UN General Assembly
2018

Allow me to start by extending my congratulations to Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés and wishing much success to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy- third session. Let me also assure her that, by working with Member States and the United Nations family, we look forward to advancing the seven priorities set out in the agenda of the General Assembly at its seventy- third session. From this rostrum, I would like to provide the General Assembly with the latest regarding the situation in Afghanistan and the gains, opportunities and challenges that my nation faces at this critical juncture, in addition to our views on other key global challenges. The record of accomplishments by this institution over the past 73 years demonstrates that, wherever it might be and whoever it might impact, we cannot escape the ripple effect of, or de-link ourselves from, the global, national, communal and human connections that bind us, whether in relation to the environment,