Next week, on 1 October, Tuvalu will mark the thirty-ninth anniversary of its independence. It gives me great pleasure, therefore, on behalf of the Government and people of Tuvalu, to thank the United Nations and all its membership for granting Tuvalu the recognition of full sovereignty in October 1978.
Twenty-two years later, on the eve of the twenty- first century in September 2000, Tuvalu was admitted as the 189th Member of the United Nations, with the rights of full participation as a member of the United Nations family. Our joining the United Nations is a journey of hope — hope in the noble values of this great body, the United Nations, and trust in its ability to assure humankind, including small and vulnerable countries like mine, peace, security and prosperity for our survival.
I record Tuvalu’s sincere gratitude to the United Nations and its specialized agencies, development partners — especially our traditional partners in the Pacific, regional bodies of the Pacific — friends in Asia, India, South Korea, Japan, the Republic of China, the European Union and others, for all their support to my island nation of Tuvalu. We welcome the friendship and partnership of United Nations Members and other entities as we move forward.
Tuvalu applauds the theme of the seventy-second general debate, “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”. It captures the undeniable linkage between peace, security and sustainable development. It underscores that, without peace and security, our 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will not deliver a fair globalization for all. In short, without sustainable development, there will be no peace and no security.
I congratulate Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election to the presidency and on his vision of focusing on people during the seventy-second session. I also congratulate the outgoing President of the General Assembly, Mr. Peter Thomson of Fiji, on his efforts and outstanding leadership on many fronts.
I want to express the deepest sympathy of Tuvalu, as a small and vulnerable island nation, to the people of the United States of America and the Caribbean islands who are suffering or have been affected by the destruction caused by the recent hurricanes and tropical cyclones in that region. These unfortunate events clearly show the magnitude and urgency of global work still required of the United Nations to better prepare, protect and save peoples and humanity from such calamities.
We also share the devastating grief of the people of Mexico, including young schoolchildren, following the earthquake this week, as well as other peoples suffering similar disasters and violence around the world. We pray that God brings comfort and a speedy recovery to the affected people and their loved ones.
Horrific acts of violence and terrorism continue to plague our world. Countless innocent lives are destroyed and lost. Violence in any form is a direct threat to peace and security and seriously undermines our efforts to achieve sustainable development. We therefore condemn violence and terrorism in all their forms and manifestations.
We are particularly concerned with the threat to global peace and security posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We acknowledge the persistent efforts of the Security Council to de-escalate tensions. A renewed engagement with inclusive diplomatic dialogue is, in our view, the only option for solving the crisis on the Korean peninsula. We believe that a military response would lead to unimaginable destruction and loss of life.
In this vein, Tuvalu maintains its commitments in support of all international legal instruments against violence and terrorism. It is critical that we support international law for the protection and promotion of human rights. We commend the establishment of the Office of Counter-Terrorism to ensure the effective and balanced implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
Just yesterday, and with pride on behalf of my country, Tuvalu, I signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as a further demonstration of our commitment to the elimination of nuclear weapons and to the South Pacific Nuclear-Free-Zone Treaty, which was negotiated and drafted at the 1984 Pacific Island Leaders Forum, held in Tuvalu. It is our fervent hope that nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, including the trade in materials and the development of technologies to produce such weapons, are totally banned, outlawed and prohibited worldwide by the United Nations. Humankind must be advanced neither on the principles of fear and deterrence nor on the adage of “might is right”, but rather on moral justice for humankind, equity, trust, respect and the full enjoyment of basic human rights.
The entry into force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change last year raised our hopes that, in recognizing the existential threat to us all, Member States would commit to the common cause of fighting climate change, adapting to its impacts and strengthening the ability of developing States, especially the most vulnerable, to deal with them. The Paris Agreement is our common hope of a decent life on a sustainable planet. For Tuvalu, it is our hope of security and survival.
This hope, however, dimmed with the announcement by the United States that it will abandon the Paris Agreement. This decision risks undermining our global efforts to save and protect the livelihoods of the people who are at risk from the impacts of climate change. These are the marginalized, the vulnerable, the poor, the women and the children who suffer the most from climate change, especially those who live on low-lying islands and incoastal areas. There are already tens of millions of these people, and their number is increasing at an alarming rate.
Domestic, economic and political interests are often short-term and benefit only a few. They should not be pursued at the expense of a decent life for us all, current and future generations, on a sustainable planet. That is the spirit that underpins our twenty- first-century development system. We therefore urge the United States to reunite with us and to allow all of us, in particular the most vulnerable, the best possible chance to save ourselves and the sustainable future of humankind. We are nevertheless encouraged this morning by the strong leadership of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron on climate change. We thank them and highly commend their courage.
We welcome the Secretary-General’s intention to convene a dedicated climate summit in 2019 to mobilize political support. It will be an important opportunity, in our view, to review our progress and momentum and, most importantly, to enhance our commitment to taking urgent and credible actions to reverse global warming. We are also encouraged by the Secretary-General’s commitment to intensifying high-level political engagement to limit the temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and aiming at limiting the increase to 1.5°C. We are likewise heartened by his dedication to rallying the United Nations system to better support Member States by mobilizing resources and strengthening partnerships in their pursuit of climate action.
Indeed, without enhanced commitment and genuine partnerships, the Paris Agreement will not save us all, especially the most vulnerable. Climate change is a risk multiplier on all factors of development. Its challenges are complex and continue to change. It is for this reason that we reiterate our call for the appointment of a special representative on climate change and security in order to enhance international focus, coordination and commitment. In the same vein, we call for climate change and security to be a permanent item on the agenda of the Security Council, given its direct threat to global peace and security.
For Tuvalu and many of the low-lying islands, our peace and security are not imperilled by traditional threats of conflict, violence, drugs, weapons, famine or disease. Instead, as the Male’ Declaration on the Human Dimension of Climate Change recognized in 2007, “the impacts of climate change pose the most immediate, fundamental and far-reaching threat” to individuals and communities in these most vulnerable States and threaten a wide range of human rights, including “the right to life, the right to take part in cultural life, the right to use and enjoy property, the right to an adequate standard of living, the right to food and the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”.
Ten years ago we recognized that climate change was the single greatest major threat to our peace, security and, ultimately, survival. It remains so today, and the situation grows more urgent every day. Under current warming trends, our islands may be submerged under the sea within the next 50 years. If and when that happens, we will be forced to abandon our islands, even though we contribute the least to global warming and sea-level rise. This forced relocation or displacement of our people is an injustice and an infringement on our fundamental and basic human rights.
It is for this very reason that we continue to call for enhanced global commitment and partnerships in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. We cannot give up on this campaign, for two very simple reasons. First, relocation and statelessness are totally unacceptable, as many of us here in the Hall would agree. Secondly, we all know that membership of our global family of the United Nations has the tools and resources to save Tuvalu and low-lying States from the impacts of climate change. It is only a question of whether we have the will and the courage to help these people.
We have come together to face grave risks before. Over many years, the international community, guided by the Charter of the United Nations, has cooperated on many fronts to deal with threats such as Ebola, cholera, violence, natural disasters and, subsequently, the lives and rights of people displaced by such threats. The international response was immediate because these threats were potential global threats to humankind. For others, however, their response was driven by political and economic interests. Sadly, displacement owing to the impacts of climate change has not drawn the same international concern and response, despite the fact that it has the very real potential to become a serious threat to global peace, security and human rights.
Uncontrolled mass migration into Europe as a result of conflicts and natural disasters, for example, has taught us the very important lesson that we should have had in place effective international institutions and systems to control, manage and protect the rights of migrants. In exactly the same manner, we must now formulate effective international systems to protect the human rights of people displaced by the impacts of climate change and avoid further uncontrolled mass migration and mass violation of human rights.
This preparation must include developing the appropriate international legal tools to cope with the complex and multifaceted challenges posed by climate change. In particular, the current refugee regimes that were developed to cope with traditional threats do not adequately protect people forced to leave their homes by the impacts of climate change. We therefore reiterate our proposal for a United Nations resolution on the establishment of a legal process to protect the human rights and, ultimately, save the lives of people displaced by the impacts of climate change.
As a least developed country (LDC) and a small island developing State (SIDS), we need enhanced global support to overcome the structural challenges we face in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. On our own part, Tuvalu has developed its national strategy for sustainable development, known as Te Kakeega III, premised on building resilience through good governance, inclusive participation and capacity measures for mitigation for LDCs, with targets of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2020, as well as coastal protection adaptation on all islands, in order to protect and save Tuvalu.
We are grateful to the members of the international community for their generous support through the work of the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Development Programme, as well as through other donors and bilateral partners. While grateful for their goodwill, we have established our own Tuvalu Climate Change and Disaster Survival Fund as a facility to help people respond quickly to the impacts of climate change.
To enhance further adaptation work, access to appropriate infrastructures, maritime ports on the islands, airports, technology connectivity, health care, quality education and renewable energy are critical areas of particular priority. Tuvalu will welcome the development of genuine and durable partnerships, as aspired to under the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action Pathway.
In regard to the issue of LDC graduation, it is our view that a country must graduate only when it can achieve sustainable development, not merely when it should be able to achieve it. The unique vulnerability of SIDS and LDCs such as Tuvalu must be the central criteria of consideration for LDC graduation.
As small islands surrounded by vast oceans, we interact with the ocean every day of our lives. We are heavily dependent on the ocean, and the ocean is central to our achievement of sustainable development. We firmly believe that once we have established our baselines under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, these baselines, as well as the identified maritime zones, shall remain forever. This is irrespective of sea-level rise.
The ongoing discussions on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction must ensure that small island developing States, with our particular vulnerabilities, are provided the necessary financial and technical support to guarantee our equal and fair participation in the management and sharing of benefits from this instrument. We must agree at this session of the Assembly to commence work on developing a legally binding agreement to give protection to biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions.
Our 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is universal and holistic in that it applies to all countries and actors and covers all aspects of sustainable development. Critically to its success, the agenda is rooted in human rights and genuine partnerships. But the vibrant democracy of Taiwan, which has long been an active and responsible development partner to many countries, including Tuvalu, is being denied participation in the United Nations system. It cannot be right that the twenty-second-largest global economy, with a notable capacity to contribute, cannot effectively participate in our 2030 Agenda. This is unfortunate, given that our 2030 Agenda needs genuine global partnerships to mobilize all available resources to be successful. Under its principle of universality, the United Nations should allow the 23 million people of Taiwan to enjoy their fundamental right to participate fully in the United Nations system and to benefit and contribute effectively to its programmes.
In the same vein, the people of Cuba must be allowed to freely exercise their rights to determine their own political, economic and social systems. With their rights and trade restricted by the unilateral blockade imposed by the United States, the people of Cuba are denied effective participation in our Sustainable Development Goals programmes.
Of similar concerns, the people of West Papua should be enabled to exercise their fundamental right, with the intervention of this responsible Organization, to determine their own development aspirations and future. The West Papuans are a distinct people with Pacific roots, with their own land, history and culture. The violation of human rights in West Papua is a matter of constant and great concern to us. Tuvalu strongly believes that the United Nations must engage in setting a clear pathway to address these issues and the issue of self-determination for the people of West Papua.
We must embrace the genuine partnership of those who can contribute to the realization of a decent life in our marginalized communities. We cannot ignore and risk leaving behind those who hope for a decent life but are being constrained by violence, natural disasters, violation of human rights, atrocities and the impacts of climate change. We cannot leave anyone behind.
Finally, I wish to express Tuvalu’s strong support for a global pact on the environment, as initiated and proposed by France. We need an internationally legally binding agreement that protects our rights to a safe and clean environment. We are but on one big canoe for humankind and, as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this morning, no one country has the right to jump ship on climate change. We must either paddle together to keep the canoe afloat and safe, or allow the canoe to sink and drown. It is our hope that, with this global pact on the environment and the Paris Agreement, we can save Tuvalu. If we can save Tuvalu, we can save the world.


In his first statement at the United Nations in October 1992, the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, endorsed the concept of preventive diplomacy, an idea that is now a very high priority for the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly. That concept has been instrumental for Kazakhstan, which for the 25 years of its independent development has shown itself to be a proactive and responsible member of the international community. My country has become a net contributor to peace, security and stability, and economic and social development, not only in our region but far beyond. We have worked diligently to preserve peace and harmony in our multi-ethnic, multi-religious society, while stressing and ensuring the equality and dignity of every citizen. We have achieved that while also creating an efficient economic model. Our economy has grown 20 times over, and major international corporations have established and strengthened their presence in Kazakhstan, investing more than $265 billion. This year the Institute for Management Development ranked Kazakhstan thirty-second in world competitiveness, after a remarkable rise of 15 places, and thirty-fifth on its ease-of-doing-business index, 16 places higher.
Looking forward, Kazakhstan has a clear vision for its future development. We are aiming to become one of the top 30 most competitive economies in the world by 2050, meeting the most advanced global standards in terms of economic performance and transparent governance, especially those of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. A new model of economic growth, Kazakhstan’s third modernization, announced by President Nazarbayev in his annual address earlier this year, outlines a path by which our country can achieve those ambitious goals. On the economic front, the third modernization strongly emphasizes Kazakhstan’s rapid technological modernization, with a focus on new high-tech industries, information and communication technologies, as well as massive improvements in the business environment, economic productivity, human development and institutional reforms. We have committed resources to streamlining and upgrading our road, rail, airport and pipeline infrastructure and ensured the effective joining of Kazakhstan’s national Nurly Zhol programme and China’s One Belt, One Road initiative.
This year, with a view to building a more efficient, sustainable and modern system of governance, President Nazarbayev initiated constitutional reform in Kazakhstan. The reform, now well under way, is aimed at a major redistribution of powers among its three branches and at further democratizing the political system as a whole. The key steps are the transfer of some presidential powers to Parliament and the Government, and the strengthening of a genuine system of checks and balances. Those economic and political modernization processes will be accompanied by efforts in our quest to modernize Kazakhstan’s national identity and cultural code to create conditions for a new generation of competitive and pragmatic citizens and leaders with a thirst for knowledge, progressive consciousness and an open attitude.
We are pleased to see that the expanded regional partnership among Central Asian States has enhanced our common capability to withstand threats and challenges. With that in mind, during our current membership of the Security Council, we have been focusing on creating a model of a regional zone of peace, security, development and cooperation in Central Asia. We are also striving to further strengthen regional cooperation and integration among the brother nations of Central Asia in such areas as water management, trade and development, transportation and many others. Kazakhstan is focusing in particular on regional cooperation aimed at tackling the disastrous situation of the Aral Sea. The International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea is still the only permanent platform for dialogue among Central Asia’s Heads of State, and we believe that it could be used to combine our efforts to formulate mid- and long-term strategies for regional development.
The agenda of the General Assembly at its current session focuses on people, encompassing issues of sustainable development and peace and security, and stresses our common responsibility for the future. None of us can ignore the tough realities we see on the ground — the lack of trust and unity, global and regional inequality and injustice, poverty, xenophobia, conflict, terrorism and extremism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. That is why this agenda truly reflects the magnitude of the challenges that the United Nations is facing today and at the same time underlines the Organization’s undiminished importance.
While the United Nations machinery has indeed been subject to criticism and demands for long-awaited reforms aimed at enhancing its preparedness for crises and response capabilities, the Organization remains a beacon of hope for billions of people across the globe, a universal institution that holds a promise of a better, safer and more sustainable life. We believe that the Secretary-General is on the right track in that regard in his efforts to unite Member States in revitalizing the United Nations. We also support the special meeting on United Nations reform convened on 18 September by United States President Donald Trump, which we believe will be a fresh incentive to turn our Organization into an effective and efficient tool that serves the whole of humankind.
Kazakhstan is actively working on establishing and hosting a United Nations regional hub in Almaty for multilateral diplomacy, with a focus on sustainable development, humanitarian assistance, disaster risk- reduction and resilience-building in the region and beyond. The initiative is in line with the Secretary- General’s idea of optimizing the service-delivery of the United Nations and increasing the effectiveness of United Nations field missions’ activities through proper planning and management.
My country has continued to pursue the concept of a security and development nexus, while reflecting the intrinsic interdependence of peace, security and development. Sustainable development is unimaginable without peace, and vice versa. When our security architecture is eroded, along with regional confrontations and international terrorism it undermines the achievements that we havemade within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals and puts our ability to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in jeopardy. Peace is an integral requirement for social, economic and environmental progress.
When we speak of opportunities made possible by global modernization, we must bear in mind the dangers that can prevent all of us from realizing our potential. In our interdependent and connected world, nuclear weapons are no longer an asset, but rather a danger. With moral authority and responsibility based on my nation’s bitter experience of hundreds of nuclear tests, my President has stated that eliminating the danger of nuclear weapons is the most urgent task facing humankind in the twenty-first century. That will involve a whole range of important and urgent steps — a complete ban on nuclear testing, the total prohibition of nuclear weapons and the complete and verifiable destruction of nuclear arsenals.
We are deeply concerned about the nuclear tests being conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea — the only State in the twenty-first century that has continued with such tests, despite the condemnation of the entire international community. I want to stress that the actions that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is taking to further develop its nuclear and missile programmes are totally unacceptable. Pyongyang must take serious steps to restore our trust and must recommit to a much-needed political settlement.
In 2009, the General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 64/35, thereby designating 29 August — the day the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was officially closed in 1991 by the decree of President Nazarbayev — as the International Day against Nuclear Tests. That day has been widely commemorated in Kazakhstan and in the United Nations since 2010. This year has also been marked by several events of international significance. From 25 to 29 August, Astana hosted the conference of the Pugwash movement of scientists commemorating the movement’s sixtieth anniversary and the International Day against Nuclear Tests, at which hundreds of scholars, practitioners and officials from some 50 countries gathered to seek ways to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.
On that same day, my President and Director General Yukiya Amano, of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), opened the IAEA Low- Enriched Uranium Bank facility in Kazakhstan, with a view to making a significant contribution to the uses of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and strengthening the global non-proliferation regime. At the opening ceremony, President Nazarbayev outlined a number of important initiatives that I would like to share with the Assembly.
The first will be to convene a summit of all the States that possess nuclear weapons to collectively discuss further steps towards their nuclear disarmament and the attainment of a nuclear-weapon-free world. The second is to enhance the role of nuclear-weapon-free zones as effective instruments for ending further nuclear proliferation and to combine the efforts of States members of such zones at a meeting in our capital of Astana of representatives of all the nuclear- weapon-free zones. The third is to revive the global nuclear-security summit process and to host the first relaunched nuclear-security summit, also in Astana. The fourth is to call for joint efforts to ensure that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is implemented by 2020, which will be the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaty’s entry into force.
We must improve the coordination of our common response to the barbaric acts of terrorists. Kazakhstan fully supports the efforts of the United Nations in that regard, especially the creation of the Office of Counter- Terrorism, with a view to developing a comprehensive long-term approach. That is in line with the President of Kazakhstan’s 2015 proposal for the joint establishment of a global anti-terrorism coalition. My country looks forward to actively and constructively participating in the first-ever meeting of the heads of national counter- terrorism agencies next year with a view to forging a new international counter-terrorism partnership. As a practical contribution to the global partnership in the fight against terrorism, my country has begun to formulate a code of conduct for the achievement of a terrorism-free world as one way to expedite work on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. We are also committed to implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and have recently allocated $300,000 for its implementation in Central Asia.
Kazakhstan advocates for the broadest possible implementation of multilateral mechanisms and instruments for combating foreign terrorist fighters and shutting down the channels of financial support for their activities through the illegal trade in drugs, natural resources and cultural artefacts. Since there is a wide range of approaches to the issue of controlling Internet content, we believe that the United Nations should take concerted action to prevent the use of the Internet for recruiting and spreading terrorist ideology and radicalizing populations, especially young people. We in Kazakhstan are working on creating a national cybershield system.
The unspeakable suffering of millions of people in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, and the ongoing humanitarian crises and gross violations of human rights in those countries, leave none of us indifferent. Kazakhstan is hosting the Astana process on Syria in order to contribute to the peaceful settlement of the situation there and to promote the United Nations-led negotiations in Geneva, which is the primary forum for those negotiations. We believe that the Astana process, which began earlier this year with the support and direct involvement of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, has produced clear, positive results aimed at strengthening the ceasefire regime, creating de-escalation zones and developing a monitoring mechanism. Success in the Geneva and Astana platforms is critical and should be supported by all if we are to save innocent lives in Syria. It is a moral imperative for all of us.
Kazakhstan has a clear and consistent position on the Middle East peace process, based on a two- State solution approach. We support a sovereign, independent, viable and united State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure and recognized borders, side by side in peace with Israel.
As an active member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), my country, along with other OIC member States, is a firm defender of the ideal of dialogue among nations and peoples of diverse religious identity. In Astana we recently hosted the OIC Summit on Science and Technology on the margins of the International Exhibition Expo 2017. While the Summit was devoted to science and technology matters, the participants were not in a position to ignore the current suffering of the Rohingya community. The OIC member States condemned those continued violations and called for dialogue among the United Nations, the OIC and the Government of Myanmar to stop the humanitarian crisis. Those events have once again highlighted the relevance of our initiative in establishing the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
Kazakhstan is fully committed to strengthening and improving United Nations peacekeeping activities. We believe that the Secretary-General’s new approach to peacekeeping reform, with a cross-pillar approach focusing on prevention and sustaining peace, will improve the effectiveness and accountability of peacekeeping operations. We are confident that, if we ensure flexibility and partnerships, they will not only encourage the active involvement and engagement of new countries but could also increase the effectiveness of peace operations. My country is committed to increasing its contribution to United Nations peacekeeping by sending more military observers and staff officers to United Nations missions. We recently declared that we had reached the second level of peacekeeping-unit preparedness for deployment to United Nations peacekeeping missions in the United Nations Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System.
Earlier this year I presented President Nazarbayev’s policy address to the Security Council. Its seven priorities call for ensuring humankind’s survival through a world free of nuclear weapons by 2045 and through the prevention and elimination of military confrontation at the regional and global levels, thereby generating a model for a regional zone of peace, security, cooperation and development in Central Asia. It calls for all stakeholders to work globally to combat international terrorism and extremism, promote peace and security in Africa, implement the SDGs and work for reform of the Security Council and the United Nations system.
Kazakhstan will hold the presidency of the Council for the month of January 2018. The major event we are planning during that period will be a high-level open debate on global peace and security. I would like to take this opportunity to extend our invitation to all Member States to participate in the debate at the highest level. Our presidency will focus particularly on security and stability in Afghanistan and Central Asia through the prism of Afghanistan’s peaceful integration, economically and politically, into regional and global processes.
My country remains deeply committed to sustainable development. In the face of the reality of climate change, Kazakhstan, despite its abundant conventional energy resources, is committed to achieving a green economy by diversifying and developing alternative energy sources. That led us to choose “Future energy” as the theme for the Astana Expo 2017 international exhibition. Throughout the summer, 115 countries and 22 international organizations, including the United Nations, its funds, agencies and programmes, showcased their creative experiences. That enormous undertaking is clear evidence of Kazakhstan’s pledge to carry forward the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. One of the best ways to promote a green economy and green business is the use of the legacy of the Expo infrastructure. With the support of five United Nations agencies, we are establishing a “Future energy” international centre for the development of green technologies and investment projects. Its activities will be in full compliance with Kazakhstan’s Green Bridge Partnership Programme, as reflected in the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The Expo infrastructure will also house an Astana international financial centre and a centre for information-technology start-ups. We invite all Member States to participate in their activities.
As I mentioned earlier, we hosted the first-ever OIC Summit on Science and Technology within the framework of the Expo, an event that underlined the importance of technological modernization in achieving unity and solidarity in the 1.5-billion-strong Islamic world. The high-level meeting, which was attended by 15 presidents and dignitaries from 57 States, emphasized the clear and undeniable link between security and development and recognized that building a sustainable future for our nations is the only way to end challenges and threats to their security. In support of the OIC’s endeavours, the President of Kazakhstan proposed creating a 15-member OIC forum, similar to the Group of 20, designed to streamline our scientific and economic cooperation. He invited Islamic nations to jointly develop the Expo legacy in the areas of Islamic finance and green technologies, and established a prize for Islamic science and innovations.
In conclusion, I would like to stress how vital it is that we preserve peace and stability and ensure the gradual and sustainable development of our fragile world. We do not have the luxury of being able to make mistakes and then going back to correct them. We call on all world leaders to redouble their efforts and their goodwill with the goal of making progress towards lasting peace and prosperity for all.


Our thoughts today are with the people of Mexico and the Caribbean.
I congratulate you, Sir, on your election to preside over the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. Finland fully supports your six priorities and we appreciate the focus on people as your mandate’s centrepiece.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Secretary-General António Guterres. His determination to reform the United Nations is laudable. Transparency, accountability, efficiency and gender balance should be the guiding principles of the United Nations system. I also welcome his focus on conflict prevention, which, when successful, saves lives and financial resources. Finland continues to advocate the use of mediation in conflict resolution, which can prevent conflicts and decrease human suffering. Those who are marginalized must be given a voice in peace processes. Women, children and young people often pay the highest price in conflicts, but they can also help to find a way out of crises. Finland has helped to establish a Nordic network of women mediators that aims to sustain peace through women’s inclusive and meaningful participation in every phase of a peace process.
Peacekeeping and special political missions are at the core of the United Nations mandate. With experience of United Nations operations since 1956, Finland supports the Secretary-General in his efforts to reform and make United Nations peacekeeping more effective. Following the pledge we made in 2015, Finland has significantly increased its participation in United Nations police missions. Finnish police officers, including a specialized team for sexual and gender-based violence, are now deployed in seven United Nations peacekeeping operations. It is my firm view that no United Nations peacekeeper or any other United Nations personnel should be associated with misconduct in any shape or form. There must be zero tolerance of sexual exploitation and abuse, and the Secretary-General’s initiative for a circle of leadership is timely and welcome.
In wars, there are no winners, and yet conflicts continue. In 2016, 157,000 lives were lost in violent conflicts globally. There are almost 68 million refugees in the world today. The conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and eastern Ukraine are all examples of untold human suffering, and they are not the only ones. The international community has not succeeded in maintaining peace and security.
The grave situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is an urgent concern. The North Korean nuclear-weapon programme is a threat to global peace and must be stopped. The Security Council’s cooperation on North Korea has been successful, and it is important to ensure that unity can prevail. At the same time, North Korea has continued its provocations, and such behaviour cannot be tolerated. Finland, as part of the European Union, stands firmly behind the sanctions and urges everyone to do the same. We will be able to find a solution only through negotiations, and the North Korean Government must participate without preconditions.
Nuclear weapons represent a severe threat to humankind. As long as they exist there is a risk of a catastrophe. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons remains the cornerstone of global non-proliferation and the foundation for nuclear disarmament. Finland’s approach to the issue is result- oriented and pragmatic. It is crucial to ensure that the countries possessing nuclear weapons are on board for any negotiations. I call on all nuclear-weapon States and countries possessing such weapons to take concrete action on disarmament as soon as possible. It is also important to ensure that the nuclear deal on Iran is honoured by all parties, and I welcome the recent talks on strategic stability between the United States and the Russian Federation. We hope that they will re-start the arms-control talks in Europe and globally.
We must also pay closer attention to other threats, of which I would like to focus on two examples.
First, countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism is a shared priority. As a global body, the United Nations is well placed to promote the fight against terrorism. I look forward to the leadership of the new United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism in that area. Secondly, we must take health security more seriously. Diseases travel across borders rapidly and synthetic biology is an emerging threat. We need better prevention and national preparedness, and a global, multi-partner collaboration. The Global Health Security Agenda is an important forum in this area, and Finland and Australia are co-chairing an alliance in support of health-security capacity-building. We must take action before the next pandemic arrives.
Population dynamics are of great importance. Although the most rapid phase of global population growth is receding, in many places populations are still growing. That is particularly the case in some African countries, where the potential exists for a four-fold increase by the end of the century. Growing populations often result in rapid urbanization. Cities offer people many possibilities, and urbanization’s positive potential is huge. But if it is mismanaged it can also increase rootlessness, hopelessness and even radicalization. One antidote is to ensure that all individuals can reach their potential. Economic opportunities and human rights are vital. People must have a positive stake in their own societies. That will require dedicated efforts to empower individuals, including ensuring their access to education and basic services.
Gender equality is a key priority in Finnish foreign policy. As a HeForShe IMPACT Champion, I attach great personal importance to this. Universal access to sexual and reproductive health and ensuring sexual rights and comprehensive sexuality education for all are key factors in sustainable development. As a candidate for the UNESCO Executive Board, Finland also considers gender equality, high-quality education and fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to be priorities.
Climate change binds the South and the North together. None of us will be spared its destructive effects. Besides the direct environmental impact, it affects security and is a cause of forced migration. The rapid implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement is even more urgent than it was a year ago. The Agreement has a clear goal — keeping rising temperatures below 2°C. At the moment we are not on that path, and we must speed up our efforts, because the window for action is closing. Our transition from fossil fuels to renewables and energy efficiency must be much faster than what we are seeing right now. Everyone’s efforts are needed.
The Arctic is at the forefront of climate change. It is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. If we lose it, we will lose the whole world. We must find effective ways to slow down the warming of the Arctic. One of those is reducing emissions of black carbon and methane and their impact on the Arctic. The sources of black carbon are well known and solutions exist. What we need is shared willingness and determined steps to deal with the issue. The emissions should be reduced in the Arctic area first and foremost, but global action is also needed, as much of the black carbon is transported in from outside the area. I firmly believe that tackling this issue will be a genuine win-win for
17-29389 3/27 the whole of humankind. Finland currently chairs the Arctic Council, and combating climate change is one of our priorities.
Finland celebrates 100 years of independence this year, and the theme of our centennial is “Together”. Since our independence began, Finland has supported and respected the rules-based international order. In our interconnected world, promoting national interests also requires international efforts. I strongly believe that global challenges and threats must be addressed not by individual action alone but by the international community. Peace and security, human rights and development belong to all of us. Only together can we make this world a better place.


At the outset, I would like to congratulate Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session and to wish him every success. I would also like to thank Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the Assembly at its seventy-first session, for his efforts throughout his tenure.
I am very pleased to be addressing the Assembly today as my country celebrates its national holiday. We look to the past with pride and are working ambitiously towards the future. Today, I am the messenger of a State that has made its people its top priority and resolutely set forth on a path to sustainable development through creating opportunities, thanks to its fruitful partnerships with friends around the world. Under the leadership of our King, we are helping to establish peace and security in the region and around the world.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the most protracted dispute in the modern history of our region
and has led to innumerable tragedies and endless human suffering. Nothing can justify its continuation, especially when there is an international consensus on the importance of reaching a two-State solution, based on internationally recognized resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, with the goal of establishing an independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, within the pre-1967 borders. More than ever we need concerted international determination to make that solution a reality.
We have been tackling the Houthi-Saleh insurgency in Yemen as a coalition in order to help the legitimate Government of Yemen save its people and restore its State in line with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. That was not a choice for us in Yemen. We resorted to it only after sustained political efforts to maintain Yemen’s safety and stability and preserve its territorial integrity and independence. We therefore affirm our full support for the political process in Yemen and will stand by the United Nations and its Special Envoy in their efforts to arrive at a political solution in line with Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) and the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, and through national dialogue. We are aware of the extent of the humanitarian suffering of our brothers in Yemen since the coup d’état and have spared no effort to come to their aid. In fact, the assistance provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in recent years now amounts to more than $8 billion for every area of humanitarian medical and development needs, funnelled through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.
My country firmly condemns and is gravely concerned about the Government of Myanmar’s policy of repression and forced displacement of the Rohingya minority, which runs counter to all respect for humanitarian values and international law. It is a human tragedy that demands an urgent response and should end immediately, in line with the principles on which our Organization was founded. As we urge the Government of Myanmar to honour its obligations and protect its peoples from discrimination, we continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya. King Salman has provided $15 million to help the displaced, in addition to my country’s provision of assistance by taking in more than half a million Rohingya refugees. His Majesty has also personally intervened with neighbouring States and has been working with the Government of Bangladesh to ensure safe passage for the refugees and decent living conditions for them in the various host countries.
Today our international community is facing one of the greatest ever challenges to its security and stability, the threat of terrorism, which is striking all over the world, in defiance of all human rights and values. My country will continue to work steadfastly to counter extremism and terrorism in all their manifestations. The Arab-Islamic-American summit was held in Riyadh in May with that purpose and affirmed unequivocally the importance of pursuing joint efforts to end extremism and terrorism by cutting off their sources of financing. As it happens, the crisis in Qatar is interfering with our policies designed to combat terrorism and extremism and cut off their financing.
Meanwhile, the Syrian crisis is entering its sixth year, and the conflict has already claimed hundreds of thousands of victims. From the beginning, my country has opened its doors to hundreds of thousands of Syrians. In general, the Middle East is going through a period of unprecedented tensions and continuing crises, in which Iran has played a part.
Turning to the crisis in Qatar, we have continued with a firm policy aimed at combating the fostering of extremism and terrorism through Doha’s provision of financial support to terrorism, as well as helping it to disseminate violent hate speech. Qatar has also been providing a safe haven for those who have violated the law and must be brought to justice, thereby helping to spread chaos and foment dissension. Our group of four States has demanded firmly that Qatar adhere to the principles of international law where the fight against terrorism is concerned, including by honouring its obligations under the 2013 Riyadh Agreement and its complementary agreement of 2014, which are all legitimate demands.
In its desire to affirm the principles of the Charter of the United Nations regarding the safeguarding of the peace and security of peoples around the world, my country was one of the first to call for establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. We have also demonstrated the importance we attach to the Sustainable Development Goals and their three economic, social and environmental pillars through our Vision 2030, aimed at enabling our country to achieve sustainable, people-centred development in order to build a more robust economy. And we have always striven to provide support to developing countries by providing official development assistance totalling 0.7 per cent of our gross national income.
In conclusion, I would like to thank those who are helping people everywhere, wherever they are, and who are working for peace.


I would like to join those who have spoken before me in congratulating His Excellency Mr Miroslav Lajčák on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. I would also like to thank His Excellency Ambassador Peter Thomson for making the small island developing States and the rest of the international community proud through his strong leadership of the seventy- first session.
May I start by saying that the thoughts of the Government and the people of Seychelles go out to the millions of people in South Asia, Africa, the United
States and Mexico, as well as our island brothers and sisters in the Caribbean, who have suffered unimaginable losses from floods, hurricanes and other forms of extreme weather these past months.We urge the international community to not only respond generously to those countries’ calls for support, but also to take the need to upscale the urgent action required far more seriously in order to prevent, prepare for, adapt to and recover from such increasingly destructive climate-related disasters.
Events around the world today sadly show that the theme of this year’s general debate, “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”, cannot be achieved without effective implementation of the principles of democracy and a concerted demonstration of will. That calls for good governance, transparency and accountability, which serve as the foundation for the prosperity and security of all nations. Indeed, they put the rights and aspirations of the people at the centre of development, where prosperity is shared by all. We must create the necessary space in society for diverging views and ideas to flourish and be respected. Doing so helps promote unity, tolerance and respect in the population.
Seychelles is, for the first time in its history, experiencing a system of political cohabitation where I, as President and head of the executive arm, am working with a legislature dominated by the opposition. When I first addressed our legislature at the National Assembly almost a year ago last October, I gave my word that we would work together to deliver a better future for our people. Our cohabitation is working well.
There is a new working environment in which we have dialogue and where we consult. Most importantly, it is an environment based on mutual respect. We are reshaping our Government to make it more inclusive. We are empowering our citizens, especially our youth, by giving them equal opportunities to play important roles in the development of our country and the growth of our economy. In that context, we are improving the environment for free media to play a vital role in nation-building efforts.
Together with the National Assembly we are amending legislation relating to institutions, authorities and agencies so as to ensure that they reflect the new principles of good governance. With greater transparency, good governance and accountability, the independence of institutions and authorities will continue to increase. They are the bedrock of our society.
We are writing a new chapter in Seychelles, where we work together to overcome our challenges and show respect for all opinions in the interest of a Seychelles that unites all of us despite our differences. Openness and a policy of discourse are at the core of my nation’s willingness to secure a bold future for our people. I believe that small island developing States such as mine can serve as the moral barometers for what is right. We do not shy from accepting and learning from the experiences of others but, in that regard, we also have valuable lessons to share with others. The path that we are charting in our country can serve as an example to all for the sake of tolerance and a global lasting peace.
That has been our experience in Seychelles. But as we look around us, what do we see? We see growing instability on a national and regional scale. That is a hindrance to peace and to a decent and sustainable life for all of our peoples. We believe that such factors lie at the heart of the global refugee crisis. That is a problem that could worsen owing to the increasing movements of populations as a result of climate change.
A globalized world economy requires us to act as organized regions in order to give ourselves the best possible chance of transforming our hopes into tangible improvements in the quality of life for our peoples by strengthening the values of democracy and good governance.
That also applies to this institution — the United Nations. Indeed, after a quarter of a century of reforms and counter-reforms of the Security Council, it is high time to harken to the deafening call of more than 160 States Members of the United Nations for true and just reforms. That would be a way for us to react to the accusations that the United Nations is simply a room in which to hold rambling discussions. We would also have an opportunity to practice what we preach.
For there to be peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet, it is not enough just to throw more resources — financial, human and others — into implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. All of those processes should be democratically governed, underpinned by transparency and accountability throughout and in harmony with and with respect for the natural environment in which we live.
In Seychelles, the private sector, civil society, non-governmental organizations and parliamentarians have joined with the public sector in a national effort to integrate the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals into our country’s budget and development plans. Together we are drafting a new national development strategy and a more sustainable national development plan for Seychelles over the next 15 years called Vision 2032. That exercise also includes the integration of Agenda 2063, adopted by the African Union, and the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action.
The same inclusive approach applies to stepping up our implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in the light of recent developments. According to the latest science, all stakeholders need to be involved if the international community is to drastically upscale our collective climate action so as to achieve our targets. There is something that I said at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Marrakech in November 2016 that is even more pertinent today, as we head towards the next Conference of the Parties, led by our fellow small island developing State of Fiji and supported by Germany. Referring to the Paris Agreement, I said,
“For the very first time in history, a global climate-change deal, giving renewed hope to the world, has been reached. We find ourselves at a crossroads and cannot afford to renege on our collective commitment to travel the moral path for the sake of humanity.”
From small islands come big ideas. Last year Seychelles reached an agreement with the Paris Club and others on a first-of-its-kind $21 million debt- for-adaptation swap to protect 30 per cent of our 1.37-million-square-kilometre exclusive economic zone, partly as an ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change. Also, by the end of this year, we aim to launch the world’s first blue bonds to raise another $15 million for sustainable fishing practices in our waters. Both of those measures seek to establish innovative sources of financing to implement Sustainable Development Goal 14, on oceans and seas, and other interlinked SDGs as part of developing the Seychelles’ blue economy. We thank our many partners at home and abroad who have helped us on this bold and exciting new path to sustainable development and resilience to climate change and who continue to be actively involved.
In conclusion, I would like to congratulate Fiji and Sweden for the great success of the Ocean Conference in June and its Call for Action. As President of a large-ocean developing State, I would like to reiterate Seychelles’ commitment to continuing to play a pioneering role in the search for innovative ways to respond to the Call for Action and implement SDG 14 as an integral part of all the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.
On that positive note, I wish all the peoples of the world a happy International Peace Day.


At the outset, I would like to express our sympathies to Mexico and its people as they grapple with the effects of the earthquake that has resulted in so many tragic victims and ruined homes.
I would like to congratulate Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session and to wish him every success in discharging his duties. He can count on Slovenia’s full support. I would also like to to express my gratitude to the outgoing President, Mr. Peter Thomson, for his important contribution to the work of the General Assembly over the past year. Lastly, I would also like to congratulate Mr. António Guterres on his appointment as Secretary-General. I commend his determination to promote the United Nations and its values and goals, and his tireless efforts to strengthen the Organization.
The world continues to deal with challenges to international peace and security that are ever more complex and intertwined. Shocking images of human suffering are a daily reality, the consequences of the armed conflicts, environmental degradation, famine, lack of economic opportunity, grave breaches of human rights and terrorism that are just some of those global challenges. If we are to address them, effective international cooperation, with the United Nations at its core, is essential. We have the mandate and the responsibility to act. We must stand united to address global challenges together. Despite those threats, I am encouraged by a new dynamic in the United Nations and the strong push by the Secretary-General to strengthen multilateralism and the reform agenda. I commend his determination to make the Organization stronger and more fit to serve as the bedrock of the international rules-based order. More than ever, we need a strong United Nations to be one of our key actors in providing security, stability and a life of dignity for all.
Two years ago, we achieved a milestone by agreeing on our development road map. Together, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Change Agreement provide a framework and vision for a more sustainable planet in the future and prosperity for all. The true test now is their implementation. This is not the time to go back on our promises. Rather, we need to turn them into real progress that will benefit people around the globe. Slovenia has embarked on that path with a sense of urgency. That is demonstrated, among other things, by Slovenia’s high ranking in the SDG Index and Dashboards 2017 Report, which shows that we are in the top 10 of 157 measured countries in our achievements towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
We are strongly engaged in protecting the environment and ensuring its sustainability, and we are determined to raise awareness about the key factors shaping our sustainable future. For example, we recognize the key role that bees and other pollinators play in preventing hunger, ensuring food security, improving human health and preserving the environment and its biodiversity. In that context, we are proposing that the General Assembly declare 20 May an international day of bees and proclaim it World Bee Day. I would like to thank all of the States that have already expressed support for the initiative and encourage others to do so.
Achieving sustainable development is only possible if the global community works together in a solid partnership between Governments, international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector. The same is true for dealing with large global migrations and refugee flows. Shared responsibility and solidarity should be the guiding principles of our global approach. In that spirit, Slovenia is constructively engaged in the consultation process for the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration and the global compact on refugees. We believe that the adoption in 2018 of both global compacts will be another major milestone in our path towards ensuring a life of dignity for all.
Without respect for human rights, there can be no peace, freedom, security or development. The United Nations has been instrumental in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms worldwide. However, let us not forget that the primary responsibility for the fulfilment of human rights lies with States. Slovenia, as a current member of the Human Rights Council, is a strong supporter of human rights. In that spirit, we continue to advocate a progressive approach to human rights issues, enhancing protection norms and standards at all levels. Our main focus is on the rights of children, support for gender equality and the empowerment of women, as well as the rights of the elderly. In that context, we also focus on the importance of intergenerational collaboration.
There is still much to be done before we can ensure a life of dignity for all without discrimination. More must also be done to mitigate harm to civilians, especially in the context of armed conflicts, and to prevent all forms of sexual violence. It is particularly despicable when people deployed to protect civilians engage in abuse. We therefore underline the need for a zero-tolerance policy on all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse.
Respect for international treaties, the decisions of international courts and tribunals and other sources of international law, as well as the ability to implement them, is indispensable to a functioning global community. Respect for the obligations arising from treaties and for other sources of international law is also embedded in the Charter of the United Nations, and is the very foundation of international peace and security. Moreover, it is an important guarantor of friendly relations and cooperation among States. Slovenia recognizes the essential role of the rule of law and international law and has therefore made it central to its foreign policy.
In the context of the rule of law, ending impunity for the most serious international crimes continues to be an important goal for my Government. Slovenia is committed to promoting international criminal justice, especially as it is represented by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The principles enshrined in the Charter attest to the natural partnership between the United Nations and the Court, and that relationship is expected to advance even further with the activation of the ICC’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, which is anticipated by the end of the year. We express our strong support for swift activation of the Kampala amendments on the crime of aggression. Needless to say, the primary responsibility to prosecute atrocity crimes still rests with States. Slovenia, together with other leading States, will continue to actively pursue the improvement of the international legal framework for mutual legal assistance and extradition for domestic prosecution of the most serious international crimes.
Years of horrific war in Syria, conflicts in Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, Libya and Mali and dire situations such as those in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to name just a few, remain particular sources of concern. We call on all relevant parties to refrain from the use of force and engage in political dialogue. Violent extremism and the crimes committed by terrorist groups continue to plague the world. We must do all we can to prevent and stop such crimes, particularly by providing viable alternative opportunities for young people.
The United Nations plays a key role in countering terrorism, including the prevention of violent extremism. In that regard, Slovenia welcomed the reform of the United Nations counter-terrorism architecture, as well as resolution 71/291, designed to strengthen the ability of the United Nations system to assist Member States in implementing the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy.
As a strong supporter of non-proliferation and disarmament in the area of weapons of mass destruction, Slovenia is committed to treaty-based nuclear disarmament and arms control. We firmly believe that we must work progressively to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons through full implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In that regard, we strongly condemn the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s violations of Security Council resolutions and its own international commitments. They pose a serious threat to peace and security in the region and beyond. We must intensify our efforts to sustain peace everywhere, but most immediately in a wide range of fragile and conflict- affected States. Conflicts cannot be prevented or resolved by addressing the symptoms alone; we must address the underlying causes. For that we have to think long term. The United Nations can help to defuse latent conflicts. Whenever possible, we should opt for diplomacy, mediation and conflict prevention.
The emphasis must be on doing more in a collective, timely and effective manner. That can be achieved only by a strong, robust, adaptable, knowledgeable and responsible United Nations, which is why Slovenia strongly supports the Secretary-General’s reform efforts. The various parts of the United Nations system must be better coordinated. Duplication must be avoided, and the common goal must be getting tangible results. I would like to conclude by assuring the Assembly that Slovenia is committed to supporting the United Nations and is determined to work with all partners to deliver tangible, meaningful results that will advance peace, security, development and human rights for all.


The topic of this year’s debate invites us to focus on people and our responsibility to ensure their peaceful and sustainable future. However, in today’s world, such a peaceful future is threatened as never before. Authoritarian regimes continue to kill with impunity, extremist ideologies treat innocent people with unspeakable cruelty, and thousands die after leaving their homes in search for a better and more peaceful life.
The world’s attention is now focused on North Korea and in some other regions, but the same kinds of blackmail, bullying and aggression that we see there are also being used by Russia in Ukraine and along NATO’s eastern border. As we speak, approximately 100,000 Russian troops are engaged in Exercise Zapad 2017 — offensive military exercises on the borders of Baltic States, Poland and even in the Arctic. The Kremlin is rehearsing aggressive scenarios against its neighbours, training its army to attack the West. The exercise is also part of information warfare that aims to spread uncertainty and fear. It is even more disturbing that the Zapad 2017 exercise is just one symptom of the Kremlin’s inability to finally end its hatred towards the West.
Despite Russia’s special responsibility as a permanent member of the Security Council to protect international peace, it violated the Charter of the United Nations by attacking Georgia, illegally annexing Crimea and directly participating in the war in the east of Ukraine. The Kremlin’s arsenal does not stop at conventional weapons. Russia continues to meddle in elections and conduct cyberattacks, and it uses its sputniks to spread fake news and destabilizing propaganda. Energy blackmail has long been Russia’s weapon of choice. For example, in Belarus, just 40 kilometres from Lithuania’s capital, it is building the unsafe Astravyets nuclear power plant as a geopolitical weapon that fails to comply with basic international nuclear standards.
Abuses and indifference to basic international norms by regimes across the world are not unrelated. Too often they are a result of our collective failure to condemn or properly react to violations. Time and time again we lack the courage to enforce the rules that we ourselves have established. We draw red lines in the sand and then pretend they do not exist. That has to change. Bullies are aggressive precisely because they are weak and insecure, which is why we must stop being passive observers and start calling things by their real names. Aggression can never make anyone stronger. It can never earn anyone a single drop of respect. The only thing that aggression will bring about is contempt, shame and condemnation.
The international community has to take a share of responsibility. We cannot let fear win by closing our eyes to violators, because that will only encourage them to go further. We must learn to read the warning signs, because abuse of human rights, nationalist rhetoric and the suppression of free speech explode into violence if ignored.
Finally, we must change the United Nations. This unique universal body was created to save the world from wars and instability. So far it has failed to fulfil that purpose. We now face a choice — we either give the Organization the voice to rise up against the abuse, or we render it irrelevant.


It is an honour for me to address the General Assembly and congratulate the President on his election, and to express our willingness to contribute to the success of his term. I wish first of all to emphasize Peru’s commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, to international peace and security, to sustainable development and to human rights, and to the achievement of sustainable peace. For that, we need to strengthen multilateralism, dialogue and cooperation.
For Peru, the United Nations is essential for building a peaceful and sustainable future, facing global challenges such as climate change, terrorism or corruption, and strengthening international governance in order to obtain a more humane, open and inclusive globalization. Peru is preparing to become a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the biennium 2018-2019. Our vocation for peace and respect for international law, effective collective security and adherence to the peaceful settlement of disputes will be the guiding principles of our action.
We are a developing country that has suffered terrorism at first hand. We are a firm defender of human rights and a promoter of democracy and the rule of law. We will give special attention to consolidating sustainable peace and preventing conflicts and humanitarian crises.
The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the possible access of terrorist groups to them are real threats. That is why we have signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and we hope that all States possessing such weapons will adhere to that instrument.
We condemn the nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which today constitute the greatest threat to international peace and security. In the Security Council, we will support efforts to resume the Six-Party Talks in order to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.
Peru reaffirms its commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and its implementation. Our country is particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, which is seen in ocean warming, shrinking glaciers and the impact on the availability of water resources, the loss of biodiversity and other extreme phenomena. Climate change is a real threat that knows no borders. So far this year Peru has suffered from the rain and flooding of the coastal El Nino, and the Caribbean and the United States have suffered a series of devastating hurricanes. That is why we support the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron of France to establish a Global Pact for the Environment.
Peru is also committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Accordingly, we presented our first voluntary national review in July, reporting on our progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda in line with our national priorities, circumstances and needs. Peru promotes, from a focus on rights, a social revolution aimed at eradicating poverty through quality public services. Ensuring access to water and sanitation is the first priority of our Government, which accounts for the participation of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in the High-level Panel on Water.
In line with the 2030 Agenda, we believe that corruption is also a global threat, one that erodes democratic governance and legal stability in our countries, diverts resources needed to finance development, generates disenchantment and mistrust in institutions and increases inequality. Aware of the need to confront that scourge together, Peru has proposed that democratic governance and the fight against corruption be the central themes of the Summit of the Americas to be held in Lima next April, with a view to adopting concrete measures to strengthen institutions and combat impunity.
The adoption of the standards and good practices of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development — which Peru aspires to join before 2021, the year of our bicentennial as an independent nation — will also contribute to strengthening our institutions and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
Peruvians believe that democracy is indispensable for stability, peace, development and the defence and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Guided by that conviction, my country led the process that culminated in the adoption of the Inter-American Democratic Charter in 2001.
In our region, democracy is an inalienable right, which is why Peru remains profoundly concerned with the rupture of the democratic order and humanitarian crisis happening in Venezuela, as well as by the infringements on and abuses of citizens that have been reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The solution to the grave crisis in Venezuela must be peaceful and be negotiated by the Venezuelans themselves. Any attempt, internal or external, to resort to force violates the principles of theCharter of the Organization and undermines genuine interest in defending democracy and respect for the rule of law, both domestically and internationally.
Along those lines, the Lima Group believes that the initiative of the Dominican Republic to bring together the Government and the opposition should be developed with good faith, rules, objectives, clear deadlines and guarantees of compliance, for which international accompaniment is essential.
To conclude, I wish to convey to the General Assembly that Peru will continue to work constructively to solve the problems we face and to bring about the future that our peoples long for and deserve.