UN General Assembly
2022

The third theme I want to delve into is prosperity. Economic resilience is now more important than ever. Only through economic ties and interdependence and the freedom of movement of people and capital across countries can we hope for long-lasting world peace. For decades, globalization has been hailed as the next frontier of economic growth, by enabling human, financial and capital resources to be deployed as effectively as possible; by fostering jobs — or rather, careers — through international trade; by creating wealth through technological advances and their dissemination; and by allowing for better diversification against risk through the creation of multiple investment opportunities. Our time is now, and if not now, when? Let us turn the challenges we face into opportunities to transform our economies and make them future-ready, and to focus on our green objectives. It is imperative that during these trying times we avoid any temptation to put the climate on the back-burner. We should make no mistake — the future is green, and it is digital.