At the outset, let me congratulate the President on his well-deserved
election to preside over the deliberations of the General Assembly at its seventieth session. His impeccable credentials and experience ensure that we will have success in our deliberations. I also wish to assure him of my delegation’s full support and cooperation during his tenure of office.
While turning 70 is an auspicious event in the life of an individual, it has added significance and importance for an Organization that has presided over many of humankind’s trials, failures and successes. We recall with pride that many countries in Africa joyfully attained their independence through the united efforts of the Organization. That is why we make an impassioned plea for the United Nations to now address the unfinished business in North Africa and the Middle East.
Allow me to take this opportunity to commend the previous President, His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, for his outstanding leadership during the Assembly’s sixty-ninth session. My delegation truly appreciates his tireless devotion to the onerous responsibilities entrusted to him during the past year. I also thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the lucid report submitted at this session (A/70/1), which provides valuable insights into the state of our Organization and highlights a road map that will steer us into the future. We further recognize and appreciate the tedious work that our Secretary-General performs throughout the year, dousing flames of discord wherever they occur, and applaud him for sharing the joy of our Organization’s successes.
The United Nations was founded on the conviction that the nations of the world can and should cooperate to resolve conflicts peacefully and to change people’s lives for the better. It established conditions for justice, respect for international law and the promotion of socioeconomic development in the world. As the United Nations turns 70, our forebears’ abiding conviction must be steadfastly reaffirmed and their sense of purpose reasserted. In that context, we hail the theme chosen for the seventieth session, “The United Nations at 70: the road ahead for peace, security and human rights”, as most appropriate.
As the world’s only truly universal global Organization, the United Nations has, over the years, become the most important and relevant forum for addressing issues that transcend national boundaries. For the past 70 years, the Organization has worked tirelessly to buttress the foundations of global security
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and the safety and well-being of the world’s citizenry. As a result of the work of the United Nations, in many countries corrupt dictatorships have given way to new democracies, and millions around the world today breathe the fresh air of freedom. Other notable moments of distinction in the track record of the Organization include its successful conflict-resolution and peacekeeping initiatives, helping over 17 million refugees since 1949 and ensuring that Governments meet their responsibilities to the fugitives in accordance with United Nations conventions. That notable achievement notwithstanding, we firmly believe that the world should not continue to churn out more refugees. An environment must be created to ensure a culture of religious and political tolerance so as to stop the flow of refugees.
Another milestone in the work of the United Nations is the adoption of an ambitious sustainable development agenda for the post-2015 period that epitomizes the Organization’s visionary endeavour to eradicate poverty, address climate change and ensure that prosperity is equitably shared. After frank and constructive negotiations, a few days ago we adopted the consensus outcome document (resolution 70/1). It might not be perfect, but it represents the best hope for future prosperity and stability in the world.
Looking at the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we draw courage and confidence from the fact that the majority resonate so well with the objectives of the new Coalition Government that I lead. The Coalition Government leadership has made a very ambitious commitment to ensure that Lesotho emerges from the group of least developed countries by 2025.
The practical road map under Goal 1 complements programmes already in place in Lesotho. We are humbled by the faith in our country shown by the African Union in nominating His Majesty King Letsie III as the Nutrition Champion, a move that will intensify efforts already under way in my country in the area of nutrition. On the important issue of energy, Lesotho recently launched an innovative energy policy that will ensure a substantial increase in renewable energy production, leading to an increase in the provision of affordable energy to 50 per cent by the end of this Parliament’s term. Those are just a few examples of the development programmes Lesotho is committed to implementing in the next 10 years that are in line with the SDGs just adopted.
Of greater significance is the reform process that we have emphasized in the Coalition Agreement signed after the February 2015 elections. Lesotho has passed through many political challenges since its return to democratic rule in 1993, which placed us on the agenda of the South African Development Community (SADC) for far too long. Most of those challenges have tested the resilience and relevance of our Constitution to the limit. We are now in agreement, together with our SADC partners, that constitutional reform needs to be urgently addressed as a first step on the road to political stability. The Commonwealth has also thrown its weight behind the need for such reforms. We appeal to this world body to remain seized of that process and offer the necessary guidance wherever and whenever the need arises so that Lesotho’s dignity can be restored and peace and stability can reign.
Despite the laudable achievements made by the United Nations in shaping the form and content of global dialogue and negotiations, the world is still an unequal place, with large areas beset by intolerable poverty and hunger. Thousands still die from malnutrition, while many people still live below the poverty line. Small arms and light weapons continue to be illegally traded. Those weapons are often used in violent terrorist attacks. The lack of political will to rid the world of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction is obvious to all. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is not yet universal, while the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons regime is at a crossroads, with some nuclear-capable States refusing to sign on.
With the ongoing violence in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and some parts of Africa, from the Sahel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the capacity of the United Nations to find lasting solutions to these challenges is tested to the limit. Sadly, the human origin of many of these problems cannot be doubted.
Among the most pressing issues for the international community today is the problem of refugees and mass migration. As a result of war and the carnage that has exposed the depths of man’s cruelty to man, millions of people in the Middle East and elsewhere are fleeing across international borders on a scale reminiscent of the Second World War. The numbers crossing the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea to reach Europe, despite the attendant risks, are staggering. The refugee problem Europe is facing today will test the limits of the continent’s resolve and generosity.
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Parallel to the migration crisis is the phenomenon of terrorism. Terrorism has increased worldwide, and it has become more brazen and lethal than ever before. Terrorist networks are expanding across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Even as we remain vigilant against the threat of terrorism, we must move beyond a mindset that this menace can be defeated by force of arms alone. We may strike blows against terrorist networks, but if we ignore the fact that political instability and religious and other forms of intolerance fuel extremism, our efforts to root out that menace will be futile.
Climate change is a major challenge facing the world today, and unless it is addressed effectively it will continue to rewrite the global equation for development, peace and prosperity. We should not let the window of opportunity represented by the Paris Climate Change Conference close without collectively committing to action-oriented solutions that can significantly contribute to reducing emissions. The Paris negotiations should be guided by a spirit of frankness, mutual understanding and the willingness to compromise.
The Doha Development Agenda is important to developing countries such as mine and deserves emphasis at every available opportunity. We strongly believe that a well-functioning, rules-based multilateral trading system is in our interest. The bilateral arrangements that we are negotiating should follow the preferences and flexibilities accorded to World Trade Organization member States within the multilateral trading system. We therefore make a strong call for the Doha Development Agenda to be concluded quickly, according to its mandate and for it to fully deliver its development objectives.
Equally important is the need to acknowledge that we will never achieve real development if some sectors of society continue to be marginalized. The role of children and women and other disadvantaged groups in our communities in advancing the global development agenda must be further enhanced. As this year we celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth, through which the United Nations strengthened its commitment to improving the lives of young people, let us resolve to adequately address the development needs and aspirations of young people with more vigour.
The seventieth anniversary of the United Nations offers a unique opportunity to appeal to the Security Council not to use the International Criminal Court to pursue the interests of its powerful members. We must acknowledge that in its present form and configuration, the Council will have an uphill battle to take our concerns on board. The call for the Council to be more transparent, inclusive and democratic needs to be echoed with even more vigour and clarity. A reformed Security Council that is in line with twenty-first- century geopolitical realities will be reconstructed in accordance with the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration. A Security Council that has the voice of Africa and other marginalized regions in the permanent category will increasingly acquire legitimacy and unconditional acceptance of its decisions.
We must continue to pursue a joint and consensual approach in tackling our challenges, taking decisions collectively and sharing responsibilities. The General Assembly, in whose name the United Nations was created, is most suited to fulfil that task. It has continued to serve as the principal policy-making, deliberative and most representative organ of the United Nations. It is the only platform on which all countries, big and small, can engage in face-to-face negotiations as sovereign equals to seek solutions to the problems facing humankind. The process of revitalizing the General Assembly must be hastened. The resolutions of this principal organ of the United Nations should no longer be regarded as mere recommendations that can be casually ignored. The need for the manifestation of a universal commitment to the principles upon which the United Nations is based cannot be overemphasized.
However, the United Nations is much more than a peacekeeper and a forum for conflict resolution. The United Nations and its family of agencies are engaged in a vast array of activities that seek to address challenges hindering progress in the improvement of people’s lives around the world. As indicated earlier, today’s challenges include, among others, climate change, food shortages, HIV/AIDS, financial crises, extreme poverty, population growth, urbanization, conflicts, terrorism and mass migration. The common purpose and most complex task within the United Nations family is finding practical and lasting solutions to all these problems.
For our part, Lesotho has initiated an innovative, indigenous consultative process that seeks to galvanize the collective wisdom and energy of leadership at all
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levels of society, from His Majesty all the way down to local leaders, with the sole purpose of intensifying the fight against HIV/AIDS. That consultative process will ensure the leadership’s ownership and accountability in all our health-service delivery processes. We see great wisdom in redefining the rollout of primary health care, utilizing existing community-based leadership structures so as to realize the goal of health for all by 2030. That comprehensive rollout agenda has all the ingredients so well articulated in Goal 3 of the SDGs. His Majesty is expected to launch the initiative this month.
As we continue to ponder the most pressing issues and challenges facing the international community today, we should not forget the plight of the Saharan and Palestinian peoples. Both the General Assembly and the Security Council have recognized the Saharan people’s inalienable right to self-determination and independence. We support the call for a resumption of direct negotiations between the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco on an equal footing and without any preconditions. Lesotho also continues to fully support the Palestinian people in their decades-long struggle against Israeli occupation and oppression. Peace between Israel and Palestine is an essential cornerstone of the architecture of a comprehensive Middle East peace, a peace that can unlock the creative genius and entrepreneurship of the region. By the same token, we applaud the current initiatives aimed at normalizing relations between Cuba and the United States of America and urge that the unilateral sanctions on Cuba be removed sooner rather than later.
However much the world may have changed since 1945, the United Nations remains the only universal intergovernmental institution that unites us in a global community of sovereign States. Yes, the Organization may have its shortcomings, but it remains a bastion of hope for humankind. Indeed, the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session was correct in making the following observation:
“Yet for all its imperfections, which are, after all, inherent in any institution shaped by the human mind ... the Organization remains critical to addressing the growing needs of humankind. One simply cannot imagine a world in which peace and the dignity of all could flourish without the United Nations.” (see A/67/PV.1, p. 2)
I could not agree more. The responsibility for making the United Nations function optimally rests squarely with all of us. Our shared vision and objectives require much more than the reaffirmation of our commitment to the Organization’s founding principles. Greater political will is an ingredient essential to achieving the ideals that underpin the Charter of the United Nations. We look forward to a rebirth and an injection of fresh energy into the United Nations system, so that its next 70 years can be a period of even greater achievement and success. We must continue to carry out the obligation that its founding Members handed down to us with a solemn sense of responsibility on the part of all.


It is with gratitude and pride that I come here today to express the voice of the Italian people, a generous and responsible people, who every day have shown their commitment to saving the lives of hundreds of their brothers and sisters in the heart of the Mediterranean region.
This Hall calls for profound thinking rather than slogans. In every part of the world, political life is more and more fixated on the present. It is tied to discussions shaped by 24/7 news stations, the Internet and social media. Let me be clear. I belong to a generation for whom social media represent an extraordinary tool, a horizon of freedom that allows us to change lives and prospects. There is nevertheless the risk of reducing that horizon to a discussion of the next opinion poll or tweet. I think we should reject what has become a dictatorship of the moment, and take the time to pay homage to this Hall for its efforts in engaging in more meaningful reflection.
I am thinking of my country, which, on a map, appears to be shaped like a bridge, a bridge connecting North and South, Europe and Africa and East and West, a bridge that spans from the Middle East to the Balkans. Because of its geography, and especially its culture, Italy has always been a kind of extraordinary cultural laboratory affected by influences of every kind. That is the reason that we were the first country
in Europe to grasp the momentous dimension of what is happening in the Mediterranean region. From the very beginning — even in this Hall last year — we have said that the refugee question is not a question of numbers (see A/69/PV.9). The problem of migration is not one of organization or statistics. The problem is fear, the fear that runs through our societies and that we must take seriously if we wish to defeat it.
In Greek mythology, Phobos was the god of fear, able to paralyse the best armies and cause the most easily fought battles to be lost. That is why the glorious and ancient city of Sparta built a great temple to Phobos and did everything to gain his favour. Europe was born to defeat fear and replace it with the ideal of courage, peace, cooperation and civilization. And for a long time, Europe embodied that ideal. Over the past 70 years, our continent has left behind centuries of war and civil war. Europe had become a true miracle. For those like me, who as a young man witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and found in that event a reason to devote my life to public service, to see new walls going up today is intolerable.
Europe was reborn to tear down walls, not to build them. That is why Italy is on the front line in rescuing thousands of migrants fleeing from war and despair. For that same reason, I had the privilege of accompanying Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on one of our ships currently participating in the rescue operations. Addressing migratory flows requires the capacity to respond to that emergency with a global and comprehensive strategy. In that vein, Italy has partnered with African countries through a broad array of initiatives, and in particular with the African Union, a cooperation about which I an the opportunity to speak recently at the third International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Addis Ababa, which produced the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
In the 70 years since the birth of the Charter of the United Nations in San Francisco, the Organization has learned how crucial its role is. It has had the wisdom to recognize its mistakes and the strength to correct them by writing a new chapter that will ensure a better future for all of our children. I think that it will take an effort on the part of everyone, and Italy will not shirk from its responsibilities.
That is why we decided to present our candidature to the Security Council for a non-permanent seat for 2017-2018, with the ideal in mind of building the peace
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of tomorrow. We believe that it is the job of each one of us here today to create an alternative to the culture of violence and nihilism exemplified by the recent crises in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Europe and at the borders of Europe. I am thinking, for example, of the consolidation of the ceasefire in Ukraine. I am thinking of the great joy with which we welcomed the news of the agreement between the United States and Cuba, one of extraordinary historic proportions. I am thinking of the hope that each of us now has as a consequence of the agreement with Iran on that country’s nuclear programme, which begins a new hopeful phase.
While we are committed to the implementation of that agreement, we also firmly reiterate the right of the people and the State of Israel to exist. Only through dialogue and negotiation will we be able to find a future for coming generations. Moreover, on the delicate question of Israel and Palestine, there is no alternative to dialogue. It is essential to return to the negotiating table, with the goal of reaching a solution based on two States living side-by-side in peace and security.
This open debate of the General Assembly has been characterized by many discussions on Syria. All of us have acknowledged and felt, on a very personal level, the failure that years of inertia has produced. We believe that the only way out of that quagmire is through a political solution that leads to a process of genuine transition. That will work only if we have the courage to stare reality in the face and acknowledge the presence of an enemy of unprecedented danger at our doors, namely, Daesh, the embodiment of extremism and terrorism. Through its Carabinieri corps, which plays an important role in Italy and the world, Italy is proud to lead the coalition for training the Iraqi police force. We know that the work of the security forces is decisive in ensuring daily security, enabling a family to return home without incident and enabling a mother to reassure her children. We will continue working with the global coalition to counter ISIL, in particular the United States and Saudi Arabia, and will maintain our leadership role in the working group to counter financing for Daesh.
At the same time, we underscore that Daesh is not limited to the specific region of the Middle East, even if there is an extraordinary mosaic of pluralism and beauty there. Daesh may reaffirm itself with strength in Africa, starting with Libya. From this rostrum, I renew my appeal to all the parties who hope for peace and a unified nation in Libya. We must unite our forces. Our
Libyan brothers and sisters must know that they are not alone, that the General Assembly has not forgotten them. Italy is ready to collaborate with a national unity Government and to restore cooperation in key areas so as to give Libya back its future. If the new Libyan Government asks us, Italy is ready to take on the leadership role in a mechanism, authorized by the international community, to assist in the stabilization of the country.
There are many reasons for our role in the fight against terrorism. It is a battle for values, a battle for culture. The terrorists want us to die. Failing that, they want us to live under their rules. That is why the battle that we are waging is a battle against darkness and fear, because fear is the playground of terrorism. The first area in which we see that is that of culture. When terrorists attack Palmyra or the Bardo Museum in Tunisia, or a school or a university, from Asia to Africa, they are not attacking the past, they are targeting our future.
Italy is the country where the culture of the conservation of cultural assets was born. Proud of our roots and of our Renaissance, we have the highest concentration of UNESCO cultural heritage sites in the world. That is why, together with our partner countries and friends, we aspire to be the guardians of culture throughout the world, carrying out concrete actions, both here in New York and at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, through United4Heritage, the Blue Helmets of culture. On the basis of a model developed in our country, we are proposing the establishment of an international task force, with military and civilian members, for operations to protect and rebuild art historical sites. That is our identity. That task force will be available to UNESCO, and it could be deployed in the framework of United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Let us not forget that even Europe runs the risk, in the absence of a major educational project that would show that the evil seed of terrorism is growing on European soil as well. Let us not forget that what has happened in recent months and weeks — from Charlie Hebdo in Paris to what took place in Belgium and in Denmark — involved women and men born in European countries, raised and educated in European countries and yet transformed into terrorists who sought to undermine human rights and the very raison d’être of our continent. I think, therefore, that it is important that we all succeed in this educational challenge together and that our peacekeeping model,
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which President Obama noted yesterday and for which we thank him, can serve as an established model that can be in deployed in various countries, such as is happening now in Afghanistan. I wish to recall Italy’s commitment to honouring the women and men who have sacrificed their lives for our collective security, in particular in that country. We are proud of the work of our soldiers and civilians aimed at supporting the Afghan Government on the road to peace and prosperity.
The Security Council is at the centre of the challenge. That is not a bureaucratic issue, but rather a political one. The Uniting for Consensus group is ready to continue to work with all members.
Human rights, which are today under attack, are for us a reference point at every level. I am thinking about Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security. I am thinking of resolution 69/186, adopted by the General Assembly last December, with its moratorium on the death penalty, an issue on which we will tirelessly work. I also recall the words that the Holy Father Pope Francis pronounced here (see A/70/PV.3) and at the United States Congress. The resolutions against forced and early marriage (resolution 68/148) and against female genital mutilation (resolution 67/146) are clear signs of the shared commitment of our world community.
The deep connection between peace and security and between human rights and development is also the message of the current Universal Exposition in Milan. The slogan of Expo 2015, “Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life”, is a message that brings together many of the aspirations of the General Assembly, in particular that of promoting sustainable agriculture. I wish to make a commitment, especially to the African countries, that we will never stop working in that direction, bolstered by Italian know-how and the desire to work together. Guaranteeing access to food for all, fighting world hunger, changing consumption patterns, ensuring the centrality of women as central stakeholders in agriculture, defending smallholder farmers, as well as easing tensions and conflicts caused by the degradation of arable land and the scarcity of water for irrigation, are not secondary issues.
The legacy of Expo Milan is assured by the Charter of Milan and by the commitments of each of us to fight climate change. Italy stands alongside Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon and is mobilizing the necessary
resources to ensure that the conferences in Lima and Paris are successful.
With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), Italy has accepted the challenge of the five Ps — people, prosperity, partnership, planet and peace, which we recognize and which inspire our action for the future. But let me say that Italy intends to contribute with strength, in particular in those battles in which some countries seem to be alone. In the next few weeks in Milan, we will welcome our partners, the small island developing States, which are considered small States but are actually great States for their value, to the events on climate-change adaptation that will take place in mid-October at Expo Milan, and we will bring a large delegation to Venice, where we will show participants, in one of the most beautiful artistic cities in the world, how we are working to combat the risks associated with the presence of high waters and the lack of attention on the part of the international community.
In conclusion, as a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council, Italy wants the values we have discussed to occupy a central place in the Security Council. But I do not want us to think of those values in an abstract way. I do not want us to forget that what brings us here is not a document. It is a face; it is many faces.
In Italian schools, our children learn about the strong connection among the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean, Africa and the Middle East. Today, those children are not just extras in a movie. They are the reason why we are here today. We believe that of all the values we teach our children at school we cannot forget that the first value is life.
Faced with the migration crisis, many of us were deeply moved this summer by the photo of a little boy named Aylan. He was a child from Kobani, who, together with his older brother, fell asleep without ever being able to see the future. He was photographed, dead, on the beach at Bodrum. We must not limit our commitment to the emotion of the moment. We must bear that image in mind and commit to doing our best. Many children have died in the heart of the Mediterranean. They died on the ships launched in the direction of Europe by traffickers, the new slave traders of today. However, together with all of those children who are no longer with us, I want to recall the names of children whom no one talks about: Yambambi,
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Salvatore, Idris Ibrahim and Francesca Marina. They are some of the children who were born on the ships of the Italian Marines and Coast Guard, which saved thousands of women, and in some cases enabled them to give birth on those ships. I wish to thank my fellow citizens for the extraordinary work that they have carried out. I want their names to be remembered with the names of those who did not make it. Their heroic actions should serve as an admonishment for all of us. Politics can be restored to dignity when we are aware of the enormity of our challenges. The old Europe, born in
the name of courage, does not give in to fear. Italy will proudly do its part.


It is an honour and a privilege to address this historic seventieth session of the General Assembly on behalf of the President, the Government and the people of Kiribati. In Kiribati we begin all formal events such as this by conferring blessings on all. I therefore wish to begin by sharing with the Assembly all our traditional Kiribati blessing of peace and good health, “Kam na bane ni Mauri”.
I echo the sentiments conveyed by previous speakers in congratulating the President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session on his election and for presiding over the recently concluded historic Summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, held from 25 to 27 September. On his assumption of the presidency for the first year of the implementation the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), I wish to assure him of the full support and cooperation of Kiribati. Let me also take this opportunity to acknowledge with appreciation the commendable leadership of his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, for his stewardship over the past year as the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session and for guiding the massive task of shaping the recently adopted Agenda.
I also wish to commend the unwavering commitment and hard work of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has served as an able navigator of our family ship, steering the United Nations through the diverse and complex realities and the myriad challenges facing our peoples and nations around the world. In particular, I wish to commend his sterling leadership in guiding the development of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, recently adopted by the membership, and his personal unwavering commitment to focusing
global attention on those who are most vulnerable and who are directly targeted by the many major challenges facing us today as a global community.
We meet at a critical time in the history of multilateralism. The global community very recently endorsed a new post-2015 development agenda “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. We are also celebrating the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. In two months, leaders from around the world will meet in Paris for the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to finalize an agreement on climate change. As we celebrate, we should also reflect on the needs of the most fragile and vulnerable peoples and ensure that the premier global Organization remains responsive to them. That will be the real litmus test for its relevance.
If we as a family of nations do not act, if we fail to focus on the challenges faced by those in the front line, whatever those challenges may be, then we would have failed the millions who are looking to the United Nations to assume leadership. I would like to reiterate our deepest appreciation to the Secretary-General for his demonstrated commitment and leadership in focusing the attention of the United Nations and the world on such issues as mitigating the plight of the most needy and alleviating poverty, addressing the Ebola pandemic, hearing the views of young people and women and enabling their participation in development, ending gender-based violence, achieving peace and security, and dealing with the question of climate change.
The challenges facing us as we gather again in New York for this historic session are perhaps greater than they were a year ago. Security challenges posed by climate change, conflicts, terrorism, cybercrime, transnational organized crime and the mass movement of refugees now seen in Europe are among the looming challenges that continue to undermine our efforts as a global family to achieve sustainable development, peace and security for our communities.
If we were to ask what the root causes of those major challenges were, we would be able to find many of the answers in the fact that too little attention has been paid to the problems addressed in the Goals recently endorsed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Goals are not new. Most, if not all, are in our national development plans and strategies.
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What is new is the global call for the international community to act together to do things differently in order to effect the transformational changes necessary to achieve the prosperous, peaceful, just and equitable societies that will benefit all. That is crucial in an increasingly interdependent world in which decisions made and actions taken in one country will have ripple effects elsewhere in the globe.
But in adopting the new Agenda, we must not leave undone the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Many countries, Kiribati included, do not have a strong scorecard with respect to the implementation of the MDGs, for a compelling reason. We, like all small island developing States, face major challenges in our development efforts, challenges which are well documented and which I will not repeat here. Those challenges are further compounded by climate change.
My people live on low-lying atoll islands that are no higher than 3 metres above sea level. With the changes in our climate system and with sea-level rise, our islands are now facing major challenges never before faced in our history. We have experienced climate extremes, not only from sea-level rise but also from disastrous natural events, such as cyclone Pam which hit Vanuatu and other low-lying Pacific islands, mine included, earlier this year, soon followed by typhoons Maysak and Dolphin.
High tides combined with strong winds wreaked havoc on our islands, our homes, our villages and our people. What is particularly alarming is the increasing frequency and severity of such events. In some parts of the country, whole villages have had to relocate because of severe coastal erosion and flooding. Food crops have been destroyed and the freshwater lakes, our major source of drinking water, are increasingly being contaminated by the intruding seawater. Our people are worried as they watch those events grow in intensity. The most vulnerable are the already vulnerable — women, children, the disabled, the sick and the aged.
All those events have put pressure on our already stressed national systems and limited national resources and will continue to do so. Kiribati and other low-lying atoll countries such as Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Maldives and Tokelau, as well as the millions of people living in coastal areas in the Pacific and around the globe, have first to address the critical and pressing here-and-now challenges from climate change, before
we can even begin to talk of sustainable development or a new development agenda.
The first real test of our commitment to the new development agenda adopted by the international community will be the Paris climate summit. The Sustainable Development Agenda will mean nothing if the Paris climate summit in December fails to come up with an ambitious and legally binding agreement that addresses the predicament of those on the front line of climate change and saves humankind by halting global warming. For us on the front line of climate change, the Paris outcome document must include a long-term temperature goal to limit global average temperature increase to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. It must also include provisions on loss and damage as a stand-alone element that is separate and distinct from adaptation.
We must all step up our national and collective efforts to mitigate global greenhouse-gas emissions. We must urge major greenhouse-gas emitters to do their part. Last week, my country, one of the countries with the lowest level of emissions, submitted an ambitious intended nationally determined contribution to the UNFCCC secretariat. We must call with urgency on our development partners, on philanthropic partners and on private businesses to assist us on the front line of the climate calamity to deal with the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise now being experienced in our countries and to support our efforts to build the resilience and preparedness of our people as they face an uncertain future. It is high time we recognize that the new challenges require us to draw on all the resources available to the global community and to accept that sustainable development and global challenges such as climate change should not be confined to the sphere of Governments alone.
Let us call on all those with the ability to assist and with a contribution to make to join in the global dialogue and, more important, to take part in urgent action to address this major challenge. Let us bring in our young people, our women, civil society, the private sector, churches, universities, traditional institutions and indigenous populations. Let us bring everyone on board. Let us be inclusive. Let all who have a contribution to make it.
We welcome the inclusive approach taken in developing the post-2015 development agenda. We also welcome the participation of Taiwan in the World
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Health Assembly — for example, its inclusion in the fight against Ebola — and we would like to see a similar inclusive approach prevail in respect of other international institutions and United Nations processes in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and in the call for urgent climate action, where Taiwan and all who can participate and contribute meaningfully for the good of humankind must be brought in to do so. Everyone needs to be brought in.
“Business as usual” can no longer be our approach. Let us not confine ourselves to our comfort zones and our usual economic arguments; let us stop avoiding our political taboos. The challenge of climate change makes a larger demand on us. It requires that we rise above national priorities and think with a global consciousness. We must go outside the bounds of conventional thinking — outside the norm — because the challenge before us is extraordinarily serious and therefore calls for extraordinary and unconventional solutions.
It is most gratifying to note that there is an emerging glimmer of hope, that there is a shift in the wind in the dialogue on climate change. We welcome the opinion of His Holiness Pope Francis on climate change, together with the messages and expressions of commitment from a growing number of quarters, including capitals around the globe and civil society, in which climate change is recognized as posing a major challenge and requiring urgent action. We welcome this most gratifying shift as a very positive development in the right direction, implying that the international community has at last heard our messages and the stories we have shared about the plight of our people.
But hearing our story and recognizing that climate change is a major challenge is not enough; we need to act on it with urgency. We islands may be on the front line, but so are the millions of people around the world living in low-lying areas. They are just as vulnerable. So are the millions of others facing prolonged droughts, higher temperatures and melting glaciers. For them, like us, sustainable development and the recently adopted new Agenda will not mean anything, unless the global community steps up, and steps up substantially, its efforts to combat climate change.
We take full responsibility for the future of our people and we will do our part. In Kiribati, we have adopted a multi-pronged strategy to ensure the survival of our people. We have bought land offshore. We have
looked at floating and artificial islands and options for raising our islands from their current heights to heights above the predicted sea-level rises. We have embarked on a major education reform programme designed to upgrade the skills of our people in line with our programme on migration with dignity.
But we cannot do it alone. There needs to be a collective global effort. We call for new and accessible financial resources to assist the most vulnerable to adapt and build resilience to climate change. We welcome the continued assistance of our partners, including Taiwan, but much, much more needs to be done. While it is commendable that there have been significant pledges for the Green Climate Fund, there remain the challenge of accessibility and the translation of these pledges into contributions where they matter the most. We welcome the assistance provided by various agencies with the capacity to provide the needed conduit, but it is equally important that such assistance not get eroded in the process.
In celebrating the seventieth anniversary of the united family of nations, we must have confidence that, as we pledge in the preamble to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, no member nation will be left behind. It is simply not sufficient to acknowledge that climate change is an existential challenge. It is about our response as the global community and what actions we take as a community of moral human beings.
I reiterate that the real test of the effectiveness and relevance of the new Sustainable Development Agenda, and indeed the relevance of the united family of nations as it celebrates its seventieth anniversary, is in ensuring that no one is left behind. Yet my people and those on the front line of climate change face the real possibility of being left behind. I therefore call on the General Assembly to lend its support to the voice of the most vulnerable and call on the international community to craft an ambitious legally binding agreement that can begin to heal our one shared home and planet. I further call on the General Assembly to join those on the front line of climate change in requesting the Conference of the Parties in Paris to agree that the increase in global average temperature should be held below 2°C or 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The climate agreement must also include provisions on loss and damage and, most important, a special mechanism to fast-track urgent assistance to the millions of people who are at the front line of climate change and who need that assistance immediately.


I would like to warmly congratulate the President on his election to conduct the affairs of the Assembly at its historic seventieth session. I can assure him of my personal support and that of Sierra Leone during his tenure. I would also like to convey my sincere appreciation to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa of the Republic of Uganda, for the effective way in which he led the previous session. And I heartily commend the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his constructive leadership of our Organization. Sierra Leone will continue to support progressive implementation of his laudable Five-Year Action Agenda, announced on 25 January 2012. We also welcome his synthesizing report on the work of the Organization (A/70/1), which articulates a call to action to transform our world beyond 2015.
Seventy years ago, we committed to promoting social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. Today, that is still our task and common goal, and the very foundation in which our shared and common values are firmly embedded and should therefore be respected. It is in the pursuit of that task and our shared values that, 15 years ago, the Millennium Declaration (resolution 55/2) articulated a bold vision to eradicate extreme poverty, promote gender equality and ensure that children everywhere receive a basic education. Together, we have achieved a lot, getting millions out of poverty, getting millions into schools and breaking down many barriers to the empowerment of women. But our achievements are works in progress, as is our Organization. Many challenges still remain.
Many actions need to be taken in the offices of our Organization, and many actions must be taken in the field where the citizens of the world lead their lives. The two are interlinked. Without changes within the structures of our global Organization, our actions in the field will be hindered by the lack of ownership, lack of inclusion and lack of irreversible successes. That is why we commend the President for the choice and relevance of the theme of this session: “The United Nations at 70 — a new commitment to action”. We have put forward negotiating positions for reform in our Organization, we have drawn up plans for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and we adopted the financing for development framework in Addis Ababa in July. What is left now for us to do is to take action on all these fronts: to continue action to reform our Organization, to commence action in areas
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where there has not yet been action, to take action to overcome challenges, and to follow through on action to sustain, deepen and expand our achievements.
The unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals and its accompanying challenges are critical to the work that lies ahead. We have learned lessons that are invaluable, and we have made undeniable progress. But the challenges we still face are seen in the millions not going to school, the millions not having health care, the millions of women who are oppressed, and the millions of people whose rights and lives are being trampled upon in the war zones and on the refugee routes of the world. The challenges have the urgency of a life-and-death situation for millions.
What we see the world over — in the refugee crisis, in the fight against poverty, transnational organized crime, terrorism, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, piracy, violence against women, in our actions to uphold human rights, and in the efforts for expanding access to health and education — what we see are struggles to promote inclusion in the better achievements of humankind: achievements in the areas of security, safety, peace, education, health and development. Where there is exclusion, people seek inclusion. The poor seek inclusion in a fairer world, and refugees seek inclusion in a safer world. We believe that the SDGs are about building a fairer, safer and better world for those excluded from the great achievements of humankind.
Making our global Organization more democratic, more participatory and fairer is part of the struggle for inclusion the world over. It is a prerequisite for achieving our universal aspirations as expressed in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (resolution 70/1). As the Coordinator of the African Union Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government on the Reform of the United Nations Security Council, I take this opportunity to emphasize once again the need for urgent reform of the Council and again echo Africa’s concern over the failure of the General Assembly to adopt measures that will lead to a comprehensive reform of the Security Council.
I wish to call attention to the regrettable status quo that undermines the principles of equity, legitimacy, accountability and transparency. The current state of affairs also undermines the effectiveness of the Security Council in its pursuit of international peace and security. The need to address the issue of Africa’s
non-representation in the permanent category and its underrepresentation in the non-permanent category is long overdue and therefore now imperative. Africa’s demand for two permanent seats and two additional non-permanent seats as articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration is just and provides a framework for a fairer and more inclusive United Nations. I welcome the recent adoption of resolution 69/321, designed, inter alia, to further the intergovernmental negotiation process, and I very much hope that meaningful progress will be made towards a consensus-building mechanism in the course of this seventieth session.
Sierra Leone is very committed to promoting inclusion in governance and in development and to furthering peace around the world. We shall continue to support initiatives to sustain and expand democracy, peace and security, in Africa in particular, and in the world at large. The contribution of Sierra Leone to United Nations peacekeeping efforts demonstrates our strong commitment to global peace and stability. We acknowledge the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations on uniting our strengths for peace: politics, partnership and people (A/70/95). We stand ready to explore further ways of increasing our contribution to global peacekeeping in order to enhance the success of United Nations peacekeeping operations. I take this opportunity to pay a special tribute to the men and women in uniform, as well as to civilian staff, who continue to make the ultimate sacrifice to serve humankind in complex and dangerous environments around the world. We totally condemn attacks against United Nations peacekeepers, and we call for action against the perpetrators of these cowardly acts.
The report of the Advisory Group of Experts for the 2015 Review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture and its recommendations is a useful document that informs us of lessons learned, best practices and the challenges ahead in terms of preventing relapses into violent conflict. We look forward to constructive engagement in the intergovernmental process in the light of the fact that Sierra Leone is one of the case studies and a storehouse of lessons learned.
We applaud our collective establishment of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone for the purpose of carrying out the continuing legal obligations of the original Special Court. Given the profile of persons convicted by the Court and those currently serving prison sentences under the supervision of the Residual
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Court, it is in the interest of international peace and security and in furtherance of justice that we extend support to the effective operations of the Residual Court in order to enable it to fully deliver on its mandate.
Whether it be terrorism, climate change, disease or refugees, no country is immune from the challenges facing the world at large. Some countries may be able to keep some of these problems from reaching their shores. However, our globalized world has multiplied the routes along which these challenges move, going from country to country, from one region to another, from one group of people to another. That is why we cannot say a particular problem is only a problem for this country or that region. Poorer countries suffer disproportionately from particular problems but, without support from the world to solve them, the problems spread and haunt other regions, other countries and other groups. We need to incorporate that piece of wisdom into decision-making in every country, every region and every global organization.
That is also the piece of wisdom we need to incorporate into our decisions about climate change. Changes in the weather patterns in the Pacific and in the ocean currents of the North Atlantic are unleashing devastating floods in many places. A week and a half ago, we witnessed floods of proportions hitherto unseen in Sierra Leone, which devastated many parts of our capital, Freetown. Storms rage in the Cape Verde Islands and floods have ravaged other parts of West Africa. We believe that our experts are right when they attribute those disasters to man-made climate change.
We call for action, not only to lower emissions of greenhouse gases, which are implicated in those changes, but also to shore up capabilities to deal with the effects of climate change. No country, I reiterate, is immune from the physical, social, health and other consequences of climate change. We need to integrate that insight into our decisions about other urgent matters — youth unemployment, insecurity, extreme hunger, violence against women, transnational organized crime and piracy. Allowing these to get out of control in vulnerable nations increases the vulnerability of all nations.
Africa has made efforts to strengthen the continent’s capacity for preventing and resolving conflicts. Countries in the global South have also been at the forefront of finding solutions and providing relief from the miseries of the world. They host more refugees
than other lands; they contribute more personnel to peacekeeping missions. Global solidarity is imperative in building our regional capacity to better handle those challenges. Without that solidarity, the challenges will jump across borders, evade immigration controls and leap over walls. That is why we need cooperative and coordinated partnerships to strengthen the capacities to respond to those challenges. Our voice, as fragile and conflict-affected States under the Group of Seven Plus, is a call for country ownership and country-led implementation of the SDGs.
Since 2012, Sierra Leone has been proactively tailoring its development framework in anticipation of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1). The implementation of our national vision for socioeconomic development, as contained in the Government’s poverty reduction strategy paper and articulated in the Agenda for Prosperity, was launched in July 2013 as Sierra Leone’s road map for the post-2015 development agenda. The Agenda for Prosperity aims to build a sustainable future for all Sierra Leoneans. It demonstrates our firm commitment to putting Sierra Leone on the path to resilience and sustainability.
To that end, we have recorded significant progress in strengthening political and economic governance, including the improvement of social indicators. My Government has continued to place emphasis on the protection of the basic rights of the people of Sierra Leone. We have put in place comprehensive reforms in the justice sector, in response to both national and global demands, to ensure that the rights of citizens are preserved and that access to justice is accorded to all. The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone is closely collaborating with the Government to ensure that a human rights culture is entrenched in our society and that the Government ratifies several international treaties and protocols whose ratification is still outstanding and fulfils its various reporting obligations.
We have undertaken specific reform measures to improve the national investment climate. My Government is keen on delivering results in several priority areas, including infrastructure development, commercial agriculture, improved access to education and health-care services, youth empowerment and employment, women’s empowerment, effective and efficient public service delivery and the social and political integration of persons with disabilities.
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At a time when Sierra Leone was being commended for its remarkable progress with respect to peace, stability and steady economic growth, we were hit by the unprecedented Ebola virus outbreak, which took a heavy toll on the entire socioeconomic fabric of Sierra Leone. However, we fought back, with support from our international friends, and have now almost defeated the evil virus, with zero cases being recorded for several days in September. As we make progress to end the epidemic, I wish to commend the United Nations agencies and the international community for their support and their commitment to ending the epidemic, as well as their support for the post-Ebola recovery plan.
I particularly commend the Secretary-General for mobilizing, for the very first time, a coordinated and integrated United Nations system intervention to support countries affected by the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in our region. In addition to containing the epidemic, the intervention of the United Nations and our partners has resulted in an enhanced preparedness to respond to similar outbreaks in the future. That is a useful model that can be applied to contain and tackle pandemics wherever they may surface. In order to guarantee a lasting recovery, my Government, in collaboration with our sister Republics of Guinea and Liberia, have also formulated a subregional post-Ebola socioeconomic recovery plan to ensure that the three most Ebola-affected countries return to the path of stability and prosperity.
The Sierra Leone National Recovery Plan is based on two main pillars. The first pillar concentrates on immediate recovery activities, including maintaining zero infections. The second pillar focuses on building resilient and sustainable national systems , including a viable health system, and establishing an integrated national security and disaster risk management system.
I must state, with a considerable measure of satisfaction, that the international community’s commitment to supporting the Ebola recovery plans has been very encouraging. On behalf of the Government and the people of Sierra Leone, allow me, Sir, to once again applaud our development partners for their unwavering commitment of support to Sierra Leone’s development aspirations. Sierra Leone is poised and ready to continue working with the international community to resume its pre-Ebola development trajectory. We look forward to strengthening our partnerships for the effective
implementation of our post-Ebola recovery plans, both national and subregional.
In conclusion, as our noble Organization celebrates its seventieth anniversary this year, it is important to reflect on the Charter, which reaffirms
“faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large or small”.
With the commitment of leaving no one behind, we must objectively follow a pragmatic approach, with renewed vigour and resolve, to provide a future for our people that will guarantee justice, sustainable peace and security, accountability and democratic governance, employment opportunities, the transparent and equitable distribution of wealth, a safe and sustainable environment, improved health and relevant education. It is also important to ensure that conflicts are resolved around the world, if the Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved, as no development can take place without peace.
Together, let us rise to that challenge with greater resolve, and take action to create a fairer, safer and better world.


I would first like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session and wish him every success in this high position of responsibility. At the same time, we would like to express our gratitude to the President of the General Assembly at its sixty- ninth session, His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, for his very fruitful leadership.
I would also like to congratulate States Members of the United Nations and the Secretariat, headed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the Organization and the adoption of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) and the Sustainable Development Goals. We welcome the theme of this year’s session, “The United Nations at 70: the road ahead for peace, security and human rights”, which clearly and eloquently speaks for itself.
This year also marks the seventieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, which was the most bloodthirsty and destructive war that humankind has ever experienced. We believe that the most important outcome of the war was, first and foremost, the defeat of the forces of fascism. The war also ended policies based on an inhuman ideology and attempts to overthrow the world order. This victory provided an opportunity to affirm such values as the recognition of the freedom and equality of peoples and the universality of international law, which meant an end to a planet divided into great Powers, on the one hand, and the rest of the world, on the other. In this context, we consider that the United Nations has played a historic role as the international Organization whose membership includes almost all
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the countries on the planet and to which any State can turn if it feels that its rights have been violated or its security challenged.
Today, the United Nations plays a clear role in improving the well-being of the citizens of the world. The Organization remains the only legitimate universal structure in the field of multilateral diplomacy and intergovernmental cooperation. Kyrgyzstan recognizes the central role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security, in addressing today’s challenges in the financial, economic, social, cultural, humanitarian and environmental spheres, in promoting and protecting human rights, and in strengthening friendly relations between countries, in keeping with the principles of international law.
We firmly advocate taking into account the various interests of all nations, in accordance with international law, and building a peaceful world order based on a multilateral approach. We believe that it is just this type of development of international relations that the United Nations should promote.
Ironically, the seventieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the creation of the United Nations, which has become a symbol of unity, collaboration and cooperation, coincides with a very alarming international situation. One quarter of a century after the end of the cold war, the international community is once again facing the threat of a polarized world, brazen violations of fundamental rules of international law, the growth of armed conflict and other negative phenomena. Instead of the demolished Berlin Wall, we have new walls being built — those of sanctions, bans and trade barriers.
Differences have increased among the members of the Security Council, which of course is not conducive to the maintenance of international peace and stability. We are in fact facing a situation where some States prefer to act outside the Security Council. We consider such an approach counterproductive and not in keeping with the very purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It leads to increasing differences, a loss of trust and confidence, the destabilizing of the international situation and a new arms race.
During the recent United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, each of us took note of the event’s importance and took upon ourselves the obligation to collectively ensure over the next 15 years that humankind will develop sustainably, in harmony
with nature. Kyrgyzstan welcomes the adoption of the 17 overarching Sustainable Development Goals and all of their related targets. We will make every effort to fully implement them as best we can with our national capacities. We will also continue to work in a targeted way to meet the Millennium Development Goals that have not been entirely achieved yet.
At the same time, achieving sustainable development at a national level requires solving the issue of appropriate and adequate international financing. That issue was fully and intensively discussed by the least developed countries and donors at the third International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Addis Ababa in mid-July. We agree with the view that developing States should take greater responsibility for financing their national development programmes through the effective use of internal resources, including by improving their tax administration and, of course, by fighting corruption. However, donor countries will also need to remain involved and should promptly fulfil their commitment to increasing their official development assistance to 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product.
At the same time, we wish to underscore the need for an environment conducive to the successful sustainable development of States and the possibility of creating and maintaining such an environment. In the light of our national experience, Kyrgyzstan believes that every State has the right to development, which is an inherent, inalienable right that cannot be limited or constrained by anyone or anything. We are convinced that the issue of upholding that right is relevant for the majority of developing States throughout the world. It seems to us that it is especially important in the case of landlocked developing States, of small island States and all other countries that are especially vulnerable in the face of climate change, and of heavily indebted States, which do not have the opportunity to eradicate poverty.
We regret to note the increasing number of situations in which one State, guided only by its self- interest, strives to further its own development at the expense of another State by constraining the latter’s opportunities for development. We believe that such conduct has no place in today’s civilized world. At the same time, we note that the concept of a State’s right to development has not yet been incorporated into general international law. Of course, it is important to clarify that the right to development does exist and is part of
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international law, but only within the framework of human rights. I refer first and foremost to the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, among other documents. However, we believe that the relevant human rights cannot be fully implemented unless an analogous right is granted to the subject of international law itself.
We believe that respect for and guarantees of the right of every State to development should in time become the foundation for forging new, equitable international relations at the global level and should take their place alongside such other principles as respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, rejection of the use of force and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other States. In that regard, my country considers it important for the concept of a State’s right to development to be widely disseminated throughout the United Nations. We propose that the issue be considered at the expert level.
Successful sustainable development depends to a great extent on the maintenance of security and stability at the global level. We believe that countries should set aside their differences and work more actively together under the aegis of the United Nations to combat terrorism and violent extremism. Kyrgyzstan strongly condemns all acts of terrorism, irrespective of their motivation and without regard to where and by whom they are committed. Terrorism has root causes and reasons, but they can never be justified. We would like to stress that the international community needs to work together more effectively to combat not only extremism but also its violent manifestations.
Today we are seeing the nature of extremist threats morph and change. To a lesser degree, activities of this nature have already spread geographically. Extremist ideology is seeping into the consciousness of people in various regions and around the world; it is mounting an attack on society from within. Various extremist and terrorist organizations, after consolidating their power under the banner of a single ideology, are evolving into powerful criminal structures with a wide network of like-minded people.
We believe that combating extremism should not be limited to addressing violent methods but that it must also include the adoption of preventive measures to curb the influence of harmful ideologies. In the effort to combat extremism, it is also crucial for States to develop policies that protect the secular character
of the State and to strengthen their interaction with traditional religions by implementing their citizens’ right to freedom of religion.
Speaking of counter-terrorism activities at the national level, I would like to note that Kyrgyzstan has faithfully fulfilled its obligations and that it is committed to constructive engagement at the national, regional and international levels in the fight against that evil. We see Security Council resolution 2178 (2015) as a decisive step in combating foreign terrorist fighters. Within the framework of its implementation, we have focused our efforts on strengthening border controls, aviation security and building the capacity of law enforcement agencies, as well as on improving the exchange of information.
In February and May, our courts characterized the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the Al-Nusra Front and other organizations as terrorist and extremist and banned their activities in Kyrgyzstan. On 24 July, a law was adopted that establishes accountability for mercenary activities and the participation of citizens in armed conflicts or military actions on the territory of a foreign State. Our law enforcement agencies have been active in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, and we are determined to continue the fight.
We are sincerely interested in the peaceful and stable development of our brother country, Afghanistan. Exactly one year ago, we witnessed the inauguration of President Ghani Ahmadzai and the formation of the Government of National Unity headed by Mr. Abdullah Abdullah, which marked the first democratic transfer of power in the history of Afghanistan. We consider it important to set the Afghan economy on a path of stable and sustainable development, which is crucial in the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking. We call upon the international community, particularly donors, to fully comply with their commitments to provide assistance to Afghanistan. For its part, Kyrgyzstan is ready to work closely with Afghanistan on regional trade, energy and communication projects.
The current situation in the Middle East, a region torn by protracted conflicts and sectarian violence, is of particular concern, as thousands of innocent people, including women and children, are being killed. We call on the countries of the region and the conflicting parties to start direct negotiations under the aegis of the United Nations, in order to reach a political solution to the problem. Without strong political will
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and determination, it will be impossible to stop the bloodshed and to pave the way for national unity, reconciliation and reconstruction. We believe that external intervention in any conflict should remain a last resort and should be used only with the approval of the Security Council.
At the same time, we believe that special attention should be paid to the emergence of new challenges to world civilization. Those new challenges differ from the more traditional challenges of inter-State conflicts; rather they take the shape of ideological conflicts. Such challenges do not arise solely in situations of religious extremism; they also appear in numerous situations in which one State attempts to impose its vision of development on other States. In that context, a principled assessment of such practices is essential, regardless of the source of the ideology. We believe that the permanent members of the Security Council — which, as the victorious Powers of the Second World War, took responsibility for the fate of the world — should now likewise assume the responsibility to combat such practices, which undermine the very basis on which development of inter-State relations rests.
It has been 70 years since the first use of a nuclear weapon occurred, and 45 years since the date of entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Yes, humankind has managed to prevent a recurrence of the use of nuclear weapons. However, as long as nuclear weapons exist, the risk of their intentional or even their unintentional use will remain. We regret to note that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty has not yet entered into force, and that the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ended without the adoption of the most important outcome document.
In such circumstances, the Treaty on a Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia represents a significant contribution to the global process of nuclear disarmament. As the depositary and the coordinator of the States parties to the Treaty, Kyrgyzstan expresses its appreciation to the Russian Federation, China, France and Great Britain for their ratification of the protocol on negative security assurances and urges the United States to ratify that instrument without further delay.
We have recently witnessed the successful completion of the long-running negotiations between Iran and the group of six countries as well as the
adoption of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear programme. I wish to congratulate the group and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the occasion of this historic event.
As a member of the newest nuclear-weapon-free zone, Kyrgyzstan urges the countries of the Middle East to establish in the region a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. This would serve as a milestone in the field of disarmament, thereby promoting peace in the Middle East.
One of the most important instruments in terms of sustainable development is upholding the security of the State. Here we deem crucial the strengthening of the entire spectrum of cooperation with our neighbours. Inclusive dialogue and cooperation, in our view, are the only ways to resolve the problems in our region.
On the other hand, it must be noted that not all of the existing problems in the region of Central Asia can be successfully and rapidly resolved. We refer here primarily to the development of trade and economic relations on an equitable, fair and mutually beneficial basis.
Efforts remain insufficient in the areas of resolving border issues, coordinating efforts to promote regional security, liberalizing trade rules, harmonizing national legislation and ensuring safe transit over inter-State roads and railway lines. The coordination of approaches to developing the energy and transportation sectors remains insufficient.
Issues related to the shared use of water resources are also a focus of Central Asian inter-State relations. In this regard, it should be noted that in the implementation of the national development course it has chosen, Kyrgyzstan intends to focus in particular on the development of our hydropower potential as the basis for the sustainable development of our country. Our principled position is that our water resources and our energy potential are closely linked. So to achieve its right to development, Kyrgyzstan has been using its water resources to achieve sustained social and economic development, including on the basis of the model of the green economy.
No less important at the regional level is the fact that a number of border issues have not yet been settled, although their successful resolution is clearly in keeping with the interests of all States in the region.
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This will increase transit trade potential and promote the development of border infrastructure in our country, which would improve the economy and help reduce social tension in the region.
Against that backdrop, we believe that the development of a comprehensive regional cooperation framework would be fundamental to ensuring sustainable development, stability and security for the whole of the Central Asian region.
The absence of a direct multilateral political dialogue among the Central Asian countries themselves exacerbates regional problems and constrains the economic development of our countries. Unfortunately, however, we are forced to note that the common problems we face do not mean that our countries form a united front when addressing these problems in international forums.
We believe that the time has come to create a broad platform for dialogue among all five Central Asian States. It is vital to create such a new, high-quality mechanism within the framework of which we could discuss issues related to trade, economy, borders, energy, water use, transport interfaces, the environment and climate change. We call on our neighbours to consider our initiative. Kyrgyzstan, in turn, stands ready to start discussing the details of such a new regional platform.
In the political Declaration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit (see resolution 70/1), we agreed to strengthen democracy, good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights, as well as to ensure economic growth, all of which make a positive contribution to sustainable development. We fully agree with this concept and intend to make a worthy contribution to international efforts to that end. However, it should be pointed out that Kyrgyzstan has its own historical policy on and path towards democracy; it is fundamental to our national identity. For centuries, democratic values have formed the basis of our society; they are not foreign, abstract ideas. Kyrgyzstan, based on its own historical and cultural experience, has been consistently developing and strengthening its model for national governance based on the principles of parliamentary democracy.
Kyrgyzstan will soon hold parliamentary elections, which will serve as an indicator of the country’s level of democratic development. Their outcome will strengthen the principles of openness and togetherness of our people. The elections will be held on the basis
of the democratic principles of openness and fairness, in accordance with national legislation and our international obligations.
In August of this year, a historic event took place when Kyrgyzstan became a full-fledged member of the Eurasian Economic Union. That membership provides Kyrgyzstan with unrestricted access to a regional market for goods and services, capital and labour and with a further opportunity to develop our agriculture and industry, as well as our transport and transit potential. Participation therein will also enhance the competitiveness of our national economy and its integration into the world economy.
At the same time, as a result of our recent positive accomplishments, in 2014 the World Bank moved Kyrgyzstan from the category of poorest countries to that of middle-income countries. In order to maintain sustainable economic growth in Kyrgyzstan, 2015 was declared the “Year of Strengthening the National Economy”.
I would also like to note that we in Kyrgyzstan are waging an uncompromising fight against corruption. In 2014, Kyrgyzstan improved its status in international community rankings on corruption, moving from 150th to 136th place. We are determined to continue to work in this direction in accordance with the international campaign to strengthen good governance.
The protection of human rights is one of the main priorities of our State policy. My country seeks to fulfil all of the obligations it has undertaken under the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights treaties and agreements. Today in Kyrgyzstan there is freedom of the press, and civil society is developing actively. We have also strengthened inter-ethnic relations.
Kyrgyzstan has put forward its candidacy for election to the Human Rights Council for the period 2016-2018. Here I would once again request the States Members of the United Nations to back our candidacy in the elections, to be held in October this year.
By way of conclusion, I wish to revisit the topic of the creation of the United Nations 70 years ago, which infused us with a sense of confidence in the future and has become the embodiment of the best of universal ideals and a champion of the interests of peoples of the world. In the 70 years of its existence, the United
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Nations has firmly established itself as an effective and universally recognized centre for international security and responsibility.
The achievements of the United Nations include mechanisms for conflict prevention, impartial mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The United Nations has also become one of the most important tools for resolving socioeconomic, financial, cultural, humanitarian and other problems at the international level. Its specialized agencies, funds, programmes and structures are highly relevant and much needed and often function as effective partners for developing countries.
Today humankind is experiencing a very difficult time its development, and the United Nations is being tested in terms of its ability to promote the modern world order. In this situation, we must pool the efforts of the Member States in addressing global challenges and threats to international security and sustainable development. At the forefront of this campaign should be a reformed United Nations, one that enjoys political and financial support from its Member States. In this respect, I encourage all to support and strengthen our Organization.
Kyrgyzstan, for its part, will always cooperate actively and responsibly with the United Nations to support its activities to find joint solutions to global problems.


It is my pleasure, at the outset, to congratulate the President for presiding over the work of the General Assembly at its seventieth session. I also take this opportunity to thank Mr. Sam Kutesa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda, for the efforts exerted throughout his presidency of the Assembly during its sixty-ninth session.
On the seventieth anniversary marking the establishment of the United Nations, in which my country had the honour of contributing by way of the drafting of the Charter of the United Nations, I would like to stress Lebanon’s commitment in fully assuming its active role as a member of the international community in order to fulfil the noble aims unanimously approved by all nations: chiefly, safeguarding international peace and security, the right of peoples to self-determination and respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all human beings.
We speak about the fundamental rights of human beings; in our region that concept is withering away, day after day, under the pressure of wars; dimming before an ever growing shadow hiding behind the veil of religion; and completely disintegrating when faced with the barbaric colonization practised by the State of Israel, while it seeks to hide under a modern and democratic cloak. Before the eyes of the entire world, nations in our region are disintegrating. Millions are leaving their homes, wandering off to the unknown.
There is Aylan: the 3-year-old child seen earlier this month by the entire world, after his body washed ashore towards his eternal resting place. His tragedy sums up the prevailing status of fundamental human rights in our region. His picture describes the story of a tormented people drifting in the sea without direction, or packed on sidewalks in cities and train stations, waiting for a permit, or a visa or simply a meal. The narrative has far outpaced any political, military or legal framework, to put forth a major question related to the present and the future of humankind.
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We have all followed the efforts made on the part of some European countries to accommodate additional numbers of refugees on their territory. Those efforts are rooted in the cultural and civilizational heritage rooted in the bitter experience of devastating wars. Yet we continue to believe that the best solution to the problem, and the least expensive for Syria, the neighbouring countries and the world, is to tackle the tragedy directly and deal with its root causes.
Lebanon reiterates its call to the international community, especially all prominent world Powers, to rise above reluctance and wavering and to stop the fighting on Syrian territory, whose price is the blood of the Syrians. We urge them to end the ongoing massacre by fostering a political solution that safeguards the country’s unity, independence and territorial integrity, while fulfilling the Syrian people’s aspirations for a free and dignified life.
That call does not stem only from the links of neighborhood, kinship, history and common interests between the Syrian and Lebanese peoples, but also from Lebanon’s firm interest in ending the Syrian crisis because of the heavy burden of the massive waves of displaced persons, dubbed by the United Nations itself as a “national disaster”.
If Europe, with its sizeable capacity and generous humanity, has been confused by the sight of thousands of displaced persons suddenly appearing in its cities, Lebanon, with its limited space and scarce capacity, has been hosting, over the past four years, 1.5 million displaced Syrians, amounting to one third of its population. Lebanon’s public infrastructure and host communities have been exhausted maximally at a time of steadily declining international assistance due to the so-called donor fatigue.
While upholding its international obligations, Lebanon reiterates its appeal to donor countries to fulfil their commitments, and even to increase their financial contributions, in order to provide direct assistance to Lebanese public institutions and host communities, according to the response plan launched by Lebanon last December in collaboration with the United Nations. We firmly stress the principle of shared responsibility and burden-sharing among countries, while underlining the importance of establishing safe areas or buffer zones for refugees in Syria and setting up collection centres on the border.
The problem of the displaced population is only one facet of the many negative repercussions Lebanon has endured due to the neighbouring war. Perhaps the most daunting consequence of the conflict is the terrorism, which has demanded steep sacrifices. It is no secret that for more than a year now a group of our military forces is still being held by terrorist groups, and we are still exerting tremendous efforts to free them.
Based on a firm political resolution and efficient security action, we have succeeded in addressing the scourge of terrorism. Our people has proved to the world that Lebanon is not an incubator of terrorism meddling with some countries of the region under the cover of Islam — the religion of tolerance, love and moderation. The increasing responsibilities assumed by our military and security apparatus in the fight against terrorism have heightened our determination to strengthen our forces as a main pillar of security, stability and social harmony in the country. In stressing the need to address its root causes, Lebanon renews its commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms. We reaffirm our readiness to cooperate in the framework of a joint international effort, undertaken by the Security Council, aimed at eradicating terrorism and its sources of financing.
Despite the numerous political crises that Lebanon now faces — chief among them the vacuum created by the absence of a President of the Republic — Lebanon is proud to be a paragon of diversity and an oasis of coexistence among the members of various religions and sects. That is at a time when developments in the Middle East continue to threaten the social, cultural and religious diversity of the region. We believe that safeguarding the integrity of Lebanon is tantamount to protecting a vital remnant of pluralism in the Levant. Therefore, consolidating stability in the country requires strengthening its political, security and socioeconomic components, and it entails a consensual decision on the part of our brothers and friends. That needs to be done in order to prevent regional polarization from influencing Lebanon, help the Lebanese people end the current political vacuum and paralysis and bolster the work of the constitutional institutions with the immediate election of a new President of the Republic.
We followed the recent agreement between Iran and the five permanent Security Council members and Germany with great interest. We now hope that that development will open a new chapter in international relations, marking the beginning of progress in the region and improvement in the political situation in
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Lebanon. We consider that the baseline requirement for successful and normal relations among the countries in the region, which is in the best interests of their peoples, is a commitment to good-neighbourly policy, respect of States’ sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs, security and stability.
While marking the ninth anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), Lebanon reaffirms its commitment to all the provisions of that resolution, based on the belief that it will strengthen stability and security in southern Lebanon and will contribute to extending the State’s authority over its entire territory. Lebanon reiterates its call to the international community to compel Israel to cease its violations of Lebanese sovereignty and cooperate with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). I take this opportunity to thank the UNIFIL command, structures, troops and all participating countries in order to demarcate the rest of the Blue Line and ensure that the Israelis withdraw immediately from the northern Ghajar area, Shaba’a farmlands and the Kfar Shouba Hills.
Lebanon denounces Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian land and its blockade of the Gaza Strip. We call upon the international community to compel it to lift that inhumane blockade and ensure decent living conditions for the Palestinians. We condemn the repeated Israeli attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and warn of their serious repercussions. We hold Israel responsible for the failure to reach a peaceful settlement to the conflict based on the two-State solution. In the meantime, we call upon the Security Council to take the appropriate action to resume negotiations, aimed at ending the occupation within a specified time frame, based on resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), the Madrid terms of reference and the Arab Peace Initiative. While Lebanon rejects the resettlement of refugees on
its territory, we also stress the right of Palestinians to return to their homeland, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.
A number of crises are roiling in the Middle East region, bringing upheaval. The time has come for the world to mobilize its energies and address them seriously, rather than ignoring them and shirking its responsibility. That is not only because the Levant is the spiritual and linguistic cradle for so much of humankind, but also because our humanitarian duty commands the international community to take action. And our undeniable interest requires us to contain the wildfire that is raging now and prevent it from spreading to everyone’s homes.
I call upon the countries of the world to shun their inaction and resignation and assume the responsibility of restoring security and stability in our region and ensure people’s right to a better future. The countries of the world must reach out and put an end to the death toll in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, and in the land of peace, Palestine. I beseech the international community to reach out and restore the glow of the Levantine jewel, known as Lebanon, and ensure that our children’s right — which is the right of all children — to sail on the vessels of their dreams, rather than on the literal boats of humiliation and death, which are carrying them to foreign shores.