On behalf of the Vietnamese delegation, I would like to warmly congratulate Mr. Lykketoft upon his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventieth session. I believe that, with his wisdom and experience, he will guide our session to a very successful outcome. My delegation also applauds the important contributions made by Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the sixty-ninth session, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, during the past year.
Born from the ashes of the Second World War, the United Nations has grown, during the past seven decades, to embrace 193 States and has become the most representative global organization and the true centre for the coordination of global efforts to tackle common challenges. As a beacon of hope, the United Nations has indeed helped make the world a better place by playing an increasingly important role in maintaining peace and security, in protecting and promoting human rights and in advancing development and progress.
Guided by its Charter, the United Nations has worked to uphold the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations. The Organization has promoted the non-use of force or of threats to use force in inter-State relations and had provided guidance for peaceful and amicable relations among nations, underlining, in particular, the importance of mutual respect, good faith and the peaceful settlement of disputes. It is in that spirit that we welcome the recent progress made in addressing the Iranian nuclear issue, which is a first step towards a long-term solution that could bring peace, security and stability to the broader region. We also welcome the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba and call for the timely lifting of the embargoes currently imposed upon the brotherly Cuban people.
We can all look back on the past 70 years and the accomplishments of the United Nations with pride, but we must also recognize what the Organization has been unable to do and what challenges lie ahead. Wars and conflicts have not been uncommon during the past decades and still rage today. Terrorism, violent extremism, and religious and ethnic intolerance pose serious threats to regional and international peace and security. Territorial and maritime disputes endanger peace and stability in many regions. Threats to the very survival of humankind persist. Nuclear weapons arsenals, though reduced, are still capable of destroying our home planet many times over. Climate change is threatening the livelihoods of billions of people
and even the existence of many countries. Poverty remains one of the greatest challenges to sustainable development. Violence, discrimination, social injustice and humanitarian crises plague everyone’s enjoyment of their human rights.
Immense challenges require equally immense efforts, and the United Nations must continue to play a central role in those endeavours. Viet Nam welcomes the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), which sets the vision and creates the framework for all nations as they strive to eliminate hunger and poverty, develop more sustainable patterns of production and consumption and work for the improved preservation of our shared planet, which is faced with the threats of climate change and over- consumption. The full and effective implementation of the new Agenda, with a global partnership at its core, will address the deep-rooted causes of our present problems and guide the world towards a more sustainable future.
In order to transform our world, the United Nations needs to transform itself. The work of the General Assembly needs to be revitalized so as to make it more focused, efficient and relevant. The Security Council needs to be more representative, democratic, transparent and effective. The United Nations development system needs to be strengthened. Institutional reforms must go alongside substantive innovations, while ensuring a balance among various aspects of the United Nations work. Our experience with the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals has shown that peace and stability are the prerequisites for sustainable development. In the words of the 2030 Agenda,
“Sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security, and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development” (resolution 70/1, para. 35).
It is therefore incumbent upon each and every State and the United Nations to do their utmost to ensure peace and security at the national, regional and international levels. Each State needs to act responsibly in accordance with the basic principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Regional and international organizations, with the United Nations in the lead, also need to act accordingly and assist the States concerned to find amicable solutions to their differences and disputes by peaceful means, as provided for in the Charter. Only by doing so, can we
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hope for a future free from violence, the threat or use of force, intimidation, coercion and inequities, which would create an enabling environment for our common development. At the same time, in order to succeed, sustainable development must truly be of the people, by the people and for the people. In other words, the people must be at the centre of the new Agenda, as the owners, drivers and beneficiaries of all development efforts.
And no agenda can succeed without a strong global partnership for sustainable development. Viet Nam has always believed that domestic resources play the decisive role in the development of any nation, but we also believe that no individual country can do it alone. We call on the developed countries to take the lead in assisting developing countries in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, especially in the fields of financing, technology transfer and human resources development. We also support and participate in South-South cooperation activities, which, we believe, provide an effective channel for sharing experience, technical support and capacity-building.
Like the United Nations, Viet Nam is celebrating the seventieth anniversary of its founding this year. Immediately after regaining its independence after nearly a century of colonialism, Viet Nam associated itself with the principles and values of the Charter of the United Nations. Our late President Ho Chi Minh, the founder of modern Viet Nam, wrote on several occasions to world leaders to request recognition of the new Viet Nam and its admission to the United Nations. And, since becoming a Member of the United Nation in 1977, Viet Nam has always done its best to uphold the principles and purposes of the Charter and contribute constructively and responsibly to the work of the Organization.
Viet Nam has always put people at the centre of all development strategies. Comprehensive human development encompasses physical and mental well- being, including human rights. Viet Nam has introduced laws and policies to ensure that all of the human rights of its people, including economic, social, civil and political rights, are respected, protected and promoted. Viet Nam is today party to seven out of the nine core international human rights treaties. It has most recently joined the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Viet Nam is strongly committed to the successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development. At the national level, we will mobilize all available resources, engage all relevant Government agencies and other stakeholders, and involve the people and their communities in that major undertaking. Viet Nam pledges its support for the conclusion of a meaningful agreement at the upcoming meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris. For its part, Viet Nam has recently submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.
At the regional level, we have joined efforts with our brothers and sisters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work towards strengthening the ASEAN community. As an integral part of the dynamically growing Asia-Pacific region, ASEAN plays a crucial role in regional development. But for our region to thrive, peace and stability must come first. It is therefore of vital importance that peace and stability be maintained and that maritime safety and security and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea be secured. Viet Nam is working tirelessly with other ASEAN members and all parties concerned to that end, including by calling upon all parties to refrain from the threat or use of force and to settle all disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We are also engaging with partners to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and to work for the early conclusion of a code of conduct.
At the international level, Viet Nam is prepared to further its active contributions to world peace and security and the well-being of all. That is why we are stepping up our participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations and have put forward our candidatures for the Economic and Social Council for 2016-2018, the UNESCO Executive Board for 2015- 2019 and the Security Council for 2020-2021. We look forward to receiving Members’ continued support.
To free our people from fear and want and to leave no one behind, let us all join our actions on this path towards a better and more sustainable future. Let the Charter of the United Nations be our source of inspiration and the 2030 Agenda be our guide in building a world of peace, security and prosperity for our people and succeeding generations.


I would like first to thank God Almighty for guiding us throughout our trip and for continuing to be with us during our stay in New York.
I would like to express the fraternal greetings of the Burundian people and His Excellency Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi, who asked us to represent him here today.
We take this opportunity to extend our warmest congratulations to the Mr. Lykketoft on the occasion of his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session and to assure him of the full support of our country in accomplishing his noble mission. We also wish to congratulate Mr. Sam Kahamba Kutesa, who brilliantly presided over the Assembly at its sixty- ninth session. We offer special thanks to Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon for his commendable ongoing efforts so that our Organization may continue to fulfil the goals and ideals that the Member States have set for it.
We would like to acknowledge the relevance of the theme chosen for this seventieth anniversary of our Organization: “Strong UN. Better World”. We assure the President of the strong support of the Republic of Burundi for achieving the three priorities that will guide his actions during his term: a commitment to action, an intensification of efforts by the United Nations to cement international peace and security, and significant progress in the area of human rights.
As some know, Burundi has just come through a period that has raised questions for some here today. I would briefly like to address them. Burundi has just completed an election process pursuant to the 2005 Constitution, which has remained unchanged, contrary to what some would have us believe. The process was a great success despite the violent protests that quickly turned into an insurrectionary movement in some neighbourhoods of the capital, Bujumbura.
The elections went well in Burundi, but during their preparation, while they were being held and afterwards, there were acts of sabotage, and the country fell victim to the machinations of some politicians whose plan was simply to destabilize institutions. Children were used as soldiers and human shields, to whom drugs, weapons and explosives were given so that they would
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commit acts of vandalism, killings and other acts of terrorism in public places. Everyone knows that the use of children for military purposes is in itself a crime against humanity. We regret to report that all this happened with the support of certain countries that sought to torpedo the Government’s efforts to restore the stability of our country.
We welcome United Nations support for the electoral process through the United Nations Electoral Observer Mission in Burundi, whose observers were deployed in much of the country. The decisions of the Constitutional Courts of Burundi and the East African Community, which confirmed the legality of the candidacy of Pierre Nkurunziza, were not enough to stop the insurrection initiated by the opposition and civil society. That proved once more their hidden agenda to destabilize the country. Yet everyone knows that the interpretation of the domestic laws of a country, including its constitution, is a matter for its legal authorities. This is also a reflection of the sovereignty of any independent country.
We believe that the peoples of this world must be respected in their choices. While remaining receptive to the advice of friends, the people of Burundi deserve to have the choice that they made in the recent elections respected. They do not ask for more than this, and it is a question neither of blind stubbornness nor, even less, of the obstinacy of a leader or a people, as some of our traditional friends from the North think.
The instigators of the aforementioned insurrection were supported by certain political parties without popular support that knew in advance they would lose the elections. Having therefore decided to bypass the ballot box, these political parties only wanted transitional arrangements similar to the Arusha negotiations as a stepping-stone to power. Their aim was to cause trouble in order to prove that it was impossible to organize the electoral process. Some media were unfortunately on their side. To amplify their action, certain non-governmental organizations supported them financially and morally at a time when some civil society organizations were stakeholders.
What was not known until now is that this insurrection was the tree that hid the woods, that is, the failed coup that was being prepared. It had been in preparation for some time by the same actors, in collaboration with some civil-society organizations. The date of 13 May 2015 will remain etched in the memories of the people of Burundi. Unable to seize
the institutions of sovereignty, the mutineers would use local and international media to announce to the nation and the whole world that they already had control of the national radio and television broadcasting system, that the international airport and all borders were closed, that the Constitution was suspended. In short, it was a veritable media war that did not reflect the reality on the ground in any way. The Government of Burundi appreciates for its true value the support of the international community, regional organizations, and the loyalist forces that quickly condemned the attempted putsch and which called for respect for the constitutional order.
After the failure of the coup d’état, some critics fled to one of our neighbouring countries, which has been sheltering them and assisting them in their campaign to destabilize our country. Burundi has remained watchful and condemns that hostile attitude, which contravenes the Charter of the United Nations and other relevant instruments of international and regional organizations of which we are members.
Faced with these problems in the wake of the failed putsch, the Summit of Heads of State of the East African Community recommended that the elections be postponed so as to enable all political parties and actors to participate under better conditions. Burundi acceded to the decision in order to head off any pretexts for contesting the results. The municipal, legislative and presidential elections were therefore postponed twice, but could not be delayed beyond the constitutional deadlines. At all costs we had to avoid ending up in a constitutional vacuum.
To mark Burundi’s democratic progress, we succeeded in introducing single ballots and consolidating several rounds of voting. After this electoral marathon, therefore, consultations between the country’s various political forces enabled us to establish the offices of both Houses of Parliament, with the participation of the former leader of the opposition, Mr. Agathon Rwasa, President of the Amizero y’Abarundi coalition. Following an internal dialogue, the new Government was named on 24 August and consists of 20 ministers, including five from the opposition. All of that was carried out in strict accordance with the Arusha Agreement and constitutional balance.
With the elections over, the Government of Burundi has now launched another political phase, that of dialogue, one that aims to be inclusive, sincere and open to all issues and that is embodied in the National
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Commission for inter-Burundian Dialogue, established by presidential decree on 23 September. Its main mission is to lead an inter-Burundian dialogue process on the issues both inside and outside the country, particularly as they relate to social issues, politics, peacebuilding, security, economic development, the Arusha Agreement, the Constitution, the comprehensive ceasefire agreement, the Charter of National Unity and so forth.
Based on the main conclusions of the discussions, the Commission will make recommendations to the Government, the political parties, civil society and religious groups in order to arrive at agreement on the changes to be made to the founding documents in the interests of all Burundians. The Commission will consist of 15 Burundian nationals appointed by decree and in accordance with the constitutional balances. We take this opportunity to once again ask for support for the process from Burundi’s partners, starting with the United Nations, which has recently demanded firmly that we organize a genuinely inclusive dialogue in our country.
It should be recalled that this dialogue framework comes a few months after the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, whose main task is to shed light on the crises that have dogged Burundi since its independence. With a continuing view to restoring an atmosphere conducive to peace and security throughout the country, the President of the Republic has just made another gesture of goodwill by signing a decree allowing those who illegally have weapons to return voluntarily within a month without fear of prosecution by the legal authorities. We should note that the decision is also a response to the disarmament recommendations of the Summits of Heads of State of the East African Community and of the African Union.
Concerning freedom of the media, which some have been concerned about, we would like it known that the issue is important to us, too. However, it is important not to lump all the media together. Of the 20 or so private media outlets operating in Burundi, only three radio stations and one television and radio broadcaster face judicial investigations into their alleged role in the failed coup of 13 May before it is decided whether they can reopen. Other representatives of the media, both national and international, operating on Burundian territory have continued to broadcast without difficulty. Moreover, the media will also occupy a prominent place in the inter-Burundian dialogue soon to begin.
Those arrested during the insurrection will receive a fair trial and have the right to a defence. We should emphasize that minors recruited into the movement through violence will be pardoned, and only those responsible for serious crimes will have to face trial. As to refugees, Burundi hopes to see more involvement on the part of its partners and friends in helping to facilitate the voluntary return of Burundians wishing to come home.
On the socioeconomic front, Burundi has made significant progress in recent years. Women and girls’ involvement in running the country is now a reality. Indeed, the Constitution reserves a quota of at least 30 per cent of seats for them in decision-making bodies. Women make up 50 per cent of the Senate and 36 per cent of the National Assembly. In the Government, women head important ministries such as those of health, education and higher education and scientific research, justice, trade and municipal development. As for women and armed conflict, we have made progress in recruiting women into the defence and security forces, which also contributes to their effective participation in peacekeeping missions.
Turning to education, free tuition has enabled us to achieve our ambition of having as many girls as boys in primary school. That policy, introduced in 2005 and based on community efforts, has also involved the population in building school infrastructure, which in 2014 enabled us to achieve a school-attendance rate of 96 per cent, compared with 59.5 per cent in 2005. In the health sector, free health care for children under the age of 5 and pregnant women has significantly reduced the mortality rate for children under 5 and for infants at birth.
In the area of transport infrastructure, all of the roads linking the country’s provinces are now paved, except for one in one province on which work is ongoing.
Among the important reforms introduced in recent years, I should mention that all revenues are now channelled through the Burundi Revenue Authority, whose establishment has given us a reliable taxation body harmonized with the East African Community. Based on the performances achieved with regard to the Millennium Development Goals, we are entering the era of the Sustainable Development Goals with confidence and are determined to implement, over the short and the long terms, every policy able to curb poverty in our country.
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At the regional level, Burundi will continue to work with other countries to better respond to the security objectives laid out in the founding documents of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries, the East African Community, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and many others.
On the international front, Burundi has pledged to continue the work it began nearly a decade ago in the spirit of international solidarity, namely, to participate in peacekeeping operations wherever asked to do so. Accordingly, we have not shrunk from the call to help our brothers and sisters in Somalia, so that they can regain their dignity. When we sent our troops to Somalia at the beginning of operations initiated by the African Union, Burundi became the second-largest troop-contributing country in Somalia. Our brave men and women are also contributing energetically to peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic, Darfur in the Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire and Haiti. We will not only continue our commitments to the peacekeeping operations in which we are involved in a spirit of partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation, but, in the various international forums in which Burundi has a voice, it will also pursue building a more united and just world, a world in which States respect each other on an equal and sovereign footing.
Burundi wishes, however, that the United Nations and other partners would step up their support to troop- contributing countries in order to enable a rapid and effective response. Burundi embraces all strategies that aim to eradicate the major threat posed by terrorism and reaffirms its commitment to fight alongside the international community in the common struggle. We support the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) so as to prevent non-State actors in particular from obtaining biological, nuclear, chemical or other weapons in order to commit terrorist acts.
Burundi is firmly committed to working with all other bilateral and multilateral international partners to take up the challenge of climate change. Our country is part of a new political momentum that promises to provide a rapid solution to the problems related to climate change. Accordingly, we have high expectations for the session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Paris in December.
Regarding the issue of reforming the Security Council, our country subscribes to the logic of finding
a comprehensive solution that meets the broad approval of the Member States, and that will uphold the common interests of our States and serve the long-term interests of our Organization. It is therefore our wish that the decisions on this important issue reflect the views of the individual States and of the continental organizations to which they belong.
Ultimately, we, like the other developing countries, are asking for a more substantial amount of support from the United Nations and our partners, in order to make increased progress as we implement the new post- 2015 Agenda. For our part, we are committed to taking ownership of the Agenda from the grass-roots to the top level of our Government, for the benefit of the national and international community.
Lastly, Burundi wants stability in the Great Lakes region, based on the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and particular regard for the commitments made within the framework of regional organizations, which all advocate peace and security, as the foundation for all development.
Long live the United Nations family.


I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you, Mr. President. You can count on my delegation’s full support during the jubilee session and the year ahead.
We are commemorating the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations. As a family of nations, our hopes for peace and progress, as expressed in the Charter of the United Nations, still resonates deeply today. The United Nations is designed to uphold humankind’s primary aspirations to live in peace, enjoy equal rights and achieve everlasting happiness. The United Nations has tirelessly served those noble purposes for seven decades. If the United Nations did not exist, most of humankind would have ended up in violent confrontations and faced more arduous, complex challenges than those that have arisen.
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Together, we have achieved a lot and we have charted a better course. The number of sovereign nations has quadrupled since 1945. The world’s economic output has increased fivefold. Human beings enjoy longer, healthier lives. We are more literate and educated. Today, the world has achieved the highest degree of international cooperation in history. Starting with the founding of the United Nations, Governments have steadily invested more and more in new means of cooperation. Those tools create new options, more space for compromises and more legal frameworks than humankind has ever possessed. The United Nations has justly become the primary universal organization working for peace, instead of war; prosperity, instead of poverty; and a dignified life for all, instead of human rights violations. Hence, I would like to state that the past 70 years were the best 70 years ever for humankind.
The founding of the United Nations, a historic milestone, connects our past, present and future. All of humankind is poised to make another great stride towards a new, better reality. I am hopeful for the future because we have the United Nations, because we have useful experience to tackle today’s challenges, and because a new generation of humankind is rising. The new generation has creative solutions to challenges and sees new opportunities in them. It shares knowledge and advance technologies.
At this moment more than ever in history, we share a common destiny as a family of nations; yet, despite our achievements, billions of people still live in forbidding conditions. Our home, Mother Earth, is becoming more turbulent and is in fragile health. The Second World War is behind us and the arms race of the Cold War ended two decades ago. Many military conflicts today are not tied to defending a particular territory, but are motivated by borderless ideological, criminal and religious goals.
Paradoxically, although we are more aware of those challenges and understand them better than ever, we seem unable to tackle them decisively and effectively. That is why we have gathered here and embarked on a momentous new journey to do much better to transform our world. The only way to bring peace and stability is through a system of rules and norms, laws and institutions that every country agrees to abide by in exchange for the benefits of peace and stability. If the United Nations fails to adopt a system of laws, we all will fail. The future is not only about the United Nations. The future is about all of us. It is about our community; it is about our family. Therefore, we have no right to fail.
We have recently shown that we can make positive changes. At the dawn of the new century, we adopted and have since implemented the Millennium Development Goals. We achieved many targets, yet failed to achieve some others. Still, by and large, the global community passed the test. We learned lessons about working together and made huge strides towards achieving positive goals. With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), the international community produced a new history-making document. The entire United Nations family agreed on that road map towards sustainable development. Now humankind has a truly universal, ambitious action plan for the upcoming 15 years. A consensus-based, global platform, the Agenda is for all, because every single human being holds a stake in our planet’s future. The 17 Goals and 169 targets are real. Yet, they also embody the dream of humankind. Never before in history have nations reached such a universal and unanimous agreement.
Our historic 2030 Agenda is comprehensive and sustainable. We have agreed on urgent targets on a broad range of economic and social challenges and on environmental emergencies. Is that not miraculous? With one voice, the entire world shouldered a mountain of responsibilities and adopted these bold Goals. In the Agenda, I recognize the overarching objectives for global sustainable development. I note that the Goals are intended literally to save Mother Earth for future generations, which I can readily accept to save a happy, equal human race. I believe that we must build inclusive, capable institutions and create prosperous, peaceful, open, just, equitable societies. In order to advance those societies, the family of nations needs a robust, inclusive and open mechanisms. We must have reliable implementing, monitoring and accountability regulations and institutions in place. I appeal to every Member State to adopt national laws and policies to implement the Sustainable Development Goals. Such laws and policies would ensure their sustainability.
I am deeply proud of my country’s contributions to the common causes of humankind. During the past quarter century, Mongolia has relentlessly striven to build an open and just society with a free
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market economy, participatory democracy and environmentally conscientious policies. We have made notable progress in the areas of governance transparency, citizens’ participation and the reduction of corruption and poverty. In the past quarter century, the life expectancy of Mongolians has increased by seven years. Our gross domestic product (GDP) has increased by a factor of more than 20. We believe in human rights and human creativity, and we foster private initiatives. Our private sector generates more than 80 per cent of our GDP growth. My country, within a single generation, peacefully transformed from one of the most isolated and closed regimes in the world to one of its most vibrant and open democracies. Mongolia also created one of the most unique, open, competitive and fair election systems in our region. It has nationwide electronic voting and biometric voter registration. We no longer use wooden or paper boxes or finger inks, and public participation goes beyond electronic voting.
Corruption is still a big threat. Yet, over the past five years, with transparent, determined and enforceable policies, our country’s corruption index has dropped by one-third, according to Transparency International. We will continue to block the menace of corruption head-on. Mongolia is among the top countries in the world in the number of media tools used per capita. We have the most open, censorship-free private media, including social media and burgeoning Internet use. We have slightly more than 3 million citizens, yet it feels like there are 3 million journalists, too. New media technologies, transparency and public scrutiny make our society much healthier.
We have adopted and implemented a set of laws related to an open, fair, service-oriented judiciary. Because the process takes place under strict civil monitoring, people’s confidence in a fair court of law is being restored. We have also created regulations and institutions regarding public hearings and participatory democracy. We are also prudently enforcing a law called the Glass Account — a budget transparency law that requires full disclosure of public expenditures.
Education is key to human development and the county’s development. More than one-third of our population is engaged in educational activities. More student-centred than previously, our education system emphasizes their practical involvement in learning. Our Government also now covers tuition if
a Mongolian citizen is accepted into one of the world’s top universities.
We believe in gender equality and women’s empowerment. Mongolia is a strong supporter of the United Nations in that cause. If societies are to advance, we need more women in public service at all levels, local and global. If women hold more positions of power, we will have less suffering and conflict and more harmony and civic engagement. All such efforts on the part of Mongolian citizens constitute a just, transparent, inclusive, accountable and action-oriented platform to guide us on a sustainable development path. I am confident that building on those bedrock successes and decisively moving forward is compatible with your appeal, Mr. President, for a new commitment to action.
Today, the world faces a shocking range of new challenges on a global scale — from weapons of mass destruction to global warming; from human rights violations to humanitarian disasters; from heinous crimes and mass terror to the breakdown of sovereign States; from an uncertain supply of energy, food and water to new challenges to freedom and security. In facing global challenges, we must admit one thing — no one country, big or small, can address them on its own. Therefore, the coordinated actions of all players and countries are needed.
When all cultures and civilizations unite, we can tackle global challenges. The upcoming twenty-first session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Paris later this year, will be the first new test. It will require the widest possible cooperation ofall countries. We all must bear responsibility for protecting planet Earth and its ecosystems for the benefit of present and future generations. We must all work to ensure justice and fairness throughout the world. Every nation and Government must actively contribute to the global good according to their respective capabilities and responsibilities.
Mongolia has committed to always doing its humble share to promote global well-being. We Mongols are eager to contribute. Our peacekeepers proudly serve, along with fellow United Nations peacekeepers, to maintain international order and security. Mongolia has become one of the 20 largest peacekeeping contributors in the world. To date, 14,000 Mongolian peacekeepers have served on active duty in global hot spots. That is
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a significant number in proportion to the size of our population.
We are enthusiastic to share our experiences in transitioning to democracy in our quest for freedom, justice and development. When Mongolian citizens share and actively collaborate with countries in our region and beyond, we make our own success more durable. We care deeply about global stability. Mongols believe that we must preserve our planet by eliminating nuclear weapons throughout the world.
For 23 years, our country has maintained a nuclear- weapon-free status. Any nation seeking nuclear power must not endanger the peace and security of their independent neighbours. We believe that the solution to those challenges is engagement, rather than isolation. We believe that strengthening multilateral collaboration and mutual trust among countries is vital. In Asia, Mongolia is a non-aligned nation and an honest broker that promotes peace and security. We launched a regional initiative similar to that of the Helsinki dialogue, known as the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on North-East Asian Security. Within that security initiative, Mongolia has hosted and has helped arrange multilateral meetings, conferences, and symposiums to examine peace and security issues. We also put forward a common platform called the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, or FORUM-Asia. A compelling need exists to establish a solid and inclusive platform for comprehensive dialogues involving all Asian States.
FORUM-Asia would seek to promote an equal representation of the interests of all sovereign nations in Asia, whether big or small. All nations would bear in mind the concerns of all other nations, rather than wrestle one-on-one within the global arena. It would ensure each member State its independence, integrity, and right to development. We invite all interested parties to play an active part of that cause.
Our country also successfully chaired the world’s most reputable democracy movement, the Community of Democracies, for two years. Currently, Mongolia is chairing the Freedom Online Coalition. The first Asian country to lead that important community, we promote universal Internet access. We support a comprehensive convention on Internet freedom, to be agreed to by all United Nations Member States. I appeal to everyone to work collectively to advance the great, global digital
revolution, in order to bring greater prosperity to humankind.
Mongolia has pursued a peaceful, open and multi-pillared foreign policy. That stance has enabled us to declare Mongolia to be a State of permanent neutrality. Our national laws and the international treaties to which Mongolia is signatory are consistent with the principles of neutrality. I therefore kindly ask for Members’ understanding and support for Mongolia’s peaceful, open, neutral and active foreign policy efforts. I am convinced that Mongolia’s status of permanent neutrality will contribute to the strengthening of peace, security and development in our region and the world, in general.
Recently, Mongolia hosted the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, and for the first time in our country, the autumn meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly was convened. The human rights experts and the European parliamentarians had fruitful, lively discussions and exchanges. The conference also provided a splendid opportunity for them to comprehend at first hand our achievements in protecting and advancing human rights, in exercising the rule of law and in running a pluralistic and open society.
We are honoured to be hosting many events in the coming months and year in our capital city. Most importantly, the eleventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) will be held in Mongolia in the summer of 2016. Leaders of 53 countries in Asia and Europe will meet in Mongolia on the historic twentieth jubilee of the founding of ASEM. I earnestly look forward to welcoming them. Mongolia will further consolidate and strengthen our peace initiatives and our role as mediator. Our doors are always open for dialogue and engagement. We will always say that all are very welcome to cooperate with us in the spirit of freedom, justice and prosperity. We are ready to share the lessons we have learned and to listen to and learn from the lessons of other nations.
I wish to stress that Mongolia is running for the first time for membership on the United Nations Human Rights Council. We believe that the Human Rights Council is a crucial body for the protection and promotion of human rights worldwide. It is a platform for open discussions on human rights issues, and it positively impacts national and international
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policies. Mongolia reaffirms its full commitment to the promotion of human rights and our willingness to share our experience in transitioning to democracy, fighting against corruption, abolishing the death penalty and ensuring genuine human rights. I respectfully ask every Member State to extend its valuable support to Mongolia’s candidacy for the Human Rights Council at the October elections.
We, the States Members of the United Nations, need to mobilize the full potential of humankind to achieve the primary purpose for establishing the United Nations, namely, the promotion of peace, the respect for human rights and inclusive economic and social development. I believe that, in the twenty-first century, the United Nations will remain at the heart of our common humanity. Its mission will be defined by a new, more profound awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life, regardless of race, gender or religion. Nevertheless, there are still numerous cases involving cruel violations of human dignity and rights. One thing is certain: every nation State should always strive for good governance, the strict rule of law and a sound human rights policy.
I reiterate the appeals of all speakers in the Assembly that we must vow to exercise clear and decisive leadership in effectively tackling the tough challenges ahead and in fulfilling the core missions of the United Nations. We have many opportunities to benefit the world. We are the first in history to have the potential, technology and resources to resolve the world’s problems.
When I observe a giant display of military might, I think of the huge amount of money, human ingenuity and time that are being spent on war machines and weapons of mass destruction. With a fraction of the money that we spend and the technology that we develop to put on such macho war shows, we could solve many of today’s troubling issues. We also have a smart, tech-savvy, energetic young generation, who will soon shoulder our tough challenges with their innovative, dynamic and shrewd solutions. They give us hope and reassure us.
I would like to reiterate that the solemn purpose of the United Nations has always been to enhance global peace, protect fellow human beings and contribute to global well-being. We all know there are well-founded criticisms of the United Nations. If our United Nations is to survive in the new reality, we must embrace substantive change. We need reforms to build a just and
common home. If we delay action, change will become more painful and even more challenging. The United Nations is still our most representative and important global body. Its foundation is based on the preservation of the rights and interests of all nations, whether big or small, so that they may have a voice, a vote, and be part of our common human home. More relevant than ever, the United Nations is our common home where nations can meet and create solutions to solve the challenges of the world. If the 70 years since the United Nations was founded were the best 70 years ever, as I believe, then let us make the next 70 years even better.
We humans are at our best when we face challenges and when we exercise collective bravery, spirit and leadership. With the Sustainable Development Goals, we all become developing countries and we all have a stake in our plans for success. There is no future without peace, there is no planet without sustainability, and there is no humanity without justice. Let us strive for victory. Let us all be champions, Let us raise all our flags at the finish line, and let us all proudly present them to our beautiful planet’s next generation.


On behalf of my President, His Excellency Mr. Salva Kiir Mayardit, I would like to congratulate the newly elected President of the General Assembly. We stand with his leadership. I also thank his predecessor, Mr. Sam Kutesa of Uganda, for his beautiful and successful tenure in office.
I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the pivotal role of the United Nations, and of many other friends, before, during and after the birth of our country, South Sudan, in July 2011. We commend this noble world body and its able leadership for firmly supporting our independence. We vividly remember the three days that the Secretary-General spent in Juba, dedicated himself to lecturing and advising us as independence neared. We congratulate His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon.
After going through so much for too long, the dream, aspiration and vision of the people of South Sudan for a country of their own were finally realized on 9 July 2011, with strong support from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations
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and the Troika. Almost one week thereafter, in this great Hall, the General Assembly took a historic step and endorsed our independence. We most enthusiastically thank the United Nations for that.
Having attained freedom for our country and its people, we, the leaders, wasted no time in pushing forward with the creation of institutions of good governance and democratic exercise. We started virtually from rubble, following the first civil war. However, our progress has been thwarted and marred by unjustified internal power feuds that resulted in a regrettable conflict that engulfed three of our country’s 10 states.
It is my pleasure and a relief to announce to the Assembly that this regrettable war and unnecessary bloodshed have been brought to an end. The people of South Sudan were yearning for peace, and on 26 August 2015 our President took the courageous step — with the help of IGAD, the Troika, China, Russia, the United Nations and so on — to sign a peace agreement with our brothers in the rebellion to silence the guns and end the civil war. This signature was immediately followed by the President’s declaration of a permanent ceasefire the next day. We must congratulate our people for this historic achievement of peace. I am sure it will be cemented by prosperity and happiness. We give credit to our neighbours and the international community at large. The next step now is for this body to quickly join and help us in terms of both humanitarian assistance and reconstruction as we vow to implement the agreement.
South Sudan is concerned about global and regional peace, security and respect for human rights. Though we have been tied down by our own difficulties, we are also mindful of our participation in global and regional strategies aimed at tackling threats of terrorism, environmental change and the like.
I commend the role that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) played during the period leading up to our declaration of independence in 2011, and afterwards. Nonetheless, any renewal of the UNMISS mandate without consultations with and the consent of our Government would not be right and would therefore be unacceptable. It is a well-known fact that matters of that nature are sovereign and due consultation is imperative.
Committing crimes against the people we govern or violating human rights have never and shall never be condoned by our Government. Promoting and protecting
the safety of persons, families and communities and their physical and social well-being is a duty that we take very seriously. We will not allow impunity to reign. We are conscious of our obligations to humankind, and we respect the human rights charter contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related protocols. We respect the content and provisions of the Geneva Conventions and vow to strictly observe and apply them in our difficult and complex context. Since our independence, whenever we have received reports of human rights abuses by elements associated with our security institutions, we have investigated and immediately dealt with them in accordance with the law.
We are delighted to announce that through the efforts of IGAD, alongside the Troika, on 26 August His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit not only signed the agreement but also declared the ceasefire. This ceasefire is holding surely in certain parts of the country — there is no doubt about that — but not in all, I must underscore. That is mainly attributable to the absence of a joint monitoring and verification mechanism installed on the ground and of funding from IGAD for that purpose. I urge IGAD to work more speedily on creating and designating that vital instrument for enforcing any meaningful ceasefire.
With respect to security arrangements, from 13 to 18 September the warring parties held a workshop in Addis Ababa, which ended with our Government delegation signing the minutes and a communiqué. Our brothers in the rebellion, however, declined to sign, for reasons best known to them. It is now incumbent upon “IGAD-Plus” to persuade the armed opposition to sign the minutes as quickly as possible. The announcement by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) — our Government Army — about a week ago that it would move out of Juba to a location 25 kilometres away is further proof that our Government is committed to this agreement. That is a clear demonstration of the Government’s will to execute the accord. As the SPLA is already moving to redeploy, the international community needs to expeditiously provide the necessary funding to help build new army barracks in those forests.
As we embark on the implementation of the peace agreement, sanctions and travel restrictions imposed on our officials should no longer be an option. At this juncture, I urge all countries of good will to rush in with humanitarian, resettlement and development projects.
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There is no doubt that development and prosperity can quickly lead to cementing peace and stability. It is therefore crucial for the Government of South Sudan to remind international donors about the many pledges they made earlier but which have never been honoured.
More than at any other time in our conflict-riddled history, the upcoming post-conflict imperatives of resettlement, rehabilitation and disarmament require concerted financial and technical assistance from our many friends of goodwill around the world. Honouring the numerous pledges made in forums such as in Oslo in 2005 and 2014 and the International Engagement Conference hosted by the sisterly country of the United States in 2011 will go a long way in enabling the current peace agreement to be fully implemented, in order to meet the pressing need for humanitarian aid and post- conflict reconstruction.
We are firmly determined to correct the errors of the past and look forward to the future. I take this opportunity to appeal to all friends and supporters of South Sudan to rapidly step in to support the humanitarian process I alluded to previously — the processes of rehabilitation, peacebuilding, cantonment and national reconstruction. South Sudan is very resilient and its future is certainly full of hope, particularly with all the assistance and cooperation that the international community has to offer. We should not be subject to undeserved isolation and sanctions, given our level of fragility as a new country.


At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, and your country, the Kingdom of Denmark, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session. We trust that your diplomatic experience will greatly impact the success of this session. We are ready to work with you, Sir, and all the delegations of Member States so as to accomplish our goals and objectives, particularly in the maintenance of international peace and security and in the achievement of sustainable development.
We are also pleased to express our appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the friendly Republic of Uganda, for his able stewardship of the Assembly at the previous session. I would also like to take this opportunity pay tribute once again to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his tireless efforts to improve the work of the Organization in order to meet the aspirations of all Member States.
This session coincides with the seventieth anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations. The occasion represents an opportunity to renew our confidence in joint international action through the adoption of positive initiatives that could contribute to
the creation of an international economic order based on justice for all States and nations.
Since the dawn of the Omani renaissance on 23 July 1970, we in the Sultanate of Oman have embraced peace and dialogue as basic principles. That is because we are convinced that dialogue is the most logical foundation upon which all forms of conflict can be resolved. Throughout the history of the United Nations, humankind has sought to strengthen confidence through agreed and conciliatory ideas and the principles of the United Nations Charter, which help to deepen and widen common interests and mutual benefits. We also believe that dialogue is a peaceful means of settling disputes, and its use is preferable to resorting to confrontation and conflict.
From that perspective, my country welcomed the agreement reached between the P5+1 and the friendly Islamic Republic of Iran on the Iranian nuclear programme. Despite the fact that that breakthrough took great effort and a considerable amount of time, it can serve as a model for solving controversial and complicated issues among countries through dialogue, negotiation and the balancing of international interests. We hope that that historic agreement will have a positive impact on regional and international peace and security and pave the way for a new era of relations based on cooperation, respect and mutual trust.
The raising of the flag of the State of Palestine as an observer State at the United Nations, though a symbolic gesture, reminds us of the tragedy of the Palestinian people and their aspirations to attain fulfilment of their legitimate rights. We call on the Palestinians and the Israelis alike to return to the negotiating table and work on achieving the vision of two independent States living side by side, through steps that would secure the interests of both parties, based on the pillars of the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant United Nations resolutions. We also call upon the United Nations and the parties sponsoring the peace process in the Middle East to make greater efforts to reach an agreement for the settlement of the crisis, instead of merely to managing it.
My country also follows with great concern the developments in the crisis in the brotherly Republic of Yemen, which has resulted in disastrous humanitarian tragedies. While we understand the circumstances that provoked the crisis, we continue to believe that the political parties in Yemen are capable of restoring security and stability to the country. We are deeply
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concerned that the continuation of violence in Yemen has enabled several terrorist organizations, including those on United Nations watch lists, to use Yemen as a base for their terrorist activities. That poses a direct threat to the region’s security and stability.
We call upon all political forces in Yemen to support the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, to contribute to the restoration of peace and stability in the Republic of Yemen and to enable the achievement of the aspirations of the brotherly Yemeni people to a safe and dignified life. My country also expresses its strong condemnation of the targeting of diplomatic and consular premises in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a. We call on all parties to respect the rules of international law and refrain from any acts that violate their international obligations, particularly those set forth in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963.
As the Syrian crisis has now entered its fifth year, the Syrian people continue to suffer; hundreds of thousands have left their homes and risked their lives in circumstances unprecedented in modern history. We call upon all Syrian parties and neighbouring countries to support the mission of the Secretary- General’s Special Envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to restore security and stability to that brotherly country and contribute to the eradication of the terrorism that has been able to find a foothold in Syria and currently poses a threat to regional and international security. My country reiterates its firm and uncompromising stance in condemning all forms of terrorism, without regard to their causes and motivations.
While we commend the humanitarian efforts by countries and regional and international organizations to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people, we appeal to the international community to do even more to protect the brotherly Syrian people at home and abroad. In that respect, we would like to emphasize the continuation of the humanitarian programme offered by the Sultanate of Oman to help Syrian refugees.
My country stresses the importance of maintaining the universality of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. That can be achieved only by strengthening the three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), namely, nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. In that context, we call upon the sponsors of
the Treaty to fully implement the resolution of the 1995 NPT Review Conference on making the Middle East a region free from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. That would help safeguard the credibility and universality of that important treaty.
Resolution 55/2, containing the Millennium Declaration, is considered an important document, as it sets forth an ambitious international programme to assist countries achieve high levels of economic and social development. However, the weakness of the global economy over the past 20 years has had serious social repercussions, including an increase in number of unemployed, which has crippled the ability of many countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Bearing that in mind, we call upon the international community to put the issues of the economy, trade and the environment at the forefront of the urgent issues that need to be addressed. The first and foremost of those issues is the international energy trade, since it is crucial that the international trade in energy, specifically the price of oil and its by-products, be properly organized.
My country looks forward to the convening of the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris. We hope that participating countries can agree on a balanced international programme that takes into account the concerns and interests of all developing and developed countries.
We are facing real challenges that we must tackle resolutely if we are to ensure that we are not hindering development but encouraging it in a way that helps us to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We therefore believe that the next phase of joint international action requires that the members of the international community expand their concept of genuine partnership and shared destiny. We hope that this session succeeds and that the goals of the United Nations will be accomplished.


It is a great pleasure for me to address the General Assembly of the United Nations as we celebrate the seventieth anniversary of our global Organization. It is important, at this time, that we revisit the founding objectives of the United Nations to determine whether we have been able to live up to what they have required of us since its establishment. Primarily, the United Nations was set up to promote peace and stability among humankind and to assist nations to develop socially and economically, to mention but a few of the founding objectives. This annual session gives us an opportunity to review and recommit ourselves to the objectives laid out by our predecessors.
Tremendous progress has been made on a number of social fronts, while growth in the economies and the development of nations is evident. However, that success has come with its own challenges that need to be addressed in a spirit of global cooperation in order to achieve the ultimate goal of peaceful progress and development that leaves nobody behind. We urge the United Nations to continue to play its role in fostering a collective approach to overcoming all impediments.
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The capabilities and successes of the United Nations are well documented. We have seen the United Nations play a significant role in resolving conflicts on the African continent and in other parts of the world. The role of the United Nations in curbing the Ebola outbreak is appreciated. While we have not eradicated the disease completely, we applaud the Organization’s tremendous efforts to stem its spread. We also commend the United Nations for launching such initiatives as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has played a significant role in combating those diseases. We appeal to the United Nations to continue helping Africa emerge from the cycle of poverty and disease as the continent seeks to fulfil its Agenda 2063, which seeks to eradicate poverty and create prosperity for all.
Africa has great potential for investment. What remains is to create the requisite environment for economic growth. We strongly believe that the United Nations system can establish a peaceful global village free of fear and violence. We adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), aiming to emancipate humankind from poverty and hunger by creating prosperity in a safe and peaceful environment that offers acceptable basic living standards (resolution 55/2). We are pleased to observe that our decision has, by and large, yielded positive outcomes that live up to the founding principles of the United Nations.
The impressive progress witnessed during the implementation of the MDGs makes us confident that the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1) will enjoy even greater success. We have good reason to anticipate a sustainable transformation of nations over the next 15 years. Our presence here should signify a renewed commitment to our resolve.
The Kingdom of eSwatini is one of many nations to report significant progress in the implementation of the MDGs. That progress has been guided by a people-driven road map leading us towards our Swaziland Vision 2022, which is designed to propel the Kingdom to become a developed country, a development State. We are very much aware of the challenges that lie ahead on the journey, but I have full confidence in the capabilities of our people. They have worked very hard over the years to bring us to where we are today. Although we may not have an abundance of natural resources, we do have an innovative and educated workforce that is united in a common purpose.
With Africa opening up new trade markets and investment opportunities, the Kingdom of eSwatini has fast-tracked reforms that have yielded improved ease of doing business. Infrastructure development has also improved direct access to global markets through the completion of our new international airport, while providing multiple investment opportunities in its immediate surroundings. We believe that the airport will give rise to downstream projects that can create employment opportunities and add the required impetus to our economic growth.
Access to markets of the developed world remains critical for Africa, which is well endowed with mineral resources yet still faces the challenges of poverty, hunger and unemployment. The support of the United Nations is essential if we are to successfully deal with the mammoth task of developing infrastructure so that we can add value to our natural resources. The success of trade and investment also hinges heavily on a reliable and sustainable supply of energy. As a result, we now have a comprehensive strategy and programme of action that outline the gaps that need to be addressed by all players in the energy sector. They present viable opportunities for investment in that sector, particularly in renewable energy.
As we envisage a world free of poverty, hunger, disease and want, where all life can thrive, it becomes critical to make youth empowerment central to achieving that goal. Attaining a 97 per cent enrolment rate in primary education is a significant milestone for our country as we seek to ensure education for all. Sustainable education requires that that high enrolment should be complemented by quality education that is further accessible at the secondary, higher and tertiary levels.
We remain challenged in meeting that requirement, and we call upon our global friends to partner with us to ensure that we do not become victims of our own success. We are recognizing and rewarding outstanding educational talent through entrepreneurial development initiatives at the secondary and tertiary levels. We trust that those initiatives, among many others, will produce a future generation that is equipped with the life skills needed to provide solutions to the socioeconomic challenges facing many of our unemployed youth today. The Kingdom is also developing innovation parks that will provide our young people with the creative skills needed to enable them to contribute to the sustainable development of the country.
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The HIV/AIDS pandemic, which has stretched our health resources to the limit, remains a challenge that requires our collective effort. As a nation, we have taken a decision that we want to become one of the first African countries with a generalized epidemic to achieve an AIDS-free generation in 2022 — a vision that is in line with the global agenda to end AIDS by 2030.
The Kingdom of eSwatini still largely relies on agriculture as a means to sustain itself and prosper. Programmes aimed at increasing food production, ending hunger and improving nutrition have been developed. A farm input-subsidy programme aimed at increasing yields through the availability of tractors, seeds and fertilizer is now in place. The country has also invested heavily in building dams to harness water, and we hope that friends of the Kingdom will continue to partner with us in building more such facilities. The dams are helping many of our people to irrigate their crops. We look to international financial institutions to support those initiatives. We are concerned, however, that some of that support attaches stringent conditions with consequences that leave the recipient countries worse off. We therefore appeal to the United Nations to address that phenomenon, which seriously undermines the objectives of the 2030 Agenda.
We are very aware that, working alone, we are limited in our success. It is, therefore, important that the developed countries of the world support the growth of developing nations like ours. We appeal to donor countries to increase their funding to smaller nations so that they can strengthen their capacity to create jobs and address existing social challenges. Only when our communities achieve better living conditions will developing countries enjoy the peace and stability that provides the requisite environment for sustainable growth.
The effects of climate change have not gone unnoticed, nor have they left us unharmed. Sustainable Development Goal 11 calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. We continue to urge our developed partners not only to fulfil their pledges to the Green Fund but also to adopt policies that strike the correct balance among the requirements for the production of essential products, profits and the sustainability of our environment. Anything less would seriously jeopardize the ideals of the 2030 Agenda. We look forward to a legally binding global climate
agreement at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in France later this year.
The Kingdom of eSwatini continues to enjoy the peace and stability that all people on the globe deserve. The secret to our success has been consultation and dialogue aimed at building consensus, which is a model of peace that has a place in the implementation of United Nations operations. It is apparent that military intervention in resolving conflict has a short-term effect that leaves the people that it is meant to serve worse off. Only a peaceful solution to conflict can yield sustainable conclusions to the current crises facing various parts of the world today. That calls for us to unite and to bring the warring parties to the table for dialogue.
However, for that to be truly effective, we need the United Nations to ensure that any intervention is undertaken by a united body. If the United Nations is divided on the mandates that it creates to deal with challenges that require a collective approach, it runs the risk of worsening the problems. It is critical that, when the Members of the United Nations are confronted with conflict situations, they resolve them with one voice.
The protracted war in Syria remains a huge challenge for the United Nations. One of its consequences has been the serious refugee crisis that we have today, affecting neighbouring countries and, most recently, various European States. We applaud all the countries that have accepted the refugees and provided them with food and shelter, and we appeal to the Syrian people to come together to find a peaceful and lasting solution to their differences. There can be only one solution to that predicament, which is to resolve the source of the conflict so that all of the people of Syria are able to benefit from the peace they deserve. It is imperative that the objectives of the United Nations be met. One important aim of the United Nations is to work to rid society of all hostilities. We have put conflict-resolution mechanisms in place, and it is our duty to ensure that they are implemented effectively.
We trust that, as we proceed with the 2030 Agenda, we will fully embrace an all-inclusive approach. We therefore urge the United Nations to give every country in the world the opportunity to contribute to the global community in whatever form and capacity it can. In that regard, we appeal to the United Nations to consider admitting the Republic of China on Taiwan to membership. Like every other country, it has the
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potential to contribute positively to the global agenda, in its case in such areas as health care and information and communications technology, to mention only a few.
The inclusiveness espoused by the United Nations should encompass representation in the key bodies of the Organization. The African continent continues to appeal for a permanent seat on the Security Council through which its voice will be fully represented, as outlined in the Ezulwini Consensus. We trust that the matter will receive the attention it deserves.
Finally, I would like once again to extend my heartiest congratulations to the entire United Nations family for its attainment of 70 years of togetherness. We wish to commend all United Nations agencies for their sustained efforts to fulfil the ideals of the Organization, which have benefited humankind in many ways. Let us renew our commitment to the objectives of our global Organization. We have grown in numbers, and that has given rise to new paradigms. We are certain that, with the correct mindset, that will be addressed accordingly. However, it is important to realize that, as much as our goals may be universal, we do not share the same capabilities and capacities for implementing them. May Almighty God bless us all.


At the outset, I should like to convey to the members of the General Assembly the warm greetings of His Majesty the King of Bhutan. I should also like to congratulate you on your election, Mr. President, and to assure you of my delegation’s full support in the discharge of your responsibilities. I also thank Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the Assembly at its sixty-ninth session, for his able leadership over the past year, in particular in steering to a successful conclusion the complex negotiations on the post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda (resolution 70/1). I also thank
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his team for their tireless efforts to advance the multifaceted work of the Organization over the past year.
At 70, the United Nations, underpinned by multilateralism and the sovereign equality of nations, remains indispensable. It embodies the collective will and conscience of humankind for a more peaceful, secure and prosperous world. Its existence reflects our enduring commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It unites all nations — big or small, rich or poor — to work together to realize our shared goals and aspirations.
Over the last seven decades, the United Nations has delivered much of what is promised in its Charter, and it is only fitting that we pay tribute to its achievements: from saving millions of lives through relief efforts, vaccinating children, eradicating smallpox and fighting AIDS to feeding millions every year in countries affected by war, conflict and natural disasters; from negotiating peace deals and conducting peacekeeping operations to advancing democracy and creating an international human rights system; and from combating climate change and reducing extreme poverty to preventing the spread and use of nuclear weapons. Those and other achievements of the United Nations are indeed noteworthy.
However, even as we celebrate those achievements, it would serve us well to take stock of the state of our interdependent world and the road ahead for the Organization. For every day we are confronted with compelling evidence that shows we are far from achieving our quest for peace, security, prosperity and human dignity for all — whether it is conflicts and acts of terrorism, the unthinkable stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, the inequalities that persist within and among nations, the rising expectations of billions living at the very margins of existence, or climate change that threatens our very survival — failure to address those interrelated global challenges is not an option.
Peace, security and human rights must go hand in hand with sustainable development. Over the past few years, we have taken stock of the state of our world, our peoples and our planet. We have undertaken a comprehensive review of the challenges and opportunities. And in a spirit of cooperation that many thought impossible, we have adopted an ambitious and transformative Agenda for Sustainable Development. It
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is now time to translate the 2030 Agenda into concrete actions in earnest, individually and collectively.
Since joining the United Nations, 44 years ago, under the wise and able leadership of our monarchs the people of Bhutan have endeavoured to fulfil the vision and goals set forth in the Charter. Guided by our development philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which is essentially development with values, we have consistently worked to ensure that the peace, security, happiness and well-being of our people always remain at the centre of our development efforts.
Bhutan has achieved most of the Millennium Development Goal targets. Poverty has been reduced to 12 per cent. Our primary school enrolment rate is nearly 100 per cent and life expectancy has increased to 68 years. We remain a bastion of environmental conservation with 72 per cent of our land under forest cover. Our effort to safeguard the environment is reinforced by a constitutional mandate to maintain a minimum of 60 per cent of our land under forest cover for all time. Our achievements would not have been possible without good governance. Over decades, under the enlightened leadership of our monarchs, we have successfully embraced democracy.
Peace, security and human rights depend on an all-inclusive approach to development that puts people and the environment at the centre. In 2011, Bhutan spearheaded the adoption of resolution 65/309, entitled “Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development”. A year later, we were gratified by the decision of the General Assembly to observe 20 March each year as the International Day of Happiness. The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal and embodies the spirit of the 2030 Agenda. We stand ready to share our experience with GNH and to contribute to the growing discourse on holistic development paradigms and indicators.
Even though we have contributed least to the causes of climate change, we, like other least developed countries, are among the most vulnerable to its adverse impacts. Despite our limited resources and competing demands of development, Bhutan remains committed to the conservation of our natural heritage, and in fact has consistently contributed more than its fair share to global efforts to combat climate change. In 2009, Bhutan pledged to remain carbon neutral for all time. We have kept that promise. Our expectation is that, through the sale of clean hydro-power, by 2025 Bhutan will have
the capacity to offset approximately 35 million tons of carbon per annum in the region. That is no small feat, considering Bhutan’s emissions constitute less than 7 per cent of that figure. I am pleased to state that, this week, Bhutan ratified the Doha amendment to the Kyoto Protocol and submitted its intended nationally determined contributions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
To support the work of the United Nations in the area of international peace and security, Bhutan began contributing to United Nations peacekeeping operations in 2014. We remain a committed partner and are working to deepen and broaden our peacekeeping engagement with the United Nations. Today it is a matter of great pride that Bhutanese peacekeepers are deployed and serving in nine peacekeeping missions.
We have no doubt that implementing the 2030 Agenda within the next 15 years will be a daunting challenge. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require countries, both developed and developing alike, to take stock of their existing development strategies and embark on far-reaching reforms to implement the Agenda. For a country like Bhutan, which is least developed and landlocked, addressing the challenges will require innovative and creative approaches to build on the progress we have made thus far.
A key challenge we face is to build a strong and sustainable green economy that ensures gainful employment for our youth, inclusive growth and promotes self-reliance. With a narrow industrial base and a high dependency on a single sector, our economy is faced with unprecedented macroeconomic challenges, despite otherwise prolonged periods of robust economic growth. A careful reorientation of our economy is imperative if we are to ensure that our future development is inclusive and sustainable as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda. In that regard, the continued support and cooperation of our development partners will be crucial as we seek innovative approaches to balance our environmental aspirations and developmental needs. That takes on even greater importance as Bhutan progresses towards graduation from the category of least developed countries to ensure that hard-earned developmental gains are sustained.
I should like to underscore the vital importance of education to achieve our transformative agenda. Many of the SDGs will not be attainable if we do not
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relentlessly invest in building a dynamic and relevant education system in our countries, a system that nurtures our children and youth with the right values, knowledge and skills that reflect our aspirations and goals. In that regard, we are happy to note that ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all is a stand-alone Goal in the 2030 Agenda. In moving forward, SDG 4 must remain at the forefront of our planning and implementation of national strategies to achieve the SDGs. The education sector, which has always been accorded high priority by Bhutan, will be given special emphasis as we mainstream the 2030 Agenda in our national strategies and plans. We hope that our development partners will share our sense of priority and urgency in this vital area and support our efforts to ensure that it is relevant to achieve the 2030 Agenda.
The 2030 Agenda sets out a necessarily ambitious vision and SDGs. We have no doubt of the complexity and enormity of the tasks for its implementation. It will require systemic new thinking and a long-term perspective in our planning. It will require sincere global partnerships, predictable resources and the collaboration and commitment of all our people.
The first litmus test for our commitment to action on the 2030 Agenda will be whether or not we reach an ambitious and legally binding agreement at the twenty- first Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. That agreement must be firmly anchored in the principles of the Convention, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
Our decisions in Paris must be driven by the latest science. The evidence is unequivocal. An emissions pathway taking us beyond 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels would have disproportionate and irreversible impacts on the most vulnerable among us. A second test of our commitment to action would be whether we are able to deliver on our promises and pledges on the means of implementation for the 2030 Agenda. And, finally, are we able to make tangible progress in the area of United Nations reforms?
Real progress in the revitalization of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council is critical to ensure a robust mechanism for the implementation of the Agenda. Furthermore, the
Security Council must be reformed to reflect current geopolitical realities, through the commencement of text-based negotiations on the basis of decision 69/560, which was adopted by consensus.
The adoption of the 2030 Agenda provides us a historic opportunity to truly awaken our spirit of global solidarity and shared values for the sake of our children and our planet. In the words of His Majesty the King of Bhutan,
“Let us place the interest of humanity, not national populations and constituencies, above all else. Let us take political risks and strong decisions in addressing the needs of humanity. The answer to global problems will come closer at hand when we grasp that universal simplicity — that sense of a shared planet and a shared fate for those who walk on it. We need shared human endeavour not just negotiated change.”


It is an honour to be here for the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations. I can only marvel at the scale of that accomplishment. Not only has this institution grown from its original 51 Members to its current 193, but it has also expanded its work to take on a remarkable number of issues facing the world. Our debate here provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on what has made the Organization so successful.
I believe the reason for that success can be summed up in a single word: legitimacy. Only with legitimacy can we expect leaders from around the world to gather here every September. Only with legitimacy can we expect the agreements we reach here to be implemented
in the real world. However, legitimacy is a fragile thing. It takes decades to build, but can be lost in the blink of an eye. Therefore, preserving and strengthening the legitimacy of this institution must be at the centre of our work if the United Nations is to remain a powerful force for progressive change in the world.
Therefore, to strengthen the legitimacy of the United Nations, I propose that the road ahead be guided by three principles: universality, adaptability and accountability. We took an important step in that direction last week with the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), which demonstrates our ability to learn from past experience and create an approach that is better tailored to the needs and circumstances of all nations.
The Agenda places the welfare of human beings at its core and lays out a comprehensive set of Goals and targets to help empower every individual to realize his or her full potential. This moves us away from looking at single indicators like gross domestic product or income per capita to measure human progress and focuses our work on building a more robust foundation for sustainability and prosperity. Education, public health, gender equality, clean water, oceans, energy and, more importantly, a strong family unit — those are some of the blocks on which our future must be built.
For my country, the ocean is the source of almost all development possibilities. Unlike large countries, we do not have a diversified portfolio of industries. Phosphate mining and fishing constitute the large bulk of economic possibilities for Nauru, along with less than a handful of other sources of income. It is all the more concerning, therefore, when vessels come to our waters and engage in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Regional estimates put earnings lost to IUU at anywhere from millions to over $1 billion. For economies like ours, those numbers are staggering, and if we are to be true to the 2030 Agenda and the commitments made to the small island developing States, we must do much more to eliminate IUU fishing and ensure that the income from fishing goes to the rightful resource owners.
That and other issues from the 2030 Agenda will require us to rethink the way we cooperate at the international level. Our international and regional bodies must be fit for purpose. The universality of that endeavour will require them to respect national differences and move away from one-size-fits-all
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strategies. Thematic silos must be replaced by cross- cutting networks. Implementing agencies at every level must become both more nimble and more robust.
All partnerships — whether multilateral, bilateral or public-private — must be based on mutual respect that recognizes genuine development partners, such as the Republic of China on Taiwan, a democracy that can contribute meaningfully towards development and prosperity in the world. Needless to say, Taiwanese technology and know-how can make a lot of difference towards helping the needy, and, as such, I call for the inclusion of Taiwan in the development agencies of the United Nations.
Aid must be predictable and sustainable, It should not be wielded as a weapon to advance partisan political ends. Predatory relationships that pit one group against another have no place in the 2030 Development Agenda. History has demonstrated that openness and engagement have proven far more effective strategies for positive change than isolation and exclusion. Only in such an environment can we hold one another accountable for the full implementation of the Agenda.
That is the vision that Nauru has embraced for the 2030 Agenda, and back home we are taking steps to move forward. Like the United Nations itself, we will need to build strong domestic institutions to achieve our goals. Their legitimacy will similarly rest on their inclusiveness, adaptability and accountability. Therefore, in implementing the 2030 Agenda, we must go beyond capacity-building. We must engage in the difficult task of institution-building. International and regional agencies and development partners should back those efforts with real resources that include long- term, in-country engagement when appropriate, so that they leave behind durable domestic institutions run by a skilled national workforce.
Nauru is asking for a lot from its development partners. We want to be better partners ourselves. And at the end of the day, implementation of the 2030 Development Agenda will happen mostly at national and local level. On that note, let me thank our partners Australia, Taiwan, Russia, Cuba and others for their support towards our sustainable development priorities.
Our efforts to improve the legitimacy of international institutions must extend beyond those most directly involved in the 2030 Development Agenda. The Security Council in particular must better reflect the geopolitical realities of the world today.
Therefore, the list of permanent and non-permanent members should be expanded. We support the inclusion of Germany, India, Japan, Brazil and others in the permanent category. In addition, the Security Council must continue to adapt and respond to the most pressing issues of today. That is why Nauru calls on it to make climate change a permanent agenda item. It should be supplemented by the appointment by the Secretary- General of a Special Representative on climate and security. In addition, relevant organs of the United Nations should assess their capacity to respond to the security implications of climate change.
The governance of the Bretton Woods institutions should also be made more representative, with developing countries given a greater presence. The global economy has become more reliant on the flow of international capital, and with the frequency of financial crises increasing, the legitimacy of those institutions will continue to be tested.
However, climate change will be the largest test of our international and domestic institutions. We have already seen how some climate impacts can overwhelm the capacity of even the most powerful among us. Clearly, a strong, legally binding agreement in Paris is absolutely critical, with ambitious mitigation contributions from all countries. The agreement should be guided by a temperature-increase goal of 1.5°C, consistent with our vision of a safe and secure world. It must also ensure that climate financing is available for adaptation, particularly for the most vulnerable countries. And for dealing with the impacts that exceed our adaptation efforts, it should anchor an international mechanism on loss and damage.
The United Nations was created
“to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind”.
At present, climate change, if left unaddressed, promises impacts no less catastrophic for many of our nations.
Today marks the lead-up to a very important milestone in my people’s history — the seventieth anniversary of our return home. During the occupation of my country in the Second World War, Nauruans were forcibly evacuated to what is now Chuuk state in the Federated States of Micronesia. Due to widespread food shortages and the harsh conditions imposed by our
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captors, our population fell to below 1,500. We were in danger of extinction. Nauruans know very well what happens to small, vulnerable countries when the big ones fail to address their problems in a responsible manner.
I strongly believe that many of the major economic Powers want to reach an agreement at the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris. Many have already come forward with meaningful mitigation contributions that will certainly require a great deal of effort to achieve. While we know it is not enough, I do not doubt their sincerity. However, I am starting to doubt whether they are willing and able to make the fundamental changes in their political and economic systems required to achieve our ambitious goals. The intense lobbying to accept an unsatisfactory outcome has already begun, and in the international process, that has often meant that we will be presented with a take-it-or-leave it deal at COP21. Would such an agreement have any legitimacy? Can we solve the climate problem without it?
The number 70 has biblical significance in the Christian faith, as it is composed of the numbers 7 and 10. The number 7 often represents the concept of completeness, while the number 10 often refers to law and responsibility. It is fitting that during the seventieth session of the General Assembly we will complete our work on a new set of global agreements to tackle the challenges of our generation. The number 70 can also represent a period of judgement. We stand at a critical moment in history as civilization outstrips the natural boundaries of our planet. Our response during the next few years will determine the fate of future generations for the next thousand years. Will we continue to march to an inexorable decline? Or will we join together to meet the challenges before us? Thankfully, we still have a choice ,and the widespread recognition of the need for change I have heard during the past week gives me hope that we will make the right one.
May God bless the Republic of Nauru and may God bless the United Nations.