Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
I congratulate the President of the 75th session of the General Assembly, Mr. Volkan Bozkir, on his election. We were delighted with the election of a representative of the brotherly Turkey to such a distinguished post. You can be sure that Azerbaijan will spare no effort in extending its support to you in this responsible and honorable endeavor.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals stipulates that, “there can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development”. To achieve sustainable international peace and security, there must be put an end to occupation. Adherence to the norms and principles of the international law and implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions must be ensured.
Almost 20 per cent of the territory of Azerbaijan remains under occupation of Armenia for almost 30 years. Armenia used military force against Azerbaijan, in brutal violation of the UN Charter and occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other regions of Azerbaijan. More than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons.
Armenia carried out the ethnic cleansing against the Azerbaijani population in the occupied territories. All Azerbaijanis have been forcibly expelled from occupied territories. Armenia committed a number of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Azerbaijani civilians. Armenia established the criminal, terrorist puppet regime in these territories to hide its responsibility for occupation of our lands.
Armenia committed Khojaly genocide in 1992 killing 613 peaceful residents of Khojaly, among them 106 women and 63 children. More than ten countries have recognized the Khojaly genocide.
Four UN Security Council resolutions demand immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan’s occupied territories.
In some case, UN Security Council resolutions have been implemented within days. However, Armenia continues to ignore the UN Security Council’s resolutions for almost 30 years. International sanctions must be imposed on Armenia as an aggressor state.
In blatant violation of the international law norms, Armenia implements a policy of illegal settlement on the occupied territories. While the international community, including Azerbaijan is concentrating on eliminating the consequences of Beirut explosion, Armenia misuses the situation by settling Lebanese people of Armenian origin in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
The illegal settlement is a gross violation of international law, including the Geneva Convention of 1949. This is a war crime. The illegal settlement in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan cannot have any legal effect.
Cultural heritage of Azerbaijani people on the territory of today’s Armenia has been demolished and plundered. Armenia also destroyed all Azerbaijani historical and religious monuments in the occupied territories. The aim is to erase all Azerbaijani traces there.
Armenia illegally exploits natural resources and uses water reserves to create an artificial environmental crisis in the occupied territories. Armenia extracts gold and other precious metals and minerals of the occupied lands of Azerbaijan and exports to the international markets. It is a scheme of illegal business activities and money laundering.
International companies illegally exploiting Azerbaijan’s natural resources on the occupied territories will face legal responsibility, if they don’t stop their illicit activity immediately. Azerbaijan has already started to take legal action against persons and companies illegally exploiting our natural resources on the occupied lands.
Armenia deliberately targets civilian population and perpetrates provocations along the Line of Contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
In April 2016, Armenia launched a large-scale military attack against Azerbaijan. As a result of this attack, 6 Azerbaijani civilians, including one child were killed, 26 civilians were wounded.
Armed Forces of Azerbaijan took counter-measures and liberated a part of occupied territories.
Deliberate attack by Armenia in 2017 led to death of 2 years old Zahra Guliyeva and her grandmother.
On 12 July 2020, Armenia perpetrated another provocation along the state border. Our military servicemen and a 76-year-old civilian were killed due to the artillery bombardment of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district, while extensive damage was done to civilian infrastructure.
The purpose of this provocation by Armenia was to create a new source of tension in the region, set aside the issue of Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories, involve third parties in the conflict, and damage Azerbaijan’s strategic infrastructure projects. They also attempted to distract its people’s attention from growing socioeconomic problems in Armenia.
However, Azerbaijan retaliated resolutely, and Armenia failed to achieve any of those objectives. Armenia faced another military defeat. Armenia appealed to ODKB (Collective Security Treaty Organization) for military assistance, thus admitting its defeat.
Recently, Armenian sabotage group attempted to penetrate through the Line of Contact. The head of this group was detained by Azerbaijani military servicemen on 23 August this year. He confessed that the group was planning to commit terror acts against Azerbaijani military servicemen and civilians.
The Armenian Government turned down Azerbaijan’s proposal to exchange all captives based on the principle “all to all”. Azerbaijani civilians Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, who visited the graves of their parents in the occupied territories, were taken hostage and tortured. They remain in captivity for more than six years.
The so-called “elections” this March on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan were yet another provocation. These so-called “elections”, like previous ones, were strongly condemned and rejected by the international community, including OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, Non-Aligned Movement, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, European Union, European Parliament and others.
Illegal presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan remains a major threat to regional peace and security. Armenia tries to derail the peace process under the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs. The aim pursued by Armenia is to maintain the current status-quo of occupation and to annex the occupied territories. Contrary to the constructive engagement of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of Armenia deliberately undermines the format and substance of negotiation process. His statement that “Karabakh is Armenia” seriously damages the negotiations process. His unacceptable and groundless socalled seven conditions to Azerbaijan have been rejected by us. We have put forward only one condition to achieve the peace. The armed forces of Armenia must withdraw from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The entire world recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as integral part of Azerbaijan.
The Armenian Prime Minister announced the establishment of civilian militia consisting of tens of thousands of civilians who will be forced to undertake military actions against Azerbaijan. The minister of defense of Armenia calls for “new war for new territories”. Armenia threatens Azerbaijan to strike major cities, critical civilian infrastructures such as Mingachevir water reservoir and Sangachal terminal, which is one of the world’s biggest oil-gas terminals situated near Baku and providing energy security to tens of countries.
Armenia recruits and uses mercenaries and terrorists from different countries against Azerbaijan. Armenia is a state sponsoring terrorism. Armenia committed more than 30 terror acts in Azerbaijan. We have credible information about the presence of Armenian AS ALA terror organization on the occupied territories.
Armenian terrorists have killed 24 Turkish diplomats. Varuzhan Karapetian, member of ASALA terror organization who committed a terror act killing many people of different nationalities, in the airport Orly in Paris later was extradited to Armenia and then pardoned by the president of Armenia. This terrorist was treated as a hero in Armenia.
Recently, Armenia has adopted its aggressive and offensive military doctrine and National Security Strategy. The National Security Strategy contains racist, chauvinistic and “Azerbaijanophobic” ideas.
The glorification of Nazism is the state policy of Armenia. Nazi general Garegin Nzhdeh has been turned into “national hero”. After the Second World War, he was detained and sentenced to 25 years in prison and died there. Almost 6 meter high monument was built in the memory of Nzhdeh in the center of capital of Armenia. Members of a number of Armenian terror organizations like ASALA are glorified in this country.
Hostile, Azerbaijanohobic statements and provocations of Armenian leadership demonstrate that Armenia is preparing for a new aggression against Azerbaijan. We call on the UN and international community to urge Armenia to refrain from another military aggression.
The military-political leadership of Armenia will bear all responsibility for instigating provocations and escalation of tensions.
Regretfully, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair’s activity has not yet delivered any results. Negotiations must not be conducted just for the sake of negotiations, they must be target-oriented and meaningful.
Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries — France, Russia, United States — in their statements stressed that the status-quo is unacceptable. We welcome these statements, but statements are not enough. We need actions.
Our involvement in the negotiation process for almost 30 years is a clear demonstration of our commitment to peace. All 11 members of Minsk Group should be actively involved in the process.
In accordance with the UN Security Council resolution 853 (1993), updated timetable for withdrawal of armed forces of Armenia from occupied territories of Azerbaijan must be prepared. Appropriate UN institutions must contribute to the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions and return of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons to their native lands. The UN Security Council resolutions are not timespecific. These resolutions are valid until they are implemented. Misinterpretation of UN Security Council resolutions is unacceptable.
The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict must be resolved on the basis of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity has never been and will never be a subject of negotiations. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be completely restored. Nagorno-Karabakh is ancient and historical Azerbaijani lands. Karabakh is Azerbaijan.
We are seriously concerned by increasing cases of arms supply to Armenia, especially right after the military provocation of Armenia in Tovuz district of Azerbaijan. Active military clashes at the state border stopped on 16 July. Next day starting from 17 July until September, we witnessed delivery of more than one thousand tons of military equipment to Armenia by military cargo planes. Taking into account that Armenia is one of the poorest countries of the world and can not afford paying for weapons billions of US dollars, we assume that it gets weapons free of charge.
Supply of weapons to an aggressor and a country that perpetrated ethnic cleansing significantly undermines the peace negotiations and encourage the occupying state to instigate new military provocations. In this context, we urge all countries to refrain from supplying arms to Armenia.
Because of aggression against Azerbaijan, Armenia continues to face deep demographic, social and economic crisis. Regime change happened in Armenia two years ago, but fascist ideology of this failed state remains unchanged.
Human rights are massively violated in Armenia. Judges are pressured and blackmailed, journalists, opposition activists and political opponents jailed by despotic regime. In fact, a dictatorship has been established in Armenia.
Criminal cases have been opened against two former presidents of this country. Members of parliament despite their immunity are detained.
Mher Yegiazarian, an Armenian journalist and politician died in prison following hunger strike in January 2019. But there was no reaction from international organizations whose duty is to observe democracy and human rights worldwide. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House and others turned blind eye on unhuman and brutal actions of despotic regime of Armenia. The reason can be that Pashinyan regime is financed and supported by Soros who sponsors many so-called human rights non-governmental organizations worldwide.
Political relations in this country have reached the point of crisis. The country has been ruled by warlords over 20 years. Incumbent political leadership continues the practice of previous regimes. There is no prospect for development of Armenia unless the consequences of military aggression against Azerbaijan are eliminated.
Armenia was the only country to oppose the initiative of holding the Special Session of UN General Assembly in response to COVID-19, whereas in Armenia, the situation with coronavirus is the most desperate. Armenia objected to this initiative only because Azerbaijan has launched it. The objection to such an endeavor is a product of irrational thought. It is another demonstration of the policy of “Azerbaijanophobia” that has prevailed in Armenia and promoted by the government. Hatred against Azerbaijani people is instilled in the young generation.
Despite the enormous difficulties caused by Armenian occupation, Azerbaijan managed to build a stable, modern, democratic and multicultural country. Development of democracy and human rights protection are among top priorities of our government. All fundamental freedoms are fully provided, including freedom of expression, media freedom, freedom of assembly, religious freedoms, as well as development of civil society. We launched broad political dialogue initiative several months ago. All major political parties supported this initiative. The political dialogue which successfully started would help to strengthen our political system and serve the cause of sustainable development of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan’s economy has developed rapidly, and GDP tripled in the last 17 years. Poverty in Azerbaijan went down from 49 per cent to 5 per cent within 17 years. Over 3700 schools have been built or completely renovated in Azerbaijan in the last 17 years. The literacy rate is close to 100 per cent in our country. As a country with significant progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, Azerbaijan has been one of the few states to submit voluntarily national reviews to the UN twice. Azerbaijan ranks 54th among 166 countries in the Sustainable Development Goals Index, according to the “Sustainable Development Report 2020”.
Azerbaijan has participated actively in regional connectivity projects, such as East-West, North-South, North-West transportation corridors, becoming one of Eurasia’s primary and reliable transport and logistics hubs. We have also commissioned the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad and the Baku International Trade Seaport with the potential of handling capacity of 25 million tons. According to the Davos Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2019, among 141 countries, Azerbaijan ranks 11th for “Efficiency of railroad services”, 12th for “Efficiency of air transportation services”, 25th for “Efficiency of seaport services” and 27th for “Quality of road infrastructure”.
Azerbaijan is a member of the international space club. Today we have 3 satellites — 2 for telecommunication and one earth observation satellite. 80 per cent of our population uses the internet.
We have launched efficient measures to tackle the problem of freshwater shortage due to the climate change. Azerbaijan has ratified the Paris Agreement, with a voluntary obligation to achieve a 35 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to the base year 1990. In Azerbaijan, we use environmentally friendly natural gas and hydroelectric power stations for electricity generation.
Multiculturalism is the way of life for the people of Azerbaijan. We present to the world the example of tolerance and coexistence. The “Baku Process” launched by Azerbaijan in 2008 to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the Muslim world and Europe, is supported by the United Nations. The UN General Assembly’s resolutions have recognized the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue held in Azerbaijan every two years as a “key global platform for promoting intercultural dialogue”.
The 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations was held in Azerbaijan in 2016. Furthermore, Azerbaijan hosted the first ever European Games and 4th Islamic Solidarity Games in 2015 and 2017 respectively. These sporting events are our great contribution to the promotion of multiculturalism as well.
Pope Francis paid a visit to Azerbaijan in 2016. This February, I visited the Vatican and had a meeting with Pope Francis. During our meeting, Pope Francis referred to Azerbaijan as a “true example of tolerance”.
Azerbaijan attaches great significance to the restoration of religious monuments, mosques, churches, and synagogues. We have implemented joint projects to restore such religious and historical monuments in different countries.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the situation in the world entirely, and as a result, new realities have emerged. Initially, the virus was expected to affect developing nations. However, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the developed nations as well. It shows once again that the virus recognizes no borders. It is only through mutual support and joint efforts we can overcome the pandemic.
Azerbaijan has taken timely and necessary preventive measures to stop the spread of the virus. Azerbaijan’s attainment of the Millennium Development Goals and progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals has enabled us to conduct an effective fight against the pandemic. The healthcare infrastructure in Azerbaijan has been developed and renovated significantly, with almost 700 hospitals and healthcare facilities built or completely renovated in the past 17 years.
Thanks to measures undertaken, the country’s situation with COVID-19 has remained under control. Our citizens’ life and health is priority for us, despite the economic difficulties caused by pandemic.
The socio-economic stimulus package worth over $2 billion has been released to ensure economic stability, tackle employment issues, and ensure macroeconomic and fiscal stability. The social relief measures cover nearly 5 million people, which is a half of our population.
The World Health Organization named Azerbaijan an example in the fight against the pandemic.
We have made voluntary contributions to the World Health Organization in the amount of $10 million in 2 equal tranches. The second tranche was allocated for the Non-Aligned Movement’s member states. Azerbaijan has provided humanitarian and financial assistance to more than 30 countries with respect to coronavirus.
With a unanimous decision of all 120 countries of Non-Aligned Movement Azerbaijan was elected as a chair of this body. In October 2019 Azerbaijan assumed the chairmanship of Non-Aligned Movement during the 18th Summit of the Heads of State and Government held in Baku. In my statement at the summit I stressed that Azerbaijan will do its utmost to advocate for interests of Non-Aligned Movement’s countries. Azerbaijan will defend justice and norms of international law.
The Non-Aligned Movement’s Extraordinary Summit in response to coronavirus via videoconference, was held on our initiative in May 2020. During that Summit, I suggested holding of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly in response to coronavirus at the level of the heads of state and government. This initiative was supported by more than 130 UN member states.
I think the Special Session will serve as a framework for addressing the pandemic’s impact on all spheres and contribute to the efforts of eliminating its consequences.
International peace and security problems, the pandemic’s impact on the countries of the world call for solidarity between the countries. I want to put forward several proposals to this end:
The reforms within international organizations are particularly timely and essential in the post-pandemic period. In this regard, particular attention should be paid to increasing the UN’s role and prestige on the global level and its ability to undertake more adequate response measures concerning the challenges of modern times.
The non-fulfillment of the Security Council resolutions undermines the prestige of the United Nations. Implementation mechanisms must be created for the UN Security Council resolutions.
Refugees and IDPs have become the most vulnerable group of the pandemic period. The return of these vulnerable groups to their native lands in safety and dignity gains great urgency.
Ensuring affordability and fair distribution of a vaccine is necessary, while the least developed countries should get it free of charge. In this regard, additional oversight mechanisms should be developed.
The scope of the pandemic’s negative impact on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals by the countries must be carefully analyzed, and solutions must be formulated.
Thank you for your attention.


DISTINGUISHED PRESIDENT VOLKAN BOZKIR!
DISTINGUISHED SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES! DISTINGUISHED HEADS OF DELEGATIONS!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
The seventy-fifth session of the General Assembly is being held for the first time in the history of the United Nations in a completely new format — an online videoconferencing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Such a global catastrophe has not been observed on our planet in the last hundred years.
This calamity has vividly revealed humanity’s vulnerability.
The current threatening and complex situation has proved that all states and peoples of the world are interconnected and that regular dialogue, trust and close cooperation among us are extremely important.
In this context, all of us have deeply realized the need to consolidating the mutual efforts of governments, parliaments, civil society institutions; strengthening the principles of common responsibility; coordinating international partnership accordingly; increasing the status and capacity, as well as expanding the competences of the World Health Organization.
Our goal is to jointly create fair global system that ensures basic rights, freedoms, health and well-being of every human being.
In this regard, we propose to develop under the UN auspices an International Code of Voluntary Commitments of States during pandemics.
This document should reflect each state’s commitments to its citizens and international partners.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
Since the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Uzbekistan, we have focused all our efforts and resources to containing this dangerous disease and, most importantly, saving the people’s lives.
Social protection and health systems are being cardinally strengthened to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic; targeted support is provided to the population, sectors of the economy and businesses.
Special funds have been set up to this end.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to all our friends and partners who have generously supported during this time of trials.
We fully support the international community’s all efforts to effectively combat the pandemic, including the development and widespread use of essential drugs and vaccines.
We also welcome the proposal of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to hold a summit on the pressing issues of food security in the current context of the crisis.
DEAR PARTICIPANTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY!
Three years ago, speaking from the high rostrum of the United Nations, I stated that Uzbekistan was firmly determined to implement radical reforms.
As a result of our large-scale measures on political, social and economic modernization of society, a new Uzbekistan is being formed.
Today, the process of democratic transformations in our country has become irreversible.
Last year’s parliamentary elections demonstrated the growing political activism of the population and parties, the role of civil society institutions and the influence of the media.
The gender equality policy became a priority for us.
The role of women in public administration is growing. In our new Parliament the number of women deputies has doubled.
The human rights situation has also completely changed. The forced and child labour were fully abolished. The National Human Rights Strategy was adopted.
In response to a call from the United Nations to reduce the number of stateless persons, this year alone 50,000 of our compatriots were granted Uzbek citizenship.
The situation with religious freedom in our country has also improved dramatically.
Further strengthening the inter-ethnic harmony and inter-religious tolerance is a constant important task for us.
Comprehensive reforms to ensure true independence of the judiciary and the rule of law are being consistently implemented.
The uncompromising fight against corruption has reached a new level.
In this regard, important legislation has been adopted and independent Anti-Corruption Agency was established.
The economic reforms are being dynamically continued in our country.
For the first time, we have publicly declared our determination to reduce poverty.
We are achieving this through development of entrepreneurship and job creation; improving the investment climate and business environment; building a modern infrastructure and providing targeted social assistance to the population through training people to new professions.
In our country, where over half of the population is young, an extensive work is underway to ensure that every young person takes a worthy place in society and demonstrate their potential.
The Youth Parliaments and the Agency for Youth Affairs are operating in Uzbekistan.
In August the Samarkand International Forum on Youth Rights was successfully held under the auspices of the United Nations.
I would like to take this opportunity to once again call on you to support Uzbekistan’s initiative to adopt the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Youth.
In addition, we propose to adopt a special resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on enhancing the role of parliaments in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring human rights.
DEAR FRIENDS!
The fundamental changes are taking place now in the region of Central Asia.
We have managed to create an atmosphere of good neighbourliness, mutual trust, friendship and mutual respect among the states of the region.
Our common achievement is consultative summits of the Central Asian Heads of State, which was put forth as an initiative at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly and has been regularly held since then.
Over the past four years, Uzbekistan’s bilateral trade with neighbouring states has grown almost five-fold.
During these days of trial our countries are standing by and not leaving one another alone.
Today, the Central Asian states face an important strategic task.
This is to ensure deep integration of our region into the global economic, transport and transit corridors.
In this regard, we propose to establish a Regional Centre for the Development of Transport and Communications under the auspices of the United Nations.
Today, the effective security cooperation is maintained in Central Asia.
The United Nations Global Anti-Terrorism Strategy is being successfully implemented.
We are in favour of conducting the International conference on the ten-year results and forthcoming prospects of this Joint Plan of the Regional Strategy.
As it is well-known, the ancient cultural and rich spiritual heritage of our region is of global importance.
We are ready to hold the International Forum “Central Asia at the Crossroads of World Civilizations” in the ancient city of Khiva in 2021 in cooperation with UNESCO.
DEAR PARTICIPANTS OF THE SESSION!
We see Afghanistan as an integral part of Central Asia.
The Tashkent High-Level Conference on Afghanistan in March 2018 marked a new stage in the mobilization of the international community’s efforts to resolve the Afghan problem.
We fully support the peace talks among the Afghan political forces launched this year in the city of Doha in September.
We express hope that these talks will serve for bringing in peace and stability in the long-suffering land of Afghanistan.
In order to broadly involve Afghanistan in the process of economic integration in the region, we have started the implementation of major infrastructure projects such as the Surkhan-Puli Khumri power line and construction of a railway from Mazar-i-Sharif to the sea ports of the Indian Ocean.
We believe that the issues of ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan must remain a constant focus of the United Nations.
Only together and through close cooperation we can realize all the dreams and aspirations of the Afghan people.
In this regard, it is important to work on the principle of “From instability and destruction — to peace and prosperity”.
To this end, we propose to establish a permanent UN commission on Afghanistan that would address the concerns of long-suffering Afghan people.
The main task of this Commission must be to promote and facilitate the economic and social development of Afghanistan.
DISTINGUISHED HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT! Another acute problem of our time is related to global climate change. Today, every country feels the negative effects of this process.
Unfortunately, such negative developments also pose a great threat to the sustainable development of Central Asia.
I would like to once again draw your attention to the devastating effects of the drying up of the Aral Sea.
The Aral Sea region became the centre of an environmental tragedy.
To mitigate the current situation, we are carrying out an enormous work to create two million hectares of new plantations and forests, to form a layer of soil.
On our country’s initiative, the United Nations Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region was established.
We hope that this Fund will serve as a base platform for the international community to provide practical assistance to the population living in a stressed ecological zone.
We propose to adopt a special resolution of the UN General Assembly declaring the Aral Sea region an area of ecological innovation and technologies.
It would be expedient to mark the date of adoption of this important document as the International Day for the Protection and Restoration of Ecosystems.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize yet another point: the continuing unrest in various parts of the world, the growing conflict and violence, environmental disasters and other modern threats are exacerbating the global problems of misery and poverty.
These problems become especially acute in the condition of pandemic.
The voice of poverty, which is getting even more alarming today, must raise concerns in entire world community and all of us.
In this regard, we propose to set the issues of poverty eradication and the fight against poverty as one of the main topics of the next session of the United Nations General Assembly and hold a Global Summit on these issues.
DEAR FRIENDS!
It is clear to all of us that the socio-economic landscape of the post-pandemic world will be completely different.
We need to work on the basis of new approaches and close cooperation against common threats to security and sustainable development.
The central role of the United Nations as a coordinating international structure needs to be further strengthened.
Uzbekistan always stands ready to develop a wide-ranging and mutually beneficial partnership with all countries of the world, as well as practical dialogue with the United Nations and its institutions.
Thank you for your attention.


Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of San Marino, I would like to congratulate H.E. Volkan Bozkir on his election as President of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly and to wish him a fruitful work.
The Republic of San Marino supports the priorities of your programme mentioned in your inaugural address and ensures you, Mr. President, full cooperation in all works of the General Assembly. I would like to express my country’s gratitude to the outgoing President, H.E. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, for the important work carried out during the 74th Session. I would also like to extend my special thanks to the Secretary-General, H.E. Antonio Guterres, for his energy and determination in leading the United Nations in this very difficult and challenging time.
Mr. President,
I am grateful for the theme chosen for this Session: “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism — confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action”. This theme gives Member States the opportunity to constructively contribute to the work of the General Assembly. The COVID-19 pandemic is probably one of the most arduous challenges in the history of the United Nations. Surely, it is the most violent blow that my country had to endure — and is still enduring — in a long time. One which we will not forget. San Marino was among those countries more severely affected by the pandemic. While the virus has not caused deaths in the last months in my country, this is no reason for celebrations. San Marino remains one of the countries which suffered the highest rates of infections in the world, with dramatic consequences on our community.
The immense effort needed to contrast the health emergency and the global economic contraction resulted in an unprecedented structural challenge for my country. If we will succeed in re-establishing previous levels of wealth and health it will only be through international solidarity and tremendous efforts of our people
Unfortunately, we are not alone.
The coronavirus is continuing to spread across the world, hitting one country after the other, infecting millions of people, taking hundreds of thousands of lives. Moreover, COVID-19 is causing a widespread fear about our future. The pandemic is not only a health crisis, but also a humanitarian and security crisis, which has accentuated pre-existing structural problems within and among nations, The coronavirus assailed communities around the world and drove the global economy into a downturn whose long-term effects cannot yet be fully assessed. The human impacts of lockdowns and suspensions of social and economic activities are and will be disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable countries and groups, including indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, women and children. Inadequate health systems; gaps in social protection; structural inequalities; environmental degradation; the climate crisis: the pandemic is showing us the fragility of our world. The United Nations not only leads on the response to the health crisis, but is also expanding the means for lifesaving humanitarian assistance and establishing instruments for rapid responses to the socio-economic impact.
In this respect, San Marino welcomed the Strategic preparedness and response Plan to address immediate health needs, which has been produced by WHO, the Global Humanitarian Response Plan to ease the impacts in over 63 highly vulnerable countries, and the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, for the socioeconomic response and recovery in middle- and lower-income countries. The Republic of San Marino supported the UN Secretary-General’s call for a global cease-fire, issued on 23 March, which urges warring parties in all corners of the world to pull back from hostilities. Moreover, my Country joined the Secretary General’s global call emphasizing the need for an end to all violence against women everywhere, including in the home.
Mr. President,
San Marino co-sponsored the GA resolution Global Solidarity to Fight COVID-19, by which the United Nations General Assembly, the universal body of nations, sent a strong message of unity, solidarity and international cooperation. We also supported through a co-sponsorship the resolution named International Cooperation to ensure global access to medicines, vaccines and medical equipment to face COVID-19, which highlights the importance of international cooperation and underscores that equitable access to health products is a global priority. During the last months we also joined several collective declarations. In Response to the UN Secretary-General’s Call on Countries to Prioritize Children’s Education, Food, Health and Safety amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, we co-signed the joint declaration Protect our children, by which we stated that it is vital to work together to prevent and mitigate the risks all children face. We need to ensure for all children access to inclusive and quality education, nutrition and health care, as well as strengthen social protection systems. We must prevent and combat all forms of violence, including domestic violence, abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline, cyberbullying, and bridge the digital divide. Being part of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict, San Marino welcomed the positive results in our common cause of ending and preventing grave violations against children in armed conflict. In this regard, I would like to thank Ms. Virginia Gamba and her staff, who, with great dedication, have finalized a terrific number of action plans and commitments also in the last year. But despite the successful results, we have to recognize that great concerns remain.
The number of verified violations against children is still very worrying and education, which should be one of our priorities, is still under attack. We are particularly worried about the impact of the COVID-19 on vulnerable groups such as children in armed conflicts.
San Marino joined the collective declaration regarding the impact of COVID 19 on older persons. We believe it is important to promote and respect the dignity and rights of older people and to mitigate the negative impacts during and after the COVID-19 pandemic on their health, lives, rights and wellbeing. Moreover, we recognize important contributions that older persons make to our societies, and call for their participation in the responses to the pandemic. My Country also co-sponsored the joint declaration Disability-inclusive response to COVID-19 — Towards a better future for all. During the pandemic, persons with disabilities have experienced greater attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers and discrimination, exclusion from accessing health-care services and information, as well as faced serious disruption to their employment, education, and access to social protection and other support services. The global response and recovery should be disability- inclusive, it should protect the rights and needs of persons with disabilities and place them at the center of all our efforts, as envisaged in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In this regard, I’m pleased to say that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights included the COVID-19 guidance on triage of the Bioethics Committee of the Republic of San Marino among the so-called “promising practices”.
Mr. President,
Along with this pandemic, we have to draw our attention to the challenge of the misinformation and disinformation pandemic. The spread of the “infodemic” can put our health at risk, it can increase the risk of conflicts, violence, human rights violations and mass atrocities. The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the crucial need for access to free, reliable, trustworthy, factual, clear and science-based information. States, regional organizations, the UN system and other stakeholders such as media workers, social media platforms and NGOs have a clear role and responsibility in helping people to deal with the “infodemic’. My Country attaches great importance to the fight against disinformation. For this reason, we organized in 2019, in San Marino, a High-Level Conference on the Dangers of Disinformation. For the same reason, we joined this year the Cross-Regional Statement on “Infodemic” in the Context of COVID-19 supporting the United Nations Communications Response initiative and the “Verified” campaign announced by the UN Secretary General in April.
Mr. President,
The effects of climate change, including increasingly frequent and severe weather phenomena, floods and droughts, diminishing fresh water resources, desertification, land degradation and sea-level rise, are threatening entire populations, depriving them of their livelihoods.
These effects of climate change can lead inter alia to food insecurity, large- scale displacement, and social tensions, exacerbating, prolonging or contributing to the risk of future conflicts. Although greenhouse gas emissions are projected to drop by 6 per cent in 2020, and air quality has improved as a result of travel bans and the economic slowdown resulting from the pandemic, global community is far off track to meet either the 1.5 or 2°C targets called for in the Paris Agreement. The decade 2010 to 2019 was the warmest decade ever. Governments and private sector must accelerate the transitions to climate relationship with the environment and we make transformational changes in our economies.
The reduction of food loss and waste underpins the achievement of sustainable development in its three dimensions — economic, social and environmental. Food- related sustainable practices and innovative solutions are instrumental to a number of major and delicate issues, such as poverty alleviation, hunger eradication and human health. San Marino deems crucial to curb food loss and waste, through more sustainable production and consumption practices. In order to achieve this, we must recognise collectively the relevance of these issues, emphasising the need for immediate and effective action. This is why, together with the Principality of Andorra, San Marino in 2019 sponsored the Resolution which designates 29 September as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.
Today we celebrate for the first time this anniversary and I would like to take this opportunity to urge you all to join us — if you have not done so already — in aimed at raising awareness of the importance of reducing food loss and waste and the contribution of these actions to sustainable development.
Mr. President,
75 years after its foundation, the United Nations is facing the most difficult challenge of its history. We must stop this pandemic and we will succeed only if we work together, because this is a collective effort that requires a renewed and stronger multilateral cooperation.
In this context, we need to accelerate the pace and scale of our actions, if we want to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. San Marino strongly supports the decade of action launched by the Secretary General at the beginning of this year. We believe that, while the crisis is endangering progress towards the SDGs, it also offers a unique opportunity for pursuing a transformative recovery from COVID-19, which leads us to build more inclusive societies based on sustainable development where no one is left behind. Our response to the pandemic must be based on a new social contract that respects the rights and freedoms of all and provides equal opportunities for all. Recent developments in the global political landscape have created obstacles to the development of multilateralism and are putting it at risk. The challenges posed today by protectionism and isolationism must and can be countered by international cooperation and the rules of international law, which have guided Member States for decades. It is essential to preserve the values of multilateralism and international cooperation, which underpin the United Nations Charter and Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in order to promote and support peace and security, development and human rights. San Marino is among the strongest advocates for the rules-based multilateralism.
In conclusion, Mr. President,
Today more than ever, we believe it is fundamental to reaffirm our commitment to the values and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, signed in San Francisco 75 years ago.
A stronger multilateralism is essential if we want to build fair, just and peaceful societies, where young people can live in dignity, women can have the same opportunities as men, and where all minorities and vulnerable groups are protected.
Thank you.


I add my voice to that of the speakers who have preceded me in congratulating you on your election as President of the 75th regular session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. While assuring you of the support of my country, I express for you and for your Office my best wishes for success in the accomplishment of your mandate.
I would also like to salute the remarkable work accomplished by Ambassador Tidjani Mohamed-BANDE, your predecessor, who, despite a difficult environment, was able, with skill, to carry through to its conclusion the examination of files as complex as they are varied.
I would like to reiterate the confidence of my country in the action and the efforts which the Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, has deployed since his assumption of the leadership of our Organization.
Mister President,
We are holding this 75th session of the General Assembly in an exceptional and particularly difficult context marked by the coronavirus disease, a pandemic that has caused countless loss of human life, disrupted our economies and hampered the achievement of our efforts to reduce poverty, maintain international peace and security, guarantee justice and human rights, promote social progress, while protecting the environment.
Faced with this global threat, each country has shown a strong capacity for resilience and found within itself the most inventive ways to raise awareness and protect its population, while cooperating with the rest of the world, that is to say by drawing lessons from experience of others or by sharing with them the progress made in their own country with regard to this disease.
As soon as the first case of Covid-19 was detected in Kinshasa on 10 March 2020. My Government immediately took swift and decisive measures to contain the spread of the virus. And, given the severity and the highly contagious and deadly nature of the pandemic, I declared a state of health emergency throughout the national territory after having created a presidential task force and a multisectoral response unit against Covid-19. We have thus succeeded in capitalizing on the achievements of the management of the Ebola epidemic to improve our response capabilities to the overlapping COVID-19 pandemic.
In this dynamic, the Government has set up a multisectoral committee and a technical secretariat that has drawn up a structural plan for the response to Covid-19. In order to meet the varied and complex challenges that have been raised by the pandemic in the health, economic and security sectors, I have instructed my Task Force and the Government to work closely together to coordinate the development of the Emergency Multisectoral Pandemic Impact Mitigation Programme, which I personally launched on 18 June 2020.
I take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the assistance provided to my country by our partners at this particularly difficult time and for their reiterated support for the efforts and coordinated measures taken to date by my Government to combat COVID-19 and beyond. This is how my country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was able to reduce the case fatality rate of the pandemic from 10% in the first days, to less than 2.5% today.
The coherent multilateral coordination provided by the United Nations in general, and the World Health Organization in particular, has succeeded in particular in guaranteeing genuine, efficient and effective international solidarity, and has made it possible to promote greater interaction with our development partners and international financial and economic institutions with a view to mobilizing the resources necessary to fight the pandemic and to help developing countries strengthen their national health systems.
The pandemic has shown us that there is only one planet and only one health and that our spells are linked.
For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in order to help developing countries to effectively emerge from the crisis and better ensure post-COVID-19, the efforts of the international community should include the cancellation and other reductions of their debt burden in order to allow them to rebuild better. We welcome the efforts and measures taken by the Group of 20 and the international financial institutions in postponing debt payment deadlines and invite them to take further decisions with a view to its total cancellation. Any such support measures or additional financing for developing countries should not be tied to any conditionality or require certain economic policy reforms, such as austerity measures.
Also, I appeal to the international community to strengthen international solidarity, joint efforts, multilateral cooperation and partnership with all developing countries, including in the area of capacity-building and technical assistance, to fight and stop a disease that is our common enemy and demonstrate our ability to work together in solidarity.
I therefore recognize the leading role of the United Nations in these efforts, including the World Health Organization.
This is the main lesson the Covid-19 has tragically taught us. It is true profession of faith in favour of multilateralism with regard to the level of international cooperation in the fight against this pandemic.
Mister President,
Climate change poses a threat to humans and their fundamental rights, particularly for vulnerable populations. The effects of global warming and the climatic disturbances that accompany it are more and more acutely felt around the world. They are dangerous and accelerating.
Faced with these threats posed by climate change and environmental degradation, our action in favour of the climate and the green economy as the basis of our future and our development is not simply a necessity but an urgent obligation if we wish to see a peaceful and sustainable future.
For its part, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has made binding commitments to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change. We are determined to do everything to achieve the implementation of our commitments in favour of the climate by preserving our forests.
In accordance with my promise and the commitment made at the 74th session of the General Assembly, “School gardens: a billion trees by 2023” has been established in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This programme, which was adopted by my Government, will begin its activities in the last quarter of this year 2020. It is aimed at achieving a major community and eco-civic project of ecological restoration with strong socioeconomic benefits for the benefit of urban and rural populations. We therefore expect our partners to also respect their financial commitments within the framework of the preservation of tropical forests, in particular that of the green climate fund created in favour of the least developed countries.
Mister President,
At the national level, I have engaged the country in reforms at several levels, including that of public finances and the improvement of good governance and poverty reduction.
Economically, the Democratic Republic of Congo has made the African Union’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 the pivot on which its development policy is based. Since 2016, the country has been implementing the Sustainable Development Goals aimed at inclusion, social equity and transparency at all levels.
To that end, my Government has put in place the National Strategic Development Plan, which constitutes the unifying framework of all national, provincial and sectoral policies and strategies on the Sustainable Development Goals in order to enable the Democratic Republic of the Congo to diversify its economy, which remains based on the exploitation of natural resources, and to accelerate investment in infrastructure and human capital, while promoting investment in social sectors.
However, it is true that the current context marked by COVID-19 represents a real challenge that is slowing the pace of the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Also, my Government has developed, as I mentioned at the beginning of my remarks, an emergency multisectoral programme to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19 in order to cushion the shock associated with the health crisis on the socioeconomic environment and support the revival of economic activity.jsE.pjMister President,
The prevailing security situation in the eastern part of the country remains worrying. Peace is not yet fully established there. Some residual elements of armed groups, nationals and foreigners alike, are still active there and continue to sow death and desolation. They attack not only elements of our armed forces, but also the MONUSCO peacekeepers who provide us with their logistical support, as well as the civilian population, all this with the aim of undermining the efforts made by the Government for the stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.
These armed groups engage in unconventional and asymmetric warfare. They act in total ignorance of human values and commit massive abuses and violations of human rights, in particular through repeated rapes and massacres of civilian populations in isolated corners of certain well-known territories in the east of the country, such as of the Beni region and its surroundings, Djugu in Ituri and Rutshuru.
The findings show in general that these groups have the means to enable them to pursue their activities. These means often come from the illicit exploitation of natural resources sold outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo through well- established networks and, without a doubt, with the help of certain sponsors. We cannot, in fact, succeed in neutralizing the armed groups without eradicating their sources of supply and support, which are these networks and other sponsors. I appeal to the international community to apply appropriate, targeted and effective sanctions.
Mr. President, it is in this general context that the strategic review and dialogue for the transformation of the UN presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is taking place.
Until we can agree on the final contours of the future of MONUSCO on the national territory, the wish of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is to see, during this period of preparation for withdrawal, the strengthening of collaboration on the field within MONUSCO units and with the FARDC in order to ensure that the expected firepower to protect the population and restore peace, security and the full authority of the State throughout the national territory, including in localities where the presence of armed groups is still visible, can be effective.
I am resolved to restore a smile as soon as possible to the populations of the east of my country, who have been living in insecurity for more than two decades. To that end, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in favour of the principle of increasing the operational capacity of the Intervention Brigade, in particular by providing it with special units adapted to the asymmetric warfare imposed on us by armed groups in the east of the country.
Mister President,
The agenda in favour of improving the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the priorities of my Government which, since my inauguration, has been engaged in the fight against counter-values and human rights abuses, in particular through the fight against impunity and sexual violence, access to justice for victims, the improvement of prison conditions, and the resolution of intercommunity violence, in particular through the creation and implementation of transitional justice mechanisms.
Always in the quest to improve the situation of human rights and social justice in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 22 April 2019 I established the Agency for the Prevention and Fight against Trafficking in Persons and the National Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
To put an end to certain bad practices in the management of public affairs and to fight effectively against corruption, fraud and counter-values, I created an agency for the prevention and fight against corruption that will make it possible to strengthen corruption prevention policy with regard to those in charge of both the executive and the private sector.
Mister President,
Since the beginning of my mandate, I have continuously ramped up the efforts of my Government in favour of the promotion and protection of the rights of women and young girls. I realize how much this category of the Congolese population has particularly suffered from the horrors of the troubled years that my country has gone through. It is to combat all forms of sexual and gender-based violence that my country has taken and implemented several legal and administrative texts and taken important initiatives.
I am aware that, notwithstanding these countless efforts, there is still a lot of work to do in this area. My determination to fight for the rights of women, girls and children remains strong.
This is why my country warmly welcomed the creation, on 30 October 2019, of the Global Fund for the reparation of victims of sexual crimes committed during the time of conflict. My Government is prepared, on the one hand, to work in close collaboration with this Global Fund, and, on the other hand, to use the experience of this collaboration to create a national fund for the reparation of victims, which will, I am sure, complete the work of alleviating the suffering of the many Congolese victims.
Mister President,
The United Nations should continue to ensure multilateral coordination, consistency and accountability within the system to entrench international solidarity.
This is why I reiterate my urgent call for the reform of the United Nations Security Council, in order to make that body more transparent, more democratic and more representative of the composition of our Organization. For more than a decade, we have each year recalled the glaring injustice suffered by the African continent in its representation both within the Security Council and in the various international organizations that make up the United Nations system. The feeling of frustration in the face of this near indifference to this obvious injustice contributes to the accentuation of social and popular frustrations, which sometimes lead to episodes of violence in many countries. The reform of the United Nations must, moreover, draw the lessons of experience in matters of international cooperation in order to ensure the greater efficiency of the agencies and funds engaged in the basics of economic and social development.
We must commit to applying concrete measures to make both the eradication of poverty and the reduction of inequalities truly irreversible, promote social inclusion and the environment in a holistic way, strengthen economic and technical cooperation, move forward on the path of solidarity and development and to preserve international peace and security.
Thus, the global village in which we live will be able to reflect international solidarity, respect for human rights and the environment, these values that characterize us.
Thank you.


Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
We will remember this year — 2020. What a year! We cannot meet as we usually do in the Hall, which, once a year, is the centre of our world. New York, which is the most open city in existence, where all our meetings are held, cannot welcome us. For many long weeks, it has been an epicentre of the global health crisis, and I would like to pay special tribute to it here.
The COVID-19 crisis has had an impact on everyone and in all areas, including the most prosaic and banal aspects of daily life. How do we visit our loved ones, our family? How do we get to work? How do we cope with online learning? How do we shop? How do we play sports? And these are the concerns of those who have or had a full-time job, social security and access to health care.
As Head of Government, I have had to deal with all facets of this crisis and swift decisions had to be taken, with significant consequences on the lives of citizens, the functioning of public services, economic activity and the funding of anti-crisis measures. This remains the common plight of all Governments around the world. But beyond that, all of us, citizens of this planet, are in this crisis together and only together will we emerge from it.
We face a global emergency. The crisis has affected all regions of the world almost at the same time. It has been compounded by restrictions on civil liberties, a return of borders, a re-examination of the gains made in the areas of free trade and economic integration and unprecedented challenges to public and private health-care systems, not to mention the ethical issues that many of us have not faced for quite some time.
At the beginning of the health crisis, we in Europe acted quickly to protect our national space and that response continues today. The free movement of people in the European Union was also challenged, at times far beyond what would be considered reasonable. The time has come for European action at the health, social and economic levels. Historic decisions have been taken to ensure a way out of the crisis and an environmentally-friendly recovery and to meet the challenges of sustainable development. We will continue to be tested in the coming months but I believe that we will be successful at the national and European levels.
In addition to the temptation to focus solely on ourselves, we have also seen an, at times, a level of extraordinary international cooperation between State and institutional actors, in particular in the field of scientific research. Formidable efforts are under way to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. However, only by ensuring equitable global access to a vaccine will we put an end to this pandemic.
We have also seen a myriad of concrete examples of solidarity among countries and peoples, for example, in the case of medical evacuations. Responses to the challenges of the severity of the crisis have also led to the improvement and adaptation of medical and health equipment on the ground and to strengthening the resilience of rapid-response systems.
That said, we know that, globally, the situation in a large number of countries is of great concern. The COVID-19 crisis has become a health crisis that extends beyond COVID-19 because of the burden it places on health-care systems, and, more generally, because we now question the strategies used to combat other diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. The disruption of supply chains and obstacles to the distribution of personal protective equipment and other materials have also posed a major challenge. In this regard, I would like to thank the States that helped us acquire personal protective equipment at the height of the crisis.
Mr. President,
Friends,
The dire warnings from the World Food Programme and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs are simply frightening. There is a genuine risk that famine could return in large parts of the world, beyond conflict zones or countries hit by recent natural disasters.
The social crisis has a disproportionate adverse effect on the countless people who survive on the informal economy and are deprived of resources in developed economies.
The economic crisis affects all countries and in particular developing countries. Emerging countries have not been spared. These countries cannot guarantee the resilience of their social security or health systems in response to the crisis. Nor do they have the means to fund their emergence from the crisis through the capital market. Proportionally, their debt burden is much higher than that of developed countries.
Luxembourg fully supports efforts to establish a moratorium and reduce the debt burden of the least developed countries.
Financing needs are again on the rise for developing countries, whose progress could be rolled back 20 years. However, the means of meeting those needs may be lacking.
Official development assistance must continue to play a key role. In the current circumstances — all the more so now than prior to the COVID-19 crisis — assistance cannot be mortgaged with the vagaries of financing through the capital market or other financial instruments, however innovative they may be. I say this even as my country leads in the area of microfinance, in particular in Africa.
Luxembourg’s official development assistance will remain at 1 per cent of its gross national income, in addition to its international climate and migration expenditure.
The role of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda is to ensure financing for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The initiative of the Secretary-General, together with the Prime Ministers of Canada and Jamaica, to convene a high-level meeting on financing sustainable development post-COVID-19 should be welcomed. It will provide an opportunity to gain a comprehensive overview of an issue that is often addressed piecemeal in forums with very different processes. This does not mean that the proven expertise of institutions, such as the Paris Club or the OECD, should not be revisited and even expanded.
Luxembourg’s financial centre is fully involved in efforts to develop sustainable financing. The green stock exchange of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is one of the largest and most active in the world. Last week we launched a green bond that has been remarkably successful, with demand 10 times greater than the initial offer.
We are now working to extend the climate finance model to other Sustainable Development Goals.
I just mentioned one of the high-level meetings of this session. There are other meetings at which the representatives of Luxembourg will make a statement or have already made a statement. The event to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, the Summit on Biodiversity and the Beijing +25 meeting are of particular interest.
What does this demonstrate? It shows that even in extremely difficult circumstances, our Organization is capable of consultation, proposals and action.
As early as March and April, the Secretary-General submitted a series of COVID-19-related analyses that paved the way for resolutions adopted by the General Assembly.
Mr. President,
The Assembly has been able to respond to the challenges posed by the crisis and take decisions that were crucial for the smooth functioning of the Organization thanks to the efforts of your predecessor. In the absence of physical meetings and despite the procedural limitations this entailed, the Assembly has demonstrated to the world that the United Nations was indeed present in meeting the challenges posed by the crisis. The management of the Assembly has set an example on how to sensibly improvise. I believe that, in the future, we will have to consider other arrangements to offset the disadvantages of consensus decision-making.
Our Assembly has also prepared for the future by adopting a series of substantive resolutions designed to provide a United Nations response to the crisis. The adoption of the Omnibus resolution, which gives coherence to our approach, should be particularly noted and welcomed. At its special session in December, the General Assembly will have the opportunity to review the system’s response and initiatives that might be adopted in the future.
The Security Council was somewhat slow to act on our Secretary-General’s call in the early spring for an immediate global ceasefire. Thanks to the persistence of some of its members, it finally did so, but it must be said that the obstacles that were encountered in the process are unfortunately emblematic of the Council’s difficulty to act and make decisions even in the most urgent situations.
While New York-based United Nations agencies, such as UNDP and UNICEF, were of course quick to react, so were United Nations agencies based elsewhere. I am thinking of those based in Rome that had to act to address the food emergency and the emerging danger of starvation.
Recent experiences in global health governance can and should be reviewed in the aftermath of the current pandemic, and the relevant key lessons should be learned. The World Health Organization (WHO) is the appropriate agency to conduct such a review. Its role in global health governance needs to be strengthened. We are confident that that will enable us to better deal with future pandemics.
Mr. Chairman,
Dear friends,
I said earlier that the world is in danger of undoing 20 years of development with regard to a significant number of Members of the Organization. Unfortunately, I do not see those as the only achievements at risk. The COVID-19 crisis has further incentivized curtailing civil liberties excessively. In many regions and States, civic space is shrinking dramatically. The suppression of opponents and human rights defenders is becoming widespread. When it is suppressed, civil society is often not heard. At the General Assembly during its seventy-fourth session, the Luxembourg chairmanship of the Third Committee committed to ensuring that civil society receive its rightful place in that forum, which is responsible for dealing with human rights issues. Civil Society’s involvement in United Nations forums will be one of our priorities as a candidate in the Human Rights Council elections to be held in October 2021.
Overall, we are concerned about the rise of authoritarianism, to our dismay, in every region of the world — which is at times manifests itself more covertly and deviously, and, at others, openly, as we have recently seen in Belarus. The rise of authoritarianism often goes hand in hand with a rise in simplistic populist, and even anti-scientific and irrational, narratives.
Unfortunately, backsliding in the progress made in the recognition of certain rights also affects sexual and reproductive health, spilling over into United Nations bodies. With regard to my country, which is pursuing a feminist foreign policy, maintaining the gains made over many years of struggle must remain an absolute priority. We demonstrated that during our recent chairmanship of the Commission on Population and Development.
I also take this opportunity to recall my country’s commitment to defending the rights of sexual minorities and its active participation in the LGBTI Core Group. In that regard, Europe is unfortunately of concern.
Mr. President,
Authoritarianism fuels conflicts as it thrives on them. One has only to look at the number of regions and countries that have become the arena of diverse geographic Powers, entailing all kinds of trafficking and migratory pressures, especially in the Mediterranean.
The Middle East remains a hotbed of tension. I welcome the recent rapprochement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Bahrain, which should help stabilize the region. Nevertheless, the peace process between Israel and Palestine has stalled. The parties’ commitment is needed to negotiate a just and lasting peace and reach a two-State solution living side by side in peace and security. While Iran’s actions in the region give cause for concern, the abandonment of the nuclear agreement with Iran is not likely to improve the situation. The agreement remains in force and cannot be simultaneously rejected and invoked.
Let me say a few words about the situation in West Africa and the Sahel. Much of my country’s international cooperation is focused there. All stakeholders of the region must come together by implementing the commitments made, including the restoration of civil authority in Mali. The effectiveness of the international community’s commitment is predicated on that. For its part, Luxembourg further strengthened its commitment at the beginning of the year through its direct participation in MINUSMA, the first such involvement since its participation in UNPROFOR and UNIFIL.
I will not list the concerns that my country has about active or potential conflicts in every region of the world. The list would be too long. It must be noted that sources of tension are on the rise and that the appearance of new actors on the international scene hardly always leads towards calm.
Calling into question multilateralism is playing its role in increasing risks. It is more and more frequent and is not the product a single actor of the international community, as one would like to make us believe on occasion. For our part, we adhere to an international order based on the rule of law and the sovereignty of States. There is no contradiction between the two.
I take this occasion to reiterate my country’s full support for the International Criminal Court and its representatives. The recent attacks against the Court and obstacles created to prevent it from acting must cease.
The United Nations is the umbrella organization of the international system and, as such, the guarantor of multilateralism. In our globalized and interdependent world, isolated and uncoordinated action constitutes a risk for all, including those who do not feel bound by accepted norms. The coronavirus crisis reminds us of that in the clearest and most unmistakable way.
For its part, Luxembourg will maintain its long-standing international commitment through its participation in the work of the universally participatory bodies of the Organization, its voluntary financial contributions, its presence on the ground together with the United Nations and its candidature to elected positions in various bodies, such as the Human Rights Council for the term from 2022 to 2024.
I sincerely hope that next year I will once again be able to participate more directly in the great conversation that is the high-level week and address the Assembly in a more lively and interactive way.
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends,
I thank everyone for their kind attention and for listening to me, and I hope to see everyone physically once again in the very near future.


Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates and Friends,
Seventy-Five years ago, our predecessors founded this noble institution as the primary international platform to promote dignity, security, and freedom for all. Crafted in the midst of seething political tensions and the immense human suffering wrought by preceding global wars, our United Nations has served as humanity’s most credible attempt at securing a peaceful and prosperous future for all nations and peoples. Yet, as we convene today against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic — the likes of which we have not experienced in over a century — the future we want and we all rightfully deserve, appears in grave jeopardy.
Amidst the rising tides of Climate Change; the scourge of desertification and land degradation, including in the Sahel; the challenges to biodiversity; the social, political and economic inequities of the global economy; and the uneveness and contradictions of a lopsided multilateral system in which the norms and rules are conveniently applied and upheld in favour of the powerful, the bellowing calls for global reform and a renewed multilateralism reverberate ever more loudly. We are indeed at an important crossroad. A well-functioning United Nations, fit for the purpose of safeguarding the bedrock principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and political independence of all states, while addressing the critical issues of our times, is urgently needed.
Mr. President,
COVID-19 has laid bare the indisputable fact that coordinated multilateral action to achieve the sustainable development goals is the surest pathway to global peace and security. In our increasingly interconnected and hyper-globalised world, we protect ourselves when we safeguard our neighbours. Indeed, peace and security are the ideals of a collective identity, moulded through stable relationships. The urgent challenges of our times cannot be solved by building walls, nor can they be effectively addressed by retreating to a corner of nationalistic isolationalism. We must build bridges. And we must stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters throughout the world as we lift each other up from COVID-19. In this regard, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines pays tribute to all frontline workers and first responders — our “Capeless Heroes” — whose selfless contributions and sacrifices have kept many of us safe throughout this pandemic. We also extend our sympathies to the many families who have endured suffering throughout this ordeal. We stand with you as you honour the memories of your loved ones. We must “Keep the Faith”, and more.
Mr. President,
The simple truth is that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a profoundly altered condition of life, living, and production. None of the awesome challenges arising from this altered condition can be solved by incrementalism or a minimalist pragmatism which merely tinkers with the pre-existing poltical economy. To be sure, human ingenuity and science will produce a vaccine within the next few months or a year and the COVID rate of infection, hospitalisation and deaths will come down globally.
But haunting questions remain: Would the vaccine be available cheaply and universally to all peoples the world over? Or would its distribution be so skewed within, and across countries, that there is likely to arise a deafening roar that: “Only Rich Lives Matter?” The good intentions of our United Nations and its specialised agencies such as the World Health Organisation may nibble away at the inequity of a skewed outcome but their impacts are likely to be only marginal unless there is an enforceable, international rules-based compact between all countries and major pharmaceutical companies to deliver universally and affordably the fruits of science and human ingenuity. It cannot be the usual result of corporate profits ahead of people’s lives, livelihoods, social solidarity, and security.
Even if, in this instance of COVID-19, the international community rises to the challenge and confirms that faith and good intentions without practical works is an illusion, would this be only an episodic response which leaves the pre-existing global order in place until the next, and inevitable, pandemic arises? This irrational dangerous cycle has to be reconfigrured with a global consensus not merely to “build back better” but to build back optimally and enduringly for all of humanity’s sake.
Fundamentally, Mr. President, the old order is passing away before our very eyes as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a new one is yet to come into being; indeed, there is not in place even a transition to a better, optimal, and enduring condition. We are still quarelling about inconsequential matters, insisting on too many sideshows, and casting our gaze askance away from the main events, metaphorically.
It is a truism, repeatedly ignored by powerful nations globally and ruling classes in dominant countries, that our central global challenges cannot be solved in isolation of each other or only on the terms of the powerful. Yet the old reflexes kick in, harming inevitably the strong and the weak, though not in equal measure. So, we end up, metaphorically, with a proud man who is ignorant of that which he is most assured.
Right reason and mature reflection teach that over the past 50 years of the dominant human civilization, and its appending off-shoots, there has been an explosion of individualism and freedom engendered by a huge enlargement of personal, financial, technological, and social spaces. Atomised individualism has been elevated as the appotheosis of progress; and social solidarity has become frayed, tattered, and diminished as a public good. So, along comes a pandemic and the atomised individual has to rely on the prudent and collective good behaviour of his neighbors to stay healthy. This circle cannot be easily squared in an individualistic, dog-eat-dog social order; and, metaphorically, all hell has broken loose.
Thus, internally in our societies, we ought in the current altered condition, to build a social individual, not an atomised one; this social individual necessarily, has to be grounded in the requisite of social solidarity. Across nations, too, we must initiate and build a fresh compact of enduring solidarity, as we in our Caribbean Community (CARICOM), have done with much success, despite a limitation of resources. Our United Nations, and its specialised agencies, are the locales for the construction of an ambitious, renewed global compact, not of world government, but of a genguine community of nations through a bona fide multilateralism, grounded in international law. This is not merely a technical exercise but a profoundly political one of the first order in which this revitalised compact is efficaciously fashioned on the fertilised soil of genuine commitment among all nations. Let us thus lift Lift Humanity Higher!
In this regard, powerful states must roll back their unilateralist, unwholesome and prejudicial, constraints on weaker nations. The list is long and includes: unilateralist sanctions; weaponising of the trade, banking and financial system; the misuse and abuse of so-called “blacklists” by developed countries against developing ones; the unilateralist termination of correspondent banking relations on purely spurious, and hypocritical, grounds; the breaking of international law, willy-nilly, to serve narrowly nationalist interests on this or that issue, including the existential matter of climate change; and the relegation of Small Island Developing States to the expendable margins of the global political economy.
Mr. President,
As a small island developing state faced with an exceptional and unique admixture of existential circumstances, ranging from our inherent vulnerabilities as a small open economy with porous borders, to the legacies of underdevelopment left in the wake of European settler colonialism, native genocide, the enslavement of Africans, and the indentureship of Madeirans and Indians, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has made tremendous strides to advance meaningfully a progressive and people-centred development agenda. Yet, despite our best efforts, the disastrous economic implications of a global COVID-19 recession threatens to stymie our advances.
These detrimental impacts, already disproportionately felt across the Global South, stem from sharp declines in remittances; significant disruptions of trade, travel and other economic activity; and the negative effects on social welfare, as limited resources are diverted to save lives. For small island developing states, without predictable and reliable financing through concessional loans, without scaled up development assistance, and flexible and innovative forms of debt-relief, we risk falling further behind — unable to safeguard our human development agenda or provide necessary social protections to many of our people. To avert these grim prospects, ambitious reform of the international financial architecture that takes into account our Small Island States’ Exceptionalism is urgently needed.
Mr. President,
The continued use of the illegal and inhumane economic embargo on the Republic of Cuba, and the unilateral economic sanctions imposed for the purpose of stoking social unrest as part of an externally-driven “regime change” agenda in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela are but two egregious examples of how the norms and principles of international law are desecrated for sake of power and self-interest. Despite their own serious challenges, the governments and peoples of Cuba and Venezuela continue to stand as models for camaraderie and solidarity, dispatching medical brigades and essential supplies in response to COVID-19.
Such is the absurd contradiction that those who employ the human rights mantra as a guise for unilateral action would wilfully deprive millions of people, living in countries near and far, of their right to dignity and development by deploying the most debilitating foreign policy tools. The immense suffering of the people of Syria, as a result of a conflict that they did not choose, and geopolitical forces over which they exert no influence, stands as a prime example of the paradox of humanitarian intervention. In similar fashion, the convergence of a parallelogram of contradictory forces in Yemen has precipitated a humanitarian crisis of monumental proportions. Syria and Yemen are arguably two of the biggest catastrophes in the world which require constructive forms of multilateral engagement that yield people-centred solutions with full respect for international law. I feel sure that interested regional powers yearn for peace and stability in Yemen and Syria.
Mr. President,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reaffirms its solidarity with the Palestinian people whose daily existence remain marred by the persistent threat of illegal annexation. Honouring the Palestinian peoples’ long held quest for self-determination and statehood by revisiting the question of full membership at the United Nations is a matter that is long overdue, and an essential component of a lasting Two-State Solution in the quest for a sustainable peace in the Middle East. In a similar vein, the constructive and pragmatic intergovernmental engagement of Taiwan, as a responsible advocate for sustainable development and an exemplar of the magnificent Chinese Civilization, validates the case for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the specialised agencies and bodies of the United Nations.
Mr. President,
The complex challenges of the 21st Century will not be solved by military means or by a quest for hegemony. While those who sell weapons have been traditionally positioned to broker peace, we cannot expect to use outdated tools to address effectively contemporary exingencies. Accordingly, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reiterates the importance of addressing earnestly the question of Security Council reform — by, among other things, expanding the permanent membership to include our brothers and sisters from the African continent, by incorporating the nuanced perspectives of small island states as a continuously rotating fixture, and by upgrading the working methods of this august, but historically-shackled, body to reflect the realities of the modern world. This issue continues to occupy the attention of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at the Security Council where my country has forged a strong partnership with the three non-permanent members from Africa, in what has become known as the A3+1.
Mr. President,
Amidst the thundering calls for racial and social justice, globally, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines affirms, yet again, that Black Lives Matter. During this International Decade for People of African Descent, the case for reparatory justice remains unanswerably strong. The legacies of underdevelopment arising from the genocide of our native Kalinago and Garifuna people, and the enslavement of African bodies prompt our just and legitimate demand for appropriate recompense, grounded in historical fact, contemporary reality, and international law, from European Nations and their successor Nation States in North America. The international campaign for reparatory justice, widely promoted by governments across our Caribbean Community and by social activists within the industrialized metropoles, must form part of any serious efforts to achieve the sustainable development agenda.
Mr. President,
As I conclude, I reiterate that, the complex, consequential and overlapping challenges facing our world today can only be resolved through inclusive multilateral solutions and comprehensive development strategies. Admittedly, in any collective struggle for peace or prosperity there are no easy victories. Yet, it is in our darkest moments, when these struggles seem insurmountable, that we must work together in unity and in solidarity, not in spite of, but precisely because, our distinct perspectives and interests necessitate that “we the peoples” work together. As we embark on a new decade of our collective journey, let us craft a more just and equitable world in which all nations and peoples participate meaningfully a measured apportionment of both burden and benefit.
I Thank You.


Your Excellency, Ambassador Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly,
Your Majesties,
Your Excellencies, fellow Heads of State and Government,
Your Excellency, Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Allow me first to congratulate you, Ambassador Volkan Bozkir on your election to the Presidency of the 75 th Session of the General Assembly. Zimbabwe is confident that under your able stewardship, the General Assembly will proficiently address the challenges that are presently facing our organization and our world.
I also wish to convey our sincere gratitude to the President of the 74th Session of the Assembly, Professor Tijjani Muhamad-Bande, for skillfully executing his responsibilities during his tenure.
This year we celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of our United Nations organization. It is gratifying that we continue to make a qualitative difference in the lives of many people throughout the world. Our jubilation has sadly been marred by the COVID 19 pandemic which has brought to the fore the importance of unity and effective multilateral cooperation in building a future we want.
The theme of this 75th Session, “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitments to multilateralism-confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action”, is therefore apt and most appropriate.
Today humanity is at a crossroads as we are confronted by complex challenges that do not respect any borders.
Multilateralism is under increasing threat from the blind pursuit of narrow interests. We must therefore strengthen international amity and goodwill as well as uphold mutual respect and observe the sovereign equality of States.
Your Excellencies,
Zimbabwe is on a new path. Like other nations in the region, we are facing humanitarian challenges which in our case have been worsened by the illegal sanctions, the negative impact of climate change, and compounded by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, my administration continues to record notable achievements towards sustainable development which leaves no one behind. Our macro- economic stabilization reforms have seen the reduction of our budget deficit to a single digit, as well as a positive balance of our current account, coupled with foreign exchange rate and prices stability.
Major infrastructure projects are ongoing, such as the rehabilitation and construction of health service facilities, water and sanitation infrastructure as well as roads, dams and bridges across the country. Investments in mining, agriculture, tourism, energy and manufacturing sectors are on the increase.
We are optimistic that the implementation of the second phase of Ease of Doing Business Reforms will help to further improve our World Bank rankings.
Similarly, my Administration is decisive in entrenching Constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law, including the protection of property rights. The commitment of my Government to these cardinal principles remains unwavering. It is in this spirit and in line with our Constitution that in July this year, my Government concluded the landmark Global Compensation Deed, with former farm owners. We count on the support and goodwill of the international community as we mobilize resources to implement the Agreement.
The alignment of our laws to the Constitution is almost complete, while new pieces of legislation continue to be enacted to strengthen our institutions. The raft of political reforms will benefit the generality of Zimbabweans as we consolidate our respect of human rights.
My administration places great importance on fostering national unity and cohesion. The culture of dialogue across all sectors is taking root, with activities and programmes under the auspices of our homegrown Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), gaining momentum.
Recently, the UN Secretary General; the High Commissioner for Human Rights; and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, all acknowledged the deleterious effects of the illegal economic sanctions on our country. These are a breach of international law and compromise Zimbabwe’s capacity to implement and achieve Sustainable Development especially SDGs 2, 3, 8, 9 and 17. We, therefore, call on the General Assembly to strongly pronounce itself against these Unilateral illegal sanctions.
Your Excellencies,
Let me assure you that Zimbabwe continues to implement measures to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Over and above instituting phased lockdowns, following the World Health Organization guidelines, my Government has also provided ZWL$18 billion (approximately US$720 million) economic stimulus package.
Zimbabwe welcomes calls by the UN Secretary General and the Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, for the COVID-19 vaccine to be treated as a global public good with guaranteed fair distribution and mechanisms to ensure equal access.
We are encouraged by the ongoing cooperation between the UN Secretary General, the G20 and the Bretton Woods institutions towards finding solutions to developing countrys’ debt and related issues. While the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have supported a debt standstill up to the end of the year, more needs to be done.
As a committed partner in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Zimbabwe welcomed the launch of the Decade of Action. In this spirit, we hosted the 6th Africa Regional Forum for Sustainable Development in Victoria Falls in February 2020, which adopted the Victoria Falls Declaration on the Decade of Action for Sustainable Development in Africa.
As we move forward, we believe that strengthening public health systems, international solidarity and partnerships are critical.
Your Excellencies,
As we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women on 1 st October this year, I am gratified to highlight that Zimbabwe has taken major steps in implementing the Beijing Declaration. These include the adoption of a gender responsive Constitution, establishment of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, enactment of several pieces of legislation to outlaw all practices that infringe on the rights of women and girls such as forced and child marriages and discrimination against women in inheritance matters. My Government has also set up a Women’s Bank to facilitate access to finance by women-owned businesses and projects.
Your Excellencies,
It is now more than 15 years since the adoption of the Ezulwini Consensus, reaffirmed in the Sirte Declaration. It is deeply regrettable that reform of the Security Council and implementation of Africa’s position has not been achieved. We cannot continue with a situation where over 16 per cent of the world’s population does not have a voice in decision making. This is a serious indictment to our avowed commitment to multilateralism and the basic principles of natural justice, fairness and equity.
Peace, security and stability are a pre-requisite for sustainable development. This can only be achieved in an inclusive process characterized by equally shared commitment and responsibilities. We count on the international community to strengthen its support for AU-led peace efforts. We also look forward to greater collaboration between the AU and the UN in maintaining sustainable international peace and security in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, more particularly in ensuring the effective implementation of the AU’s campaign on “Silencing the Guns”.
Self-determination and independence are intrinsic and fundamental rights that should be enjoyed by all without distinction. We call on the Security Council to increase its efforts towards ending the occupation of Western Sahara.
Zimbabwe also calls upon the Secretary-General to appoint his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara without further delay.
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Let me conclude by reaffirming Zimbabwe’s commitment to work for a better world. There is no better way of achieving a peaceful andstable world than through mutual respect, genuine multilateralism buttressed by much needed reforms and respect for international law. Recommitting ourselves to these ideals will pave way for the just world that we all yearn for.
I thank you.