Let me begin by offering my heartiest congratulations to Foreign Minister Lajčák on assuming the presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-second session. For those of us fortunate enough to represent our nations as Foreign Minister, it is a particularly happy event that one of us has this honour.
I addressed the Assembly last year as well (see A/71/PV.22). This year has seen much change both in the Assembly and the world it represents. We have a new Secretary-General at the United Nations who is determined to prepare and strengthen the United Nations to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. We welcome his efforts and see in him a leader who can give practical shape to a vision.
Our world today is trapped in a deluge of troubles of which the most dangerous is surely the relentless rise of violence. The evil of terrorism and the ideas that provoke it are spreading like wildfire. Climate change stares us in the face, and its threat is growing. Maritime security is an increasing worry. For many compelling and terrible reasons, people are leaving the psychological, cultural and economic comfort of their homes to seek refuge on distant shores, giving rise to global anxiety. A large part of the world’s population still suffers from hunger and poverty. Young people are beginning to lose hope as they confront unemployment. Women, historically the victims of discrimination, are demanding what they should have — gender empowerment. The danger of nuclear proliferation is back in the headlines. Cybersecurity has become a source of deep insecurity.
In 2015, we set ourselves the target date of 2030 for finding solutions to many of the challenges on our agenda. Two of those years have already passed. Surely it is already time to ask how much has happened. If complacency ends up defining the next 13 years, we will be in danger of losing control. We need a sense of urgency, as well as unshakable fortitude, if we are to take the decisions that can avert catastrophe. I am pleased that India has displayed the courage and leadership needed to take such tough decisions and launch its interlinked process of sustainable development.
My Government’s most important priority is the complete eradication of poverty, and there are two ways of addressing that curse. The traditional method is through incremental levels of aid and hand-holding, but our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen the more radical route, through economic empowerment. The poor are not helpless; we have merely denied them opportunity. We are eliminating poverty by investing in the poor. We are turning them from job-seekers into job-providers. All of our economic programmes have one main purpose — empowering the poor. Jan Dhan, Mudra, Ujjwala, Skill India, Digital India, Clean India, Start-Up India, Stand-Up India — describing them all would take more time than I have at my disposal. I shall therefore dwell only on three core programmes.
The Jan Dhan plan must surely count as the world’s largest financial inclusion scheme. Those who had no money were able to open bank accounts with no balance. No other country in the world has enabled even those with no money to have a bank account and passbook. That impossibility has now become possible in India. At least 300 million Indians — almost the equivalent of the population of the United States — who had never crossed the threshold of a bank now have bank accounts. That was, understandably, not easy to complete in three years, but our banks have achieved that visionary goal set by our Prime Minister. While some have still to be included, the target has been set. Every Indian family will have a bank account.
Mudra Yojana has enabled the Government to fund the unfunded. Today, through Mudra, people who had never dreamt that bank credit could be an option for them are getting soft loans without collateral to begin micro-businesses. I am particularly pleased to be able to say that 70 per cent of those loans have gone to women. Unemployment spreads despair. Through Skill India, Start-Up India and Stand-Up India, poor and middle-class youth are being trained to match their talents with bank credit and become self-employed as small-scale entrepreneurs.
Ujjwala is one of the Government’s signature schemes. Poor women who had to work hard in the kitchen were sometimes left blinded by the smoke from their stoves. The poor are being provided with free gas cylinders so that women do not have to suffer the dangerous consequences of wood-fired kitchens. Uniquely, gender emancipation is at the creative core of that programme.
Demonetization was a courageous decision to challenge the black money that disappeared from circulation and was one of the by-products of corruption. India has now also passed legislation for a goods and services tax under which there is one tax throughout the country, without the disorganized and punishing system of multiple taxes under different categories in different parts of the country. Our Save the Girl, Educate the Girl campaign is reducing gender inequality. Our Clean India programme is generating what can only be described as a revolutionary change in social attitudes and habits.
At this point, I would like to note that nations with rising capabilities can generate these kinds of change, but the developed world must become an active partner in helping vulnerable countries that are still mired in stagnant poverty to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) horizon by 2030. That is why the principle of global partnership was included in the SDGs. I am happy to report that this year India has launched an India-United Nations Development Partnership Fund.
Regrettably, while we are fully engaged in fighting poverty, our neighbour Pakistan seems to be engaged only in fighting us. On Thursday, from this rostrum, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi wasted rather too much of his speech (see A/72/PV.14) complaining about us, accusing India of State-sponsored terrorism and violations of human rights. Those listening had only one comment to make — “Look who is talking.” The country that has been the world’s greatest exporter of havoc, death and inhumanity has become a champion of hypocrisy by preaching about humanity and human rights from this rostrum.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister claimed that his nation’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, bequeathed a foreign policy based on peace and friendship. I would like to remind him that while it remains open to question whether Mr. Jinnah actually advocated such principles, what is beyond doubt is that from the moment India’s Prime Minister Modi took his oath of office, he has extended the hand of peace and friendship, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister must answer why his nation has spurned that offer. Prime Minister Abbasi recalled old decisions that have long been overtaken by events, but his memory conveniently failed him where it matters. He has forgotten that under the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, India and Pakistan resolved to settle all outstanding disputes and issues bilaterally. The reality is that Pakistan’s politicians remember everything but conveniently manipulate those memories. They are masters at forgetting facts that undermine their version of events.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister spoke of a comprehensive dialogue between our two countries. I would like to remind him that on 9 December 2015, when I was in Islamabad for the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference, a decision was made by his leader, Mian Nawaz Sharif, then still Prime Minister, to renew dialogue between us through what he called a comprehensive bilateral dialogue. The word “bilateral” was used consciously to remove any confusion or doubt about the fact that the proposed talks would be between our two nations and only our two nations, without any third party present. Mr. Abbasi must answer why that proposal withered, because Pakistan is responsible for aborting that peace process.
I would just like to ask Pakistan’s politicians why it is that although India and Pakistan became free within hours of each other, today India is recognized as an information-technology super-Power and Pakistan only as a pre-eminent exporter of terrorism? Have they ever thought about what the reason for that might be?
There is only one reason for it. India has risen despite being the principal destination for Pakistan’s nefarious export of terrorism. There have been many Governments under many parties during the 70 years of Indian freedom, because India has maintained its democracy. Every Government has done its bit for India’s development. We have marched ahead consistently, without pause, creating integrated management systems, education and technology services and AIMS foundations in education, health, space and the entire range of human welfare. We have established scientific and technical institutions that are the pride of the world.
But what has Pakistan offered the world or, indeed, its own people, apart from terrorism? We have produced scholars, doctors, engineers and scientists. It has produced terrorists and terrorist camps — Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and the Haqqani Network. What has Pakistan created? It has created terrorists and jihadists. Doctors save people from death; terrorists send them to their death. Pakistan’s terrorist organizations are not only attacking India, they are also affecting two of our neighbours, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
In the history of the General Assembly, it may be a first that a country has asked for a right of reply in order to respond to the statements of three different countries. Does that simple fact not illustrate the reality of Pakistan’s actions? If Pakistan had spent on development what it has spent on developing terror, both it and the world would be safer and better off today.
Terrorism is at the very top of the list of problems to which the United Nations is searching for solutions. We are the oldest victim of this terrible, even traumatic terrorism. When we first began pointing to this menace, many of the world’s great Powers dismissed it as a law-and-order issue. Now they know better. The question is what we do about it. We must all look within ourselves and ask whether the action we are taking even approaches the level of our talk about it. In bilateral and multilateral discussions we all condemn this evil and piously declare our determination to fight it. The truth is that these statements have become rituals. The fact is that when we are required to fight and destroy this enemy, the self-interest of some makes them duplicitous. That has been going on for years.
Although India had proposed a comprehensive convention on international terrorism as early as 1996, two decades later the United Nations has not been able to agree on a definition of terrorism. If we cannot agree on a definition of our enemy, how can we fight together? If we continue to differentiate between good terrorists and bad, how can we fight together? If even the Security Council cannot agree on the listing of terrorists, how can we fight together?
In all sincerity, I would like to ask the Assembly, through you, Madam, to stop seeing this evil with self- defeating, indeed meaningless nuance. Evil is evil. Let us accept that terrorism is an existential danger to humankind. There is absolutely no justification for such barbaric violence. Let us display our new commitment by reaching an agreement on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism this year.
I have identified climate change as one of the significant dangers to our existence. India has already said that it is deeply committed to the Paris Climate Change Agreement. That is not because we are afraid of any Power, influenced by friend or foe or tempted by some imagined greed. It is an outcome of a philosophy that is at least 5,000 years old. Our Prime Minister has, on his personal initiative, launched the International Solar Alliance as witness to our abiding commitment to this cause.
When we talk of world peace, we mean peace not only among human beings but also with nature. We understand that human nature is sometimes inimical to nature, but we would like to amend human nature when it tends in the wrong directions. When we inflict our greed on nature, nature sometimes explodes. We must learn to live with the imperatives, cycles and creative urges of nature. In that lies our own salvation.
We have just witnessed hurricanes and earthquakes, rains that inundate and storms that terrify. That is not mere coincidence. Through Hurricane Harvey, Nature sent its warning to the world even before the world’s leaders gathered at the United Nations in New York. After our gathering had already begun, an earthquake struck Mexico and a hurricane landed in Dominica. We must understand that this requires more serious action, not more talk. The countries of the developed world must listen more carefully than others, because they have more capacities than others. The developed world must help the less fortunate through technology transfer and Green Climate Fund financing. That is the only way to safeguard future generations.
We have been discussing turmoil and change around the world, but the one Organization created to address world affairs is beset by its own problems. It seems to believe that there is no need for it to make changes in the precepts and perceptions that brought about its birth. On 18 September, I participated in a meeting in New York on United Nations reform and witnessed a clear desire for change and action. But I should also remind the Assembly that at the 2005 World Summit there was a consensus that reforming the Security Council as soon as possible was an essential element of our overall effort to reform the United Nations. Efforts to conduct text-based negotiations on reforming and expanding the Security Council were initiated during last year’s session, and more than 160 nations expressed support for them. If we are serious, the least we can do is to produce one text that can be the basis for negotiation. I hope that under the enlightened leadership of the new President of the General Assembly this will become a priority. If it does, that will be a significant achievement.
We also have high expectations of the new Secretary- General. If he wants to reform the Organization’s peace and security architecture, he will also have to address the reforms related to United Nations peacekeeping that have long been demanded. Without such improvements, it will be impossible for him to achieve that goal.
There is no shortage of issues and problems that should be acknowledged from this rostrum. But time is not always on the side of those who would like to raise issues and problems in the interests of a better, more peaceful and progressive future. The issues that the President of the General Assembly has chosen are relevant to the Charter of the United Nations as well as to the ancient traditions of my land. My country’s culture and thought have been shaped by a history and philosophy that believes in peace as humankind’s only rational and practical objective. We truly believe that the world is one family, and we hope that every member of this family deserves that elixir of life that is happiness.
Let me end by reciting a verse that is a synthesis of our thought: “May all be happy; may all be healthy; may all see what is good; may all be free from suffering”.


I am very honoured and very happy to be here today representing my country and my Government.
As an Argentine and a Latin American, I cannot begin my statement without first expressing my solidarity and the solidarity of Argentina with those afflicted by the tragic earthquake in Mexico, which adds to the devastation caused by successive hurricanes in the Caribbean. The environment and the forces of nature are speaking to us and presenting us with challenges.
I would also like to congratulate Mr. Miroslav Lajčák on his election and on his renewed commitment to the task of focusing our responsibilities as Governments on people. I believe that that is our most important mission. If the international community is striving for peace, dialogue and understanding, and if we working against poverty, violence and intolerance, Argentina will always be there to offer its support.
The leaders of the world have agreed on a plan of action in favour of people and the planet, namely, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which stipulates that the eradication of poverty in all its forms is the greatest challenge facing the world in its efforts to achieve sustainable development. In keeping with that global aspiration, our Government has established as one of the central axes of its programme the goal of moving decisively towards zero poverty. As a sign of that commitment at the international level, Argentina presented its first voluntary national review of its implementation of the 2030 Agenda in July.
We in Argentina are working to create a country where there is equal opportunity for all. That is why we are also focusing on the creation of jobs and inclusive education. On that note, it is worth mentioning that we will host the fourth Global Conference on the Sustained Eradication of Child Labour in November, where we will tackle issues such as the eradication of forced labour and the promotion of high-quality youth employment. A debate on the future of work goes hand in hand with empowering our young people through high-quality education. We dream of a world where a child’s destiny and a young person’s future have no limits other than their talent, intelligence, determination, will power and desire to succeed in life.
The promotion and protection of human rights is a State policy of Argentina that has been sustained since we recovered our democracy in 1983. In that vein, we have been working closely with other actors in the regional and international systems for this to be effective. I take this opportunity to reiterate that our country has presented its candidacy for membership in the Human Rights Council for the period 2019-2020. We count on members’ support.
One of Argentina’s priorities is to ensure gender equality. We believe that it is important to educate our communities with the aim of eliminating the various forms of hidden violence within our society. For that reason, our Government has committed to implementing programmes that eliminate gender violence and achieve the full empowerment of women and girls, including their political and economic autonomy, within the framework of our first national plan of action for the prevention, assistance and eradication of violence against women.
Our Government has placed special emphasis on the commitments made along with the international community in the framework of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, which was incorporated into our Constitution in 2014. In taking ownership of the spirit of Convention, we have established an agency that focuses on policymaking for disabled persons. The design and implementation of a national plan is essential in terms of participation and working together with disabled persons. As that is an issue that I am personally involved in, I commit to working tirelessly to ensure that the national plan covers all areas referred to in the Convention. From my own perspective as a person with an acquired disability, I wish to express here in the Hall the deep commitment that both President Macri and I have to changing the distorted view held by our culture towards disability.
I would also like to mention the global problem of drugs, which knows no limits or borders. We must cooperate and unite our efforts in order to confront it. The fight against drug trafficking is another of our President’s three main policies: we must redouble our international commitments to tackle that scourge. In Argentina we are working in that vein to find a consensus that will enable us to create an international court against organized crime in our region of Latin America.
It is with sadness that I refer to the situation that our sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is facing. On 8 August, 12 States of Americas met in Lima to condemn the rupture in the democratic order and the systematic violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as the violence, repression, political persecution, the existence of political prisoners and lack of free elections in that country. It pains me to speak such words about a kindred country that is so dear to Argentina, and so, from this rostrum, I call for credible negotiations in good faith, building on a consensus of the parties that is oriented towards the peaceful re-establishment of democracy in Venezuela.
The Government of Argentina once again reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms. I wish to convey the condolences of our people to the victims of that scourge and their families. We know all too well what we speak of: my country has directly suffered from terrorism, having been the victim of two major attacks on the city of Buenos Aires, one in 1992 against the Embassy of Israel and then in 1994 against the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) headquarters.
I wish to reiterate the will of the Republic of Argentina to bring to justice all those who participated in the financing, planning, preparation and execution of those terrorist attacks. The continued investigation of the attack on AMIA calls for the appearance of the accused at a hearing. We do not want another 20 years to pass without justice being served. That is why we call on the international community to support us in our requests for cooperation from the Islamic Republic of Iran, which we have been submitting for some time in order to shed light on this terrorist attack.
For our Government, the new role of developing countries requires the design of an international architecture in finance and trade matters that is oriented towards inclusive, sustainable and balanced economic growth. In that context, Argentina reaffirms its determination to integrate with the world by building bridges with the international community. We have demonstrated that by taking on the responsibilities of hosting the eleventh Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) next December in Buenos Aires and the presidency of the Group of 20 Summit in 2018, among others. We maintain our commitment to achieving positive outcomes at the Ministerial Conference, which should reaffirm the importance of the multilateral trade system, and of the WTO as its keystone. It should also ensure that the benefits of free trade reach all those who seek development, the creation of jobs, the eradication of poverty and the correction of trade distortions, particularly in relation to global agriculture and livestock markets.
The South American Common Market is our main tool for entering the international market. We know that in the twenty-first century we cannot achieve development in our countries individually, just as we cannot do so in our personal lives. Nothing can be done alone, and we are always in need of others to enrich our projects and our lives. We must strengthen our capacities and resources and establish the foundation we need for growth. The current global situation presents challenges to us that confirm Argentina’s decision to expand trade and improve our profile as a country for investment. That has led us to establish a Southern Common Market in accordance with focused regionalism to attract investments and to strengthen participation in global value chains, which will have special emphasis and effect on small and medium- sized enterprises, generating more and better jobs. That is why we have strongly encouraged negotiations with the European Union, and those negotiations are entering their final phase. We are also negotiating with the European Free Trade Association, and we will soon be doing the same with Canada and with the Republic of Korea. We have also intensified our links with the Pacific Alliance, with Japan and with New Zealand.
Argentina’s international cooperation operates through the Argentine Fund for South-South and Triangular Cooperation, which is celebrating its twenty- fifth anniversary this year and is a fundamental foreign policy mechanism that makes it possible for us to align ourselves in solidarity and in a horizontal fashion with other States. We need to update our strategies to create links and relationships with other mid-level developed States. As a reflection of our vocation to enter the regional and international arenas, next March Argentina will be the host of the High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation. We hope that that will provide an opportunity for debate and for the building of consensuses that will make it possible for us to achieve a fairer, more equal world.
Argentina reaffirms its commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations. We will continue to provide our assistance, especially in Haiti and in Colombia.
Argentina promotes its presence on the international stage with the aim of achieving better levels of protection and a sustainable and rational use of our natural resources, and we encourage all projects and all activities that improve the living conditions of the people living on our national territory. Care for the environment is a priority for my Government. Growth cannot take place in a manner that is out of balance with the environment. As Pope Francis warned, the pace of consumption, of waste and of change in the environment has gone beyond the resources of the planet. The environment is a collective good; it is the heritage of all of humankind, and it is everybody’s responsibility. Protecting the environment should be a comprehensive part of the development process. It must not be seen in isolation. Argentina is committed to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. It upholds that commitment and will continue upholding it with other States parties in the preparatory process for the twenty- third Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in order to achieve concrete progress in the implementation of the Convention.
We wish to reiterate our legitimate and inalienable right of sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas. Once again, we call upon the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to renew bilateral negotiations, which will make it possible for us to find a peaceful permanent solution that respects the way of life of the island peoples and that is in accordance with the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. Our Government has begun a new phase in our relations with the United Kingdom. We hope that that will contribute to the creation of conditions in which both Governments can sit at the negotiating table with a view to resolving this protracted sovereignty dispute.
Two years ago our Governments met in this Hall to add their voices to a collective commitment, which took the form of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Taking on in a determined manner the targets and goals set by the 2030 Agenda will allow us to build a better world for coming generations. The progress that we have already made bears witness to the fact that focusing on people, as the Secretary- General requests that we do, is the only way to respond to our task.
The phase of history that we are living through is full of challenges and opportunities. I welcome the fact that in every corner of our planet there is a renewed perspective with regard to the vital, distinct contribution that women can and must make, provided that we bring feminine attributes into play. What am I talking about? I am talking about our natural tendency as women to unite in a world where disintegrating forces seem to be gaining strength and prevailing. We have a vocation for long-term vision when everything around us appears to be uncertain. We have the vocation of nourishing, of caring for others, of seeing with empathy, and of putting ourselves in other people’s shoes. All of those are indispensable feminine qualities that we must put into play if we want a more equal and more just society.
Those attributes are indeed vital but, as we know, they are not the exclusive domain of women. Neither are we are the only people needed to reach the goals that we have set. It would be extremely counterproductive to sacrifice the contribution of any gender, tradition, religion or culture on the altar of our prejudices. We need everybody. We must all bear the enormous burden of ensuring that this stage of history will bear fruit in the lifetime of each individual. In that way, without excluding anybody who wants to contribute towards that work, we will achieve a global society that is more prosperous and, above all, more just and fair. Our work must be a work of love because justice and the quest for the common good are the expression of love in the public sphere.


I am honoured today to speak on behalf of His Majesty King Abdullah II and the people of Jordan. I bring Jordan’s sincere congratulations on the election of President Lajcák and our commitment to the work of the General Assembly. To Secretary-General Guterres, I extend my country’s great appreciation for his partnership with our people.
Two years ago, I had the chance to advocate on behalf of my generation and to chair a delegation that participated in the work leading to the adoption of the first Security Council resolution on youth. Our joint efforts resulted in the historic, unanimous adoption of resolution 2250 (2015), on youth, peace and security, aimed at empowering young people to participate in peace processes and dispute resolution.
Today, I stand before the Assembly not only as a representative of my beloved Jordan, but also as a member of the largest generation of young people in history. Like every other generation, we have inherited the collective wisdom and values of our elders. And like others before us, we must often struggle to reconcile them with our reality today. What that reality is is unprecedented.
Ours is a world at an epic intersection, driven by the confluence of deepened globalization and disruptive technologies. We are at the brink of a fourth industrial revolution that is redefining how we function as societies and how we relate to one another as human beings. Our hyperconnected world is at once bringing people closer together and widening the divisions among them.
Amid all that, the young people of my generation are asking: what are the values that anchor global citizenship today? In which direction does our collective moral compass point, and can it guide us safely to justice, prosperity and peace for all? Too often, people of my generation are labelled dreamers, yet we all know that every great deed was born a dream. We are often dismissed as idealists, but idealism is not foolish; it is fearless. It invigorates us to lift our reality to the level of our higher ideals, and not to compromise our ideals in the face of adversity.
So I humbly ask those present to indulge me as I try, on behalf of my generation, to sharpen the contours of our foggy terrain and put forward some rudimentary questions that are unfettered by the political decorum that I know I will acquire with time. I will use my country, Jordan, as a launchpad for those thoughts and questions, as I believe they are a true embodiment of what is so right and yet so wrong with our world today.
Throughout its history, Jordan has suffered external shock after external shock, but the past couple of decades have been relentless. We are currently bordered by a number of conflicts. Over the years, there have been wars in Gaza, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen, and there are worsening prospects for peace in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Jordan has also had to weather the global financial crisis and the energy crises.
All that has affected us in very real and felt ways. Our largest export market, Iraq, was completely shut off. Trade with Syria came to a halt, and we lost critical trade routes from Europe and Turkey. Despite our best efforts, regional instability has undermined tourism and investment. I do not know of any other country in recent history that has gone through such an onslaught of crises and found itself surrounded by so many conflicts through no fault of its own.
And it does not stop there. My country — a resource-poor nation in a conflict-rich region — is host to 1.3 million Syrian refugees, in addition to millions of Palestinian refugees and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, as well as others from Libya and Yemen. Jordan today is one of the largest hosts of refugees in the world. The direct cost of the Syria crisis now consumes more than a quarter of our budget. Its ripple effects are felt across local communities, where 90 per cent of Syrian refugees live. Housing, food, energy, health care, education and jobs are all under pressure.
Yet in the face of those daunting challenges, we did not back down from our ideals or values. We did not turn our backs on people in need. We are weighed down by massive debt, yet we stand tall and proud. Our soldiers dodge bullets to let refugees into our country, not to keep them out. Nor did we falter in our reform efforts, difficult as some of them have been on our people. On the contrary, the heavier our burden became, the more forcefully we forged ahead.
Please do not misunderstand me; we are not perfect. To bring down unemployment and create the jobs needed for youth and future generations, we need to drastically improve our investment climate; enhance integrity and accountability; advance our education system; and support young entrepreneurs. Ordinarily, assistance would be tied to our progress. But these are extraordinary times, and aid is a necessary runway if our political and economic reforms are to fully take off.
Difficult circumstances did not stop Jordan from being a net contributor to global good. We have remained steadfast in our commitment to a just and peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the two-State solution, despite prevailing scepticism. We have staunchly upheld our duty as Hashemite custodians of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Preserving the historical and legal status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif is key to peace in our region and the world, as Jerusalem is the cradle of all three monotheistic religions.
We have been unwavering in the international war against terrorism and our promotion of the true values of Islam. Our peacekeeping troops have protected innocent civilians from Haiti to Darfur to East Timor; and our calls for inclusiveness and moderation ring loud in a region too often deafened by division and extremism. We have done the right thing, over and over again, because that is what real integrity means.
But how has the world reacted? No doubt, Jordan is regularly praised for its humanitarian and moral stance, and we are proud of our country’s reputation. But kind words do not balance budgets, build schools or bolster employment. For the people and youth of Jordan, important questions linger. How can it be that a country as small as ours struggles in the face of such crushing adversity, only to be told that its friends are suffering from donor fatigue? Financial institutions often remind us that on a per capita basis, we are a top recipient of aid. Yet, on a per capita basis, few countries have endured as many external shocks or contributed to global peace and security as Jordan has.
How can it be that a country like Jordan offers a humble home to millions of desperate people, while richer countries around the world quibble over accepting thousands? What does it say about our common humanity when last year alone the world spent close to $1.7 trillion on arms, but fell short by less than $1.7 billion in fulfilling the United Nations appeal to support Syrian refugees and host communities in countries like Jordan? What does it say when trillions are spent waging wars in our region, but little to take our region to safer shores?
There are no good answers. The sad reality is that war economies are thriving to the benefit of a few, while real economies are suffering to the detriment of all. The message to the youth of Jordan and our region is loud and clear: there is no shortage of money for fighting evil, but the appetite for rewarding virtue is nearly non-existent; that the voice of those who defend and build is drowned out by those who attack and destroy. It just does not add up. So, what do we tell the people of Jordan? What does the international community tell our young majority? Do we tell them that the values we live by are of no value? That pragmatism beats principles? That complacency trumps compassion? Or that we should play it safe; turn our backs on people in need, because we cannot count on others to have our back?
The United Nations is our global conscience, but for too many in my country, and others around the world trying to do good, it sometimes feels like the world’s conscience is on silent mode. It is time to break the silence and start finding answers. In doing so, we can unleash a global current that carries our common humanity to safer shores. Our commitment to peace, moderation and international cooperation is uncompromising. Water a thirsty fruit-bearing tree or continue to add fuel to a raging fire? The world has a choice to make.


In 1954, former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld stated that the United Nations was not created to bring us to heaven, but to save us from hell. The need for a United Nations that seeks to save us from humankind’s worst impulses remains. However, in these days of uncertainty, we must also learn from and build on what is positive in our world and the United Nations.
In his important address on Tuesday (see A/72/PV.3), our Secretary-General laid out the threats and challenges that we face and how we can overcome them. Delivering a peaceful and prosperous future will depend on collective action. This is the moment for multilateralism, not unilateralism. We must grasp it or risk the consequences. The United Nations is at the centre of that effort. It is a tailor-made space for the world to find solutions to the common challenges of our time. Despite the sometimes justified criticisms, it is clear that we still believe in the power of the United Nations. If we did not, Presidents, Prime Ministers and business and civil-society leaders would not be here this week. I believe that we all recognize that, in the face of global challenges, going it alone is no longer an option.
The United Nations, founded to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to promote better standards of life in larger freedom, has prevented a repetition of the catastrophic wars that preceded its founding. Extreme poverty has fallen to a historic low. Life expectancy continues to climb. Millions of people are reached every year with life-saving humanitarian assistance.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the sustaining peace agenda are powerful illustrations of what we can achieve together. Those agreements are the strategies for our common future. We must now ensure that the Organization has the structure and the tools needed to support countries to deliver them. The broad support for the Secretary-General’s reform agenda illustrates the importance that we attach to an effective United Nations, its role at the centre of multilateralism and as a platform for the delivery of our common commitments. The scope of the reforms being proposed by the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General reveals the complex tasks at hand.
The peace and security architecture must better prevent conflicts and sustain peace. The United Nations development system must be radically reoriented to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Moreover, to deliver those changes, modern management skills and systems will be essential. More importantly, we must recognize that those reforms cannot be pursued in isolation from one another. People do not experience life in pieces — their needs must be central. Peace and security, economic and social development and the protection and promotion of human rights are mutually reinforcing. As a response, all pillars of the United Nations system and our own bilateral efforts must also be interlinked and mutually reinforcing. That calls for new ways of working and thinking.
Sweden fully subscribes to the principles for reform that were articulated by the Secretary-General: a country- level and people-centred perspective, gender parity, decentralized responsibility and decision-making, and reformed budget procedures. Secretary-General Guterres and Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed have our full support in their efforts.
On our part, we, as Member States, have a responsibility to act coherently, avoid micromanagement and ensure long-term, stable and adequate financing. More flexible funding is necessary. We firmly believe in core and unearmarked funding. We cannot allow ourselves to cherry pick to accommodate domestic interests; that will not give the Organization the stability it needs.
I am proud to say that Sweden will increase its development cooperation budget by approximately $350 million in 2018, bringing our budget to its highest-ever level and delivering on our commitment to devote 1 per cent of gross national income to official development assistance. In addition to words, we will support the Secretary-General’s efforts with kronor by making available additional flexible funding for reform.
In the immediate term, faced with record levels of humanitarian need, the humanitarian system requires urgent funding to save lives and end suffering. In the longer term, investing in the 2030 Agenda and the sustaining peace agenda will build resilience.
Let me focus now on three particular areas in the remainder of my remarks.
First, nine months ago, Sweden joined the Security Council. As the General Assembly elected us to the Council, it is only proper that I report back to its members on what we have been doing on their behalf. Our approach to the Council is simple. While we each come with our own national perspective and will not always agree, as Council members we are bound together by a responsibility to the Charter of the United Nations and the world.
To that end, Sweden works with all members to deliver meaningful outcomes from the Council’s discussions. We work closely with the other elected members, which represent the broader membership and bring important perspectives. We are also talking with many members of the Assembly as part of our commitment to speaking with countries on the Council’s agenda, not only about them.
Delivering real outcomes for those who need them is a responsibility that goes beyond our national interests. Needs are growing. The number of major conflicts is on the rise. However, as the Secretary-General has said, neither war nor peace is inevitable; they result from the choices that we make. Many of the conflicts on the Council’s agenda have come about not because we failed to see them coming — the signs were there — but because we failed to respond early or quickly enough.
Moreover, prevention means not only choosing to heed the warnings when they come, but investing in peaceful societies to avoid the causes of conflicts emerging in the first place. As leaders within our communities and as national leaders, we must choose peace, invest in peace and deliver peace. The United Nations system must be configured to support us.
Sweden has made conflict prevention a central pillar of our Council membership. We have underscored the need for the Council to recognize the primacy of politics in peacekeeping mandates and the need for long-term political strategies that aim to prevent conflict and sustain peace by addressing root causes. I believe we are making progress. That is evidenced by the Council’s support for a peaceful resolution of the crisis in the Gambia, for the peace process in Colombia and for the transitions in Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as its cooperation with the African Union to bring stability to Somalia. As Chair of the Council’s Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, Sweden has sought to strengthen the protection of children in conflict zones. The protection of children today prevents conflicts tomorrow.
Nonetheless, we have to do more. The situation in Myanmar is a haunting example of where the root causes of conflict went unresolved, with tragic consequences. It is now urgent that the violence end and that the population be protected, human rights respected and a dignified return allowed. Humanitarian access is essential. Sweden supports the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. We urge the Myanmar Government to implement those recommendations without delay.
In Syria, prevention also failed. The price paid by the country and its citizens has been unimaginable and horrific. Sweden will continue to work through the Council for nationwide humanitarian access and a political solution, which is the only option for long- term peace and a better future for Syria.
In South Sudan, the civilian population has also borne the brunt of a nearly four-year, devastating conflict. I welcome the recent initiatives of South Sudan’s neighbours. I urge the Government and all other parties to increase humanitarian access, lay down their arms and engage in a meaningful process to end the conflict.
We continue our long-standing engagement in trying to advance the Middle East peace process. As the Secretary-General said during his recent visit to the region, the two-State solution is the only way forward. Only a negotiated settlement between the parties and an end to the 50 years of occupation can achieve the goal of Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. We need to resolve the conflict once and for all. Doing so will have implications for peace that go beyond the Holy Land and the Middle East itself.
Perhaps the greatest threat to international peace and security is the unacceptable and repeated provocations of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in pursuit of a nuclear-weapons programme. We call upon the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to cease further testing, fulfil its international obligations and turn to a path of sincere dialogue on denuclearization. All States must implement the measures that have been decided upon by a united Security Council. Sanctions must be combined with political efforts to pave the way for a peaceful solution. We welcome the Secretary-General’s pledge to make his good offices available to that end.
Lasting peace requires the involvement of the entire population, meaning that the full, equal and effective participation of women must be hardwired into all of our efforts towards sustaining peace. That brings me to my second point — women and peace and security.
As a representative of the world’s first feminist Government, that issue is close to my heart. From speaking with many members of the Assembly, I realize that I am far from alone in my strong conviction that women’s participation in peace and security efforts is essential for sustainable peace. Ensuring women’s participation must be at the centre of the United Nations reform efforts.
Sweden is working tirelessly to put the women and peace and security agenda into action in all aspects of the Security Council’s work, from including gender reporting in mission mandates, to adding listing criteria for sexual and gender-based violence in sanctions regimes. Sweden’s feminist foreign policy is an agenda for change that is aimed at increasing rights, representation and resources for all women and girls, based on the reality of their lives. We urge all countries to form their own feminist policy and ensure that everyone — women, men, boys and girls — is treated equally.
My third and last point regards our common responsibility for global development. The 2030 Agenda provides the pathways to achieve the peaceful, sustainable and equitable societies we want. All countries — rich and poor — share the responsibility of turning that promise into a reality for millions of people around the world. It will not be done by Governments alone. All stakeholders from across society have a part to play. Ensuring that the United Nations development system is transformed to support those efforts will be critical.
Measuring our progress against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be essential, both for decision-making and accountability. Sweden has developed a set of national goals, linked to the SDGs and our national budget, which we are using to measure the development of our society. As we all know, the strength of the 2030 Agenda is in the inherent interlinkages between all 17 Goals. Each Goal is equally important and interdependent. Nonetheless, I would like to highlight two of those Goals.
First, I will address the Goal of reducing inequality. Globalization has opened the world, strengthened economic growth and lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. However, we have failed to allocate the benefits of globalization equally. We must do better. As part of our contribution, in 2016 Sweden, together with an initial core group of States, businesses and trade unions, launched the Global Deal for Decent Work and Inclusive Growth. The Global Deal is a partnership developed with the International Labour Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, with a focus on enhanced social dialogue and sound industrial relations, which are crucial to reducing inequality.
The second Goal I would like to mention is that of healthy oceans and seas. Oceans connect us all. Without water, there is no life. Therefore, the deteriorating condition of our oceans must ring alarm bells for us all. Sweden was pleased to co-host, with Fiji, the Ocean Conference that took place in June. The multi-stakeholder participation and all the commitments made highlighted the fact that saving the oceans will require all sectors of society to play their part, and that they are ready to do so.
The oceans are also affected by and, in return, affect our climate. We are already seeing the devastating impact of extreme weather events. Climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of such events. Left unchecked, climate change will wash away development gains and increase instability and conflict. To the few who still doubt the overwhelming evidence that climate change is real, I ask: are they really willing to take the chance? Especially when we see that new technologies offer the opportunity to simultaneously reduce emissions and grow economies. Sweden is already proving that is possible and has set a goal of zero net greenhouse emissions by 2045.
All countries must join the effort to achieve the decisive transformations needed to reduce emissions and prevent the worst effects of climate change from happening. With 160 States parties to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change so far, the global commitment remains strong.
In his address on Tuesday, the Secretary-General told us that we must act as one, because only together, as united nations, can we fulfil the promise of the Charter of the United Nations and advance human dignity for all. He is right. The expression “we are all in this together” has perhaps never been so apt. As our world becomes more integrated, so do the challenges and threats we face. We cannot go it alone; we must stand together. Multilateralism is the only path to peace and prosperity.


Our world is unpredictable, and much of that unpredictability is the result of climate change. Climate change could be counterbalanced by rapid changes in our wasteful way of life, aided by technology. Clearly, although technological development — especially as it is illustrated by the rapidly developing digital technologies to which billions now have access — has a positive potential for transformation, it actually adds to the difficulties of understanding our future. This new world offers opportunities. Unfortunately, it also enhances the risks. To take advantage of the former and manage the latter, we need to take flexible and quick action, and on the global stage.
Estonia, a nation of just over 1 million inhabitants, is sensitive to the fact that those who are inherently weak — the poor, the disabled and the very young or very old — find it especially hard to cope with unpredictability. It is hard for those who have been rendered weak by discrimination, which is often the case for women and ethnic and religious minorities. Estonia itself has gone through a rapid transformation during the more than quarter century that has passed since it regained independence. As our economic and social statistics prove, we have done quite well in protecting our society’s weaker groups, while rapidly adapting and growing our economy. We know it can be done.
We suffered for a long time from the international community’s Hobbesian conviction that liberty could about bring chaos, and that bad leadership is better than no leadership. Our guiding principles have therefore been those of John Locke — the rule of law, checks and balances and individual rights. Notably, Locke had originally agreed with Hobbes, but changed his mind while on a diplomatic mission observing civil society in Brandenburg, where, as he described it, differing ideas had the right to quietly coexist. That debate has continued into modern times.
We know how to offer our know-how on empathic, inclusive development at the global discussion table. Estonia is seeking election to the Security Council for the period from 2020 to 2021. As a small State that was occupied for 50 years of its 100-year history, Estonia is sensitive to the concerns of all States and people who lack the capacity to withstand global tides. Too many States in the world are suffering from unresolved conflicts, and they are States that could take care of their own peoples and contribute at the global level if we could more quickly manage the conflicts that are holding them back or, worse, threatening to tear them apart.
The ongoing military aggression in eastern Ukraine continues to stir up conflict and cause casualties among civilians, including the loss of a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. The Crimean peninsula is still occupied, as are parts of Georgia. There are protracted conflicts in Transnistria and Nagorno Karabakh. Many countries have been torn apart by tensions that we recognized but could not dissipate in time to avoid the worst.
The world has lost half a million people in Syria. Estonia supports the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011.
We cannot overlook the escalating suffering of the people of Yemen, or ignore the fate of the Rohingya people. We must put more effort into humanitarian action to combat the hunger, diseases and epidemics looming in various countries. Our common efforts to combat famine and hunger will also be crucial in South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria.
Not every State is mobilizing its resources, efforts and technological advances for the benefit of its people. North Korea is an acute threat to world peace.
There are also considerable risks to global stability that are no longer linked to any specific State. The risk of terrorism is metastatic. Spawned initially by the disappointments and disillusionment of people from failed and failing States, it has spread globally. The key to successfully countering terrorism and violent extremism lies in our cooperation at all levels — national, regional and global. The Secretary- General’s initiative to restructure the counter-terrorism architecture at the United Nations will render global efforts more coordinated and transparent. Effective counter-terrorism measures and the protection of human rights are mutually reinforcing, not conflicting, goals.
What I have just mentioned — and which has already been exacerbated by the real effects of climate change and, unfortunately, will be even more so in the future — has led to the highest number of displaced people the world has ever seen. As with all global challenges, the United Nations is the natural entity for working out and agreeing on a solution. Last year, we adopted the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants. We must address the root causes and drivers of irregular migration in order to improve border management and fight human trafficking, while also facilitating opportunities for legal migration. I would like to emphasize that the underlying basic values of our joint endeavours are humanism and solidarity. For Estonia, the importance of empathy for refugees who are fleeing the atrocities of war and destruction is a bitter lesson from our own history, when occupations and the Second World War dispersed our people around the world.
If we want to deal with the root causes of migration, we must tackle climate change, which has become the defining issue of our time. Joint efforts to combat climate change on a global scale would not be possible without the coordinating role of the United Nations and the platform offered by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). We have confidence in the Fiji presidency’s ability to achieve concrete results during the twenty-third session of the Parties to the UNFCCC, to be held in November, building on last year’s achievements in Paris.
As the response led by society to the threats of climate change shows, big, universal problems can be tackled by inclusive societies. Inclusive societies are fundamental to empathic and inclusive development. However, in recent years we have witnessed a shrinking of the space available to civil society. That trend must be reversed. One of the most prominent guarantees for empathic and inclusive development in democracy and the rule of law is the mainstreaming of gender equality in all areas of life. It is a proven fact that treating women and men equally has a multiplier effect in eradicating poverty. Estonia’s welfare development plan for 2016-2023 covers policy areas from employment and social inclusion to equal opportunities for applying our talents in all walks of life. Our goal is the balanced participation of women and men at all levels of decision-making and management, in both the public and the private sectors.
We should also not forget about gender balance in conflict situations. Engaging women in the early stages of prevention, crisis resolution and peacebuilding helps to reduce the probability of a relapse into violent conflict. We should therefore encourage women’s participation in peace processes and acknowledge them as actors of change with great potential. And we must be tireless in implementing Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and related resolutions on women and peace and security at every level. The Peacebuilding Commission’s adoption of a gender strategy last year was a major milestone on that road.
If women are to fully play their role in society, it is crucial to eliminate gender-based violence. We should ensure that its survivors are treated with dignity and that its perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes. Estonia continues to support actions that address gender- based violence and the reproductive-health needs of women and adolescent girls who are particularly vulnerable — for example, via the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine and by supporting the #shedecides initiative. I am convinced that Secretary- General Guterres’ commendable effort to bring more women into United Nations decision-making will also be an inspiration to women globally, and have a tangible effect on United Nations policy development, making it more empathic and inclusive.
Today, the use of information technology and the Internet is part of the everyday lives of people everywhere. Estonia can share its experience on how best to utilize e-governance to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals more efficiently and cheaply. We have been organizing an event series at the United Nations with the aim of introducing the well-established benefits of our e-governance to the international community, and we sincerely hope that they will lead to concrete action and partnerships. Moreover, this summer, Estonia and Singapore launched the Group of Friends on e-Governance and Cybersecurity. The Group’s aim is to raise awareness, share best practices and promote capacity-building, at a time when such topics are becoming increasingly important at the United Nations level.
Digital change is everywhere. Its biggest effect right now is its ability to make geography obsolete. Attacks via cyberspace know no limits. Friendships and partnerships formed in the cybersphere know no borders. Globally, all these things diminish the distance between us. A digitally enhanced global civil society functions better if States provide their people with safe ways to communicate digitally. In the analogue world, it is easy to identify ourselves even to people we do not know, because States have provided us with passports. We need similar identification for the cybersphere, and yet too few Governments provide the means for safe identification. They should catch up and ensure that their people are protected and able to conduct transactions and communicate safely online.
Our greater dependence on electronic services has brought greater vulnerability in cyberspace, but that does not mean that we can, or should try, to stop digital progress. We should continue our efforts to analyse how international law applies to the use of information and communications technology, particularly with regard to the principle of due diligence, countermeasures, the potential application of the right to self-defence and international humanitarian law. I call on all States that have not yet done so to accede to the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime. I would also like to underline the statement of the Freedom Online Coalition, expressing deep concern about the growing trend in intentional State-sponsored disruptions both of access to information online and its dissemination. No one should be denied the right to peaceful assembly or to freedom of association, opinion or expression, whether in real life or online.
In order to address all of those challenges successfully, we need a strong United Nations. Estonia welcomes the Secretary-General’s agenda for United Nations reform and strongly supports efforts to link reform of the United Nations peace and security architecture with reform of its development system. We welcome the emphasis on conflict prevention and peacebuilding, which renders societies resilient to vulnerabilities.
Estonia’s chairmanship of the Second Committee is firmly guided by the principles of inclusivity and empathy. It is in our common interests to ensure that the Second Committee tackles the global challenges
that fall under its remit. We count on members’ good faith in achieving that.
As a member of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, Estonia has been working closely with a number of countries to improve the working methods of the Security Council, and the functioning of the United Nations as a whole. We need empathy and inclusivity, including in the Security Council. That is why Estonians hope that our first-time candidature for a non-permanent member seat for the period 2020-2021 will be successful. We regained independence 26 years ago, but we already have 22 years of participation in United Nations peacekeeping under our belt. As a small country, we care for all those who are vulnerable in the world. As a digital society, we are a story of hope and of rapid transformation from a poor country recovering from occupation to one that is able to provide for its own citizens and contribute to multilateral cooperation. Again, as a digital State, we consider transparency and being close to people as obligations of a State. We are adamant supporters of rules-based decision-making and clarity of process. We are with those who want to make the United Nations more nimble in order to face the challenges of the twenty-first century.


I am very proud and honoured to be addressing the General Assembly at its seventy-second session in my capacity not only as President of the Republic of Madagascar and on behalf of the Malagasy people, but also as President of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and current President of the Summit of la Francophonie.
At the outset, I would like to welcome the election of Mr. Miroslav Lajčák as President of the Assembly and to extend to him my sincerest and warmest congratulations. Madagascar, at his side as a Vice-President of the Assembly, which brings together the 193 States Members of the United Nations, and as host of the sixteenth Summit of la Francophonie, on 26 and 27 November 2016, can only share in the values and ideals that unite us here to achieve a more just and stable world together — development, peace, security and international law.
The theme of our debate, “Focusing on the human being: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”, appeals to us all because the very raison d’être of every State is to ensure its people’s welfare through the ways and means of their own choosing. For Madagascar, the choice is clear and obvious. We have placed and continue to place the human individual at the centre of our concerns. We therefore welcome the relevance of this year’s theme, and I am happy to share with the Members of the Assembly what we have done and strive to do in Madagascar since 2014 to provide a better and decent life for the Malagasy.
The challenges that awaited me in 2014 — when I was elected by the Malagasy people to preside over their destiny on the heels of our protracted emergence from a five-year political, economic and social crisis — were significant. The country and people had been overwhelmed by international sanctions for five years, which exacerbated the poverty rate, affecting 92 per cent of the population, and the incidence of food insecurity and malnutrition. The logical outcome of the crisis was political and social instability and an anaemic economy, not to mention corruption and insecurity.
However, we stepped up to meet those challenges. We were fully convinced that Madagascar had no reason to remain poor, with its potential and its people, more than 50 per cent of whom are women and more than 61.3 per cent under 25 years of age. If everyone makes their own resolute contribution, then I truly believe — optimist that I am — in economic recovery and national reconstruction leading to renewed growth. Those three pillars will enable our State to consolidate a people-centred approach. In fact, like many of the leaders and high-ranking officials present in the Hall, I am an upbeat optimist about my country, my continent and our collective future. Faced with challenges, I often think about what Nelson Mandela said:
“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. It always seems impossible until done.”
There can be no doubt that this affirmation holds true for us all.
Today, one year before Madagascar’s 2018 presidential elections, after continued and determined efforts, I can say that Madagascar has reached a milestone and a level that gives rise to the highest hopes, given the progress made in terms of both political stability, however fragile, and economic and social prospects. In that context, I can say that since 2016, Madagascar has raised $6.4 billion in global investment and aid from institutional donors. That has enabled us to start investing in key sectors of our economy and the future of our country. Worksites have been opened everywhere with a view to permanently reducing the poverty of my country and assisting our most vulnerable strata. Our efforts have included institutional standardization, good governance and the establishment of conditions conducive to improving the political climate, in particular through national reconciliation and implementation of our national development plan for revitalizing our economy through realizing the real potential of our wealth.
Our policy of establishing basic infrastructure in many sectors is beginning to bear fruit. We have received support from our partners in implementing the bases of the 2015-2019 national development plan in agriculture, cattle-raising, energy and fisheries. Lastly, we have shown that Madagascar can play a part on the world stage by successfully hosting and organizing regional and international summits, including for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the Summit of la Francophonie, of which we are currently President.
This year, we intend to pursue projects that include establishing special economic zones in two areas, creating pilot digital cities, accelerating our energy transition and strengthening basic infrastructure to improve education and public health. In the social sector, too, we are investing in education and training doctors, teachers and engineers.
In order to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, my Government has developed an ambitious education sector plan to ensure that children in Madagascar have access to quality education. We are also investing in rebuilding our health-care system, which was gutted and destroyed during the years under sanctions. We have also reopened the health centres that were closed during the crisis periods in order to revitalize the network and expand it nationally.
In general, we have established a platform for strengthening our health-care system to coordinate the health-related interventions of our various partners and improve our monitoring of disease. Madagascar has created a digital epidemiological surveillance system that enables it to monitor in real time 28 diseases that have the potential to become epidemics. In addition, the Government has taken steps to promote long-term actions such as launching universal health coverage and reducing maternal and infant mortality, a major aspect of maternal, newborn and child health.
The budget for nutrition has been increased, agricultural production has been diversified and specific water, sanitation and nutrition projects targeting vulnerable populations have been implemented through our national nutrition action plan.
We are also investing in infrastructure to create jobs and accelerate economic growth. We are investing in ports, highways, bridges and airports, which will reintegrate Madagascar into the global economy. We are also strengthening our tourism industry to create decent, paying jobs and preserve our unique and invaluable ecology and biodiversity. In that context, Madagascar has always sought to uphold its international commitments. The commitment we entered into in Durban in 2002 to tripling our protected area has been honoured; today those areas encompass more than 6.9 million hectares, in addition to our marine protected areas.
In order to effectively tackle poverty, we must sustainably create wealth for the largest possible number of people while ensuring the responsible management of natural resources and combating global warming. We must also develop and implement appropriate sustainable development as quickly as possible. Low- carbon, inclusive and shared growth that creates jobs, in particular for women and young people, must be the economic model of tomorrow in order to ensure that future generations enjoy better living conditions in a protected environment.
Given climate change and the threats to natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems, we have no choice but to act quickly and we must not waste time. We therefore support the initiatives of the President of France aimed at putting a global environment pact in place. I take this opportunity to thank the Kingdom of Morocco for providing financial assistance to Madagascar, which is currently suffering from drought, in the framework of bilateral South-South cooperation. That is concrete action.
Our agriculture, which accounts for 26.4 per cent of our overall gross domestic product and employs more than 75 per cent of the workforce, is considered one of the main drivers of our economy. We are making additional efforts to meet the challenges of establishing and developing agribusiness through land reform in order to enable peasants to own land. We are increasing productivity, building infrastructure, guiding production to allow access to markets, capital, seeds and inputs, and providing technical services and training.
Given all of this, the economic outlook for Madagascar is favourable; our growth rate is around 4 per cent in 2017 and next year will exceed 5 per cent. That will create economic momentum and help to establish a new development trajectory for improving the lives of the people of Madagascar. Our aim is to raise Madagascar to the rank of a middle-income country by 2030.
I take this opportunity to inform the Assembly that we have begun a reform process for improving the independence of our judiciary and our anti-corruption office. We have prepared measures to protect the integrity of our democratic processes, not to mention public security, which is a very sensitive area in Madagascar. The reforms we have undertaken have allowed us to enjoy lasting economic recovery, and I am convinced that this recovery will be supported by greater investment. Our economic growth rate is expected to reach more than 6 per cent per year by 2020. That is attainable.
Yesterday, in his speech at the opening of the general debate, the President of the General Assembly expressed the hope that next year his successor would be able to commend the progress made at the seventy-second session of the General Assembly with regard to such global challenges as the state of global peace and security, global disparities and inequalities, persistent poverty, the outrageous fact that we have more than 65 million refugees, international terrorism, human rights, the preservation of the planet and so forth. The General Assembly already has the tools it needs to do this, and now it is a matter of strengthening them and improving the way they are used by emphasizing prevention. Madagascar will support the President in that regard.
This is also an opportunity for me to reiterate from the magnificent sounding board that is the rostrum of the General Assembly the appeal launched in Antananarivo at the sixteenth Summit of la Francophonie:
“Our Francophone community, aware of its responsibilities and based on the Antananarivo Declaration, is determined to work for shared growth, sustainable and responsible development, and the establishment of fairer and more united economic relations by strengthening our dialogue and influence in international forums. By holding high our values of solidarity and sharing for a more peaceful world, we call for a new model of sustainable and inclusive development that responds to the concerns and meets the expectations of our peoples.”
We must also recall the importance of investing in youth. I was pleased to learn yesterday that the first meeting of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, which was established at the initiative of the Secretary- General, will be held next year. Madagascar expresses its readiness to work closely with the United Nations to sustainably eradicate the scourge of terrorism.
Finally, I cannot conclude without expressing my heartfelt sympathy for Mexico, which just yesterday experienced a new, deadly earthquake in Mexico City. On behalf of the country and the people of Madagascar and myself, I would like to express my solidarity, compassion and sincere condolences to the President, the people and the Government of Mexico, with special thoughts for those who have lost loved ones.


I bring warm greetings from His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo. Today my thoughts are with the people of Mexico, who suffered two terrible earthquakes this month. My thoughts are also with the victims of the other natural disasters that have recently brought pain and misery to people around the world — the three hurricanes that battered communities in the Caribbean and the United States and the devastating floods in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka that have taken more than 1,200 lives. Please join me in observing a moment of silence to reflect on the suffering of those communities and to offer our prayers for their recovery.
The disasters I just referred to are not isolated incidents. Experts are increasingly convinced that natural disasters like hurricanes and floods are made worse by climate change. Climate change is a reality. Each of the past three years has been the hottest in recorded history, and 16 of the 17 hottest years on record have all occurred in this new century. That must alarm us, for we are only in 2017. There is no room for complacency, hesitation or finger-pointing, excuses or procrastination. The urgency is now. Our well-being is at stake. The survival of future generations is at risk. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change is proof that we have accepted that climate change is a reality, and that we are willing to come together, to work together and to fight climate change together. I urge all countries to fulfil the promises they made in Paris.
As a landlocked, mountainous country, we are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. That is why we are particularly alarmed about unchecked environmental degradation, which is the root cause of climate change. We are already experiencing flash floods, glacial lake outbursts and severe and erratic weather patterns, whsoe effects can be particularly devastating for a poor country.
But we will not give up. We will take action. We have ratified the Paris Agreement and are well on our way to fulfilling our pledges. A total of 72 per cent of our country is under forest cover, and more than half of it is protected as national parkland, wildlife sanctuaries or nature reserves. That means that we are the world’s only carbon-neutral country. In fact, we are a carbon-negative country. In addition, we generate and export clean renewable energy and invest in green industries and organic farming practices.
After centuries of neglect, fighting climate change is complex and expensive. That is why it is critical to ensure that all countries fulfil their respective commitments. But that takes money; hence the importance of climate financing mechanisms. However, securing financing is one of the biggest challenges that smaller nations have, and the role of climate-financing institutions is therefore essential. We applaud the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) for financing more than 4,000 environmental projects in 170 countries since its establishment in the 1990s. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has also begun to help developing countries around the world respond to climate change through innovative and transformative interventions. Those institutions are critical for those who have the will but may not have the resources to take action. I applaud the innovative strategies and interventions that they have supported.
For our part, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund we have launched Bhutan for Life, an innovative financing mechanism that will help safeguard our rich biodiversity until our Government can assume the full cost of its protection.
Now is the time to scale up our support to the GEF and GCF. That will enable all countries to fight climate change on a war footing and help developing countries respond to its effects. I am optimistic that we will be able to prevent the worst effects of climate change. But for that we have to work together. While the threat of natural disasters will always remain, we can and must ensure that they are not directly linked to human- induced activity.
The World Bank estimates that more than 800 million people live in poverty. For them, hunger, malnourishment and deprivation are everyday realities. And that reality — the scourge of poverty — silently kills countless millions every year. I ask members to please join me in observing a moment of silence for the millions of people around the world, particularly children, who are suffering or dying from poverty and malnourishment.
Poverty has no place in this day and age. After all, this era — our era — is blessed with unprecedented wealth, knowledge and technology, giving rise to levels of prosperity the world has never seen before. Yet millions are still condemned to a life of poverty. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are critical in that regard. They give us reason for hope. While every one of the 17 Goals will contribute to eradicating the scourge of poverty, our common resolve is articulated powerfully in the very first Goal of the SDGs, which promises nothing less than to end poverty everywhere and in all its forms.
Eradicating poverty, like dealing with climate change, is complex and expensive. But according to one estimate, it would take only $175 billion per year to end extreme poverty. That should come as good news, since it is barely 0.32 per cent of the current global gross domestic product. We no doubt have a lot of work to do, but the SDGs provide a realistic road map for this important task. However, there are no easy shortcuts.
In that connection, the Secretary-General’s reform initiatives will ensure that the United Nations is fit for purpose and able to respond to the call for transformation in order to bring about shared prosperity for all peoples of the world. I thank him for initiating such bold measures, and call on all Member States to give full support to the important reforms.
We in Bhutan are blessed. Our enlightened monarchs have carefully balanced economic growth with social development, environmental sustainability and cultural preservation, all within a framework of good governance. We call this holistic approach to development Gross National Happiness, a unique philosophy that guarantees all of our citizens free education and free health care, while providing additional targeted interventions for the poor.
I am happy to report that our efforts are bearing fruit. Multidimensional poverty has already fallen by half, and we are well on our way to reducing it still further, to 5 per cent within the next few years. Our success in reducing poverty is a tribute to the leadership of our kings and the spirit of the people of Bhutan.
It is also due to the support of the United Nations and our other development partners, particularly India, Japan, the European Union, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. Their continued support, partnership and generosity have helped us reduce poverty, achieve social growth and prepare for imminent graduation from the least-developed-country category.
I now ask everyone to join me in observing a moment of silence to remember the victims of global terrorism.
Recent acts of terrorism have brought pain and suffering to countless people in nearly every part of the world, and far too many lives have been cruelly lost. The horrific acts committed by terrorist groups undermine global peace and security, and Bhutan joins the call for united action to combat those extremists. To win the fight against terrorism, we have no option but to strengthen the United Nations so that multilateralism and global cooperation are further enhanced.
Two years ago, I joined many others in calling for United Nations reform. The Secretary- General’s reform initiatives will provide a much- needed framework for revitalizing and strengthening the United Nations. Bhutan joins all Member States in backing that bold endeavour.
But any United Nations reform would be incomplete without reforming the Security Council to reflect the changing realities of today’s world. In that regard, countries like India, Japan, Brazil and Germany must be called on to serve as permanent members in the Security Council, and Africa must also be appropriately represented.
We recognize that global peace and security are a shared concern and responsibility. As a peaceful country, one that has enjoyed the benefits of United Nations membership for more than four decades, we feel it is now time for us to contribute to global peace and security, if only modestly. Accordingly, it was with a sense of pride and duty in 2014 that Bhutan joined the peacekeeping movement. Since then, we have gradually increased our peacekeeping engagement in keeping with our duty to contribute, albeit in a small way, to the cause of global peace and security. In doing so our peacekeepers have and always will uphold the highest standards of integrity, ethics and professionalism while discharging their important responsibilities. Our military and police officers today serve in 11 peacekeeping missions, and the first-ever military contingent from Bhutan is now ready to be deployed to a peacekeeping mission.
However, the bedrock of global peace and security ultimately lies within each and every one of our individual countries. Every country must therefore protect the rights of its citizens, strengthen participatory democracy and participatory Government and enable economic opportunity for all. Those are the very principles of democracy and freedom. They must be nurtured and strengthened.
Nine years ago, Bhutan embarked on the path of democracy. In an unprecedented move in human history, our King, at the height of his popularity, imposed democracy, against the will of his people. After a century of peace and prosperity under enlightened monarchs, there was much apprehension and fear. But nine years on, it gives me great satisfaction to report that democracy in Bhutan is well entrenched and irreversible. Today all the institutions of democratic governance have been established and are functioning well, along with a growing body of civil society and a strong and vibrant media. We held successful elections in 2008 and 2013, and look forward to a third election next year, in 2018.
The importance of the United Nations has never been greater, and the imperative for multilateralism has never been stronger. As we look to the future, Bhutan will continue working with all Member States to ensure that the United Nations continues to play an instrumental role in fighting climate change, eradicating poverty and maintaining global peace and security. In that regard, I have the honour to conclude with a quotation from our beloved King, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck:
“No nation today can stand alone in achievement. Time is slowly telling us that there can be no lasting individual success without success as a community, and there cannot be lasting national progress and success if it does not fit into a future of global peace, harmony and equality. The world must progress together or fail together.”


I would like to begin by congratulating Mr. Miroslav Lajcak on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at this session.
The world has experienced unprecedented progress during the past decades. Extreme poverty has been more than halved, people live longer, child mortality rates are falling, and more girls attend school that ever before. Global and political cooperation, trade and shared rules of the road have brought us to where we are today.
I would like to highlight four building blocks that are crucial for a sustainable future. The first is that our core interests are common to us all, and we can achieve more when we act together. The second is that there can be no security without development and no development without security. The first universal road map for development, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is premised on that holistic perspective. The third is that our security and welfare depend on our ability to uphold international law. Good global and national governance and the rule of law are decisive for sustainable development. The fourth is that protectionism and isolationism will put our shared development into reverse. We need more trade and cooperation, not less. We cannot afford to shake the very foundations that our open, global economic order is based on. It is vital that we demonstrate our shared commitment to a rules-based, multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core. The WTO remains our best chance of creating a level playing field. We will all benefit from open, predictable and enforceable rules and commitments for all. It will be crucial to achieve a substantive outcome at the WTO’s Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in December. That will be the litmus test.
As nations, our core interests are shared. We all want peace, security and welfare for our citizens. We have only one planet, and every nation’s and every citizen’s security and welfare depend on our ability to protect our natural environment and climate. We cannot allow inaction and unsustainable practices to prevail. The good news is that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have given us a universal development agenda. The Sustainable Development Summit, which took place in this Hall two years ago, represented a pinnacle of global governance and a defining moment for our common future. At that Summit, world leaders decided to put sustainability first.
Preventing and addressing war, conflict and humanitarian crises are crucial to sustainability. Norway strongly supports Secretary-General Guterres’s vision for the United Nations. Every tool and institution within the United Nations system must be realigned to improve our ability to prevent conflict and make and sustain peace. Respect for fundamental human rights is critical if we are to build resilient, prosperous and peaceful societies. Investing in human rights today will prevent conflicts tomorrow.
I would like to draw the Assembly’s attention to the peace agreement between the Colombian Government and the then Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia. It came about as a result of the courage and hard work of the parties, supported by international partners and a united Security Council. Norway is proud to have contributed to the process as a guarantor. The point I want to make is that the Colombian success story is propelling sustainable development forward both within and outside the nation’s borders. The Final Agreement between the parties also addresses issues of general global interest, such as fighting illicit drug trafficking and deforestation in former conflict areas. The Colombian process has been the most inclusive peace process in history. Ensuring inclusivity in conflict resolution is both the right and the smart thing to do, and experience shows that women’s participation in peace processes tends to increase the chances of sustainable peace.
Stability in the Middle East and North Africa is another issue of common interest to the international community, and it will be crucial to achieve regional stability, improve States’ capacity to govern and increase cooperation between States in the region. The Norwegian leadership of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee donor group for Palestine is an example of how institutional and economic development can underpin efforts to resolve a conflict politically.
Development assistance should play a more catalytic role in our shared global campaign for sustainable development by building capacity for generating domestic revenue, strengthening the delivery of public services, stimulating trade and job-creating investments and enabling individuals to take responsibility for their future into their own hands. That is why investing in education, particularly for girls, is the most effective way of promoting sustainable development, and why we are working hard to promote education globally. Norway has doubled its aid to global education over the past four years.
Education creates stability and hope for children and young people in conflict areas. Preventing gaps in children’s education is also important for post-conflict reconstruction and development. That is why Norway has significantly increased its contribution to education in emergencies, with 8 per cent of our humanitarian budget now dedicated to education. Norway has helped to initiate the Education Cannot Wait fund, whose purpose is to facilitate global funding to keep children in school during conflicts and crises. Schools must also be protected from attacks, which is why Norway has endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration and encourages others to do the same.
Further increases in both domestic and external financing will be needed if we are to attain SDG 4, on quality education for all. Last year, the Education Commission, initiated and supported by Norway, delivered a report with recommendations for increasing financing for education, including funding for the Global Partnership for Education, Education Cannot Wait and a new initiative, the International Finance Facility for Education. Norway has doubled its support for global education through the Global Partnership over the past four years, and we are committed to working with partners to ensure that the funding for it is successfully replenished.
The fight against terrorism is a core interest that we all share. Groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) cannot be allowed to challenge our free and open societies. Together we are making decisive progress against ISIL in Syria and Iraq, and we can now look forward to a time when ISIL will be defeated territorially. Norway is making significant contributions to the international coalition in every wayit can, and we are also providing humanitarian relief to those affected. We have disbursed $500 million for the Syria crisis since 2016, which means that we are on track to fulfil the pledge we made at the London donor conference. We must now strengthen our efforts to secure sustainable peace in those areas, and the Security Council must step up and take responsibility. We should increase our efforts to alleviate other large-scale humanitarian crises, such as those in Yemen, South Sudan and the Lake Chad basin.
We also need a strong, unified Security Council to help us deal with the North Korean nuclear-weapon programme and ballistic-missile tests. A political solution will be crucial to ensuring the security of us all.
Our shared commitment to sustainable development includes the commitment to leaving no one behind. Norway’s humanitarian assistance this year, which amounts to approximately $650 million, supports that cause. Today 142 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection, the highest number since the end of the Second World War. Many of the current humanitarian crises are conflict- related, and it is more important than ever to ensure the protection of civilians in such circumstances. We are very concerned about the lack of respect being shown for international humanitarian law. We underline the obligation of all the parties to a conflict to protect civilians and ensure safe, unimpeded humanitarian access to all people in need. Norway is working actively to strengthen respect for international humanitarian law among parties to armed conflicts.
Putting sustainability first means acting together to save the oceans. We applaud the Secretary-General for appointing the first-ever Special Envoy for the Ocean. We congratulate Mr. Lajcak’s predecessor as President of the General Assembly, Mr. Peter Thomson, on his appointment to that important job and wish him every success in galvanizing global efforts to protect the world’s oceans. If we are to be able to harvest resources from the oceans in the future, we must ensure that they are clean and healthy. And it is important for small island developing States — also known as large-ocean States — to join forces to find good solutions that promote the health and sustainability of our oceans. It was against that backdrop that Norway hosted a meeting at the United Nations this week to explore the enormous range of opportunities that sustainable oceans can provide.
In conclusion, the United Nations is the backbone of our global order, and we need a strong and healthy back to address and resolve the challenges the world is facing today. We know that we can do it together. The United Nations provided the leadership that united the countries of the world through the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which was an important step towards ensuring the sustainability of our planet. We were also able to come together in Addis Ababa in 2015 and agree on a framework for financing sustainable development, which will be crucial to our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. There are many shared challenges that still have to be solved, while at the same time we must safeguard all that we have already accomplished together. Those are the tasks that we have to tackle together in the General Assembly.
Norway has actively supported the United Nations since it was founded. Through seven decades and changing Norwegian Governments, we have worked tirelessly in and with the United Nations for our common interests. Norway is a candidate for membership in the Security Council for the period from 2021 to 2022, and we are counting on the support of the States Members of the United Nations for our candidature.