At the outset, I would like to convey my Government’s congratulations to Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session and assure him of our unwavering support for his mandate.
At the same time, I would like to once again congratulate Secretary-General António Guterres on his assumption of his duties since 1 January. The Government of Cyprus and I personally have full faith and confidence in his abilities and vision. To that end, we stand ready to provide all necessary assistance towards achieving our shared goal of promoting the values and principles of the United Nations at a time marked by great uncertainty and instability.
Like the years preceding it, 2017 has been marked by turbulence. To name only a few examples, terrorism, regional conflicts, forced migration, the alarming effects of climate change and humanitarian crises are realities that have placed an enormous strain on our peoples and the environment. Human nature drives us to work for what is in our best interests and those of future generations — the preservation of our planet, peaceful settlements of conflicts, an end to terrorism and extremism, action to prevent natural disasters, and joint efforts to alleviate the immeasurable human suffering experienced around the world.
There is only one way to achieve that, and it is multilateralism. We stand here as world leaders to pledge our determination and commitment to a better world, through cooperation and joint actions. It is only through collective efforts that we can address crises like the current one with North Korea, which threatens the resilience of our global non-proliferation and disarmament regimes, as well as the peace and security architecture of the region and beyond.
International multilateral cooperation is also vital in dealing with the scourge of terrorism. Terrorist attacks have unfortunately become commonplace in our world, from Baghdad to Kabul, from Paris to Cairo, from Barcelona to London. They target our cities and citizens with cowardly acts of asymmetric aggression. Along with adopting enhanced security measures, it is essential to prevent and counter radicalization and violent extremism within our societies through education, dialogue, economic growth and social inclusion.
There is no security without development, and there is no development without security. Enhancing our societies’ resilience is a key aspect of our multilateral endeavours, and in that respect our determination to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development must remain high on the list of priorities. Sustainable development is at the heart of dealing with the root causes of forced migration, which for the past two years has dominated the global agenda, and not without cause. The crisis is putting pressure on our societies as well as our Governments, while at the same time it is changing the way political dialogue is conducted. However overwhelming the situation may be, we must not lose sight of the big picture, which is the need for solidarity and burden-sharing.
All these issues, along with the additional challenges that we are facing, point in one direction. We need a just, effective and efficient global governance system. In that regard, we are here to renew our commitment to a global order based on international law, with the
principles of the Charter of the United Nations at its core — a global order that ensures that peace, security, human rights and sustainable development remain the highest values that we subscribe to, preserve and uphold. Cyprus believes that the reform priorities that the Secretary-General has laid out are essential to ensuring thatmultilateralism remains relevant and effective in a time of growing scepticism and isolationist tendencies.
The three pillars of reform, in distinct yet parallel and complementary processes, will, if successful, provide us with a changed narrative pertaining to the ability to prevent crises before they erupt, reinforcing and enhancing peacekeeping and peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance and long-term development and growth.
The theme of this year’s session of the General Assembly — ”Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet” — is extremely relevant to my country, which is still suffering from the scourge of war and its ongoing violent division. In that regard, we firmly believe that the most vital element in achieving inter-State, regional and global peace is respecting and ensuring the full and unhindered independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of each and every State Member of the United Nations — a pillar that constitutes one of the most indispensable provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the most basic rule aimed at prohibiting foreign intervention in the territory, the exclusive economic zone or the internal affairs of independent and sovereign States Members of the United Nations. It is only by adhering to that standard that we can avoid inter-State conflicts and bloody internal clashes, which in turn establish the conditions for prolonged destabilization, violence and uncertainty.
One country that unfortunately continues to endure the consequences of blatant violations of fundamental principles of the United Nations is mine, the Republic of Cyprus, which since the 1974 military invasion of Turkey has remained under its occupation. The pretext for the invasion was the restoration of constitutional order following the attempted coup d’état against the President of the Republic by the Greek military junta. I have deliberately used the word “pretext” since, instead of restoring the constitutional order, Turkey ended up occupying 37 per cent of the territory of Cyprus, while forcibly displacing more than a third of the Greek Cypriot community from their ancestral homeland.
Thousands were murdered, and more than 1,000 Greek Cypriots have been missing since 1974.
By the same use of force, all our Turkish Cypriot compatriots were compelled by Turkey to relocate from the areas controlled by the Government of Cyprus, in which they had been residing peacefully, to the areas occupied by Turkey. In the same context, through the continuous presence of more than 40,000 Turkish troops and thousands of transplanted settlers, in a conscious effort to alter the demographic character of the island, Turkey established an illegal entity under its absolute political, economic, cultural and religious control and dominance.
It is not my intention to engage in a game of blame. On the contrary, I truly wish that I were in the position to inform the Assembly that my vision of reaching a settlement — one that I have repeatedly described from this rostrum — has become a reality. Unfortunately, despite our constructive approach, our tireless and unwavering efforts and the progress achieved, the most recent rounds of talks, which were launched in May 2015 and began to crescendo in July 2017 at Crans- Montana, have reached a deadlock, which is attributable exclusively to Turkey’s intransigent position, as reflected in its proposals aimed at reducing Cyprus to a Turkish protectorate instead of being positively predisposed to establishing a truly independent, sovereign and conventional State. One might consider my previous comments to be exaggerated were I not able to substantiate them, as I intend to do now.
In 1960, with the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, among others, under the Treaty of Guarantee, Turkey, Great Britain and Greece set out to guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of Cyprus. In that regard, I should stress that Turkey’s exploitation of that provision has regrettably led to the pain and suffering that the people of Cyprus — Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike — have endured and continue to endure as a consequence of the unacceptable status quo. It is for that exact reason that, since resuming negotiations on establishing a normal and sovereign State and from the very beginning, we have made it our goal to terminate the Treaty of Guarantee and the right of intervention, as well as agree to a sunset clause for full withdrawal of the foreign occupation troops. That is a principled position that the Secretary-General himself holds as an indispensable element in efforts to reach a settlement. As he said on 4 June, “Progress in this chapter [that is, the chapter pertaining to security and guarantees] is an essential element in reaching an overall agreement and in building trust between the two communities in relation to their future security”.
Based on both the observed progress in the bicommunal dialogue and the Secretary-General’s assessment, which I just cited, on 28 June the multilateral Conference on Cyprus opened with great expectations. Following negotiations in an effort to positively support the whole process, the Secretary-General presented an outline of six fundamental thematic topics comprising, on the one hand, the chapter on security and guarantees, including the withdrawal of foreign troops, and, on the other hand, issues related to the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem. Reaching the points of convergence within the Secretary-General’s framework would have led to a strategic agreement, thereby injecting a new dynamic and impetus into the process of realizing the valid hope that an overall settlement might be feasible.
In full compliance with the Secretary-General’s outline, I submitted credible and realistic proposals that effectively addressed the sensitivities and concerns of both communities, and that, like the Secretary- General’s framework, were based on the capacity of the Republic of Cyprus as a State member of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations. In stark contrast to the framework of the Secretary-General and the positions of the other two guarantor Powers, Turkey, in adopting an inflexible position, insisted on maintaining the Treaty of Guarantee and the right of intervention, as well as the permanent presence of troops.
In his statement before the General Assembly at its current session, the President of Turkey, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, claimed that the unsuccessful outcome of negotiations at Crans-Montana was attributable to the incomprehensible position of the Greek Cypriot side. In response, I would like to say that I am sorry but I have to reply by asking the Turkish President the following questions.
Is it incomprehensible to aspire to establish an independent and sovereign State without foreign guarantees and the intervention of a third country, while enjoying freedom from the presence of occupation troops?
Is it irrational to advocate establishing a normal State in which all decisions are made only by its citizens, free from foreign dependencies?
Is it unreasonable for an EU member State to efficiently and effectively participate in the decision-making of the European Union?
Is it unfounded to envision terminating the anachronistic Treaty of Guarantee and establishing a robust security system based on the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant treaties of the European Union and the Council of Europe?
Is it against any established principle for the United Nations, as well as the relevant institutions of the EU, to ensure and safeguard the smooth and secure implementation of the provisions of the settlement? And is it a paradox to reject Turkey’s insistence that it should assume that role?
Does any constitution of a federal State provide that, for every decision at the federal level, at least one positive vote by the members of the State is required, especially when one of the members of the federation is controlled by a third party?
Finally, could anyone maintain that reaching a settlement based on Turkey’s proposals would have led to establishing a functional and viable State?
Despite our disappointment, what I want to emphatically stress and convey is that the vision of the people of Cyprus is simply to end the unacceptable status quo and establish a federal State that would ensure all generations of Greek and Turkish Cypriots conditions of stability for a safe, prosperous and peaceful future; a State free from any foreign interventions and dependencies; a “normal State”, as the Secretary-General has very correctly stated; a State led by Cypriots for Cypriots. In that regard, and contrary to the statements made by Turkish officials, it is my intention, at tomorrow’s meeting with the Secretary- General, to convey our readiness to immediately resume negotiations in accordance with his framework and in line with the relevant United Nations resolutions.
Within this context, it is widely acknowledged that if a new conference on Cyprus is to convene, and in order to avoid a repetition of the shortcomings of the past, there should be thorough and solid preparations and strong political will and determination on the part of all interested parties and stakeholders so as to ensure that this time deliberations will lead to a positive outcome. For that, I have no doubt that the Secretary- General and the permanent members of the Security Council will offer us their support and help.
At the same time, at this critical juncture we need an alternative to unilateral actions that have a negative effect on the aim of moving the process forward. Mutually agreed confidence-building measures that are in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions and reports of the Secretary-General, such as the return and resettlement of Varosha to its rightful and lawful inhabitants, would be game-changers in creating a climate conducive to resuming negotiations with the aim of reaching a comprehensive settlement. That aim would be further reinforced through progress on the humanitarian issue of missing persons. To that end, I call on Turkey to fully cooperate in order to resolve this tragic issue. I also take this opportunity to urge all countries that may hold information to open their archives in order to support our efforts to bring an end to this tragic aspect of the Cyprus problem.
In conclusion, I once again urge Turkey and our Turkish Cypriot compatriots to realize that it is only through mutual respect and compromises, not obsolete fixations on failed practices, that we will achieve a viable and lasting settlement that has neither winners nor losers and fully respects and addresses the sensitivities and concerns of both communities. That is the only way for Cyprus to fully utilize its potential and exploit its unique geographical position. That is my vision.


At the outset, I would like to express my sincerest condolences to the people and the Government of Mexico in the wake of the earthquake that was so devastating for that country.
On behalf of my delegation and on my own behalf, I would like to extend to the President our heartfelt congratulations on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. I also express our gratitude to his predecessor, Mr. Peter Thomson, to whom we pay warm tribute for the work accomplished. We also once again wish Secretary-General Guterres every success in the fulfilment of his mandate.
I note with interest the great significance of the theme of this general debate. Indeed, focusing on people and striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet is a tremendous challenge that calls for a spirit of openness and responsibility on all our parts.
Humankind faces many challenges. Terrorism is spreading its reach daily. No continent is immune to violence perpetrated in the name of extremism and nationalism. The increased tensions on the Korean peninsula could lead to nuclear conflict on an unprecedented scale. The situations in Syria and Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the nuclear threat and the crises in Africa and other parts of the world mean that there is now a pressing moral need for peace, without which nothing constructive or sustainable can be built. That has always been our guiding light.
Whenever circumstances allow, the Congo has always seized every opportunity to uphold the ideals of peace and justice in Africa and across the world. It is in that context that, on 19 October, my country will host the next Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the seventh High- Level Meeting of the Follow-up Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. The Summit will provide an opportunity to consider ways and means of resolving the various crises that currently afflict that part of our continent.
In addition, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in the Great Lakes region are confronted with various crises. I refer in particular to the Central African Republic, Burundi and South Sudan. In the case of the Central African Republic, the return to peace is moving forward apace. The Government and the people of the Congo are unwavering in their support for the people of the Central African Republic. The implementation of the Road Map for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, adopted in July under the auspices the African Union, should provide new impetus to the stabilization of that fraternal country.
Moreover, the search for solutions for an effective exit from the crisis in Libya as part of the mandate entrusted by the African Union to the Congo is unquestionably moving in the right direction. The holding of the fourth meeting of the African Union High-level Committee on Libya on 1 September in Brazzaville led to quite heartening progress. All major stakeholders in the Libyan crisis and members of the dialogue committees set up by the Libyans themselves travelled to Brazzaville during or just after the Summit. A final communiqué and road map were adopted at the end of the meeting. The commission for inter-Libyan dialogue has begun its discussions, and they will essentially focus on the amendment of the Libyan Political Agreement adopted in Skhirat on 17 December 2015 and the inter-Libyan conference that is to take place in Addis Ababa in December. From this rostrum, I would like to reiterate my country’s resolve to continue working for peace in Libya. That is why I urge the international community to support the efforts of the Congo to strengthen initiatives conducive to a positive outcome for those various crises.
Undoubtedly, poverty will continue to pose a lasting global challenge until we break the cycle of dependence and dramatic contingencies that has been caused by disturbing changes of natural ecosystems. In that respect, the globalizing and interdependent nature of our response is undeniable. Beyond our differences, we must draw on the regulatory capacities of the great Powers, in conjunction with the search for adapted paradigms and more effective solidarity aimed at advancing the developing economies. Our global stability depends upon that.
In that particular context, Africa has been affected by the tragedy of emigration across the Mediterranean Sea. Similarly, the forced displacement of populations towards more hospitable areas, as a result of climate change, gives a measure of the distress of men, women and children — all victims. It is a matter of concern to us all. We must take significant action in a spirit of solidarity and mutual understanding so as to contain those exoduses towards uncertainty and save the lives of thousands of Africans.
As a truly global issue, the climate was the subject of promising discussions regarding its future at the Paris Conference in 2015. It is urgent that the commitments made there be kept. For the collective consciousness of humankind, that is the place to express our compassion and solidarity with the populations that are victim to the harmful consequences of climate change. I refer specifically to the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma in North America and the floods and landslides in Asia and some African countries, particularly in Sierra Leone. Once again, we must agree that the protection of the environment is a common and imperative obligation.
In that context, my country initiated the Blue Fund for the Congo Basin on the sidelines of the twenty- second session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The memorandum of understanding that was signed last March in Oyo, the Congo, marks the first step in the Fund’s creation. That financial instrument aims to ensure a better quality of life for our people and protect the forests of the Congo basin, which is the second-largest green lung in the world after the Amazon. I invite the international community to support the Congo in that initiative aimed at protecting our planet from global warming.
A decent life for all also means allowing our populations to benefit from high-quality health care. The proliferation of counterfeit and sub-standard medicines is an increasingly serious threat to the world, particularly for developing countries. The expansion of that scourge brings to mind various carefully organized forms of trafficking that have helped to finance terrorism. According to the World Health Organization, counterfeit medicines lead to 800,000 deaths a year. Approximately 10 per cent of medicines in circulation worldwide are estimated to be counterfeit. In Africa and the countries of the South in general, that figure may reach 40 per cent, and even 60 per cent in some regions.
In addition to the efforts of the World Health Organization, vigorous action at the level of the General Assembly should be undertaken with a view to defining a comprehensive strategy to combat the peril. Advocacy in that area requires the constant mobilization of all countries, including sustained attention and substantial financial allocations. For our part, my country has engaged in the fight in collaboration with the Brazzaville Foundation for Peace and Conservation.
The Republic of the Congo is experiencing a period that is marked by socioeconomic concern for the drastic decrease in oil prices. Budgetary adjustments are now envisaged, with the support of international financial institutions. In spite of the dismal situation, the Congo continues its resolute march towards the consolidation of its democracy. More than ever, the virtues of constructive dialogue are being brought into play. An institutional framework was implemented after the presidential, legislative, local and senatorial elections. The stakeholders of the nation are exercising their rights in complete freedom.
Transforming the world into a haven of peace and prosperity is possible. We are given proof of that with every passing day. It is up to us to realize that goal, while leaving no one behind.


I am addressing the General Assembly today at a difficult and painful time for Mexicans. Our nation has been battered by Nature. In recent weeks, together with our sister nations of the Caribbean and the states of Florida and Texas, in the United States, we have been hit by tremendous natural disasters that have resulted in suffering, destruction and death.
The worst for Mexico was two consecutive earthquakes in only 12 days, which have put to the test not only our readiness and infrastructure but our very humanity. The first earthquake left approximately 100 people dead and 300,000 injured in the southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. The second, just 48 hours ago, so far has caused 273 deaths and the destruction of many houses, schools and bridges. It has left many people wounded in Mexico City and in the central part of Mexico.
In the face of these natural disasters, today more than ever I feel proud to be Mexican. Mexican society, united and in a spirit of solidarity, has taken to the streets to help and rescue the victims. We are seeing young people rescuing the old, children rescuing their parents, homemakers joining rescue brigades, neighbours collecting food, people opening their homes and turning them into shelters, and others forming human chains to clear debris and save the lives of those who are still trapped. It is with great hope that we inform the Assembly that we have been able to pull 51 people alive from collapsed buildings, and we hope to rescue many more.
At this difficult time, Mexicans are very moved by the many speedy gestures of solidarity on the part of the international community. Friends are there at difficult times, and we have seen with great emotion that Mexico has true friends throughout the world. Their timely help can make the difference between life and death for many. So far, priority has been given to rescue activities, helping people trapped in the rubble to be able to see the light of day once again. We are also providing immediate medical assistance to those who need it urgently, and have joined together to feed and shelter all those who have lost their homes or are afraid to return to them.
Leading these efforts is a society resolved to move forward stronger than ever. We have had vital help in assisting our people from our armed forces and civil protection authorities. The rescuers have not rested in this task, and yet much remains to be done.
On behalf of the people and the Government of Mexico, and on behalf of the President of all Mexicans, Enrique Peña Nieto, let me wholeheartedly express my gratitude for the innumerable shows of sympathy and support that we have received from throughout the world. This help shows us that to be in the United Nations following a natural disaster means being among one’s family. Today Mexico feels embraced and is relieved to see that the world has not abandoned us in our tragedy. We would in particular like to thank Secretary-General António Guterres and the staff of the United Nations system that help with emergency situations by supporting urgent assistance efforts.
I should like also to thank the many countries that mobilized very quickly to send rescue teams and experts. This morning in Mexico City we woke up to the presence of rescue teams from Honduras and El Salvador, who were assigned to the Tlalpan area. Rescue teams from Israel were busy in Álvaro Obregón street; from the United States, in Escocia and Edimburgo streets; and from Panama, in Queretaro and Medellín streets. Rescue teams have recently arrived from Spain, and in the next few hours we are expecting teams from Ecuador, Japan, Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru and many other nations that have offered help, which we will definitely accept and avail ourselves of.
We give heartfelt thanks to the Governments of those countries for their solidarity. The Mexican people will not forget it.
The international solidarity that is on display in Mexico does not mean that we should not talk about the challenges facing the world, which can be overcome successfully only through that same solidarity. One of those challenges is the growing lack of confidence in multilateralism. In the past decade, the international economy experienced the impacts of a severe financial crisis in the more developed countries, which led to a sudden rise in unemployment, the loss of savings and a drop in the net worth of millions of families; many companies also went bankrupt. In addition, thousands of jobs are gradually disappearing owing to the growing use of robotics in certain industries and the automatization in the service industry. These factors have given rise to a wave of deep fear and social frustration, which have led to the rejection of an open world and of globalization.
Terrorism has also contributed to increasing fears of the outside world among the peoples of various regions. This wave of fear and rejection of globalization has reached the United Nations and other international organizations. Today we hear voices questioning the effectiveness of multilateralism in dealing with global challenges. It would seem today that the community of sovereign States is dealing with a false dilemma: to persevere in cooperation and in building bridges of understanding or, on the contrary, to close borders and build walls based on fear. Mexico rejects that dilemma. Mexico has been, is and will remain a sovereign State with a deep multilateral vocation. No country, however powerful, is capable of responding on its own to the enormous shared challenges of our time.
It is multilateralism that makes the difference between an international system of States that are limited to mutual coexistence and an international society in which sovereign States are committed to a joint and responsible coexistence for the solution of the common challenges. The commitment of States to multilateralism reduces anarchic tendencies in the international system. A world based on sovereignly accepted rules and procedures is in everyone’s interest, because multilateralism sets acceptable international parameters within which sovereign States accept to maintain their conduct.
The achievements of multilateralism in recent years are many. The fight against climate change, the preservation of biodiversity, the regulation of the arms trade, the new paradigm of international drug control policy and the response to natural disasters are some examples of that. Today, Mexico is betting once again on multilateralism in the process of negotiating the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration.
Today, as Mexico confronts a tragedy, Mexicans once again see the value of multilateralism through the support provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). We recognize the value of being part of an authentic international community. In minutes, OCHA helped us to identify the countries that had the capacities to support our emergency. In that moment of pain, multilateralism and the United Nations showed the Mexicans their most generous and practical face.
Few instruments call for solidarity among human beings with the power of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For Mexico, the Agenda is a State commitment. In that regard, we established a national council, headed by the President of the Republic, and the Federal Government will prepare its budget and development plans based on the criteria contained in the Agenda. The 2030 Agenda should serve as a new focal point for the work of our Organization. We must channel the energies of the United Nations towards effectively seeking the prosperity of the people of the planet.
Mexico will always be in favour of peace and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Unfortunately, armed conflicts continue to demand the involvement of the United Nations. That is why Mexico has participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations since 2014. The successful case of the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace is a significant example. However, if the United Nations is to be more effective in that task, it is necessary to strengthen its preventive capacities, focused on the individual, the promotion of development and, of course, respect for human rights.
The existence of nuclear weapons poses a threat to all humankind. In view of the persistence of the nuclear danger, the Government of Mexico signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons yesterday, which the executive will soon submit to the approval of the Senate of the Republic. At the same time, Mexico will support all Security Council resolutions against nuclear threats, and today we reiterate our full support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in order to ensure its effective compliance.
We unequivocally condemn all terrorist attacks, regardless of their motivation. That is why we support the multilateral initiatives of the United Nations, which, together with the efforts to eradicate terrorism, promote tolerance and the respect for human rights. States have the obligation to protect and promote human rights. However, women and girls suffer sexual violence, exclusion, marginalization, discrimination and, in extreme cases, abominable murders. Mexico recognizes its obligation to redouble efforts to combat those practices and punish their perpetrators. States should be committed in solidarity to the empowerment of women and girls. Gender equality is a prerequisite for a world in which peace and development are truly sustainable, inclusive and lasting.
Mexico reaffirms its openness to the world. We are expanding and diversifying our political, economic and cooperative links with all regions, including Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Mexico and the Union Europe are about to complete the updating of their legal framework, which will have stronger instruments, based on shared values, such as the defence of multilateralism, to better face the global challenges of today together. In the same way, we are strengthening our ties with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. We have launched trade negotiations with Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Israel, to mention just a few.
At the same time, we are determined to deepen our ties with the region to which we proudly belong, Latin America and the Caribbean. The natural disaster that Mexico experienced proves that solidarity is a critical value for the countries of our region. Mexico is standing and will continue to stand in solidarity with each and every one of the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean. We want to stand in solidarity with our brothers from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in their ongoing efforts to strengthen the security, stability and prosperity of their societies in the interest of increasing the safety and prosperity of their peoples. Mexico also wishes to stand in solidarity with our brothers of the Caribbean, who are facing a huge challenge in their reconstruction. Mexico has been and will continue to be present in that effort.
We want to stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people, who are struggling to recover their democracy. We will maintain our solidarity with our partners of the Pacific Ocean Alliance — Chile, Colombia and Peru — in order to continue promoting innovation, trade and investment in our countries. We want to stand in solidarity with members of the Southern Common Market — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — with which the Pacific Ocean Alliance has started a promising process of rapprochement. We want to be in solidarity with our Cuban brothers, who aspire to open up to the world and normalize their relations with all nations. Mexico is also a proud member of North America. As a sovereign and solidary nation, we believe in the process of North American integration so that the region can consolidate itself as the most competitive in the world. Mexico aspires to and foresees a region where bridges of friendship and cooperation prevail, along with the principle of shared responsibility in facing our common problems. Today, the people and the Government of Mexico reiterate from this rostrum their deep solidarity with all Mexicans living in the United States, regardless of their immigration status. The Government of Mexico has the moral and legal obligation to protect and support them. Through our consulates, we will continue to support them, defend their rights and advocate for their causes. We are deeply proud of them and their contribution to the North American economy, culture and society. We are particularly proud of the “dreamers” and will continue to strive for a permanent solution to their legal status.
With Canada and the United States, we are making progress in updating the North American Free Trade Agreement. We are participating in that process with absolute seriousness. Mexico will always defend its legitimate national interests in the conviction that it is possible to achieve a very positive result for all three countries. We know that the world is focused on the outcome of those negotiations. We have an opportunity to consolidate a more prosperous, more competitive and more just North America.
In the present moment of pain, Mexicans see the value of a more supportive, efficient, effective, transparent and representative United Nations. The Government that I represent supports the proposals of Secretary-General António Guterres, because they are aimed at making the United Nations system a more effective and solidary Organization.
The message that I bring today is that Mexico will overcome the recent catastrophe and our nation will be stronger for it. Mexicans are a strong people. The people and the Government of Mexico are still standing. Today, Mexicans thank the world and the United Nations. We thank the United Nations agencies for being aware of us. We thank Governments for their sympathy, support and extraordinarily valuable help. We thank all for their solidarity. We thank the citizens of the world who are thinking of us today. We thank them for their prayers and good wishes and for standing with Mexicans, today and always.


I wish to join my colleagues, Heads of State and Government, in congratulating Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election as the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session, and to wish him every success in his noble duties. I also express my sincere appreciation to Mr. Peter Thomson for his continued support of Tajikistan’s national and international commitments during his term as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session.
Unprecedented rapid globalization over the past decades has contributed to the development of political and economic relationships among countries and helped bolster the integration of various regions across the world. It has also brought massive challenges to the world’s people and sometimes undermines the efforts of Member States to ensure a safe, fair and secure life for their people. In this context, the United Nations, as a universal institution, should continue to carry out its noble mission of coordinating the efforts of Member States to strengthen countries’ resilience in responding to modern threats and challenges.
It is impossible to address the new challenges facing the international community without strengthening and reforming the entire United Nation system. Comprehensive and inclusive reform of the United Nations must contribute to increasing and strengthening its capacity to respond to developments around the world in a timely manner and to deal with today’s threats and risks. United Nations reform should be implemented in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. We support the inclusive and equal representation of the interests of developing countries in the Security Council reform process.
We are witnessing today many tragic and horrific events taking place across the globe that undermine the international community’s commitment to attaining comprehensive sustainable development. The spread of terrorism and extremism, religious armed conflicts, transnational organized crime and drug trafficking pose serious challenges to the security of our countries.
As terrorist and extremist groups and movements flourish in many hot spots throughout the world, threatening people’s security by using certain corners of the world as safe havens, I wish to reiterate that the horror and brutal acts of these forces have absolutely no connection with the holy religion of Islam. On the contrary, they run counter to the moral teachings and do not reflect the tolerance and values of Islam. In order to confront these threats, all Member States must make every effort, in accordance with international law, and avoid double standards.
The Government of Tajikistan continues to take concrete steps to address threats and challenges and to ensure lasting peace and overall stability in the country, in cooperation with its partners and international organizations, in particular the relevant United Nations agencies. The implementation of the second phase of our National Strategy on Countering Extremism and Terrorism 2016-2020 is one effective instrument we use to fulfil our commitments. I should emphasize that these efforts are aimed at supporting the United Nations central coordinating role in assisting countries in post-conflict rehabilitation processes.
The success of our joint actions to prevent and resolve conflict and to seek the peaceful settlement of disputes will depend first and foremost on how effectively we use preventive diplomacy and mediation. Peace and stability can ensure sustainable, inclusive cooperation aimed at resolving the conflict in North Korea. Peace and stability can ensure sustainable social and economic development and a more peaceful life, and create conditions conducive to a strong civil society and to respect for and the protection of human rights in all countries, facilitating the prosperity of Member States.
We Tajiks are well aware of the importance of peace and the need to defend it, since our people have experienced many hardships and suffered through a civil war in the early days of its independence. As a result of the domestic conflict imposed upon them, thousands of our nationals lost their lives. Only through peace and stability have we been able to achieve sustainable economic development, reduce poverty and improve our people’s well-being, promote cooperation with different countries and goodwill among nations throughout the world, and take the measures necessary to ensure regional integration.
We cannot afford to remain silent in the face of the military, political, social and economic situation in neighbouring Afghanistan. The rapidly growing activity of violent terrorist groups in the country has become a source of serious concern for us. Given the current situation in that country, it is high time to take strong measures to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts and tackle drug production and trafficking in narcotics.
Tajikistan supports Afghanistan’s comprehensive conflict resolution strategy. The Government and the people of Afghanistan need timely support and targeted assistance, especially during the current transition period. Tajikistan’s involvement in the process of regional integration through enhanced economic and trade relations with that country could be an important element in helping the country move forward towards peace and stability. We call on the international community to stand with and contribute to helping Afghanistan restore its ailing social and economic life and to develop its transport and communication infrastructure.
Tajikistan, which has 1,400 kilometres of border with Afghanistan, stands ready and committed to contribute to these noble objectives. Transport and road links between our countries and the implementation of the power-transmission lines projects, including the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), as well as the training and professional development of experts in different areas, are among the projects that we are carrying out with that country.
Fighting drug trafficking, which is one of the main sources of funding of international terrorism, calls for the joint effort and strong will of the international community to help the country get rid of this evil. Tajikistan has established cooperation with the relevant United Nations agencies, regional organizations and partner countries at the bilateral level. We are currently successfully implementing our National Strategy on Combating Illicit Drugs 2013-2020.
The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the international community was a key milestone in our joint work to advance sustainable development and involve all sectors of society in the process. Over the past few years, Tajikistan has made great strides towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Government of my country, in close and effective cooperation with the relevant United Nations agencies, has developed and adopted the Mid-Term Development Strategy 2020 and the National Development Strategy 2016-2030. These strategies have been developed in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and we believe that their timely and effective implementation will contribute to achieving the Agenda.
Tajikistan was among 43 countries that presented their voluntary national review in July at the High- level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, in New York. To achieve the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda, it is necessary to help the least developed countries and developing countries, particularly by providing financial support and cutting-edge technologies, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
It is worth mentioning that the geographical situation of landlocked developing countries and their lack of access to sea ports are serious obstacles to honouring their commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Countries in these circumstances need much more assistance from developed countries and international financial institutions in their efforts to develop infrastructure, improve transport systems and simplify trade policies and regional integration. The specialized institutions and agencies of the United Nations, particularly the Economic and Social Council, can and should have an important role in this regard.
We believe that the more attention we give to economic, social and environmental issues, the better we can contribute to the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda. That would also help countries to cope with their social challenges and improve the livelihood and living standards of their people by providing jobs.
We, the representatives of the international community, adopted the Paris Agreement on Climate Change two years ago. The goals enshrined in that critical document determine the major obligations and efforts of the international community in reducing carbon dioxode emissions in the atmosphere, adaptation to climate change and transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
Climate change accelerates the melting of glaciers, which affects the rise of the water level in rivers and negatively affects certain sectors of the national economy. With 93 per cent of its territory surrounded by mountains, Tajikistan, owing to its geographical location, faces the devastating consequences of climate change and natural disasters. Every year, the country suffers from natural disasters, including those related to water. Tajikistan spends hundreds of millions of dollars to tackle and eliminate the consequences of natural disasters.
Over the past 30 years, Tajikistan has lost more than 1,000 of its 13,000 glaciers due to melting as a result of climate change and temperature rise. This comes at a time when the industrial capability of Tajikistan, which is the main source of its carbon dioxide emissions, is not especially large. Ninety-eight per cent of the country’s energy is produced by hydroelectric power stations, generating environmentally friendly energy. Over 60 per cent of Central Asian water resources are currently formed in Tajikistan. It is obvious that the accelerated melting of glaciers adversely affects water levels in the region.
In this regard, the time has come for us to turn our words into actions and demonstrate our resolve to implement the goals of the Paris Agreement. In our view, one way to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement is to adhere to the green economy recommmendations and promote the comprehensive use of renewable energy sources. In this context, we express our full support of the international Sustainable Energy for All initiative and the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Energy for All 2014-2024. It is important for the international community to make vigorous efforts to achieve these goals.
Tajikistan is strongly committed to maintaining its contribution to implementing the water-related goals of the 2030 Agenda. It is with great pleasure that I note that, in December 2016, the General Assembly adopted by consensus resolution 71/222, entitled “International Decade for Action, ‘Water for Sustainable Development’, 2018-2028”. We believe that the implementation of the new Decade at the national, regional and international levels will contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals related to water and help to preserve that invaluable resource for generations to come.
This morning we conducted a high-level side event entitled “Towards Implementation of the International Decade of Action, ‘Water for Sustainable Development’, 2018-2028”, at which participants exchanged views on ways and means to implement the new international Decade and Sustainable Development Goal 6. Furthermore, in order to review and deliberate on proposals by development partners and with a view to adopting a road map for the Decade, we intend to organize, on 22 March 2018, World Water Day, a special event in New York to celebrate the launch of the international Decade and to host a high-level international conference on water for sustainable development in Dushanbe next June. We strongly believe that the States Members of the United Nations, international and regional organizations, international financial institutions, civil society, think- tank associations, women and youth will stand together and work to achieve the Decade’s goals and objectives for the sake of the lives of people around the globe and to ensure a better future for coming generations.


On 6 September, my small, two-island State, Antigua and Barbuda, was the victim of the ferocity of Hurricane Irma, the largest storm endured in the Atlantic in human history. The island of Barbuda was decimated, its entire population left homeless and its buildings reduced to empty shells.
Fortunately, Antigua and Barbuda was spared the full blast of Hurricane Maria just nine days later, although sustained winds of up to 60 miles per hour gave us a troubling awareness of the agony visited on the nearby islands of Dominica, Guadeloupe and Puerto Rico. Antigua and Barbuda continued to stay resilient. Having witnessed the devastation of Barbuda and the desolation of its inhabitants after the ravages of Irma, my heart bleeds for the people of the countries that have now been brutalized by Maria, and those that will suffer its cruelty in the coming days.
I have come to the General Assembly because I consider it to be important to speak to the world’s representatives and to do so collectively in order to share the experience of my country, as well as the huge challenges faced by the Caribbean islands in general. Barbuda and its inhabitants were among the worst affected by Hurricane Irma in the region. Barbuda has a surface of 62 square miles. When Irma thundered over the island, it was 375 miles wide, with gale force winds of 220 miles per hour. Barbuda did not stand the faintest chance against such size, such ferocity and such intensity. The island was completely destroyed, and my Government was compelled to evacuate all of the inhabitants to Antigua.
For the first time in over 300 years, there are now no permanent residents on Barbuda. The footprints of an entire civilization have been erased by the brutality and magnitude of Irma. Everything that meant anything to the inhabitants had to be left behind — their homes, their possessions, their history, indeed, everything that defines them as a society and as a people. Mercifully, Antigua, the larger of the two islands, suffered no major damage, and it could begin to function normally within 48 hours.
Had that not been the case, how we would have coped is simply beyond imagination. Overnight, Antigua’s population increased by almost 3 per cent. I know of no country that could easily cope with such an unplanned, unexpected and unscheduled increase in its population.
In addition to providing shelter, accommodation and basic necessities to the evacuated residents of Barbuda, the social services on Antigua are now under great strain. They struggle to provide school places for an additional 600 students, medical services for the elderly and a means of earning an income for the able-bodied. Naturally, the residents of Barbuda are anxious to return to their homeland. But, as I speak to the Assembly, the island remains unfit for human habitation. There is no electricity or potable water, and 95 per cent of the buildings have been destroyed or severely damaged.
Preliminary estimates have placed the cost of rebuilding Barbuda at about $250 million. That figure represents 15 per cent or more of my country’s gross domestic product of approximately $1.5 billion. It is simply a stretch beyond our reach.
The President took the Chair.
Antigua and Barbuda urgently requires the assistance of the international community, including the international development and finance institutions, to accomplish the vital task of rebuilding Barbuda. And I should say that we have not outstretched the palm of our hand because we simply crave; we plead because we need.
Barbuda is not only a natural disaster; it is a humanitarian crisis that now consumes Antigua. Even as my Government and people look forward to the assistance of the better-off nations of the world, I thank those nations and persons who were first responders, particularly the Government and the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, who went beyond the call of duty to assist. I also acknowledge the commitment of and contributions from the Government and the people of the People’s Republic of China, the Governments of Cuba, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Canada, the Dominican Republic and sister States of the Caribbean Community, who gave generously from the little they have. That includes Dominica, which, in one wretched night, lost a significant number of precious lives and years of hard-earned development under the unrelenting battering of Hurricane Maria.
On Antigua, Barbudans are being cared for as best we can with our very limited resources. But as the period of care lengthens, not only do the conditions worsen but the cost also increases, forcing my Government to borrow money on commercial terms at high interest rates and swelling our already burdensome national debt.
The present international financial architecture is leaving small States such as mine behind. Whatever position on climate change a nation may take, the evidence of global warming is now irrefutably stronger. Two Category 5 hurricanes within 12 days, which unrelentingly pounded so many countries, can no longer be dismissed as vagaries of the weather, nor can they be explained as Nature’s doing. Hurricanes are stronger and bigger because they are absorbing moisture from seas that are increasingly warmer as a result of global warming.
And that is a man-made phenomenon, attributable to those nations that consume 80 per cent or more of the world’s primary energy, emitting dangerous levels of pollution into the atmosphere. All 14 Caribbean Community countries together produce less than 0.1 per cent of global emissions. We are the least of the polluters but the largest of the casualties. The unfairness, injustice and inequality of the situation are painfully obvious.
If such frequent and brutal storms are to be withstood, Caribbean islands and certain parts of the United States need to construct more resilient buildings and infrastructure than now exists. That means that the international development and financial institutions need to provide financing at concessionary rates without artificial impediments. If that does not happen, the subsequent cost in lives and property is too frightening to contemplate.
Increasingly, States such as mine are victims of an international economic and financial system that regards us merely as a numerical statistic or a mere nuisance. We are measured by the level of our income, even though it is an insufficient and unreasonable criterion for establishing vulnerability, poverty and need. Like many other small island States, my developing country is categorized as high-income, thus denying it access to concessional financing and grant funding from international financial institutions and donor Governments.
It is patently obvious that the per-capita income criterion is a skewed and flawed determinant. It should be eliminated and eliminated immediately. Because we are small economies with inadequate domestic capital formation, our countries open our doors to foreign investment, granting significant tax concessions so as to attract investments and help provide jobs to curb poverty. The consequence is that a small percentage of persons in our community, mostly expatriates, at the top end of businesses earn the largest percentage of high incomes and the mass of the population earns considerably less. In addition, Government tax revenues are significantly reduced owing to the investment concessions granted. It is time that those who control the levers of power in the economic and financial international community acknowledged that the per-capita system of measurement is discriminatory and resolved to change it. It is time that that particular swamp be drained, and now is the time for action.
In the United States, where the United Nations is located and the Assembly is gathered today, one of its early leaders, Abraham Lincoln, declared at a critical time in its history that this country could not survive “half slave and half free”. He may have been speaking specifically of America and of the disunity that gripped it at the time, but he was talking about more than immorality. He was also talking about social and economic justice. Lincoln’s observation is compellingly relevant to social and economic justice in the world today. Injustice and inequality breed instability. The world cannot survive with the wealthy few controlling 90 per cent of global resources. If so, its centre will not hold. Its centre will not hold if the inequality between rich and poor nations increases. It will not be stable until social and economic justice prevails.
My country and citizens do not want to beg for a living. We want to work for it. We want to earn our way, but we cannot do so if the international system refuses to provide us with the means and the tools to build our future. Access to concessional financing represents an imperative need that would give us a great leap forward. It would take us out of the spiral of debt that we are incurring owing to our repeated need to rebuild after disasters with high-cost commercial money. Where is the justice in that? In large wealthy countries borrowing occurs in capital markets at 3 per cent per annum while the so-called high-income small island States are forced to borrow commercially at 12 per cent per annum to repeatedly rebuild infrastructure damaged by hurricanes. Where is the justice in that? It is irrational and punitive to graduate a small island State that cannot pay its debts to high-income status, thereby precluding it from much-needed development financing.
The theme of the Assembly’s general debate is “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”. That is all my people and the people of small island States want — peace and a decent life on a planet that is sustainable. We deserve nothing less, and we expect nothing less. It is in that connection that I draw attention to the fact that even in the midst of our present crisis, Antigua and Barbuda is faced with demands from a Paris Club group of wealthy countries for the settlement of $130 million in debts incurred four decades ago because concessional financing was and is still denied to us. It would be of enormous help in dealing with the plight that we now face and the daunting task of rebuilding Barbuda at a cost upwards of $250 million if those wealthy Paris Club countries would forgive or at least reduce significantly the debt that now weighs so heavily on our shoulders. It should be noted that the amount outstanding constitutes primarily accrued interest. Such a step would provide us with the fiscal space to borrow as we seek to garner every cent to recover and rebuild from Hurricane Irma and to give our people a chance to achieve a decent life in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals.
In that same context, my small country won a trade dispute with the United States in 2004 before the World Trade Organization. That trade violation led to significant revenue losses to my country and to greater unemployment among my people. It has been 13 long years since that judgement and seven years since the final appeal by the United States resulted in a final ruling in my country’s favour, and yet the United States has failed to settle. The loss of trade revenues to my small country has risen to more than $200 million. Our Government has laboured unsuccessfully for more than 13 years to reach an amicable and reasonable settlement with the United States. That is a classic case where might is right and where the rights of a small, powerless State have been trampled on.
I should mention that over the past 13 years the United States has enjoyed a trade surplus with my small country of more than $2 billion — I repeat, $2 billion. I am well aware that the prolongation of a settlement of the judgement in question is not the making of the present United States Administration, which inherited it. But in the interest of fairness, justice and good conscience, it would be beneficial to my nation in this hour of great need for the United States Government to settle that case.
In this very Hall two days ago, President Trump said of the United States,
“[W]e can no longer be taken advantage of or enter into a one-sided deal where the United States gets nothing in return” (A/72/PV.3, p. 11).
His observation, which I welcome, is equally true for the relationship with Antigua and Barbuda. Honouring its obligations to Antigua and Barbuda is not a one-sided deal in which the United States gets nothing in return, because ultimately 90 per cent of the settlement proceeds will be spent in the United States economy, as our primary source market. The United States is the greatest beneficiary of trade with my country and has been so year after year for many decades. Settling with us for more than 13 years of trade losses would take less than one year of the trade surplus that the United States’ $20 trillion economy has with Antigua and Barbuda’s mere $1 billion economy.
In the past few days the experience of the Caribbean islands has shown that entire ancient communities can be snuffed out overnight and the quality of their life suddenly and irreversibly set back. I remind members that for the first time in more than 300 years there is no permanent human resident on Barbuda. But my Government is determined to rebuild Barbuda, however long it takes and with whatever resources we can muster. We are determined that no Caribbean society will be extinguished and that the Caribbean nations will remain firmly on the global map. But even as we resolve, with limited means, to keep our societies alive and vibrant, we call on the international community to acknowledge its obligation to humankind and all peoples, without whom its own societies cannot prosper and will not thrive. In the words of the poet John Donne,
“Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee”.
As citizens of planet Earth, let us acknowledge our common humanity and work in harmony to make our world a better place.


I would like to add to those of others the congratulations of my delegation to Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. His great experience and wisdom as a diplomat will guide our work going forward in this session. I assure him that for its part, my delegation will try to lighten his burden by providing him with full cooperation throughout the proceedings of the Assembly.
With regard to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Peter Thomson, what can I say? Not only was he the first Fijian to hold the office of President of the General Assembly, he was also the first Pacific islander to assume that prestigious office. Among his many achievements was his championing of the 1,350 voluntary commitments made at the Ocean Conference held here in June. I thank him for a marvellous job done.
Our world is going through difficult times. The year 2017 has been dominated by intentional provocations and natural disasters. As such, the choice of our theme — “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet” — is not only appropriate, it is perfectly timed. On that note, on behalf of the people of Solomon Islands, I extend our heartfelt sympathies to those affected by the recent natural disasters, in particular Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. We would like to express our sympathies to the families who lost loved ones in the recent earthquakes in Mexico. Whether we are talking about tsunamis, cyclones, flooding or earthquakes, Solomon Islands knows well the pain of having to live through such ordeals. Our hearts and prayers are with the victims.
I believe that the theme can effectively be summed up in three simple yet powerful words — peace, humanity and equality. However, I am afraid that the status quo in the world today does not reflect them. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, approximately 65.6 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced at the end of last year. Those statistics are the result of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations — the consequences of human actions. Sadly, the majority of the displaced are women and children. They are the most vulnerable to the evil designs of their fellow human beings. They must therefore be protected. The protection of people is in the DNA of the Organization. My Government therefore reaffirms its support for the responsibility to protect. The international community must continue to stand firm in its fight to prevent crimes against humanity.
I stand here with pride in saying that today we in the Pacific continue to enjoy the world’s most peaceful corner. Although we play a minor role in the geopolitics of the world, we are now once again caught up in the midst of a global power play. History shows that global events have often dictated those in the Pacific region. They were events beyond our control that were imposed on us. They have had lasting effects on our peoples, many of them negative. From bygone world wars to nuclear tests, to the current instances of military provocation, we continue to deal with the remnants of those foreign-imposed events.
For us in Solomon Islands, it was only a month ago that we celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of Guadalcanal, a significant battle of the Second World War. For many, that war ended in 1945, but for us its repercussions continue. Between 2011 and 2017, approximately 37,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance, weighing some 152,000 metric tons, were destroyed. I thank the Governments of Australia and the United States of America for their assistance in that exercise, which continues today.
Today, we are also continually threatened by global power posturing attempting once again to dictate our fate as a region. However, we refuse to remain silent. It is on that note that I would like to register our strongest condemnation of the actions by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We too would like to echo the global call to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to abide by the relevant Security Council resolutions. The recent testing of ballistic missiles by the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea over the Pacific Ocean is an insult to the people of the Pacific. We are ocean people. The sea is our sanctuary. It is the foundation of our heritage and where our people source their food and income. We therefore denounce any pollution or contamination of the ocean that our Pacific peoples depend on for their livelihoods.
As the Assembly is well aware, we in the Pacific supply approximately 60 per cent of the world’s tuna market, underscoring our region’s global significance. Maintaining the health of our ocean is therefore not merely in our own interests. The maintenance of our ocean, given its importance to global food security, should be in all of our interests. In that regard, Solomon Islands reaffirms the principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea for the peaceful use of ocean spaces.
While the threat of nuclear warfare is a genuine concern to us all, for our small island developing States the effects of climate change that we are currently witnessing at an alarming rate on our shores present a clear and present danger. The concentration of carbon dioxide in our oceans now stands at 400 parts per million. It has passed the safe level of 350 parts per million and at 550 parts per million will soon begin to dissolve our corals. For Pacific nations like ours, climate change continues to be our enemy. We are constantly invaded by that enemy, every day. In Solomon Islands, we have lost six islands to the effects of climate change. What was once a playground for children is now inundated with water. For many of our peoples, talk of a sustainable world is becoming increasingly unattainable. We are in survival mode.
The horrors of the impact of a nuclear attack are undeniable, but the slow onset of tragedy caused by the adverse impact of climate change is just as cruel. If it has not happened yet, it will shortly. An unstable climate and people’s subsequent displacement and relocation can exacerbate some of the core drivers of conflict, such as migratory pressures, the clash of cultures and competition for resources. Those are threats to humankind’s very existence and could very well morph into threats to global peace and security. That is why the Pacific small island developing States have been requesting that the Security Council also address the issue of climate change.
While useful, the building of sea walls and wave-breakers to mitigate some of the effects of climate change is a mere Band-Aid solution. We call on all major greenhouse-gas emitters to meet their national determined contributions for reducing emissions. We strongly urge the United States of America to reconsider its position on the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Let us all stand together in solidarity to face the defining challenges of our time. With regard to the twenty-third session of the Conference of the Parties, Solomon Islands pledges its full support to Fiji as Chair. As a fellow Pacific island country, we congratulate Fiji on its upcoming assumption of the chairship and look forward to discussions on effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Regarding peace and security, Solomon Islands has contributed a contingent of five police officers who have just completed their 12-month tour of duty in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, in our first humble contribution to the maintenance of world peace. Another eight police officers, two of whom are women, are all set to go as soon as they secure their visas for the Sudan. The African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur was set up to protect civilians in areas where militia groups continue to be active and intercommunal violence still occurs. The efforts could be made more effective if the United Nations Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes could be integrated into predeployment and in-theatre training for all peacekeepers.
The mandate of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands ended on 30 June. On behalf of the people of Solomon Islands, I would like to sincerely thank members of the Pacific Islands Forum for coming to our aid to save us from ourselves. At this juncture, I would like to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Mission and to thank their families for their loved ones’ services. I am also deeply grateful to Australia and New Zealand for their excellent leadership role in the Assistance Mission, which was premised on a regional security framework, the Biketawa Declaration. My Government is also very supportive of the Pacific islands leaders’ communiqué from the forty-eighth Forum meeting, which calls for a comprehensive expansion and updating of the Declaration. We believe that a Biketawa-plus that takes into consideration the security challenges the region faces today, as well as our collective responses to them, will help to keeping the Pacific islands region peaceful.
Like other post-conflict countries, Solomon Islands will continue to face many challenges. Sustainable peace will require more than just effective policing or a functioning public service. It will require social and economic development initiatives that address the underlying causes of the conflict. In that regard, I must thank the Peacebuilding Commission for facilitating our national dialogue on peace and sustainable development. The communiqué from that dialogue shows an inclusive and clear consensus on our priorities for sustaining peace. I therefore look forward to Solomon Islands being formally declared eligible for peacebuilding support from the Peacebuilding Recovery Facility.
I must also thank the Board of the Green Climate Fund for approving $86 million for the Tina River Hydro Project when it met in South Korea early this year. The project will create more than 200 jobs and offset more than 44,000 tons of carbon dioxide per annum in diesel emissions. It will also provide renewable energy, at a more affordable cost, to more than 100,000 people in and around our capital city of Honiara.
I currently have an issue with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf and the joint submission by Papua New Guinea, the Federated States of Micronesia and Solomon Islands concerning the Ontong Java plateau. Solomon Islands notes with serious concern that the Commission, in its deliberations, has overturned the understanding that we had reached with the Sub-Commission on the connection of Duff and Anuta Islands to the continental margin of the Ontong Java plateau. The Sub-Commission and our joint delegation reached mutually acceptable conclusions that were the result of comprehensive interactions over two years. However, we were not given the opportunity to address the amendments proposed by the Commission, despite their serious implications for our submission, nor were we given the reasons for the amendments despite our repeated requests. We therefore have no option but to consider making a revised submission.
A related issue is the negotiations on an implementing agreement under the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdictions. The current negotiations undermine the fundamental principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations and are grossly inadequate when addressing the principle of adjacency, the integration of traditional knowledge, and transboundary and cumulative impacts as they relate to small island developing States. There must also be some recognition for a funding mechanism that can adequately support the implementation of the proposed instrument.
The Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations speaks powerfully of our mission to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small. This language clearly articulates the principle of universality for all peoples and nations, regardless of their size or population.
However, as we in the Assembly speak of leaving no one behind, we are at the same time shutting the door for the people of Taiwan in participating in this universal process. We are thereby contradicting our own principles by leaving 23 million people behind. And yet the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires global partnership and the joint efforts of all stakeholders to mobilize all available resources. Taiwan is ready, willing and able to engage in and contribute to the wide range of substantive United Nations programmes for the welfare of humankind. If we are to focus on people and promote peace and sustainability, let us give Taiwan and its 23 million people a chance.
Let us not contradict the principles that the United Nations was established to represent and allow the rules to change based on whose best interests are at stake. Taiwan has been actively involved in United Nations programmes and specialized agencies. Despite its contributions to the well-being of the citizens of the world, we continue to ignore Taiwan’s right to self- determination; as such, it is high time that the Assembly gave due recognition to Taiwan as a legitimate member of the family of nations.
Article 73 of our Charter also speaks powerfully on fundamental human rights. In the 1960 Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples, the General Assembly stated:
“The subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and cooperation” (resolution 1514 (XV), para. 1).
Thanks to that Article, the people of New Caledonia will hold a referendum in 2018 whereby they can finally decide, without fear or favour, on their political future.
I wish them all the best. I must thank and commend the administering Power for working closely with the Special Committee on Decolonization (Committee of 24) on the issue of New Caledonia. I hope that the same level of cooperation will also be shown on French Polynesia and that a visit by the Committee of 24 will occur soon.
The position of Solomon Islands on the issues I have mentioned is premised on principles that we have consistently upheld. In this connection, Solomon Islands condemns the consistent human rights violations in West Papua. Our Sustainable Development Goals, which promote the notion of no one being left behind, will be empty promises unless we in the United Nations take active steps to address the plight of the peoples of West Papua. Indeed, we left them behind some 50 years ago when, as a family of nations, we noted their plight without adding much. Since then, the peoples of West Papua have never been allowed the proper act of self-determination guaranteed by the inalienable right to self-determination, as expressed in United Nations human rights covenants.
Only the international action of individual countries and the leading organizational bodies of the international system, especially the General Assembly, can pave the way for the recognition of a people whose right to self-determination has been denied for nearly 50 years. Failing that, we as a family of nations will become complicit in perpetuating suffering and being blind to injustice, missing yet another golden opportunity to remain true to the idea of leaving no one behind. At the seventy-first session, a group of Pacific Island nations called for the General Assembly to address the human rights violations in West Papua. Today, I stand before the Assembly on behalf of my people and those of the Pacific region to reiterate that same call to address the plight of West Papuan women, children and men.
Our people are watching, West Papuans in West Papua are watching, praying and hoping for a brighter future. They have come in numbers to express their hope for a better future. We as leaders have the responsibility to leave no one behind. I would therefore encourage Indonesia to engage in more constructive dialogue, including with West Papua, to find a way forward in addressing the aspirations of the people of West Papua. I urge the United Nations to proactively engage in those dialogues as well.
Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human rights worldwide, my country and region included. Violence against women is an obstacle to gender equality, economic opportunities and livelihoods. The final Pacific Regional Millennium Development Goals Tracking Report, published in 2015, highlighted the fact that violence against women was an impediment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. If our region is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we will have to intensify efforts and increase support and cooperation to end violence against women and girls.
The Solomon Islands Family Protection Act of 2014 was a national response to the urgent need to curtail the increasing rate of domestic violence. It was aimed at ensuring that homes in Solomon Islands, as important units of the community, are peaceful and safe for all members of a family. The Act covers any type of abuse that happens in the home between perpetrators and victims of domestic violence. Yes, we have made big strides in not just counting women, but more importantly, in making women count.
As a small island developing State and least developed country with inherent structural capacity constraints, we greatly rely on the United Nations system to support and augment our national efforts in implementing national development programmes. It is our hope that this expectation will be met by concrete and measurable deliverables on the ground by our United Nations partners.
My delegation welcomes the Secretary-General’s reform agenda and applauds his vision for repositioning sustainable development at the heart of the United Nations. Its guiding framework, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its pledge to leave no one behind, is indeed our boldest agenda for humankind. For my country, it will have to include fair representation in the recruitment of staff to the United Nations Secretariat. Despite having only one national at the Secretariat, we have not been invited to sit the young professionals’ exams for two years in a row now. We nevertheless remain steadfast in our support and encouragement of action for a strong and effective United Nations, and we stand ready to support the Secretary-General’s noble efforts to transform the Organization, including the Security Council.
The United Nations is still the town hall of our global village. People know what it does but do not see much value in it. It is inevitably imperfect. As the Organization’s second Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld, famously said, “The United Nations was not created to take humanity to heaven, but to save it from hell”. The Organization’s imperfections, however, only mean that we need to work harder to make it better. So let us do that.