On behalf of the people of Panama, to whom I send a warm embrace from this rostrum, I am pleased to participate in the general debate of the General Assembly in order to share my thoughts on the progress and challenges that lie ahead for my country, the region and the world as they work to ensure peace, welfare and prosperity for our peoples.
I would like to begin by recognizing the Secretary- General for his outstanding work at the United Nations over the past 10 years, in which we have achieved historic agreements aimed at benefiting both present and future generations of humankind.
Panama is a country of dialogue and discussion, a multi-ethnic, multicultural, peace-loving nation, where people from all over the world who have found a new home on our land live and cooperate peacefully. Our motto — “Panama, bridge of the world, heart of the universe” — is growing ever stronger, and we are making progress under a Government committed to the democratic system, called to fulfil the role that stems from our geographical position.
Today I am pleased to inform the Assembly that on 26 June, we succeeded in completing the expansion of the Panama Canal, through which more than 120 New
Panamax ships, capable of carrying cargoes three times larger than previously, have already travelled. The expansion, which was done mainly with Panamanian labour, has filled our nation with rightful pride and joy. With that major step, we Panamanians have fulfilled our commitment to continuing to bring the world closer together, facilitate global trade and put our country at the service of the international community. With the expansion finished, we are now preparing to move forward with studies that will enable us to increase the water-retention capacity of the Canal watershed in order to ensure a sufficient supply of drinking water to our major cities and uninterrupted operation of the inter-oceanic route. I would like to take this opportunity to invite the international community to visit our country and appreciate this masterpiece of engineering.
In Panama, we are working for political reform that gives democracy stability by making sure that it is always based on service to others. Thanks to the contributions of the expanded Canal, and of an honest Government committed to transparency and the efficient management of public funds, Panama is maintaining its economic growth and making rapid progress towards meeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Our Government’s 2014-2019 strategic plan is aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and backed by an aggressive public investment plan, totalling $19 billion, designed to provide all Panamanians with access to potable water, basic sanitation, decent housing and efficient, high- quality health, education, security and transport services. With the aim of eradicating poverty and inequality, we have strengthened and expanded the coverage of our social support system programmes, which now reach 20 per cent of the population. In the area of public health, we have completed the first phase of our national dialogue for effective coordination of the health system. We have conducted mass vaccinations following an outbreak of the H1N1 virus in the region, and through our first national census on preventive health we have done free clinical evaluations of more than 80,000 people over the age of 40.
As a country, we are making the biggest investment in basic sanitation and mass transit in Latin America, areas that account for about 60 per cent of our budget for 2019. Together with our social housing and training programmes for young people at risk, those projects are transforming our neighbourhoods and communities with a new model for human development, with a vision by the State taking into account social criteria and without partisan political distinctions. In the area of education, in a strategic alliance with the private sector, we are allocating the funds needed to develop an educational model with 100 per cent high school attendance, an extended school day and bilingual education, alongside the construction of new, modern higher technical education institutes that can enable our young people to get the well-paid jobs that our growing service economy is generating.
With the support of more than $3 billion in foreign investment in the energy sector, we are diversifying our energy mix with renewable, cleaner types of energy. We have set ourselves the goal of recovering 50 per cent of our deforested areas in the next 20 years and protecting our biodiversity and our oceans. By 2019, we will have built more than 300,000 basic sanitation units in Panamanian homes and housing projects for more than 100,000 families nationwide. We are building 10,000 new classrooms and renovating more than 3,000 public schools across the country. Right now we are making progress in adding another 50 kilometres to our mass transit metro system, which will benefit more than 1.5 million people. Our plan also includes long- term planning for the construction of new hospitals, roads, water treatment plants, aqueducts and sewage and wastewater treatment plants. All these efforts in public investments are being implemented with full fiscal responsibility, an added value of an honest and transparent Government.
In addition, we have developed a set of major reforms and exemplary actions aimed at strengthening our democracy and ensuring transparency and accountability within a framework of respect for the separation of powers and the rule of law. With every passing day, our country comes closer to meeting the SDGs. The range of world-class international services that form the basis of our growing economy makes us ever more committed to being responsible citizens of the world. As a serious, responsible country, Panama is willing to comply with the obligations of international law and to cooperate as a regional partner and strategic ally on trade and security issues.
With the same determination with which we committed to completing the expansion of the Canal and protecting our logistical services, ports and airports from organized crime, we in Panama have accepted responsibility for upholding our financial system and moving forward with the exchange of tax information. Our Administration has enacted important legal and institutional reforms so that we can adopt top international standards in order to comply with the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force on preventing and combating money laundering, terrorist financing and related activities. As I told the Assembly last year (see A/70/PV.19), some weeks ago we reaffirmed our commitment to transparent financial systems and fiscal responsibility with our announcement that Panama will become party to the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and we are going to do that. We will continue to work with the international community to lead efforts to prevent financial systems from being used for purposes that do not represent the common good.
In addressing the serious threats and major challenges that are the purview of the Assembly, we must not forget that relations among States are global. Therefore we cannot allow differences of opinion among two or more countries on a single topic to jeopardize the progress that can be achieved on other bilateral and multilateral issues of common interest and mutual benefit to our peoples.
The world witnessed significant progress made at the Paris summit. This week, Panama will deposit the instrument of ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Our country is moving aggressively to play its part. With the same resolve and commitment, I call on States Members of the Organization to join forces against climate change, pool their efforts and do everything in their power to find comprehensive solutions to the issue of irregular migration flows, and to continue taking solid steps that will allow us to defeat terrorism and organized crime, inequality and poverty.
In recent years, we have witnessed the intensification of terrorist attacks that threaten the peace and security of humankind on a recurring basis. I wish to recognize the men and women fighting terrorism and to express our solidarity with the families of those killed in these attacks. I thank those who are deployed on humanitarian missions around the world, assisting those who flee violence caused by terrorism and armed conflict.
Panama energetically condemns the recent attack perpetrated against a humanitarian aid convoy in Syria. I take this opportunity to call on the great Powers to maintain their diplomatic channels open and pursue dialogue within the framework of the Security Council in order to achieve peace in Syria and the cessation of other armed conflicts in the world.
Yesterday, we Heads of State had the opportunity to discuss in depth the issue of irregular migration flows in our region, which in our case principally involves Haitian citizens who risk and even lose their lives crossing vast distances, rivers and inaccessible territories en route to northern countries in the hope of a better future. We stress our position that all migration policies and measures must be based on the protection of the inherent human right to life. Convinced that controlled migration contributes to justice and equity in the world, Panama therefore reaffirms its commitment to providing humanitarian treatment for migrants, applying strict health and safety controls. I call on all countries of the hemisphere to endorse the successful completion of the electoral process in Haiti and the strengthening of its democratic institutions and economy.
The rapprochement between the Governments of Cuba and the United States is an example of what diplomacy can achieve in order to contribute to the regulation of migration flows, and we expect this new dimension of the foreign policies of both countries to continue developing until the normalization of full diplomatic relations is achieved.
Panama supports the dialogue that is taking place in Venezuela. We believe that the inclusion of the Holy See as a mediator of the process would be very positive, and we reiterate our position that any end to tensions between the political forces of that brotherly nation must be achieved through democratic means and dialogue in order for social peace and respect for human rights to prevail.
On 26 September, we shall accompany the Government of Colombia in the signing of the Final Peace Agreement in that brotherly nation, which we commend and fully support. Our presence at that historic event will not be only to support the Agreement, but also to honour the memory of thousands of members of the Colombian public forces who have died and the thousands of innocent lives lost throughout the conflict.
We congratulate the Government of Colombia and President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón for his determination in the pursuit of peace, and we call on the demobilizing rebel groups to fulfil their obligations, as laid out in the Agreement, in order to consolidate a peace that is so desired and deserved by the Colombian nation. In this context, I acknowledge the Secretariat for its decision to become actively involved in supporting the peace process through to its successful completion.
Despite this great step forward, the region is threatened by increased drug production and trafficking. Panama will therefore continue to strengthen its capabilities and professionalize its public forces in order to protect our homeland and support the countries of our continent in the front-line fight against drug trafficking. During the 27 months of our Government, we have achieved a significant reduction in crime of more than 40 per cent after having launched a successful security plan to prevent and combat crime in Panama, offering more opportunities for young people at risk and a firm hand against delinquency and organized crime. In accordance with our security strategy, we have managed to seize tons of drugs and dismantle networks linked to organized crime.
In the first years of our Government, we reached out to the countries of Asia. With the support of Singapore, we are developing higher technical education in our country, and through the technical assistance and financing of the Government of Japan, Panama will build a 27-kilometer monorail that will benefit hundreds of thousands of Panamanians in the west of our capital city. With Europe, we increased our air connectivity with direct flights to five cities on that continent. With the United States, we have strengthened cooperation in security, and with the countries of our Latin American region we have adopted migration and trade policies that contribute to the development of economic relations and encourage integration.
Two months ago, the Holy See and His Holiness Pope Francis acknowledged our country’s commitment to playing an active role in strengthening unity and peace in the world and guiding young people so that they may continue advancing along the path of education, work and progress. Panama has been chosen to host the next World Youth Day in 2019. This event will bring together more than 500,000 young people from 190 countries and will be a great opportunity to sow the seed of peace among young people in Central America, exchanging violence, mourning and pain for peace, faith and hope. This will promote and consolidate family values, security and the common good.
In the globalized world in which we live, threatened by armed conflict, terrorism, organized crime and humanitarian crises, responsible countries represented in the Assembly must unite to confront these global threats and strengthen the United Nations system. Our canal has expanded, as have our ports and airports. In this way, Panama is each day more prepared to be the great connection. Yet what is most important for me as President is that the Government I lead should prepare us in such a way that this connection is more than merely logistical, and encompasses values and principles that strengthen governability in all nations and guarantee social peace in the world. My Government is committed to its country and to its people, and my nation is committed to placing its riches, capabilities and geographical position at the service of all the world’s inhabitants. This is Panama — the route that unites the world.


At the outset, I am happy to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy- first session. Allow me to wish you great success in your new function and to thank your predecessor, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, for his leadership as President of the General Assembly during the seventieth session. I further wish to commend the stewardship of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban-Ki-moon, and his part in implementing the goals of the Organization.
The situation in my country continues to cause concern throughout the world. The people of Libya appreciate the efforts of all those who have helped and continue to help them get through this very difficult period. After the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement following the Libyan Political Dialogue, which lasted nearly two years, a solution to political disagreements was reached. It established State institutions and the next step to be taken. The agreement is based on the separation of powers. Henceforth, we will spare no effort to implement all the initiatives and peaceful solutions in order to resolve the disagreements.
Every attempt to bring opinions of the various parties closer together — including the ministerial meeting comprising 20 States held this morning — illustrates once again that a political agreement is the only viable solution. We call for follow-up efforts to continue the democratic process and establish stable institutions, so that we can realize the aspirations of the Libyan people, who have been waiting for this outcome since February 2011.
All of us would like to thank neighbouring countries, friendly countries, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations for their support during this difficult time. Despite the fragile situation of my country, the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord of Libya is sparing no effort to mitigate the suffering of the Libyan people and to create security and stability and ensure national reconciliation.
In order to establish the rule of law and its institutions, it is necessary to find the necessary financial resources in order to reach our goals. We therefore urge all States in possession of Libyan financial assets to facilitate the release of such assets in order to enable the Government to implement its policies.
We reiterate our commitment to strengthening the bonds of friendship and the cooperative relations with our brotherly and friendly States in order to achieve our common objectives. In that regard, we call for the return of diplomatic missions to Tripoli so that they can resume their work, and so that we can discuss and coordinate with them directly in implementing joint programmes and overcoming any corresponding difficulties. We understand the concern over security issues, but we are deeply committed to establishing and implementing programmes that will ensure our country’s security.
My country reaffirms its unconditional condemnation and rejection of terrorism, whatever the manifestations, origin and motives. Terrorism is a global phenomenon that cannot be linked to any particular religion or belief. As we know, terrorist groups such as Da’esh are coming to our country from abroad. They are not only threatening the peace and stability of my country but are bent on exploiting our national resources, so that they can use them to reach other States in the region, Africa, Europe and the rest of the world to satisfy their lust for blood — which has no connection to Islam.
All States must therefore consolidate their efforts to eradicate terrorism, which targets innocent victims and creates economic and social instability, preventing their peoples from achieving their economic and development objectives. Despite our limited resources, we are waging a relentless war to eradicate terrorism. All States have witnessed the courage of our armed forces, the Libyan National Army, and our loyal and brave young men. As demonstrated by the war in which our finest died as martyrs defending our country, our unity enables us to confront any enemy, no matter how perfidious. In that regard, we hope that all States, in particular the members of the Security Council, will lift the arms embargo. And we call for the convening of an international high-level conference under the auspices of the United Nations, so that we can consolidate our efforts to fight terrorism.
With respect to human rights, since 2011 legislators in Libya have adopted a series of laws and decisions aimed at strengthening human rights. The Government of National Accord has reaffirmed its commitment to bolstering and protecting human rights. Nevertheless, difficulties arising out of the current transition period have caused a number of security challenges, which have led to several human rights violations. We hope that our efforts to enforce our laws will be supported by the international community. For our part, we will continue to fight impunity and put an end to all practices that lead to human rights violations. We reaffirm our need to receive technical assistance through mechanisms established by the Human Rights Council.
The flow of migrants is one of the main challenges facing us, with many of them crossing the Mediterranean in the hope of reaching Europe. The situation has had serious economic, social and security repercussions in Libya. It pains us to note that civil wars are the cause of this situation, which has led to the deaths of many innocent people on our beaches. Worse still, terrorist organizations have benefited from this situation in order to enable their members to head towards numerous countries across the globe. We welcome the regional and international efforts made in compliance with the principles of respect for national sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of countries and designed to put an end to this phenomenon. We reaffirm that we favour a security-based approach. The appropriate solution will address the underlying causes of this dangerous migration.
We must all assist the countries of origin by implementing worthwhile development projects with a view to ending poverty and unemployment. We believe that in order to achieve this, the countries of origin, transit and destination must develop and implement strategies for cooperation, with the support of the African Union and the European Union and the encouragement of the international community.
Motivated by its commitment to peace and international security, Libya is participating in international disarmament efforts, especially with respect to weapons of mass destruction. My country, after joining the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, announced that it had reserves of chemical products, which it has now disposed of with the help of inspectors from the organization. We therefore welcome Security Council resolution 2298 (2016), which is designed to support Libya in ensuring the transfer of the remainder of its category 2 chemical weapons. In this endeavour, we commend the help of Denmark and Germany and thank those two countries.
Last year we adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals — an ambitious agenda for making economic, social and environmental progress by 2030. The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and its outcome have strengthened our desire to achieve these Goals, upon which we have all agreed. However, words must become actions, and that must be done in an organized and effective way so that we can address the challenges of both today and tomorrow. This means that we are all responsible for supporting poorer countries in their policies and development, particularly those that depend on a single product for their financial resources. We must support them in diversifying their sources of income and in ensuring that their economic institutions reach the necessary level of competence. We must create an environment that is conducive to business.
There is a collective conviction of the need to reform the United Nations, especially the Security Council. The Council in its current form no longer reflects the contemporary realities of the twenty-first century, nor is it capable of addressing all the challenges that threaten international peace and security. We therefore call for a permanent seat on the Security Council, with all the corresponding privileges, to be accorded to the Arab States. In addition, we support the final communiqué of the 2010 Arab Summit in Sirte, and reaffirm the C African position, set out in the Sirte Declaration of 2005, calling for two permanent seats with all corresponding privileges, including the veto. Satisfying this African demand would rectify a history of injustice and exclusion.
Peace in the Middle East will not be possible so long as Israel continues to occupy Palestinian territories, establishing settlements and Judaizing the city of Jerusalem. Israel continues to flout the resolutions of the international community on the rights of the Palestinian people, particularly their right to create an independent State with Jerusalem as its capital. We once again demand that the blockade against the Palestinians be lifted. We call for the protection of the Palestinian people and for the occupying authorities to be obligated to cease all violent actions and all their settlement activities throughout Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem.
The people of Yemen and Syria — our brothers and sisters — have been living for five years now in catastrophic humanitarian conditions owing to the bloody conflicts and their tragic repercussions, which have led to the displacement of innocent citizens. We welcome all efforts to achieve a peaceful solution that will avoid the division and dismantling of these countries and instead fulfil the aspirations of these peoples.
In the light of the responsibility that I have agreed to assume, I wish to conclude by taking this opportunity to affirm my resolve to launch a comprehensive project for national reconciliation for all Libyans — those who live abroad and those who remain in Libya, both in the cities and the countryside, whatever their origin and background, and whatever their political beliefs and intellectual affiliation. I call for reconciliation with those who believe in the establishment of a strong State and a unified army that will defend us from all aggressors. I call for a State that enjoys true sovereignty, where no citizen will be harmed in any way. I call for transitional justice in order to maintain our rights. Libyans, there has been enough destruction and enough bloodshed; let us unite for justice, prosperity and security; let us move towards reconciliation.


Last year, I stood here to assure the General Assembly that isolationism will never be Europe’s policy (see A/71/PV.16). I have not changed my mind, even though the past 12 months have been difficult, not least for the European Union (EU). Europe will always stand for a free and open world governed by the rule of law, in which nations can trade and grow together, instead of living in conflict, mistrust and intrigue. We treat the values upon which the European Union is founded in all seriousness and we have the determination to seek those values in the international arena. If we fail, the world will descend into greater disorder, and the first victims are always the weakest and the poorest.
This Organization is in the process of choosing new leadership. That gives us an opportunity to reflect frankly on the kind of international system that we have today and the one that we want for the future. As a historian, I know why the League of Nations failed in its mission to protect peace and international security. It was paralysed by inertia, fatalism and, finally, by cowardice. As a politician, I can see similar phenomena everywhere today. That is owing to the rise of fear — the fear of war, terrorism and strangers. Globalization makes fear more contagious and more potent. It dangerously links together the anxieties of the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and America. One example, among others, is that of the radical Islam of Da’esh, which spreads terror from Jakarta to Nice, from Tunis to Brussels, from Sirte to Orlando.
When fear takes over, nations increasingly turn away from one another. What we need to do here and now is regain a sense of security, which is a fundamental need for every human being, as important as the need for freedom. No challenge shows that as clearly as the issue of refugee protection and the mass displacement of persons across borders. Over the past several months,
Europe has been confronted by the refugee crisis to a particularly large degree. Nevertheless, in all our actions aimed at solving the problem of refugees, the European Union is driven by empathy and the readiness to offer help to those in need, even if the world turns its back and pretends not to see. And still today, when we restore order on our external borders and take back control from the smugglers, the readiness to assist refugees in their plight remains our top priority.
That is why we have spent billions of euros to fund humanitarian assistance and are willing to spend much more in the months and years to come. It is our hope and expectation that global solidarity will now kick in to provide health, education and jobs for millions of people currently displaced and scale up resettlement. In the light of that, we support the work that has now begun under the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (resolution 71/1) to find a sustainable and fair rule book for global migration. The Declaration gives us hope that the principles that have been at the heart of our response will also form the foundation of the global response to the refugee crisis.
Europe is and will be active everywhere that war is imminent or is already raging. Our main goal will always be peace. That as true for civil wars in the Middle East or Africa as it is for nuclear testing and territorial disputes in Asia. It is also true on our own borders on which Ukraine has been attacked by Russia. Further afield, what now concerns us are the conflicts in Syria, Libya and Afghanistan, in which the very statehood of those countries is in danger. We fully support and stand ready to engage in the work of the United Nations to bring parties to the negotiating table in Syria and in Libya. And in a few weeks, together with the Afghan Government, the European Union will host an international conference in Brussels. It is a unique opportunity for the rest of the world to show that it cares about supporting a stable Afghanistan and the stability of the region as a whole.
This year, we have also witnessed a rising wave of terror worldwide, including against the people of Europe, carried out by many terrorist organizations, in particular by Da’esh. Building a global strategy and network against terrorism is key, including in preventing radicalization and confronting the issues of foreign fighters and terrorist financing. Europe is working with partners from Asia to the Gulf and the Sahel on building up global capacities against violent extremism. We are upgrading our borders to ensure that terrorists cannot pass or re-enter and are working with communities to prevent young people from becoming infected with hatred. This threat will touch all of us sooner or later, which is why we should make better use of the United Nations to fight it together.
The European Union is the world’s largest donor of development and humanitarian aid, and that will not change. The Sustainable Development Goals can drive reform of the international system by offering an opportunity to address many problems in one process — insecurity, poverty, underdevelopment, climate change and uncontrolled migration. And, ultimately, we seek a system that ensures that everybody gets his or her fair share of the benefits of globalization.
Lastly, I would like to say a word about the fight against climate change, to which the EU is fully committed. Europe has had a comprehensive climate-change policy in place for years. Right now we are developing laws that will allow us to reach our ambitious target for 2030, and our ratification of the Paris accord will be completed soon. The fact that the two biggest global emitters have ratified the agreement early is a positive sign. It shows that the readiness to take responsibility for our common future is not limited only to Europe. I am hopeful that this trend will become contagious.
Let me say one more thing at the end: I feel that ordinary people sense that a great change is coming. We should listen. We should understand. We should anticipate, not just react. Our job is to bring back a sense of direction, to bring back confidence, to bring back a sense of order. Globalization needs credible rules to make it stable and fair, whether we are talking about trade, migration or security.


As Mr. Peter Thomson of Fiji assumes the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session, I wish to recognize that historic occasion for Pacific islanders, and express my congratulations to him and his country. I would also like to thank outgoing President Mogens Lykketoft for his leadership during the General Assembly at its seventieth session, during which I made my first appearance here at the United Nations. At that time, I said that holding on to the podium gave me a sense of security and hope that all of us were thinking in the same direction (see A/70/PV.22).
After 10 years of service, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deserves great praise for his effective leadership, during which he championed many issues important to small island developing States, including generating the political momentum needed to address climate change and his push to catalyse the initial capitalization of the Green Climate Fund. Sadly, the funds, generously contributed, have been slow in flowing to needy States, thereby contributing to painful delays in the implementation of mitigation and adaptation projects.
The Federated States of Micronesia today celebrates its twenty-fifth year of membership in the Organization. At the time we joined, following the end of the Cold War, there was a great sense of optimism that the long-standing obstacles to world peace and progress had been relegated to the past. Today, while there has been progress towards the great goals of the Organization, it must be said without hesitation that much remains to be done.
The reform of our United Nations, most important that of the Security Council, has remained on the agenda now for a quarter of a century, which evokes characteristics of an era that needs forgetting. Twenty- five years ago, the small island developing States cried out for action against human-induced climate change, while stressing that we literally faced extinction as nations and as oceanic cultures, owing to surging sea levels and the related consequences. I must concede that our voices have not been entirely unheard. We stand today, at last, many nations united to confront this dark, glaring reality. However, even in the relatively short span of 25 years the relentless advance of climate change has outpaced our efforts to deal with it — so that today, while all countries must consider themselves vulnerable, the small island developing States are dealing with an already clear and present danger — the adverse impact of climate change.
Over the years of my country’s membership in this union of hope, we have observed what I would refer to as glacial progress, were it not for the fact that the glaciers themselves are now melting. Nevertheless, we, along with everyone in this Hall, must remain committed to the great mandates that we so boldly assigned ourselves: the eradication of poverty, the advancement of international peace and security, universal adherence to human rights principles, the protection of our oceans and their resources, and better stewardship of our entire planet.
The list goes on, and it is familiar to all of us. We read it out each year at the general debate and in conference halls around the world. Yet, despite our proclamations and declarations, we seem to be pivoting not too far from where we started. Our peoples look to us for progress beyond repetitive words.
On the issue of international refugees, Pacific Islanders live in a zone that emanates peace, and it pains us that the global menace of terrorism continues to spread worldwide. It seems that we are helpless to stop the tide of fear and violence — fear that affects millions of innocent civilians, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, to the point that they must suppress their human dignity and knock on a stranger’s door to seek shelter from the turmoil of war. The question is, will we answer?
As small island countries in the Pacific and as members of this family of nations, we plead with the Security Council to take greater action and respond to that global crisis, if not for the mothers and fathers, then at least for the children, whose innocence allows them to play between tents and be happy at the sight of strange food in a bowl.
We would like to know what is happening with the ceasefire in Syria. Even from the Pacific, we have an interest in that question. What are the United States and Russia doing about it? What is Syria doing about it? We know they have the power to do more, and we ask them to please do so.
On the issue of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which is part of the Asia-Pacific region, the Federated States of Micronesia is concerned about the peace and long-term stability of the region. Together with other nations, the Federated States of Micronesia condemns the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s ongoing provocative actions and rhetoric. Unchecked, the Pacific Ocean, the same ocean that we speak of saving for all our sakes, may become a battleground. One truly wonders why Beijing and Moscow seem unconcerned that a missile could stray their way. I ask them to please intercede on behalf of all of us. On that note, the people of Micronesia look forward to the day when nuclear weapons will become a thing of the past, remembered only with great disdain and regret.
On the issue of Security Council reform, I have heard the phrase “fit for purpose” often used at the United Nations. We continue to see the need for a reformed United Nations that is not only fit for purpose, but also dynamic, changing its modus operandi to keep in step with changing world circumstances, accepting new methods like Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s example of a smartphone on the first day of the general debate (see A/71/PV.8), and needing to move in pace with changes. The United Nations must be able to focus on preventive diplomacy around the world and not be limited to dealing with hot spots. I totally agree with that position. And yes, the United Nations must be a catalyst for peace — a peacekeeper, more than a peacemaker. The Security Council, entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, must adapt to modern times and reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. However, as an arm of the United Nations, the Council can be credible and effective only if properly empowered and adequately supported by Member States. In that regard, the Federated States of Micronesia reiterates its support for the Group of Four countries being made permanent members of the Council.
It is interesting how we stand at this rostrum and talk about disabilities. In that regard, I have noticed that many of us leaders who come up here to speak also seem to have disabilities. We are colour-blind, unable to see the difference between green and red. I apologize for that, and I will try to be brief.
The Group of Asia and the Pacific Small Island Developing States has long advocated for climate and security to become a regular focus of the Security Council. The Group also submitted a proposal on the subject to the World Humanitarian Summit, calling for a special representative in the United Nations system to be dedicated to the issue of climate and security. Momentum appears to be on our side, and we hope that the Secretary-General, while he is still with us, will appoint such a special representative, adding to his legacy as a champion of climate change.
The selection of a new Secretary-General should involve the whole membership. That would help to ensure that the new head of the Organization has the political support of all Members and is responsive, responsible and effective on behalf of all, not just select, elite, nations.
On sustainable development, the work of the United Nations rests on three pillars: peace and security, development and human rights. This is the first year of implementation after the international community adopted a number of milestone agreements in 2015 — on disaster-risk reduction, financing for development, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
From the High-level Political Forum exercise held in July, we learned that integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our national plans will be daunting, and that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work. Presenting a true picture of our national circumstances should not be a burden on small island developing States. In addition, the United Nations should consider the statistics for countries with fewer than 100,000 people, so as to ensure an inclusive process and so that truly no one is left behind. Many of the challenges before the United Nations can be addressed only through the collective work of its membership. Support and partnerships are recognized as essential to making the SDGs universal and transformative for lives on the ground, and national ownership is critical.
On the issue of fisheries and oceans, while we may be known as Pacific small island developing States here at the United Nations, there is another term that we often use, which is “big ocean States”. The Federated States of Micronesia alone has 607 islands, spread across 3 million square kilometres of the Pacific. We are custodians of some of the world’s richest biodiversity and marine resources, and have pledged to conserve 30 per cent of our near-shore marine areas under the Micronesia Challenge, a regional effort to preserve the natural resources that are crucial to the survival of Pacific traditions, cultures and livelihoods. Our conservation efforts directly benefit my country’s sustainable use of its ocean fisheries.
Speaking of cultural preservation, I would like to thank UNESCO for its recent designation of our ancient ruins of Nan Madol as a UNESCO World Heritage site, a feat of construction that truly matches, if not surpasses, the wonders of the Egyptian Pyramids. As for climate change, the United Nations remains the last and best hope for galvanizing the necessary political will and commitment for advancing our global agenda on climate change. From this rostrum and elsewhere, leaders from small island developing States, like many others, have called upon the States Members of our Organization, especially world leaders, to step up and take charge by calling for the urgently needed mitigation and financing initiatives to implement climate-change agreements.
Current Government commitments fall considerably short of even reaching the 2°C goal that we agreed to in Paris. The recent ratification of the Paris Agreement by more than 30 countries, including virtually all Pacific island countries, raises our hopes and expectations that others will soon follow suit.
On the issue of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, standing here one year ago, I described the Federated States of Micronesia’s long-standing efforts to amend the Protocol to phase down hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) use, and I thanked new supporters and noted that the proposals were finally bearing fruit (see A/70/PV.22). HFCs are the fastest- growing greenhouse gases in the world. They are also extremely potent, producing warming effects hundreds to thousands of times greater than those of carbon dioxide per ton. Phasing down HFCs will help prevent warming emissions equivalent to almost 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2050. Thanks to the many countries that have supported the phase-out proposal, as set forth in the Montreal Protocol, that crusade has gained new momentum.
Like others, I welcome the progress in the diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. My country, too, has established diplomatic relations with Cuba, but even if we had not entered into that relationship for sovereign recognition and partnership, we, the Federated States of Micronesia, a State Member of the United Nations, would still lend our strong support to resolution 70/120. We ask the United States to accelerate its consideration of and process towards lifting the embargo imposed on Cuba. Along the same lines, I applaud the peace accord reached among the people of Colombia. There may be sceptics as to the truce’s viability, but let us give peace a chance by applauding the great effort and praying for its success. ¡Viva Colombia!
Every year, before coming to the General Assembly, the Pacific Islands Forum meets to review and recommend our positions on issues worthy of bringing before the Assembly. Earlier this month, Heads of State and Government convened for the forty-seventh annual meeting of the Forum in Micronesia. At that meeting, French Polynesia and New Caledonia were seated as full members of the Forum, while the Federated States of Micronesia became a member of the small island States. Climate change, oceans, health and human rights and partnership featured prominently on our agenda. On climate change, the Forum reaffirmed its position that achieving the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the average global temperature increase to 1.5°C degrees above pre-industrial levels is an existential matter for many Forum members, and that it must be addressed with paramount urgency. The Forum also observed that the Paris Agreement must be brought into force before the end of 2016, or as soon as possible, even tomorrow.
On oceans, the Forum reaffirmed that the Pacific region’s most important natural resource is our ocean. To that end, the Forum leaders endorsed the Pohnpei Oceans Statement: A Course to Sustainability. In the Statement, the Forum reaffirmed that the ocean is the basis for the livelihoods of Pacific peoples, and further noted the valuable opportunity presented by the United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. The Statement further urges the timely and comprehensive conclusion of the Preparatory Committee process, established to make substantive recommendations to the General Assembly on the elements of a draft text of an international, legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
On fisheries, the Forum called for action to end illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and associated activities, including high-seas bunkering, human trafficking, and illicit trade. The Forum further urged flag States to exercise more diligent efforts in carrying out their flag-State responsibilities and maintaining control of their nationals.
Our faith in the Organization rests not on the hope that its goals can be reached within a certain time frame, whether it be 25 years or 71 years. Rather, it rests on our confidence that nothing is impossible among like-minded nations willing to unite in sustained efforts. In that regard, this Organization, the greatest convocation ever devised by man, will continue to light our way and that of future generations.
I will end my remarks with a quotation. Right after the First World War, President Wilson wanted to see the creation of an organization that would prevent all future wars. In that regard, he said,
“A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small States alike.”
An evident principle ran through the whole programme, namely, the principle of justice for all peoples and nationalities and their right to live on equal terms of liberty and safety with one another — whether they be strong or weak.


I greet the General Assembly on behalf of myself, my country and my nation with the utmost respect. I hope the seventy- first session of the General Assembly will succeed in its purposes and will lead to favourable results for all countries and nations.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Peter Thomson on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session, and I thank His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft for his work during his presidency during the previous session, while wishing him luck in his future endeavours.
I would also like to thank His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon for his valuable contributions as he ends his 10- year tenure as Secretary-General, during which he served in a time of global challenges.
Within the first quarter of the twenty-first century, humankind has reached a peak in achievements in science, technology, economic development and health. However, such brilliance has also a very dark and disgraceful side. In Syria, in Iraq and in many countries suffering in the grip of terrorism and war, hundreds of thousands of women and children, the young and the elderly, are being killed. Refugees fleeing death, tyranny and oppression are, unfortunately, also facing degrading treatment in many European cities.
Terrorist organizations, such as Da’esh and the Al-Nusra Front and the Democratic Union Party and Kurdish People’s Protection Units, continue their attacks and actions in the region. There is also great potential for the disputes in the Caucasus region to unfold into a full-fledged conflict. Many problems, from Yemen to Ukraine, are of particular urgency, while peoples in countries throughout the world struggle with hunger, epidemics, poverty and illiteracy.
That is the disgraceful side of our world, damaging human dignity and disturbing the human conscience. What is even more distressing is that many of those crises and problems could easily be resolved. Peace, prosperity and security for future generations greatly depend on the steps and measures that we take today. Now is the moment to show leadership with a sense of responsibility in addressing the problems before us decisively.
Today, terrorist organizations are able to employ a variety of methods. On the night of 15 July, we in Turkey suffered a malicious coup attempt initiated by the Fethullah terrorist organization, also know as Fethull. That terrorist organization murdered 241 citizens and injured 2,194 people. Our Parliament building, the presidential complex and many security organizations and law-enforcement units were bombed by the terrorist organization, using F-16 fighter jets. Tanks rolled through the streets and over people. Helicopters and military vehicles opened fire on civilians. The coup attempt was successfully repelled by our nation, which heroically preserved its democracy, Government, freedoms and future and the constitutional order.
I therefore take pride in my nation’s people, which defeated that heinous coup attempt at the risk of their lives. For a period of 29 days the people never abandoned the city squares of Turkey, remaining on call to protect our democracy. They threw their bodies in the way of tanks so as to repel the coup attempt. They took a very noble stand. If I am standing here before the Assembly today, it is because of our nation’s brave and noble reaction. It should never be forgotten that the coup attempt in Turkey was aimed at democracy throughout the world as well. Our nation taught a historical lesson to those intending to carry out coup attempts and became a source of inspiration for all nations committed to protecting democracy.
The new generation of terrorist organizations poses a security threat, not only for Turkey but also for all 170 countries around the world in which such organizations exist. In other words, today the majority of the countries represented here in the General Assembly are currently under the threat of such clandestine structures. The terrorist organizations work on the premise of a deep-rooted psychological heresy aimed at subduing the whole world far beyond the borders of Turkey. The members are deviant in their actions. The basic strategy of the terrorist organizations is to infiltrate State institutions, influencing society and dominating economic resources under the disguise of education, dialogue, tolerance, non-governmental organizations and the best of intentions.
From this rostrum, I would like to call on all our friends to take the necessary measures against the Fethullahist terrorist organization in their own countries in order to protect the future of their own people and their well-being. Based on our experience, it is evident that, if you do not fight against the Fethullahist terrorist organization now, tomorrow may be too late. I would also like to take this opportunity to say that attributions such as “Turkish” or “Turkey” and all other similar labels used by that terrorist organization and the persons associated with it have no relation with Turkey.
The humanitarian crisis in Syria has reached its sixth year. To date, 600,000 people have reportedly lost their lives, and, because of the war, 12 million people have had to leave their country, 5 million of whom have taken refuge in other countries. There are now 2.7 million such people in our country. They were forced to leave their homes behind and have been welcomed in Turkey. We have never asked why they ended up in Turkey. Our doors are wide open. We have not shut our doors in their faces, because they were fleeing barrel bombs and fighter jets. For those people, we have had to assume our responsibilities and do what was expected of us.
While the West and the rest of the world might not do so, we will continue to welcome them, because we are human beings. In the face of such an atrocity, we are obliged to keep our doors open to all those fleeing tyranny and oppression. We have opened our doors and kept them open. And we will continue to open our doors in the future. The international community has, unfortunately, remained indifferent to the suffering of people in conflict zones. The numbers that we have mentioned correspond to human beings.
The Syrian people are in a state of exhaustion in the grip of proxy wars that have been shaped by a cruel Administration, merciless terrorist organizations and global and regional competition. In that process, unfortunately, the international community has failed to live up to its humanitarian values and its collective conscience.
To date, Turkey has spent approximately $25 billion on the refugees, including money directed to non-governmental organizations and municipalities. Members might ask: what has Turkey received from the rest of the world? From the United Nations, we have received only $525 million in aid and nothing else. Have we received anything from the European Union (EU)? The EU made certain promises, which have, unfortunately, not been kept. It has allocated $178 million to UNICEF. That is all. Turkey itself has not directly received any aid whatsoever in financial terms.
Since the beginning of the conflict, we have claimed that the problem was a common question for the rest of the world. We have been establishing close contacts in solidarity with influential international figures. The Syrians are our neighbours and brothers and sisters. We could not remain silent in the face of such tragedy and carnage. We have never remained silent and never will. Currently, 2.7 million refugees are being housed in our country, along with 300,000 Iraqis. A total number of 3 million refugees have never been subjected to any ethnic or religious discrimination in Turkey. We have opened our arms wide.
In addition to the tent and container cities in which we accommodate the refugees in Turkey, we will continue to provide all forms of support commensurate with our capabilities. We expect the EU and all other organizations that have pledged financial support to rise to the occasion. We expect them to keep their promises. Similarly, we expect the United Nations to keep its promises. I hope and pray that the General Assembly at its seventy-first session will loudly convey that message to the rest of the world, because the contributions of the international community should not be limited $512 million s. What is one to think?
From this rostrum, I call upon the rest of the world, including my European friends who believe that the Syrian refugees represent a threat and clear danger to them. Barbed wire and high walls will never provide them with the safety, security or peace of mind that they are seeking. That effort is in vain. The problems of the Syrian refugees should be immediately solved once and for all. Otherwise, we will never be able to prevent the irregular migration, social issues and security risks embedded within that problem. We must not lose any more time in ending the conflict, the terrorism and the environment of persecution, which are the sources of the problem in Syria. We must urgently implement a political settlement process. We attach great importance to protecting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We have no claims whatsoever on Syrian territory. Syria belongs to the Syrian people. No one should ever have any plans whatsoever with regard to the territory of Syria.
Starting with our support for the Syrian opposition, what is known as Operation Euphrates Shield was launched, which is critical to re-establishing stability, peace and prosperity in a region of despair. It became clear that, with the launching of that operation, the priority of the terrorist organization Kurdish Workers Party, or of the Kurdish Democratic Party, is in not fighting against Da’esh. The operation — or offensive, as some prefer to call it — has also boosted the self-confidence of the moderate Syrian opposition forces. Furthermore, that development has provided encouragement to the local forces in Iraq that are eager to cleanse Mosul of the terror sowed by Da’esh.
As those who are present here are probably aware, for a long time I have appealed for the establishment of a safe zone along our border with Syria, which at more than 900 kilometres is the longest border with Syria. Along that border, Turkey has been continuously under threat. We have been extremely patient. However, on 24 August, in the city of Gaziantep, next to the Syrian border, a wedding party was attacked by a 14-year-old suicide bomber, a boy sent there by Da’esh terrorists. The blast killed 56 people and injured more than 100. We were patient until that critical moment. That was the precise time when we said, enough is enough.
Along with the moderate opposition, we initiated the offensive. Primarily in Jarabulus, we have eliminated Da’esh and extended operations all the way to Al-Rai, where Da’esh was repelled. The local inhabitants of Jarabulus were resettled, as were those from Al-Rai. From A’zaz to the Euphrates, the entire region was saved from becoming a belt of terrorism. Instead, it was converted into a belt of peace. The operation we are conducting today has the eventual goal of protecting that safe zone and ensuring that it is in fact safe.
The people of Jarabulus were saved from the grip of the terrorists and are confident in returning to their homes. The electrical and water infrastructure will be made operational immediately. The Turkish Red Crescent, Turkish humanitarian aid organizations and all of the other non-governmental organizations have mobilized to meet the needs of the local inhabitants. All of the civil facilities needed by the local inhabitants will be constructed in the near future. In order to make that possible, the areas officially designated as safe zones should also be declared as no-fly zones. We must maintain a firm stand so as to ensure that a no-fly zone will be established for the protection and security of the region’s inhabitants.
It is unfortunate that the ceasefire, a process that has received enormous investment, has failed. As is clear, a ceasefire is no longer possible. Yesterday, a United Nations convoy was attacked by the regime’s forces, resulting in the death of one person and many others injured.
The Syrian regime has not allowed aid deliveries supervised by the United Nations to reach the people of Aleppo, who are in dire need. They are also attacking United Nations convoys. The regime is condemning people to famine and suffering, in order to encourage them to surrender or to die. The United Nations and the Security Council should no longer tolerate the regime’s policies.
In Iraq it is clear that it will not be easy to establish a political system to effectively protect its ethnic and sectarian diversity, which makes up the greatest underlying strength of the country. Within that context, the Mosul operation should be conducted by taking into consideration the sensitivities of the people of the region. Otherwise, a new humanitarian crisis will emerge, leading to the influx of yet another 1 million people seeking refuge in other countries. We cannot leave the Iraqi people alone at this critical juncture, when they need the support of the international community now more than ever.
Allowing the Palestinian people to live in an independent Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-State solution, is an obligation of the international community to Palestinian children, if nothing else. Israel, especially, should respect the sanctity of the Temple Mount and put an end to violations of its status.
We will try to benefit from our normalized relations with Israel to facilitate the peace process and resolve the economic and humanitarian challenges faced by our Palestinian brothers and sisters through every possible effort. In that vein, we will continue our efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.
That brings me to a very important point. The World Humanitarian Summit was held in May, in Turkey, for the first time in history. We consider that Summit to have provided an important opportunity to explore new ways of more effective crisis intervention around the world. In that connection, I would like to be clear in my remarks. With respect to providing support to the least developed countries around the world, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States rank among the top three donors. But in the ratio comparing the amount of humanitarian aid to gross domestic product, Turkey is ranked number one in the world.
We are the country housing the most significant number of refugees around the world, and we are doing everything within our ability to stop irregular migration. Upon Turkey’s initiative, the subject of Syrian refugees was addressed by the General Assembly last year for the first time. Similarly, migration and terrorism were incorporated into the Group of 20 agenda, thanks to Turkey’s efforts. We are cooperating with the European Union on the refugee crisis to the greatest extent possible.
Based on the goal of preventing deaths in the Aegean Sea, we have succeeded in reducing the irregular migration number to 50 people per day; whereas, in October 2015, that number had reached 7,000 per day. That shows that Turkey has successfully fulfilled its commitments under the framework of the refugee agreement with the EU. However, we regret that the promises made by the EU in the context of the agreement of 18 March have been forgotten, while ongoing false pretexts prevail and excuses are all that we hear.
The Security Council must be reformed to improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping and peacebuilding. We fully appreciate Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s progress in that respect. Furthermore, it is obvious that, unless the Security Council, as the main organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, is reformed, such efforts will be in vain and the task will remain unfulfilled.
That is why we say that the world is greater than the five permanent members. We have been reminding the international community of that fact over and over again with every chance we get. The Security Council was established in the aftermath of the Second World War. One cannot preserve the same structure of the Council under the circumstances of modern times. One cannot condemn the fate of the rest of the world to depend on what the five permanent members in the Security Council say. There are five permanent seat-holders and 10 non-permanent seat-holders in the Security Council. That is not a proper Security Council. A Council that does not represent the entire world can never serve to re-establish peace and justice around the world. That is something that we need to revisit over and over again. Can everyone think about that — three European countries, one country in Asia and one country, the United States of America, of course — five countries as the permanent seat-holders? What about the rest of the world? What about the other countries around the world? They have remained on the sidelines. We ignore them.
Instead, why not have 20 countries as permanent seat-holders in the Security Council, under a rotational system? In that system, each country would, deservedly, be represented on the Security Council every year or every two years. That is the only way to establish fairness and justice. The representative nature of the Security Council should be established so that the organ will be much more effective, more just.
In order for that to be possible, the General Assembly has to reach complete consensus. Please do not even consider remaining silent, or else we cannot achieve anything. We cannot succeed in our policies. We have to engage in spying, so to say. We have to be strong. We have to stand on our two feet, and talk about the truth and nothing but the truth. We have to stand behind the truth. We are the politicians. Only in that way can the world attain the level of justice that it yearns for. This is the only way to achieve democracy.
Islamophobia is an alternate name for racism and discrimination. We see it prevailing in countries with a large Muslim population. About a decade ago, along with the then Prime Minister of Spain, we co-chaired the initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations project that aimed to find permanent solutions to such dangerous movements that threaten our prosperity around the world. Similarly, we are also glad that interest in the Mediation for Peace Initiative that we pioneered along with Finland in 2010 under the auspices of the United Nations has increased.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which we have jointly developed, includes ambitious and transformative goals for us all. Official development assistance makes up the most important resource for supporting development efforts, notably for the least developed countries (LDCs). Turkey’s official development assistance reached $3.9 billion in 2015. As I have previously mentioned, the 0.54 per cent of our gross domestic product, which is the ratio of humanitarian aid that we provide, is beyond the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average and helps us approach the United Nations target, which is 0.7 per cent. Turkey has surpassed its commitment to provide $200 million annually to LDCs in 2011, and has delivered more than $1.5 billion to LDCs in a mere five-year period.
Before concluding my remarks, I hope and pray that the seventy-first session of the General Assembly will be the beginning of a new age to alleviate the pain and suffering of people around the world, and that it will help us change our world.


It is now 71 years since our Organization, the United Nations, was created to ensure peace, security, cooperation, economic development and respect for human rights worldwide. During those 71 years, our Organization has been successful in those areas. That success would have been impossible without the work and unwavering dedication shown by the tens of thousands of women and men employed today by the United Nation. I would like to take this opportunity to honour them.
I also pay tribute to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has led our Organization with courage and wisdom throughout the past decade. I congratulate him on his work, particularly regarding the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, where his commitment proved instrumental, and also for his role in the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Finally, I would like to express once again our gratitude for his commitment to Africa, and to the Niger in particular. We could always count on his support during the multifaceted crises that our country has experienced in recent years.
In September last year, we adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to eradicate poverty by that year and leave no one behind in the process. At the heart of that project is our commitment to place mankind at the centre of development and meet the requirements and limitations of our planet Earth in terms of our production and consumption habits.
Two months later, the adoption of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change came to complete that important campaign through a package of actions aiming, on the one hand, at limiting the rise in the average global temperature to less than 2°C, thanks to courageous measures to mitigate the causes of climate change, and on the other hand, at taking measures to strengthen resilience in the face of climate change. Therefore, the theme of this session — “The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world” — is very much in line with the transformational vision and mission of the climate-change programme.
The evaluation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in late 2015 showed that even though not all the Goals were met, remarkable progress had indeed been made. We note in that connection that in the fight against poverty, the goal of halving the number of people living in extreme poverty was achieved in 2010. Similarly, in education, the number of school- age children not in school was halved, and in the health area, infant and maternal mortality was also halved.
Unfortunately, those positive results hide huge disparities and inequalities. In fact, those results were strongly influenced by progress in Asia and Latin America owing to high and sustained growth rates there over the period. African countries, especially those in the sub-Saharan region, have seen little progress and continue to face significant challenges in terms of development and the fight against poverty.
The results obtained through the achievement of the MDGs are the starting point from which we begin our journey towards fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Our capacity to achieve our goals by that deadline will depend on our ability to change political and economic conditions, both in individual countries and on a global scale. It will also depend on our ability to honour the commitments we undertook at the Paris Conference on Climate Change.
Turning to political and economic conditions, the current situation does not inspire optimism. It is, therefore, essential that we create a new type of political and economic governance worldwide. In the economic sphere, it is obvious that the functioning of the global economy must be fully re-evaluated. We need to find a better balance between speculative financial capital and industrial capital by orienting more capital towards the real economy. Such a new approach would enable developing countries to receive more capital and more investment. That, in turn, would sustain stronger economic growth, which would lead to global economic growth and stability.
International measures to support direct foreign investment in the least developed countries are important, something that we should put in place as soon as possible. They are crucial in the framework of the support that that group of countries requires in order to realize economic and social development. The fact that such a programme seeks to strengthen assistance to those countries that need it most, specifically the least developed countries, reveals the inclusive dimension of the programme. We welcome in particular the willingness to step up the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020, reaffirmed in the Istanbul Declaration, and the Programme of Action resulting from the Midterm Review Conference for the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries, held in Antalya, Turkey, last May.
The Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries, whose first three-year strategic plan was approved by its governing body in July, will be commissioned in 2017 and will be a valuable instrument for promoting infrastructure development, diversifying production and creating added value. That is essential for strengthening income-generation and increasing the incomes of people in those countries.
Reforming the international financial system, creating new possibilities for access to sources of financing, and establishing an adequate framework for restructuring sovereign debt are all are indispensable measures if we are to strengthen the economic capabilities of developing countries in the area of financing sustainable development. The same applies to mobilizing the private sector and encouraging it to take a greater stake in working towards the goals of collective development.
With regard to the United Nations, we encourage the long-term positioning of United Nations funds, programmes and agencies to favour development. Such an approach is about promoting consistency and complementarity, which are key for the development work of those entities to be effective. Programmes that are at the centre of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must make it possible for Africa to become better integrated into global trade. But that integration will be beneficial to the continent only if we put an end to the unequal terms of trade.
Several studies have in fact demonstrated that if the share of African countries in global trade were to increase by only 1 per cent, that would provide additional annual income of more than $200 billion — about five times the amount received by Africa in the form of official development assistance. Concretely, Africa would receive greater resources if the unequal exchanges were discontinued.
Africa must also have the firm political resolve to develop intra-African commerce, which now accounts for only 10 per cent of trade. We need for it to reach a level that would strengthen our position in global trade.
Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals will be feasible only with greater synergy in action, robust solidarity and, most importantly, respect for all of the commitments undertaken by the global partnerships for development.
On the political front, the United Nations needs thorough reform. The governance of the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, needs to be reviewed. That process is long overdue. The Organization should be made effective and legitimate in the way it addresses essential issues of peace and international security. The reform must rectify the existing anachronisms — both the current system of geographical representation in the Council, and the methods whereby decisions are taken. The consequences of those methods are sometimes disastrous and have had effects that are the opposite of what is sought.
On the modalities of Security Council decision-making, it is essential that the countries most affected in issues before the Council, especially the neighbouring countries of countries in conflict, be involved and heard in the conflict-resolution process. Neighbouring countries, which often share the same communities on both sides of the borders, are the first to suffer from the effects of conflict. The Council must therefore absolutely take into account the concerns expressed by those countries so as to avoid situations of the kind that currently exists in Libya.
The field of peacekeeping operations is of particular interest to the Niger, a country that is engaged in a merciless struggle against terrorism and in protecting its territory. Based on experience, and faced with the evidence of the inadequacy of current approaches to peacekeeping, which have shown their limits on many occasions, we are convinced that those approaches can and should be improved. In that regard, the Niger believes that the mandates of certain United Nations missions urgently need revision so as to strengthen their offensive capabilities, with a view to improving their ability to respond to the challenge of protecting civilians.
My country fully supports a major strategic change, particularly given the general trend of attacks by warring parties and other non-State groups against civilians.
For the populations concerned, it is inconceivable that, in the face of terrorist acts and abuses inflicted on local people, the peacekeeping missions deployed on the ground to protect them are powerless to avert the imminent massacres of civilians at the most crucial moments. The missions must be able to take decisive and effective action.
In reality, no one can predict what is going to happen between now and 2030. All we can say is that we will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals unless there is a profound change in political and economic governance. We live in an uncertain world. We live in an unstable world that is facing all types of visible and invisible threats. Achieving the SDGs in an unstable and chaotic world will therefore be a non-linear, unstable and chaotic process that can suffer great impacts from small things.
I recall the famous metaphor of the so-called butterfly effect, whereby a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can cause a storm in Texas. The butterfly effect is that drop of water that makes the vase overflow. The signs of tension that we see here and there in the world can be the little sparks that might provoke a vast fire. These signs of tension are currently being obscured by the fight against terrorism, but the rivalries and other competitions among the great Powers can lead to irreparable consequences.
Small countries often bear the costs of the rivalries of the great Powers and suffer the consequences of some of their failures to understand. The chaos that we are currently seeing in Libya and its impacts on neighbouring countries attest to that fact. Those effects and the presence of terrorist organizations in northern Mali and in the Lake Chad Basin, where Boko Haram is committing atrocities, could irreparably compromise the ability of the countries affected to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. In the Niger, where Boko Haram carries out regular incursions, we have more than 167,000 internally displaced persons, about a 100,000 refugees at risk of starvation and epidemics, and more than 18,000 children who cannot go to school. It is therefore urgent that we stabilize the situation in Libya. It is urgent that we help Libya to emerge from that chaos. It is urgent that we stabilize Mali and neutralize terrorists. It is urgent that we support the Multinational Joint Task Force that is operating in the Lake Chad Basin against Boko Haram.
The terrorist threats at our doorstep have led our country to redirect significant resources to the security sector. Without that, the Niger could have achieved the Millennium Development Goals and started the process of implementing the SDGs under much better conditions. Ten per cent of our budgetary resources have been oriented towards defence and security. In spite of that, the Niger was able to reduce poverty from 63 per cent in 2011 to 45 per cent in 2015, to achieve MDG 1, on reducing extreme hunger and poverty by half, Goal 4, on significantly reducing child and maternal mortality, and the MDG target on access to water and sanitation in urban areas.
Our recovery programme will allow us to further improve those results and move toward the implementation of the SDGs. My ambition is to leave the country, at the end of my last term, radically transformed — a Niger where democratic institutions are stronger, where the fight against corruption has made great strides, and where inequalities have been beaten back and the middle class has grown; a united, peaceful and safe Niger with zero hunger and well equipped with infrastructure of every kind; a Niger that has made good progress on its demographic transition process, where school is free and compulsory for all persons under 16 years, where 40 per cent of our children attend vocational and technical training and leave with a trade or profession, and where universities train the most competent professionals for the subregion; a Niger with access to health, where clean water and sanitation are ensured and where employment, specifically for young people, is abundant; and, finally, a country resolutely engaged on the way to the unity of our continent — in other words, a Niger resolutely set along the way to the Sustainable Development Goals.


It pleases me at the outset to convey my heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Peter Thomson on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session. I also seize this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon for his exemplary stewardship of the Organization as Secretary-General throughout the past decade. As he leaves office at the end of this year, I wish him the very best in his future endeavours. He will be remembered for the rich legacy that he is leaving behind.
Last year, the Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, setting new benchmarks that will shape our future. We acknowledged the importance of every Goal, every target and every indicator as steps towards a better world. Our collective response and our solidarity in the face of the challenges that will arise as we try to carve out a sustainable world will determine whether we succeed in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each country has its priorities and will need to formulate a unique set of actions in order to achieve the universal goals that we have set for ourselves.
In that context, the United Nations will have an important role to play in supporting the efforts of individual countries. In Mauritius, we have chosen to focus our attention primarily on the eradication of extreme forms of poverty. My Government, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme, has already undertaken to establish a social register of those living in dismal conditions and who require targeted measures and assistance.
As a first unprecedented measure, we have introduced in this year’s national budget a subsistence allowance for the extreme poor based on a threshold of 2,720 Mauritian rupees per adult. That threshold is 40 per cent higher than the World Bank International Extreme Poverty Line of of $3.10 per day per individual, calculated on the basis of purchasing power parity.
There are yet many miles to go, and we will resolutely pursue our journey towards attaining all of the SDGs by working together with the private sector and civil society. We are fully committed to creating a more equitable system, to safeguarding rule of law and to ensuring equal access to justice for all, as encapsulated in Goal 16 on peace and justice. The United Nations will be tested in the effort to achieve Goal 16 on an international scale, for we are conscious of the power of ‘Might against right’. Nevertheless, Mauritius will persevere in its fight for the vulnerable.
For a small island developing State like ours, Goal 13 on climate action and Goal 14 on the oceans are of paramount importance for our survival. We are pleased that we have now crossed the first threshold for the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The 60 countries that have ratified the Agreement are responsible for 47.76 per cent of global emissions. For small island developing States (SIDS), the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement is of paramount importance.
The tourism industry in SIDS faces particular challenges owing to the negative effects of global warming. Taking measures to reverse that trend is essential to us in order to preserve marine and coastal ecosystems and biodiversity, and to foster the clean and sustainable use of our oceans. Mauritius will ensure that the steps it takes to advance its ocean economy are in synergy with sustainability principles.
In that context, I am pleased to inform the Assembly that on 1 and 2 September Mauritius, with the support of the World Bank, hosted the African Ministerial Conference on Ocean Economies and Climate Change. The Mauritius Communiqué, which encapsulates the outcome of the Conference, will serve as an input for the Green Climate Fund Africa Dialogue to be held next month in Cape Town. Mauritius will also contribute to the discussions at the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Maritime Security and Safety and Development in Africa, scheduled for 15 October in Togo, and at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, from 7 to 18 November, in Morocco.
Let me highlight the fact that during the Conference in Mauritius, African Ministers, along with our development partners — in particular the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — agreed that a technical and financial assistance package is imperative in order to support ocean economies and ensure the resilience of oceans and coastal areas to climate change. We look forward to the adoption of such a package at the Climate Change Conference in Morocco.
Addressing the causes and effects of climate change will require robust determination and strong political will, as well as extraordinary means, in terms of both financing and technology transfer. We highly appreciate the pledges made by countries such as France and Canada to provide financing to fight climate change. However, access to those resources needs to be simplified and needs to take into account the specific circumstances of individual countries.
Two days ago, Mauritius and the Commonwealth Secretariat signed a host country agreement for the establishment in Mauritius of a Climate Finance Access Hub, as had been decided at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Malta in November 2015. The Hub will help small island developing States and least developed countries to unlock critical climate funds.
All our efforts to make our planet sustainable and to leave a proud legacy for future generations will be in vain if we are unable to maintain peace and security in the world and if we do not adhere to the invaluable principles of the rule of law and democracy. That is why Mauritius vehemently condemns, without reservation, the multiple acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms.
We believe that a reformed United Nations, including a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, is essential to the global capacity to respond effectively to terrorist threats and new situations. An enlarged and more representative Security Council will further strengthen the United Nations role in furthering peace and security and the rule of law across the globe. Mauritius adheres to the African position on the reform of the Security Council, as elaborated in the Ezulwini Consensus. We believe that the historical injustice done to Africa with regard to representation on the Council should be redressed. We also support a dedicated seat for SIDS. In addition, Mauritius fully supports India’s aspiration to a permanent seat.
While the formal recognition of Palestine by the United Nations as an observer is a very positive development, we must exert relentless efforts to work towards the goal of having two distinct, independent, secure and viable States, Palestine and Israel, living peacefully side by side.
The firm belief of Mauritius in the Charter of the United Nations and in the legitimacy of a fair and just multilateral system is unshakable. Every nation has a right to peace, justice, the rule of law and democracy, and every human being has the right to basic human rights. That is the basis on which the Mauritius Constitution is built. Those are also the principles enshrined in the Charter. The full realization of those principles will not be possible, however, unless complete decolonization is accomplished.
It was 48 years ago that my country became a free and sovereign nation, an independent country in the eyes of the world. Yet even today, it is unable to exercise its sovereignty over parts of its territory, namely, the Chagos Archipelago and Tromelin Island. On 8 November 1965, prior to granting Mauritius its independence on 12 March 1968, the United Kingdom illegally excised the Chagos Archipelago from the territory of Mauritius, purportedly in order to create the so-called British Indian Ocean territory. That excision was carried out in violation of international law and General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, 2066 (XX) of 16 December 1965, 2232 (XXI) of 20 December 1966, and 2357 (XXII) of 19 December 1967.
Resolution 1514 (XV) stipulates that any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It clearly prohibits the dismemberment of any colonial territory prior to independence. In addition to excising that integral part of our territory, the Mauritians living in the Chagos Archipelago were forcibly evicted from their home and moved to the main island of Mauritius in total disregard for their human rights. The Government of Mauritius is fully sensitive to their plight and their rightful aspiration to resettle in the Chagos Archipelago, as per their legitimate right as citizens of Mauritius. We are determined to resettle those who were forcibly evicted from the Archipelago upon its return to the effective control of Mauritius, in full respect of all their rights and dignity.
My delegation includes the spokesperson for Mauritians of Chagossian origin. He represents a whole community whose human rights have been flouted. His presence also testifies to the fact that the issue of sovereignty and the right of return of Mauritian Chagossians to their native lands cannot be dissociated. Mauritius has consistently protested against the illegal excision of the Chagos Archipelago and has unequivocally maintained that the Chagos Archipelago, including the island of Diego Garcia, forms an integral part of its territory, under both Mauritian law and international law. Mauritius has also consistently pressed for the completion of the decolonization process.
For decades, Mauritius has called on the former colonial Power to engage with us in order to find a fair and just solution, but our efforts have been in vain so far. Despite the blatant violation of resolution 1514 (XV), the United Kingdom maintains that its continued presence in the Chagos Archipelago is lawful. Yet the United Kingdom also tacitly admits the impropriety of its action in dismembering the territory of Mauritius, as evidenced by the undertaking which it has given on various occasions that the Chagos Archipelago will be returned to Mauritius when no longer required for defence purposes.
That undertaking has been held to be legally binding by the arbitral tribunal established in the case brought by Mauritius against the United Kingdom under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to challenge the legality of the marine protected area purportedly established by the United Kingdom around the Chagos Archipelago. However, the United Kingdom has not honoured that undertaking so far, It keeps changing the criteria, which rely on the contention that the use of the Chagos Archipelago is still required for defence purposes.
The arbitral tribunal ruled that the creation of the purported marine protected area around the Chagos Archipelago by the United Kingdom was in violation of international law. Two of the arbitrators found that the excision of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965 showed a complete disregard for the territorial integrity of Mauritius by the United Kingdom, in violation of the right to self determination, and that the United Kingdom is not the coastal State in relation to the Chagos Archipelago. That finding was not contradicted by the other two members of the arbitral tribunal.
The General Assembly has a direct institutional interest in the matter, given the historic and central role that it has played in the process of decolonization throughout the world. The Assembly has a continuing responsibility to complete the process of decolonization, including that of Mauritius. That is why, at the request of the Government of Mauritius, the General Assembly has included in the agenda of its seventy-first session item 87, “Request for an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965”. An advisory opinion would assist the Assembly in its work on decolonization in general and the decolonization of Mauritius in particular, pursuant to the requirements of the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
I would like to insist on the fact that the decision to have recourse to that action was not taken with an adversarial intent. This is not the first time that an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice is being sought on such a subject. In our view, the procedure represents a legitimate recourse, and it abides by the provisions of the Charter and past practice of the United Nations. We have noted that the United Kingdom has now expressed the wish to engage in dialogue with Mauritius in order to sort the matter out by June 2017. Mauritius has always believed in true dialogue. We are acting in good faith, and we expect the same from our interlocutors.
We believe that the Assembly has the duty to assist in the completion of the decolonization process. Mauritius is of the view that an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in respect of the Chagos Archipelago will undoubtedly assist the Assembly in the discharge of that responsibility. I wish to heartily thank member States of the African Union, the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, the Non-Aligned Group, and the Group of 77 and China, among others, which have openly expressed their support to my country. I know that when it comes to justice, human dignity and territorial integrity, the Assembly will live up to its mission. We concur with the position of the United Kingdom on a rule-based international system. However, we have to be coherent, not only in what we say, but also in what we do.
The decolonization of Mauritius will also not be fully resolved until the issue of Tromelin is settled. We have had very constructive dialogue with France, and we urge France to pursue that dialogue with Mauritius
for the early resolution of the dispute over the island in the continued spirit of friendship that has characterized the relationship between our two countries.
Territorial integrity is a principle of international law. The United Nations recognizes it as such, it is therefore our duty to ensure that it is respected.
To conclude, I would like to call on the entire membership of the United Nations to stand by the right to justice, to show that a better and safer world is possible only when it is compatible with the rule of law, and to show commitment to the principles of the Charter.