[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.23.1″ vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ z_index_tablet=”0″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” global_colors_info=”{}” image_icon_width=”100px” background_pattern_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.2)” background_mask_color=”#ffffff” text_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”text_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_text_shadow_vertical_length=”text_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_text_shadow_blur_strength=”text_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ link_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ link_text_shadow_vertical_length=”link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ link_text_shadow_blur_strength=”link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”ul_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ul_text_shadow_vertical_length=”ul_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ul_text_shadow_blur_strength=”ul_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”ol_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ol_text_shadow_vertical_length=”ol_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ol_text_shadow_blur_strength=”ol_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”quote_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ quote_text_shadow_vertical_length=”quote_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ quote_text_shadow_blur_strength=”quote_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_2_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_2_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_2_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_3_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_3_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_3_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_4_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_4_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_4_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_5_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_5_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_5_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_6_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_6_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_6_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″]<\/p>\n
Remarks by the President of the General Assembly<\/b><\/p>\n
H.E. Dennis Francis<\/b><\/p>\n
at the High-Level Panel on Climate Action for Sustaining Peace, at COP28<\/b><\/p>\n
Dubai, UAE<\/b><\/p>\n
1 December 2023<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/p>\n
Distinguished Participants,<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I join my dedicated co-host, the Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, Amy Pope in warmly welcoming you all to this High-Level Panel on Climate Action for Sustaining Peace.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is indeed an honour and a privilege to be among a group of distinguished leaders \u2013 particularly leaders who are so well versed in how the impacts of climate change are compounding the already severe social, economic, and political pressures that make conflict and violence more likely to erupt across our societies today.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
On the other hand, we know that by tackling climate change, we are not only addressing one of the biggest drivers of conflict \u2013 but we are, in fact, investing much more effectively in building and sustaining Peace.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The key questions confronting us therefore hinge not on whether \u2013 but how \u2013 climate change interacts with conflict; and what strategies should be put in place to address the emerging risks?<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
We have our work cut out for us:<\/p>\n
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The World Bank reports that 216 million people could be forced to move within their countries by 2050, due to the consequences of slow-onset climate factors and in the absence of climate action.<\/p>\n
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We also know that if left unchecked, climate change exacerbates the risk of conflict, with all the attendant results.<\/p>\n
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Perhaps no group is more vulnerable to these dynamics than those who have had to flee conflict \u2013 only to then suffer the effects of a hostile climate.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Our goal here today is to identify practical solutions that mitigate the burden of climate change on societal and political stability \u2013 and to ensure that our efforts to build sustainable peace, support, in tandem, just and inclusive climate action.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is about solidarity, as indeed it is about strong multistakeholder collaboration.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nowhere is the need for decisive ambitious action more acute than in developing countries \u2013 who are bearing the brunt of the impacts of climate change they unmistakably did the least to cause.<\/p>\n
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This is especially true for low-lying coastal States reeling from sea-level rise and its wide-ranging disruptions to everything from crop production and food security to livelihoods, critical infrastructure, and the functioning of trade and supply chains vital for economic resilience.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Available evidence has repeatedly confirmed that in all settings, women and children face elevated risks \u2013 and are invariably among the most disproportionately affected.<\/p>\n
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Fortunately, we all know that building strong partnerships on climate action is one of the empowering steps we can take to help prevent conflict.<\/p>\n
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By compiling reliable and disaggregated data, we can more accurately track progress; make targeted, evidence-based decisions; raise the level of global accountability \u2013 and thus attract critical support to address the challenges.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I urge you to maintain climate action as a strategic priority at the top of the global agenda, mindful of global geopolitical tensions wrenching our world and their stark effects rippling across the food, water, and energy systems vital for human survival.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,<\/p>\n
Let me conclude by urging you to recognize the existential threat posed by sea-level rise, and the critical need to address its impacts in a manner and timing that removes uncertainty from the development equation.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In doing so, I also urge you to recognize the gender specific impacts of climate change on women and girls \u2013 and to ensure their full and equal participation in the search, application, monitoring and review of all attempts to achieve durable solutions.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This approach will ensure that we implement adaptive capacities that are resilient and that empower frontline communities in the face of forced mobility.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
We can also ensure that the policy matrix includes options for application at local, national and regional levels \u2013 that effectively deter the calamitous effects of both climate and conflict on those least able to cope.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I look forward to hearing your ideas and engagement in a dynamic discussion on the way forward.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I thank you.<\/p>\n
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Remarks by the President of the General AssemblyH.E. Dennis Francisat the High-Level Panel on Climate Action for Sustaining Peace, at COP28Dubai, UAE1 December 2023\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Excellencies,Distinguished Participants,\u00a0I join my dedicated co-host, the […]<\/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":"
Remarks of the President of the General Assembly<\/p>\r\n
H.E Dennis Francis<\/p>\r\n
GA plenary meeting on the
Report of the International Criminal Court,<\/p>\r\n
Monday, 30 October 2023<\/p>\r\n
As Delivered<\/i><\/i><\/p>\r\nPresident of the International Criminal Court, Judge Piotr Hofmanski,<\/i><\/i>\r\n\r\nExcellencies,<\/i>\r\n\r\nDistinguished Delegates,<\/i>\r\n\r\n\u00a0<\/i>\r\n\r\nToday we gather to consider the annual report of the\u00a0International Criminal Court (ICC) \u2013 a\u00a0 critical pillar of the international legal order.\r\n\r\nThe ICC stands as a perennial symbol of our shared commitment to justice and humanity\u2019s greatest aspirations.\r\n\r\nIt serves as an emphatic reminder that\u00a0no one \u2013 I repeat, no one \u2013 should be exempt from accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community,\u00a0and that regardless of their status, position or location, perpetrators of such crimes will invariably face the weight of justice.\r\n\r\nIndeed, when it comes to the most egregious crimes against humanity,\u00a0 accountability knows no exceptions and justifiably so.\r\n\r\nIn those grave and heinous cases \u2013 when national legal systems prove unable or unwilling to bring perpetrators to justice \u2013 the ICC must step in.\r\n\r\nAccordingly, the ICC stands as a testament to our unshakeable resolve to end impunity, and moreover, to deter others from the commission of such crimes in the future.\r\n\r\nThe Court is indeed a truly unique embodiment of our collective resolution to upholding the principles of justice and accountability.\r\n\r\nI express my\u00a0 fulsome appreciation to the Court for its diligent efforts,\u00a0 as indeed to its judges and its prosecutor, as well as to the dedicated staff who have laudibly committed themselves to the pursuit of justice \u2013 and indeed, to what is\u00a0right<\/i>.\r\n\r\nThe report highlights both the progress and the challenges faced by the ICC this year, specifically as regards the prevention and punishment of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.\r\n\r\nThese principles are fundamental to our global vision of peace and are integral to our mission of maintaining international peace and security, promoting respect for human rights, and delivering justice to those who have suffered the gravest injustices.\r\n\r\nLadies and Gentlemen,<\/i>\r\n\r\nWe must acknowledge that the Court operates in a multifaceted international landscape.\r\n\r\nIts jurisdiction spans cases where state parties have brought situations to the attention of the Court, including situations referred by the United Nations Security Council.\r\n\r\nWhile it may present a unique set of challenges \u2013this duality in referral mechanisms underscores the importance of international cooperation.\r\n\r\nDespite these challenges, the hope for universal ratification of the Rome Statute, and the Kampala amendments, serve as a profound affirmation of the ICC's enduring commitment to justice.\r\n\r\nAs more countries join and support the ICC, the bold ambition of ending impunity for the most serious crimes becomes increasingly realistic to achieve.\r\n\r\nAs we engage in this discussion, let us remember the voices of the victims, whose suffering must compel us to take meaningful action.\r\n\r\nI underscore the\u00a0need for universal cooperation with the court among UN Member States in our common pursuit of a more just and peaceful world.\r\n\r\nI call upon States to support the ICC where it faces constraints in its pursuit of justice, including predictable funding to effectively undertake its investigations and prosecutions.\r\n\r\nIn line with the fundamental principle of complementarity, States should cooperate\u00a0with the ICC and with each other in investigations and prosecutions, including by sharing information and evidence to uphold the rule of law and ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes.\r\n\r\nLet us remain committed to strengthening the international legal framework and ensuring that the ICC continues to fulfill its essential role in our global efforts to prevent impunity and injustice and to promote lasting peace.\r\n\r\nI thank you and look forward to a fruitful discussion on this important matter.","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-274510","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