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Geneva is one such space. It is home to the UN, the WTO and numerous other international organizations, as well as scientific ones, humanitarian actors, representatives of civil society and permanent missions of almost every country in the world. Every day, people from different backgrounds representing interests that are sometimes at odds with one another come together here. They do not need to agree in order to talk to one another. That is exactly what gives such a place its value. Switzerland will therefore continue as the host state to ensure that Geneva remains open, accessible and inclusive for large states and small for the North and the South. But inclusion is not merely about having a seat at the table. It also means being able to make a real contribution to decisions that will affect one's own future.
Sovereignty must be respected and colonialism must be brought to an end. This is where Palestine remains one of the clearest tests of these principles, and the test of our conscience. The clear violation of international law in Gaza and the West Bank are reminiscent of our world pre 1945, a world pre the UN charter pre the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and pre the 1949 Geneva Conventions, a world where a certain race was almost annihilated. Indonesia knows what it means to struggle against colonialism, to struggle in a world where international law was weak and might was right. Our nation's journey to independence has shaped our consistent support for the Palestinian people and their right to determine their own future. Indonesia will continue to stand with the Palestinian people until their right to self-determination is fulfilled, and until an independent and sovereign state of Palestine is realised based on the two state solution, in accordance with international law and internationally agreed parameters. Palestine is not only a question for one region, it is a test of whether multilateral system can uphold the very principles it was created to defend, and whether it can deliver when it matters most. Mr. President, an effective multilateral system also requires effective leadership. Indonesia's leadership philosophy, passed down through generations, teaches us that leaders must possess the capability to lead by example from the front, build confidence while standing among the people, and empower from behind. Leadership is not simply about commanding.
Lastly, preparing for the future and ensuring it benefits everyone means mastering technological changes. Artificial intelligence is creating enormous opportunities for human development, but it also entails genuine risks. The Global Dialogue on AI Governance, which was held this year in Geneva, confirmed this. These technologies must remain at the service of humanity, and the United Nations cannot remain a spectator. Monaco supports the implementation of the Global Digital Compact and a new normative framework on AI based on law and shared ethical principles, respecting human rights and being accessible to all states. Finally, the principality calls for strengthened cooperation to deal with cyber threats and for inclusive transitions both within states and within societies. President. When he received the Nobel Prize in Literature, the great French writer Albert Camus defined the task of his generation thus not to reform the world, but perhaps even greater to prevent the world from destroying itself. Today, that is our task preventing the world from destroying itself, preventing law from being destroyed, destroyed by force, preventing trust, being destroyed by mistrust, and preventing the planet from being destroyed under the weight of our negligence.
The possibilities before us are immense. We have the possibility of silencing the guns through dialogue and diplomacy. The world does not need more sophisticated instruments of destruction. It needs a more sophisticated capacity for peace. In this regard, I reiterate Guyana's call for a just and lasting solution to the crisis in the Middle East, one that brings an end to the suffering of innocent civilians and recognises the Palestinian people's legitimate right to self-determination and to secure a homeland of their own. Reiterate our support for a two state solution. We call as well for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and the war in Sudan, and for peaceful resolution of all conflicts that continue to consume lives, uproot families and extinguish the hopes of millions in other parts of our world. We reiterate our call for a viable solution for Cuba, one that is peaceful, people centred, development focused and allows for a full aspiration of the Cuban people to be realized. Guyana reiterates CARICOM's offer to play a meaningful role in achieving this objective. In Haiti, resolving the multidimensional challenges remains central to achieving democracy, stability, peace and prosperity for the Haitian people. The sustained support of the international community through the provision of key financial and material resources, is critical to realising these objectives. Ultimately, the future of Haiti must be Haitian led and Haitian owned. Mr. president, turning to my own country, Guyana has always advanced the peaceful settlement of the controversy in relation to our border with Venezuela. Despite the historical truth clearly outlined in the Arbitral Award of 1899 that determined the full, perfect and final settlement of our border with Venezuela, we endured long and repeated provocations and aggression. The matter was referred to the International Court of Justice by the Secretary General, acting pursuant to the Geneva Agreement, and the court twice pronounced on its jurisdiction to hear the matter. Recourse to the ICJ came after decades of efforts to resolve the controversy bilaterally, including through a mixed commission and the good offices of the UN Secretary General. In full respect for international law, Guyana participated and encouraged Venezuela to participate in the proceedings of the ICJ. Now that we have both participated in the hearings, which were completed in May 2026, we urge Venezuela to abide by the forthcoming ruling in accordance with their obligations under the UN Charter, as Guyana will do. We look forward to a new era of neighborly relations in the interests of our peoples, the development of our countries and the stability and prosperity of our region.
Impunity cannot become normal. San Marino, therefore, reaffirmed its commitment to the Geneva Convention, the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute, and we reiterate our unwavering support for the International Criminal Court. The court exists because the gravest crimes cannot go unanswered genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Accountability is not an obstacle to peace. It is a part of a lasting peace. The fight against impunity is also an essential element of the responsibility to protect, which must remain a shared responsibility of the international community. Recent political pressure and coercive measures against the court, its officials and those who cooperate within it are deeply concerning. State parties to the Rome Statute must defend the independence and integrity of the court. San Marino also reaffirmed its historic commitment to the abolition of the death penalty, which it abolished in 1865. This reflects our enduring conviction that human dignity must be protected even in the face of the gravest crime. Justice cannot depend on political power. Mr. president, five years ago, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan.
Seven, I would be remiss if I did not mention here, as the very headquarters of international law, our desire to reaffirm the historic rights of Venezuela over the Guayana Esequiba. Here, I appeal to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to resolve the issue and to return to negotiations as stipulated by the Geneva Agreement. Agreements which last the longest are those that emerge from bilateral negotiations; they last longer and function better than those imposed by external bodies. For those that are asking which side Venezuela stands on, there you have our stances and our guiding principles.
But we will not give in to that kind of rhetoric, even less so today. We will not yield across five areas. The first is fatalism in the face of war and suffering. We must recommit to finding concrete solutions to building peace. International law never claimed to describe reality. It talked about the limits which sovereign nations themselves set. And in order to ensure when there's a disagreement, force is not the only recourse we have as an option on the table. We must learn the lessons of the 20th century. Those who've forgotten those lessons are committing both a moral error and a political mistake. That is the reality of the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine and Africa. War crimes have been industrialised. We've seen the destruction of civilian infrastructure, human rights violations. It's a new era of barbaric acts. The Geneva Conventions offered a protective framework, but it is being dismantled. El Fasher, Bukavu, Gaza. The list goes on. Together with Jordan and the ICRC, France is going to continue undertaking efforts to ensure the international effort that aims to uphold international humanitarian law, which over 116 states have already rallied behind, will help us to keep our commitments. We must mobilize time and time again to defend international law and international humanitarian law at this time of war. As we've often said, there cannot be peace without justice, and that is why France continues to support politically and operationally the international mechanism aimed at collecting evidence and ensuring justice, in particular the fact finding missions. We will continue lending our support to the International Court of Justice and supporting the central role it plays.
