u00a0be ignored.<\/p> We cannot let these horrendous weapons jeopardize life on our planet.<\/p> I earnestly urge delegations and state leaders to wield their authority and expansive influence to resoundingly amplify the message of nuclear risk.<\/p> Let us rally for decisive action in the pursuit of global peace and harmony.<\/p> Let us commit to supporting every effort to transform nuclear disarmament into a reality.<\/p> Together, we can secure a safer, more peaceful world for all, with all that this implies for global prosperity.<\/p> I thank you.<\/b><\/p> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-272776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n