At the outset, I am pleased to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Peter Thomson on his assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session and to reaffirm the United Arab Emirates’ support for his efforts during his term. I would also like to express my thanks and appreciation to his predecessor, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, for his wise leadership during the previous session.
In our region and beyond, several countries have confronted multiple ongoing crises and conflicts since 2011. A number of Arab countries, including Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Somalia, have descended into internal fighting. At the same time, the plight of the Palestinian people persists under Israeli occupation without a just solution on the horizon, one that could restore the rights stripped from the Palestinians and establish their State based on the June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Furthermore, regional interference in Arab affairs, perpetrated mainly by Iran — the only country in the world with a Constitution that explicitly calls for the export of its revolution — has aggravated conflicts in the region. The past few years have shown that solutions based on crisis management are ineffective. Therefore, joint international efforts must focus on resolving the crises and conflicts — not just managing them.
We are all aware of the violence and terrorism around us, which have taken unprecedented forms, relying on heinous methods and causing fear and terror not only in the Middle East, but also in many countries worldwide. That demonstrates that violence and terrorism must no longer be associated with a single State or region, as they are global threats that recognize no borders. The serious challenges facing our region and many other countries require our joint consideration of ways to address them and reach consensual, timely, effective solutions, without undermining the ongoing significant efforts in that regard.
Countering terrorist groups is a right and duty of all States. However, resorting to laws that ignore the effective role played by a number of States in counter- terrorism would lead to suffering in many States. In that respect, we recall the so-called Justice against Sponsors of Terrorism Act in the United States of America, which has resulted in arbitrary policies and the destabilization of existing strong relationships among allies. I will attempt to present some thoughts on ways to diagnose the crises and determine potential solutions.
For example, Iraq has been suffering for more than a decade from nearly daily acts of sectarian violence. Iin addition, a part of its territory is under the control of terrorist groups, thus spreading fear and terror in the hearts of the Iraqi people and undermining the region’s integrity. Moreover, interference by Iran in Iraq’s internal affairs has exacerbated divisiveness among the Iraqi people. Yet there is no comprehensive political solution that can promote consensus among the Iraqi people and put an end to the marginalization of whole sections of Iraqi society.
What have the effective Powers done in that regard? What have the prominent Powers capable of addressing those serious crises done? Those Powers, or so-called super-Powers, have simply tried to minimize the impact without resolving the crisis. That approach has merely made the crises increasingly complex, with the collapse of State institutions and the emergence of terrorism and extremism. Thathasled to the high price being paid, especially in terms of the loss of life on the part of the region’s children, as well as their futures.
We find that Iran, as a result of its expansionist regional policies, has led the region to the brink of disaster. Through its constant interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries, it has played the greatest role in causing tension and instability in the region. Despite the so-called nuclear agreement reached between Tehran and the P5+1 — which was welcomed by countries in the region in the hope that the deal would change Iran’s hostile approach — and despite all of the optimistic expectations, we have faced a different reality in that Iran has wasted no time in pursuing efforts to undermine regional security through aggressive rhetoric, blatant interference, the training and arming of militias and the development of its ballistic missile programme. Iran has been designated a State sponsor of terrorism, in itself quite alarming. Yet, despite all of the above, Tehran has refused to rescind its policies, which means that in order to confront and solve the crises, we must deal with Iran’s behaviour.
A further example of that trend can be seen in the decision of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to develop its nuclear and ballistic capacities and carry out regular testing, which threatens its neighbours’ security, as well as international peace and security, and is clearly contrary to the most fundamental rules of international law. The same can be said of the crises in Libya, Syria, Yemen and Somalia. The lack of awareness of those crises and the lack of timely responses aimed at preventing the exacerbation of the suffering of many people are evident in the current developments in the Arab region, where the repercussions of certain crises have gone beyond borders.
The ensuing refugee crisis and mass exodus from conflict areas and the consequent pressures on many countries have indicated the need to work together within and beyond our region to develop solutions that rise above individual interests. That provides yet another example of how ignoring crises or settling for managing them, rather than finding tangible solutions, has further exacerbated the crises and transformed the situation into one that is more complex and compartmentalized.
Despite the gravity of the crises that we all face, finding solutions is not impossible, if the international community and interested sides demonstrate good will and the political determination to resolve them. Allow me, in that regard, to offer the following thoughts:
First, solutions must be based on justice and respect for the law. Without exception, no role should be given to any extremist, terrorist or evil party or group under any circumstances. We call on Iran and all regional parties to abandon the evil role that they are playing, which incites sectarianism and further ignites tension. Secondly, we must attempt to resolve some of the fundamental crises in a number of countries in the region, which is key to finding solutions to other crises, particularly in Yemen and Libya.
In Yemen, there have been a number of initiatives, including an effective road map put forward by the legitimate Government of Yemen, now in Kuwait, and at the Quartet meeting held in Jeddah in August, that could have saved the Yemeni people from their suffering. We hope that those efforts can result in a political solution — if the intentions of the militias in Yemen are sincere and if they live up to the standards of the international community and uphold their responsibilities as Yemeni nationals.
The United Arab Emirates also welcomes the Skhirat Agreement reached by the parties in Libya, as well as the formation of the Government of National Accord. We hope that it will lead to constitution-building in Libya and strengthen cooperation between the Presidential Council and the House of Representatives, which are the legitimate representatives of the Libyan people. That would result in a more unified Libyan national Administration capable of protecting Libya’s territorial integrity and maintaining the unity of the people.
The United Arab Emirates sees no possibility of resolving the Syrian crisis through anything other than a political solution. There is no possibility of resolving it through military force. To date, that path has only intensified the suffering of the fraternal people of Syria and led to increased flows of refugees to other countries. The crisis has been further complicated by interference on the part of Iran and its terrorist militias in Syrian affairs. That has distorted the vision for Syria and derailed it from the existing path.
Our hearts bleed when we see the brotherly people of Syria attempting to flee from death. We are deeply saddened that the Syrian people, known for their dignity and ancient civilization, are forced by the ongoing fighting in their country to fall into the hands of an unknown fate, a fate that began with forced displacement, with no end in sight. In addition, they experience humiliation as they are turned away from the borders of other countries. The repercussions of the Syrian crisis — and the impact of violence, displacement and an uncertain future — will affect future generations of Syrians.
These examples affirm the regional view that settling for crisis management, repeating charitable humanitarian efforts or holding recurring international conferences will not substitute for solving those crises.
Despite the complexity of the crises overtaking our region, there is still hope for overcoming and resolving them. That is evident in the solutions adopted by the United Arab Emirates and the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which will, we hope, have a positive impact on other countries in the region. The United Arab Emirates firmly believes in the values of justice, international law, human rights and good governance. We wish to provide an enhanced environment of happiness for our citizens and residents. We believe that true development does not focus solely on the economic factors but also on the people themselves, based on the principles of tolerance, the acceptance of others and equality for all.
The empowerment of women is a central policy in my country, based on a belief in the pioneering societal role they play. The education of our citizens is also a priority, and we have developed policies and legislation to reflect that. We believe that the essential framework to achieve those goals should be based on protecting the State, in particular from extremism and sectarianism. That would solidify and strengthen our State against factors of disintegration and collapse that have threatened other countries in the region.
In that regard, we have established the Hedayah Centre to counter extremism and have participated with the United States in the establishment of the Sawab Centre. Additionally, the Muslim Council of Elders and the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies were established to show the true face of Islam. Those institutions aim to protect young people who have been attracted by extremist, sectarian and terrorist groups and counter the false claims of such groups.
The crisis in our region should not distract us from our core national cause, which is United Arab Emirates sovereignty over its three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, which are being occupied by Iran against the provisions of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. My country has called on our neighbour Iran time and time again to return those occupied islands to their rightful owner, the United Arab Emirates, either voluntarily through peaceful means or through international justice and arbitration. in order to maintain friendly, neighbourly relations in the Persian Gulf. We will never give up our sovereign right over those islands, and our approach is based on the principles of international law.
Our faith in the role of the United Nations and its organs, especially the Security Council, in maintaining international peace and security is unwavering. We expect the United Nations to play an effective and vital role in resolving conflicts, strengthening the ability of States to resolve conflicts through a framework based on respect for national sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of States.
TTo enable the Security Council to carry out that role, the Council members need to work together for the benefit and well-being of our region. In order to ensure that the United Nations is effective in a multipolar world, we must grant the General Assembly a greater role and pay more attention to early planning so as to promote security and stability. We can do that through constructive strategies and programmes that aim to achieve sustainable development, eradicate poverty, fight inequality, address climate change, defend human rights and much more.
We are firmly convinced that the effectiveness of the United Nations and its principal organs can be achieved through institutional cooperation with regional organizations, using clear mechanisms of cooperation, and that such cooperation is the cornerstone of the United Nations work.
The United Arab Emirates looks forward to working with the incoming Secretary-General with a view to promoting the work and effectiveness of the United Nations, so as to ensure further progress and find solutions to conflicts, as well as build the capacities required to maintain international peace and security.


As we approach the close of this day, I feel the responsibility to refer from this rostrum to the statement addressed to all of us by the President of the United States, Barack Obama (see A/71/PV.8). In summarizing the past eight years of his presidency and his relationship with the United Nations, he highlighted how the international context today is riven by a deep division between the world of fear and the world of courage, between the world of resentment and the world of hope, and between anger and opportunity.
A new season is therefore beginning, one filled with opportunities and possibilities, but also with unprecedented threats and difficulties that, until a short while ago, had seemed in all likelihood to be very remote. Foremost among them is the threat of terrorism to our cities, to everyday life. Terrorism no longer strikes only conventional targets, but rather the human dimension: a theatre, a restaurant, a museum, a stadium. Also pressing are the risks connected with pandemics, which are sometimes exaggerated but very often constitute grave risks, as well as the risks connected to the environment, to which this community of women and men, together with my colleagues, was able to give a response by signing the important Paris Agreement on Climate Change this past April.
But there are also risks linked with other events that combine to make the future seem more a time of concern than of hope, from risks connected to natural disasters — one of which Italy experienced a few weeks ago in Amatrice, Cumuli and Arquata — to the great questions concerning migration and the worries that that phenomenon instils in the hearts of people, the questions it raises and the difficulties it presents. The future has therefore become more and more a place of doubt, of fear. Yet we need to choose the road of hope, the road of possibility, the road of opportunity.
The problems are not in fact theoretical problems that need to be tackled by an assembly of experts. These problems have a face: it is the face of Omran, the Syrian boy, shell-shocked, covered in blood, looking with his big eyes not so much at the photographer’s lens as at the hearts of each one of us; it is the eyes of Nadia, the Yazidi girl whom I met yesterday, who escaped from the violence of Da’esh and is today a courageous witness in a battle on behalf of human rights, of women’s rights, of freedom.
They are challenges and threats for which borders no longer exist. They are in the hearts of our cities and sometimes on the outskirts of European cities, which have often forgotten the true sense of threats inside our borders rather than outside them. Every reference to what happened between Paris and Brussels is deliberate.
I therefore wondered, in conveying the greetings of Italy, which voice from Rome I should bring to those issues. It would be nice, of course, to share with the Assembly the words of hope and also of pride that characterize the concrete acts of saving hundreds of thousands of human lives from the Mediterranean — lives otherwise condemned by desperation — by the Italian women and men wearing the uniform of the Navy or the Coast Guard.
It would be nice to bring to each member of the General Assembly the pride and the voice of the Italians who work in the fields of culture, education and research; of Italians who, together with other Europeans, are leading the European mission that in a few weeks will see for the first time a European spacecraft land on Mars, on 19 October, in exactly one month — a sign of the research that is making Europe not only a place of technocrats and bureaucrats, but also a place looking toward the future.
Yet I would like to propose a different, even provocative image. The image of Rome that I would like to propose is that of Aeneas. Aeneas is the man of the journey. Mythology is filled with examples of people who set out on journeys. Some set out on a journey to return home, like Odysseus. And some, like Aeneas, chose to journey to create a new city, a new civilization.
Aeneas sets out on a journey carrying on his shoulders his ailing father. It is a sign of a generation that is not afraid to assume its responsibilities and that believes that the experience of the elderly is still an absolute value and will go so far as to bear on its shoulders the added burden of history. Aeneas is the man who ensures for his son, Ascanius, the possibility of going on to live and to found the great history of Rome. But Aeneas is the man who, in the foundation myth, is the bearer of pietas, the sense of profound respect, halfway between the religious value and the profound sense of cultural identity that makes a community worthy of being called a community. Without pietas, without compassion for others, there is no room for community. And this is why, to my mind, it is essential that we tackle the challenge launched this morning from this rostrum by Barack Obama with the great value of pietas and the building of communities to which the myth of Aeneas refers.
This is how Italy will tackle the challenges of 2017: by participating in the Security Council, a responsibility that it will share with the Netherlands. It will participate in the Council, which will see a new Secretary-General, with the assumption of responsibility and the conviction that the Sustainable Development Goals, the challenges associated with environmental and technological sustainability and the building of an ever-stronger community will reflect the values that have made our history great. In 2017 Italy will participate in the life of the international community by hosting, on 25 March, the States members of the European Union for the sixtieth anniversary of the signing of the European Treaty, with the goal of making of Europe not merely an evocation of history but rather a new chapter in a book to be written with increased ideals, dreams, horizons and vision, not with a tiring and repetitive day-by-day listing of bureaucratic rules and decisions.
Italy will lead the work of the Group of Seven (G- 7), which will meet at a splendid site in Sicily — that land of great culture and great values — by the Greek theatre in Taormina, facing Mount Etna with the Mediterranean Sea before it bathing the shores of that extraordinary region. The agenda will focus on the actions that we have been discussing today: increasing our contributions to development cooperation and investments in education. For we must not forget that, if the terrorist problem has its origins in theatres of war, there is also a terrorist problem originating in the abandoned outskirts of our cities, and the only weapon that can counter such terrorism is an enormous investment in education and human capital.
We are very proud that the Italian Government has adopted a law, with the support of representatives of Parliament, that stipulates that for every euro invested in security, policing, cybertechnology and cybersecurity, one euro must be invested in culture, education, recreation, preschool education, theatres and other venues that nurture the spirit and the soul, because that is another way to fight the crisis of our era.
We will ensure that the meeting of the G-7 serves as an important occasion to reflect on the values of identity and culture, as well as the challenge of food in the double sense of the fight against poverty and starvation, on the one hand, and the value of food security and health awareness, on the other. At the same time, we are convinced that the challenge facing the Security Council, the challenge facing Europe and the challenge facing the G-7 share the same root, based on the same blueprint.
It is our duty as Italians to bring our voice and our contribution to the United Nations in seeking and identifying ancient values with a new inflection. Today, the pietas of Aeneas has become an opportunity to build a new world based on hope and not on resentment, hatred or anger. Our people, our men and women, continue to work to serve the ideals of peace. They include our women and men in diplomacy and politics, and the women and men who serve our country by wearing a uniform in Afghanistan and in Somalia, by protecting the Mosul Dam in an area fundamental to the future of our planet, and by serving in the Balkans as well, in particular in Serbia. They are security professionals with additional features, namely, the priority they place on humanity.
The women and men who make us proud to be a part of the Italian heritage know that we have not originated from nothing, but rather from the tradition to which I have referred, one that finds its highest expression represented by the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean is the sea that the Romans called Mare Nostrum — our sea. It is the sea where today hundreds and thousands of people seek refuge as they flee from war, from hunger and from poverty. The responsibility for that part of the world has become our ever-growing burden.
In comparison, while we can say that progress has been made in Libya since last year, too little has been accomplished by the international community, particularly Europe, in transforming the Mediterranean Sea into a place where we meet the challenge of dignity. If we do not prioritize the values of humanity and pietas in that geographic area, in that corner of the world, we will have betrayed our tradition. That is why Italy accepts the challenge launched today by the President of the United States to the General Assembly by stating that we will always be on the side of democracy, freedom, values and ideals, with the determination that flows from those who have a great dream and a great vision, but also at the same time the deep desire to make politics into a noble and concrete activity, by intervening without leaving the responsibility for follow-up to others and by fully embracing the deeper meaning of the challenge that we, for our part, call humanity.


It is a great honour to speak on behalf of the President of the Republic of Angola, His Excellency José Eduardo dos Santos, in the General Assembly, which seeks to address and find solutions to the multidimensional challenges facing the world.
The General Assembly is indeed a privileged forum whose aim is to find solutions to the most pressing international problems, to preserve peace, to strengthen collective security and to help renounce the use of force in international relations, while respecting the sovereignty of States, the protection and promotion of human rights and the reaffirmation of the rule of law as fundamental principles of the international system.
During the seven decades of existence of the United Nations, there have been transformations in all aspects of life, such as a radical change in the nature of conflicts, international terrorism at unspeakable levels and unprecedented climate change. Those changes naturally require joint reflection on the role and future of the United Nations. We need an Organization capable of promoting international peace and security, acting quickly and effectively in conflict situations and addressing the most pressing challenges of our time. If for no other reason, these issues should provide an incentive to accelerate reforms aimed at revitalizing the United Nations system, in particular the Security Council.
In fact, reforming the Council is not merely optional but an imperative, and failure to carry it out could hinder the ability of the United Nations to act, thereby eroding its legitimacy and credibility.
The Republic of Angola is in favour of increasing the number of both permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council in order to make it more representative and better equipped in its ability to respond to conflicts. For this reason, we reaffirm the right of the African continent to be represented among the permanent members of Security Council, as stated in the Ezulwini Consensus. We believe that the spirit of openness to dialogue, tolerance and common sense is key to solving the problems that currently plague humankind.
In this context, the Republic of Angola, which currently holds the presidency of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, has been engaged, in both the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, in seeking bilateral and multilateral solutions to the problems affecting the region. In this regard, we reaffirm our determination to continue to support and promote dialogue, peace, security and stability in Central Africa and throughout the Great Lakes region of Africa.
We welcome the successful conclusion of the peace and electoral processes in the Central African Republic, which have enabled the country to start a new era. Their new era requires support from the international community in order to promote national reconstruction and consolidate the country’s institutions.
In South Sudan, the completion of the dialogue represents an important step towards the establishment of peace and the formation of a government of national unity to resolve the crisis in that country. The parties should be encouraged to honour their commitments, and the international community should maintain its support for the peace process.
With regard to Burundi, we call for the intensification of the dialogue for peace and urge respect for the legally established authority in order to overcome the impasse created by the post-electoral conflict. It is important to promote good neighbourliness and mutual security along the border separating Burundi from the adjacent countries.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we encourage support for the electoral process in order to ensure peaceful and free elections, the preservation of peace and stability, the reconciliation process and the consolidation of democracy. In fact, peaceful elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are vital for peace, stability and development in the entire Great Lakes region of Africa. Both the United Nations and the African Union should devote special attention to the crises in Libya, Mali, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia and Burundi.
We are facing a troubled international political environment that combines the escalation of conflicts — especially in the Middle East — with threats and constant episodes of violence that the international community has not been able to adequately address. Terrorism, a phenomenon that merits relentless combat, is the most extreme form of these threats. The world seems unprepared to deal with the ability of non-State groups and individuals eager to generate terror. The conflicts in Libya, Syria and Iraq in particular call for speedy resolution owing to their grave humanitarian repercussions.
The causes of those conflicts reside in the serious violations of the fundamental rights of the people involved and in foreign intervention, which has proved disastrous in its attempts to change the regime through the artificial imposition of supposed democracy, while the forced displacement of thousands of human beings that we see today constitutes a heartbreaking reality of human degradation and an offence against human dignity that demands an immediate and comprehensive response by the international community.
We recall that the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter must be respected by all Member States in all processes being implemented in the United Nations system. For this reason, it is worth highlighting that the process of détente between Cuba and the United States of America continues to need support from the international community. We welcome the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which we hope will translate to the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba.
I would like to state that the Republic of Angola is firmly committed to implementing the Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by adopting appropriate measures at the national level, to be implemented over the next 15 years, for the benefit of our people and our planet and to promote prosperity, stability and peace. To this end, Angola considers it important for all Member States to take a holistic, integrated and comprehensive approach in all sectors and at all levels in order to maintain the universal and inclusive nature of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Climate change is one of the most complex and urgent issues of domestic and foreign policy that we face today because of its impact on migration, food security, natural resources, the spread of epidemics and even on social and economic instability. Thus the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change is a valuable, ambitious, balanced and fair tool for action whose entry into force will encourage collective efforts to control global warming.
The Republic of Angola emits only 0.17 per cent of all greenhouse gases. However, the effects of climate change are already being felt by us in many ways, such as the deterioration and shortening of cycles of drought and heavy rainfall, which pose a risk to agriculture and to economic and social infrastructures. Such effects also increase the incidence of various endemic diseases. It is therefore our intention to ratify the Paris Agreement as soon as possible as testimony to our unequivocal commitment and contribution to achieving its objectives. For similar reasons, we are motivated to participate in the third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, which will be held in Quito in October. The Conference represents an opportunity for us to adopt a new global urban agenda to promote strong links and synergies among urbanization, sustainable development and climate change.
The Republic of Angola is committed to three cross- cutting processes it considers of crucial importance: women and peace and security, peacekeeping operations and peacebuilding architecture. We recognize the vital role of women and the importance of their participation in all stages and levels of the peace process.
I would be remiss not to mention here that the Republic of Angola is a stable country from the perspectives of political and social conditions, and this has helped it to consolidate its unity, its national reconciliation process and its institutions. On the economic front, the challenges are greater today as a result of volatility in the prices of raw materials on the international market. But we continue to work to adjust our action plans, as well as to find pathways to economic growth and the improvement of the lives of our people.
I take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Peter Thomson on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at it seventy-first session and to assure him of Angola’s firm support during his tenure. I wish to congratulate Mr. Mogens Lykketoft for his excellent work during the seventieth session. Let me also express our deep appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for dedicating his talent and wisdom to the service of the United Nations for the past 10 years and making a tangible contribution to international peace and security and to a safer world for present and future generations.


I am very pleased to address, for the first time, this global family of ours at its seventy-first gathering, on behalf of the Government and the people of Kiribati.
I join previous speakers in congratulating President Peter Thomson on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy- first session. I am particularly proud to see a Pacific brother leading this body during this critical period of transformation. I have every confidence that with his able leadership and Pacific wisdom, he will be able to guide us through these challenging times. He can be assured of our full support and cooperation.
I also join colleagues in acknowledging with appreciation the commendable leadership of his predecessor, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark, in guiding our work during the seventieth session and in facilitating the implementation of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This is a transitional period for us all. I am very happy that my first general debate coincides with the assumption of the Pacific to the presidency of the General Assembly. I am quite sad, though, that this is the last general debate of our beloved Secretary-General. I have read about and observed the untiring service that our Secretary-General has given humankind and his personal unwavering commitment and passion in focusing global attention on the most vulnerable, particularly the small and low-lying island countries as well as the communities on the front line of the many major challenges facing us today as a global family.
I am so proud to say that Mr. Ban Ki-moon is the first Secretary-General to ever have visited my country and our part of the world in the Pacific in the 71 years of the existence of this premier global body. This is a very rare opportunity, and I would like to personally thank and commend Mr. Ban Ki-moon for having taken that bold initiative. It is my sincere hope that the next visit of our Secretary-General to my country and the Pacific will be soon, not 60 or 70 years from now. This will be part of the transformation that we expect from our United Nations family.
Allow me, on this note, to acknowledge and commend, with heartfelt gratitude, the sterling leadership of our Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. I thank and commend him for being a steadfast advocate for and the voice of the voiceless. I thank and commend him for instilling our United Nations family and reaffirming an inclusive culture that ensures that no one is left behind. The legacy he will leave is enshrined in the new sustainable development Agenda and in the Paris Agreement, the catalyst for global attention and action on climate change.
On behalf of the people and the Government of Kiribati, I wish our Secretary-General the very best as he concludes his term as head of this global family of ours and as he takes on the next challenge in his unwavering service to humankind.
We meet at a very critical time in our history. The challenges facing us as we gather at this session are perhaps greater than when we met a year ago. We note with grave concern the increasing security challenges facing our global family, from conflicts around the world, the scourge of terrorism, transnational organized crime, war and nuclear testing, mass movements of refugees and migrants, to the often unstated but invisible silent killer, the non-communicable diseases, the health of our oceans and other looming challenges and uncertainties, some with incremental but very real existential threats such as climate change. These continue to undermine our efforts as a global family to achieve sustainable development.
I would also like to add that the new session provides a great opportunity for all of us — an opportunity to reaffirm and renew our commitment to our people and our planet. This is an opportunity to achieve peace and prosperity for all through genuine partnerships, to consolidate our efforts and resources in order to address the challenges we face, and to realize our vision for bringing about an inclusive world. As leaders, it is our opportunity to deliver on our commitments. We have a moral responsibility to do that, and we must do so forthwith.
The theme of this session — “The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world” — is a timely and appropriate one. For if we are to address the challenges we face and realize the opportunities available to us, we must change our mindset, our path and our ways. And we must do this together.
Climate change is a global challenge that requires universal transformation. We simply cannot afford to continue with business as usual. The future of those of us who are most vulnerable, such as my people and my country, is at stake. We need major changes in the global mindset, the global development pathways and the ways we do business. We must do this if we are to secure the future of my people and those who share the same fate, and to ensure that we are not left behind.
Every year, my country comes to this family gathering with constant cries for help in stopping the momentum of global warming and in assisting countries like mine to adapt to the adverse impact of climate change. It is distressing to see our people continuing to fight the effects of the onslaught of sea-level rises, storm surges and disasters such as Cyclone Pam and Cyclone Winston on their homes, farmland and livelihood, their heritage and their critical source of water. And I must say that the increasing frequency and severity of such events has exacerbated their heartbreaking impact on our people.
In some parts of our country, whole villages have had to be relocated because of severe coastal erosion and flooding. Food crops have been destroyed. Our freshwater lenses, our major source of drinking water, are being increasingly contaminated by intruding seawater. As we enter the La Niña period, with drought forecast for our country, water scarcity is already an issue for our people in both urban and rural areas, which has the potential to trigger other risks, for example, to sanitation, health and education. Kiribati is closely monitoring the situation and is seriously considering the immediate options for ensuring our people’s survival.
We urgently call for assistance from our United Nations family and its members, asking them to look into their hearts and help us address this looming, life-threatening issue as soon as possible. This is an issue that cannot wait for the Paris Agreement ratification process to happen. I came here straight from a meeting of our Parliament that was held because my people, especially our younger generation, are unremittingly protesting the increasing intensity of the effects of climate change. They are demanding swift action right now, without procrastination.
The adoption of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change last year gave humankind a sense of hope, embodying the global consensus that climate change is happening and must be resolved as soon as possible. It is a major first step in global action to counter climate change. The next challenge is to ensure the Agreement’s early entry into force. In this regard, I am pleased to say that following our signing of the Paris Agreement in April, I had the honour yesterday of depositing my country’s instrument of ratification during the high- level event for the entry into force of the Agreement. We are fully committed to the Agreement and to all climate-related undertakings aimed at ensuring that our global family addresses the root causes and impacts of climate change.
The suffering of our people must stop now. The Paris Agreement will not only help us address our challenges as a low-lying atoll nation already on the front line; it can also save others on the way to increasing vulnerability from ending up on the front
18/46 16-29553 line in the future. I commend our bigger brothers in our global family, notably China and the United States, for their commitment to this process. I urge the rest of our United Nations family to join them and help save those who urgently require immediate support and action to make it happen. This is an opportunity for us as leaders to push for an early entry into force of the Paris Agreement and transform our world for our generation and, more importantly, for future generations.
This is an opportunity for us to take care of one another. And we must do it together, as a family. There is a huge risk of being left behind for low-lying island nations such as mine — Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, the Maldives and countless others whose peoples live in coastal areas prone to drought, desertification, flooding and typhoons.
The global challenges facing our people, especially the most vulnerable, continue to test our humanity, love and compassion, which are powerful ingredients for achieving the global transformation that can lead to the future we all want. If we fail to achieve this transformation, we will be failing the people who look to us for leadership in improving their quality of life and securing a future for them, their children and their children’s children.
The President opened this session of the Assembly with his grandchildren by his side. It was a moving and significant moment, reminding all of us of our most important constituents, our children and their children. In his opening statement, he rightly said that it is our call to make, because if we fail, we have failed our grandchildren. As a leader and a grandfather, I am fully committed to serving and delivering to all the children and grandchildren of our global family.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have not been developed in a vacuum. They have been reflected over the years in one form or another in our own development plans. It is therefore to the national level that we should direct implementation assistance, including with additional resources, capacity-building and technology transfers. That is where such assistance can make a big difference in improving our peoples’ lives, especially at the grassroots level.
It will be a challenge if we have to continue to compete for resources within our multilateral agencies. On that note, I wish to acknowledge with deep appreciation the continuing assistance for our sustainable development efforts from our development partners. But implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will require much more. The universal push to transform our world requires all of us to contribute. It requires a global effort.
It is troubling to note that for years, indeed decades, our global family has often ignored the support and instrumental role of those who have contributed to the implementation of our sustainable development goals. As some of us would acknowledge, Taiwan has served as a significant partner and contributed significantly to achieving the objectives of our global family. This must be acknowledged and the increased and meaningful participation of Taiwan in international processes should be encouraged. We need our global transformation to include those who can contribute to the effective implementation of the SDGs.
I strongly believe that effective global transformation must start with leadership at the individual, community, Government and national levels. Good governance, transparency and accountability have been the fundamental guiding principles of my Government since our assumption of office over six months ago. They underpin our overarching policy objective to serve and to deliver to our people as responsible leaders.
I am very proud to say that at our first meeting of Parliament, we established a select committee on anti-corruption. Just last week, the Government submitted draft legislation to our Parliament on a code of conduct for leaders. In addition, during the same week, our Parliament passed a constitutional amendment that established a new Ministry of Justice. This will lead to a strengthening of our justice system and elevate levels of transparency and accountability. We firmly believe that, as a Government, we can transform our nation for the better if our actions as leaders are underpinned by strong principles of good governance, transparency and accountability. This promotes our people’s confidence and trust in their representatives.
If we are serious and genuine about the true transformation that we are talking about, then I challenge all of us, as leaders and representatives of our peoples, to ask ourselves this fundamental question: what is the greatest value and gift we have to give that can break the barriers between our peoples, our communities, our nations and our global family and truly transform our world? The answer is simple and the common denominator is also straightforward: it is our hearts and our love. This has been a missing ingredient in our recipe for global peace and security. Our biggest challenge here at the United Nations is that we have not been sharing our hearts and our love with each other. In fact, over the past 70 years, what we have been doing is fighting within our own family.
I truly believe that the heart of our United Nations family is the heart of all nations, big and small, land-locked and sea-locked, rich and poor, the most vulnerable and the least vulnerable. The heart of the United Nations should therefore beat for everyone, not just a few. Just this morning, I had the gracious honour and privilege to join the Federation of World Peace and Love in ringing a bell for love and peace in the world with a special prayer for Kiribati. This is a reminder to the world, particularly to all of us leaders, of our fundamental role as peacemakers.
We are reminded every day of the very purpose of this United Nations family — to promote and maintain peace and security in all its forms. It is a major challenge but a challenge that I believe can be overcome if we start working together as a true United Nations family with love, care, compassion, understanding, respect and tolerance. This is a true global transformation that can help our United Nations family serve its members and deliver solutions and results.
We are called upon to take up the challenge of this United Nations family gathering and ask whether or not we can transform ourselves and make a difference in the name of love — a simple but powerful and inclusive four-letter word that resonates in the four corners of the world. As we contemplate this question, I would like to conclude by sharing a poem that represents our hope and identity — an identity that we will fight to save as long as we can. We need help in this fight so that a part of this global family does not get left behind or lose its liberty or identity. The title of the poem is “My Frigatebird”.
“Cloaked in black, white-bellied, and fork-tailed,
you are my beauty in the north. With your long and graceful wings, you are my
inspiration in the centre. As you speed across the deep vast ocean, you are
my sanctuary in the south. With your clicking, wheezy calls, you are my song
and my garland everywhere. On a banner of blue, white, yellow and red, you
ascend beyond the waves and the sun’s rays. Now you struggle against storms and westerly
winds to find food and nesting.
But you will never leave in haste nor go in flight,
for you are the fulcrum of the universe. Arise, my frigate bird with valor and strength, rise
over the perilous tides from the east and fly brave and proud on the currents of wind, for you are and will always be my transformation. Proud am I to be an I-Kiribati — my frigatebird,
my liberty, my identity.”
In closing, I share with everyone in this Hall our hearts, our love and now our traditional blessing for health, peace and prosperity: “Te Mauri, Te Raoi ao Te Tabomoa”.


We are living in times that show us the necessity of shifting our perspective with regard to addressing development. Our world is in the midst of a crisis that extends back years, and which, far from being resolved, has only worsened, generating criticism of political institutions that do not seem capable of representing their citizens. At the same time, economic growth has given way to a global slowdown and has not been able to provide the world’s population with the well-being that it seeks.
It would appear that the far-reaching dynamics that caused the crisis some years ago were not superseded but merely superficially retouched. But citizens today are more aware and empowered. Thanks to new technology, they have new means of expression. They are showing us that in their daily lives, at their places of work, at their children’s schools, in the health of their families, in the security of their cities, in the pensions of their mothers and fathers and in the relations between men and women, the negative effects of inequitable development are still being felt. This is the main basis for the citizen discontent that we have seen in various parts of the world.
At the same time, we are facing an unprecedented environmental crisis that threatens life on earth, has medical, clinical, economic, climatic and environmental impacts and mostly affects the most vulnerable. These are combined with violence and armed conflict in many parts of the world, which increase precariousness and exponentially expand forced displacement and major migratory movements.
Citizen discontent is the expression of disillusionment about the promised development that they desire and for which they have fought valiantly but which is still beyond their reach. We are witnessing a growing schism between the representatives and the represented. There is a lack of trust in national Governments as well as in multilateral forums. They appear not to be tackling the priorities of the common citizen in a timely manner or with the required depth. Now is not the time for taking the easy but ultimately destructive route of populism. Now is the time for action inspired by an ethically motivated and civically oriented pragmatism.
The Sustainable Development Goals that we are committed to achieving by 2030 demonstrate that the international community knows that it must embark on far-reaching changes and implement them with concrete measures. Now we must summon up the political will in multilateral forums and in each of our countries. There is inertia to be overcome and there are interests to be dealt with. The political and development crisis that we are facing has global dynamics. Nobody, no nation or social group can do it alone. We need to engage in multilateral dialogues at the regional and global levels, assuming realistic but demanding commitments. I insist that we must act now. At home, the citizens are waiting for us, asking us to transmit their demands and return with decisions and determination. I hope that we can do that.
Chile is a mid-sized country that is not yet fully developed. However, its rapid modernization in recent decades has placed us squarely at the frontier of the challenges of modernity, with the tensions inherent in democracy and economic growth. I am speaking at this rostrum today having had this experience. I am also speaking from experience of having embarked on the changes requested by the citizens of my homeland. I know how difficult it is to make changes, but I also know the hope of seeing a new horizon gradually emerge. This is the course on which we have embarked as a nation, but also as a part of the international community.
At the regional and international levels, our country has advocated convergence in diversity in Latin America, seeking a common agenda that, despite our differences, gives us strength as a bloc and as a region. And we have made progress. We are working on integration with Mexico, Colombia and Peru in the Pacific Alliance, which already has 49 observer States and which is growing stronger decisively and pragmatically. Today, two integration mechanisms — the Pacific Alliance and the Southern Common Market — are aiming to promote a better Latin America, strengthening cooperation and making clear that national development and international relations cannot be seen as separate subjects.
In Latin America there are significant differences, but we are working together in spite of them to meet the new challenges. We are doing that within the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, where 33 member States are seeking to confront the new political, social and economic environment. In addition, within the Union of South American Nations, South American countries consult each other to address common political problems.
Our nation’s principles are immutable and include a call to peace, democracy and respect for human rights, respect for international law and the treaties, sovereignty and the obligation to cooperate. The promotion and protection of democracy and human rights at the international level are not contrary to the principle of non-intervention. In fact, today that is a global achievement.
I believe that Colombia has given us one of the greatest pieces of news this year. At the regional and international levels, there is hope for peace. Next Monday, the agreement to end the hostilities of a civil war that has been raging for more than 50 years will be signed. Chile, a country that also had a difficult transition to democracy, would like to continue supporting its Latin American brother in handling its post-conflict situation, including with military and police observers in the United Nations political mission, working with it in solidarity as we have done in other brother countries such as Haiti.
We have committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. Similarly, we signed the Paris Agreement — the most ambitious and robust agreement in the history of multilateral negotiations on climate change. Together with Monaco and France, we proposed the Because the Ocean Declaration to stress the need to pay special attention to the way in which environmental degradation affects ocean waters. It has been signed by more than 30 countries.
Protecting the oceans is vital for our common future, and today they are under threat. Chile has therefore decided to take action by creating the Nazca- Desventuradas Marine Park, which is the largest of its kind in Latin America. We are also engaged in a South- South cooperation project to assist Caribbean countries in combating marine pollution.
Outside of this building and in the most diverse corners of the world, people, their leaders, civil society and the media are expecting the States Members of this Organization to provide cooperative, creative and tangible responses to the problems of the twenty-first century. That is why I raise my voice again in favour of Security Council reform to reflect today’s new realities. I raise my voice in favour of an effective management of the United Nations and greater openness in its procedures, including the election of its new Secretary-General. I ask him or her to be committed to the principles that serve the people who founded the Organization. We know that successfully meeting challenges requires joint, consensual efforts. We need more multilateralism, cooperation and dialogue. This is an irreplaceable forum for debate and adoption of agreements. It is a platform for coordinated action.
Ms. Kasese-Bota (Zambia), Vice-President, took the Chair.
Chile is a country open to the world, which promotes clear-cut rules and political and economic agreements in order to move forward. The United Nations must play its role as a place of consensus in opposition to inequality and the discrimination against religious, ethnic and gender minorities, a place to which the most vulnerable may turn. Let us make the United Nations the Organization that our peoples need and call for.


In 1981, today’s date, 21 September, was proclaimed as the International Day of Peace to promote a negotiated solution to armed conflicts throughout the world. Since 1982, one year later, Colombia has been on a long and difficult road to leave violence behind and attain peace. My predecessors pursued peace for Colombians, each in his own way. This is a task that I undertook on the first day of my Government in August 2010.
I have come to speak to members of the Assembly on seven occasions on the progress and expectations of the peace process between the Government of Colombia and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group — the largest and oldest such group on the American continent. A year ago, standing here before the Assembly (see A/70/PV.16), I said that I expected to return in 2016 as the President of a Colombia in peace — a reconciled Colombia.
After more than half a century of internal armed conflict, I return to the United Nations today, on the International Day of Peace, to announce, with all the strength of my voice and heart, that the war in Colombia has ended. On 24 August in Havana, the negotiators declared that all provisions were complete and adopted the final text of the General Agreement for the Termination of the Conflict and the Construction of a Stable and Lasting Peace. Five days later, a bilateral and definitive ceasefire and cessation of hostilities took place. As a result, since then there has not been a single death, a single wound or a single bullet fired in the conflict with FARC.
The Agreement will be officially signed in Cartagena de Indias on 26 September. The people of Colombia will approve it through a plebiscite on 2 October. From that moment forward, the former members of the guerrilla group will go to different cantonment areas to begin surrendering their arms to the United Nations within a six-month period, and to begin their reintegration into society.
Their weapons will be melted and will be made into three monuments to peace — one here in New York; one in Cuba, where the peace negotiations took place; and another one in Colombia. These monuments will remind us that the bullets are behind us and that the construction of a new and better country has begun. Joyfully, I reiterate that the last and oldest armed conflict in the western hemisphere has come to an end. The Americas — the two vast American continents with all of their islands, from Patagonia to Alaska — are now a region of peace.
The Agreement that was reached after almost six years of public conversations is the best news for Colombia, Latin America and the world. What does the Agreement mean? Above all, it means that FARC will cease to exist as an armed group and reintegrate into society, and can become a political movement within our democracy. We have agreed on measures to guarantee its political participation, offer more assurances to the opposition and strengthen democracy and the electoral system in Colombia.
We have also outlined programmes to improve the quality of life of rural inhabitants, who have been the most affected by the conflict, and to make land available to those who do not have it or who lost it because of the war. A central aspect of this peace process is that it has focused on the protection and guarantee of the rights of the victims: the rights to truth, justice, reparations and non-repetition. To that end, we have agreed on such mechanisms as a truth commission, reparation and restoration measures, and a comprehensive transitional justice system.
This is the first time in the history of the resolution of armed conflicts anywhere in the world that a Government and an illegal armed group — through an agreement and not through external imposition — have agreed on transitional justice. The perpetrators of international crimes and other serious crimes will be investigated, judged and punished. This has been positively highlighted by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and many other organizations and experts. We are sure that this model of justice, which is framed within a comprehensive system to guarantee the rights of the victims — as established by the Rome Statute — will be a useful precedent for future peace processes.
I should like to highlight another aspect of the Agreement. We know that drug trafficking has fueled war in Colombia and around the world. Thanks to the Agreement, FARC is committed to severing all ties with this activity and to cooperating, through concrete actions, to combat this phenomenon. This is highly symbolic, as those who once protected illicit coca crops will now work with the State in eradicating them.
A similar process will be take place with regard to the anti-personnel mines that have killed and mutilated so many soldiers, police officers, farmers and children. The State and FARC will work jointly to demine all of the national territory. That will also have significant environmental benefits not only for our country, but also for the planet. To the extent that illegal crops are replaced with legal ones, the deforestation caused by coca cultivation will stop. No longer will millions of barrels of oil spill into our rivers and oceans because of attacks on our oil infrastructure. We will be able to better take care of and preserve the natural lung that is the Amazon.
A new Colombia greets the international community today. It is a Colombia full of hope, a Colombia that, without war, is ready to reach its highest potential and to be a positive factor in the global context. It is a Colombia where the resources that used to finance war will now be better used on education, health and security for its citizens. It is a Colombia that opens its arms to the world and welcomes investment, trade and tourism.
The Sustainable Development Goals have already been adopted into law in our country. We were the first country to do so. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change is now before Congress to be enacted into law. Peace will undoubtedly allow us to achieve these transformative commitments with greater ease and effectiveness.
Today, on behalf of almost 50 million Colombians, I express our deepest gratitude to the international community for its ongoing and tireless support for peace in Colombia. We thank Cuba, the host of the dialogues, and Norway, which were guarantors of the peace negotiations, as well as Chile and Venezuela, which accompanied the entire process. I thank the United States, Germany and the European Union, which appointed special envoys to accompany the dialogues.
We especially thank the United Nations, Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council, which established a political mission to lead the monitoring and verification of the ceasefire and the disarmament of the guerrillas. I had the opportunity to thank the Council personally a few moments ago (see S/PV.7773). We thank the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, all of which supported this process. We are profoundly grateful to so many Governments, countries and organizations that have continuously expressed their solidarity and willingness to support Colombia in the challenging post-conflict phase that lies ahead of us.
I can say today, in this historic Hall, that we have succeeded for Colombians and the world. Colombia is turning the page of war to start writing the chapter of peace. That is what we wish for the rest of the planet.
Therefore, we offer our full solidarity to the nations that have suffered and continue to suffer from the scourge of global terrorism. The example of Colombia should give hope to the world that it is possible to achieve the dream of peace when there is will and commitment. To that end we must first disarm spirits and language, because words can be as harmful as bombs. We have to take in and protect the victims and the most vulnerable, including the thousands of human beings that flee war to seek opportunities beyond their borders. Colombia is more than ready to continue supporting the raison d’être of the United Nations — the search for peace in the world.
As President of Colombians, I am happy and humbly excited to announce to the Assembly the peace in Colombia. A conflict of over half a century — a conflict that left more than 220,000 people dead and claimed more than 8 million victims — has come to an end. The bells of peace are ringing in Colombia and their echo is heard by all the nations represented in this Hall. We do not want more war. We do not want more wars, not in Colombia and not in the rest of the world. Today we have a reason for hope. There is one less war on the planet, and that is the war in Colombia.


For far too many people, the world has become an unsafe place. The challenges confronting us seem immense, and at times it seems all but hopeless to find solutions to the many conflicts around us. However, all of us here, as politicians, have a choice. The choice is between resignation and engagement in those crises, between isolation and multilateral cooperation, and between national navel-gazing and shared responsibility for one another.
We have the choice. Do we relinquish the civilizational progress achieved by the founding generation of the United Nations after experiencing two world wars and turn back to the nineteenth century? Do we return to the era of fragile, purpose-oriented power alliances and power struggles among nation States? Or do we move forward and work together to master the challenges of the twenty-first century, whether they be migration, climate change or terrorism?
In light of the dramatic meetings on Syria this week, I would like to add that we can also choose whether to put our faith in the power of diplomacy, or to shrug our shoulders in resignation at the many conflicts around us — Syria, Libya, Yemen and eastern Ukraine. Do we give up and allow those conflicts to escalate even further? Or do we live up to our responsibility and continue working on solutions despite all the setbacks? We have the choice.
In Europe, too, we are faced with a choice, now that the United Kingdom has made its choice and has opted to leave the European Union. Do we now fight to hold Europe together? Or do we allow that wonderful peace and social project to fall apart again, or even allow populists to drive us apart? We have the choice.
In Asia, too, where new Powers are jostling for influence, there is also a choice. Do they believe that their future will depend solely on their own strength? Or does the key to a bright future and cooperative security lie in their involvement in the international order? Our Asian partners have the choice.
The United States is also faced with a choice, in six weeks’ time. There, too, the choice is about a supposedly possible withdrawal from a crisis-ridden world, which some are calling for, or cooperation with international partners to solve the world’s problems. That choice is important for all of us. The choice before us is withdrawal, resignation and going it alone, or shared responsibility for a better future.
Whether we succeed in finding durable solutions to the major pressing challenges we face depends on the decision we make on that choice. I am talking in particular now about the Syrian crisis and the issue of refugees and migration. However, far beyond acute crisis management, that also presents us with a choice on which direction our world takes, and in what kind of international order we will live together in the future.
The objective and focus of German foreign policy are clear — we want to shape a just and peaceful world, and we want to shape it together with all partners who share that goal. The United Nations is and will remain our central forum for that. In the context of all the crisis meetings, it gives me hope that we, here in the United Nations, have made an important choice about the direction we want to take, that is, the right choice.
Our choice has also been for unity, sustainability and transformation with the document that we adopted last year: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda is a global compact on the world’s future, the focal point, the point of convergence for our joint actions. Our policies should be based on human rights, the rule of law and the fight against poverty and discrimination. We will also put global justice on the agenda of the Group of 20 when we assume the chairmanship in 2017.
I wish to express our thanks to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who initiated the 2030 Agenda. We would also like to thank him for his commitment to the historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which the German Parliament ratified earlier this week. Where if not here, at the United Nations, could we demonstrate that, solely through cooperation, we can move forward towards justice and sustainability, towards peace and security. The Charter of the United Nations and international law provide the foundation for that.
North Korea has, in a blatant manner, repeatedly violated central principles of international law. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the latest nuclear test carried out by North Korea. We cannot accept any country jeopardizing security in that region.
The United Nations provides the tools we need for our work here in New York and in crisis-stricken regions. In Libya and Yemen, we are supporting the tireless efforts of the Special Envoys of the Secretary- General to find political solutions. In Syria, it is clear that without the dedicated work of the United Nations and its experts, there would be even more suffering today and there would be even less hope for a solution. The hope raised a week ago by the ceasefire has again vanished, following the deadly, cynical and despicable attack on humanitarian aid workers a few days ago.
Today the situation could not be more serious. We are again faced with the choice. Will we succeed in taking the first step towards a ceasefire, which would finally make humanitarian access possible so that people can receive what they need to survive? To that end, I have proposed an agreement on banning military flights during a period of several days. Al-Assad’s Air Force must cease its attacks. I believe that Moscow also has a responsibility to help bring that about. If we do not succeed, then all efforts to find a political solution to Syria will be lost in a hail of bombs. For that reason alone, although unsuccessful yesterday, our efforts in the International Syria Support Group for a ceasefire must continue.
While the international community works hard in New York to bring about a ceasefire, Al-Assad continues to bomb Aleppo to bits, which again demonstrates that the Al-Assad regime cannot and must not be allowed to determine Syria’s future. However, we also cannot allow the conflict to be used by nearby or distant Powers to redraw the political and ethnic map of the Middle East. Syria’s external borders must remain, and we should not allow new internal borders to be defined. The parties in the country and the region can, and indeed should, declare their legitimate interests. However, a fair balance of those interests must be found. Insisting on one of the many absolute truths will not bring peace any closer. I reiterate and want to be quite clear: there will be no winners in that war.
In the face of such suffering, we have an obligation to try right now to alleviate the plight of the Syrian people. Currently, Germany is one of the biggest donors of humanitarian aid. To date, we have made available approximately $2.5 billion for Syria and its neighbours. We have been particularly active in helping to stabilize areas in Iraq that have been liberated from the Islamic State. In Tikrit, we joined forces with United Nations agencies to rebuild schools and wells, so that as many as 90 per cent of those who have fled could return. In Ramadi, we are concentrating on unexploded mine clearance. In the case of Mosul, we are currently preparing to help local forces to begin rebuilding the city, which we hope will be liberated soon. At the same time, we are promoting access to education and the labour market in the countries neighbouring Syria — Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon — so that the people can have a future in their own region.
In 2015 in Germany, we welcomed and gave shelter to more than 1 million people. We have begun training refugees so that they acquire the skills needed to rebuild their cities. The objective is to ensure that the belief in a future at home does not remain a mere hope but can become a reality.
Our response to refugee movements and migration must be a joint, global task in full awareness of the future. Clearly, the challenge will become even bigger if conflicts, hardship and poverty persist. That is why we must tackle the root causes together. Moreover, we must improve the architectural framework of international efforts designed to deal with refugee movements and migration. As co-Chair, along with Morocco, of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, we want to play our part during the next two years. Through the Berlin Round Table on Refugees and Migration, we are focusing on improving the structures of humanitarian assistance.
The General Assembly’s high-level plenary meeting on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants, held on 19 September, took important decisions on still more joint actions. We wish to convey our thanks to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States President Barack Obama for hosting the 20 September Leaders’ Summit on Refugees, alongside co-hosts Canada, Ethiopia, Germany, Jordan, Mexico and Sweden.
We also need to revitalize engagement and cooperation in Europe as well. New rifts have emerged on our continent following Russia’s annexation of Crimea, in violation of international law and the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The security situation has changed, and we need to react. First, we need to strengthen our readiness to defend ourselves. At the same time, we must also be engaged. Together with France, Russia and Ukraine, we have been working tirelessly in the Normandy format on a political solution to the Ukraine conflict. Progress has finally been achieved with the Trilateral Contact Group’s framework resolution on the disengagement of forces, which was ratified this week. A ceasefire is not all that is needed for the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements, but we cannot make any political headway if the weapons are not silenced.
However, there is much more at stake. We must be aware that genuine and lasting security in Europe can only take the form of cooperative security. That is why, as I have proposed, we must pay more attention to arms control in Europe. Such efforts are not meant to substitute for obligations not yet met. Rather, I have in mind new challenges, new technologies and new threats, many of which have not even been mentioned in existing documents. Our goal is to enable security for everyone.
As we seek to strengthen the dialogue between East and West, especially in these difficult times, we have assumed the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) this year. It is, by the way, the sole organization in which East and West continue to work together on a regular basis. We need the United Nations, as well as regional institutions such as the African Union and the OSCE, in order to ensure that diverging interests and differences of opinion do not turn into lasting alienation, thereby preparing the ground for even more new conflicts.
Our own history reminds us Germans that we must do everything we can to overcome the rifts in Europe. When Willy Brandt, then Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, spoke in the General Assembly on 26 September 1973, after the flags of the two parts of Germany had been hoisted in front of this building, he said:
“In a world in which we are all increasingly dependent on each other, a policy for peace must not stop at our own doorstep.” (A/PV.2128, para. 33)
This is all the more true today in our interconnected world than it was back then. And it is all the more true for a large and prosperous country that our partners, rightly, perceive should play a role commensurate to its size and capabilities. It is for that reason that Germany is applying for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2019-2020 term. Peace, justice, innovation and partnership — those are our goals. They are the leitmotif of our candidature. and we will be guided by them.
Despite crises and conflicts, I still firmly believe that the future lies in our hands. We will make the world a better place if we assume responsibility together — not against but with one another and, above all, if we work for those who follow us as the next generation. We have the choice. But we have to decide!


I would like to begin by congratulating you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy- first session, and by wishing you the greatest success in discharging your new duties. It is with great satisfaction that Timor-Leste, a half-island nation in the Pacific, welcomes a representative from another Pacific island to preside over the General Assembly. I am certain that you, Sir, are well aware of the challenges that we face with regard to climate change and the management of our seas and marine resources. I would also like to congratulate the outgoing President, His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, for all of his work and his
unparalleled efforts to revitalize the General Assembly by increasing its effectiveness and efficiency and by strengthening its role as it carries out the duties set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, as well as his commitment to a transparent selection process of the next Secretary-General.
In the light of the fact that this is his last general debate, I would also like to express, on behalf of Timor- Leste, our deepest appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the support Timor-Leste has received during his 10 years in office. His legacy has established the foundations for a reform of the bureaucracy and peacekeeping operations, and he has driven efforts to place human rights, climate change and refugees and migrants at the forefront of the Organization’s agenda. As a symbol of the ideals of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon has worked to make the world safer for women and young people, promoted sustainable development actively and fortified the role of prevention.
Based on our accumulated experience and the recommendations included in reports on peacekeeping operations, on the peacebuilding architecture and on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security, this is an opportune moment for change. Promoting intergovernmental coherence and strengthening the Peacebuilding Commission and the partnerships needed for its maintenance are recommendations that will improve the United Nations system. Our efforts to respond to the challenges facing our nations and our peoples need to be more effective.
We continue to be confronted with situations of inequality and conflict that threaten our collective stability. We all know — and Timor-Leste has first- hand experience in the matter — that the United Nations is essential to ensuring the security of peoples and countries throughout the world. We therefore reiterate our belief in the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and in a multilateral and international system, as we are aware of the fact that the world has a continuing need to maintain international peace and security, establish friendly relations among countries, work in cooperation to find solutions to global problems and foster respect for human rights.
Such goals can be achieved only if countries actively seek solutions to the problems they face. Such a belief is confirmed by the results that Timor-Leste has achieved. Using the lessons that we have learned, we wish to contribute to the dreams and hopes of other countries. Through the Group of Seven Plus and based on the principles of the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, we are sharing our experiences and knowledge with a group of 20 fragile States affected by conflict.
Regional integration generates opportunities for the economic development and well-being of a population and also contributes to peace and stability in countries and regions. For that reason, we aspire to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, so that we can have an opportunity to fulfil both the dreams of our people and our responsibility to form an integral part of civilization. It is that same principle that drove Timor- Leste, both as a member and during its presidency of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries, to propose the concept of economic potential within the transregional constellation, which includes Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia, for debate among its member States.
To that end, and in order to promote development and the resulting improvement in the living conditions of its people, we appeal to the United States of America to urgently remove its trade, financial, and economic embargoes against the Republic of Cuba.
We are well aware that peace and development are intrinsically linked, which is a concept that we were determined to include in Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted one year ago. There must be no doubt of the fact that without peace and stability, we cannot envisage development, and vice versa. The new Goals are for all countries, so that all may benefit from sustainable development.
Last year, in addition to being one of the first countries in the world to subscribe to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Timor-Leste joined a group of eight countries that wish to serve as models for the implementation of the Agenda by pooling best practices and experience.Over the past year, we have established an interministerial working group that, in collaboration with civil-society organizations and our development partners, has mapped indicators for the 17 Goals to transform our world and selected 20 targets that will enable us to monitor their implementation on the basis of quantitative results.
We have endeavoured to raise our partners’ awareness of the importance of harmonizing our agendas and of the need for financial aid in order to achieve results. We are also planning a high-level international conference in March 2017 to discuss ways to advance the 2030 Agenda under very difficult circumstances. We have improved our commitment to show our young people, the future generation, how important their role is in achieving those Goals, to which we all must contribute and from which we will all benefit. Such an exercise is not easy, yet our Government has attempted to be mindful of the Goals in its budget and in activity- planning.
We have also developed additional plans and have included the SDGs in the review of Timor-Leste’s strategic development plan for the period 2011-2030. We want the plan’s impact on our population to be real and to benefit every citizen, whether old or young, from the city or the remotest village, in the short, medium, and long term. Our experience has already shown that we can achieve an impact, for example in the health sector. Health is our most precious asset, and we want to offer quality health care that benefits and impacts our population.
It gives me great satisfaction to share with the Assembly the fact that Timor-Leste — according to a study of 188 countries published in the 21 September issue of the British medical journal The Lancet —- is the country that has attained the most progress towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals since 2000, as a result of the country’s peaceful and stable environment and its efforts to broaden access to health care. We have also joined the antibiotic- resistance campaign. Concerted action among our countries will help to reduce the number of cases of resistance and increase the number of lives saved, both human and animal, thanks to the appropriate administration of medications.
The world must place fellow human beings’ physical and moral well-being and human dignity above all other interests. The situation of refugees and migrants remains unresolved and deserves our focused attention and support. There is a continuing need for a joint solution to end that situation affecting thousands of people, including children. We still need to establish frank political dialogue and international partnerships to ensure respect for human rights and enable humanitarian assistance.
Other major scourges persist in afflicting the world. The conflicts in Syria, South Sudan and Yemen, among others, are far from being resolved. We hope that the recent ceasefire in Syria may be a step on the path to peace and that conditions may be created for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those who most depend on it for their survival.
We also urgently need to find a solution together that would ensure the right to self-determination for the Saharawi people, as well as a just solution for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, which must be respected.
As a country that has experienced conflict, Timor- Leste knows all too well the high price of war and how we must do everything to avoid it, through preventive diplomacy and by strengthening the institutions of the State. In addition to contributing to the Group of Seven Plus, we are willing, as we have done in the past, to be among those who contribute contingents to peacekeeping operations and thereby demonstrate our gratitude to the international community. Timor-Leste’s past and present can serve as an example and a source of hope; after it emerged from conflict, Timor-Leste became a peaceful country that now enjoys security and stability and whose people can benefit from the dividends of peace.
Even when countries emerge from conflict situations, there may remain issues of security that continue to threaten nations. Acts of terrorism, organized crime and threats to peace and stability have been constant and rather worrisome. The fight against terrorism and all those drivers of instability in the world and our societies require a commitment from all of us to work together towards a lasting solution.
By ratifying the relevant conventions, Timor-Leste has strengthened its commitment to contributing to the fight against terrorism and organized crime related to the financing of those activities. Money-laundering and illicit financial flows linked to terrorism are intimately connected with organized crime, and we are aware of the importance of simultaneously fighting piracy and the trafficking in drugs, persons and arms.
Such crimes are sometimes committed at sea or through maritime activities. In order to combat them and safeguard our economic potential, we must also protect our borders and ensure maritime security. We are a maritime nation, and for us the sea is highly and strategically important. To explore the potential that living and non-living maritime resources offer is to give ourselves the opportunity to diversify our economy through fishing activities, the development of tourism and the development of non-living resources. That requires sustainable development, which is doubly beneficial, not just for humankind but also for the environment. We appreciate the efforts of Fiji and Sweden in organizing the high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 on oceans, to be held in New York in June 2017.
All countries across the globe must take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Island nations such as Timor-Leste are truly affected by the challenges brought about by climate change. Given our commitment to combat global warming and not to compromise biodiversity and marine ecosystems, in April we signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which is currently in the process of being ratified in our National Parliament.
In addition to that global concern, Timor-Leste also faces the challenge of establishing sovereign rights over our surrounding seas through the delineation of our maritime borders. Even 14 years after Timor-Leste became the one hundred and ninety-first Member of the United Nations, we still do not have agreed and defined maritime borders with our two maritime neighbours, Indonesia and Australia. The delineation of our maritime borders will ensure our sovereign rights and give us certainty with respect to what belongs to us, thereby ensuring our economic stability, even our self-sufficiency, and a better future for our people and our nation.
We are staunch advocates of dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes. We believe in the multilateral system and international law, in which all States are equal before the law, regardless of their size or wealth. On the basis of those principles ensuring equality among nations we began discussions with a view to delimiting our maritime borders with Indonesia under international law. We hope to do the same with Australia in a true spirit of openness, transparency and friendship.
For that reason, in April Timor-Leste began a process of compulsory conciliation, a mechanism to resolve disputes under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The process, which is being used for the first time, was specifically conceived for cases such as Timor-Leste’s, where there is a dispute regarding maritime borders with a neighbour that withdrew from binding dispute resolution procedures under international law. The first meeting of the compulsory Conciliation Commission was held on 29 August, and we are confident that the panel of independent experts, after reviewing each country’s position, will contribute to reaching an amicable solution. We are certain that Australia, an important country in our region, will participate and contribute in a positive manner to finding a just solution acceptable to both parties.
In 2015, Timor-Leste undertook a commitment to assiduously work with all nations so that together we can implement a transformational agenda designed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. The Sustainable Development Goals also include targets, and we must ensure the contribution of all nations to their implementation. In that regard, we can never stress enough the need to find solutions to the challenges that humankind faces, solutions that we must pursue in a spirit of solidarity, as well as the importance of acting in a coordinated fashion,
In conclusion, I reiterate Timor-Leste’s belief in the multilateral system and in advocating for fundamental values such as peace and human rights. We would also like to renew our commitment to the preservation of democracy, the rule of law, sustainable development, respect for international law and the buildingof a better future for all peoples and nations, now and in the future.
On behalf of Timor-Leste, I truly wish that your term of office, Mr. President, will be crowned by success. Failure is not an option, because humankind is in urgent need of change to ensure the preservation of its existence.