A year ago, world leaders gave the green light to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The document is now our common guide for the next 15 years. In the history of the Organization, there have been similar grand initiatives. Unfortunately, some of them have remained confined to paper, such as the idea 40 years ago of establishing a new world economic order. I very much hope that a similar fate does not befall the current Agenda. Yet such fears do exist. The main problem is that the world lacks systemic stability, which means that there is no confidence in what will come tomorrow, and there is no confidence that the world is evolving in accordance with rational order and common sense. Wars, conflicts and increasing transnational challenges give rise to a feeling of chaos, a chaos that exists side by side with unprecedented interconnectedness and scientific and technological progress. In other words, we are living in conditions of contradictory realities.
How has chaos become a serious contender with positive a globalization progress? I think there are three answers to that question — political, economic and social. From a political point of view, problems have arisen because the so-called winners of the Cold War did not want to integrate the losers into their system. Furthermore, as was the case with the First World War, the victors tried to impose their will on the vanquished and to unilaterally carry out sweeping global changes that affected everyone, not just themselves. That attempt was unsuccessful. It could not have been otherwise. It is probably true that history does teach us something here. The consequences of that attempt were terrible — the destruction of States, festering conflicts, mega-terrorism, large movements of people in the form of migration. As a result, in terms of politics, the world is now in a period of transition. However, we do not know what we are moving towards.
We must also consider the economic factor. In that context, there has always been a conflict between the State and the market — at least since the time of the Industrial Revolution. Balanced and healthy competition is unquestionably useful for economic progress and reducing poverty and inequality. However, in recent decades the balance has been disturbed. The market has gained the upper hand and the State has been relegated to second place. That has happened because it was the objective pursued by so-called corporate capital, which has dominated life in leading developed countries. And what has that free market given us? The minority — the true advocate of corporate capital — has achieved even greater wealth. For everybody else corporate capital has meant nothing but suffering and problems.
It is also important that the market has seriously exacerbated the environmental challenges that the world faces. The market is not concerned with anything except profit. What does the market care about the environment?
Problems of a social nature are probably not so obvious to the general public. At the same time, they are no less serious and no less dangerous than the challenges we face in the political and economic spheres. We are seeing growing social and cultural gaps in the world, and problems of identity loom large. As a result we are spending more and more time arguing about essentially spiritual matters. Without question, there are understandable reasons for the advent of a counterculture in various countries half a century ago. There is also an explanation for how that phenomenon has changed social relations in the West, particularly in the areas of morals, moral values and the family. However, there is something that makes no sense and that is why such changes should affect the rest of the world. Why should those who have accepted the changes impose them on others whose historical contexts were different and whose societies therefore had no reason to adopt similar changes?
Understanding the reasons for the advent of an unstable world that is full of contradictions is certainly important. That is the first step towards action. Therefore, what do we have to do to change the negative global context? In political terms, we have to have a clear understanding of where we want to go from the current period of transition. What is the new world order that we are endeavouring to create? Of course, that is easier said than done. In that context, I cannot help but quote the outstanding thinker Immanuel Kant who said that
“building a just and peaceful international system is the most difficult of all tasks and a perfect solution is impossible”.
We all have ideas about how to change the world, but those ideas are different and we will all have to sacrifice something if we want to enact a change for the better. The result will reflect the lowest common denominator, but that is inevitable. I am not going to try to predict what the reality of this new world order will be in terms of its form and content. I would just like to focus attention on three principles that we think are essential to building that world order.
First, the new system should be State-driven. States remain, as they have been, the main players in international life. Where States are non-existent or weak, anarchy, chaos and violence reign. Secondly, the new world order should be inclusive. That means that all States, without exception, should have a voice — a real voice, not just one for the sake of appearances. Thirdly, I am deeply convinced that the new system cannot be imposed; it needs to be cultivated. Only then would it be considered fair by both politicians and ordinary people.
In terms of the economy, we have been seeing positive trends, notably in connection with the re-establishment of a balance between the State and the market. The financial and economic crisis of the past decade demonstrated the failure of free-market ideas. As a result, around the world we have been seeing the re-establishment and strengthening of the State role in economic affairs. It is important for that trend to continue. Belarus has in the past consistently been committed to the idea of a strong State, especially in economic matters, and we plan to continue that policy in the future. It is the will of the Belarusian people, which was clearly expressed in June at the Belarusian People’s Assembly.
In the context of economics, another important trend is towards regional integration. To some extent, regional blocs have begun to play an independent role — one which until recently had been the prerogative of States. Since that seems to be the trend, there is a pressing need to establish cooperation mechanisms for regional processes similar to those we have established for States. Belarus holds that theme very close to heart. Belarus, as an active participant in a number of regional integration processes, remains very committed thereto. We have a vested interest in strengthening those processes and are deeply convinced that cooperation with other regional initiatives will facilitate that task. Our approach could be summed up as “integrating integration”. To assist in implementing that concept, we shall soon convene a conference on this issue in Minsk, with the support of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Finally, on the need for action in social and cultural areas, let us begin with a very simple fact. We are all different as a result of a host of different factors — geography, climate, wars, epidemics, religions and many others. Those factors have made us who we are. Tradition and culture cannot be changed. They have the power to unite. In a given territory they unite the people who died there, the people who are living there now and the people who have not yet been born. It is therefore obvious that imposing our preferences on each other is a mistaken and pointless endeavour.
What we need in this situation is dialogue, both dialogue to understand one another and dialogue that is a goal in itself. Dialogue should be an ongoing process that helps to find common ground among the different social and cultural approaches and that yields a positive result.
Let us consider the concept of the family as an example. We in Belarus are committed to the values of a traditional family, while in other countries there may be a recognition of a variety of types of family. We think that the individual is part of a family. Others, however, may assume that the family belongs to the individual. We do not need to demonstrate to each other the rightness of our particular approach. Instead, we should understand why we hold different positions. Can our different approaches lead to some kind of positive result? I think they can.
The Republic of Belarus sees an opportunity for addressing such approaches at the meeting of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs scheduled for March 2017, at which a draft resolution will be proposed on the role of the family in preventing illicit drug trafficking. We all have an interest in an effective fight against that challenge. We need to think together about how the family may be able to help in that area, despite the fact that we may understand the concept of family differently.
If Member States really want to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, they need to restore world stability and overcome the growing chaos. I am convinced that this is possible, and that the United Nations, with its wealth of expertise, has the potential to help States in that endeavour. In any case, it is important that the United Nations work on practical implementation of the Agenda rather than immerse itself in the usual optimization, synchronization and report-writing. It is important to recognize that the Secretariat has not always worked in harmony with Member States. We hope that situation will change for the better under the new Head of our Organization.
The new Agenda for the United Nations, like the current global context, poses significant challenges for us. Looking at the prospects for their implementation, I call on everyone to be guided by the words of the second Secretary-General, Mr. Dag Hammarskjöld, who said,
“Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was.”


I would like to congratulate Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the General Assembly at this session, and to wish him complete success. I thank his predecessor, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, and take this opportunity to express our high appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his able leadership.
Two days ago, Armenia celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of its independence. During that short period of time, much has been done to strengthen democratic institutions, the rule of law and good governance, to protect human rights and to advance economic reforms. We have been able to achieve significant progress also with regard to the socioeconomic development agenda.
However, challenges still remain. The needs of the socially most vulnerable groups have been placed at the centre of Armenia’s forward-looking development strategy for 2014-2025. Likewise, our Government has launched a national plan of action on the protection of human rights. In that respect, Armenia continues to work actively with all United Nations human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures and the treaty bodies.
Our new constitutional reform followed an inclusive process of broad public discussions aimed at implementing a new and improved governance system with increased transparency and accountability. It was approved in a nationwide referendum last December and welcomed by relevant international bodies.
The United Nations has a considerable role to play in changing the environment, which has been conducive to intolerance, racial discrimination, xenophobia, violent extremism and terrorism. On numerous occasions Armenia has condemned the crimes committed by Da’esh and other terrorist groups that threaten the peoples of the region and beyond. The war in Syria has had a devastating impact on its civilian population, including national and religious minorities who face existential threats in the form of identity-based crimes. The violence has not bypassed Syrian-Armenians, many of whom have lost their lives. Armenian settlements, churches, schools and cultural institutions have been destroyed.
One hundred years ago, Armenian refugees found shelter in many Arab countries after the Armenian genocide. Today, thousands of Armenians, together with other peoples of the Middle East, have again been forced to flee their homes. From Syria, more than 20,000 have found refuge in Armenia. We know, therefore, what it means to be a refugee and to host refugees. The Government of Armenia has undertaken considerable efforts to assist the refugees and facilitate their integration.
We believe that wider international cooperation is needed to adequately address the challenges posed by the massive displacements. The full implementation of the commitments made in the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (resolution 71/1), adopted a few days ago by the Assembly, stands as an important milestone in that regard.
We would like to stress the significance of addressing the root causes of large movements of people by working for the prevention of crimes against humanity and for the peaceful settlement of disputes and lasting political solutions. Armenia has been continuously supporting and contributing to the elaboration of prevention mechanisms, in particular by regularly initiating resolutions on the prevention of genocide in the Human Rights Council.
As a nation that experienced the first genocide of the twentieth century and continues to face the denial of that horror, Armenia reaffirms its strong support for the fight against impunity for genocide. The year 2016 marks the first anniversary of resolution 69/323, initiated by Armenia, proclaiming 9 December as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime.
As the threat of violence continues to spread in various parts of the world, it is crucial to make our joint efforts to achieve peace and security more effective.
Based on that understanding, Armenia has participated in a number of United Nations actions and United Nations-mandated peace operations, thus actively contributing in the most direct way to the building of international peace and security. As the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations noted recently, “Armenia’s support is important not only for its contribution but also for Armenian history and the challenges overcome during it”. Indeed, history teaches us that the security of one is closely connected to that of others.
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights, as well as the thirtieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. The latter affirms
“the right of peoples to self-determination, by virtue of which they have the right freely to determine their political status and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development” (resolution 41/128, annex, sixth preambular paragraph).
It is well known that the Charter of the United Nations underlines respect for the principles of the equal rights and the self-determination of peoples as a purpose of the Organization.
Aggressive military responses on the part of States to the peaceful aspirations of people to exercise their right to self-determination only legitimize such aspirations and deprives the aggressor of any claim to authority over the people. The Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order rightly pointed out that self-determination should not be viewed as a source of conflict, but rather that conflict is a consequence of the violation of the right to self-determination.
Azerbaijan stubbornly refuses to recognize the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to self- determination. As part of Azerbaijan’s policy of ethnic cleansing and aggression, starting in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, Armenians have been massacred and expelled from their homes. Nobel Peace Prize winner Andrei Sakharov called those actions a threat of a new genocide against the Armenian people.
This year again, in early April, in blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, Azerbaijan unleashed another large-scale aggression against Nagorno Karabakh, indiscriminately targeting civilian infrastructure and the population. Among the victims were a 12-year-old boy and 92-year-old woman. Three captured soldiers of the Nagorno Karabakh armed forces were beheaded in Da’esh style, which was subsequently shown in towns and villages and publicized through the social media. Furthermore, the leader of Azerbaijan publicly decorated the perpetrators of that crime. During the exchange of the bodies of the deceased between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, which was mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, it was registered that the corpses transferred from the Azerbaijani side bore undeniable signs of torture and were mutilated. Such despicable atrocities go beyond the basic norms of the civilized world and constitute gross violations of international humanitarian law.
The aggression in April severely undermined the peace process. To restore trust and work for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, measures should be taken to prevent the use of force and to create conditions conducive to the advancement of the peace process. That was the main aim of two summit meetings on Nagorno Karabakh, held in Vienna in May and St. Petersburg in June. It is imperative to implement what was particularly emphasized and agreed upon at those meetings: first, the full adherence to the 1994 and 1995 trilateral ceasefire agreements, which do not have time limitations; secondly, the creation of a mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations; thirdly, the expansion of the capacity of the Personal Representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairperson-in-Office. Against all odds the people of Nagorno Karabakh have been able to defend themselves and create a free and democratic society.
Armenia, together with the mediator countries — Russia, the United States and France, which are the co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group — will continue its efforts towards an exclusively peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The co-Chairs have proposed a rather civilized formula for the settlement — ballots instead of bullets. The proposal outlined by the Presidents of the co-Chair countries stipulates the future determination of the final legal status of Nagorno Karabakh through a legally binding expression of the will of its population. The mentality that supports medieval barbarism, as witnessed in April, has difficulty accepting the civilized approaches of the modern world.
Armenia welcomes the integration of the Vienna Programme of Action for the Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024 into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as an important step to promote sustainable and inclusive development. The Government of Armenia has adopted a national strategy to ensure the effective implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action and make it a mainstream part of our policies.
We deplore policies that stipulate unilateral economic measures as an instrument of political pressure. Agenda 2030 reconfirms, once again, that such measures are detrimental to sustainable development. The unilateral land blockade of Armenia by Turkey is a gross violation of international law. It continues to severely hamper regional transit communication routes, economic cooperation and integration.
Armenia welcomes the central role of the United Nations in the implementation of the comprehensive new 2030 Agenda. We do not underestimate the challenges facing all of us, and similarly, we should not downplay the opportunities. With the more than seven decades of the United Nations existence, we must show the same insight and vision to safeguard the future of the Organization and ensure the best possible future for the peoples of the United Nations. Armenia is fully committed to those goals.


“None of us acting alone can achieve success.” These are the words of Nelson Mandela. We must decide and act together because only together can we come up with right responses to the many challenges that we face. Our responsibility is to offer every child — boy or girl — the keys to his or her own emancipation. Every man, every woman, wherever they are born, bears universal rights. They must be able to learn, to work, to care for themselves and to raise their children in peace and security. Technological, medical and social progress must be shared. It must not belong to a privileged few. That must be our commitment and our common goal.
We know the path by which we can reach such a goal. It has been embodied since 1948 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The universal values are a beacon that must shed an immutable light on the path of humankind. There should be no exception, no compromise and no renouncement of the respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy.
And yet, let us look at the truth. Equality between women and man is not always a fact of life. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are too often flouted. Homophobia, in some countries, has even been legalized, sometimes even through recent laws. In addition, too often, the rule of law is a smokescreen and justice is not a remedy but a threat to citizens and businesses.
The African continent overflows with strengths and talents. Its potential is immense. The histories of Europe and Africa are intrinsically linked and, of course, we share a future. It is vital that we all mobilize to encourage and support Africa’s development, first of all, through more fairly apportioned economic growth and the emergence of a middle class. I support the creation of a genuinely equal, win-win partnership with Africa, based neither on nostalgia or guilt.
I firmly believe, as history has always shown, that strengthened democratic rights and personal freedoms always go hand in hand with development and the improvement of people’s living conditions. In the past few years, Africa has seen several successful democratic transitions, due above all to those citizens who have participated in their political and electoral processes and thereby solidified their democratic institutions and sovereignty.
Unfortunately, some citizens are still too often deprived of the fundamental right to elect those who are supposed to represent them. In the words of John F. Kennedy, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” An honest election is a peaceful revolution, because the only legitimate Government is an elected one. Respect for the requirements of the rule of law, and therefore of a country’s constitution, is the only possible way to ensure stability and democratic harmony. The people of Burundi have been denied that right, resulting in discord, division and even oppression. The only solution to that crisis is a genuinely inclusive inter-Burundian dialogue conducted under international mediation and in accordance with the Arusha Peace Agreement.
It is crucial that elections be held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and all doubts surrounding them removed. I firmly condemn all the violence that we have witnessed there, including in the past few days in Kinshasa. Those who exercise authority must assume their full and individual share of responsibility. I want to be very clear here. We respect the principles of sovereignty and independence, but on the condition that sovereignty does not become a smokescreen for abusing the rule of law and violating fundamental freedoms. I appeal to the country’s political leaders both in the majority and the opposition to avoid an escalation. There should be a broad, inclusive dialogue. They should be equal to their country and people. They should not hide their faces. The only path to stability is by establishing, as soon as possible, a definite date for holding honest, credible elections.
At this point, we must admit that the situation in Syria constitutes a continuing failure for the international community. It is a country torn apart by unspeakable suffering, where massive numbers of refugees have been uprooted from their homes. We cannot accept the notion that the chaos in Syria serves the long-term geostrategic interests of Syrians, or their future. We cannot accept that one man’s bloody obduracy stands in the way of a political solution and peace. We support Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura and urge all the permanent members of the Security Council to show that they have a sense of responsibility. We would also like to remind them that there can be no impunity for violations of international humanitarian law.
With Da’esh, as with Al-Qaida, Boko Haram and Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, what we are dealing with is in fact a new totalitarianism. At question are fanaticism and the negation of human life itself. They want to destroy freedom. They have chosen the path of barbarism and terror. Like many others, my country suffered a tragic blow from them, last March. The fight we must wage against terrorism must be a shared one, uncompromising and intransigent. Naturally, we support the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism (A/70/674). But we must do more and better, systematizing our exchanges of information and intelligence in order to anticipate and prevent such barbaric acts. Freedom must be stronger than the shadows.
Around the world, there are 65 million women and men who are either refugees or displaced. Countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey are on the front lines as hosts to huge numbers of refugees, with all the difficulties that entails. Every continent is involved, and we know what the causes are: war, poverty, climate change. Needless to say, peace and development are the best responses we can make, and we must also ensure the dignity of every human being, with special concern for those who are most vulnerable — women and children.
Political dialogue and international negotiations are tedious processes, too often slow and strewn with obstacles, with as many steps backward as forward. That often results in frustration and sometimes even a feeling of powerlessness. And yet I believe firmly that inclusive, stubborn, tenacious political dialogue is the surest way to finding lasting solutions. And we should also highlight international diplomacy’s successes. The peace agreement between the Colombian authorities and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, the formation of a Government in Libya, the nuclear agreement with Iran, the diplomatic rapprochement between Cuba and the United States and the fight against Ebola are all examples of progress and success, holding a key to a better and safer life for millions.
How true is the saying, often attributed to Nelson Mandela, that a winner is a dreamer who never gives up. I too believe that courage and tenacity are key to advancing peace and ensuring a more secure, more just world. We should never lose hope or abandon ourselves to fatalism.
The situation in Israel and Palestine today is yet another illustration of the urgency and importance of reviving the political process in order to arrive at a definitive solution to the conflict. We support a two-State solution, but in the current circumstances, if no fundamental change is made, we know that this prospect may be irretrievably lost.
We should put a stop to the acts that hinder such a solution. We condemn the continued settlement activities in the occupied territories. At the same time, we are firmly committed to maintaining Israel’s security, which must be guaranteed. We support France’s initiative aimed at facilitating the resumption of talks. In another essential step, the Palestinians must also advance their own dialogue.
International law cannot be reduced to the law of the jungle. On the frontiers of Europe, the territorial integrity of several countries has been violated by one country alone. It is not acceptable to fan the flames of conflict in order to soothe nostalgic feelings of grandeur. I urge that we work to find a way out of this logic of confrontation with Russia. We have too many interests in common to allow ourselves the luxury of diplomatic paralysis.
In the past few years we have made a lot of progress in reducing poverty and improving access to basic health care. But we know very well that there is still so much to do. The Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change have given us a proactive framework to continue making progress, and we should strive unstintingly to implement them. It is our duty to future generations to create a safer world that is more respectful of our planet.
Economic exchanges and international trade contribute to worldwide growth and employment. Free enterprise, the private finance initiative and economic exchanges are the foundations of development: they fuel research, technological innovation and even medical progress. We must promote transparency in the fiscal and banking sectors and fight all forms of corruption. Capitalism is not naturally virtuous: just and transparent rules are necessary. However, in many countries employees are not properly compensated for their work. Capitalism is not an end in itself, but an instrument that we must put to use at the service of human development: no more, no less.
The global economic situation is constricting State budgets. Work is often too heavily taxed in comparison to other sources of revenue. For that reason, Belgium, along with 10 other countries of the European Union, would like to develop a system to tax financial transactions. We must succeed in removing the technical and political obstacles. It is a question of elementary equity.
It is an honour for my country to defend the universal principles and values of liberty, tolerance and dialogue. We fully respect the traditions, cultures and identities of the various peoples of the world, and we believe that universal values are the shared foundation of a fairer and safer world. We believe in the virtues of multilateralism and the persistent search for consensus through political dialogue.
Belgium is an active, stable and loyal member of the international community. For that reason, we are a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2019-2020 period. I sincerely hope that we can count on the support of a large number of countries in that election.
I also wish to extend my gratitude to Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon for his commitment to peace and security. His intelligence and creativity have meant that he leaves behind a solid legacy. I already have high hopes for his successor, who will, we hope, ensure the proper implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
A politician concerns himself with the next election, whereas a statesman concerns himself with the future of the next generation. Let us strive to meet the expectations of our citizens, fulfil our universal values and act as statesmen.


North Korea has now openly shown itself to be a threat to peace. How must we respond? The raison d’être of the United Nations is now being seriously challenged. North Korea has tested submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Immediately after that, it fired three ballistic missiles simultaneously, each traversing 1,000 kilometres to reach Japan’s exclusive economic zone. It is purely a matter of good fortune that no commercial aircraft or ships suffered any damage during that incident. This year alone, North Korea has launched a total of 21 ballistic missiles. In addition, it claims to have successfully detonated a nuclear warhead in a test on 9 September. That nuclear test followed another test conducted in January. That series of missile launches and the detonation of a warhead completely changes the landscape.
North Korea’s nuclear development and the repeated launches of ballistic missiles are two sides of the same coin. Before our very eyes, North Korea is carrying out a plan that is plain to see. It is clear that the threat has now reached a new dimension. We must therefore respond in a manner entirely distinct from our responses thus far. We must act in unison and thwart North Korea’s plans.
Immediately upon hearing the report of the nuclear test, I telephoned President Barack Obama of the United States. After that I also held telephone talks with President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea. We all agreed that our three countries would collaborate closely and show resolve in our attitude towards North Korea. Now is the time for the United Nations to act. Now is the time for the Security Council to adopt an unambiguous position regarding the unprecedented threat.
It was only four months ago that President Obama visited Hiroshima, where countless innocent citizens fell victim to the first atomic bomb ever detonated. It was a day on which we renewed pledges. No matter how long it takes, we must never, even for the briefest moment, let up in our efforts to secure the total elimination of nuclear weapons. On that day, our pledges linked both sides of the Pacific and gained new strength. This notwithstanding, North Korea is now escalating its provocations. It is a challenge that we cannot overlook, as to do so would weigh on our collective conscience.
Peace is much like glass — when polished and transparent, we do not see it. A small crack can be overlooked for a while without changing, but before you know it, the crack expands and one day the glass shatters resoundingly. That is why, day in and day out, we must habituate ourselves to handling glass with great care, so that no cracks form. I believe that the original intention of the United Nations, created in the wake of two world wars, was that kind of keen awareness. For that very reason, it would simply be unacceptable to continue to tolerate military provocation, because that would be equivalent to openly cracking the glass.
Moreover, the threat to peace now plainly manifests itself, and North Korea’s persistent military provocations are far more serious than before. North Korea is, without a doubt, poised to acquire submarine-launched ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. Let us not forget that this is a country that abducted a large number of Japanese citizens, including a 13 year-old girl, shattering their peaceful lives, and to date they have not been allowed to return to their homeland. We have demanded that North Korea return them immediately, but they have refused. This is a country that tramples human rights, where the checks and balances of power are ignored. It is a country that continues to build up its arsenal, which includes missiles and nuclear weapons, while paying no attention to the plight of its citizens. The threat to the international community has become increasingly grave and real. It calls for innovative responses that are altogether different from previous approaches.
In December, Japan will mark the sixtieth anniversary of its entry into the United Nations. Sixty-two years have elapsed, if we count from the moment that the toll of the bronze Peace Bell sent by a Japanese citizen began sounding in the front gardens of the United Nations grounds on the International Day of Peace, as it does every year. The bell was cast by melting down coins sent by Pope Pius XII and coins and medals sent by children and adults from more than 60 countries around the world. What was the wish of the Japanese people that accompanied it?
Sixty years ago, when Japan was first seated in this Hall, it wholeheartedly advocated world peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons, as it has done consistently and unfailingly ever since. It was a pledge designed to be passed down from generation to generation, a pledge not to stop walking along the path that would make world peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons a reality.
On this occasion today, I had originally intended to look back at the path we have trodden these 60 years and quietly reflect on Japan’s progress along that road, with world peace and prosperity as its goals. However, the North Korea threat is reaching a new level. Therefore, in the light of Japan having upheld its pledge these 60 years, and as the world focuses on whether the United Nations will thwart North Korea’s ambitions or the Security Council will be able to confront North Korea in a united way, I feel I must state that Japan, as a Security Council member, will lead the Council’s discussions. I declare before the national representatives gathered here in the General Assembly Hall that this is our absolute resolve. No matter the issue before us, or how many challenges we are faced with, Japan, as it marks its sixtieth year of membership, will spare no effort to strengthen the United Nations.
The cumulative total of the assessed contributions to the United Nations and the assessed contributions to peacekeeping operations that Japan has paid, when their book value is tallied, easily exceeds $20 billion. The only country whose total financial contributions surpasses that of Japan over the past 30 years is the United States. In addition, our track record of development assistance amounts to $334.5 billion, again in terms of the book value.
As I see it, the United Nations has historically been committed to three great causes: devotion to peace, the pursuit of growth, and the desire for a world free of injustice and unfairness. I believe members will recognize that Japan is a country that has made all-out efforts to promote all three of those causes over the past 60 years.
Growth serves as the foundation for all else. Only when there is growth does peace take root and can injustices be rectified over time. Take a look and see how greater Asia has now surpassed every other region as regards the size of its population living under democracy. This is precisely the fruit of the growth that Asia has been enjoying since the mid-1980s, which happens also to be the time at which Japanese companies began their large-scale direct investments in Asian nations.
It was only through a free and open trade and investment environment that Japan was able to grow — the very same environment that is responsible for the present-day prosperity of the countries of Asia. Peace, stability and safety at sea, together with freedom of navigation and overflight, are the basis for the peace and prosperity of the international community.
In the event of disputes, the international community must adhere strictly to the principle that States shall make their claims based on international law, shall not use force or coercion in support of their claims and shall seek to settle disputes by peaceful means. Japan will unfailingly continue to uphold a world order that is open, free and unwavering in its commitment to the rule of law and international norms.
Let me also say that at the core of the Japanese Government I have formed a special team, which I lead directly, that is working to further the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Government of Japan will accelerate the work towards early conclusion of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and will carry out without fail its pledge to provide ¥1.3 trillion in assistance for developing countries by 2020. I will make sure that this will be done.
Japan will spare no effort in strengthening the United Nations in the 60 years to come, just as it did over the past 60 years. I wish to pledge this, grounded in trust in the Japanese people.
An unexpected visitor appeared at a worksite in Juba, South Sudan, where members of an engineering unit belonging to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (SDF) and wearing the blue helmets of the United Nations were carrying out activities. He said to them, “I am really thankful that Japan is building roads. I place my full confidence in you. Isn’t there anything I can do? Let me help you. I don’t need anything in return.”
Again the next day, and the day after that, the man appeared at the worksite, where an arterial road was being laid in the capital of South Sudan, the youngest Member of the United Nations. On the third day, the man began doing the work that he knew would be necessary, and he continued working with the members of the SDF for eight days. When they went their separate ways, as they were patting each other on the back and expressing regret that they had to part, it goes without saying that our engineering unit members, who had heard nothing but words of thanks from this man, were deeply moved. Juma Ago Isaac — the SDF members each wrote the name of this otherwise unknown man from South Sudan in their notebooks to remember him.
No matter what the job or where it is, the Japanese engaged in international cooperation always consider this kind of encounter at local worksites to be their real reward. Wherever they go, nameless people become aware of their own abilities and realize that nation-building begins at the very place where they themselves are standing. The Japanese witnessing this are moved in ways that become memories lasting their entire lives.
It is a source of quiet pride for me that the relationship between Japan and the United Nations has for the past 60 years brought hearts together in this way in Asia, in Africa and indeed all around the world. This is Japan’s United Nations spirit. I pledge not to forget this and to foster it and hand it down to the next generation.
I will end my address by pointing out the need for fundamental changes in the United Nations governance structure. Countries in Africa and Latin America have built up a degree of influence they never had before in global politics and the global economy, and yet they do not have satisfactory representation on the Security Council. This single example makes the present composition of the Security Council indefensible to the current generation. The international relations that prevailed 71 years ago, at the end of the Second World War, are now relegated to the history books. They hold no relevance for the countries that have since then achieved their independence. At the sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development, which Japan and the countries of Africa recently convened, I heard the leaders describe the fact that Africa has no permanent representation on the Security Council as a historical injustice, and I concurred in deep agreement.
Africa’s long-term goal is to have permanent members on the Security Council by 2023, which Japan thoroughly supports. If we do not carry out a reform of the Security Council now, it may well be put off for another decade or two. Which position are we to take — that of undermining the values of the United Nations, or that of striving to strengthen the United Nations? If we choose the latter, then it goes without saying that Security Council reform is a matter of urgency. I will end my address here by emphasizing that point.


During the past year, the international community concluded landmark agreements on sustainable development and climate change and renewed its commitment to work together to combat violent extremism. Those are the most serious matters before the international community today, and our joint efforts offer the prospect of transforming our world as a whole, not just a part of it. After all, the progress of every country is closely linked to the progress of every other country, and we all have a role to play.
Now is the time for implementation. We can stay on course if we keep a few things in mind. First, we must always remember that the ultimate purpose of our efforts is to transform the lives of real people by enhancing their well-being, safety and access to opportunity. Secondly, we must build on what we have learned so far. That means being inclusive — especially of women, because if they are not able to reach their potential, then none of us are. I am proud to be a HeForShe and urge others to support this important campaign.
We have also learned the lesson that technology has to be part of the strategy for achieving all the global goals. Everyone in the world needs to have access to high-speed Internet, as the Secretary-General’s Broadband Commission has advocated. Rwanda is pleased to be associated with that effort, and I commend the International Telecommunication Union and UNESCO for the good work that they have done and continue to do. We have also seen the importance of forging meaningful partnerships with the private sector so as to improve the speed and scale of the delivery of Internet services. Such perspectives will inform the work of the new Sustainable Development Goal Centre for Africa, which Rwanda is pleased to host with the support of our partners.
There has to be real continuity between the various frameworks that have guided and will now guide our collective action. Those agreements are not slogans or fashions, but hard-won statements of global consensus about the world that we wish to leave to our children. Let us implement them with the speed and seriousness that they deserve.
There are encouraging signs of progress on the horizon. Next month, more than a thousand delegates will gather in Kigali to consider a ground-breaking amendment to the Montreal Protocol on the Ozone Layer that would phase out hydrofluorocarbons, a major type of greenhouse gas. The nearly 30-year-old Montreal Protocol is already one of the most successful international agreements in history, and it now affords us the opportunity to take a significant step forward in implementing the one-year-old Paris Agreement. I urge all Member States to join with us to pass that important measure.
The world is changing for the better, as the ground is being levelled by technology. The way we relate to each other in the international community also has to change. The preservation of international peace and security depends on maintaining a shared vision of the outcomes that we want for our world and the values that guide our cooperation. That accounts for the continued relevance and durability of the United Nations. Our collective responsibility for the rights and welfare of refugees and migrants should be seen in that light. The issue must be addressed with consistency and compassion at all times. It cannot become a crisis only when the wealthier countries begin to be affected.
Rwanda will continue to play its part. We have gotten many things right, but there is no doubt that we could be achieving even more. If we keep the people whom we are fighting for at the front of our minds and build on lessons learned, there is no reason why we cannot achieve everything that we have committed ourselves to.
In closing, I would like to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has been a champion of technology and a strong advocate for sustainable development, as well as for other matters that have needed fair treatment. Even in the most difficult situations, he has been a voice of reason, and we wish him well.


The Co-operative Republic of Guyana congratulates you, Mr. Peter Thomson, on your election as President of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session. The election of a representative of Fiji, a small island developing State, to preside over the General Assembly at this session is especially gratifying. The choice of theme for our general debate — “The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world” — is most appropriate.
We thank His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, outgoing President of the General Assembly at its historic seventieth session, for his guidance of the Assembly over the past year.
Guyana commends Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his stellar stewardship of the United Nations during his decennium. The international community owes him an enormous debt of gratitude for the earnest efforts he has indefatigably exerted to alleviate human distress, promote peace and sustain development around the world.
The Secretary-General’s courageous campaign to combat the adverse effects of climate change and his commitment to sustainable development have been transformative. His labours bore fruit in the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in September 2015, and in the signing of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, in April 2016.
The 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement have had a massive and undeniable impact on the manner in which the world manages the environment. The 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement are evidence of environmental common sense. They are excellent examples of the sort of collective action most likely to ensure a sustainable future and safety for the planet. They are harbingers of hope for everyone, everywhere, forever. The Secretary-General’s leadership has irreversibly led the United Nations further along a green path. We thank him heartily.
Guyana is part of this global green movement. Our natural assets, our commitment to sustainable development, our contribution to conquering the adverse effects of climate change and our collaboration with the international community in seeking solutions to global threats have distinguished us an emergent green State. We are a State that will ensure a secure future for our people in the pursuit of a green economy. We are a State that is proud of its place as a reliable and cooperative partner in international efforts to protect the earth’s environment.
Guyana recognizes the interlocking objectives of the Agenda and the Agreement. It realizes that the establishment of a green State is consistent with building climate resilience while mitigating the effects of climate change. Guyana promises to continue to work towards the Agenda’s goals, particularly by contributing to limiting increases in global temperatures, and to work towards a green path of development that is in accord with the Agreement’s nationally determined commitments.
Guyana serendipitously stands at the centre of the Guiana Shield, one of the world’s last remaining spheres of virgin tropical rainforest. The Guiana Shield spans an area of 2.7 million square kilometres, an area larger than Greenland, and it is shared by six South American countries and territories — parts of Brazil and Colombia, all of Guyana, all of French Guiana, all of Suriname and part of Venezuela. Guyana, as a part of that Shield, is a net carbon sink. A green canopy of rainforest envelops more than 85 per cent of our land mass, the second highest percentage forest cover on earth. Guyana is pursuing a green path so as to better understand how to protect its precious biodiversity and sustainably manage its complex ecosystems.
Guyana made a covenant with the world to be an exemplar of green growth in 1989, three years before the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. We made a gift to the prospect of sustainable development and to the project of protecting our environment through a generous grant of 371,000 hectares of our pristine forests, to be used as an international model for research, training and the development of technologies that will promote the conservation and the sustainable and equitable use of tropical rainforests in a manner that will lead to lasting ecological, economic and social benefits for the people of Guyana and the world in general. The Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, located in the centre of our country and at the heart of the Guiana Shield, survives and thrives as a testament to Guyana’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental conservation.
Guyana is an important partner in the global environmental movement. It entered into an agreement with the Kingdom of Norway to provide the world with a relevant, replicable model of how the United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and the Role of Conservation, Sustainable Management of Forests and Enhancement of Forest Carbon Stocks in Developing Countries (REDD-plus mechanism), the mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, can align the development objectives of forest countries with the world’s need to combat climate change. It has also entered into agreements with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan and other States, and international organizations.
Guyana reaffirms its commitment to Goal 15 of the Agenda under which States Members of the United Nations pledge to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss. Guyana is improving the management of its ecosystems and natural resources in order to conserve its forests and their rich biodiversity. We will fulfil our obligation under the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions set forth in the Paris Agreement.
Guyana will continue its research by establishing an international institute for biodiversity at the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development. That institute will allow scientists and
16-29296 23/56 students from the Caribbean and around the world to come to our country to increase their knowledge of vital ecosystems and share in the study of the Guiana Shield and its amazing biodiversity.
Goal 13 of the Agenda calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impact. This goal envisages and encourages international cooperation to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and abate the adverse impact of climate change. The Agreement obligates Member States to take action to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse-gas emissions development in a manner that does not threaten food production.
Guyana is developing a comprehensive emissions- reduction programme as part of its responsibility to contribute to global solutions in the face of the threat of climate change. We will set aside an additional 2 million hectares of our territory for conservation purposes. Guyana is pursuing a low-carbon growth trajectory to enhance its contribution to the campaign against climate change through the preservation of its forests, within the ambit of the REDD-plus mechanism. It will contribute up to 48.7 million metric tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalents to the global mitigation effort, through an avoided-emissions programme.
The Agreement on climate change and the Agenda both emphasize the importance of financial flows in supporting the efforts of States pursuing a green path to development, so that they can meet their adaptation and mitigation obligations and implement the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions. I must state, however, that all our efforts — nationally, regionally and globally — for the advancement of development in an environment of peace and stability, are being challenged by the territorial ambitions of our neighbour, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Guyana celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its independence this year. Regrettably, Venezuela acknowledged this anniversary by reasserting, on 26 May, our independence day, its repudiation of a border treaty that it had solemnly signed 117 years ago and ratified and respected for over 60 of the years since then.
I addressed the Assembly last year and warned of the danger that Venezuela posed to the peace and security of our region due not to its internal instability, but to its external assault on Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity (see A/70/PV.16). I placed my hopes in the fact that the process for the final resolution of Venezuela’s unworthy territorial claims rested now in the hands of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Since my address last year, Venezuela has used every means to stall, as it has intensified its aggression against Guyana and thwarted all of the Secretary-General’s efforts to pursue a way forward, at least in terms of a process that would lead to a final resolution of the controversy.
Guyana stands ready to have the International Court of Justice reach a final determination on the matter. We will work resolutely with the Secretary- General in his final months of office, and with his successor, to free Guyana from this surreal burden. In the Geneva Agreement of 1966, Venezuela agreed that the Secretary-General would determine the means of settlement of this controversy, including by judicial settlement. Yet Venezuela defies his every effort to fulfil that commitment.
The United Nations cannot be a dispassionate party to a threat to peace anywhere and to a challenge to the law of nations. Venezuela’s territorial claim is such a challenge. It strikes at the heart of the United Nations. It strikes at the heart of the United States trusteeship of the law of nations. It strikes at the heart of the United Nations Charter, which the Secretary-General is sworn to uphold. Guyana, a small State, must look to the United Nations for protection against threats to its security, for intervention, for peace and for respect for international law.
My plea for international understanding of our plight has nothing to do with Venezuela’s internal situation. The ordinary people of Venezuela are our sisters and brothers. Their pain touches our hearts, and we wish them early relief from their agony. However, Venezuela’s claims are a threat to Guyana’s existence as an independent nation. They are a scandalous revival of the disease of the conquistadores that once plagued Venezuela’s own history. They are a crime against our humanity, clothed in the verbiage of national honour.
I also wish to iterate Guyana’s ongoing support, within the context of the preservation of sovereignty and its link with sustainable development, for the complete removal of the commercial, economic and financial blockade imposed by the United States against another Caribbean country, the Republic of Cuba. We cannot commit to policies that transform our economies with a view to providing development for our peoples and not demonstrate the political will necessary to change systems that are in direct contradiction to those policies.
Guyana is on a path to becoming a green State. However, its efforts — and those of other small States — will be derailed unless there is collective commitment by the greater part of the international community to collaborate with those States determined to pursue a low-carbon, low-emissions path to sustainable development and to stopping the rise of global temperatures.
The road from Stockholm in 1972 to Paris in 2015 has been long and difficult. However, the words of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment remain as relevant in 2016 as they were 44 years ago, in 1972:
“A point has been reached in history when we must shape our actions throughout the world with a more prudent care for their environmental consequences. Through ignorance or indifference we can do massive and irreversible harm to the earthly environment on which our life and well- being depend. Conversely, through fuller knowledge and wiser action, we can achieve for ourselves and our posterity a better life in an environment more in keeping with human needs and hopes... To defend and improve the human environment for present and future generations has become an imperative goal for mankind ...” (A/CONF./48/14/Rev.1, para. 6).
The General Assembly at the seventy-first session now has the opportunity and the obligation to commit to measures to defend and improve the human environment for present and future generations, thereby making the road forward into the future an easier one for posterity. Venezuela’s aggression against Guyana should not be allowed to threaten our children’s future.


At the outset, Denmark wishes to warmly welcome and congratulate the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session, His Excellency Mr. Peter Thomson of Fiji. It was an honour for Denmark to assume the presidency of the Assembly at its seventieth session, and we thank His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft for his excellent work. We wish President Thomson every success in leading our crucial work in the year ahead.
We live in volatile times. It is therefore up to all of us to strengthen international cooperation and make it more effective. We must do so in order to foster a peaceful, sustainable and rights-based international society built on the ambitious common goals that we have adopted this fall.
While the challenges facing the United Nations today may seem daunting, our recent record does give cause for optimism. The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the successful conclusion of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit, have demonstrated our ability to come together to address today’s global challenges. However, our task now is to turn our shared agenda into real change that will benefit people around the world. With a new Secretary-General coming into office, this will be a pivotal year for the United Nations.
Denmark has always believed that global challenges must be addressed through effective collective efforts, with a sharp focus on the rights and freedoms of the individual human being. Denmark has a vision for action that is based on three core elements — dignity, development and dialogue. Those elements characterize our approach to the work of the United Nations and will guide our candidacy for the Human Rights Council for the 2019-2021 term.
Around the world, many people are denied a life of dignity. Armed conflicts and violent extremism have led to human rights abuses and violations in several parts of the world. Syria, Iraq and the Sahel region are experiencing some of the most serious and urgent crises facing us today. In many other places, violence and instability are causing immeasurable human suffering. Millions of people are subject to oppression, slavery and trafficking by the dark forces of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other extremist groups, which requires a strong and determined collective response.
In Mali, Denmark actively contributes to the promotion of peace and stability. We donate to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and are engaged in long- term development cooperation with the country. In Syria and Iraq, Denmark contributes significantly to the fight against ISIL, including through support for local communities in the aftermath of conflict. We must ensure that military achievements against ISIL are followed up with determined and coordinated efforts to sustain peace. Without such efforts, we will not succeed. This autumn, Denmark will launch a new three-year regional stabilization programme for Syria and Iraq. The main focus will be to support immediate stabilization efforts in areas of Iraq that have been liberated from ISIL.
Our common security also depends on nations adhering to the norms and rules laid out by the United Nations, whether in the General Assembly, the Security Council or other organs and agencies. All countries must abide by their obligations under international law, including on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. In that regard, Denmark condemns the recent nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and urges the international community to respond in a strong and unified manner.
In the past week the world came together to address the mounting challenge of millions of people forced to flee from their homes due to armed conflict, natural disasters or poverty. A staggering 65 million people were displaced in 2015, requiring a determined and effective response from the United Nations. Denmark welcomes the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (resolution 71/1), adopted last week, which underlinines the principle of shared responsibility and the importance of addressing the fundamental causes of migration. Denmark is among the largest per capita humanitarian donors in the world, and we will continue to do our part. Poverty and a lack of opportunity are among the underlying factors leading to conflict and instability; they are also key factors in driving people from their homes.
Delivery on sustainable development and the eradication of extreme poverty are vital avenues towards a free, peaceful, prosperous world and in addressing the fundamental causes of migration. Denmark’s development cooperation is a concrete testament to our commitment to the United Nations and to assisting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Since
16-29823 39/53 1978 — for almost four decades — Denmark has been meeting the target of providing 0.7 per cent of its gross national income to official development assistance. We strongly urge many more countries to meet the same goal.
A pre-eminent challenge on the path to sustainable development is climate change. We must all take up the challenge of turning the commitments set forth in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change into action, to bring about immense and positive change for the planet and for people. All of those present in this Hall can count on Denmark to be at the forefront in that endeavour — in terms of follow-up both at home and internationally. The Danish Government will put forward a motion for ratification of the Paris Agreement in the Danish Parliament on 5 October.
The Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved only if cooperation is integrated across different fields and sectors. The United Nations development system must be reformed and made truly fit for purpose. The United Nations system must completely rethink its operational approach. The silo mentality and internal competition for resources must become phenomena of the past.
Denmark firmly believes that we need a significantly strengthened focus on the role of young people. The 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development is essentially an agenda for future generations. Accordingly, the engagement of the world’s young people in its implementation is indispensable. Young people possess enormous potential and must be involved in the work ahead.
We also need civil society, academia and the private sector to support policy implementation and provide innovative solutions and know-how. We need to engage in fruitful public-private partnerships to push implementation even further.
Governments can play an important role in further encouraging private business and investors to contribute to implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. That is why the Prime Minister of Denmark last week announced a new Sustainable Development Goals investment fund. The goal is to raise capital from private investors and reach a capital base of up to $750 million. Investments will be made across the Sustainable Development Goals — to improve energy, climate mitigation, industry, infrastructure, food production and health care in order to generate sustainable growth, jobs and tax revenue in developing countries.
In addition, we need global free trade as an essential element in fostering long-term development and economic growth. Denmark is actively advocating for creating better market access for developing countries and improving business conditions, including at the World Trade Organization. In short, if goods pass borders, it is less likely that soldiers will.
The effectiveness of the United Nations system, and indeed our ability to turn the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals into reality, begins and ends with the willingness of Member States to work together. Addressing global challenges through dialogue is the raison d’être of the United Nations, and it resonates with Danish political tradition. That is why, from the beginning, we have been deeply engaged in building up the Organization. This is also true in very concrete terms, as the Trusteeship Council Chamber, located next to this General Assembly Hall, was designed by the Danish architect Finn Juhl, whose design was precisely intended to foster dialogue among delegates, thereby promoting the democratic mission of the United Nations. In all modesty, we think he succeeded quite well.
More than 50 years of partnerships in international development with an approach based on dialogue has taught us the value of partnership in ensuring progress. As just one example, Denmark has for decades been a strong supporter of national human rights institutions and commissions, ombudsmen and other independent human rights bodies, from the Middle East to Africa and Eurasia.
Gender equality and the empowerment of women, key requirements for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, are a cornerstone of our foreign policy. Studies show that, when a girl receives just one additional year of education, she can increase her earnings by up to 20 per cent. That is important, not only for her but also for her family, her community and her country.
Denmark was extremely proud to host the Women Deliver 2016 Global Conference in Copenhagen, earlier this year. The Conference was a testimony to the importance Denmark places on ensuring women’s and girls’ full and equal enjoyment of all human rights. A plethora of programmes, initiatives and strategies were showcased at the Conference, providing inspiration for women and men all over the world.
At home and abroad, Denmark promotes the human rights and values of indigenous peoples. We stand for their right to control and influence their own development paths and determine matters regarding their own economic, social, political and cultural situation.
Denmark is one of the strongest voices in the global fight against torture. For decades we have ensured the successful adoption of General Assembly resolutions that further the work on the elimination of torture, as laid out in the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Implementation, however, is key. That is why we — together with Chile, Ghana, Indonesia and Morocco — have launched the Convention against Torture initiative. Our goal is to work towards universal ratification and better implementation of the Convention by 2024.
As the people’s Organization, the United Nations needs to do better to foster trust, transparency and efficiency. I am proud that during Mr. Lykketoft’s presidency of the General Assembly important steps were taken to increase transparency in the work of the Office of the President as well in the selection process for the next Secretary-General. If the United Nations is to remain a relevant and legitimate organization for peace, development and human rights, we must continue on the path of increased openness and transparency. That is in the shared interest of all Member States.
In conclusion, allow me, on behalf of the Government of Denmark, to take this opportunity to also pay tribute to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon. Denmark salutes the progressive leadership and determination that the Secretary-General has displayed through a difficult and very challenging period in the history of the United Nations. He has tirelessly led the way to finding viable solutions to global challenges, in particular climate change, which has been a journey that led us from Bali to Copenhagen and, finally, to Paris, and which resulted, last December, in an ambitious global agreement to fight climate change. Denmark reiterates its appreciation for the progressive leadership and determination of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
It is of the utmost importance that the new Secretary- General show the same determination as his predecessor in forcefully addressing the challenges posed to the millions of displaced persons, refugees and migrants across the world, while ensuring the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and undertaking the necessary crucial reforms of the United Nations. As we strive to reform the Organization, Denmark will stand by the side of the next Secretary-General and continue to support and take active and constructive part in the critical work of the United Nations going forward.


My delegation would like to begin by congratulating Mr. Thomson on his well-deserved election as President of the General Assembly at this session, and I would like to assure the President that he will haveour complete support for a successful session. It is also my pleasure to pay a well- deserved tribute to the previous President, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, for the transparent and dynamic approach with which he led the activities of the General Assembly during its seventieth session.
On 25 September 2015, in this Hall, the leaders of the world put together their vision for the world for the period up to 2030 by adopting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. At the heart of that Agenda lies an ambition for the international community to work tirelessly to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions so to create inclusive, fair and prosperous societies that are respectful of the environment and human rights. Such an ambition clearly initiates a shift in the paradigm for development, which is rendered necessary not only by the multiple challenges that face humankind, but also by irreversible relationships of interdependence.
A review of the world in which we live today does not inspire great optimism. The gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow. The number of massive population displacements is also on the rise. Various crises and conflicts emerge and sometimes persist, making our planet ever more vulnerable to climate change. Such developments are alarming, and they require a global, integrated, cohesive and concerted approach that links words to actions tot launch a collective effort consisting of vigorous and sustained actions aimed at achieving the sustainable prosperity of humankind. In that regard, we would like to welcome the President’s choice of a theme for this session: “Sustainable Development Goals: a new impetus to transform our world”. That theme will, we hope, lead to the creation of the necessary foundations on which we can move towards those goals.
The scarcity of financial resources available for development is cause for the reappraisal of official development assistance so as to make it more effective, particularly for the most vulnerable countries. Such development assistance will help to make those countries more resistant to economic, social and environmental shocks, both inside and outside their borders. In that framework, Africa is the continent with the youngest population in the world and the most vulnerable countries, which should be especially borne in mind as we implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
To reduce its vulnerability and build up its resistance to shocks, Africa will need deep structural transformation in order to develop a dynamic private sector — an engine for development. The development and implementation of public policies should fully involve the creation of employment and economic opportunities for the most vulnerable parts of the population, specifically women and young people, so as to include them effectively in socioeconomic life and enable them to develop their potential. Substantial investment in making women and young people more independent is needed, particularly because the scourges of terrorism, extremism and intolerance, as well as trafficking in illicit arms and drugs, all accentuate the misery and weakness of the most vulnerable parts of the population.
Partnerships and innovative financing schemes are needed to accelerate dynamic growth in Africa. New technologies must, therefore, serve the interest of sustainable development.
Changing the economic model on the African continent is impossible without sustainable access to energy. That is a challenge for Africa. Today, seven out of ten Africans — a total of 700 million Africans — do not have access to electricity. That is why the Heads of State and Government of the African Union countries decided to work with the support of the international community on a robust plan to accelerate the electrification of the continent through renewable energies, so that we can move from 25 to 80 per cent access to energy in 10 years. A fund devoted to financing renewable energy in Africa has been put in place to collect contributions for Africa within the framework of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
As a spokesman for Africa on renewable energies, I would like to call on the international community, particularly financial institutions, to work with our continent in implementing those objectives so that we can build a strong African continent that is respectful of commitments to the environment and sustainable development.
Development can be sustainable only with peace and stability. Peace and stability cannot be ensured without development. We therefore need to state that peace, an essential asset for the harmonious development of humankind, continues to face great challenges.
Terrorism has struck around the world, threatening peace and international stability. We firmly condemn the barbarous acts that have struck Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Turkey and Pakistan, to name just a few. We reiterate our deep sympathy for and solidarity with all countries affected by such instances of obscurantism. We are convinced that, although one might try to defeat terrorism using military means alone, it cannot be prevented or contained except by significant socioeconomic investments aimed at reducing radicalization.
In the Middle East, terror and mindless violence have led to desolation in Syria and Yemen, while the international community has still not managed to reach a sustainable resolution to the conflicts in the region. Our collective passivity regarding the impasse in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process also dangerously reduces the possibilities for a successful resolution to the conflict. Guinea has always unambiguously expressed its unconditional solidarity with the just Palestinian cause, and we are convinced that the solution needed in the Middle East must be based on two States living peacefully, side by side, within internationally recognized borders.
Regarding the embargo that has for a long time afflicted Cuba, we encourage all efforts to normalize relations between that country and the United States.
On the African continent, new and old crises — often fratricidal — continue to undermine stability. We welcome the support extended by this Organization to build peace in Africa, specifically in Central Africa and Mali. Guinea has actively contributed to the efforts of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali through the deployment of a battalion of 850 men in Kidal. However, it has paid the heavy price of losing nine soldiers to violent attacks committed by terrorist groups that are threatening the stability of the region. That is why we ask, while maintaining respect for the sovereignty of States and the peacekeeping mandates, for the adoption of a legal framework that endows the United Nations with stronger power regarding counter-terrorism. That will enable international forces to improve their intelligence capacities in order to better defend and fight back against terrorist attacks. With that in mind, the President of Liberia and I recently carried out a mission in Guinea-Bissau. In that regard, a preventive, coordinated, concerted and coherent approach on a daily basis seems required so as to be able to grasp the profound causes of such crises and the factors that help perpetuate them.
We welcome the adoption on 27 April of the almost identical resolutions — General Assembly resolution 70/262 and Security Council resolution 2282 (2016) — on the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, with particular emphasis on prevention and the integration of women and young people in all sectors of activity in our societies. Guinea — which, at its request, was inscribed on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission in 2011 — believes that such a framework offers us the opportunity to evaluate the nature and scope of our collaboration with the Commission in order to keep it in line with our needs.
If I may, I will share with the Assembly some aspects of the current situation of Guinea. After two stressful years, Guinea became free of the transmission of the Ebola virus as of 29 December 2015. The fight against Ebola was difficult and arduous, but our efforts, supported by the international community, have put an end to that terrible disease. I would like to pay tribute to the solidarity shown by other countries affected by the epidemic. The victory against Ebola belongs to everyone and is something that we should all celebrate.
However, the road before us is long, because the epidemic has greatly undermined all economic activity in our country. The most vulnerable people, particularly women and children, have been made even more vulnerable, and our challenges lie in the need to ensure their social reinsertion. The virulence of the disease has identified the weaknesses of our health-care system and the sectors that need special attention in order to ensure the resilience of our people and our continent.
Therefore, in the context of the post-Ebola recovery, Guinea has developed its strategy, which was presented here, along with those of Liberia and Sierra Leone, at the International Ebola Recovery Conference organized by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. We wish to express our gratitude to our partners who have fulfilled the pledges that they made at the Conference, and invite others that have not yet done so to make their promises a reality, so that Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone will be are able to reconnect quickly with sustainable development.
Despite the Ebola epidemic, the people of Guinea have demonstrated remarkable resilience and solidarity. That has allowed us to pursue many reforms aimed at strengthening the rule of law and at developing a framework conducive to investment and governance that inclludes all components of society. On the macroeconomic front, after a long period of fiscal restraint, the country has just concluded its eighth and final review with the International Monetary Fund.
The United Nations remains the only viable alternative for the promotion and emergence of prosperous and inclusive societies that respect human rights and the environment. Nevertheless,we cannot deny that our Organization must constantly reform its bodies and its working methods so as to be able to address threats to peace and security and the challenges of underdevelopment and to assist in the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
I wish to conclude by paying tribute and expressing our sincere gratitude to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his leadership and immense contribution to the world that we are all aspiring to build. We thank him for his tireless efforts and dedication, particularly with regard to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Those agreements will certainly form a significant part of the legacy of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the United Nations.


Last year, from this same rostrum, at the seventieth anniversary session of the General Assembly, much was said concerning the critical turning point in world development. The keynote was the recognition that humankind is moving from a bipolar and monopolar world order towards multipolar and democratic systems of international relations with regard to dealing with common challenges and threats, which we can overcome only through joint efforts. It was rightly stressed that there is a need to change the very philosophy of inter-State communication by avoiding attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of States or to impose development models on countries and peoples.
Unfortunately, despite having acknowledged that fact, many Western countries continue to favour their entrenched ideas of mentoring, dominance, exclusiveness and the realization of self-interests by any means, rather than promote just and equitable cooperation. We see, in the bloodshed in the Middle East and North Africa, the consequences of such arrogance and their sense of infallibility in their pushing forward unilateral and reckless solutions to complex conflicts. As a result, the foundations of world stability are being destroyed. It is high time to draw the necessary lessons and avoid sinking into catastrophe in Syria.
Largely thanks to Russia’s military response and assistance at the request of the legitimate Government of Syria, it has been possible to prevent the collapse of that country’s statehood and the disintegration of the country under the onslaught of terrorists. Our involvement provided the impetus for the establishment of the International Syria Support Group, which seeks to start a meaningful political process so that the Syrians themselves can determine the future of their country through an inclusive dialogue among all ethnic and religious groups. That is uncontestable. It has been acknowledged in the relevant Security Council resolutions and is enshrined in the recent agreements between Russia and the United States as Co-Chairs of the International Syria Support Group. We thank everyone who has supported us in those efforts.
It is now essential to prevent the collapse of those agreements and to carry out an unbiased and impartial investigation into the incidents in Deir ez-Zor and Aleppo, which undermine the agreements, especially given that there are quite a few people wishing to sabotage both the agreements and a settlement of the conflict in Syria. It is crucial to comply with the demand of the Security Council to separate what is known as the moderate opposition from the terrorists. And, in that regard, a particular responsibility lies with the United States and the members of the United States- led coalition.
If we truly wish to resolve the Syrian crisis and the appalling humanitarian situation there, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham, Jabhat al-Nusrah and associated extremist groups must be suppressed. That is key to reaching a cessation of hostilities and national reconciliation. Today, it is unpardonable to put off intra-Syrian negotiations, as well as to impose preconditions to them. Everything must be done in line with Security Council resolution 2254 (2015).
Sabotaging the process — in particular through the use of external forces, including their advisers and supporters — has a negative impact on the reputation of the United Nations and leads us to believe that the reason for it lies in an attempt to change the regime. We have seen that sort of zero-sum game in Ukraine, which is very close to us, in the unconstitutional attempts to overthrow the Government and now in Ukraine’s refusal to fulfil the Minsk Agreement of 12 February 2015. By and large, the attempt to use those conflicts to achieve self-serving geopolitical goals has been obvious to everyone.
The latest meeting of the International Syria Contact Group gives us reason to remain very cautiously optimistic. More broadly, it is only through the genuine implementation of all agreements that we will be able to have, in the Euro-Atlantic area, equal and indivisible security for mutually beneficial cooperation, as was stated at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe nearly 20 years ago.
Neither NATO nor the European Union will be able to replace a truly collective unification of efforts in the interest of all without losers and winners. And it is also utterly unacceptable to hold athletic competitions — which have always brought peoples together, strengthening friendship and mutual trust — hostage for reasons of political ambition. Attempts to manipulate the outcome of competitions does not honour those who flaunt their allegiance to fair competition but actually violate the General Assembly principles supporting the independence and autonomy of sports.
In today’s world, we cannot be guided by the philosophy of the anti-heroes of George Orwell’s dystopic novel Animal Farm, where all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. In the enlightened twenty-first century, it is simply indecent to adopt the role of mentor to everyone else, reserving for oneself the right to use doping in sports, launch unilateral adventures bypassing the United Nations, conduct geopolitical experiments that cost millions of human lives, engage in the extraterritorial blackmail of everyone, including one’s closest allies, while what is really intended is to advance one’s own financial profit, or even to set the criteria for the greatness of a particular country. All of that is unworthy of the principles of freedom and equality, on the basis of which great nations have grown and which are now being used by their elites to threaten the entire world.
This year, we mark the seventieth anniversary of the Nuremberg Tribunal decisions. The anniversary cautions us against forgetting the lessons of the Second World War and reminds us of the catastrophic consequences of attempting to determine the fate of the world by suppressing the legitimate interests of other States and peoples. The freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly should not be used as a cover for condoning radical movements that profess a Nazi ideology and support the glorification of the Nazis and their accomplices. The persistence of such vicious instincts dictates the need for consistent efforts to place a solid barrier in the way of neo-Nazism and revanchism, strengthen inter-ethnic and intercultural accord and rally the young generation around the ideas of justice and equality. We invite everyone to take part in the nineteenth World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi in October 2017.
Hegemony has no place in the future, if we want it to be a just future that gives people the opportunity to choose their own ways of development. That entails the need to learn to respect one’s partners and respect the cultural and civilizational diversity of the modern world. We must therefore return to our origins — the norms and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and other instruments of the world Organization. Our commitment to that approach was reaffirmed in the Declaration of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the Promotion of International Law, signed on 25 June. The observance of the principles of the sovereign equality of States and non-interference in their internal affairs should become a measure of the decency and legitimacy of any member of the world community.
We cannot address the global issues of countering international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other transboundary threats without abandoning the philosophy of exclusiveness and permissiveness. There should be no place for double standards in fighting terrorism. Truly universal joint efforts are required to create a broad counter- terrorist front, as President Putin proposed from this rostrum last year (see A/70/PV.13). The tragedies in Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Syria have proved the need to stop opportunistic attempts to use extremists as a way to advance geopolitical intentions. Before it is too late, it is necessary to think about the task of preventing the proliferation of terrorist and extremist ideology, which literally holds youth hostage in various regions of the world. We are drafting a Security Council resolution aimed at mobilizing efforts to eliminate such evils. We are looking forward to support for our initiative.
The elimination of the breeding grounds for radicalism would be facilitated significantly by resolving the conflict between Israel and Palestine. It is important to overcome the deep deadlock, which is stipulated in the 1 July 2016 report of the Quartet of Middle East facilitators. We call for the implementation of its recommendations.
We are also seriously concerned about non-proliferation and arms control. There have been attempts to replace the key objectives of maintaining strategic stability in all its components with populist slogans of “nuclear zero”. We see a number of countries possessing nuclear arsenals not participating in the existing treaties. The fundamental Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is being put to a serious test. Its parties find it more difficult to speak a common language, especially in a situation when certain nuclear Powers torpedo any compromises regarding the start of the negotiations on the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery in the Middle East.
Russia has consistently supported the liberation of humankind from the threat of nuclear weapons and other types of weapons of mass destruction. However, progress towards nuclear disarmament must be made in the context of the full consideration of a whole set of factors that affect strategic stability, including the impact of unilateral global missile defence systems, the development of strategic non-nuclear strike weapons, the threat of the placement of weapons in outer space, the inability to ensure the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and the growing imbalance in conventional arms in Europe.
We note the growing support for our initiative to draft an international convention for the suppression of acts of chemical and biological terrorism. The start of serious negotiations on that issue and on the Russia-China draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space would help break the impasse in the key body of the United Nations multilateral disarmament architecture: the Conference on Disarmament. We call for substantial examination of our proposals to improve the Convention on Biological and Toxin Weapons.
NATO member countries brought conventional arms control in Europe to a deep deadlock. Our attempts to save it have faced a tough ideology-driven counteraction. All ideas to return to that issue would be meaningful only if NATO countries recognized the absolute futility of ultimatums aimed at achieving unilateral advantages. We continue to be open to an equitable and mutually respectful dialogue with NATO, including through the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
It is necessary to work towards strengthening stability and equal and indivisible security in other parts of the world, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. The recent actions of North Korea, which violate Security Council resolutions, must be stopped. We call on Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear-missile programmes and return to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons regime. However, it is inadmissible to use that situation as a pretext for a massive militarization of North-East Asia and a deployment of another set of United States global missile-defence systems. All sides must refrain from the further escalation of tension and embark on the way toward a political and diplomatic settlement of the nuclear problem on the Korean peninsula through the resumption of the talks.
We will continue the dialogue within the framework of the East Asia Summits on the establishment of regional security and cooperation architecture in the Asia-Pacific region based on non-bloc foundations. A number of participating countries, including Russia, India, China and Indonesia, have submitted their views on that topic.
We invite the countries of the region to agree on the ways to implement the initiative presented by President Putin to establish an extended Eurasia Partnership with the participation of the Eurasian Economic Union countries and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other interested States. I would like to underline that the aforementioned initiative is open and fully in line with the earlier plans to create a trade bloc between Russia and the European Union and is founded on the basis of World Trade Organization norms and principles, unlike other projects involving close trade blocs that undermine the unity of global trade systems.
We will continue to promote the unification agenda in various international forums — the United Nations, the forum of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa group, the SCO, and the Group of 20 (G-20). The recent summit in Hangzhou reaffirmed the status of the G-20 as a leading global economic and financial forum. We thank the Chinese chairmanship for its efforts to use that representative platform effectively for the exchange of views on the key issues of the global economy and on policies for the subsequent promotion of such agreements in the universal format of the United Nations.
The signing of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change has become an important event among United Nations activities. The communication of nationally determined contributions on a voluntary basis moves us toward achieving the objectives of the Agreement, namely, to hold the increase in the average global temperature to below 2°C. Clear rules and procedures to implement the provisions of the Paris Agreement, bearing in mind the interests of all countries participating in the process, should be developed in order to achieve success.
In that context, the launch of market and non-market mechanisms to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, as stipulated in article VI of the Agreement, is a priority matter. In the final analysis, that would be of crucial importance in preventing violations of the competitive environment and the transfer of polluting industries and dirty production from one country to another, which hampers the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The United Nations was established to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and develop equitable international cooperation. Today, that covers all areas of international life, including communication, political and military aspects of security, climate protection, conflict settlement, peacekeeping, ensuring human rights and freedoms, sustainable development, regulating information technology, and efforts to combat terrorism, drug- trafficking and corruption. Furthermore, it includes issues ranging from the eradication of infectious diseases to ensuring the social responsibility of businesses and fostering scientific and technological progress.
In addition, of course, the United Nations must promote civil dialogue, thereby strengthening pluralism, cultures and traditions and serving as a catalyst for progress in science and the arts. In essence, we are talking about preserving humanity in all of its riches and diversity. That goal should constitute the basis for our collective efforts. It should become an imperative for global development and an incentive for improving global governance and the true democratization of international relations.
I would like to express our gratitude to His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who has made enormous efforts, in his position as Secretary-General, to renew the United Nations through timely actions. We believe that the new Secretary-General will also make a valuable contribution.