It is my profound honor to address the United Nations General Assembly.
75 years after the end of World War Two and the founding of the United Nations, we are once again engaged in a great global struggle.
We have waged a fierce battle against the invisible enemy — the China Virus — which has claimed countless lives in 188 countries.
In the United States, we launched the most aggressive mobilization since the Second World War.
We rapidly produced a record supply of ventilators — creating a surplus that allowed us to share them with friends and partners all around the globe.
We pioneered life-saving treatments, reducing our fatality rate 85 per cent since April.
Thanks to our efforts, 3 vaccines are in the final stage of clinical trials.
We are mass producing them in advance so they can be delivered immediately upon arrival.
We will distribute a vaccine, we will defeat the virus, we will end the pandemic, and we will enter a new era of unprecedented prosperity, cooperation and peace.
As we pursue this bright future, we must hold accountable the nation which unleashed this plague onto the world: China.
In the earliest days of the virus, China locked down travel domestically while allowing flights to leave China and infect the world.
China condemned my travel ban on their country, even as they cancelled domestic flights and locked citizens in their homes.
The Chinese government, and the World Health Organization -- which is virtually controlled by China — falsely declared that there was no evidence of human- to-human transmission.
Later, they falsely said people without symptoms would not spread the disease.
The United Nations must hold China accountable for their actions.
In addition, every year China dumps millions and millions of tons of plastic and trash into the oceans, overfishes other countries’ waters, destroys vast swaths of coral reef, and emits more toxic mercury into the atmosphere than any country anywhere in the world.
China’s carbon emissions are nearly twice what the U.S. has, and it’s rising fast.
By contrast, after I withdrew from the one-sided Paris Climate Accord, last year America reduced its carbon emissions by more than any country in the agreement.
Those who attack America’s exceptional environmental record while ignoring China’s rampant pollution are not interested in the environment.
They only want to punish America and I will not stand for it.
If the United Nations is to be an effective organization, it must focus on the real problems of the world.
This includes terrorism, the oppression of women, forced labor, drug trafficking, human and sex trafficking, religious persecution, and the ethnic cleansing of religious minorities.
America will always be a leader in human rights.
My administration is advancing religious liberty, opportunity for women, the decriminalization of homosexuality, combatting human trafficking, and protecting unborn children.
We also know that American prosperity is the bedrock of freedom and security all over the world.
In three short years, we built the greatest economy in history — and we are quickly doing it again.
Our military has increased substantially in size. We spent $2.5 trillion over the last 4 years on our military. We have the most powerful military anywhere in the world, and it’s not even close.
We stood up to decades of China’s trade abuses.
We revitalized the NATO Alliance where other countries are now paying a much more fair share.
We forged historic partnerships with Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to stop human smuggling.
We are standing with the people of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela in their righteous struggle for freedom.
We withdrew from the terrible Iran Nuclear Deal and imposed crippling sanctions on the world’s leading state sponsor of terror. jsEpj We obliterated the ISIS caliphate 100 per cent, killed its founder and leader, Al-Baghdadi, and eliminated the world’s top terrorist, Qasem Soleimani.
This month we achieved a peace deal between Serbia and Kosovo.
We reached a landmark breakthrough with two Peace Deals in the Middle East — after decades of no progress.
Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain all signed a historic peace agreement at the White House, with many other Middle Eastern countries to come. They are coming fast and they know it’s great for them, and it’s great for the world.
These groundbreaking peace deals are the dawn of the new Middle East.
By taking a different approach, we have achieved different outcomes. Far superior outcomes. We took an approach and the approach worked.
We intend to deliver more peace agreements shortly, and I have never been more optimistic for the future of the region. There is no blood in the sand. Those days are hopefully over.
As we speak, the United States is also working to end the war in Afghanistan — and we are bringing our troops home.
America is fulfilling our destiny as peacemaker. But it is peace through strength. We are stronger now than ever before, our weapons are at an advanced level like we’ve never had before, like frankly we’ve never even thought of having before, and I only pray to God that we never have to use them.
For decades, the same tired voices proposed the same failed solutions, pursuing global ambitions at the expense of their own people.
But only when you take care of your own citizens, will you find a true basis for cooperation.
As President, I have rejected the failed approaches of the past — and I am proudly putting America First, just as you should be putting your countries first. That’s okay, that’s what you should be doing.
I am supremely confident that next year, when we gather in person, we will be in the midst of one of the greatest years in our history and frankly, hopefully, in the history of the world.
Thank you, God Bless you all. God Bless America. And God Bless the United Nations.


Mr. President, fellow delegates, my friends.
Thank you for the opportunity to address this Assembly. Like many of you, I have spoken in this forum before, but never like this, at a time like this.
The world is in crisis.
And not just because of the last few months. Not just because of COVID-19.
But because of the last few decades. And because of us.
This is our wake-up call, and we cannot ignore it.
Time and time again, history has shown us that the price to pay for turning away, for failing to act, is much too high.
Our parents and grandparents remember all too well what things were like in the 30s and the 40s.
Economies collapsed. Governments — and systems of government — crumbled. Millions died.
That was the world they faced. That was the challenge they had to meet. And this is what they did about it.
Our parents and grandparents chose to get up and rebuild.
They set up multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations. They created international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, the IMF and other Bretton Woods institutions.
And they laid the foundations for a rules-based international order through which we enjoyed an unprecedented period of common prosperity in the second half of the twentieth century.
We had a system — we had a generation — that learned from crisis and set us on a better path.
In their era, those systems worked. But that was 50, 60, 70 years ago.
Today, all those institutions no longer serve us well enough on what they were designed for — defending multilateralism and international law. Protecting human rights and open markets.
That is what the crisis of COVID-19 has shown, beyond a shadow of a doubt. That things have to change. And not just on the world stage — but at home, too.
We are not doing enough for the most vulnerable — whether it is the elderly, who are dying in health-care facilities, or the homeless, for whom every night is a struggle. We are not going far enough to eliminate systemic injustice, whether it be racism against black or aboriginal people, homophobia or sexism.
In the difficulties of our citizens, we can see the failures of our institutions — of our world.
After the pandemic decimated their economies and basic services, many countries are now on the brink.
This is what I heard from so many of you at the meeting on financing for development that Canada hosted last spring with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness.
We need to do more to ensure that children around the world are fed and can attend school.
If we do not, the consequences will be dire.
We are facing a global humanitarian crisis.
And of most concern in all of this is that this pandemic, and the crises it has brought to light, are not even our greatest threat.
Right now, our world is facing a climate reckoning.
We are at this point because of our collective inability, over the past decades, to make the tough decisions and sacrifices needed to fight climate change and save future generations.
The pandemic has not changed that. Our shared failures have continued. And our citizens are paying the price.
We need a new way of thinking. On climate, on inequality, on health. Because the way we’re doing things just isn’t working well enough.
Too often, concerted action is blocked — the needs of our citizens are denied — as a result of gridlock at decision-making bodies.
And why?
Because there are few consequences for countries that ignore international rules. For regimes that think might makes right.
Few consequences for places where opposition figures are being poisoned while cyber tools and disinformation are being used to destabilize democracies.
Few consequences when innocent citizens are arbitrarily detained and fundamental freedoms are repressed. When a plane of civilians is shot from the sky. When women’s rights are not treated as human rights. When no one has any rights at all.
We are in deadlock.
The international approach we’ve relied on since the second half of the 20th century was built on an understanding that countries would work together.
But now those same countries are looking inward, and are divided.
We need to recognize where we are. The system is broken. The world is in crisis.
And things are about to get much worse unless we change.
Right now, we have a chance — not a big chance, but a chance — to shift course. To realize that the only way through this is together.
Putting some people ahead of others does not work. A healthier, cleaner, more equal future cannot be the privilege of a lucky few. It must be the right of us all.
The only way to make things right and the only way to build a better future for our children and grandchildren is by working together and by standing up for each other, no matter what cards we are dealt.
The Rohingyas in Myanmar, the demonstrators in Belarus, the people of Lebanon, the citizens arbitrarily detained in China, the indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world.
Genuine and constructive global collaboration is the only way forward.
But who are we to demand that?
Canada is not a country that can make a lot of difference on these major international issues. Like so many others, we are subject to the whims of the super Powers.
But, as Canadians, we know that we are not alone.
As Canadians — a trading nation where we trace our origins to every corner of the planet — we know that we are in this together.
And I know other countries — your countries — see this too.
Instead of hunkering down and hoping that we come out the other side ok — let’s remember that we’re all in this together.
Instead of crossing our fingers and hoping that the big powers will figure this out — let’s look at what we can do to make a difference together.
Let’s use our shared power not just to get a vaccine, but to get it out to everyone. Let us be inspired by our citizens’ call to restore the global economy while we tackle climate change.
In other words, let’s not wait for someone else to act.
Let’s do it ourselves.
Each one of us, here in these United Nations. Each one of us uniting around a shared future.
Canada has a long history in peacekeeping and we will continue to step up, and continue to move the dial on lasting peace by empowering women.
Canada has always supported the work of agencies like UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and the UNHCR. Not only will we keep supporting these efforts, we’ll keep increasing our international assistance budget every year.
There’s so much more still to be done.
Children all over the world are wearing masks to go to school, or are not going to school at all. Older people are dying. Demonstrators are being killed. Sea levels are rising and forests are burning.
People who think only of themselves continue to increase inequality and conflict.
It is time for us, as the United Nations, to join forces and do what we were created to do: to ensure peace and security and to avert global crises.
These days we are fighting a battle unlike any other against an invisible virus. At the same time, we are struggling against the consequences of our own actions, which are causing the level of carbon in the atmosphere to become unsustainable.
Everywhere around the world, people are becoming mindful of this reality. They’re refusing to accept inequality. They’re refusing to close their eyes to the peril we’re facing.
Our citizens will no longer shrug off as someone else’s problem a failing status quo.
And that’s a good thing. Because there is the path forward.
After a wildfire rips through a forest, life adjusts and begins anew.
After an earthquake hits a city, people work together and rebuild.
As we face these layers of crises, this is what we must do.
We must understand our opportunities and our responsibilities to take real action, together. To protect each other, to support each other.
If we meet this moment, if we rise to this challenge, I know that, like our grandparents did 70 years ago, we will lay the foundations of a better world.


Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies,
I have the honor to bring you the warm greetings of Iakwe from the Republic of the Marshall Islands. We find the world in an unprecedented crisis - bearing witness not only to a frightening pandemic and its accompanying economic fallout, but also to deep fractures in fundamental international cooperation.
As we all reflect on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, we must realize that continuing with a “business as usual” approach risks further inaction at the very moment where the world needs the opposite.
Without increased leadership, the consequences for shared responsibility will be catastrophic - be the issue the financial crisis, public health, security tensions, or climate change. As a small island developing state, we can often see threats earlier or more sharply than our larger partner nations - and in the Pacific we can readily recall the deeper history of the Second World War, and the very reasons why the UN was founded. But to rise to meet contemporary challenges, the UN must improve its political relevance and be truly “fit for purpose” in both messaging and delivery.
Mr. President,
The Republic of the Marshall Islands remains one of the very few nations in the world without a single confirmed case of Covid-19. Like some of our neighbors, we undertook early measures which avoided exposure to our vulnerable population - but which have left us in a deep isolation. Our substantial populations living abroad have been exposed to serious outbreaks. And as our borders remain largely closed, we have struggled to see friends and relatives in danger and pain. Not just in our own population, but around the world, communities are all facing serious challenges - and it is an essential point of humanity that none of us is spared in our suffering.
The Pacific Islands Forum, and many multilateral and key bilateral partners have already delivered important assistance to bolster our medical capacity to address outbreaks. Yet we remain in a sharp and growing economic crisis - as one of the busiest tuna ports in the world, our economy is closely - and uniquely - dependent upon fisheries. And the very Covid measures which keep our population safe are also having an adverse impact on our revenue streams. We are fragile, and cutbacks are throwing us backwards in our basic development, at the very time we must be moving forward. It is vital that the international system strengthen approaches which recognize targeted island-tailored economic recovery strategies. We join many others in seeking to “build back better” with green resilience through a range of sustainable approaches to benefit key social sectors and the environment, actions we are already taking - but I am also increasingly concerned that without a sharp rise in leadership and multilateral cooperation, we place in doubt the prospect of building back at all.
Mr. President,
In these trying moments, the International community cannot forsake core human rights which, regardless of development status, remain universal. As a new member of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, we feel frustrated by the gap between ideals and realities. While there remains a growing list of bad actors who may be far beyond facilitative approaches, the Council must also continue to strengthen its ability to listen closely to vulnerable nations seeking good faith reform and progress. We know from our own history and experience the tragic results which can occur when the voices of the most vulnerable are unheard, or when politics clouds clear reality. The Marshall Islands is particularly concerned that not all are held to full account for human rights obligations - and systematic violations, including those of the largest powers.
While UN efforts to effectively address human rights need continual strengthening, we find unacceptable the persistent efforts to rewrite basic human dignity into an alleged “win win” language which devalues individual rights. Even if we are in a minority, we will not be silent on this matter.
Mr. President,
We reaffirm the 2019 BOE Declaration of the Pacific Islands Forum which establishes a contemporary pathway for regional security. It is vital that, as Small Island developing states, we work with democratic partners to maintain and strengthen our security as truly independent nations not subject to the forceful influence of larger powers. The Marshall Islands underscores the complex security environment in our Pacific region, and the need for a stronger focus on emerging and cross-cutting security drivers within fragile states, including climate change. We want to underscore the urgent need for tangible and text-based efforts towards UN Security Council reform.
Mr. President,
The wider Marshall Islands is a nation which is over 99 per cent ocean. We join our fellow Pacific nations in building upon our traditional cultural roles as stewards of the ocean. While small island developing states have a unique role in oceans discussions, a wider global response is needed to ensure that our youngest and future generations will benefit from healthy oceans. The Pacific islands have taken a leading role in working towards more sustainable tuna fishing which also ensures human rights, and a key source of global food security. Yet here too stronger international leadership and political commitment is needed. The economic lifeline in the Pacific is truly fisheries, and we urge for stronger and targeted fisheries development strategies from global finance sources - as a means towards a sustainable and truly secure future economy. This is what we intend as a “blue Pacific.” In this context, we also call on and urge the international community for a more coordinated front, through a UN platform, to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and related activities.
We look forward to realizing a rescheduled UN Oceans Summit in Portugal, as well as the Our Oceans conference in Palau later this year.
Mr. President,
Climate change is the single greatest threat to the peoples of the Pacific, including in low-lying atoll nations like the Marshall Islands. Curbing emissions now is at the core of the Paris Agreement. But binding words are not enough - change will not come from words alone.
Change relies on my fellow UN members, major emitters especially, delivering ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions this year. It relies on us all seizing the opportunity posed by the unprecedented scale of economic recovery to create a zero-carbon future. It relies on solidarity, and the resources for us all to build a better future. Change relies on protecting the most vulnerable, because those on the frontline — whether healthcare workers battling the pandemic or small island nations sounding the alarm on climate change — are critical to the survival of us all.
Small island and atoll nations like mine do not have time for paper promises. Adaptation to climate change will hold off the worst impacts if the world lives up to its promise of 1.5C. But adaptation is also a complex goal at a time when we often struggle to deliver the basics, and requires finances just as our economy is reeling from COVID-19’s effects. There are two things we need to secure our future: for the world to help us adapt to the changes that will come with a 1.5-degree temperature rise, and to make sure that that is the limit.
Mr. President,
As a former strategic UN Trusteeship, the Marshall Islands knows all too well the consequences of inaction by the international system. Between 1946 and 1958, 67 large-scale nuclear weapons were tested in the Marshall Islands including many authorized by two UN resolutions. This remains a lasting legacy which is also a contemporary challenge passed down through generations as a significant human rights challenge. No other people should ever have to bear the burdens which we know from nuclear exposure.
We remain a beacon for stronger international effort to reduce and eliminate nuclear risk. Real results, not symbolic lip service, is needed to unpack and address the often complex situations which often accompany nuclear risk. In particular, we remain alarmed over recent events in North Korea, and call for full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Mr. President,
As small island developing states, the Marshall Islands and our neighbors are forever reminding the UN system and partner nations of the need for island- based strategies which fit our truly unique character. Implementation of the SAMOA Pathway for SIDS remains uneven throughout the UN system, and too often we are left with one-size fits all approaches. Next year we will present our Voluntary National Review of progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We expect to see strong steps forward, including the recent adoption of our national strategic development plan. Yet despite our ambition, so much still remains to be done in further developing an effective UN system which is truly “fit for island purpose”.
Mr. President,
The world cannot simply ignore Taiwan, as I can assure it in fact exists, and we must have open minds to ensure the 23 million people of Taiwan are not left behind, nor their humanitarian contributions taken for granted. Taiwan should be allowed to participate in an equal and dignified manner within the UN system, including the WHO, ICAO and the UNFCCC, as well as activities related to the SDGs. The vital civic space of UN premises should be opened for visits and attendance of meetings as well as for the media, regardless of origin.
Mr. President,
These are indeed difficult and trying times for international cooperation. Small and vulnerable nations cannot alone move the world. But as small nations, we often have a unique role in realizing creative and dynamic approaches. The UN setting is vital, and as member states we cannot let it further risk irrelevance at the hour when it is most needed. Optimism remains, and the truest test of character is under adversity. Urgent action by all is needed to better act with conviction- and compassion. No nation — large or small — can afford the consequences of a fragmented world.


In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful,
Your Majesties and Excellencies,
Mr. President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me pleasure to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session. I wish him every success as he seeks to revitalize our common endeavour.
I also wish to express the Kingdom of Morocco’s deep appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande for his efforts to ensure that the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session has been able to continue its work despite the difficult circumstances imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
I take this opportunity also to express my full appreciation for the role played by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres under these circumstances. We fully support his outstanding leadership over the COVID-19 response, and especially his call for an immediate global ceasefire and his COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan.
The convening of the current session of the General Assembly is of the utmost importance, as it takes place in the context of a deadly and highly contagious pandemic, the interrelated global impact of which has undermined the resilience of societies and institutions and forced the world to face unexpected challenges.
The pandemic has revealed three major and interrelated crises facing our societies since the turn of the current century, namely, uncontrolled environmental degradation; widening socioeconomic inequalities and increasing poverty levels; and institutional dysfunction in addressing the pandemic, with international cooperation weakened by a lack of effectiveness and coherence in its response to COVID-19.
The dangerous manifestations of these crises and the need to find urgent solutions to them are not the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, they have dominated our societies since the beginning of the third millennium.
At the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, while calling for renewed global solidarity, His Majesty King Mohammed VI wondered whether the various disruptions and violent crises across the world were not enough to constitute a strong argument to convince sceptics that achieving sustainable development was both a collective interest and a collective responsibility.
Today, we have nine years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and the decisions we make now will determine the success or failure of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Our commitment is all the more important against the backdrop of the pandemic, as it primarily affects those who are most vulnerable, especially in Africa.
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare inequalities that have been deepening over decades. If we had made enough progress in implementing the SDGs, the effects of today’s pandemic would have been less severe.
Morocco, along with a number of countries, believes that the weaknesses that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic constitute a real incentive to redouble our efforts and reconsider our development plans in order to ensure that the gains already made are not in vain. This has prompted the Kingdom of Morocco, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to integrate this vision into a new, integrated development approach.
Seventy-five years ago, the founders of our Organization laid the foundations of a new global order based on cooperation and solidarity to end wars, prevent their miseries and create the conditions conducive to development and prosperity.
It is our firm belief in those noble values that led the Kingdom of Morocco to join the United Nations in 1956 — one of its first sovereign decisions after gaining independence.
Today, that vision remains as pertinent as ever. While the United Nations has secured great gains for humankind in the past, we must continue to uphold our responsibility to embody those founding values in the face of critical global threats.
It is high time that we undertook reforms that would make the United Nations system more adaptive to the rapidly evolving international changes and more capable of responding swiftly to crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mere statements and speeches are no longer adequate. Now is the time for knowledge-based and results-oriented action.
Nevertheless, the flame of multilateralism continues to burn, as evidenced by the concrete initiatives taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Building a multilateral system is not a luxury, but a necessity in order to ensure continued international cooperation, which must provide the framework for confronting the multiple threats, current and future, in a post-COVID-19 world.
In that context, establishing a global health security system has become imperative, as expressed by the Secretary-General, who emphasized that the COVID-19 has exposed the cracks in the weak social structures that we built with our own hands.
The pandemic has revealed the extent of the damage that new diseases can inflict on national health systems and has demonstrated the importance of adequate emergency preparedness based on a comprehensive approach that unites all stakeholders and communities.
Morocco’s response to the pandemic has been guided by the strong vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Our proactive and preventive measures have prioritized the health of our citizens and mobilized all institutions and strata of society to address the health emergency.
Morocco’s support for the Secretary-General’s initiatives to confront COVID-19, as well as the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, reflects our belief in the ability of the United Nations to coordinate and promote all forms of international cooperation to respond to this all-encompassing crisis.
That is why the Kingdom of Morocco, in its capacity as the Chair of the Economic and Social Council humanitarian affairs segment, launched a call for action in support of the humanitarian response to combat COVID-19, which enjoyed the support of 171 countries from all regional groups, as well as the African Union and the European Union. The call was inspired by Moroccan diplomatic and humanitarian principles and the noble vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
In our view, there is an urgent need to provide vaccines and treatments against COVID-19 in a fair and equitable manner. This would be the most realistic example of a unified global health system and a true test of international cooperation.
We must also lay new and flexible foundations for resilience, reform international health regulations and adopt sustainable financing mechanisms.
In that connection, together with Rwanda, the World Health Organization and the World Bank, Morocco will organize the first high-level meeting on diplomacy for health security and emergency preparedness in Marrakesh next year.
Morocco has also joined the initiative led by Chile to adopt a new, flexible legal instrument that would enable effective preparedness for global health emergencies.
The pandemic has revealed various vulnerabilities and inequalities within and between societies, countries and continents. It has also proven many of our preconceptions to be incorrect, including the presumed link between underdevelopment and inevitable weakness in certain regions.
Many of the dire expectations and pessimistic outlooks that some attached to Africa at the beginning of the pandemic did not materialize. Africa has faced the challenge alone, relying on the resilience of its people, the creativity of its youth and the able leadership of its Governments.
In the spirit of solidarity that characterizes South-South cooperation vis-a-vis the African countries, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has launched a practical initiative to lay the foundations for a realistic framework to assist African countries throughout the stages of pandemic response.
As part of that initiative, Morocco has established air bridges with approximately 20 African countries to transport Moroccan medical aid and pharmaceuticals.
However, in the urgency imposed by the pandemic and its socioeconomic implications, we must not forget the multidimensional and complex challenges that Africa continues to face.
One such challenge is the debt crisis. Morocco calls on international financial institutions and partners to adopt and implement concrete guidelines to reduce the debt of the countries concerned in order to curb the effects of the pandemic on their development.
Global economic recovery must be a top priority for the international community. The repercussions of the pandemic also require innovative solutions for the financing of development.
While the pandemic has cast its shadow over vital issues on the Organization’s agenda, this should not be a reason to overlook the other challenges we face, notably climate change, counter-terrorism, migration and peacekeeping.
In that regard, we must express our appreciation for the efforts of the United Nations and countries contributing to peacekeeping operations to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and to enable the 100,000 peacekeepers currently deployed in 13 peacekeeping operations to continue their missions in various conflict areas.
Morocco believes in the importance of peacekeeping reform in light of the complexities of contemporary conflicts and remains committed to achieving the goals of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative.
In that context, Morocco and France, in cooperation with the United Nations, will organize the second Francophone ministerial conference on peacekeeping.
The Kingdom of Morocco remains committed to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, namely, the principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of States.
In that connection, Morocco remains committed to finding a definitive solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, in line with its territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
Morocco’s position is unambiguous. The search for a definitive political solution can succeed only if it meets four basic criteria: first, the full sovereignty of Morocco over its desert and the self-autonomy initiative as the only solution to this contrived dispute; secondly, the full participation of all parties in the search for a definitive solution to this contrived dispute; thirdly, full respect for the principles and criteria set forth by the Security Council in all its resolutions since 2007, namely, that a solution must be political, realistic, practical, sustainable and consensus-based; and fourthly, the rejection of any other proposal aimed at steering the political process away from the terms of reference determined by the Security Council. Both the Secretary-General and the Council rejected such a proposal more than 20 years ago.
The political process, under the sole sponsorship of the United Nations, has seen new momentum. Two round table meetings were held in Geneva, in December 2018 and March 2019 respectively, where all of the parties concerned convened for the first time. It is particularly encouraging to note that the Security Council considers this process to be the only path towards a realistic, practical, enduring and consensus-based political solution to this regional dispute.
The Kingdom of Morocco once again expresses its deep concern about the dire humanitarian situation faced by the inhabitants of the Tindouf camps. The host country has authorized an armed separatist group to take charge of the camps, in flagrant violation of its international obligations under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and other international conventions relating to human rights and international humanitarian law.
In the context of COVID-19, concerns are mounting over the fate of those populations stranded in camps run by an armed group with no legal status under international law.
It is time for the international community to take decisive action to compel the host country to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to conduct a census and registration of the population in those camps, in accordance with international humanitarian law for refugees and the urgent calls made by the Security Council in all of its related resolutions since 2011. This is essential in order to put an end to the 40-year-long diversion of humanitarian assistance intended for those stranded inside the Tindouf camps.
The security of the Kingdom of Morocco is intrinsically linked to the security of Libya, the sister State with which we share a common history and destiny. Nine years after the outbreak of the crisis in Libya, its security and humanitarian situation continue to deteriorate due to foreign interference, including military intervention.
The only solution to that crisis is a political one decided upon by the Libyans themselves, with the support of the international community but free from foreign interference and agendas, as affirmed by the meeting in Skhirat.
Morocco remains committed to providing a neutral forum for dialogue between the Libyan parties. In the second week of September, we hosted meetings in Bouznika between the High Council of State and the Tobruk Parliament, which culminated in a comprehensive agreement on transparent and objective criteria and mechanisms in order to fill key leadership positions with the aim of unifying them.
The failure to settle the Palestinian question and resume the Middle East peace process is a source of grave concern for the Kingdom of Morocco. There cannot be a just or lasting peace for the Palestinian people unless they are able to exercise their legitimate right to establish an independent and viable Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Morocco therefore categorically rejects all unilateral measures taken by the Israeli authorities in the occupied Palestinian territories, whether in the West Bank or in Al-Quds Al-Sharif. Such measures will only fuel tension and instability in the region.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in his capacity as Chair of the Al-Quds Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, stresses the importance of preserving the Holy City of Jerusalem, as it is a common heritage of humankind and a symbol of peaceful coexistence among the followers of the three monotheistic religions. It is also a centre for mutual respect and dialogue. This was reaffirmed in the Jerusalem appeal that His Majesty signed with His Holiness Pope Francis in Rabat on 30 March 2019.
I must express the Kingdom’s heartfelt condolences and solidarity with brotherly Lebanon in the aftermath of the explosion at the port in Beirut, with its painful material and human losses. At the request of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom provided medical and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people in the hope of alleviating the suffering of those affected by that tragic incident.
We must turn the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity to rebuild a more effective and efficient multilateral system. To do so, we must conduct a comprehensive assessment of the failures of the multilateral system and its institutions in facing the crisis, as well as its achievements towards building a sound basis for good practices in the future. We must also refocus multilateral action on the principles of solidarity, cooperation and responsibility, while taking the appropriate measures to put an end to all conflicts through concrete and practical multilateral initiatives.
Morocco, in its firm adherence to the multilateral framework, remains committed to working with likeminded States to create a more just, united and transparent global system.
That was the commitment made by His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the Millennium Summit, where he reaffirmed that, as we embarked upon a new millennium, it was our solemn duty to set new goals for humankind, while acting with justice and solidarity.
May the peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.


In the name of God the Merciful and the Compassionate,
May God bless the most honourable of Messengers,
Mr. President,
Your Majesties,
Excellencies,
Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Ladies and gentlemen,
At the outset, I would like to warmly congratulate His Excellency Ambassador Volkan Bozkir, Permanent Representative of the sisterly Republic of Turkey, on assuming the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session. I wish him every success in his new tasks.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Permanent Representative of our sisterly State of Nigeria, for the high skill and professionalism with which he steered the previous session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In this regard, I would like to pay tribute to His Excellency the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his continued great efforts and endeavours to reform and lead the Organization in the service of international peace and security.
This session is being held in extremely complex global circumstances due to the health crisis caused by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has cast its shadow on various aspects of life in all countries of the world. Its tragic repercussions and challenges have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in various countries and have totally paralysed the global economic system.
This crisis has also exposed the weaknesses of current measures, which means that we all must unite our efforts to contain and mitigate its economic impact, in particular on developing countries, whose economic systems have been severely affected by the crisis.
We in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania have taken the measures necessary to reduce the spread and effect of the virus and to particularly protect the poorest in society. The most important of these measures is to monitor local markets and replenish them with the basic needs to prevent price hikes, ensure the availability of basic medicines at fixed prices and provide assistance to thousands of vulnerable and poor families hard hit by the economic recession.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative repercussions on our national economy and the economies of our African neighbours. It has caused a decline in gross domestic product. That has led to a decrease in tax revenue, increased spending and budget deficit. We therefore reiterate our call from this rostrum to eliminate the external debt of African countries in order to enable them to cope with the pandemic and its social and economic consequences.
This year, we celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of our prestigious Organization. Let us also take this opportunity to consider ways to improve its performance as we seek to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and overcome major global challenges in the areas of the environment, climate, health, education, security, stability and development.
In that regard, His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, has announced an economic programme focused on the following: fostering the infrastructure to support growth; promoting capacity-building in social sectors to stimulate demand; upgrading and supporting the productive sectors to achieve self-sufficiency in food production; supporting the entire private sector; combating desertification and drought; and increasing employment opportunities. The programme will enable us to ensure that our economy supports public policy, with a strategy of accelerated growth and common prosperity that is more inclusive and environmentally friendly, in order to make greater progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
We have exerted great efforts to implement projects and programmes aimed at combating various forms of injustice, marginalization and vulnerabilities by securing universal access to basic services and supporting the health and educational systems. That is in addition to strengthening national unity, fostering social cohesion, calming the political arena, building a State of law, protecting freedoms and establishing the rules of good governance.
We also continue to work to develop the educational system so as to instil in our generations the principles of freedom, tolerance and openness, based on our cultural and civilizational constants. The goal is to raise the quality of our education and develop its scientific and professional aspects as required by the national economy.
With regard to the fight against poverty, we have also focused on addressing social disparities and marginalization while supporting the most vulnerable and fostering social solidarity. We established the Agency for National Solidarity and the Fight against Exclusion and have launched a series of ambitious projects aimed at improving employment and livelihoods, improving purchasing power and facilitating access to basic services, such as electricity, drinking water, health and education.
In addition, programmes have been developed to train young people and help them to enter the labour market, thereby contributing to the development of the national economy. Considerable efforts have been made to help women play their role by participating fully in political life and public affairs.
In order to achieve sustainable development, we focus on an independent judiciary, the protection of human rights, promoting democracy and individual and collective freedoms, freedom of the press, the transparency of political institutions, ensuring that the Parliament plays its role in oversight and accountability, securing transparency as a comprehensive approach in managing public affairs and the development of legal and regulatory mechanisms to eliminate corruption and bribery.
There can be no development without security and vice versa. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania has been keen to develop an effective strategy to combat terrorism and various forms of extremism with a comprehensive approach that takes the ideological, security, economic and social dimensions into account. When we chaired the work of the Group of Five for the Sahel, we, along with our regional and international partners, engaged in intense consultations to develop a road map that would neutralize terrorism and dry up its sources of funding. In that regard, our country took part in various meetings and hosted two summits that enabled us to make progress in the fight against violent extremism in the Sahel region. That fight must be fully respectful of human rights.
For decades, the countries of the Maghreb have endured the consequences of the dispute in Western Sahara. Mauritania maintains its consistent and unbiased position. We have excellent relations with all parties concerned and support the efforts of the United Nations and all relevant Security Council resolutions aimed at finding a sustainable and acceptable solution for all parties.
With regard to the crisis in Mali, we have successfully exerted mediation efforts to enable President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to travel abroad for treatment. We also called on the parties to the crisis to push forward an agreement on outstanding issues in order to return to constitutional status. I take this opportunity to applaud the efforts of the current Malian authorities and the Economic Community of West African States to resolve the crisis at the earliest and ensure a return to constitutional life in the country.
We also stress that we remain on the side of just causes in all international forums. We reiterate our firm commitment to the right of the Palestinian people to dignity and sovereignty within the framework of an independent and viable State, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions. We also reiterate our condemnation of the ongoing human rights violations by Israel in Palestine and the remaining Arab territories.
In Libya, we also support international efforts to bring peace to that brotherly country and ensure its unity and sovereignty.
With regard to the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, we stress the need to seriously pursue a political solution to preserve the unity of that brotherly Arab country, its independence, its people’s dignity and its right to a secure and peaceful life.
With respect to Yemen, we stress our support for legitimacy and call for a peaceful solution in accordance with relevant Arab initiatives and international resolutions. At the same time, we condemn the terrorist attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which target its national security.
May peace and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.


Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Ladies and Gentlemen, Heads of State and Government, Ambassadors and Ambassadors, Delegates and Delegates.
Benito Perez Galdos was an outstanding Spanish writer, from the Canary Islands, and we are commemorating the centenary of his death this very year. On a certain occasion, he regretfully observed that “it is sad to observe that only adversity makes men brothers.” It is sad, but we see it all the time: we human beings only behave as brothers and sisters when we feel threatened by the same misfortune.
COVID-19 is the great crisis of our generation. And this emergency-more than a thousand treaties or speeches — has made us suddenly realize that we belong to a single world.
We had already been seriously forewarned. Ebola, a virus that was identified for the first time in a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, spread throughout several African countries and later jumped to Europe.
Already a variant of the influenza virus A suffered a mutation and jumped from a pig to a human in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, leading to what was later known as the swine flu, causing tens of thousands of deaths in several continents.
Now, this very year, an outbreak initially located in a market in Wuhan brought the entire world to a standstill for months, and has plunged humankind into the worst crisis of this century.
The health, economic and social consequences of COVID-19 are only comparable to what humankind suffered during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, the Great Depression, or the Second World War.
The virus is affecting all of humanity, regardless of ideology, borders or fortunes. But poverty is working hand in hand with the virus. Poverty has proven to be the factor that can aggravate or diminish anything. The pandemic has exacerbated difficulties and inequalities. The pandemic has widened the injustice and vulnerability gap. In Eswatini, that small country in southern Africa, one thousand women contracted HIV every single day of last year. Schools, safe and exclusive spaces were created for young women and adolescent girls. Eswatini was winning the fight against AIDS ten years ahead of schedule. But a pandemic not only widens gaps—it stops progress. It stops hope.
The virus does not care about technology. But when societies have been forced to react against the pandemic, when they have reduced personal contacts, even when they have resorted to confinement, when they have sought to keep on with their work, with their education, with their leisure activities, with their social lives... It is then that digitalization has proven to be the most effective alternative for maintaining social activity.
Nor does the virus infect selectively by gender. But when it has hit large numbers of people, once again women have taken on the essential burden of caregiving.
Nor, lastly, does the virus take into consideration the environment or climate change. But this terrible health emergency has made us realize the true meaning of the term climate emergency: a threat against which the only vaccine is humanity’s united response.
These four factors, together with this most pressing health emergency, are the challenges we are facing:
The challenge of the climate emergency; The challenge of technological progress and the fourth industrial revolution linked to digitalization. The challenge of overcoming excruciating inequalities and poverty; The challenge of full equality between women and men and the eradication of any form of discrimination based on gender, race or origin.
The first of these challenges concerns the climate emergency. And if we look at a picture of our world, we will be excited to see that the ozone hole is slowly healing, thanks to the Montreal Protocol, which bound governments to drastically reduce their CFC emissions. This is a real, tangible example that proves that where there’s a will, there’s a way. Yet another success story is that of the Antarctic Treaty, which protects all of the Earth’s territory south of parallel 60 against any interference, ensuring that it may only be used for scientific purposes.
And we can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals regarding climate, life below water, and terrestrial ecosystems if we set our minds to it. This Assembly is the appropriate forum to reflect on the impact of the pandemic on the Sustainable Development Goals and on the Decade of Action. The 2021 High-Level Political Forum should be held, exceptionally, at the Heads of State and Government level, to agree upon urgent measures that will enable us to achieve the Goals we set for ourselves five years ago
We cannot let down our guard or be complacent, because everything still remains to be done. So far this year, two million hectares have gone up in flames in California. An island of plastic three times the size of France is floating in the Pacific Ocean and destroying our marine ecosystems. And desertification and drought are severely threatening the livelihoods of more than 1.2 billion people all around the world, producing intolerable migration flows.
And, above all, we know that we have very little time left to prevent the climate crisis from becoming irreversible. This is why it makes no sense for any public official to disregard the Paris Agreement and its commitments for action.
The second challenge is linked to the fourth industrial revolution and to digitalization. The past two centuries have seen the global income multiply by more than 20, in contrast with the stagnation of the world’s economy in previous centuries. Since then, a series of industrial revolutions has led to a shift in work activity from agriculture to industry and then to services, and to an increase in productivity and consumption, which in turn have increased well-being and life expectancy, albeit in a painfully unequal manner.
The fourth industrial revolution we are witnessing is of unprecedented scope and speed, and may change every sphere of life for better or for worse. It may provide more leisure or generate more unemployment; it may foster human knowledge or lead to the control and manipulation of people; it may promote the progress of all humankind or intensify inequalities. The following figure illustrates this contrast: 40% of the European Union’s GDP is soon expected to stem from digital activities. Meanwhile, in Africa barely four out of every ten people have internet access.
Digitalization also offers huge potential for emission reduction and for curbing the climate emergency. Artificial intelligence applied to big data and the internet of things facilitate more efficient logistics and transportation, emissions reduction, less aggressive mining and agriculture, the use of renewable energy, and a more circular economy.
The third challenge involves reducing inequalities. I represent a progressive government that has championed the eradication of child poverty and the reduction of inequalities within our borders. But beyond the specific leanings of each government, we must remember that even those who defend certain degrees of inequality distinguish between what they call “constructive inequality” and “oppressive inequality”. Poverty is an intolerable and oppressive form of inequality, which not only constitutes blatant injustice, but is also an impediment to social progress.
And this inequality exists within each country, as well as between countries. Studies have shown that differences in mean per capita incomes between countries account for more than 85 per cent of global inequality. Therefore, to address inequality we must take action within each country, but also, above all, we must narrow the gap between different countries’ incomes.
The fourth major challenge is achieving full, total, absolute equal rights for women. The progress already made is incalculable. In education, in civil rights, in labour rights... We can see young women leading movements against climate change, we can see other young women dressed in white conquering the streets in the East, and young black women leading demonstrations in the West. Inspired by other women who obtain academic qualifications living in the desert, who own small businesses in their villages, who lead countries, or take pictures of black holes. Women who are in those positions thanks to the sacrifices made by other women in the past, such as Rosa Parks, Marie Curie, Marsha P. Johnson and Domitila Barrios.
But it is impossible to ignore how far away we are from achieving Sustainable Development Goal Five, because female genital mutilation is still taking place, we are witnessing a spike in misogynistic violence, and the gender gap remains wide open.
Seventy-five years after the Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco, as leaders of the world’s different peoples, we have more reasons than ever for stepping up to this platform of peace and progress with answers and actions. Last Monday we unanimously adopted a declaration to commemorate this anniversary of the United Nations. It is a text that looks ahead to the future; let us realize its vision. Let us turn good intentions into specific measures.
We need to save this planet, our only home. We need to align the digitalization of the economy throughout the world. We need to eradicate poverty and reduce oppressive social inequalities. We also need to put an end to inequality between men and women, and to all forms of inequality based on beliefs, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Multilateralism And we can only achieve this if we act united. The pandemic that we are enduring, and all that has happened in these past months, reminds us of the practical and moral imperative to act in unity. This is totally contrary to the positions of those who, for some time now, have been questioning the multilateral system and eroding its foundations.
How can we ask the World Health Organization to lead the response to the pandemic effectively if its resources keep dwindling?
How can we champion an open, interconnected world, where citizens are free and have a greater quality of life, if we demonize immigration and backtrack on international trade rules?
How can we advance in the defence of human rights and in the protection of world heritage if we turn our backs on the initiatives created for this purpose?
There is no doubt that the system represented by the United Nations needs reforms and updates. But the only acceptable solution is that of improving it. Because we know only too well where regression to nationalism and protectionism will lead us: to inequality, to heightened tension and, ultimately, to confrontation.
A world divided by distrust and conflict, or a global, more just, and safer world: this is the choice we are facing.
The interdependence of nations is an undisputed fact, and the pandemic has served as a reminder. But it is not enough to invoke unity of action as an abstract, empty principle. We need to believe in unity. Unity enables us to advance together. Unity averts conflicts. Unity saves lives. Unity, and unity alone, can save the planet. And we must act. We must take further steps. And we must take them now. On specific issues, with specific decisions.
The urgency of the current moment shows us that there is only one way to strengthen multilateralism: by defending Global Public Goods along the five main lines that must guide the rebuilding of the multilateral architecture:
Firstly, we must strengthen the global health system. It is time to equip the World Health Organization with new tools, following the expert opinions of the independent evaluation committee; to sign a Global Compact for Health, based on the 2030 Agenda; and to lead a socioeconomic recovery that bolsters national capacities for tackling new pandemics, achieving universal health coverage. At the same time, we must guarantee equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. This is not only the most effective option from a medical standpoint; it is also an absolute and non-negotiable moral imperative.
Secondly, we must step up our climate-ambition commitments. Once again, we are left with no real choice: the current emergency demands that we act boldly to reach a global agreement that will safeguard the protection of biodiversity by 2030, and this agreement must encompass energy and ecological transitions towards a sustainable model of production.
Thirdly, we must reinforce the multilateral system so as to maintain international peace and security. Wars shackle entire generations in poverty and distress. There is no security without development, nor development without security. And we cannot look the other way, we cannot simply ignore the multiple conflicts that continue to blight the lives of millions of people, and hope for partial solutions. The fate of such people is also our own.
We must promote the negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis to reach a just peace agreement respecting the two-state solution.
We must support a negotiated way out of the conflict in Libya. Urgent action is required to restore peace and security in the Sahel. A just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution must be found to the Western Sahara conflict, in accordance with Security Council resolutions and within the framework of provisions pursuant to the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter
We will continue to support UN efforts in those places where they are successful, such as Sudan; but also in those areas in which it needs the unanimous backing of the international community, such as in the fight against the weapons proliferation or in the application of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Of particular interest to Spain is the status of Gibraltar following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. On this matter, we are called to comply with United Nations doctrine on Gibraltar, with which Spain is fully aligned. We wish to work towards developing an area of social and economic prosperity that encompasses the entire area of Gibraltar and Campo de Gibraltar.
Fourthly, we must work harder than ever to defend democracy and human rights, promoting the protection of individuals, organizations, communities and networks at the international and local levels. Democracy is much more than merely a form of government: it is a way of life, furnished with values for humanity as a whole, making no distinction between people on the basis of their origin or condition, and requiring all our efforts and good example to successfully combat those who oppose it.
Fifthly and finally, we must commit to financial multilateralism. International financial institutions are called to play a critical role in overcoming this global crisis, contributing to the development of green and digital technology, particularly in the health, education and communications sectors.
Certain regions, such as Latin America and the Caribbean, are submerged in the deepest economic crisis they have known since World War Two. This is why I convened a High-Level Conference in June: to call on the international financial institutions to extend support to the region. A country’s income level cannot be the sole criterion by which it is accorded access to international financing instruments. We must rethink the system so that the most vulnerable nations classified as middle- income countries can also receive the international support necessary to reactivate their economies.
Similarly, it is crucial that we speed up the reform process of the World Trade Organization, reviewing the rules that will enable us to strengthen global production and distribution chains without resorting to closing any borders.
Closing remarks
Right at this moment, in every corner of the globe, there is a young person staring at the screen of their cell phone. In the backstreets of Naples, at a fish auction in Istanbul, in Mexico City’s Zocalo square, in the equatorial Amazon, or at a market in India. These young people have seen their parents working non-stop, day-in, day-out, year after year, without any change. In Villa El Salvador, on the outskirts of Lima, in Tangier, in Popasna. In Villa El Salvador, on the outskirts of Lima, in Tangier, in Popasna. All over the world. Perhaps they wonder why their parents work so hard if nothing around them ever changes. If nothing around them ever gets any better. If there is nothing that transforms and improves their lives. If there is no glimmer of hope in sight.
In most parts of the world, when young people look around them, they can see no life opportunities. Instead, they see that the doors to progress and personal advancement are closing; they are seeing the environment deteriorating before their very eyes.
Exactly when did we decide that the expression “to change the world” had lost all sense and meaning?
I wonder if any of those millions of young people are watching us right now on their mobile phones. I wonder what they are thinking of us, if so. There is another virus spreading across the world right now: its symptoms are disappointment, ennui, distrust and indifference. And these symptoms are suffered by all of these young people listening to us — or who, regrettably, are not listening to us — from every corner of the globe. We infect them with this virus every time we allow a new dispute to come between us; every time we renege on an agreement; every time we turn our backs on our commitments and responsibilities to other countries.
Whether due to inaction or omission, we have allowed disaffection and distrust of government to spread across the globe. Whether due to indifference or cowardice, we have ignored threats and realities that seriously affect the physical, political and moral health of the planet today. We are witnessing the resurgence of exclusionary and xenophobic nationalisms, of autarkic delusions, of blatant authoritarianisms. We are seeing the rise of leaderships based on demagogy, lies and the fuelling of hate.
In the face of such insidious developments, I would like to call on the international community. To appeal to them to understand this historic moment; an appeal stemming from the urgency of these times in which we are living and from fervent convictions.
For the sake of young people, we are morally obliged to act. To act for all, but especially for those who are listening to us in disbelief and indifference. We cannot condemn young people, for the first time in two centuries, to a world that is worse than before, a world that is more unjust, more hopeless, to a future of resignation with no alternatives. We cannot and must not leave the future of our young people in the hands of those intent on putting up yet again the physical and ideological borders we worked so hard to tear down.
We must be proactive. It is essential to understand that many of the ideas that have determined the social order and the economic development of the world during the past decades have ceased to be viable. The health emergency that we are enduring, the climate emergency, the successive crises and recessions, clearly reflect the depletion and failure of that model.
We cannot continue to aspire to rampant, unnatural growth. We cannot build a world based on the destruction of guaranteed public services or of the environment in which we live.
We cannot continue to nurture the fiction of a progress that only means greater injustice and inequality for millions of human beings.
We cannot continue to tell young people that all it takes to realize their dreams is hard work unless we make equal opportunities a reality.
President, dear friends.
Today, those who are here together in this virtual space have the historic, moral, urgent and unavoidable duty to act in unity to offer the world a new horizon of growth and progress.
Today, we have a duty to offer young people hope.
This is our greatest responsibility, especially to those young people who are not listening to us today. We have lost their attention because they do not believe we have anything to offer. And it is these young people who will judge us.
Thank you very much.


Mr. President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Secretary General of the Organization,
Ladies and Gentlemen of all ranks and titles,
Distinguished delegates,
Allow me, at the outset, to commend His Excellency Mr. Volkan Bozkir of Turkey on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session. The unanimous vote is a token of recognition and a guarantee of the success of the work the General Assembly at this ordinary session.
I would also like to commend the remarkable work of His Excellency Ambassador Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, who led the work of the seventy-fourth session with great dexterity, despite the difficulties related to the coronavirus pandemic.
At the same time, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, on his courageous and ambitious initiatives aimed at strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the United Nations system for the common good of our planet.
Mr. President,
Our world is currently facing a major health crisis caused by COVID-19. The multidimensional consequences of the virus, coupled with new conflicts and asymmetric wars, terrorism and violent extremism, global socioeconomic inequalities and climate change, demand our response.
Today, more than ever, we need a more cohesive and effective multilateral system that will enable the States Members of the Organization to develop strategies to address challenges and achieve the holistic vision of a better future for all, in accordance with the Declaration on the Commemoration of the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the United Nations on the future we want.
Mr. President,
It is no coincidence that “eradicating poverty in all its forms and throughout the world” is the number one goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
It is unfortunate to note that global efforts to implement that central objective are far from meeting real needs. Even today, a large percentage of the world’s population still suffers from poverty and hunger. We will not be able to reverse this trend without a broad mobilization of financial resources.
There is still a striking gap between the commitments we have made and the actions underway to eradicate world poverty. Haiti has received several billion US dollars in aid from the international community over the past 10 years.
However, the living conditions of Haitians have not improved. The billions of dollars spent have often not taken into account our priorities, our needs or even our strategy to fight poverty.
From a sustainable development perspective, we call on donors and all friendly countries to conduct a critical analysis of international aid to Haiti in order to assess its effectiveness.
We want projects that are adapted to our needs, that respond to our priorities and that allow us to implement economic development focused on people, on national production and on strengthening the capacities of our institutions. We want projects that have a positive impact on poverty and that integrate the country’s social and environmental issues.
Some donors are beginning to understand the need to align themselves with the will of the Government of the Republic of Haiti in choosing its priorities. We congratulate them!
Mr. President,
We are 10 years away from the target date for the universal achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Many countries have already made significant progress towards this goal.
Others, despite their efforts, are still lagging behind. In Haiti, our emergency, recovery and long-term development needs remain immense and require consistent investment in several areas. From where my country currently stands, the pursuit of sustainable development objectives is a major challenge.
Major and sustained efforts must be deployed in priority areas such as road, agricultural, electrical, digital, port and airport infrastructures; education; health coverage; social housing; the mobilization of foreign direct investment; reforestation; environmental protection; revival of agricultural production; universal access to energy from renewable sources; and universal access to credit, especially for young people and farmers.
Mr. President,
I am fully aware of my responsibility to ensure that the essential conditions are in place to guarantee Haiti’s long-term security, stability and development. My Administration, which has been facing a complex socioeconomic crisis and the excessive and violent polarization of the political class for several months now, will not be able to deal with it alone. The Republic of Haiti will recover, but only with sustained, coherent, effective and well-coordinated support from the international community.
Today, the Republic of Haiti has been stripped of an institution that is indispensable to the smooth functioning of democracy: its Parliament. We have established a new Provisional Electoral Council to conduct credible, transparent, inclusive, free, honest and democratic elections.
Faithful to its historic traditions, the Republic of Haiti has always strived to promote and defend the values and principles of universal freedoms, lasting peace and cooperation among nations around the world.
In that regard, my country continues to stand alongside the Member States of the international community that wish to build a more just and balanced world order, in accordance with the purposes and principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations.
It is in this spirit that I welcome the initiative of the Secretary-General, who has made relevant proposals to reform the Organization. I encourage him to intensify his efforts to strengthen the United Nations so that it is can match up to the new challenges of the twenty-first century.
To that end, I encourage all States to commit not only to developing a common understanding and taking collective action in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, but to accelerating the implementation of action programmes in line with the three pillars of the United Nations, namely development, peace and security and human rights.
To Member States,
While I offer my sincere condolences to the countries that have been greatly affected by COVID-19, I would like to thank all the partner countries that have helped the Haitian State to better manage the pandemic, in particular the Republic of China (Taiwan).
It is time for the world to recognize this nation’s right to exist and afford it its rightful place in international forums, particularly the United Nations.
In conclusion, Mr. President, I would like, on this exceptional occasion, to invite the members of the General Assembly to reflect and meditate on this concise yet crucial quote by C. Wilfred Jenks on the future of peace, development and security in the world: “The choice is simple yet brutal: either we live together, or we perish together”.
I thank you.


Mr. Chairman of the General Assembly,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to congratulate Ambassador Volkan Bozkir on his election as President of the General Assembly as the United Nations (UN) celebrates its seventy- fifth anniversary.
More than ever, the UN is needed to address challenges that know no borders and cannot be resolved by self-interested approaches.
We know to what degree the multilateral system is under pressure.
First of all, in the context of a return to a competition for power at the global level, we are witnessing increasing limitations on the ability to respond to shared threats and challenges.
Secondly, new issues are emerging that demand multilateral solutions in accordance with normative and cooperative arrangements. What is know called the fourth industrial revolution presents both a challenge and an opportunity. From artificial intelligence and robotization to the implementation of smart grids and 5G infrastructure and data management, to restructuring entire sectors of the economy, the impact of new technologies — on the economy, the work world and relations among States — will demand new rules of conduct at the international level. The UN must play a central role in defining them by providing compromise solutions capable of safeguard the public interest.
Thirdly, international organizations are showing difficulty in responding to challenges and threats. The Security Council is a case in point. It has demonstrated its limited capacity to respond to crises and conflicts, while its membership does not reflect the geopolitical realities of the twenty-first century. That is why Portugal advocates the expansion of the categories of permanent and non-permanent members, including for the African continent and, at least, Brazil and India.
Despite such challenges, the UN remains crucial to preserving world peace and security, sustainable development and the defence and the promotion of human rights. And the General Assembly, which I am addressing, continues to be the Parliament of humankind. There is no other.
Portugal will therefore continue to resolutely support the United Nations system both politically and financially. We will uphold the ambitious agenda of commitments to strengthen the capacity of the UN and its Member States in responding to the major areas of international interest, including the Sustainable Development Goals, climate change, migration, hosting refugees, issues related to the sea and the sustainability of the oceans.
The leadership and reforms introduced by the Secretary-General are essential to making the Organization’s work more effective and flexible. He can therefore count on our full support.
Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,
The context of the global emergency that we are experiencing today reinforces the need for cooperation among States and international organizations to respond to the challenge of the health crisis and its socioeconomic consequences. The United Nations is a central pillar to such efforts, including through the United Nations System Response to COVID-19, a response plan endorsed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. We support its implementation and the coordinating role of the World Health Organization.
The pandemic has highlighted many of our vulnerabilities in the areas of health, the economy and social cohesion. We need to swiftly recover growth and employment and increase the resilience of our economies, societies and the State. This will be a key priority for Portugal when, in the first half of 2021, the country holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Similarly, there is a need to strengthen development cooperation and the capacity of the United Nations system for action in this area. Portugal has strengthened its contributions to several United Nations agencies, focusing in particular on the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Programme and UNICEF.
The fight against economic inequalities deserves special attention given its truly cross-cutting nature. International security is incompatible with an inequitable distribution of resources on a global scale, in particular when compounded by demographic imbalances and issues related to environmental deterioration that are so often inseparable. We need a new global commitment based on human dignity that balances concrete access to opportunities and hope.
The crisis caused by this pandemic must not therefore serve as an excuse to disrupt policies aimed at countering the current climate emergency, which poses an existential threat to everyone. On the contrary, there is a need to deepen the coordination between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, thereby helping to build societies that are less vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events.
Similarly, it is essential to deepen the relationship between oceans and climate change, while paying special attention to small island States. Therefore, Portugal reaffirms its commitment to co-hosting in 2021, together with Kenya, the United Nations Ocean Conference and counts on the participation of all UN Member States, at the highest level.
Mr. President,
Secretary-General,
The full realization of human rights is an ongoing process of improvement. Portugal supports an open discussion, as part of a critical dialogue among peers, to strengthen the promotion and universal respect for human rights. Together with our partners in the European Union, we reaffirm the defence of free, plural and tolerant societies that reject racism, xenophobia, homophobia and populism and that work for inclusion, gender equality and freedom of expression.
The pandemic has placed new demands on the promotion and protection of human rights. Portugal has provided an immediate response to these demands, in particular by expanding access to the National Health Service to all migrants and refugees, regardless of their status or legal situation, under the same conditions as for national citizens.
Portugal has played an active role in welcoming migrants and refugees, thereby expressing its solidarity in an undeniable way. We reaffirm our full support for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Furthermore, within the framework of the International Organization for Migration, we are one of the pilot countries for its implementation.
Portugal is one of the first countries to abolish the death penalty, opposing its use in all circumstances. In this regard, I call for the adoption of the biennial resolution on the moratorium on the use of the death penalty, which will be introduced during this session of the General Assembly.
In a year marking quarter of a century since the fourth World Conference on Women, Portugal reiterates its commitment to the promotion of women’s rights. It is important to double the attention paid to gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive rights and health in the face of the challenges exacerbated by the pandemic.
Mr. President,
Secretary-General,
Despite the pandemic, many wars and conflicts persist. That is why we support the recent call by the Secretary-General for a global ceasefire.
Portugal currently provides troops to seven peacekeeping operations and special political missions. Our national participation in MINUSCA, in the Central African Republic, is an example, in particular because it provides the Rapid Reaction Force, which is crucial to the fulfilment of the Mission’s mandate.
The persistence of high levels of violence in the Sahel reinforces the need for international coordination — a goal supported by Portugal, in particular through our participation in MINUSMA in Mali.
We monitor the international community’s efforts to find political solutions to the conflicts that plague many parts of the world. We believe that the two-State solution is the only way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; that the nuclear agreement with Iran must be preserved and fully respected by all parties and that the mediation and compromise processes led by the UN are those that will make it possible to overcome the deep crises today in Syria, Yemen and Libya. We also call for a peaceful and inclusive political solution in Venezuela.
The current challenges demonstrate the importance of international partnerships, in particular tripartite cooperation among the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union. It was under Portuguese leadership that relations between the European Union and Africa were institutionalized at the highest level, and during its presidency of the European Union in 2021, Portugal will strive to further deepen the partnership between Europe and Africa. The role of the European Union as a global player, open to the world, a defender of multilateralism and economic exchanges that are beneficial to all will be a priority of our EU presidency.
Several organizations, of diverse nature, make positive contributions to the international rules-based order and demonstrate the willingness to cooperate. Among them, I would like to highlight, of course, the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries, which brings together nations from four continents. Under the current presidency of Cabo Verde and the subsequent presidency of Angola, the CPLP attests to the ability to establish partnerships and build bridges between countries and peoples, united because they share a language whose World Day —on 5 May — was declared by UNESCO. In this regard, I welcome the resolution of the post-electoral stalemate in Guinea-Bissau and hope that it will usher in a new cycle of stability and prosperity for the country. Furthermore, I express my deep solidarity with Mozambique — a victim of terrorist attacks and attempts to destabilize its northern regions.
Mr. President,
Secretary-General,
Portugal is a country that is open to the world. It advocates dialogue and a fair system of rules, in a stable and predictable environment. We know where the path of autocracy, aggressive nationalism and survival of the fittest has led us in the past. Seventy-five years ago, the founders of the United Nations had the courage to lay the foundations for a new world order, based on international law, equality among sovereign States and the dignity of the human person. It was the victory of hope. Today we cannot succumb to cynicism. It is our duty to cherish and build on the gains we achieved together to ensure a better future. A strong United Nations is essential for the good of us all.
Thank you very much.


Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year is different, and so is this session. The 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations is an opportunity for world leaders to talk about the future. But, before I do that, allow me to look back.
75 years ago, the tragedies of the Second World War led to creating a new global system based on the UN Charter. The UN as such, the only truly universal international organisation, stands as the pillar of the post-war international order. I am very proud that Czechoslovakia, and subsequently the Czech Republic of today, was among its fifty original founders. Moreover, it was a Czechoslovak diplomat, Mr Jan Papanek, who was in the group of 14 experts that finalized the text of the UN Charter. Respecting the UN Charter by all States is a prerequisite of a rules based international system, which is crucial for our peaceful coexistence on the planet.
The world has changed since 1945. Today we are facing an extraordinary pandemic situation, which has become a stress-test for our ability to cooperate in a coordinated, multilateral manner. It is exactly at times of such challenges that we need to be able to reach a high degree of mutual understanding. We should not pretend that everything works perfectly. There are systemic limitations and weaknesses to our global system. It is clear that a substantial reform is necessary. That is why I see the current health crisis as an opportunity — an opportunity to put forward ambitious reforms that will allow us to “build back better”. The Czech Republic remains a strong supporter of the UN Secretary-General in his reforms towards a more effective, transparent and responsible UN.
We are in favour of an open discussion on a revision of the multilateral health architecture. This revision needs to be based on a fair and objective evaluation of the international response to the pandemic. Unfortunately, and I say it with regret, the response we have seen by the World Health Organization has failed to exercise global health leadership. It did not act resolutely after the pandemic outbreak in
Wuhan, China, and had a very limited success — to put it softly — in helping countries prevent, protect against, and respond to disease events. The WHO has failed even in the fields it is usually praised for — in the application of its epidemiological expertise and medical know-how in order to help governments tackle virus outbreaks. Confusing recommendations by the WHO regarding wearing facemask is only one example of its questionable role during the past months.
To put it shortly, we have been again reminded of the necessity of a reform of international mechanisms to fight pandemic situations. It will not be an easy task and it deserves a lot of attention from experts as well as us, top politicians. But I declare that the Czech Republic supports such a reform and will actively contribute to it.
Let me mention one example of a concrete need for a better-coordinated action: We are witnessing a proliferation of initiatives regarding access to the COVID-19 vaccine. We call for a coordinating role of the UN in this matter in order to ensure that these initiatives are complementary, not clashing with one another. History shows that crises and competition are engines of progress. I agree. I myself was a successful businessman and I understand business opportunities. But sometimes business considerations are not the most important. There are times when all stakeholders must conduct research and development especially carefully and responsibly.
Research and innovation are of great importance and not only in the context of the search for a vaccine and medical treatment of COVID-19. This pandemic, which so badly needs efficient crisis management both at national and international level, shows us how essential it is to increase our investment in scientific research, technology development and innovation to prepare better for addressing future crises faster and much more efficiently. Equally important is multilateral cooperation in data sharing and in mobility of researchers.
The Czech Republic has contributed to the global effort to fight the virus in a coordinated way. Just one example: Czech researchers have focused on application of nanotechnology in constructing facemasks. The technology, developed in the Czech Republic, has been used in other parts of the world. And of course Czech scientists have been actively collaborating with their colleagues from abroad (from Israel, Germany or the U.S.) not only in the nanotechnology field.
But as we are in the global arena, let me revert to more universal issues. The pandemic has accelerated three major global trends that undermine effective multilateralism: 1) global geopolitical confrontation, 2) increasing political and economic fragmentation, 3) a clash between personal freedoms and technological surveillance, including the tendency for a faster introduction of artificial intelligence into the health sector.
The COVID-19 crisis is not only a huge health crisis, but has profound economic consequences. The Czech Republic has an extremely open, globally highly integrated economy and as such we have always been in favour of a strong, rules based international trade system. The capacity and ability of global economic institutions will be further tested to address large-scale economic problems. However, one thing is clear — we need a stronger and more effective WTO with updated rules and their enforcement. Achieving a credible reform of the WTO will require engagement of all member states and political capital investment by world leaders. The Czech Republic, mainly through the EU, will make every effort to enforce the existing international trade rules in the shadow of rising global trade tensions and protectionist measures. Our ambition is as open international trade as possible.
As mentioned before, in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its socioeconomic implications, Europe will have to redefine its role in the world. The political decisions the EU is now making to deal with the crisis will shape the future of the European project and the role of the EU as a global player in the coming years. However, as we have already heard today, every crisis is an opportunity. Within the EU we have agreed on the unprecedented European Recovery Plan that should help EU member states in facing the current crisis, which is economically comparable to the one in the 1930s. Just like 90 years ago, the best way out of a crisis is to invest through it. We have to use vast amounts of money to make Europe more sustainable and innovative. If we want to succeed on a global scale, Europe has to establish itself as a tech industry leader, which is a very difficult task in the face of the current competition, especially from the US and Chinese companies. Nevertheless, where there is a will there is a way. Europe has shown it can be a global leader in many specific areas like in tackling climate change.
The global pandemic has overshadowed many global issues that have not disappeared. Europe will eventually have to deal with illegal migration, Brexit or extensive foreign and security challenges. The European continent as such has to accept more responsibility, particularly in the area of its defense policy, in order to become a more strategically autonomous security player capable of taking a more independent action, especially in its own neighborhood. We need decision-making structures that can act swiftly in crisis and the necessary civilian and operational capabilities to carry out these decisions.
But our healthy future is not only about the economy or crisis management. It is also about information. The Czech Republic, like many other countries not merely in Europe, has had its own unfortunate experience with cyber-attacks against our hospitals. These acts simply make the effects of the pandemic worse. We call on all countries to work together through the UN to protect hospitals and other critical civilian infrastructure from future cyber-attacks. There is no better time than now to show that the international community will not tolerate aggressive cyber behaviour and that it is ready to work in a coordinated manner to become more resilient.
The coronavirus pandemic has truly shaken our world. Unfortunately, it is not the only global political problem of today. Wars and fighting are going on. The Czech Republic, together with a majority of Member States, has endorsed the Secretary General’s call for a global ceasefire. This is the time for peace. Promotion of international peace, rule of law and peaceful settlement of disputes are our key foreign policy objectives. Effective conflict prevention and mediation are the essential tools.
We are concerned about the instability in the Sahel region. The international community must continue its joint effort to assist this region. Our main goal is to empower our local partners. The Czech Republic is an active member of the Small Group in the Global Coalition against Daesh and also in the emerging Coalition for the Sahel. Our security activities focus on the EU Training Mission in Mali where we have the second largest contingent. We have also established a new national programme with a total budget of €12 million to address root causes of migration in African countries of origin and transit, as well as to support socio-economic development of this region.
The Czech Republic has an extensive and long-term engagement in stabilization assistance to unsteady areas of the Middle East. Currently, we participate, for example, in training missions in Iraq, providing assistance to refugees in the region and their host countries (approximately $6 million in 2020), and most recently we provided humanitarian assistance to Lebanon following the explosion in the port of Beirut.
We therefore welcome the recent agreement to normalize bilateral relations between the State of Israel and the United Arab Emirates. We hope this historic diplomatic achievement will enhance peace and stability in the Middle East. The Czech Republic wishes for more realism to be introduced into the way this issue is perceived within the UN.
Let me mention one more topic of concern — Belarus. I strongly believe that every society should be able to decide on its future by free and democratic elections. Independent media and civil society are crucial as they provide real-time information, document election frauds and brutality of security forces. An intra-Belarusian dialogue is the only way of resolving the crisis. Its logical outcome should be new elections.
The Czech Republic has its own experience with political transformation and democratization. We are sincerely proud of what we have managed to achieve not only in the context of the current crisis, but also, and in the first place, of the way we have become a prosperous, safe and innovative society in the thirty years since the Velvet Revolution.
Now we belong to the democratic world, we are responsible members of NATO, the EU, and other international organizations. In every respect, we are a successful country.
We have witnessed some very encouraging success stories even in fighting against the most recent invisible enemy we all need to fight. From the outset, the government of the Czech Republic had the ambition to help our businesses in their struggles while taking swift measures to advise our citizens on how to protect themselves and to repatriate home those stranded abroad. Based on a number of deaths due to COVID-19 per 1 million people we belong to the top countries in Europe. We have not won yet.
None of our countries has defeated the virus. The development is rather dynamic and the number of new cases rises every day. The upcoming months will be very hard.
Nevertheless, I am sure we will overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, just like we will overcome other global issues we are facing today. We, the Czech Republic, are ready to work with all of you, the UN Member States, making our world safer, cleaner and more prosperous.
Thank you for your attention and I wish you good health, endless energy and positive motivation for our joint effort.